Over the next few days, the best streaming services are debuting new movies that range from rom-coms perfect for the season to a potential awards player starring George Clooney. Whatever your film tastes, there’s likely a top new movie on streaming for you this week.
Netflix has two new original options this week. For those in the seasonal spirit, there’s “My Secret Santa,” another festive rom-com with a pretty silly premise, while award-hopeful “Jay Kelly” from director Noah Baumbach makes its streaming debut. Prime Video also has its own Christmas flick, which looks super snarky, “Oh. What. Fun.” and the latest “Mission: Impossible” movie finally arrives on Paramount Plus after its theatrical run over the summer.
‘Tron Ares’ (PVOD)
Disney’s latest revival of the “Tron” franchise wasn’t a box-office success, but perhaps it’ll find its audience now that it’s moving to streaming. The original was an eye-popping sci-fi action flick set in an original cyberworld, and while “Tron Ares” isn’t much of a trend-setter in a movie landscape where CGI-stuffed blockbusters are common, it does manage to impress thanks to its neon-infused world and the very fitting techno soundtrack by Nine Inch Nails.
Unfortunately, the issues come in the form of its cookie-cutter narrative, and the annoying attempts to set up a sequel (a swift follow-up is unlikely given “Ares’” financial failings). Starring Jared Leto and Greta Lee, both miscast in their roles, “Tron Ares” sees a highly sophisticated AI programme break free from its directive and step into the real world. The highlight is an off-the-leash villainous performance from Evan Peters, and original “Tron” star Jeff Bridges shows up for a short scene that adds little more than fan service.
Buy or rent on Amazon from December 2
‘My Secret Santa’ (Netflix)
Netflix continues to roll out its seasonal slate as we enter December, and this week the new festival arrival takes the form of a Christmas-themed romantic comedy (daring today, aren’t we, Netflix). Based on the trailer, “My Secret Santa” looks pretty much like every other holiday rom-com that Netflix has dished out over the past few years, but there’s a reason the streamer keeps returning to this well; clearly, subscribers just love watching these movies.
Starring Alexandra Breckenridge, Ryan Eggold and Tia Mowry, “My Secret Santa” sees a single mother in desperate need of work resort to disguising herself as an elderly man to be hired as Santa at a nearby ski resort. It’s all a bit “Mrs. Doubtfire.” But the situation gets complicated when the resort manager starts to suspect her, and she develops feelings for the owner’s dashing son. Don’t expect more than a glossy guilty pleasure watch here.
Watch on Netflix from December 3
‘Oh. What. Fun.’ (Prime Video)
If you’re looking for a holiday movie that is a little different, Prime Video has you covered. “Oh. What Fun.” is less seasonal cheer and more sarcastic snark. It comes from Michael Showalter, the director of “The Idea of You.” While it has all the trademark trappings of a generic Christmas movie, it appears to be doing something slightly more interesting with these elements. “Oh. What. Fun.’s” cast list is also fairly well stocked, with Michelle Pfeiffer, Felicity Jones, Chloë Grace Moretz, Danielle Brooks, Dominic Sessa and Denis Leary
Clarie Clauster (Pfeiffer) is the glue that holds her dysfunctional family together. Every year, she puts in the work to ensure the family can enjoy a picture-perfect holiday season. However, when her grown-up kids and husband (Leary) don’t appreciate all her effort and bring plenty of personal drama to the Christmas table, she reaches a breaking point and decides to ditch being the family organizer and embark on her own festive adventure.
Watch on Prime Video from December 3
‘Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning’ (Paramount Plus)
If “Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning” truly is the franchise’s swansong (there’s been rumblings of more despite the finality of the title), then it’s a mostly fitting note to conclude this consistently high-quality spy series. It’s not at the level of the best “Mission: Impossible” movies like “Ghost Protocol” and “Fallout,” but it sees Tom Cruise literally strapping himself to the wings of a rickety aeroplane for viewers’ entertainment, who can turn that down?
Its biggest problem is that it must pay for the sins of its uneven predecessor, “Dead Reckoning,” spending the first hour untangling several narrative knots. But once the exposition-heavy dialogue fades away, and the action kicks into gear, “Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning” is an absolute blast. It sees superspy Ethan Hunt (Cruise) assemble his allies to put a stop to a rogue AI seeking to introduce a new world order. Watch out for an especially incredible sequence set aboard an abandoned submarine that is slowly sinking.
Watch on Paramount Plus from December 4
‘Jay Kelly’ (Netflix)
Director Noah Baumbach’s latest comedy-drama is a tribute to the movies and the larger-than-life stars who appear in them. Unashamedly self-indulgent, “Jay Kelly” mines affecting emotion from its melancholic eponymous lead, played note-perfectly by George Clooney. The film also features Laura Dern and Adam Sandler, and it's particularly great to see Sandler in a role that's less potty humor and requires some dramatic acting.
Jay Kelly (Clooney) is a hugely successful movie star (yes, it’s art imitating life), who ventures off to Europe to attend an awards ceremony in Tuscany, with his devoted manager, Ron (Sandler), and publicist, Liz (Dern), in tow. As they take an unconventional route to their final destination, Kelly reflects on his strained relationship with his daughters, while Ron grapples with his own internal conflicts. “Jay Kelly” might walk a road that’s a little too winding for some viewers, but it caps things off strongly with a montage moment that celebrates Clooney’s own career and serves as a reminder of cinema's power.
Watch on Netflix from December 5
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