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 Summer of 69, a 2025 comedy. Here, high-school senior Abby(Sam Morelos) is desperate to land her crush, Max (Matt Cornett), before school ends. And so she hires stripper Santa Monica(Chloe Fineman) for a fast primer of sex and Max‘s favorite positions. But the pair become friends, and find there’s more to life than pleasing a man, like pleasing yourself. Charlie Day, Natalie Morales, Paula Pell and Jillian Bell(!) also star, while Jillian Bell(!) directs. And this movie gets a smashing 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Natalia Winkelman of the New York Times says ““Summer of 69 is a two-hander, and Fineman brings comic chops and genuine feeling to playing the tutor with a heart of gold.” So I’m watching. Hulu has also added Alienoid, a 2022 S. Korean sci-fi/fantasy mash-up. This finds a world where aliens have inserted their criminals into (living) humans, by force. But an evil alien, the Collector, wants to free his fellow criminal aliens for his own purpose, by any violent means possible. Luckily, alien Guard (Kim Woo-bin) is on patrol, searching for the villainous Collector. Meanwhile, in 1391, Muruk (Ryu Jun-yeol), searches for the Divine Blade, with supernatural powers, and has opened a time portal to the future, which may serve as an escape route for distressed future humans. Kim Tae-ri, So Ji-sub, and Yum Jung-ah also star, while Choi Dong-hoon directed. And this movie gets a on Rotten Tomatoes and Elisabeth Vincentelli of the New York Times said it “is bursting at the seams, as if Choi… was drunk on pure filmmaking pleasure and threw every cinematic genre into a gigantic blender.” And it’s crazy fun, so I’m tuning in. Hulu also has Alienoid: Return to the Future, the 2024 sequel, here. Hulu also offers Escape, a 2024 K-drama thriller. This considers the dilemma of Sergeant Lim (Lee Je-hoon), finished with his (required) ten year stint in the North Korean Army. But Lim has relatives in South Korea, and suddenly decides to cross the DMZ, to defect. But the perils are huge, and his flight to the south long and harried, as Sergeant Lim tries to save himself from his lethal pursuers. Koo Kyo-hwan, Hong Xa Bin, Seo Hyeon-woo and Lee Sung-wook also star, while Lee Jong-pil directed. And this movie was nominated for multiple awards last year, and including Best Director for Lee Jong-pil at the 2024 Blue Dragon Awards. and it gets a 77% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Andy Klein of FilmWeek called it a “terrific action film.” So I’m watching. And, finally, Hulu has also added The Damned, a 2024 Irish horror flick. This takes place in a 19th century Icelandic fishing village, where tales of the undead returning from the sea flourish. It’s where Eve(Odessa Young) and her deceased husband owned a fishing outpost, which she now heads alone. but during a harsh winter, with food resources low, they see a ship sinking offshore, with people onboard, Eve decides not to risk saving them from the icy waters. And that fateful decision comes back to haunt the small outpost. And as Helga(Siobhan Finneran) pleads for pagan rituals to banish the Draugurs, or undead, Eve and the others are left scrambling to save themselves from the monstrous invasion. Joe Cole, Lewis Gribben, Francis Magee and Mícheál Óg Lane also star, and Thordur Palsson directed. And this movie was nominated for Best New Irish Feature, and went on to win the Special Mention of the Grand Prix Irish Jury at the Cork International Film Festival. And it gets a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Randy Myers of the San Jose Mercury News said it’s “in no rush about revealing its horrors, and that works in its favor when Palsson unleashes the madness in the third act.” So you know its too scary for me.
NETFLIX
Netflix has an amazing add this week, with Forever, a 2025 YA romantic drama series. Based on Judy Blume‘s novel of the same name, this tells of two L.A. teens, from different worlds, falling in love. One, Justin Edwards(Michael Cooper Jr.), a rich kid from Beverly Hills, excels at basketball, struggles with ADHD, but little else, while the other, Keisha Clark (Lovie Simone), struggles to get by with her single mom, Shelly. And when the pair fall in love, Justin‘s parents question his choice in a girlfriend, even Keisha’s mom objects, just wanting her daughter to concentrate on her scholarship chances. Xosha Roquemore, Marvin L. Winans III, Wood Harris and Karen Pittman also star, and there are 8 episodes available now. And this series, created by Mara Brock Akil(Girlfriends!), has already been nominated for 2 awards at the 2025 Gotham TV Awards, including Breakthrough Drama Series. And it gets a whopping 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Nadira Goffe of Slate says “other shows have tried to showcase this nuanced experience of growing up Black in a white environment, but none have succeeded as pitch-perfectly as Forever does.” And I’m definitely tuning in. Netflix has also added Nonnas, a 2025 dramedy. Based on a true story, this tells of Joe Scaravella(Vince Vaughn), who is grief-stricken after losing his mom. But, remembering all their wonderful shared traditions in the kitchen, he decides to open a restaurant on Staten Island, dedicated to her. But, since he has no restaurant experience, he gets the enthusiastic help of the nonnas in the neighborhood who were part of his life. And the results are impressive. Lorraine Bracco(!), Susan Sarandon,(!) Talia Shire(!) and Brenda Vaccaro(!) also star, while Stephen Chbosky directs. and this movie gets a respectable 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Lindsey Bahr of the Associated Press says “Nonnas, like comfort food, may be a little obvious, a little safe, but