We posted two reviews of new Apple products this week in the Apple HomeView and the new Apple TV 4K, and there was one common theme. Apple’s Siri AI still isn’t good enough.

In fact, I’d argue that there’s still such a large gap between Siri and other AI assistants like Gemini, ChatGPT, Alexa+ and Muse that people could start to defect to other brands if Apple doesn’t get its act together. And soon.

HomeView needs help

For example, my colleague Mike Prospero compared the new HomeView against Amazon’s Echo Show 8 with Alexa+, and he found that Apple’s assistant isn’t nearly as capable. Mike could easily order a pizza through Uber Eats with Amazon’s device while Apple’s Siri just offered to make a call. Siri is not the AI agent you’ve been looking for.

Meanwhile, Engadget pointed out that Siri AI gets dumber the moment your iPhone is not within range. It defaults to generic world-knowledge answers. And Joanna Stern noted in her review that Siri stumbled on multi-step household tasks and at one point refused to open her front door despite recognizing her face.

It also didn’t help that the HomeView Siri started “talking” to other phone-based Siris in the house.

To be clear, Siri AI has improved versus previous versions, but it’s still quite limited as an everyday assistant compared to Google Gemini, Alexa+, ChatGPT, and Muse. And I’d argue that the longer Siri continues to lag, the more Apple is leaving the door open for competitors to overtake Apple.

Apple TV + Siri = Meh

Apple Intelligence, such as it is, also graces the new Apple TV 4K, a streaming device that costs a whopping $299. Apple is justifying the premium partly by touting the fact that Siri is inside, which is supposed to help you find things to watch.

But things didn’t go very well in our testing. When Mike asked Siri to find scary movies for kids, Siri first responded “I’m not finding anything for that.” Then on the second attempt asking for scary movies good for kids the recommendations were nightmare fuel like “Poltergeist,” “Alien,” and “Seven.”

Meanwhile, the Google TV Streamer and Fire TV returned recommendations like “Coraline,” “Goosebumps 2,” “Hocus Pocus,” and “The Addams Family.”

Asking “What’s that movie with Audrey Hepburn that takes place in Rome” resulted in a bunch of Christmas movies, none with Hepburn. Though, Siri AI performed better with Tom Hanks action flicks.

Siri AI on iPhone still limited

Apple’s assistant has gotten better on the iPhone, especially with personal context. For example, I asked Siri AI to find the message from my daughter asking about earrings as a gift.

You can also perform multiple actions at once using your voice. I recently had it look up restaurants around Bryant Park that are rated 4 stars or higher but under $50 for lunch and then craft an outgoing message that includes the address for each and top dish. It worked seamlessly.

However, Siri AI is still missing two big things versus other assistants: live voice chat with video and powerful agentic features.

It’s not a good sign that I’ve now mapped Gemini Live to the Action button on my iPhone 17 Pro Max. That’s because I use Google’s voice assistant in combination with live video all of the time to ask questions and troubleshoot things around the house.

For example, I was able to fix a cantilever umbrella because Gemini could see what I was talking about and offer advice in real time. With Siri AI, you can share what’s on your screen but not a live video feed.

It’s getting to the point where I wish I could say “Hey, Gemini” to my iPhone.

Agentic AI is still in a nascent stage, but this is yet another area where Siri is still behind. In fact, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman recently reported that new CEO John Ternus has explicitly asked for the Siri AI team to speed things up here.

Right now you just can’t do things like book an Uber with Siri or perform complex tasks that Siri can work on in the background.

Apple could miss out on the next big thing(s)

Assuming AI continues to be a driving force in consumer electronics, Apple could fall further behind in mind share and eventually lose market share.

Just this week I tried Google’s new Intelligent Eyewear glasses, which start at $395 and essentially put Gemini on your face. You can use these specs, made by Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, to do everything from take calls and listen to music to get turn-by-turn directions and even real-time translation.

And because Gemini is truly live through the onboard camera, it can “see” what you see to answer questions or give advice on the fly. And, yes, they work with the iPhone.

Apple is reportedly working on its own Apple glasses, as well as an AI pendant and AirPods with cameras — all powered by Siri.

But I don’t think any of these new categories will take off for Apple unless Siri is up to snuff. Hey, Siri... the clock is ticking.

In February 2021, I wrote an op-ed titled “Breath of the Wild ruined traditional Zelda for me.” Back then, I mused that Breath of the Wild being my first-ever Zelda game had made going back to the older titles in the beloved Nintendo franchise difficult. Flash-forward to now, and I’m roughly halfway through the new Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake on Nintendo Switch 2, and I’m loving it.

I’ll cut my past self a little slack. February 2021 was more than five years ago, and a person’s tastes can change a lot in that amount of time. Heck, in those days, I also thought Souls games weren’t for me. Now in 2026, I’ve beaten every modern title FromSoftware has released (bar Dark Souls 2; it’s in my overflowing backlog) and am basically obsessed with the Soulslike genre.

Nevertheless, I definitely wrote off classic Zelda games too hastily. Turns out all it took was pretty much the most acclaimed video game of all time getting a stunning remake for me to see just how foolish I had been. Consider this follow-up article my formal apology to Link.

