Yes, it’s that time again, the weekend, and time to review the best new movies and television shows added online this week, to Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. And there are some exciting new adds this week, so let’s get started.
HULU
Hulu has an exciting add this week with Death and Other Details, a 2024 mystery series. This takes place aboard the swanky cruise liner SS Varuna, in the Mediterranean for a celebration, when a murder occurs. But when Imogene Scott(Violett Beane) becomes a prime suspect , she has no choice but to depend upon the aid of Rufus Cotesworth (Mandy Patimkin), a world famous detective. But he made an enemy of the woman decades ago, when he investigated the murder of Imogene‘s mother. But the two murders may be intertwined. Jayne Atkinson, Jack Cutmore-Scott,Lauren Patten and Danny Johnson also star, and there are 10 episodes available now. And this series gets a 6.9/10 on IMDb, and Amelia Stout of Slant Mag says its “a thoughtful meditation on the simultaneously distortive and revelatory nature of the human memory.” So I’m definitely tuning in. Hulu also offers The Worst of Evil, the 2024 crime drama series. This takes place in the 90′s with a drug cartel, Gangnam Union, running rampant over Southeast Asia, and so rural police officer Park Jun mo (Ji Chang-wook) goes undercover to gain the trust of crime boss Jung Gi-cheul. Soon, his wife, a fellow officer, Yoo Eui-jung(Wi Ha-joon), joins him in the fight, and it becomes obvious the police department may be involved in the cartel.Geum Gwang–san, Im Sung-jae, Ji Seung-hyun, Bibi, and Rae-Hyung Cha also star, and there are 12 episodes available now. and this series gets an outrageous 8.4/10 on IMDb, and Isabella Endrinal of A Good Movie to Watch calls it a “gritty, action-packed undercover cop series infiltrating the criminal underworld of 90’s Gangnam.” so it’s on my list. Hulu also has Nocebo, a 2022 Filipino-Irish psychological thriller movie. Here, a fashion designer, Christine(Eva Green) suffers from a debilitating illness that makes her work impossible, a disease her doctors can’t identify. As Christine becomes more and more desperate, a mysterious Filipino nanny, Diana (Chai Fonacier) shows up, and slowly offers folk remedies that appear to help Christine. But as time goes on, the woman’s dependence upon the nanny grows, while she spies on the couple and their child, Bobs. Mark Strong, Chai Fonacier, Billie Gadsdon, Cathy Belton and Angie Ferco also star, while Lorcan Finnegan directed. And it gets a 71% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Anna Smith of the metro.co.uk wrote “Eva Green is always a good indicator you’re in for something stylishly weird.” but it’s far too weird for me. And, finally, Hulu has A Shop for Killers, a 2023 Disney+ K-drama crime series. this story revolves around Jeong Ji-an (Kim Hye-jun), who went to live with her mysterious uncle Jeong Ji-man(Lee Dong-wook)after the death of her parents. But when her uncle suddenly dies, supposedly a suicide, Ji-an finds her life in danger, and that her uncle’s past is to blame. Because he was an assassin , and many people want revenge, and so Ji-an finds she may have to learn his lethal trade to survive. Seo Hyun-woo, Jo Han-sun a, Park Ji-bin and Geum Hae-na also star, and there are episodes available for streaming now. and this series gets an outstanding 8.6/10 on IMDb, and Joel Keller of the Decider calls it “pretty straightforward to start, which leaves a lot of room for some good action scenes and some exploration of its two main characters.” but it’s too intense for me.
NETFLIX
Netflix has a hotly awaited title with The Kitchen a 2023 scifi drama co-directed by Daniel Kaluuya(!). This takes place in 2040 London, where poverty is common and housing prices are soaring, and so the poor live in abandoned high rises like the Kitchen, where Izi (Kane Robinson) tries only to survive, working for a funeral service called Life for Life. So when he meets an orphan Benji(Jedaiah Bannerman), latches onto him and follows him everywhere, Izi is thrown for a loop. But he gradually takes the kid under his wing, as their tenancy at the Kitchen becomes more imperiled, with raids taking place with increasing frequency. Hope Ikpoku Jr, Reuben ‘Trizzy’ Nyamah, BackRoad Gee and Harvey Quinn also star, and Kibwe Tavares co-directs with Kaluuya, with the pair co-writing the script, as well. And this impressive debut gets an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Rogan Graham of Little White Lies calls it “A very robust debut that lingers in your mind after.” and I’m watching. But Netflix has also added The Bequeathed, a 2024 K-drama thriller series. This finds Yoon Seo-ha (Kim Hyun-joo) , a young professional in Seoul, at a low point in her life, with an unsatisfying job and her husband cheating on her, when she is told her uncle died. When she finds that he left her the family burial ground, and that he was murdered, she is perplexed. but when the bodies in the small town keep piling up, and worse, meets Kim Young-ho (Ryu Kyung-soo), a man claiming to be her half-brother who really wants that burial ground. And it becomes clear her own life is in danger. Park Hee-soon, Park Byung-eun, Park Sung-hoon and Ryu Kyung-Soo also star, and there are 6 episodes available for streaming now. And this series gets a 6.5/10 on IMDb, and Karina “ScreamQueen” Adelgaard of Heaven of Horror calls it “slow burn with a dark and sinister twist.”Netflix has also added Kubra, a 2024 Turkish series. Here, Gökhan(Çagatay Ulusoy), an average suburban man, begins getting texts that seems to always come true, from a girl named Kubra, which means great