Another weekend is here, which means a fresh slate of movies has landed across the best streaming services. While Netflix's catalogue is surprisingly light this week, HBO Max, Prime Video, and Hulu are making up for the lull with some blockbusters fresh from the theater. That includes an audience favorite that's one of Pedro Pascal's wildest movies this year.
No, it's not "The Fantastic Four: First Steps." But "Freaky Tales," which just arrived on HBO Max, does have a superhero, and the directors cut their teeth on the MCU, so it's not far off. Another marquee debut is "Jurassic World: Rebirth," which crashed onto paid video-on-demand services this week with the grace of a T-Rex.
Also worth checking out this weekend are Prime Video's latest action-packed buddy comedy, "The Pickup," and the newest nightmare-haunting horror flick from "Longlegs" director Osgood Perkins, "The Monkey," on Hulu. Meanwhile, Netflix isn't leaving its subscribers completely high and dry, as you can now catch the 2023 action blockbuster "Kandahar" starring Gerard Butler on the platform.
So without further ado, let's dive into the best new movies on streaming to watch this weekend.
‘Freaky Tales’ (HBO Max)
Pedro Pascal is everywhere these days, but the "Fantastic Four" and "The Last of Us" star particularly shines in this chaotic and funny VHS-style anthology. Helmed by "Captain Marvel" directors Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, "Freaky Tales" follows four loosely connected vignettes set in 1987 Oakland, California, that all wrap up together at the end in surprising fashion.
There's the career criminal (Pascal) tackling one last job before he goes clean; a pair of teen punks (Ji-young Yoo and Jack Champion) defending their turf against Nazi skinheads; a hip hop duo (Dominique Thorne and Normani) who stumble into a career-launching gig; and an NBA all-star (Jay Ellis) looking to get revenge. For a wild ride of a comedy that also nails its period setting with style to spare, "Freaky Tales" looks like a worthwhile watch.
Watch 'Freaky Tales' now on HBO Max
‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ (PVOD)
"Jurassic World: Rebirth" doesn’t aim to rewrite the long-running franchise's playbook, but for anyone craving fresh dino-fueled chaos, it gets the job done. Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali take the reins as a team of mercenaries hired to infiltrate a dinosaur-infested island and recover DNA that could lead to medical breakthroughs.
If that premise sounds familiar, it’s because it is, and director Gareth Edwards leans into this with a knowing wink. Known for his eye-catching visual effects in big-budget sci-fi franchises like Star Wars and Godzilla, he proves to be a natural fit for "Jurassic Park." The CGI dinosaurs look better than ever, even if fans might miss the je ne sais quoi of old-school animatronics.
Buy or rent now on Amazon or Apple
‘The Pickup’ (Prime Video)
Prime Video is keeping the momentum going after "Heads of State" with another action-packed buddy comedy, this time pairing up Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson. The two comedy stars play armored truck drivers whose routine cash run spirals out of control when a crew of criminals ambushes them.
Leading the charge is Zoe (Keke Palmer), who reveals that their plans go way beyond the truck's cash cargo. The heist devolves into a high-stakes, high-speed ride as the unlikely duo tries to survive the worst day of their lives without ripping each other's heads off.
Watch "The Pickup" now on Prime Video
'The Monkey' (Hulu)
If you missed "The Monkey" in theaters, you can now catch it on Hulu. And you'll want to, because this is one of the best Stephen King adaptations in recent memory. Equal parts bloody and hilarious, it’s another win for "Longlegs" director Osgood Perkins, who continues to cement his place as the rising master of horror to watch.
"The Monkey" follows twin brothers Hal and Bill Shelburn (both played by Theo James), who, as kids, stumble upon the creepiest monkey doll in history. Every time it bangs its cymbals, someone dies, and it's anyone's guess who's next on the chopping block. Though they eventually grow apart, the brothers are reluctantly reunited when the monkey resurfaces, forcing them to confront their past and put an end to the curse once and for all.
Watch "The Monkey" now on Hulu
'Kandahar' (Netflix)
Gerard Butler continues his run as cinema’s reigning everyman action hero with "Kandahar," an explosive spy thriller loosely based on real events. This time, he stars as Tom Harris, a CIA operative whose cover is blown after a mission puts him in the crosshairs of some dangerous enemies.
Stuck in hostile territory in Afghanistan with his translator (Navid Negahban), he has to fight his way through enemy combatants to make it to an extraction point in Kandahar. Oh, and he’s also supposed to sign his divorce papers. But those will have to wait. It's a pretty cliche set-up, but Butler sells it with a grounded sincerity as a battle-hardened veteran who’s painfully aware that the life he’s chosen has left little room for real connection.
Watch "Kandahar" now on Netflix
'Stolen: Heist of the Century' (Netflix)
Netflix has been killing the game lately with its true crime documentaries. The latest dives into the 2003 Antwerp Diamond Center robbery in Belgium, which made headlines as the world's biggest diamond heist. A crew of Italian thieves looted the vault and made off with an estimated $100 million worth of diamonds. Most of the gems vanished without a trace, and for years, the details of how they pulled it off remained a mystery.
Directed by Mark Lewis, who made the streamer's viral 'Don't F**k with Cats" documentary, the documentary features extensive interviews with the man Belgian authorities call the mastermind behind the audacious crime. It has a lighter tone than Netflix's recent "Trainwreck" series, presenting the facts of the case on a timeline peppered with nods to "Ocean's Eleven" and other famous heist movies.
Watch "Stolen: Heist of the Century" now on Netflix
'Sorry, Baby' (PVOD)
A24's black comedy drama "Sorry, Baby" is first-time filmmaker Eva Victor's debut, and its 93% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes is enough to pique my interest. In addition to writing and directing the film, Victor stars as Agnes, a professor at a New England arts college who lives a quiet life with her cat.
While life has carried on for everyone else, she’s been frozen in place by a past trauma, her day-to-day overshadowed by anxiety she can't shake. When her close friend (Naomi Ackie) drops by with exciting news, Agnes is forced to confront the fact that she's been stuck for three years and decides it's finally time to move forward. Figuring out how to do that is just the first step in a long, difficult process, but as she discovers, it's work worth doing.
Buy or rent 'Sorry Baby' now on Prime Video or Apple
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