Club Benefits
April showers bring May flowers, and this weekend has brought plenty of new movies to watch across the best streaming services. Of course, when you're spoiled for choice, narrowing down what to watch next can spiral into exactly the kind of headache you don't want ruining your weekend.
That's why I regularly comb through the latest movies coming and going from streaming to shout out which ones are worthy of your precious streaming time. Leading the pack this weekend is Netflix's latest campy shark thriller, "Thrash," which seems made in a lab to nab the No. 1 spot. For a movie with a little more emotional bite, check out the Broadway recording of "Merrily We Roll Along."
Article continues below‘Thrash’ (Netflix)
For fans of Netflix's pulpy shark movie "Under Paris" a few years ago, the streamer is hoping to capture that same lightning-in-a-bottle success with another survival thriller worth sinking your teeth into, "Thrash." Written and directed by Tommy Wirkola (who seriously impressed me with his campy Christmas horror movie "Violent Night"), it once again pits humans against one of nature’s most terrifying predators when a Category 5 hurricane decimates a coastal town, flooding the streets with hungry sharks. "
Bridgerton's" Phoebe Dynevor stars as Lisa Fields, a pregnant woman late who finds herself trapped in a car when the floodwaters — and sharks — roll in. Djimon Hounsou ("Rebel Moon," "A Quiet Place: Day One") also stars as marine researcher Dale Edwards, who's racing against time to save the town's residents from becoming shark food.
Watch "Thrash" on Netflix now
'Merrily We Roll Along' (Netflix)
In my perfect world, all hit Broadway musicals would get the "Hamilton" treatment and make their way to streaming, but until then I'm going to shout out the rare few that do. The acclaimed Broadway revival of “Merrily We Roll Along,” directed by Maria Friedman, stars Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez and won four Tony Awards, and now you can catch the Broadway magic on Netflix.
Spanning three decades, “Merrily We Roll Along” follows composer Franklin Shepard (Groff), writer Mary (Mendez), and lyricist Charley (Radcliffe), three friends whose relationship is tested by personal struggles, bitter fallouts, and emotional reunions. Originally debuting in 1981, the musical is considered to be among Stephen Sondheim’s finest works. A film adaptation that's been in the works for over two decades is currently in the works, but until it arrives (sometime around 2040), this version is more than worthy of your time.
Watch "Merrily We Roll Along" on Netflix now
'Game Night' (HBO Max)
Precious few action-comedies are worth rewatching, but "Game Night" is the exception, full of smart twists and excellent gags that still make me laugh. Married couple Max (Jason Bateman) and Annie (Rachel McAdams) are devoted board game and trivia buffs who host a weekly game night with friends. When Max’s rich and charming brother, Brooks (Kyle Chandler), insists on taking over as host, he ups the ante with an elaborate murder mystery where someone will be “kidnapped,” and the group has to solve the case.
But the night takes a wild turn when masked intruders storm in and kidnap Brook for real. Assuming it’s all part of the game, Max, Annie, and their friends dive in, but as they chase clues to solve the mystery, they soon realize they're caught up in a genuinely dangerous situation.
Watch "Game Night" on HBO Max now
'Piece by Piece' (Peacock)
![PIECE BY PIECE - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters October 11 - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7Bc6trBc1kc/maxresdefault.jpg)
I'll admit I'm biased for including "Piece by Piece" on this list since Pharrell Williams is from my neck of the woods. But I also appreciate the bold direction this biopic takes, using Lego to tell the story of his rise to fame in Virginia Beach pioneering The Neptunes sound to his international smash success as a recording artist and producer with collaborators Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Daft Punk and more.
Bright and endlessly inventive, "Piece by Piece" uses its Lego visuals in creative ways to depict Williams' process for creating music, specifically his synesthesia (where individual notes and melodies appear to him as colors). With five new original songs written by Pharrell just for this flick, “Piece by Piece” is naturally a must-watch for fans of the chart-topping musician.
Watch "Piece by Piece" on Peacock now
'Bad Boys: Ride or Die' (Hulu)
If you're a fan of the "Bad Boys" combination of comedy, drama, action and explosions, then you'll want to catch the latest entry, "Bad Boys: Ride or Die," now that it's back on Hulu. Detectives Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are back for their most dangerous mission yet in. When their late police captain (Joe Pantoliano) is accused of corruption, the wisecracking duo sets out to clear his name and protect his legacy. The plot may not hold up under heavy scrutiny, but the hyper-stylized action sequences, sharp writing and power of its stars are enough to keep things fresh and fun. Plus, fans of the series seemed to really enjoy this one, judging by its near-perfect 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Watch "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" on Hulu now
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.
More from Tom's Guide
- 3 new to Prime Video thriller movies to watch this week — and one of them is a twisty mystery from my favorite director (April 7-13)
- Shopper spots Walmart's new Google TV streaming device in store — and it's ridiculously cheap
- Tubi is the latest app inside ChatGPT — now you can instantly get movie and TV recommendations
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
