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
The big title added on Hulu this week is Paradise, a 2025 limited sci-fi thriller series. This takes place in the suburban neighborhood of Paradise, where Secret Service agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) is tasked with protecting former President Cal Bradford (James Marsden). But all is not as it seems in Paradise, as the viewers soon find. And when , one day, Bradford is murdered, Collins finds himself at the heart of the investigation, first as a suspect, and then, as the only person who can solve the crime. But with his family threatened by some of his superiors if he finds the wrong answers, will he be able let the truth come out, at all? Julianne Nicholson, Sarah Shahi, Jon Beaves and Aliyah Martin also star, and there are 3 episodes available for bingeing now, with 5 more to come(new episodes drop every Monday). And this series gets an incredible 7.9/10 on IMDb, and Lucy Mangan of the Guardian says “all of this is helped along by a script that is much better than it needs to be and doesn’t forget to scatter some witty lines over the whole. Plus, of course, the high calibre cast, and Brown in particular — an actor with limitless gravitas.” So I’m tuning in. Hulu also offers Humane, a 2023 sci-fi horror movie. This takes in a future Earth, decimated by climate change, with overpopulation and scarcity of food looming large. The crisis has led the government to request people ‘enlist’ for euthanasia, to cull the overcrowded world of 20% of the people. So when retired Charles York (Peter Gallagher), invites his kids to dinner, and tells them he, and his wife, Dawn Kim, have enlisted for euthanasia, they are shocked. But when the euthanizers show up, and Charles is dispatched, but Dawn Kim disappears, it seems they need another volunteer before the evening is up. And the chaos begins. Jay Baruchel, Emily Hampshire, Enrico Colantoni and Sebastian Chacon also star, and Caitlin Cronenberg(yes, David‘s daughter) directs. And it gets a 71% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Lovia Gyarkye of the The Hollywood Reporter said it “offers just enough action and sociopolitical scope that you root for it to deliver more, and better, on its promise.” But you know it’s too scary for me. Hulu has also added Arcadian, a 2024 post-apocalyptic horror flick. This takes place on a near-future Earth, where life is anything but normal, and Paul(Nicolas Cage!) and his two sons, Thomas and Joseph, live in a secluded cabin in the woods. Survival depends upon scavenging during the day, but, more importantly, to be inside before nightfall. As they board up the windows and doors each evening, the danger outside is palpable. And when Thomas doesn’t come home one night, Paul knows he must venture out into the night to save him, even if it means his own demise. Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins, Sadie Soverall, and Joe Dixon also star , while Benjamin Brewer directs. And this movie gets a respectable 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Barry Levitt of Empire Magazine said “though things go off the rails in the third act, Arcadian’s intriguing premise and inspired monster design pack plenty of scares into this post-apocalyptic fable.” you decide. And, finally, Hulu has added Because We Forget Everything, a 2022 Japanese drama series. This tells of M, played by Hiroshi Abe, a mystery writer who, during a busy four weeks, loses touch with his girlfriend, F(Ono Machiko). But when he tries to find her, her sister tells him she has been missing since Halloween. So M goes on a search for her, that disrupts his own life, and gets him involved in other people’s troubles. And he finds he knew little about F, and her world, but discovers much about himself. Chara, Kankurô Kudô and Daichi Watanabe also star, and 10 episodes are available now. And it gets an impressive 7/10 on IMDb, and James Marsh of the South China Post said there “are shades of Haruki Murakami in the character of M.” So I’m watching.
NETFLIX
Netflix has few big titles, but they do have You Hurt My Feelings, a 2023 dramedy. Julia Louis-Dreyfus(!) stars, here, as Beth, a novelist living in N.Y.C., with her ever supportive husband, Don. But then she overhears him telling her sister’s husband, Mark, that he didn’t actually like her draft of a new novel. And as Beth goes off the deep end, wondering if she can ever believe her husband again, Don is bewildered as to what’s going on, with Beth sleeping on the couch, and crying, but never knowing the real reason. So, while Don struggles with his own issues, like aging, Beth wonders if she was ever the writer she thought she was, and if things will ever be the same. Tobias Menzies, Michaela Watkins and Arian Moayed also star, and Nicole Holofcener(!) directs. And this movie premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for multiple awards in 2023 , and went on to win Best Narrative Feature at the Sidewalk Film Festival. And it gets an incredible 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Glenn Whipp of the Los Angeles Times called it “a funny and incisive look at middle-age malaise, a time when potential has been replaced by plateaus and one might take an inordinate amount of pleasure in the comfort that comes from a well-made pair of socks.” And I’m definitely tuning in. Netflix also offers The Hot Spot, a 2025 Japanese drama series. Here, Kiyomi Endo (played by Mikako Ichikawa), a single mom, works at a hotel at the scenic foot of Mount Fuji. And with her job and her duties as a mom, her responsibilities can sometimes seem overwhelming. So when she meets an alien, a very nice alien who comes to her aid during an emergency, she finds herself asking him for advice on what to do in life, with her kids, and at work. And Kiyomi finds herself growing into a more self-aware human being, with the help of an alien’s insights. Akihiro Kakuta, Anne Suzuki and Kami Hiraiwa also star, and there is one episode available now, with nine more to come. And this series gets a 7.5/10 on IMDb, and Neerja Choudhuri of the Midgard Times says “whether you’re a fan of slice-of-life dramas or looking for something refreshingly different, The Hot Spot is a must-watch that