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 few big titles added this week, but they do have gems like The American, a 2023 drama. Based on a true story, this tells of Joy Womack (Talia Ryder), the first American accepted to the illustrious Bolshoi Ballet School, in Moscow. There, she is taught by the famed (and demanding) Tatiyana Volkova (Diane Kruger),and expected to meet her incredibly high standards. And soon, the rigor of training and the animosity of her fellow dancers takes a harsh toll, and as her parents beg Joy to leave, she only becomes more determined. Karolina Gruszka, Tomasz Kot, and Ewa Rodart also star, and James Napier Robertson directs. And this movie was nominated for several awards last year, and went on to win Best Film at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. And it gets an astounding 7.3/10 on IMDb. And Liam Maguren of Flicks said it “delivers plenty of squirm-inducing suspense (complete with a ticking time bomb in the form of a stress fracture) and a compelling moral quagmire in this tale of self-determination flying close to the sun of self-destruction.” And the dancing is exquisite, so I’m watching. hulu has also added Lousy Carter, a 2023 comedy. David Krumholtz plays ‘Lousy’ Carter here, a lit professor who feels a fraud, sleeps with his best friend’s wife, and lives with his mother. But when he finds he has only 6 months to live, he may take a student’s advice, and finally follow his dreams. Or he might not. Martin Starr, Olivia Thirlby, Stephen Root and Jocelyn DeBoer also star, while Bob Byington directed. And this movie gets a 74% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Clint Worthington of RogerEbert.com called it “a terrific performance, one that speaks volumes even as it explores the acute limits of Lousy’s emotional intelligence.” but this is not laugh out loud comedy, but, instead, quietly sardonic. So don’t say I didn’t warn you. Hulu also offers Red Swan, a 2024 K-drama thriller series. Kim Ha-neul stars as Oh Wan-soo, a celebrity golfer who marries Kim Yong-guk (Jung Gyu-woon), heir to the powerful Hwain Group. But Soo quickly finds that the Hwain Group is somewhat corrupt, and it’s CEO (and her mother-in-law), Park Mi-ran (Seo Yi-sook), is highly un ethical. And when Soo makes it clear she will not take part in the payoffs an expected of her, she makes a determined enemy in Park. And the only thing that may save her life is her new bodyguard, Oh Wan-soo (Kim Ha-neul).Ki Eun-Se, Go Yoon and Yoon Je Moon also star, and Choi Yoon-jung directs all 8 episodes. And this series gets a 6.3/10 on IMDb, and Joel Keller of the Decider say to stream it adding its “a pulpy, soapy romantic thriller with lots of actions and the potential for lots of twists.” And I am so tuning in. And , finally, Hulu has Whatever, Whenever, a 2024 Brazilian dark comedy/drama series. Here, people in Rio can get any wish fulfilled, whatever the wish for just $9.90. Just pick u the phone, and request any of your wildest dreams, from a shadowy (unnamed) figure. But, of course, the price one pays may end up being quite a lot higher than $9.90. And, as always, be careful what you wish for. Alejandro Claveaux, Carol Castro, Diogo Nogueira, Marcos Pasquim and Silvero Pereira also star, and there are 6 stand-alone episodes available now. And this series gets a 6.7/10 on IMDb, and Sumaiya Nadeem of PureVpn calls it “a Brazilian masterpiece..…a rollercoaster ride through the darkest corners of desire, where every wish comes with a jaw-dropping price tag!” So I’m watching.
NETFLIX
Netflix has a delightful add this week with The Decameron, a 2024 satirical comedy limited series. Based(loosely) on Bocaccio’s classic novel, this tells of Italy, deep in the Black Plague, with people desperately seeking to escape Rome, to a Tuscan villa, where disease has not yet arrived. Pampinea, played by Zosia Mamet(!), is one of the four featured characters here, who arrives at the villa with her loyal servant, Misia (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), looking to live it up with her fellow sojourners, like Tindaro(Douggie McMeekin) and his physician, Dioneo (Amar Chadha-Patel). Outside the villa’s walls, chaos rules, with brigands holding up travelers, while staffers like Sirisco (Tony Hale) and Stratilia try to keep them at bay. Leila Farzad, Jessica Plummer, Tanya Reynolds and Karan Gill also star, and there are 8 hilariously diverting episodes available now. So though it gets a 66% on Rotten Tomatoes, it is an excellent comedy, and James Poniewozik of the New York Times calls it “a joyfully rude, farcical energy. And the plot of swapped identities, secrets, randy couplings and romantic scheming in an idyllic setting suggest a modern take on a Shakespeare comedy.” And I’m definitely tuning in. Netflix also offers Non Negotiable, a 2024 Mexican action/comedy. This follows Mexico’s top hostage negotiator Alan Bender, played by Mauricio Ochmann, called out of couples therapy to save the kidnapped President(and his girlfriend). Which leaves Alan‘s wife,(Tato Alexander) fuming, but as the crisis deepens, Alan has to handle authorities, wanting to kill the kidnappers, and the kidnappers, who threaten to kill everyone. And then Alan finds the perps have his wife . Leonardo Ortizgris, Enoc Leaño, Claudette Maillé, and Cristina Michaus also star, and Juan Taratuto directs. and this enjoyable movie gets a 6.8/10 on IMDb, and Anjali Sharma of the Midgard Times calls it “a