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 spectacular add this week with Anora, the Academy award winning drama .Mikey Madison plays Anora, or Ani, a sex worker at a strip club in Brooklyn, who meets Ivan(Mark Eydelshteyn) at work. As the only one there who can speak Russian, Ivan’s only language, Ani becomes his key to survival in the area, and the two are thrown together. Ivan is flush with money, but Ani is also drawn to him, though wary.. But when they marry, Ani finds his family is rich and powerful, and Russian henchmen descend upon the couple. It seems Ivan‘s father wants a annulment, and he’ll do anything to get it. And the question becomes, can the young marriage survive such an onslaught? Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, and Vache Tovmasyan also star, while Sean Baker directs. And this movie won the prestigious Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2024, and among other awards, won 5 Oscars, including Best Actress for Madison, Best Director for Baker, and Best Picture.And Anora gets a outstanding 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Alissa Wilkinson of the New York Times said “it’ s a bawdy modern fable, populated by strippers and strongmen and brutes… Sometimes a movie actually earns the old cliché of a “star-making turn,” and I’m here to say that Sean Baker’s “Anora” is this year’s star maker.” So I’m tuning in. Hulu also offers O’Dessa, a 2024 rock opera. This takes place in a postapocalyptic world, ruled by Plutonovich(Murray Bartlett), who also rules the airwaves, with a nationwide talent show. So our heroine O’Dessa Galloway(Sadie Sink of Stranger Things!) dreams of travelling to Satylite City, to compete on the show. As she seeks stardom there, she meets and falls in love with Euri Dervish (Kelvin Harrison Jr), but both are threatened by Plutonovich’s enforcer Neon Dion (Regina Hall!). But will O’Dessa win the competition, and will love triumph in the end? I think we all know the answer to that. Pokey LaFarge, Murray Bartlett and Mark Boone Junior also star, and Geremy Jasper directs, along with writing the script, here. But O’Dessa gets only a 43% on Rotten Tomatoes, and William Bibbiani of TheWrap said “a rock musical like ‘O’Dessa’ only works if it sufficiently rocks, and ‘O’Dessa‘ somewhat rocks.” But I don’t think I’ll watch. But Hulu has also added Good American Family, the 2025 crime drama series. This dramatizes the real life true case of Kristine(Ellen Pompeo) and Michael Barnett(Mark Duplass), an Indiana couple who adopted a young7 year old Ukrainian girl, Natalia Grace (Imogen Faith Reid). But the Barnett’s began to have doubts about the age of the girl, who suffered from dwarfism, and Kristine finds herself suspicious, and pulling away from Natalia Grace. But as the storytelling shifts to Natalia Grace‘s point of view, we see another side of the story, and a troubling side, at that. And it ends with the Bennett‘s being charged with child abandonment. Dulé Hill, Sarayu Blue and Christina Hendricks also star, and there are 4 episodes available now, with 4 more to come. And though this series gets a only 5.9/10 on IMDb, reviews are definitely split. And though Variety calls it “disappointing, but Cristina Escobar of RogerEbert.com says “or all of its soapy-ripped-from-the-headlines setup, the eight-part series is a layered show about responsibility, how “good” people can do terrible things, and the intoxicating power of narrative.” You decide. And, finally, Hulu has added Exhibiting Forgiveness, a 2024 drama. André Holland(!) stars, here, as Tarrell, an talented artist whose career is on the rise. But he is haunted by childhood trauma, with panic attacks that worry his wife, Aisha (Andra Day). and then his father La’Ron (John Earl Jelks) reappears in his life, the reason for that trauma, and Tarrell’s mom wants him to let him back into his life. But Tarrell will have none of it, and his anger and bitterness may destroy his career and his family. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor(!), Daniel Michael Barriere and Matthew Elam also star, and Titus Kaphar directed. And this movie was nominated for multiple awards in 2024, and went on to win Directors to Watch for Kaphar at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and New Directors Competition for Kaphar at the Nashville Film Festival. And it gets a shining 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Peyton Robinson of RogerEbert.com calls it “a visual revelation.” So I’m definitely tuning in.
