Summer is winding down, but that heat sure isn't, and you can still find me hiding out in the AC on the couch catching up on my watchlist. This week brought a slew of new movies on Netflix, Prime Video, and the rest of the best streaming services, but with so much on offer, narrowing down what to watch next can be a serious drag on your weekend.
That's why I've done the heavy lifting for you and rounded up the best of this week's new releases on streaming. Horror fans are eating good this week between "Evil Dead Burn" arriving on PVOD platforms and Ti West's "Pearl" (along with the rest of his phenomenal "X" trilogy) landing on Hulu. Meanwhile, Netflix just got a claustrophobic new thriller, "The Last House," along with the slept-on romantic drama "Spoiler Alert" starring Jim Parsons. If you're in the mood for something breezier, check out Pharrell Williams' Lego-fied biopic "Piece by Piece" on Prime Video for some good tunes and funky visuals.
So without further ado, let's dive into the best new movies on streaming this weekend.
'Spoiler Alert' (Netflix)
![SPOILER ALERT - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters December 2 - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/G9qIwkAi_Zk/maxresdefault.jpg)
2022 was the year of high-profile gay rom-coms, but while I saw headlines about "Bros" and "Fire Island" all over the place, Jim Parsons' bittersweet "Spoiler Alert" didn't get the same flowers. And I think that's a shame because it's really heartwarming, though you'll definitely need a box of tissues handy.
Based on the memoir by TV journalist Michael Ausiello, it tells the story of how he (played by Parsons) falls in love and with an aspiring photographer named Kit (Ben Aldridge) who later gets diagnosed with a rare form of neuroendocrine cancer. Parsons' signature brand of charm and awkwardness is on full display as a dweeby TV nerd who collects Smurfs paraphernalia, and I enjoyed how his flashbacks to childhood, which saw his mother locked in her own battle with cancer, are shot and styled like a '90s family sitcom.
Watch "Spoiler Alert" on Netflix now
'Evil Dead Burn' (PVOD)
I'm not a fan of the "Evil Dead" franchise (too much blood and guts for this wimp), but horror lovers with stronger stomachs than me should know the sixth installment landed on PVOD platforms this week. While its predecessor took the carnage to the big city, "Evil Dead Burn" heads back to the more secluded environment that defined the original films, this time a remote lakeside home where a dysfunctional family gathering turns into a bloody nightmare.
Souheila Yacoub stars as a widow named Alice who reunites with her late husband's family. Things are a little awkward but going well — that is, until the Necronomicon joins the party, turning one family member after another into bloodthirsty Deadites, the undead soul-eating demons the series is known for.
Buy or rent "Evil Dead Burn" on Apple or Amazon now
'Pearl' (Hulu)
Ti West's entire horror trilogy ("X," "Pearl," and "MaXXXine") landed on Hulu this week, but if you only have time for one, I can't recommend "Pearl" enough. Mia Goth gives a career-defining performance as Pearl, a starry-eyed woman with her sights set on Hollywood if she can get out from under the thumb of her overbearing mother (Tandi Wright).
When her wealthy sister-in-law (Emma Jenkins-Purro) tells her there's a troupe in town looking for new dancers to take on the road, Pearl's convinced it's finally her big break. But as things start to go wrong and she watches her chances at stardom crumble, let's just say that she doesn't handle rejection well. This unsettling psychological horror film owes much of its success to Goth and Wright's outstanding lead performances, with both getting monologues that give me chills to this day.
Watch "Pearl" on Hulu now
'Piece by Piece' (Prime Video)
![PIECE BY PIECE - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters October 11 - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7Bc6trBc1kc/maxresdefault.jpg)
Usually I'm not much for biopics, but since Pharrell Williams is from my neck of the woods (shout out to the 757!) and made the bold decision to Lego-fy his story, I make an exception for "Piece by Piece." With the same eye-catching visuals as "The Lego Movie," it follows his rise to fame in Virginia Beach alongside Chad Hugo with their iconic Neptunes sound, featured in aughts bops from Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, and more big names.
Colorful, imaginative and unlike any other music biopic you've seen, "Piece by Piece" uses its Lego style to capture Pharrell Williams' creative process, bringing his synesthesia to life by transforming notes and melodies into bursts of color. With five original songs written specifically for the film, it's an easy recommendation for fans of the Grammy-winning artist. While its meandering structure is less conventional than a typical biopic, its infectious energy and inventive visuals make for a fun, breezy weekend watch.
Watch "Piece by Piece" on Prime Video now
'The Last House' (Netflix)
Netflix hired a man to live inside a billboard to promote its latest sci-fi thriller "The Last House," and that's honestly more interesting than the movie itself. But it's slim pickings for new movies on Netflix this week, so I'm including it here begrudgingly. Set in rainy Seattle, “The Last House” follows a family of four — husband and wife, Jason (Wagner Moura) and Ann (Greta Lee), and their two young children — who discover a storm has creating watery barrier around their home, trapping everyone inside.
As days turn to months and months turn to years, it becomes clear that help isn't coming. Things go from bad to worse when the youngest swears she sees creatures lurking out there in the rain, and the house eventually fills with water. "The Last House" reminds me of Netflix's last claustrophobic thriller, "Brick," which similarly struggled to maintain its early momentum.
Watch "The Last House" on Netflix now
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