Turns out proper Zelda dungeons are delightful

Ocarina of Time starts a little slow. Lots of text boxes and simple tutorials. But once the adventure really begins, and Young Link is tasked with finding three Spiritual Stones (the first is obtained during the prologue chapter), I started to discover exactly why longtime fans bemoan Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom’s lack of “proper” Zelda dungeons.

But it was only once I had obtained all three stones and transformed into grown-up Link that I really understood what makes these dungeons so special, and why fans still beg for the series to bring them back. Nintendo’s penchant for creative and satisfying puzzles is on full display in the Forest, Fire and Water Temple, and I’m very excited to head to the remaining dungeons and discover what’s hiding within their twisting corridors.

The Fire Temple is a great example of phenomenal design, as the underground lava-laden cavern loops back on itself in surprising and creative ways. The infamous Water Temple might actually be my frontrunner favorite, probably because the remake has stripped away the friction of the original.

Best of all is the way each dungeon gives you a new tool to play with, which is then vital to unlocking the dungeon’s many secrets; it is a consistently brilliant way of asking players to make use of their entire arsenal of tools.

My favorite aspect of Breath of the Wild (and sequel Tears of the Kingdom) has always been the puzzle shrines. While it’s not an original opinion, the dungeons in Ocarina of Time feel like a couple dozen BOTW puzzle shrines stitched together in an environmentally cohesive manner.

Delving into a dungeon feels appropriately epic, and each one (or at least, each one I’ve experienced so far) begs to be fully explored with treasure chests and secrets for those willing to look in every corner. They’re just a blast, and yes, I can finally admit, they flow better than Breath of the Wild’s pretty repetitive Divine Beast dungeons.

Mixing new and old could make for the perfect Zelda game

While I’ve at long last come around to the strengths of the traditional Zelda formula, that doesn’t mean I’ve suddenly lost my intense love for Breath of the Wild and its own acclaimed formula. Sorry, Ocarina stans, but Link’s 2017 adventure remains my favorite game in the series (of the ones I’ve played).

If there is one element where Ocarina of Time can’t compete with Breath of the Wild, it’s in the latter's ability to let you solve puzzles in a multitude of ways. In Ocarina of Time, the tools at Link’s disposal are more rudimentary (understandable, it’s ultimately a remake of a game from 1998), typically giving players a singular way to progress. In Breath of the Wild (and especially Tears of the Kingdom), you can “break” puzzles in ingenious ways.

While playing modern Zelda, I’ve found myself looking up online guides, not even because I need help with a puzzle, but merely to see the different ways other players solved the various roadblocks in Link’s path. In Ocarina of Time, players will reach the exit in pretty much the same way.

But that's not necessarily to say there's no appeal to Ocarina of Time's more linear progression. As mentioned, the way tools like the hookshot are slowly dished out, giving you incentive to return to previous areas with a larger arsenal, is something that Breath of the Wild lacks. In that case, you get pretty much all your traversal and puzzle-solving abilities in the first area.

I think both classic and modern Zelda have huge strengths, and opting for one over the other in any future Zelda games would be disappointing. I hope the development team at Nintendo mashes the two design philosophies together. Imagine a Zelda game with an exploration-focused open Hyrule but also containing lengthy, tightly crafted dungeons? Best of both worlds.

Tears of the Kingdom was a step in this direction, but its dungeons still don’t compare to those in Ocarina of Time. So, I don’t know if what would now be my “dream” Zelda game will ever exist, and it’ll probably be a good few years now before Nintendo is ready to talk about the next mainline 3D game in the series. But I really hope Link’s next flagship adventure takes the best part of both traditional and modern Zelda games and satisfies fans of both camps.

A great example of blending the new and old is FromSoftware's Elden Ring, which offers a refreshing sense of freedom in its expansive overworld but also contains several "Legacy Dungeons." These are designed more like the smaller-scale areas found in the Dark Souls series. I hope that the Zelda team takes a similar approach when crafting whatever is next for the franchise.

In the meantime, I should probably circle back and give other classic Zelda games a chance, or maybe I’ll just keep my fingers crossed that the rumored Majora’s Mask remake materializes. I hear some fans consider it even better.

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"Fences" was a movie I circled on my calendar as I made my way through this year-long Denzel Watchathon. This is considered a seminal work in the legendary actor's career. It's his third directorial effort in his filmography and by far the best. It also earned him his seventh Oscar nomination as an actor (his second of three he'd earn in the 2010s alone).

Once you watch it, it's no surprise why this performance makes the highlight reel. This movie is essentially crafted to serve his character, except for the few scenes where it's designed to highlight Viola Davis. She plays Denzel's on-screen wife in this period drama film, and I'd argue it's her performance that's the more impressive of the two.

Unfortunately, if I have to nitpick, this strength is also the movie's biggest weakness. "Fences" is adapted from August Wilson's 1985 play of the same name. That play was a roaring success, earning Wilson both a Pulitzer and a Tony Award in 1987. Watching this film adaptation, one wouldn't be shocked if Denzel and Wilson (who also wrote the screenplay for this movie) didn't change a thing from the Broadway version. The entire time, it feels unmistakably like you're watching a play.

