We're smack dab in the middle of summer, and the best streaming services are keeping things hot with a fresh slate of must-watch movies. If you're looking for what to watch this weekend, you're in the right place.
This week marked the streaming premiere of two long-awaited 2000s horror series revivals: "Final Destination: Bloodlines" on HBO Max and "28 Years Later" on paid video-on-demand platforms. Over on Netflix, you can find the streamer's latest romance, "My Oxford Year," which promises to be a familiar escape if you're in the mood for a feel-good watch. Meanwhile, Hulu just got the riveting new historical epic "William Tell," while Peacock has a slept-on sci-fi gem starring Tom Cruise with "Edge of Tomorrow."
Not feeling these picks? Check out our round-up of all the best new shows and movies on streaming in August for more recommendations on what to watch. Now, let's dive into the best new movies on streaming this week that deserve a spot on your watchlist.
‘My Oxford Year’ (Netflix)
"The Life List" was one of my biggest surprises of the year so far, so Netflix's newest romantic drama, "My Oxford Year," is near the top of my watchlist. Based on the novel of the same name by Julia Whelan, it follows Anna De La Vega (Sofia Carson), a driven American student who earns a coveted Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford.
However, her carefully-considered plan falls by the wayside in the face of her witty and charming tutor, Jamie Davenport (Corey Mylchreest). As they get to know each other, sparks fly, forcing Anna to question her ambitions — especially when Jamie’s hidden secret threatens to upend everything. Like many entries in this genre, it's bound to be chock-full of coming-of-age lessons about balancing the life you’ve planned with the one you never saw coming.
Watch 'My Oxford Year' now on Netflix
‘Final Destination Bloodlines’ (HBO Max)
Doubling as both a prequel and a sequel, the sixth "Final Destination" film injects some new life into the campy, blood-drenched franchise by taking its premise to a haunting new level. I put it right up there with "Final Destination 2" as one of my favorite entries in the series.
Like every "Final Destination" movie, "Bloodlines" kicks off with a jaw-dropping premonition that catastrophe is about to strike. The difference is that this time it plays out decades ago instead of in the present, when a young Iris (Brec Bassinger) foresees the collapse of a luxurious observation tower and restaurant. Though she manages to save a few people from their grisly fate, it sets off a chain reaction that puts their children, including her granddaughter Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), in death's crosshairs.
Watch 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' on HBO Max now
‘28 Years Later’ (PVOD)
Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland popularized the concept of fast zombies over two decades ago with "28 Days Later," and this year brought a long-awaited third installment to the beloved horror series: "28 Years Later."
I like how it nailed the gritty spirit and visual style of the original, but it was too all over the place for me. (Ralph Fiennes showing up, covered in iodine, talking about the "magic of the placenta" is as baffling with context as it is without).
Nearly 30 years after the Rage Virus turned Britain into a quarantined wasteland, whatever hope remains has long since rotted. A few survivors have carved out a fragile community walled off from the undead hordes on a remote island off England’s coast. When 12-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams) embarks on a rite of passage to the zombie-plagued mainland with his father Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), they learn the infected have mutated into a terrifying new threat that's more human than they thought possible.
Rent or buy now on Amazon or Apple
‘William Tell’ (Hulu)
I have to confess I don’t know much about William Tell. I vaguely remember a children's story about him shooting an apple off his son's head, but that's where my knowledge begins and ends. Though after watching director-writer Nick Hamm's new historical action epic "William Tell," which reimagines the story of the legendary 14th-century Swiss huntsman with a cinematic flair, I'm keen to learn more.
Claes Bang stars as Tell, a disillusioned Crusades soldier turned huntsman, who refuses to submit when the Austrian Empire, led by evil King Albrecht (Ben Kingsley), marches into his country. To fight back, he joins a burgeoning rebellion determined to reclaim Swiss independence. It's a good old-fashioned tale of folk heroism and hardy underdogs, but I can't help but think it would have worked better as a miniseries than a bloated 134-minute film.
Watch 'William Tell' on Hulu now
'Edge of Tomorrow' (Peacock)
Between its star power, action-packed set pieces, and clever premise, "Edge of Tomorrow" had all the ingredients of a box office hit. But for reasons beyond me, it fell flat when it hit theaters over a decade ago, earning less than half of its $370 million budget. Thankfully, it's seen a well-earned revival on streaming platforms, and now Peacock subscribers can check out this slept-on sci-fi gem starring Tom Cruise.
Set in a future where Earth is being overrun by alien invaders, a cowardly major (Cruise) is thrust onto the front lines after being demoted. With zero combat experience under his belt, he doesn't last long — but instead of dying, he wakes up to the start of the same day. He realizes he's caught in a time loop that resets with every death, and he sets out to escape his grim fate. With the help of Sergeant Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), a renowned soldier rumored to have gained similar abilities after experimenting with the alien's blood, the two set out to defeat the alien horde and save humanity.
Watch 'Edge of Tomorrow' now on Peacock
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