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 a huge add this week with Nightbitch, the award-nominated 2024 comedy/drama. Based on Rachel Yoder‘s novel of the same name, this finds an unnamed woman, played by Amy Adams(!) stars, who has opted to leave work, as become a stay-at- home mom to her now 2 year-old toddler. But this mom finds herself going a bit mad, with only a tyke to ‘talk’ to, with no adult, including her husband(Scoot McNairy), really listening to her complaints. But, then, she finds herself gradually becoming more, well, hairy, and finally, growing a bit of a tail. And when she finds herself actually a dog, she goes out into the night, running the streets, and joining a pack. Arleigh Patrick Snowden, Emmett James Snowden, and Zoë Chao also star, and Marielle Heller directs. And this movie has already been nominated for numerous awards, and won Prix Variété MadMovies at the La Roche-sur-Yon International Film Festival, and Adams has won Best Actress at the Mill Valley Film Festival. And it is a contender for the 2025 Oscars, so though it gets a 59% on Rotten Tomatoes, it gets 6.1/10 on IMDb, and Thelma Adams of AARP Movies for Grownups calls it “brilliant as movie and metaphor — that’s Nightbitch” So I’m watching. But Hulu has also added Lee, the 2024 bio pic. This tells the story of American photojournalist, Lee Miller, played by Kate Winslet, who went from being a fashion model to become a leading war correspondent for British Vogue, during WWII. Born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Miller was a model for Vogue, and worked for Man Ray(!), where Miller learned much about photography. Moving to England, Miller becomes bored, and applies for a photography job at Vogue, and wanted to get into the fray in Europe. But while she had the guts to enter combat zones and report on what she saw, men blocked her way at every door, til she forced her way through. Josh O’Connor, Andrea Riseborough, Andy Samberg and Alexander Skarsgård also star, while Ellen Kuras directs. And this movie, too, has already been nominated for multiple awards this season, like Best Actress for Winslet at the 2025 Golden Globes, and Lee won the Crystal Award at the 2024 Women in Film Crystal Awards. And it gets a 6.9/10 on IMDb, and Katie Walsh of the Tribune News Service calls it a ” is a penetrating biopic, and while it may take a familiar shape, the pioneering woman at the center was anything but traditional.” So I’m definitely tuning in. Hulu also offers Alice, Darling, a 2022 drama. Anna Kendrick(!) plays Alice, a young woman trapped in an abusive relationship with Simon(Charlie Carrick). as she suffers panic attacks and nervous tics like pulling her hair, her friends Sophie (Wunmi Mosaku) and Tess (Kaniehtiio Horn), stage an intervention, disguised as a birthday getaway. But Alice is beaten down emotionally, as well as physically, and defends Simon, instead of herself. So Tess and Sophie are determined to get their friend to see her own worth, and leave the dangerous relationship. Sarah Bradeen, Deborah Grover and Farah Merani also star, and Mary Nighy directs. And it get an 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Peter Travers of ABC News said “a riveting Anna Kendrick brings her own experience with a psychologically abusive relationship to this tale of a young woman who learns to stand her non-violent ground against a male predator through female friendship. The result is quietly devastating. “and I’m so tuning in. Hulu also offers The Arctic Convoy, a 2023 Norwegian historical action drama. This takes place in 1941, with Europe engulfed in WWII, and a convoy carrying military supplies to Allied Forces on the Eastern Front. Many of the crew are green, young and totally unprepared for what is to come. Captain Skar (Anders Baasmo) rules with an iron hand, and maintaining organization with the help of help of his radio officer Ragnhild (Heidi Ruud Ellingsen), the only woman on board. And the trip is harrowing enough , as their destination, Russian port city of Murmansk, is heavily guarded by the Germans. But when the British withdraw their support of the convoy, the odds against them soar, and the crew begins to entertain the idea of mutiny. Tobias Santelmann, Adam Lundgren, Fredrik Stenberg Ditlev-Simonsen and Jakob Fort also star, and Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken directs. And this movie was nominated for multiple awards this year, and went on to win Best Film at the 2024 Emden International Film. And it gets an astounding 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Mark Dujsik of Mark Reviews Movies said it “shines a light on the perilous efforts of merchant sailors during the war, while also telling a compelling human story…” And I am watching.