NETFLIX
Netflix too has a huge add with The Residence, a 2025 mystery series. This takes place in the white House, where the chief usher, A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito), is found murdered at a state dinner. Amid the chaos, detective Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba!) is called in to make sense of the clues and find the murderer. But there are plenty of suspects, and as Cupp and her helper, Special Agent Edwin Park (Randall Park!), try to find the answers, will outside pressure force them to name the killer, before the have all the answers? Molly Griggs, Jane Curtin(!), Susan Kelechi Watson, Al Franken(!) and Isiah Whitlock Jr. also star, and there are 8 episodes available now. And this series from Shonda Rhimes(!) gets a stunning 7.9/10 on IMDb, and Sherin Nicole of RogerEbert.com says “with its cozy and frenetic crime-solving duo of Aduba and Park, “The Residence” is a comedy of manners and murder that nails scintillating satire to the White House walls, compelling us to step inside.” And I am so tuning in. Netflix has also added The Outrun, a 2024 drama. Saoirse Ronan(!) stars as Rona, her, an alcoholic just out of rehab, returning to her family in the Orkney Islands, leaving her life in London in ruins. Living with her religious mother (Saskia Reeves),who, along with other family, offer prayers and platitudes, Rona find it difficult to find a job or purpose in life. But her father (Stephen Dillane), living on a remote farm, offers help based on his own experiences, and Rona discovers that solitude and nature might be her true salvation. Paapa Essiedu, Nabil Elouahabi and Izuka Hoyle also star, and Nora Fingscheidt directs. and this movie was nominated for multiple awards last year, including Best Leading Actress for Ronan, and Outstanding British Film of the Year at the BAFTA Awards, and went on to win Best Lead Actress – Film at the Irish Film and Television Awards for Ronan , and British/Irish Performer of the Year for Ronan at the 2025 London Critics Circle Film Awards. And it gets an 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Alissa Wilkinson of the New York Times said “Ronan is no ordinary actress, and she makes “The Outrun,” which occasionally veers near overdone territory, into a thing of beauty and hard-won joy.” So I’m tuning in. Netflix also offers Bet Your Life, a 2025 Turkish comedy series. This revolves around İsa Torabili (Ata Demirer), a down and out journalist, heavily in debt to a loan shark, and badly in need of a break. So when the ghost of a billionaire Refik Argun (Uğur Yücel) shows up in his house, wanting Isa to solve his murder, Isa is shocked and overwhelmed. But dogged by the ghost, Isa has little choice, and so, goes on the hunt. But Refik‘s daughter Seda(Esra Bilgiç), believes the police verdict of suicide, and doesn’t want any investigation, pointing a gun at the journalist. But Isa keeps digging. and as the clues pile up, Isa and Refik become friends, finding a bond that death can’t break. Ata Demirer, Ugur Yücel, Lale Mansur, Altan Erkekli and Hakan Salinmis also star, and there are 8 episodes available now. And this series gets a 6.2/10 on IMDb, and Srijoni Rudra of DMT Talkies says “while the murder mystery is intriguing, the humor allows the show to thrive as second-screen content.” Netflix has also added Revelations, a 2025 Korean thriller from Train to Busan director Yeon Sang-ho (!). Here, Pastor Sung Min-chan (Ryu Jun-yeol), tries to grow his congregation and serve all. but when a young girl in his flock is kidnapped, Min-chan is shocked and deeply troubled. But he is also beset by visions of who the perpetrator is, and is determined to catch him and exact revenge. So is Detective Lee Yeon-hui (Shin Hyun-been), and as the pair search, a serial sex offender Kwon Yang-rae (Shin Min-jae) shows up at Min-chan‘s church, seeking haven. But will Min-chan offer him salvation, or seek revenge on the person he thinks is a monster? Moon Joo-yeon, Kim Bo-min and Han Ji-hyun also star, and this film is executive produced by Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuarón(!). And it gets a 6.2./10 on IMDb, and John O’Brien of Inverse calls it “another must-watch…[it] really is a revelation.” And, finally, Netflix has added A Korean Odyssey, a 2025 K-drama limited fantasy series. this is a modern retelling of the Chinese classic Journey to the West, and finds Seon-mi(Oh Yeon-seo) who can see ghosts, protected since childhood by Son Oh-gong,(Lee Seung-gi), the Monkey King. But as an adult, Seon-mi chafes at Oh-gong‘s protection, while she exorcises demons from old houses. Meanwhile Oh-gong seeks reinstatement as an immortal, but he finds that achieving that status might require a huge sacrifice from Seon-mi. Cha Seung-won, Jang Gwang and Lee El also star, and there are 10 episodes available now. And this series gets an astounding 7.9/10 on IMDb, so though I can find no online reviews for it (as yet), I’m tuning in.
AMAZON
Amazon, too, has some interesting adds, like Twisters, the 2024 remake. This finds meteorologist Kate Cooper (Daisy Edgar-Jones)scarred by her traumatic storm chasing that killed fellow students, years before. But she is enticed back out into the field in Oklahoma, by the only other survivor of that chase, Javi (Anthony Ramos). Meanwhile a notorious “tornado wrangler” You-Tuber Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) tries to make some fantastic video chasing the tornadoes himself. And of course, chaos and calamity ensue, with the tornadoes wreaking havoc. Kiernan Shipka, Sasha Lane and Maura Tierney(!) also star, while Lee Isaac Chung directs. And though it gets a 75% on Rotten Tomatoes, and many tepid reviews, Dana Stevens of Slate says “works as more than Just a good old-fashioned disaster flick. ” You decide. But Amazon has also added Tyler Perry’s Duplicity, the latest thriller from, well, Tyler Perry. Here, attorney Marley(Kat Graham) is tasked with investigating the death of the husband of her best friend Fela (Meagan Tandy). But as Marley and ex-cop boyfriend (Tyler Lepley) dig deeper, they find the unexpected complications, and that the reasons for the killing are not what they seemed. RonReaco Lee, Joshua Adeyeye, Angela Halili and Jimi Stanton also star, and Tyler Perry wrote the script here, along with directing the movie. But it gets only a 4.5/10 on IMDb, and Erin E. Evans and Njera Perkins of the Huff Post call it a “disaster,” adding it “makes no damn sense.” So I’m not watching. And, finally, Amazon has Generation Z, a 2024 British comedy/zombie-horror satire series. Written and directed by Ben Wheatley(Doctor Who!), this tells of the havoc that ensues when an army truck overturns near a retirement home, and its residents become infected. Cecily (Sue Johnston) and her companion Frank (Paul Bentall) are among the first effected, and find themselves feeling better than ever, vigorous, healthy…and hungry.. for flesh. As they feed in the nearby forest, younger people like Kelly (Buket Kömür) and Billy (Ava Hinds-Jones) try to find a solution and help the older people, as well as themselves, while the army moves to investigate. Anita Dobson, Robert Lindsay and Lewis Gribben also star, and there are 6 episodes available now. and this series gets an impressive 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Lucy Mangan of the Guardian said “Ben Wheatley’s series about an aged undead army is an entertaining drama packed full of fine British actors – even if it’s far from subtle.” So I’m 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 