This isn't inherently a bad thing; I often like movies adapted from plays, and to be clear, I thought this film was excellent. But unlike, say, "A Few Good Men," I failed to see what was added to the performances, to the story, etc., by turning Wilson's play into a cinematic experience. If you had simply had this same cast act out the play on a stage and filmed it on a Sony Handycam, it'd probably be just as good.

If you want to watch this movie before you read on, I have good news! It's currently streaming for free on Tubi, one of the best free streaming services we've tested. You can also stream it for free on YouTube (with ads).

'Fences' is made for Denzel, but Davis steals the show

The sixth installment in August Wilson's 10-part "Pittsburgh Cycle," "Fences," centers around Troy. Portrayed by Denzel Washington in this adaptation, he's a middle-aged man working as a sanitation worker. He appears to be an ordinary working-class Pittsburgher, albeit sans Yinzer accent. But as the story unfolds, it's quickly apparent that Troy wasn't always destined for an ordinary life.

Troy, as revealed by his longtime friend, Bono (Stephen McKinley Henderson), was at one point one of the best baseball players in America. But he had the bad luck of being a Black player in the years before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball. So while his Negro League career earned him plaudits and adulation, it didn't exactly bring in the cash. And you can only dine on praise for so long before reality sets in.

Complicating things is ... well, everything else. His marriage to Rose (Viola Davis) appears healthy, but early on in the movie there are hints this isn't the case. It's clear that money can be a pain point for Troy, who now has less of it than ever because he's no longer collecting part of his brother's (Mykelti Williamson) disability check from the Army. When Troy's 34-year-old son, Lyons (Russell Hornsby), comes asking for money, it's clear that Troy thinks he'll never see that money again, and that he doesn't have enough cash to waste. Even on family.

But it's not Lyons's relationship with his father at the core of "Fences." Instead, the film focuses on Troy's relationship with his other son, Cory. He's 17 years old and the only child produced by Troy and Rose's marriage. His relationship with his dad is somewhat rocky and complicated by the fact that colleges are recruiting Cory for football. Troy, a former pro athlete who now makes a living hauling trash, wants Cory to avoid sports entirely for fear that it will lead him down the same path Troy went down.

Despite all this focus on Troy and his sons, it's Viola Davis who steals the movie as Rose. Denzel is supposed to be excellent in this movie. He's given incredible lines. He's the main character. Every character exists in this story to be a reflection of his impact on their lives or to highlight a trial and tribulation Troy has had to deal with. There's a scene early on where Cory asks why Troy doesn't like him, and Denzel just cooks, as the Gen Z youths would say. In fact, if you've seen a scene from this movie on TikTok, it's probably this scene of Denzel as Troy taking his son down a peg.

Davis is more subtle in her performance. She's not given a ton to do at first, but then she's given some devastating news in a later scene, and it allows her to steal the scene. From that moment on, she steals the entire movie.

In that aforementioned scene, she's not openly weeping, sobbing, or screaming at the top of her lungs, all of which would be perfectly reasonable responses given the news she just received. However, she manages to do a feat of physical acting where snot just runs from her nostrils. It's the clear aftermath of a moment of grief, underlying the fact that she's not nearly as composed as she's forcing herself to appear on the outside.

Verdict: Denzel and Davis are worth the price of admission, especially while you can stream 'Fences' for free

When I say that Davis steals this movie and doesn't let go, I mean it. She was the lone Oscar winner for "Fences," deservedly taking home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. It might be the first movie since "The Manchurian Candidate" where I felt that an actress took the spotlight from Denzel and there was simply nothing he could do about it.

But again, Denzel is great in this movie. He earns an Oscar nomination; the movie itself earns a Best Picture nomination, in no small part due to his performance and direction. It's a tough watch at times. Because it feels like a play but lacks the intimate, almost physical connection between thespian and theatergoer, it can also lose your interest on occasion.

That all is quickly brushed aside, though, as the film reaches its climax. The performances at the center of this movie are the definition of must-watch. And now that it's currently available to stream at home for free, you really have no excuse not to check it out if you haven't already.

Stream "Fences" for free right now on Tubi or for free on YouTube

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With all of the new titles regularly popping up on Netflix each month, it can be hard to narrow down exactly what you want to watch once you've plopped yourself on the couch and picked up the old remote. And the streamer's November 2026 slate has been no exception, with 51 fresh flicks added to the already extensive platform this month alone.

But with yet another weekend upon us, we at Tom's Guide thought we'd make things easier for you and curate an easy, breezy list of three movies that are well worth your time and attention. If you're a horror-movie fan, you'll be happy to hear that the freaky 2022 hit "Smile" is back on the streaming service. For action lovers, there's the new Indonesian survival thriller, but if country music and Jessica Chastain dramas are more your vibe, the streamer's new Nashville-set mystery original might be up your alley.

That's enough to keep you busy until Monday, surely. Here are three new-to-Netflix movies to add to your weekend watchlist.

'Heartland' (2026)

Jessica Chastain has famously played a country star before — she received both Emmy and Golden Globe nods for her work as the heavily hair-sprayed crooner Tammy Wynette in "George & Tammy" — but "Heartland" pulls that musical beat into the mystery genre.

