Club Benefits
Another week on the books means another weekend to catch up on our watchlists is here, but with so many great movies coming and going from the best streaming services, decision paralysis can rear its ugly ahead once more. That's why I'm rounding up the best movies that just landed on streaming so you don't waste your precious time with a dud.
Leading the pack this week is Emerald Fennell's divisive adaptation of "Wuthering Heights" on HBO Max along with Pixar's hit body-swapping caper "Hoppers" on paid video-on-demand platforms. For another family-friendly watch, check out Netflix's "Swapped" for an animal kingdom twist on "Freaky Friday." Also on Netflix, you'll find the criminally underrated horror movie "Jennifer's Body," which still holds up surprisingly well. Let's dive into the best new movies on streaming to watch this weekend.
‘Wuthering Heights’ (HBO Max)
One of this year's most divisive films, Emerald Fennell's adaptation of "Wuthering Heights," landed on HBO Max this week, bringing audiences to the windswept Yorkshire moors in an R-rated romantic period drama inspired by Emily Brontë’s classic novel. "Inspired by" is doing some heavy lifting here, as book purists are some of the movie's biggest naysayers for the unique and, at times, baffling direction Fennell takes this iconic story.
Article continues belowAt the center is the volatile and all-consuming love between Catherine Earnshaw (Margot Robbie) and Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi), two childhood friends thrust apart by social standing and personal ambition. After Heathcliff sets off to make his fortune, Catherine chooses to marry someone else, setting off a chain of betrayal and heartbreak that echoes throughout their lives.
Watch "Wuthering Heights" on HBO Max now
‘Hoppers’ (PVOD)
Pixar's been overdue for a hit after last year's "Elio" marked the studio's worst box office opening ever, and "Hoppers" is just the ticket. After making over $360 million at the box office, Daniel Chong's zany body-swapping caper just landed on video-on-demand platforms so you can catch it from the comfort of your couch. In our "Hoppers" review, Malcolm McMillan called it "delightful" and "basically 'Avatar' but better." Given its impressive 94% approval ratings from critics and moviegoers alike on Rotten Tomatoes, he's definitely not alone in that praise.
The story follows a teenage girl named Mabel (voiced by Piper Curda), who has a special connection to nature and gets a chance to transfer her consciousness into a lifelike robotic beaver to live and communicate with animals. With a genuinely funny cast and a meaningful message about conservation and environmental care, it’s an excellent choice for a family movie night this weekend. "Hoppers" also features standout voice performances from Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, and Dave Franco.
Buy or rent "Hoppers" now on Amazon Prime
'Swapped' (Netflix)
I know what you're thinking: Is this just a "Hoppers" rip-off? But trust me, "Swapped" takes the body-swapping shenanigans in a completely different direction. It's more "Freaky Friday" than "Avatar" with plenty of charm all its own. Plus it features Michael B. Jordan in his first post-Oscar role.
At the center of the story are two animals who could not be more different: an otter-like creature Ollie (Jordan) who's been outcast from his family and a bird of prey who sits at the top of the food chain Ivy (Juno Temple). The two find themselves swapped into each other’s bodies after a strange encounter with magical flora. Thrust into unfamiliar roles, they form an uneasy partnership that soon grows into something more. Together they work to keep their fragile ecosystem from collapsing and, in the process, grow to reconsider everything they believed about one another.
Watch "Swapped" on Netflix now
‘Hallow Road’ (Hulu)
You don't need an overly complicated set-up to make a great movie. "Hallow Road" proves as much, with director Babak Anvari and screenwriter William Gillies pushing a simple premise to horrifying ends. Matthew Rhys and Rosamund Pike star as parents jolted awake by a late-night call from their panicked daughter telling them she's responsible for a potentially fatal car accident.
The two race toward the crash site, desperate to get there before anyone else discovers what happened. As they speed along dark, winding country roads, the tension only gets thicker as long-buried family secrets begin to surface and an already harrowing situation takes an even more ominous turn, hinting at forces beyond their control.
Watch "Hallow Road" on Hulu now
'Jennifer's Body' (Netflix)
"Jennifer's Body" was panned by critics when it first debuted in 2009, but it's since developed a cult following that I'm hoping will only multiply now that it's on Netflix. "Yellowjackets" executive producer Karyn Kusama and "Juno" writer Diablo Cody helm this underrated feminist horror comedy that stars Megan Fox as the titular Jennifer, a high school cheerleader who undergoes a terrifying and bloody transformation.
When she starts acting strangely out of the blue, her wallflower best friend Anita (Amanda Seyfried) gets concerned and demands answers. She's horrified to learn that Jennifer's been possessed and now enjoys feasting on emo boys, and I mean that in the literal sense. It's up to Anita to put a stop to Jennifer's rampage, and then hunt down the Satan-worshipping rock band responsible for her friend's horrible curse to begin with.
Watch "Jennifer's Body" on Netflix now
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