that’s the point.” And I’m tuning in. Netflix also offers Unseen, a 2025 South African thriller series. This takes place in Cape Town, where housekeeper Zenzi (Gail Mabalane) frantically trying to make ends meet, until her husband, Max(Vuyo Dabula), is released from prison. But when he disappears the very day of his release, she is forced to investigate on her own, with no help from the police. But Zenzi‘s investigations bring her face to face with the criminal underworld of Cape Town, and she finds her life threatened, with more danger lurking everywhere. Shamilla Miller, Colin Moss and Ilse Kirk also star, and there are 2 seasons available now, with 6 episodes each. And this involving series gets a 75% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Charles Hartford of But Why Tho? A Geek Community said it “ultimately delivers an engaging and interesting mystery that centers itself around a strong protagonist that is relatable and sympathetic.” So I’m watching. Netflix has also added Heart Eyes, the 2025 romcom/horror movie. here, Ally (Olivia Holt) and Jay (Mason Gooding) are co-workers, forced to work together, with Ally very jaded after a recent break-up, though Jay has a crush on her. While working, they catch the eye of the Heart Eyes killer, who targets lovers in the area every Valentine’s Day. And, unfortunately, the pair is pegged as his next victims. So they have to out run the killer, all while trying to convince him they are definitely not a couple. Gigi Zumbado, Jordana Brewster and Michaela Watkins also star, and Josh Ruben directed. And this movie gets a healthy 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Peyton Robinson of RogerEbert.com says its “a raving good time,” adding, it “has you covered, providing enough cynicism and romance to paint a pretty full picture of the peaks and valleys of the romantic experience.” And it’s funny, too. So I’m tuning in. And, finally, Netflix has added The Reluctant Preacher, a 2025 Japanese drama series. This tells the story of Shizuka Urumi (Alice Hirose), a young woman in desperate need of a job, who finally takes a job as a teacher. but she doesn’t want to become close to the students, just earn her wages, and go home at the end of her eight hours. But things don’t, of course, work out that way, and Shizuka ends up becoming deeply involved in the lives of her students, offering her guidance when she can. And she finds herself connecting with the kids she had intended to keep at arm’s length. Shota Watanabe, Sae Okazaki, Kayo Noro and Atsushi Ito also star, and there are 3 episodes available now. And this series gets an extraordinary 7.6/10 on IMDb, so, though I can find no online reviews, as yet, I’m definitely watching.
AMAZON
Amazon has few big titles added this week, but they do have Superboys of Malegaon, a 2024 Hindi-language coming-of-age drama film. This tells the true story of Nasir Shaikh(Adarsh Gourav), a teen who decided to make a documentary about his hometown, Malegaon. aided by his friends Farogh(Vineet Kumar Singh), Shafique(Shashank Arora), and others. But with no money, and family members who resent of their time spent making movies, the teens meet obstacles everywhere. And then when Shafique is diagnosed with cancer, the team meets new adversity, and must rush to finish the film in time. Manjiri Pupala, Anuj Singh Duhan and Saqib Ayub also star, and Reema Kagti directed. And this movie won several awards in 2025, including Young Cineastes Award for Reema Kagti at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, among other. And it gets a whopping 7.8/10 on IMDb and Renuka Vyavahare of the Times of India calls it a “delightful underdog story that reminds you, nobodies can be somebodies once they let their dreams take flight.” Amazon has also added Octopus!, a 2025 docu-series. Narrated by Phoebe Waller-Bridge(!), this tells of the intelligent cephalopod known as the octopus, who shared the planet with us. We not only get to see these fascinating creatures in the wild, but get an in-depth (animated) look at a Giant Pacific Octopus named Doris, as she searches for a good home, finds a suitable mate, and even decides when to fertilize her eggs. We get information on their intriguing ability to not only change shape and color, but also texture from experts like Dr. Jenny Hoffmeister and researcher Piero Amodio. And we get to hear from octopus lovers like Tracy Morgan(!), too. And this 2-episode series gets an outrageous 8.5/10 on IMDb, and John Anderson of the Wall Street Journal says “it’s hard to beat Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Octopus! for pure entertainment, quippery, and a voice that wraps around the brain like a tentacle. All educational TV should be so mellifluously amusing.” And I agree, so I’m tuning in. And, finally, Amazon has Summer of Rockets, a 2019 British historical drama series. This takes place in 1958 Britain, with anti-Soviet propaganda at a new height, and paranoia looming large. So when Jewish Russian-born businessman Samuel Petrukin(Toby Stephens!) hopes to assimilate, and build his hearing aid business, he and his associate are questioned even before entering the country. As neighbors shoot the Petrukins suspicious glances, they are lucky enough to make the acquaintance of Kathleen Shaw (Keeley Hawes!), whose friendship and impressive connections help the family. Still, it’s a difficult road to manage, as xenophobia and anti-Semitism, too, loom large in Great Britain. Gary Beadle, Lily Sacofsky, Toby Woolf, Claire Bloom(!) and Timothy Spall also star, and there are 6 episodes available for bingeing now. And this series gets a glowing 7/10 on IMDb, and Euan Ferguson of the Observer(UK)called it “a genuine triumph.” 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 