In this Nashville-set noir written and directed by Shana Feste ("Country Strong", "The Greatest"), the Oscar winner plays former country singer Misty Jones, who comes out of retirement to investigate the disappearance of her niece (Carter Faith), who is also a rising country performer. Misty's search forces her to grapple not only with Nashville's seedy underbelly but also the demons of her own past.

Garrett Hedlund, Carter Faith, Ross Lynch, Paul Sparks, Jennifer Nettles and John Hawkes also star.

Watch "Heartland" on Netflix now

'Never Surrender' (2026)

When a gang of ruthless criminals descends on a small remote village in Central Java, guilt-ridden grandfather Eyang Hari (Lukman Sardi) becomes an unlikely hero, tapping into his past as a former special forces soldier to save the lives of his two estranged grandchildren, Putri (Callista Arum) and Dimas (Sultan Hamonangan).

Directed by Sidharta Tata, the action film “balances high-stakes combat with a heartfelt story about family,” says Netflix, “highlighting the emotional journey of three generations as they rebuild trust amid grief and atone for the past.”

Watch "Never Surrender" on Netflix now

'Smile' (2022)

After witnessing a brutal and bizarre incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter’s (Sosie Bacon) life begins to unravel, with terrifying visions and disturbing occurrences disrupting her days.

Those increasingly sinister and supernatural events all seem tied to a malevolent entity that feeds on trauma and passes from victim to witness, each marked by an unsettling fixed grin. To break the deadly curse before it destroys her, Rose turns to an old flame (Kyle Gallner) for help and must confront her troubled past to escape her horrifying new reality.

Written and directed by Parker Finn in his feature directorial debut, “Smile” was an absolute horror hit, grossing $217.40 million worldwide and winning over critics. With an 80% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the site’s critical consensus praised: "Deeply creepy visuals and a standout Sosie Bacon further elevate Smile's unsettling exploration of trauma, adding up to the rare feature that satisfyingly expands on a short."

Watch "Smile" on Netflix starting November 15

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We’re halfway through November now, and I know I need some good movies to help distract me from the biting cold. Luckily, Prime Video has stocked up its increasingly compulsive library in impressive style this month. To stop you from scrolling for ages until you land on a film you fancy, I’ve handpicked three flicks I think you’ll have a grand old time with this weekend on one of the best streaming services.

First, a classic drama deservedly picked up a couple of Oscars back in 1998, and for me it features the late, great Robin Williams' second best role (after "Aladdin's" Genie, naturally). Then there's a thoroughly stupid but lovable comedy that showed the world Arnie could do lolz. Finally, I’ve chosen a sci-fi thriller that gave Matthew Broderick one of his first starring roles.

So wrap up warm, break out some junk food and read on for three movies you should definitely stream on Prime Video this weekend.

'Good Will Hunting' (1997)

“How do you like them apples?” I like them mighty fine, Mr. Hunting. The movie that finally won Robin Williams a richly deserved Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, “Good Will Hunting” was a passion project both Matt Damon and Ben Affleck had been working on for years before they got a Hollywood studio to bite. Damon plays the titular Will Hunting; a tough Southie kid from Boston who just so happens to be a secret mathematical genius.

His absurdly high IQ is discovered by Professor Geral Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård) who catches Will solving an insanely challenging math problem on a chalkboard as Hunting is half-assing a shift as a janitor at MIT. Lambeau promptly takes Will under his wing, but it’s clear that this genius needs help. Abused from an early age and carrying a lot of rage, it’s Williams’ Dr Sean Maguire who helps Hunting find some peace.

There’s also an utterly charming romance between Will and fellow student Skylar (a lovely Minnie Driver) that drives much of the movie. The only thing that ticks me off about this classic is that we never got “Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season” that “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” promised me in 2001.

Watch "Good Will Hunting" on Prime Video now

'Twins' (1988)

The first movie to really show off Arnie’s comedic chops. Although if you can’t have a giggle during “Predator’s” “stick around line” the year before this delightful comedy came out, I feel sorry for you. The premise of “Twins” is pretty ingenious. Thanks to a secret genetic experiment, hulking Julius Benedict (Schwarzenegger) and impish Vincent Benedict (Danny DeVito) are fraternal twins who are separated at birth.

Years later, Arnie’s hyper-smart, kind-hearted giant (he was raised by a professor on an isolated island) eventually tracks down DeVito, who has slipped into a life of crime and become a semi-sleazy crook. Once Vinnie finds himself pursued by mobsters after accidentally pilfering the prototype of a super-secret jet engine (no, really), the pair embark on a cross-country road trip that eventually reunites them with their mother, who thought they had both died at birth. “Twins” is a big-hearted ‘80s classic… though I do partially blame its existence on helping to birth 1994’s awful “Junior”.

Watch "Twins" on Prime Video now

'WarGames' (1983)

“Shall we play a game?” Sure, why not? Oh, I’ve accidentally started the beginnings of a global thermonuclear war because I’m a high school hacker who thought it was clever to mess around with a military supercomputer. Oops. That sounds like a slightly mean synopsis of “WarGames” — a movie that I actually really like — but there’s no denying the basic plot is highly silly.

