Another weekend is here, which means the question of what to watch is fresh in our minds — with decision paralysis nipping at its heels, oh no! The best streaming services are constantly shuffling great new releases through their libraries, but figuring out what to watch where can quickly become exactly the kind of headache you don't want to deal with on the weekend.
That's why I'm here to do the hard work for you, shining a spotlight on the best new movie releases that deserve a spot on your watchlist. Leading the pack this week is "Mother Mary" on HBO Max, a trippy ghost story with one of Anne Hathaway's best performances of the year. Parents and Pixar fans will be delighted to know that "Toy Story 3" is now available to buy or rent on PVOD platforms.
For a damning documentary that will stick in your craw, look no further than Netflix's "Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing." Meanwhile, Prime Video just got one of this year's most slept-on thrillers, "Is God Is," and the best "Cloverfield" movie of the series, "10 Cloverfield Lane," just landed on Paramount+.
So without further ado, let's dive into the best new movies to watch this weekend.
'Mother Mary' (HBO Max)
The vibe: Surreal pop-star ghost story where Anne Hathaway stuns
Anne Hathaway's having one heck of a year at the box office, with her movies raking in more than $2 billion worldwide, led by the success of blockbusters like "The Odyssey" and "The Devil Wears Prada 2." One that hasn't gotten nearly the flowers it deserves is "Mother Mary," a horror-tinged psychological drama about a pop star exorcising past sins with her estranged BFF.
Hathaway steals the show in David Lowery's latest film, where she stars as the titular Mother Mary, a pop star mounting a comeback after an on-stage accident puts her career on hiatus. With the pressure on, she reaches out to an old friend and costume designer Sam (Michaela Coel) to figure out what to wear, opening up old wounds and secrets that were better left buried. "Mother Mary" is an ambitious and fascinating genre mashup, even if it doesn't quite stick the landing.
Watch "Mother Mary" on HBO Max now
‘Toy Story 5’ (digital)
The vibe: The most emotional "Toy Story" movies since 3
I wasn't expecting to like "Toy Story 5" as much as I did, but when some friends asked me to tag along for their daughters' first-ever movie (!!), I figured, what the heck. It's an unnecessary sequel, sure, but one that puts Jessie front and center, continuing her storyline in such a heartfelt way I may have shed a tear or two in theaters. The central plot around toys vs. tech, children and screentime (as personified by Greta Lee's Lilypad, a kid-friendly tablet) also caught my eye.
When the new Andy in town, eight-year-old Bonnie, gets a Lilypad to play with her friends online, all her other toys fall by the wayside. But Jessie won't be abandoned a second time, kicking off a mission with Buzz, Woody, and the rest of the gang to get her off that dang screen. Something I really like about "Toy Story 5": It teaches kids how to play, imagining playtime with a more colorful animation style and telenovela-style drama that absolutely delighted the two 3-year-olds I saw this with.
Buy or rent "Toy Story 5" on Amazon or Apple now
'Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing' (Netflix)
The vibe: A documentary to piss you off
I've been telling everyone who will listen to check out Netflix's "Downfall: The Case Against Boeing" since I first saw it back in 2022. It's like a real-life horror movie where capitalist greed takes center stage, exposing the company's damning aviation safety scandal that killed 346 people after two Boeing 737 MAX planes went into freefall shortly after take-off.
Several more incidents and whistleblowers have come to light since, enough to merit a follow-up from director Rory Kennedy (yes, of that Kennedy family) called "Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing," that explores the human toll and complete lack of corporate accountability. Like the first documentary, it channels the anger of those affected by Boeing's failures, cutting through the corporate speak to offer a clear picture of their negligence and who has yet to pay for it.
Watch "Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing" on Netflix now
'Is God Is' (Prime Video)
The vibe: A svelte and poignant "Kill Bill" style revenge thriller
I've already written about "Is God Is" plenty this week but this round-up is one more excuse to shout out Aleshea Harris's southern gothic revenge thriller. Based on her award-winning stage play of the same name, "Is God Is" follows Racine (Kara Young) and Anaia (Mallori Johnson), twin sisters who are polar opposites but close nonetheless.
Both were left scarred but not broken after their father (Sterling K. Brown) lit their mother (Vivica A. Fox) on fire right in front of them. Afterwards they hopped around from foster home to foster home, dead-end job to dead-end job, until they receive a letter from their estranged mother. From her deathbed, she asks them for one last favor: to kill the man who hurt them, which kicks off a "Kill Bill"-style quest for closure and revenge that hits entirely too close to home if you grew up with an angry man in the house.
Watch "Is God Is" on Prime Video now
'10 Cloverfield Lane' (Paramount+)
The vibe: An alien movie unlike anything you've seen before
Director Matt Reeves' found-footage monster movie "Cloverfield" made waves when it hit theaters in 2008, but no one could have predicted the dramatic tour de force that was its follow-up, "10 Cloverfield Lane," eight years later. Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars as Michelle, a young woman who wakes up after a car accident injured, stuck in an underground bunker and at the mercy of her rescuer-turned-captor Howard (John Goodman).
If he's to be believed, aliens have invaded the Earth and taking one step outside the front door would mean certain death. When she and her fellow captive Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.) start digging deeper into his story, though, the holes they find have them planning their escape. But the true horror only begins after Michelle decides it's time to see the outside world for herself.
Watch "10 Cloverfield Lane" on Paramount+ now
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