thoroughly entertaining film that offers a bit of everything: suspense, humor, and action.” And I agree, I’m definitely tuning in. Netflix has also added Wicked Little Letters, the 2023 British period mystery/comedy. Olivia Colman(!) stars, here, Edith Swan, an older woman living in the 1920’s seaside village of Littlehampton, a victim of poison pen letters. As Edith is, first, shamed , then irritated by the letters she goes to police, who shrug it off, except for Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan). As the targets of the letters spread, to other villagers like Rose(Jessie Buckley!), paranoia seizes the town. Friendships and alliances are broken, and the question is, even if they find the culprit, will Littlehampton ever be the same? Eileen Atkins, Timothy Spall and Gemma Jones(!) also star, and Thea Sharrock directed. And this movie was nominated for Best Film at the 2024 Cleveland International Film Festival, and gets an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Moira Macdonald of the Seattle Times called it “charmingly funny little movie…. it’s wicked fun.” And I’m watching. Netflix also has Savi, a 2024 Indian Hindi-language action/thriller. In a remake of the 2008 French movie Pour Elle, this tells of Savi Sachdeva(Divya Khossla), living in Liverpool, when her husband, Nakul(Harshvardhan Rane),though innocent, is arrested for the murder of his insulting boss. But when Nakul is sentenced to life, on circumstantial evidence, with no hope of appeal, Savi decides to break him out herself. With her son distraught, she scopes out the prison, but with no criminal experience, she finds help she needs in J. Paul (Anil Kapoor!), experienced at jail escapes. Mairaj Kakkar, Raageshwari and Himanshi Choudhary also star, and Abhinay Deo directs. And this movie gets a smashing 7.8/10 on IMDb, and Rajiv Vijayakar of Koimoi calls it a “riveting thriller.” And I’m definitely watching. And, finally, Netflix has added Tokyo Swindlers, a 2024 Japanese crime thriller series. Here, a group of ‘land swindlers,’ common con artists in Tokyo who pretend to own property, then sell for a profit, set their sights on an exclusive piece of Tokyo real estate. Group lead Harrison Yamanaka (Etsushi Toyokawa), his right hand man, Takumi Tsujimoto (Gô Ayano) and informer Takeshita (Kazuki Kitamura) push hard to sell the piece of prime Tokyo land. While detectives Shimomura and Kuramochi race against time to catch them before the sale goes down. Eiko Koike, Pierre Taki and Shota Sometani also star, and there are 7 episodes available now. And this series gets an awesome 7.3/10 on IMDb, and Daniel Hart of Ready Steady Cut calls it “thrilling from start to finish.” So I’m definitely tuning in.
AMAZON
Amazon has an exciting add this week with Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net, the 2024 doc. This tells of the return of Cirque du Soleil to their flagship Las Vegas show O, after Covid shut all Cirque shows down in 2020, with 95% of staff laid off. with rumors of potential bankruptcy, performers were left at loose ends for 400 days, with idea of or when they would return. Director Dawn Porter gives an intimate view of the performances , as well as in depth interviews of the performers. We get stunning looks at their O show, some of it done under water, with rescue divers in scuba gear always nearby. Its a exhilarating look at Cirque du Soleil‘s performances, not to mention the rigorous training of some of their artists. And though it’s a new release, and so has few reviews, Glenn Kenny of the New York Times “Porter’s inquisitive camera gives the viewer enticing detail on how everything comes together while holding in suitable awe the actual magic all this work eventually yields.” I’m tuning in. Amazon has also added STHLM Blackout, a 2024 Swedish mystery series. Here, overcautious technical news producer Arthur(Jerka Johansson) and true crime podcaster Mille Norberg(Hanna Alström) go out on their first date for a quiet dinner, never expecting fireworks or drama. But when they walk into a crime scene, with Arthur handed evidence on a flash drive, that may get him killed. And that’s only the beginning of their adventure. Tova Magnusson, Alba August, Adam Pålsson and Lisa Carlehed also star, and there are 4 episodes available now. And this super-fun series gets a 6.1/10 on IMDb, and Jonathan Blomberg of Moviezine calls it “a fun binge watch.” And i agree, I’m definitely watching. And, finally, Amazon has Golden Years, a 2024 German dramedy. Here, Alice(Esther Gemsch) and Peter(Stefan Kurt) go on a retirement cruise, after Peter’s not so happy retirement. Truthfully, Peter isn’t so enthused about a cruise, either, and as he half-heartedly endures the cruise, Alice is frustrated and finally, fed up. When she jumps ship in Marseilles, Peter goes ballistic, and it’s not sure if the marriage will survive at all. Elvira Plüss, Gundi Ellert and Ueli Jäggi also star, while Barbara Kulcsar directs. And Ueli Jäggi was nominated for Best Performance in a Supporting Role Swiss Film Prize for his role here. And this movie gets as 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Todd Jorgenson of Cinemalogue calls it “a tender and thoughtful examination of aging, companionship, and personal fulfillment that resonates across cultural boundaries.” So I’m watching.
So sit back and binge this weekend, on classics, old and new, on Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. Enjoy!
Grownups Guide to Streaming 