Still, Matthew Broderick shines in one of his first big breaks. Long before he was Ferris Bueller and legendarily bunked off for the day and a decade prior to him becoming King of Pride Rock, here he plays hacker and video game enthusiast David Lightman. Messing with an ultra-brainy computer, then accidentally entering its WOPR (War Operation Plan Response) quickly causes a national crisis. David basically thinks he’s playing Battleship, while over at the Pentagon, they’re in full-on DEFCON 5 mode as military brass try to stave off World War III with the Russians. It’s silly, it’s sweet, and I wholeheartedly recommend streaming “WarGames” this weekend.

Watch "WarGames" on Prime Video now

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Believe it or not, it's already November 2026. It's time once again for another weekend full of excellent streaming content that you won't want to miss. This week, HBO Max has a slate of new and new-to-the-service flicks that you should dedicate some couch time to.

First up is a sci-fi thriller from “It Follows” director David Robert Mitchell, in which an entire 1980s suburban neighborhood, Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor are yanked out of reality and dropped into a world full of dinosaurs. Yeah, we're not sure how that works either, but it sounds like a good time to us.

From there, things get a lot sillier with 2024’s notorious Spider-Man spin-off that bombed so spectacularly it’s since become a hilariously watchable, so-bad-it’s-good cult favorite, with Dakota Johnson as a paramedic who can suddenly see the future. There are plenty of unbelievable happenings in this movie, and you'll love the blissfully baffling decisions made throughout.

And then, something totally different: A 2013 documentary and one of the most beloved behind-the-scenes stories ever told, chronicling director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s wildly ambitious, ultimately doomed 1970s attempt to adapt Frank Herbert’s “Dune.” No Timothée Chalamet here.

There you have it. Clear your schedule and grab the popcorn, because these three newly added HBO Max movies are everything you need to get the party started this weekend.

'The End of Oak Street' (2026)

Genre: Sci-fi thriller

What is it about? From David Robert Mitchell, the writer-director behind the cult horror hit “It Follows" comes a story about...dinosaurs? Set in a small 1982 suburb, “The End of Oak Street” follows the Platt family, headed by Denise (Anne Hathaway) and Greg (Ewan McGregor), whose ordinary neighborhood is suddenly thrown into turmoil by a mysterious cosmic event and dropped into a prehistoric world teeming with dinosaurs. Stranded in a world they don’t recognize, the family and their neighbors have to band together to survive the terrifying new dangers lurking around every corner.

Why you should watch it: Produced by J.J. Abrams, this is a Spielbergian blend of wonder and horror expertly mixed together. It's a great little thrill ride that mixes familiar “Jurassic Park”-style scares with a side of confused family, which makes for a surprisingly fun movie.

Watch "The End of Oak Street" on HBO Max now

'Madame Web' (2024)

Genre: Superhero

What is it about? “Madame Web” takes a weird detour into the stranger corners of the Spider-Man universe. Dakota Johnson stars as Cassandra Webb, a New York City paramedic who, after a near-death experience, suddenly develops the power to see the future. When her visions reveal that three young women, played by Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O’Connor, are being hunted by a mysterious, spider-powered killer (Tahar Rahim), Cassie becomes their only protector. To save them, she’ll have to understand her strange new abilities, along with the secrets of her late mother’s past.

Why you should watch it: Let’s be honest: “Madame Web” was a legendary box-office flop that critics tore apart on release. It's since become a hilarious watch even for fans of the character. But that’s exactly why you should watch it. And despite a mostly bad script and even worse acting, there are plenty of moments that will stick with you once it ends. And you'll want to make sure you're in the know for any potential future Sony/Marvel universe lore, too.

Watch "Madame Web" on HBO Max now

'Jodorowsky's Dune' (2013)

Genre: Documentary

What is it about? Before Denis Villeneuve or David Lynch took a crack at Frank Herbert’s “Dune,” Chilean-French filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky nearly made the most audacious version of all. This documentary tells the true story of that doomed 1970s production, which Jodorowsky envisioned as a mind-expanding sci-fi epic. Through interviews with the director himself, the documentary charts how he assembled a jaw-dropping team, including artists H.R. Giger and Moebius, effects wizard Dan O’Bannon, a score by Pink Floyd, and a planned cast featuring Salvador Dalí, Orson Welles, and Mick Jagger, only to watch it collapse when no studio would finance it.

Why you should watch it: Even though his film was never made, Jodorowsky’s ideas and artwork went on to shape sci-fi landmarks like “Alien,” “Blade Runner”, and “Star Wars", making this a must-watch for fans. With “Dune: Part Three” on the horizon, there’s no better time to revisit the greatest “Dune” movie that never was.

Watch "Jodorowsky's Dune" on HBO Max now

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We’re well into November now, and as the nights darken and become ever more bitter, I need the comforting warmth of the best streaming services like Hulu to get me through this chilly time of year. The three shows I’ve picked out for your streaming pleasure will hopefully keep the winter blues at bay.

