This week offers plenty of new movie options across the best streaming services, from a post-apocalyptic zombie thriller to a romantic drama set at a storied English university.
Whatever sort of movie you’re in the mood for, there’s likely a newcomer to suit your tastes. “28 Years Later” on PVOD platforms headlines the next seven days, but HBO Max subscribers will be eager to enjoy the blood-soaked thrills of “Final Destination Bloodlines” while over on Netflix, get your tissues out, because “My Oxford Year” looks like a tearjerker.
Looking to watch something fresh? These are the top new movies landing across streaming services over the next few days. And if you want to binge-watch, here’s a guide to all the best new TV shows this week.
‘28 Years Later’ (PVOD)
The old saying goes, “Time heals all,” but in Danny Boyle’s apocalyptic zombie-infested Britain, that’s not the case.
This long-awaited second sequel to “28 Days Later” takes place almost three decades after the Rage Virus turned the U.K. into a quarantine island cut off from the rest of the world, and things have not improved in the time since Cillian Murphy’s Jim was wandering around a devastated London. If anything, the situation has only gotten worse.
On a remote, well-fortified island just off the mainland, Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) lives with his son Spike (Alfie Williams) and ill wife Isla (Jodie Comer). Taking his son on a rite-of-passage trip to the zombie-plagued mainland, Jamie and Spike discover the infected have mutated to become even deader, and that there are additional threats to consider.
Also starring Ralph Fiennes and Jack O’Connell, “28 Years Later” successfully recaptures the spirit and visual style of the 2002 original and, aside from a tonally confused ending, is an extremely compelling watch.
Plus, it features more than a few references to my beloved Newcastle Utd soccer team and is set in North East England (which happens to be my birthplace), which makes it an instant must-watch in my books.
Buy or rent on Amazon from July 29
‘The Life of Chuck’ (PVOD)
Mike Flanagan has developed a reputation as a horror master after directing movies like “Oculus," "Gerald's Game" and “Doctor Sleep,” alongside helming chilling Netflix shows “The Haunting of Hill House” and “Midnight Mass." However, he trades his usual spooky approach for something a little more heartwarming with “The Life of Chuck.”
This fantasy drama has been described as “life-affirming” and has even been mooted as a potential awards contender in the upcoming season. Based on the novella of the same name by Stephen King, it marks the third time Flanagan has adapted one of the legendary author's works for the big screen, and stars Tom Hiddleston as the eponymous Charles “Chuck” Krantz.
The movie is told in reverse chronological order as we follow Chunk from his adulthood through to his younger years as he experiences all the ordinary things that make life truly extraordinary. The well-received movie also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Jacob Tremblay and Mark Hamill.
Buy or rent on Amazon from July 29
‘Final Destination Bloodlines’ (HBO Max)
“Final Destination Bloodlines” marks the return of the long-running horror franchise, and it’s an excellent revival. I’d argue it ranks among the very best of “Final Destination” movies ever, keeping the classic formula intact but with new twists that only add to the blood-soaking mayhem.
Following the series' longest premonition scene to date, we flash forward more than 50 years and meet Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), a college student haunted by a grisly vision of a skytower collapsing in the 1960s. Soon enough, death begins stalking Stefani and her family, and the secret to survival might just be locked in her grandmother’s past.
The overly complicated death sequences have always been the main appeal of the “Final Destination” franchise, and “Bloodlines” packs some of the most darkly funny ones to date. And while it doesn’t completely reinvent the wheel, it does take a few risks that all play off very well.
It also marks the final on-screen appearance of franchise mainstay Tony Todd, who delivers a memorable last performance that might just have you shedding a tear or two.
Watch on HBO Max from August 1
‘My Oxford Year’ (Netflix)
If you’re looking for a gooey romantic comedy-drama in the vein of “The Life List,” then Netflix has you covered this week with “My Oxford Year.”
Yes, the release timing is a little odd — a romance tale set in rainy England feels perfect for the fall — but still, I have no doubts this movie will prove popular with Netflix subscribers, even if critics might tear it to shreds.
Based on the novel of the same name by Julia Whelan, it centers on Anna De La Vega (Sofia Carson), an American student who fulfills her lifelong dream of studying at England’s prestigious (and pretentious) Oxford University.
By all accounts, her life is going exactly to plan, but her carefully-considered plan is thrown into turmoil when she meets a very charming British boy (Corey Mylchreest) and sparks fly. Guaranteed to be full of sappy dialogue and overly dramatic musings about seizing the moment while you can, “My Oxford Year” clearly knows its audience and plays to it.
Watch on Netflix from August 1
‘William Tell’ (Hulu)
Hulu’s big addition this week is a historical action epic that tells the story of William Tell, a Swiss folk hero, who was an important player in the country’s attempts to fight against Austrian invaders in the 14th century.
Directed by Nick Hamm and starring Claes Bang in the titular role, this cinematic spin on the legend opens with Tell, a former soldier in the Crusades, living as a huntsman. When the Austrian Empire marches into his country, he refuses to bend the knee and instead becomes part of a revolution that seeks to push back against these foreign oppressors.
Also starring Connor Swindells, Golshifteh Farahani, Rafe Spall, Jonathan Pryce and Ben Kingsley, on the surface “William Tell” looks like it has all the ingredients to be a “Braveheart” for a new generation. Unfortunately, its critical reception was anything but epic. With a lengthy 134-minute runtime, “William Tell” might only be one for genre obsessives.
Watch on Hulu from August 1
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