Blockbuster season may be winding down at the box office – Darren Aronofsky’s crime caper is this week’s clear standout among the new movies released (catch my Caught Stealing review if you missed it) – but streaming’s slate is anything but quiet.
The best streaming services are serving up another mixed delight of new series and movies to watch this weekend. From superheroes saving the world to small country town teen chaos, there’s such a wide range here that everyone on the couch should find something to watch. – Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor
Thunderbolts* (Disney+)
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If you’ve been wondering when will Marvel’s Thunderbolts* movie be released on Disney+, then I’ve got good news because the wait is finally over! The final MCU Phase 5 superhero flick arrived on Disney’s flagship streaming service on Wednesday (August 27) – three months after its theatrical release – and is already an instant streaming hit.
Despite a disappointing box office run, I’m not surprised the film’s misfit team is the most popular new release this week. My colleague’s glowing four star Thunderbolts* review praised “its incredibly touching tale, relatable characters, and likeable cast” – and I have to agree. Once you’ve finished watching, come back to this Thunderbolts* ending explainer for the answers to all your burning questions. – AS
My Life with the Walter Boys season 2 (Netflix)
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Buckle up, people… we’re heading back to the ranch. After returning to New York City at the end of season 1, there was never any doubt that Jackie (Nikki Rodriguez) would bring her unique brand of messy romantic drama back to My Life with the Walter Boys season 2.
Jackie’s relationship with Alex (Ashby Gentry) and Cole (Noah LaLonde) is more convoluted than ever, with Danny (Connor Stanhope) and Erin’s (Alisha Newton) only make our heads spin even further.
We’ve even got a separate love triangle going thanks to Zach (Carson MacCormac), Skylar (Jaylan Evans) and Nathan (Corey Fogelmanis), and that’s all before we even get to George’s (Marc Blucas) future plans for the ranch. In short, it’s all kicking off on Netflix. – Jasmine Valentine, entertainment writer
The Thursday Murder Club (Netflix)
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If I’m being honest, The Thursday Murder Club was one of my most anticipated movies of the year, and it completely lives up to expectations. Adapting the Richard Osman novel of the same name, we visit the retirement home Coopers Chase to meet Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley) and Joyce (Celia Imrie) as they meet weekly to try and solve cold cases.
When a real-life murder happens right on their doorstep, solving crime suddenly becomes much more serious. It’s genuinely funny, well-made and endearing drama that does exactly what it says on the tin, and our leading quartet give some blinding performances (and that’s before we get to the stacked ensemble cast).
If you need a more solid inditement, ask my dad – he’s read the entire book series to date and thinks the new movie is better than any of them. – JV
The Terminal List: Dark Wolf (Prime Video)
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No, that is not Jess from Gilmore Girls all grown up in the thumbnail! It’s actually Taylor Kitsch starring as Chief Special Warfare Operator Ben Edwards in Prime Video’s The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, reprising his role from from the original The Terminal List. This time around, we’re seeing the prequel origin story to how it all happened, following Edwards’ journey from journey from Navy SEAL to CIA operative.
Your going to have to discount the season synopsis you see online, because it reads like the most boringly generic TV series that shouldn’t have been programmed in the first place. In reality, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf fills in the blanks we missed the first time around in a surprisingly subversive way, balancing that with the psychological thriller aspect we know and love from the first time around.
First Ballard and now this… Prime Video is absolutely killing it (pun intended) with its crime IP spinoffs this year. – JV
Stans (Paramount+)
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There’s no denying the impact that Eminem’s 2000’s hit song ‘Stan’ has had. Telling the story of an obsessive, unstable fan, the third single in the ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’ album is the reason why the term stan was officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2017 and now serves as the inspiration for a new documentary about fandoms on Paramount+.
Directed by Steven Leckhart (Challenger: The Final Flight; What’s My Name: Muhammed Ali) and produced by Eminem, Stans sees the rapper give a rare insight into his private life and vast public persona, blending interviews, archival footage and stylized recreations. Following a limited theatrical run, it looks like the film is, to borrow Eminem’s own words, “not so bad” at all. – AS
KPOPPED (Apple TV+)
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From Spotify to Netflix, K-pop music is taking the streaming world by storm. With KPop Demon Hunters officially becoming Netflix’s most-watched movie of all time this week, there couldn’t be a better moment for Apple TV+ to release a new reality competition series focused on Korean pop music.
The eight-part song-battle series pairs some of the biggest Western chart-toppers, such as Megan Thee Stallion and the Spice Girls’ Mel B, with K-pop legends like BLACKSWAN and Billlie to reimagine their most iconic songs. Hosted by actor and comedian Soojeong Son, this genre-bending music series is the perfect complement to your next KPop Demon Hunters sing-along. – AS
Upload season 4 (Prime Video)
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On the plus side, Upload is back and better than ever after a two-year hiatus. On the downside, we’ve downgraded from eight episodes per series to just four, which almost feels like a missed opportunity.
Still, the finale season is a quick binge, immediately bringing us to tears as it’s confirmed that Nathan (Robbie Amell) was destroyed in the season 3 finale.
That leaves Nora (Andy Allo) deeply wrapped up in her grief, and it’s absolutely heartbreaking to see trapped between worlds as his ghost appears. There’s plenty of new mysteries and story arcs here too, and our core cast is as brilliant as they always have been. – JV
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