My first choice is a new reality show. If you’ve ever wondered what “The Traitors” would look like if Janice Soprano was trying to whack everyone as a pretend mob boss as her wannabe celeb gangsters all vie for $250,000, that’s your weekend plans sorted.

Next up is the new Korean melodrama. I don't normally go in for this genre, but the hook is too good to resist here. Two very different students tentatively start a relationship, with the killer twist being that most of the action is set in a robotics lab. Who says love can’t bloom when you’re building the next T-1000?

Lastly, there’s the second season of the brilliant “The Lowdown”. Ethan Hawke’s bumbling journalist returns to unravel a conspiracy theory regarding Tulsa’s prison system. The big new addition this year? That would be Tommy Lee Jones playing Hawke’s charismatic conman poppa.

Here are three new shows you should definitely add to your Hulu watchlist this weekend. Just don’t forget to turn the heating on.

'The Mob'

Genre: Reality

What is it about? A high-stakes reality show that’s basically “The Traitors”... y’know, if you swapped out Claudia Winkleman’s iconic fringe for a bunch of ‘celebs’ who are tasked to act like wiseguys. Honestly, I’ve not seen a single one of these ‘famous’ folk in my life before, except host Parker Posey and The Sopranos’ Aida Turturro. Anyhoo, the premise is still fun. With the celebs placed in a luxurious Italian villa, they vye for $250,000 by taking part in games lifted straight from mob movies. A new Don gets picked every week, and it’s up to them if their fellow gangster wannabes get paid or get slayed.

Why you should watch it: It’s basically a trashy version of “The Traitors” with a lot more pasta and mob movie-inspired tasks. Turn off your brain, mentally rewatch “Goodfellas” if you’re getting bored and just enjoy all that gorgeous Italian scenery. If nothing else, it’s great to see Janet Soprano back on TV.

Watch "The Mob" on Hulu now

'Between Steps' season 1

Genre: Korean romantic drama

What is it about? You know what more romantic dramas really need? Robots, baby! Set in a university robotics lab, love starts to spark between troubled PhD candidate Min-Jae (Choo Young Woo) and free spirit You-jin (Kim So-hyun), who has just transferred in from a clothing and textiles course. Why is Min-Jae so down in the dumps? Before becoming a student of science, he was a professional swimmer whose career ended when he lost his leg. From pro paddler to making robots. That’s quite the career change. Anyway, You-jin eventually gets Min-Jae to open up in this classy Korean melodrama.

Why you should watch it: I’m not usually one for melodramas, but the hook of “Between Steps” is so damn sweet. A couple meets while making things that are basically going to become Terminators in the next few years. Before Arnie destroys their entire lab, just enjoy this sweet drama that really is beautifully shot.

Watch "Between Steps" on Hulu now

'The Lowdown' season 2

Genre: Comedy/Crime drama

Why you should watch it: Your favorite Tulsa-based ‘truthstorian’ is back in season two of this excellent neo-noir comedy crime drama. All should be well for our freelance journalist Lee Raybon (Ethan Hawke), but the poor guy just can’t seem to get out of his own way. Traumatized from the events of the first season, where he exposed the crooked Washbergs, Lee ends up making an inebriated speech while receiving a journalistic award, quickly disgracing himself. Despite his tattered reputation, Raybon ends up getting drawn into a conspiracy theory centering around local penal corruption. Oh, and his estranged dad also turns up out of the blue.

Why you should watch it: The script is once again excellent in this left-field crime-centric comedy. Hawke is in his usual stellar form, while the addition of his pop Lee Raybon Snr (Tommy Lee Jones) adds a lot. Playing a former Vietnam vet/turned conman with dementia, the pair’s scenes are must-watch.

Watch "The Lowdown" season 2 on Hulu now

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Paramount+ has a really strong November 2026 library. Honestly, this is one of the hardest round-ups I’ve had to write in a while, such is the quality of film that’s gracing the streamer’s platform this month. While scrolling through the dozens of movies that have been added should be less of a chore for you than usual, I’m still here with three picks of flicks I’m confident you’ll thoroughly enjoy.

I can say with all sincerity that I genuinely love the three movies below. The first is a true romantic classic with a killer ending tune. The second is a film I love in part because of video game reasons, and also because it’s got Owen Wilson in rare ass-kicking mode. And the third? Well, that might genuinely be my favorite ever comedy, and it’s a flick that helped skyrocket a young Eddie Murphy to superstardom.

These are the three new to Paramount+ movies I recommend you drop everything to stream this weekend.

‘An Officer and a Gentleman’ (1982)

I won’t lie. At least half the reason I adore this iconic romantic drama is because of Jennifer Warnes and Joe Cocker’s “Up Where We Belong”. It’s an all-timer of a weepy tune. Oh, and the fact that “The Simpsons” also does an awesome parody of the movie’s classic ending in the season one episode, “Life on the Fast Lane”. Regardless of those factors, this is hands down Richard Gere’s best movie in my book.