NETFLIX
Netflix, surprisingly, has few big titles this week- one being Squid Games, the 2nd season for the K-drama dystopian thriller series. This season finds a traumatized Seong Gi-hun(Lee Jung-jae) , a first year competitor, vengefully seeking out the creator of the show, and finally finding the recruiter. When Gi-hun manages to get an invitation to the game, and actually participates, he tries to warn the other participants of the dangers of the competition, and tells them to quit. As they continue with the lethal game, outside investigators try to find the games, and to stop them, before more innocent people are killed. Wi Ha-joon, Lee Byung-hun, Im Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Lee Jin-wook and Park Sung-hoon also star, and there are 9 episodes available for streaming now. And this series won 4 Emmys last year, and gets an outlandish 8/10 on IMDb. And Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com said it “is undeniably well-made in terms of craft, sharply directed in all seven episodes by the same creator, giving it a visual continuity that helps make it so bingeable.” So I am tuning in. But Netflix has also added Kneecap, the 2024 Irish dark comedy. In a truish tale here, this tells of three men in Belfast, who decide to boost the native Irish language, Gaelic, by rapping. Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh and his best friend Naoise Ó Cairealláin(aka Móglaí Bap) decide to start rapping with the help of music teacher JJ Ó Dochartaigh(DJ Próvai), but they didn’t have money or experience. So they make do with crummy equipment and recording at all night. But British authorities become worried about their spreading ‘anti-social behaviour,’ so while their popularity soars, their future may not be bright. Josie Walker, Fionnuala Flaherty, Jessica Reynolds, Simone Kirby, and Michael Fassbender(!) also star, while Rich Peppiat directs, along with writing the script. And this movie premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, and has been nominated for multiple awards this year, including 14 BIFTA Awards(British Independent Film Awards), and went on to win Best Joint Lead Performance for Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvai and Best British Independent Film. And it gets an amazing 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Ed Power of the Daily Telegraph said “hard-punching and cheerfully riotous, the film directs a well-placed kick at the nether regions to anyone who insists music, politics and cinema cannot mix.” So I’m watching. Netflix also has Carry-On, the 2024 thriller. Taron Egerton stars as Ethan Kopek, a TSA agent who encounters a mysterious traveler at LAX, on Christmas Eve. And that nameless traveler(Jason Bateman!) tries to blackmail Ethan into allowing his suitcase on board, threatening the life of Ethan‘s girlfriend, Nora (Sofia Carson), if he disobeys. So a game of cat and mouse ensues, with Ethan trying to find the culprit, and end the matter peacefully, with no lives lost. Dean Norris, Sinqua Wells and Danielle Deadwyler(!) also star, while Jaume Collet-Serra directs. And this movie gets an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Lovia Gyarkye of the The Hollywood Reporter said “Egerton and Bateman’s performances elevate Carry-On and contribute significantly to the film’s overall success.” But still, not for me. Luckily, Netflix has also added, Godzilla-Kong, the New Empire, the New Empire, the 2021 sci-fi monster movie. This (convoluted) story begins with Kong being isolated on Skull Island and studied by Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), whose deaf, indigenous daughter Jia(Kaylee Hottle) communicates with Kong using sign language. But then, Godzilla, reawakened by an evil tech facility in Florida, attacks Pensacola, and disaster ensues. Can a face-off between Kong and Godzilla be far behind? Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown and Vera Farmiga also star, and Adam Wingard directs. And this movie gets a 76% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly said “Wingard understands his call to duty; the maximus monster smackdown. And on that the movie more or less delivers…” But remember, Netflix also has Godzilla Minus One, which in my mind, is far superior to Godzilla-Kong. You decide. And, finally, Netflix has added Stepmom and Daughter Blues, a 2018 Japanese dramedy series. Haruka Ayase stars as Akiko Iwaki, a career woman who marries singe dad, Ryoichi Miyamoto(Takeru Satoh), and finds she must build a relationship with his 8 year-old daughter, Akira(Takeru Satoh). But relationships aren’t quite in Haruka‘s skill set, especially with children. so the road is long and sometimes funny, but in the end, Haruka is successful. Yumi Asô , Kai Inowaki and Yôsuke Kawamura also star, and there are 10 episodes available for bingeing now. And this series was nominated for Best Foreign TV Film/Miniseries at the 2019 Shanghai International TV Festival, and gets an smashing 7.5/10 on IMDb. And ockoala of A Koala’s Playground says “it’s the ratings winner of the summer…check it out!!”
AMAZON
Amazon has no interesting adds this week, but they do have some overlooked gems like Rogue Heroes, a British historical drama series. This takes place during WWII, with British Army officer David Stirling(Connor Swindells) finding himself in the Cairo Hospital, after another failed mission. So Stirling and his friend Paddy Mayne come up with the idea of a special force which would parachute behind enemy lines in the desert, and destroy planes on the ground. Its an idea that was surprisingly successful, and ending up becoming the British Army Special Air Service (SAS). Donal Finn, Sofia Boutella, and Dominic West also star, and there are 6 episodes available now, with season 2 arriving January 12. And this series, created by Steven Knight of Peaky Blinders(!) gets a stunning 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Rebecca Nicholson of the Guardian called it a “big and brash adventure drama about the formation of the SAS in 1941. It is witty, pacy, confident, and, as you might expect, occasionally very violent.” So its on my list. Amazon also offers Waiting For Dali, a 2023 romantic comedy. This takes place in 1974, with chef Franco an his revolutionary brother, Alberto, fleeing Barcelona and heading for Cadaqués, Costa Brava. And while Fernando seeks to weave revolutionary new ideas into his culinary creations, the owner of his restaurant wishes only to attract his hero, Salvador Dalí. Iván Massagué, Pol López, Clara Ponsot and Paco Tous also star, and David Pujol directed. And this movie gets an 86% on Rotten Tomatoes and Juan Pando of Fotogramas said “a delightful comedy.” And I’m tuning in. And, finally, Amazon has added 12.12: The Day, a 2023 historical drama. Based on a true story, this movie depicts the drama that took place in Seoul on December 12, 1979, after the assassination of President Park. After the city was put under martial law, commander Chun Doo-hwan(Hwang Jung-min) decided to stage a coup, and place himself in charge. But commander Lee Tae-shin(Jung Woo-sung) do not support Chun, and so, vows to put up a fight. But as tensions grow, the Minister of Defense disappears, and South Korea stands on the brink of chaos, and maybe even a civil war. Lee Sung-mi, Kim Sung kyun and Park Hae-joon also star, while Kim Sung-su directed. and this movie was nominated for multiple awards this year, and went on to win Best Actor for Hwang Jung-min, and Best Film at the 2024 Baek Sang Art Awards. And it gets a incredible 7.6/10 on IMDb, and Pierce Conran of Screen Anarchy called it “an essential chronicle of Seoul‘s darkest night and a cracking piece of cinema.” And I am 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 