A new year means plenty of new movies to watch on the best streaming services, but with so much on offer, narrowing down what to watch can be a headache in and of itself.
That's where we come in. Here at Tom's Guide, we've rounded up the best new movies that just landed on streaming to add to your watchlist. Leading the pack this week is the box-office-topping Broadway adaptation "Wicked," which arrives on paid video-on-demand services. Over on Netflix, you'll find the long-awaited next entry in a beloved claymation franchise, "Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl," which sees the return of a fan-favorite foe. If you're in more of a horror mood, you've got your pick of the lot this week between two psychological thrillers, "The Front Room" on Max and "Mother’s Instinct" on Hulu, and the critically acclaimed prequel "A Quiet Place: Day One" on prime Video.
So without further ado, let's dive into this weekend's best picks for what to watch on streaming.
'Wicked' (PVOD)
"Wicked" is everything a movie musical adaptation should be. Based on the Broadway production of the same name, “Wicked” tells the untold story of some of the key players in "The Wizard of Oz" years before Dorothy blew into town.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande deliver powerful performances as Elphaba, an outcast with green skin and dazzling supernatural powers, and Glinda, the uber-popular socialite used to getting her way, respectively. The two butt heads at the prestigious Shiz University before eventually becoming close friends and journeying to meet the Wizard of Oz in the Emerald City, where their lives and the history of this fantastical land are changed for good.
Streaming now with purchase on Amazon or Apple
‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’ (Netflix)
“Vengeance Most Fowl” sees Wallace and Gromit make their grand return following a more than 15-year hiatus, and it already holds top marks on Rotten Tomatoes, securing a rare 100% critics score. The beloved claymation duo finds chaos on their doorstep once more after the cheese-loving inventor creates a “smart” gnome that gets hacked by an old nemesis: Feathers McGraw (from 1993’s “The Wrong Trousers”).
The duo will need to harness all their combined ingenuity to defeat the resurgent foe, and naturally it falls to Gromit to overthrow Feathers' plot lest Wallace never be able to invent again. “Vengeance Most Fowl” premiered in its native U.K. over the holidays, but this week marks its international debut on Netflix.
Watch it now on Netflix
‘The Front Room’ (Max)
Any time of year can be spooky season if you want it to be, and "The Front Room" is sure to start 2025 off with a bang. This psychological horror film is a unique blend of scares and comedy with a nightmarish premise that any mother can relate to. The R&B sensation Brandy stars as Belinda, a heavily pregnant anthropology professor besieged by her estranged mother-in-law Solange (Kathyrn Hunter) after she moves in.
Though Belinda does her best to put on a happy face and muscle through, Solange wastes no time stomping over boundaries, firing off unwarranted advice and microaggressions in equal measure. But as tensions rise, her behavior becomes increasingly unhinged and dark secrets emerge. If you’re a fan of thrillers that don’t take themselves too seriously, "The Front Room" is one to check out.
Watch it now on Max
‘Mother’s Instinct’ (Hulu)
"Mother's Instinct" is another offbeat psychological thriller, this time unfolding in a picturesque 1960s suburbia whose domestic bliss is shaken by a tragic accident. One that shatters the relationship between best friends and neighbors Alice (Jessica Chastain) and Celine (Anne Hathaway).
Guilt, suspicion, and paranoia slowly seep in and tear their friendship apart. This is one of those movies that's best gone into with as little knowledge as possible to avoid spoiling all the twists and turns, and its ending is sure to haunt you long after the credits roll.
Watch it now on Hulu
'A Quiet Place: Day One' (Prime Video)
"A Quiet Place: Day One" is the rare spin-off that lives up to its predecessors. Lupita Nyong’o stars as Samira, a cancer patient at a hospice center just outside the city who wants nothing more than to be left alone for what little time she has left. Undeterred by her surly exterior, nurse Reuben (Alex Wolff) convinces her to come on a field trip to the city with the promise of a New York slice.
Naturally, this is when all hell breaks loose, and we get our best look yet at the first few chaotic days after the franchise's signature aliens with ultra-sensitive hearing descend upon the world. While its survival-horror setup follows many familiar beats, it's packed with enough genuine scares and heart to make it a must-watch for fans of "A Quiet Place" and newcomers to the series alike.
Watch it now on Prime Video
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