Gere plays Zack Mayo, a hot-headed young punk with a heart who ends up joining the U.S. Navy Aviation Officer Candidate School… mainly to spite his alcoholic dad (Robert Loggia). Boot camp life proves a shock to the system for Mayo, especially because of his incredibly demanding Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley (a never-better Louis Gossett Jr.). Along the way, he meets local mill worker Paula (Debra Winger), and they quickly develop a deep affection, in spite of the fact Mayo’s navy buddies believe she’s only looking to use him to escape small-time life. Just a wonderful all-round love story.

Watch “An Officer and a Gentleman” on Paramount + now

‘Behind Enemy Lines’ (2001)

Owen Wilson in oh-so-rare action-star form. You gotta love it. There are two reasons why I'm a little bit obsessed with this incredibly solid action-thriller. Reason the First: that all-time banger by Feeder, “Buck Rodgers,” that plays early in the movie (I was playing a lot of Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec back in 2001). Reason number two: the relentless tracker Sasha Ivanić, who ruthlessly hunts Wilson’s Lt. Chris Brunett after his plane is shot down over war-torn Bosnia territory. Why? Because his tracksuit and general look definitely inspired Niko Bellic’s design in 2008’s Grand Theft Auto IV. Hey, I’m a geeky gamer who loves movies. Sue me.

The premise of “Behind Enemy Lines” is pretty simple. Our hero is shot down during a reconnaissance mission, but not before accidentally taking snaps of a mass grave that Serbian General Miroslav Lokar (Olek Krupa) definitely doesn’t want shared. Cue Brunett being forced to flee enemy troops for most of the movie’s runtime. Thankfully he’s got some support back at his aircraft carrier in the shape of the magnificently named Rear Admiral Leslie Reigart (Gene Hackman). This is a properly nail-biting flick with a relatively straight-laced turn from Wilson that I kind of wish we got to see more often.

Watch “Behind Enemy Lines” on Paramount + now

‘Trading Places’ (1983)

This is legit one of my favorite comedies of all time… and definitely one my old man let me watch too young as a kid. Let’s just say there’s a scene with Jamie Lee Curtis’ Ophelia (a sex worker with a big heart) that I certainly shouldn’t have been seeing as a young teenager. Anyway, this is unquestionably one of the best comedies of the ‘80s for me, and a film that put Eddie Murphy on the map even before 1984’s “Beverly Hills Cop”. In terms of director John Landis’ filmography, only 1981’s “An American Werewolf in London” can top “Trading Places”.

What is this caper actually about, you ask? It’s a tale of switched identities. The lives of Billy Ray Valentine (Murphy), a broke con artist, and wealthy managing director Louis Winthorpe (a brilliant Dan Aykroyd) are swapped on the whims of the scheming Duke Brothers. Why? Simply because these millionaires enjoy ruining lives, and all for the grand bet of a single dollar. Admittedly, there’s some stuff in that third act train scene that hasn’t aged particularly well, but this is still a comedy I hold huge affection for.

Watch “Trading Places” on Paramount+ now

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The holidays are slowly creeping up on us as November 2026 continues to fly by. If you're looking for some ways to relax ahead of the busiest time of the year, Prime Video just restocked its shelves, to speak, with plenty of new to Prime shows to check out this weekend. There's a variety of shows on offer that should delight just about anyone.

First up is “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” season 3, Prime Video’s ambitious Tolkien prequel, which returns to Middle-earth’s Second Age as the free peoples race to stop the dark lord Sauron from seizing total power.

If you’d rather kick back with something a lot cozier, the “Frasier” revival lands its first two seasons on the platform, bringing Kelsey Grammer back as the fussy, beloved Dr. Frasier Crane for a fresh chapter in Boston.

And for something more reflective, the acclaimed series “The Chosen” returns for a sixth season, dramatizing the final day of Jesus's life through the eyes of those who loved and condemned him. That should keep you busy until Monday rolls around, right?

Here are three top picks worth streaming on Prime Video this weekend.

'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' season 3

Genre: Fantasy

What is it about? Prime Video’s lavish “Lord of the Rings” prequel returns for a third season set thousands of years before the events of the films, during Middle-earth’s Second Age. The story continues to follow the rise of the dark lord Sauron (Charlie Vickers) and the forging of the Rings of Power, with Morfydd Clark’s Galadriel still determined to stop him before it’s too late. As the war spreads across the land, the free peoples of Middle-earth, from Elves and Dwarves to Men and Wizards, must find a way to unite in a race to prevent Sauron from gaining control over all life.

Why you should watch it: There aren't many series that can match the sheer spectacle of “The Rings of Power,” which brings J.R.R. Tolkien’s detailed world to life with sky-high production values. If you love epic, big-budget fantasy series with plenty of battles, you'll want to get in on this one as soon as possible.

Watch “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” season 3 on Prime Video

'Frasier' seasons 1-2

Genre: Sitcom

What is it about? The beloved '90s sitcom “Frasier” gets a modern revival, with Kelsey Grammer reprising his role as psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane. After decades in Seattle, Frasier relocates to Boston to reconnect with his estranged adult son, Freddy (Jack Cutmore-Scott). He's a down-to-earth firefighter who couldn’t be more different from his dad. As Frasier starts a new chapter, he butts heads and bonds with Freddy, his nephew David (Anders Keith), his old Harvard colleague Alan (Nicholas Lyndhurst) and a new circle of friends.

