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 The Veil, a 2024 spy thriller series. Elizabeth Moss(!) stars as the unpredictable MI6 agent Imogen Salter, sent to Syria to retrieve Adilah El Idrissi (Yumna Marwan), said to be an ISIS commander. But Adilah only wants to reunite with her 10 year-old daughter, and on their way from Istanbul to Paris, the rudderless Imogen begins to empathize more with her charge , than her own spy organization. Dali Benssalah, Josh Charles and Thibault de Montalembert also star, and there are 2 episodes available now, with 4 more to come. And though it gets only a 56% on Rotten Tomatoes, it gets a 6.4/10 on IMDb, and Aramide Tinubu of Variety writes “exciting and astonishing, The Veil beautifully balances stunt-filled escapades and a rich narrative.” So I’m tuning in.But Hulu has also added Shardlake, a 2024 historical mystery series. This takes place during the reign Henry III, with the dissolution of the monasteries, when Matthew Shardlake is sent to investigate the death of a commissioner sent to strip down the St Donatus monastery in Scarnsea, by Thomas Cromwell(Sean Bean!). But the brothers there are none too pleased with Shardlake’s presence, or an antipapist, and so do little to help his investigation. But it soon becomes clear there is much darkness in the monastery and many suspects for the murder. Arthur Hughes, Anthony Boyle, Babou Ceesay, and Paul Kaye also star, and there are 4 episodes available for bingeing now. And this series gets a 6.9/10 on IMDb, and Lucy Mangan of the Guardian says “murderous monks ignite this magnificent CJ Sansom.” And i love a mystery, so I’m definitely tuning in. Hulu has also added 3 Days in Malay, a 2023 war epic. Based on a true story, this takes place in a Malay outpost during WWII, with former marine John Caputo, played by Louis Mandylor, left with the duty of defending it from the Japanese without outside help. He and the other soldiers, including James, Conroy, and Simmons , do their best to defend the outpost, and save their own lives, until help arrives. Randall Bacon, Randy Wayne, Peter Dobson, Ryan Francis and Donald Cerrone also star, and Mandylor directed this piece. And it gets a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Emilie Black of Cinema Crazed said “not being a World War II buff, it’s hard to tell if things are on point historically speaking, but as a professional film nerd, the film is decently entertaining, it keeps the attention throughout, has some good performances…” So its on my list. And, finally, Hulu has House of the Owl, a 2024 Japanese Disney+ crime drama series. This tells the story of Japan’s legendary political fixer, Ryutaro , or the Owl, played by Min Tanaka, and his troublesome son,Oishinryu ( Mackenyu). Unlike his father, Oishinryu advocates for justice and openness in government, and when the son of a political candidate dies in mysterious circumstances, Oishinryu strives to find the truth, before his father gets involved in a coverup. Ando Masanobu,Manda Hisako, Hasegawa Kyoko and Nakata Seina also star, and there are 7 episodes available now. and this renowned series in Japan gets an impressive 7.4/10 on IMDb. and with scores like that, I’m watching.
NETFLIX
Netflix has a huge add this week with Jerry Seinfeld‘s Unfrosted, a 2023 comedy. This truish story takes place in 1963 Michigan, with rivals Kellogg’s and Post both trying to come up with the first breakfast pastry. Seinfeld plays Bob Cabana, an exec at Kellogg’s, who hears that Marjorie Post(Amy Shumer!) is coming up with something earthshaking, the pop tart. So Cabana brings in the big guns to develop something of their own, including NASA scientist Donna Stankowski (Melissa McCarthy!). And as the pressure grows between the two companies, chaos erupts. Rachael Harris, Hugh Grant and Jim Gaffigan(!) also star, and Seinfeld directs, along with writing the script. But there is more sugar fluff here than actual content, and so it gets only a 43% on Rotten Tomatoes. And Ross Bonaime of the Collider called it “all icing, no filling.” Still, if you want a sugar rush, here’s your flick. But Netflix has also added A Man in Full, a 2024 drama limited series. Based on Tom Wolfe‘s novel of the same name, this tells the tale of Charlier Croker, played by Jeff Daniels, a powerful Atlanta real estate broker who finds himself deeply in debt, with payment due. Having burnt his bridges by abusing his employees as well as his relatives, like his ex-wife, Martha (Diane Lane!), the heel has few ways out. As Croker sinks into insolvency, he may have one last chance, as the mayor of Atlanta, Wes Jordan (William Jackson Harper), needs his help for reelection. But can Croker foul that up too? Lucy Liu, Jerrika Hinton, Sarah Jones, Tom Pelphrey, and Jon Michael Hill also star, and there are 6 episodes available for streaming now. This mini-series gets only a 43% on Rotten tomatoes, but a 6.6/10 on IMDb. And Rohan Naahar of The Indian Express says “Jeff Daniels delivers an utterly unhinged performance as a Trump-coded white-collar criminal, but he deserved a better show.” And that’s my reason for watching. Luckily, Netflix also has Secrets of the Neanderthals, a 2024 BBC documentary. This movie tells a truer story of our fellow hominid, the Neanderthal, one of a creature of intelligence, creativity and culture, than the hulking troglodyte portrayed since its discovery in the 1800‘s. Here we see archaeologists from University of Cambridge work with Kurdish scientists in Kurdish north Iraq, to excavate a Neanderthal-occupied cave. The viewers get to see reenactments of Neanderthal life, we even get a forensic facial reconstruction of a 70,000 year-old female Neanderthal the team dubbed ‘Shanidar Z.’ And it’s narrated by Patrick Stewart(!), and seamlessly directed by Ashley Gething . And it gets a 6.6/10 on IMDb, with Jon Creamer of Televisual calls it “a fantastic archaeological adventure.” And i totally agree. I’m totally tuning in. Netflix also offers Fiasco, a 2024 French comedy. this mockumentary is about the disastrous efforts of wannabe director, Raphael (Pierre Niney). Raphael is determined to make his screenplay about his grandmother into a masterpiece, but is stymied by his general ineptitude. Add to that a mole in his production crew who is leaking his speeches to the crew, ruining his stunts and causing general havoc with Raphael’s production, and you have mayhem, on the set and off. Géraldine Nakache, Pascal Demolon, Leslie Medina, Louise Coldefy, and Marie-Christine Barrault also star, while directs. And this movie gets an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Jonathan Wilson of Ready Set Cut says its “reminiscent of some great works in the mockumentary format, and while it isn’t quite on the same level as the classics, it has a puerile energy that’s easy to like.” So I’m watching. And, finally, Netflix has added Unnatural, a 2024 Japanese medical drama series. This focuses on the Unnatural Death Investigation Laboratory, a forensics lab in Tokyo and the lead pathologist there, Misumi Mikoto(Satomi Ishihara). Each episode delivers a different mysterious death (or deaths), investigated by the UDI lab. And every week, the team there solves the cryptic cases not caught by the police. Arata Iura, Masataka Kubota, Mikako Ichikawa and Yutaka Matsushige also star, and there are 10 episodes available now. And this series gets a whopping 8.1/10 on IMDb, and Ayasa Mallick of the Midgard Times says the “story was so good that I couldn’t help but keep on wanting more. Even now, my heart is so full, but I still want more of Unnatural. I would definitely like to suggest you watch this drama if you love medical and mysterious drama series with a touch of emotional scenes.” And I love a mystery, so I’m tuning in.
AMAZON
Amazon has a big title added this week with The Idea of You, the 2024 romcom starring Anne Hathaway(!). Based on a book by Robinne Lee, this finds 40 year-old mom Solène (Anne Hathaway), a beginning an unexpected romance with 24-year-old singer Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine). But, of course, the relationship hits snags when Solène’s family and friends, and Hayes‘ fans, disapprove. and the pressure of celebrity grates on Solène, in ways she didn’t expect. Ella Rubin stars as Solène‘s daughter, Izzy, and Annie Mumolo, Reid Scott and Mathilda Gianopoulos also star, and Michael Showalter directs.And this movie gets an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Alison Willmore of New York Mag/Vulture says it “could stand to be a little more indulgent — it allows the real world to rush into its unexpected relationship almost before it gets going — but it’s surprisingly seductive even with its restraint.” But it’s a bit corny for me. Luckily, Amazon has also added The Holdovers, the award winning 2023 comedy. Paul Giamatti stars, here, as the irascible classics teacher Mr Hunham, who is stuck at his boarding school , along with his student , Angus (Dominic Sessa) , over Christmas vacation, in 1970. Angus was stranded for the holidays by his missing parents, and is disgusted to be at school. Their only other companion is the school cook, Mary, played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph, with losses of her own to grieve. But the trio warm to each other, and gradually, form lasting bonds. Carrie Preston, Brady Hepner and Ian Dolley also star, and Alexander Payne(!) directs. And this movie won tons of awards last year, including Best Breakthrough Performance for Sessa at the Film Independent Spirit Awards and of course, Best Supporting Actress for Randolph at the Oscars, the BAFTAs, and countless other awards organizations. And it gets an impressive 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Matt Brunson of Film Frenzy called it a “small-scale gem that, by utilizing a 1970s setting, manages to recall the intimate cinema of that period.” So I’m tuning in. And, finally Amazon has added season 1 of Homicide Hills, a 2010 German mystery series. Here, Sophie Haas (Caroline Peters) finds herself transferred from Cologne to the sleepy town of Hengasch, by the disapproving brass in Cologne. And though she is named Chief of Police, her staff includes only 2 other people, so her disappointment is complete. Until a body is found in a creek on Father’s Day. Hans Peter Hallwachs,Petra Kleinert,Beste Schauspielerin and Bjarne Madel also star, and there are 13 episodes to gorge on before they disappear, back to MHz Choice, on June 1. And you’ll want to see them all, since this series has won awards in Germany, like the 2013 Bavarian TV Award for Best Actress in a TV Series or Miniseries for Beste Schauspielerin, and it gets an outstanding 8/10 on IMDb, and Mark Glass of Patch says this “light-hearted German police dramedy provides a cozy binge. “So I’m definitely tuning in.
So sit back and binge this weekend, on classics, old and new, on Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. Enjoy!
Grownups Guide to Streaming 