will leave you both amused and contemplative.” And the scenery is beautiful! So I’m tuning in. Netflix has also added Home Sweet Loan, a 2024 Indonesian comedy. This tells the story of Kaluna(Yunita Siregar), an office worker living with her parents, and oh so many other family members in Jakarta. But, as she dreams of getting her own home, her lower wages are also required to support her family. And so, Kaluna endures their overcrowded house, in need of repairs, and filled with her siblings and their kids. So finally, she finds the strength to broach the subject with her parents, and begin to look for a home of her own. If she can afford one. Derby Romero, Risty Tagor and Fita Anggriani Ilham also star, and Sabrina Rochelle Kalangie directs. And this movie gets an whopping 8.1/10 on IMDb, and Anjali Sharma of the Midgard Times calls it “a film that promises to touch hearts and spark meaningful conversations about family, dreams, and the challenges of modern life.” So I’m watching. Netflix also offers The Ballot, a 2025 Filipino political thriller. Marian Rivera stars as Emmy, a small town teacher named to the Board of Election Inspectors, during a contentious 2007 election. Soon, Emmy is handcuffed to a ballot box, to keep it safe, but when a corrupt official approaches her , wanting the ballots, the confrontation ends with violence. And Emmy is forced to escape into the forest with the ballot box, unsure if she will survive the election, with her ballots safely counted. Will Ashley, Royce Cabrer, Sue Prado and Felix Petate also star, and Kip Oebanda directs. And this thriller was nominated for Best Film at the 2024 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, where Marian Rivera went on to win Best Actress. gets a 7.1/10 on IMDb, and Neerja Choudhuri of the Midgard Times calls it “a hard-hitting political drama that exposes the grim realities of the electoral process, not only in the Philippines but in many other parts of the world.” And I’m definitely watching. And, finally, Netflix has added Graveyard, a 2024Turkish crime drama limited series. Called Mezarlık in Turkey, this follows Chief Inspector Önem Özülkü, played by Birce Akalay, appointed to head a new Special Crimes Unit, which investigates the murders of women. but the Inspector faces not only perplexing mysteries, but blow back in her own department, in a society that minimizes violence against women. Luckily, she also has the help of Inspector Serdar Ata(Olgun Toker) and officer Hasan Duru (Şehsuvar Aktaş), who believe in the deep importance of their work. So they proceed with the struggle to solve the crimes, even as they battle members of their own police department, to do so. Sezgin Uzunbekiroğlu, Baran Güler and Elif Sevinç also star, and there are 4 episodes available now. And this series gets an amazing 7.7/10 on IMDb, and Neerja Choudhuri of the Midgard Times says “by intertwining gripping storytelling with social commentary, the series offers an immersive experience that lingers long after the credits roll.” And I love a mystery, so I’m definitely tuning in.
AMAZON
Amazon‘s big title added this week is You’re Cordially Invited, a 2025 rom-com. This finds two weddings accidentally booked for the same venue at a hotel. Ordinarily, that might not be a big problem, but here, single dad, Jim, played by Will Ferrell, is determined give his daughter the wedding for her dreams, while TV producer Margot, played by Reese Witherspoon(!), is just as determined to give her baby sister’s wedding center stage. So, let the competition begin, and see if anyone is left standing by the end of the weekend. Unless the major players fall in love. Geraldine Viswanathan, Meredith Hagner, Jimmy Tatro and Stony Blyden also star, and Nicholas Stoller directs, along with writing the script. But that script leaves something to be desired, and so this movie gets only a 48% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Alissa Wilkinson of the New York Times says “for those of us in its target generation — we who grew up watching some of the most beloved romantic comedies of the 1990s, both on TV and movies — it’s a disappointment, or maybe a reminder of what made those movies work.” So I won’t be watching. But Amazon also offers The Silent Forest, a 2022 German crime drama. this takes place in 1999, with forestry intern Anja Grimm (Henriette Confurius) sent to the same forest where her father disappeared, 20 years ago, when she was a child. But Anja‘s appearance and research sets the locals on edge, and soon, a murder takes place. And Anja finds she has to step up and investigate, with the help of an old friend, in order to solve both the mysteries of the past and the present. And as the team proceeds, the quest to perform a successful heart transplant remains . Noah Saavedra, Gustav Dallmann, August Zirner and Robert Stadlober also star, while Saralisa Volm directed. And this movie was nominated for Best Film at both the Berlin International Film Festival and the German Film Critics Association Awards. So, though this movie gets but a 5.5/10 on IMDb, Josh Goller of Spectrum Culture who calls it “a quiet, slow-burning film about the decades-long ripple effects of loud, frenzied acts of violence.” I’m definitely watching. And, finally, Amazon has season 1 of All Heart, a 2021 Italian medical drama series. This is set it Turin’s Le Molinette hospital in 196, in the cardiology department, where Dr Cesare Corvara(Daniele Pecci) is assembling a team to perform the first heart transplant there. But while the team is assembled, new techniques will also have to be learned, while the new doctors brought in will have to deal with sexism and the clashes on ego that often accompany experts in any field. Carola Stagnaro, Marco Bonini , Pilar Fogliati and Veronica Urban also star, and there are 8 episodes available to devour now. And this series gets an astounding 7.6/10 on IMDb, so though I can find no online reviews, I am tuning in. But be sure to watch before March 1, when the series returns to the PBS Masterpiece channel, only to be seen for the $5.99 subscription price.
So sit back and binge this weekend, on classics, old and new, on Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. Enjoy!
Grownups Guide to Streaming 