From gritty new crime dramedies to screwball dystopian fiction, this weekend’s slate of streaming shows and movies has something for everyone. Ex-cops turned restaurant inspectors, plumbers with stolen mafia money, a deadly lottery, spies on the run, post-apocalyptic revenge stories and more are all on offer this weekend, though there sure are an awful lot of streaming services to pay for these days if you want to see it all.
Each week, I scour the internet for all the best new stuff coming to Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney+ and more. I also toss in new VOD options, theatrical releases and other bonuses—including 4K Blu-ray releases—because even though this is a streaming guide, we should never limit ourselves. If there’s anything you’re watching that I missed, let me know on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook
Check out last weekend’s streaming guide right here:
We’ll start off with everything new this week. Let’s dive right in!
New To Stream
Bad Monkey (Apple TV)
I had to finish up the third season of Shetland last night (which was quite good until its ridiculous, plot-hole-riddled, utterly implausible ending) so I didn’t get a jump on Bad Monkey, but the new Vince Vaughn-led Apple TV comedy-mystery looks terrific. Vaughn stars as an ex-police detective now working as a restaurant inspector in Florida, when things take a dark turn that thrusts him back into a world of crime. The first two episodes are out now, with 8 more to follow each Wednesday.
The Union (Netflix)
The blurb for The Union reads: “Mike (Mark Wahlberg), a construction worker from Jersey, is quickly thrust into the world of super spies and secret agents when his high school sweetheart, Roxanne (Halle Berry), suddenly comes back into his life and recruits him on a high-stakes U.S. intelligence mission.” With a top-notch cast and a fun—if entirely generic—premise, this should be a good popcorn movie for Netflix subscribers despite lackluster reviews (that aren’t terrible for a Netflix Original film).
Emily In Paris Season 4 (Netflix)
I’ve never watched Emily in Paris but apparently it’s popular and successful enough to warrant a fourth season on Netflix, which is quite the feat. Part 1 just landed with Part 2 dropping on September 12th—a new and irritating trend for Netflix shows past their prime. The series follows Emily (Lily Collins) a Chicago marketing executive hired by a firm in Paris to provide an American perspective. The rom-com is created by Darren Star, the guy behind hits like Sex and the City and Beverly Hills 90210.
Jackpot! (Prime Video)
This looks kind of generic in the same way that The Union does, though with more laughs—or attempts at laughs—from its stars, Awkwafina and John Cena. The dark comedy’s premise is rather dystopian: In the future, winning a lottery means that anyone who kills her by sundown can claim the lottery for themselves. Awkwafina wins and John Cena—a Lottery Protection Agent—is tasked with protecting her for the day. It sounds fun, but both audiences and critics are rather tepid about the film. Still, could be a fun popcorn movie.
Average Joe Season 1 (Netflix)
This is probably the highest-rated new series out this weekend, though it’s not exactly new. The dark crime-comedy debuted on Tyler Perry’s BET+ network last year, though it’s bound to get a much bigger audience now that it’s on Netflix. I honestly just learned about this show myself, but that is one helluva good trailer. The series stars Deon Cole as plumber Joe Washington, who discovers that his now-deceased father stole $10 million and a Lamborghini from the Russian mob, and things are about to get very bad for him and his family. I’m intrigued.
Bel-Air Season 3 (Peacock)
I’m not sure The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air ever needed to be remade or rebooted, but the new Peacock series is surprisingly popular and has been mostly well-received, and now its third season is out on Peacock. I just personally don’t see how this is supposed to work without Will Smith, but maybe I’m too stuck in my ways.
The Tyrant (Hulu)
This Korean thriller series (with a great title) looks quite good though there are not enough reviews in to really say one way or another (two critics give it a “Rotten” and two audience reviews give it 100% “Fresh”). The blurb reads: “Starring Jo Yoon-su, Cha Seung-won, Kim Seon-ho, and Kim Kang-woo. When U.S. intelligence learns that the South Korean government is working on a deadly new virus under a secretive program, they demand that all research be halted immediately and that samples be turned over. However, the team is attacked and the sample is stolen by a professional killer. With everything at stake, a U.S. agent tries to retrieve the deadly sample and what ensues is a breathtaking action-packed battle between intelligence services and unknown parties.” All episodes are out now on Hulu.
Twisters (VOD)
The sequel to the 90s classic Twister is finally out on video-on-demand after becoming the biggest disaster movie hit of all time at the box-office. Glen Powell continues his winning streak, this time as a maverick tornado chaser alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones who runs a less colorful twister crew. I missed this one in theaters so I’m glad I can finally watch it at home, though I’m tempted to wait for the 4K Blu-ray.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (4K UHD Blu-Ray)
The brilliant prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road is now out on 4K UHD Blu-ray and other physical formats and you should absolutely watch it this way if you can. The movie may not be quite as good as Fury Road, but Furiosa is still a gorgeous cinematic experience with a great story that shows us exactly how prequels ought to be done. (My review). Chris Hemsworth and Anya Taylor-Joy and the rest of the cast really knock this out of the park.
Alien: Romulus (In Theaters)
I’m definitely going to try to see Alien: Romulus this weekend because A) I love all the Alien movies, even the ones that aren’t as good and B) because this one is getting the third-best reviews in the entire franchise and C) because I want to see if the Romulus bit ties in at all to Raised By Wolves, given Romulus and Remus—the founders of Rome—were raised by wolves. I’m also really curious to see where director Fede Álvarez takes this.
Ongoing Series
I’m not watching anything currently airing at the moment—I’ve been watching the Scottish mystery series Shetland and trying to get into Netflix’s 3 Body Problem and playing catch-up with other series, as well as rewatching Band Of Brothers before I dive into Masters of the Air—but here are a few on my radar.
Industry (HBO / Max) has taken over the empty Sunday slot from House of the Dragon on Max and HBO. The series is in its third season and I only ever learned about it last week, but it sounds like a pretty good drama about ambitious young people in London’s world of finance.
The Serpent Queen (Starz) starring Samantha Morton as Catherine De Medici in this historical drama filled with scheming and politics during the 16th century in France. One of the highest-rated shows in this guide with a 100% critic and 92% audience score.
Lady in the Lake (Apple TV) starring Natalie Portman is a mystery centered around two women and the disappearance of a young girl in Baltimore in the late 60s’. 76% critic and 75% audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
Sunny (Apple TV+) starring Rashida Jones, is about a woman whose husband and son disappear. She’s left with her husband’s robot, Sunny, as she tries to unravel the mystery of her missing family in Kyoto, Japan.
Bonus: 1917
I watched Sam Mendez’s World War I masterpiece 1917 this past weekend for the fourth time, only this time on 4K UHD Blu-ray (which I’m all about lately, because it just looks and sounds so much better than streaming). It remains one of the best war movies ever made, and such a unique cinematic experience. The camera work and cinematography are superb, and everything from the acting to the gorgeous—and often intense—score make this a must-watch for anyone who loves movies or has an interest in the history of the Great War. It’s very much a fable or odyssey, I’ve realized, and not really meant to be viewed as a normal straightforward war film.
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