7 best movies to stream this weekend on Hulu, Netflix, Max and more
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We're in the dog days of summer now, and what better way to stay cool than to curl up on the couch with some popcorn and the latest blockbuster debuts across the best streaming services.
But with so much on offer, it can be difficult to narrow down what to watch. That's why we've rounded up the best new movies that just landed on streaming this week to make your next movie night one to remember. Leading the pack this week is the "A Quiet Place" spin-off starring Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o on paid video-on-demand services. Meanwhile, Hulu has the latest "Planet of the Apes" sequel and Netflix is rolling out a new Spongebob movie starring everyone's favorite underwater Texan as well as a black-and-white version of "Godzilla Minus One."
So without further ado, read on for the best new movies on streaming to watch this week. And if you're looking for even more streaming recommendations, be sure to also check out our guide to the best new TV shows this week.
‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ (PVOD)
"A Quiet Place: Day One" is the rare spin-off that lives up to its predecessors. Lupita Nyong’o stars as Samira, a surly patient at a hospice center just outside New York City. She makes it clear early on that she's accepted whatever time she has left on this Earth, though begrudgingly accepts nurse Reuben's (Alex Wolff) offer to come on a field trip to the city with the promise of a New York slice.
Naturally, this is when all hell breaks loose, and we get to see the initial pandemonium caused by the franchise's bat-like alien invasion. While its survival-horror setup follows many familiar beats, it's packed with enough genuine scares and heart to make it a must-watch for fans of "A Quiet Place."
Buy or rent on Amazon
‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ (Hulu)
"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes," the fourth film in the rebooted franchise, jumps forward three centuries after the death of Andy Serkis’ Caesar to a world where apes are the dominant species and humans are marginalized. It's the first in a new trilogy that's said to bridge the gap between recent reboots and the original "Planet of the Apes."
As a young chimpanzee named Noa (Owen Teague) prepares for his coming-of-age ceremony, he crosses paths with Mae (Freya Allan), a human woman who matches his intellect. Together, they embark on a quest to determine the future of both apes and humans. However, hidden motives soon transform their hopes for peace into a violent struggle for power.
Watch it now on Hulu
‘Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie’ (Netflix)
Are ya ready kids? SpongeBob SquarePants may have put Bikini Bottom on the map, but this new movie puts his thrill-seeking squirrel pal Sandy Cheeks front and center. When a Texas research lab headed by the nefarious CEO Sue Nahmee (Wanda Sykes) scoops up the underwater denizens, Sandy and crew head back to her home state to save them.
Along the way, they run into her family — a group of traveling circus performers — and team up with old friends to get everyone back safe and sound. “Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie” blends live-action and colorful 3D animation in a style more reminiscent of the recent Spongebob movie “Sponge on the Run” rather than the original 2D show, and it looks like a fun, nostalgia-filled romp for kids and adults alike.
Watch it now on Netflix
'Sherlock Holmes' (Max)
This seminal Guy Ritchie movie reimagines Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic character as an action movie hero. Robert Downey Jr. stars as the illustrious detective, bringing attitude, wit, and charisma to Holmes — in other words, it’s Downey at his peak Downey-iest — while Jude Law co-stars as Dr. John Watson, Holmes’s loyal right-hand man.
The duo sets out on a mission to track down and stop Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), a devotee of the dark arts behind a brutal string of murders in London. While the detective work takes a backseat to the action, "Sherlock Holmes" thrives on the dynamic performances of Downey and Law, whose humor and chemistry create a compelling crime-fighting duo.
Watch it now on Max
'Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color' (Netflix)
If you've been eager to revisit the fantastic "Godzilla Minus One," this version harkens back to the first "Godzilla" movie released in 1954 with a monochromatic makeover. Written and directed by acclaimed CG animator and VFX artist Takashi Yamazaki, it's set during the very tail end of World War II after the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The film follows Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki), a kamikaze pilot who hesitates in his mission by making a pit stop on Odo Island. He has no way of knowing that Japan's surrender is on the horizon. But after one fateful encounter with a reptilian behemoth that stomps ashore and wreaks havoc, he's certain that his life will never be the same.
Watch it now on Netflix
'Maxxxine' (PVOD)
The highly anticipated third installment in Ti West's horror series, following "X" and "Pearl," sees the story come full circle as Mia Goth reprises her role as Maxine Minx, an adult film star looking for her big break.
Set in 1980s Hollywood, "Maxxxine" kicks off with her landing a coveted role as a scream queen in a horror movie directed by Elizabeth Bender (Elizabeth Debicki). All the while, a killer is hunting young women in Maxine's circle, and she's none too pleased when two LAPD detectives (Michelle Monaghan and Bobby Cannavale) come knocking at her door. On top of that, a dogged private investigator (Kevin Bacon) with a mysterious client is on her heels. As Maxine seeks answers, her past comes back to haunt her in a big way. After all, there's no business like show business.
Streaming now with purchase on Amazon or Apple
'The Spectacular Now' (Netflix)
"The Spectacular Now" is one of my colleague Rory's comfort movies, and I can see why. This critically acclaimed A24 romantic drama stars Sutter Keely as Miles Teller, a free-wheeling high school senior who's confident he's got life all figured out. That all changes when he's unceremoniously dumped by his girlfriend (Brie Larson).
He drowns his sorrows in a late-night binger and wakes up to a wicked hangover on a stranger's front lawn. That's how he meets Aimee Finecky (Shailene Woodley) an innocent, bookish teenager who, on paper, looks to be his polar opposite, but there's an instant spark between them. However, Sutter's self-destructive tendencies test their blossoming relationship as the duo stares down the reality of life after high school.
Watch it now on Netflix