in Turkish. Gökhan comes to believe he’s messaging God, and as the news gets out, he becomes a celebrity, and then, more powerful, a true messenger of Allah. But, of course, others, like the police, think he’s a conman, and as the two sides clash, violence ensues. Aslihan Malbora, Nazan Kesal, Ahsen Eroglu and Chan Talay also star, and there are 8 episodes available now. And Kubra gets a 6.2/10 on IMDb, and Jonathon Wilson of Ready Steady Cut calls it “an effective and intriguing examination of faith, technology, and the idea of a prophet, with an excellent lead performance to boot.” Netflix also has Caged Wings, a 2023 Spanish drama. Here, living a seemingly carefree life in Barcelona, Dan (Óscar Casas), and his friends, Vio (Candela González) and Reno (Farid Bechara), party and commit smash and grab robberies to survive. But Dan is also an emerging graffiti artist, and a new love, Wo (Candela González), that make him wish for more. But when his father gets released from prison, everything comes crashing down, with past traumas and present threats roiling Dan‘s life. Francisco Boira, Marta Bayarri ,Adolfo Parra and Gerard Oms also star, and Mario Casas directs. and this movie was nominated for Best First Film at the Almería International Film Festival and gets a 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. Enid Román Almansa of Cinemania calls it a “movie with a soul, specifically the actor Mario Casas’ who delivers a promising debut as a filmmaker.”So it’s on my list. And, finally, Netflix has Song of the South, a 2023 Vietnamese drama. Based on Doan Gioi’s 1957 novel of the same name, this tells the story of An, played by Huynh Hao Khang, a 12 year-old boy, living in 1920’s French colonial Vietnam, with a mass rebellion taking place. An’s father is a known rebel in hiding, and so, when An’s mother is killed, he goes in search of his dad. As he goes on his cross country journey, he is helped by numerous people, but threatened by the war that surrounds him. Bui Ly Bao Ngoc, Do Ky Phong, Tuan Tran , Tien Luat, Bang Di and Tran Thanh also star, and Nguyen Quang Dung directed. And this movie gets a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Anjali Sharma of the Midgard Times calls it “a serial journey through the eyes of a lost boy…it ignites a spark of inspiration that has the potential to reshape the landscape of the genre, urging filmmakers to reach for new heights.” And I’m definitely watching.
AMAZON
This week sees no major adds on Amazon, but some smaller gems have been included like
Zorro, the 2024 Spanish adventure series. Diego de la Vega(Miguel Bernardeau) returns to California after his murder of his father, Alejandro de la Vega (Luis Tosar). At the time of his arrival, Diego blames Zorro, an already existent (and presumed dead) legendary hero, for his father’s death, but as events transpire, he finds that isn’t true. He instead, decides to take over the dead hero’s identity himself, and step up to defend the defenseless in California, including the Native Americans his father wanted to inherit his land. Dalia Xiuhcoatl, Renata Natni, Rodolfo Sancho, Emiliano Zurita and Chacha Huang also star, and there are 6 episodes available for streaming now. and this series gets an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, and John Serba of the Decider says it’s “a welcome return for a classic character. It’s good, cheesy fun, and hard to dislike. STREAM IT.” so I will. But with subtitles, the dubbing is too awful for words. Amazon has another interesting add this week with The Other Zoey, a 2023 romcom. Josephine Langford stars, here, as Zoey Miller, a brainiac and computer science major at Queens University in Charlotte. She’s definitely not interested in soccer types, like star player Zach(Drew Starkey), until he’s hit by a car and, suffering amnesia, mistakes her for another Zoey (Maggie Thurmon). Told by the doctor he could relapse, she goes along with Zach’s assumption, only to meet his cousin, Miles (Archie Renaux), a grad student at MIT(!). Now she is torn between her right brain and her left, and what side will win is anyone’s guess. Mallori Johnson, Andie MacDowell, Patrick Fabian and Heather Graham(!) also star, and Sara Zandieh directs. and this gets an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Sharanya Kumar of the Film Companion called it “pacey and engaging, one of the reasons The Other Zoey holds your attention is the immediate chemistry between Zoey and Miles.” If you need romance. And, finally, Amazon has added Indian Police Force, a 2024 Indian action thriller series. This focuses on Delhi Police Officer Kabir Malik, played by Sidharth Malhotra, who is intent on apprehending the terrorist responsible for multiple lethal blast in Delhi, Zarar(Mayyank Taandon), an Indian Mujahideen (IM). But Kabir is overseen by his boss, and former classmate, ATS Chief of Gujarat Tara Shetty, played by Shilpa Shetty Kundra , who is none too impressed with him. So the pair grapple in a power struggle, as they search for the deadly bomber shattering lives in Delhi. Vivek Oberoi, Isha Talwar, Karanvir Malhotra and Nikitin Dheer also star and there are 7 episodes available for streaming now. And though this series get a 11%(!) on Rotten Tomatoes, it gets an incredible 8.4/10 on IMDb, and Archika Khurana of the Times of India writes “despite the predictability in the storyline, Indian Police Force is recommended for its novelty in delivering a high-packed action series in the digital space.” So it’s on my list.
So sit back and binge this weekend, on classics, old and new, on Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. Enjoy!
Grownups Guide to Streaming 