Why you should watch it: This plucky revival has the same blend of wit, humor, and heart that made the original a multiple Emmy winner. There are plenty of familiar faces and callbacks for fans, while newcomers can enjoy the warmth and easygoing storylines while getting to know the "new" Frasier.

Watch “Frasier” seasons 1-2 on Prime Video starting Nov. 14

'The Chosen' season 6

Genre: Historical drama

What is it about? This acclaimed series chronicling the life of Jesus returns for a sixth season. It explores the final days of Jesus (Jonathan Roumie) and the followers, friends, and foes who surrounded him. Season 6 explores his arrest, trial, and the road to the cross, told through the eyes of those who loved him and those who condemned him.

Why you should watch it: Crowdfunded by fans and watched by hundreds of millions, “The Chosen” has become quite the phenomenon, praised for its character-driven take on the Bible. This season takes the show's most dramatic and devastating turn, making it essential viewing for longtime fans and believers.

Watch “The Chosen” season 6 on Prime Video starting Nov. 15

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November is rolling along at a concerningly fast pace, which means, if you're like us, you've probably missed some quality streaming titles these last few weeks. How exactly are you supposed to keep up with every new show arriving on top streaming services like Netflix?

Well, that's where Tom's Guide comes in: Not only will we give you a broad overview of your monthly options — here's everything coming to Netflix in November 2026, by the way — but we also regularly curate a weekend watchlist, with three new-to-Netflix TV titles worthy of your time and attention.

This weekend, that includes not one, not two, but three international gems: a German historical drama, a Rome-set newcomer that brings the murder mystery genre into the world of fine art, and a Turkish drama returning for its long-awaited second season after more than half a decade.

Without further ado, here are three fresh Netflix releases you should definitely add to your weekend watchlist.

'ChiaroScuro'

Love a good crime thriller? The fan-favorite genre gets an Italian accent with this Rome-set newcomer, using the Eternal City's famous galleries, museums, palaces, and churches as the backdrop for a murder investigation.

When a body is chillingly discovered inside a Roman museum, staged like a famous painting by Artemisia Gentileschi, art expert Cosmo Speranza (played by Pierpaolo Spollon) and police inspector Angelo Tiberi (Andrea Lattanzi) team up as a very unlikely duo to track down the serial killer whose crimes are inspired by classic masterpieces. The case also drags Cosmo back into the mystery over the death of his father, a notorious forger who took his own life.

Along with that leading pair, the cast also includes Matilde Gioli, Romana Maggiora Vergano, Aurora Giovinazzo, with Paz Vega and Alessandro Preziosi.

Watch "ChiaroScuro" on Netflix now

'The Empress' season 3

The third and final chapter of the German historical drama series picks up after the Sardinian War, with Emperor Franz (Philip Froissant) deeply traumatized and taking refuge in an extramarital affair, with Empress Elisabeth (Devrim Lingnau) suffering from not only that rejection from her husband but also health issues and court pressures.

Our titular heroine decides to leave Vienna for a distant coastal island where she encounters the mysterious Hungarian revolutionary Count Andrássy (Dejan Bućin), with whom she shares an intense intellectual and physical attraction. Soon, Elisabeth is drawn down a path "that will forever alter her life and the future of Europe," says Netflix.

Watch "The Empress" season 3 on Netflix now

'Ethos' season 2

Nearly six years after its debut season, this critically acclaimed Turkish-language drama (also known as "Bir Başkadır") returns with a follow-up from writer-director Berkun Oya. The four-episode second season brings us back to our favorite Istanbul residents, including Öykü Karayel as Meryem, Defne Kayalar as Peri, Fatih Artman as Yasin, Funda Eryiğit as Ruhiye, and Onur Saylak as Sinan.

These diverse, intersecting individuals will experience "unexpected encounters and new conflicts" in the compact new season, says Netflix, with their paths continuing to intersect in the therapy room and out in the bustling city.

Watch "Ethos" season 2 on Netflix now

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A country music superstar, a missing rising star and the darker side of Nashville make for an intriguing setup, especially when you’ve got an Oscar-winning actress leading the investigation. That's the premise behind “Heartland,” Netflix's latest original thriller, starring Jessica Chastain as a retired country music legend. The film is written and directed by Shana Feste, who previously explored the country music scene in 2010's “Country Strong.” This time though, she's trading the musical drama for a mystery thriller.

In “Heartland,” Chastain plays Misty Jones, a former country music megastar who has spent 20 years away from Nashville and the spotlight. However, when her niece Charlie Heart (Carter Faith), an up-and-coming country singer, suddenly goes missing, Misty returns to her old hometown to find her. Her investigation quickly draws her into Nashville’s murkier corners, where she encounters a number of potential suspects: Charlie’s boyfriend Jace (Ross Lynch) and manager Roy Combs (Garrett Hedlund). Along the way, Misty also finds herself confronting some uncomfortable truths about her own past.

I’ve already watched “Heartland,” and while its premise certainly caught my attention, I’m not entirely convinced the finished movie delivers everything it promises. So, is this latest Netflix original worth adding to your watchlist, or are we looking at another forgettable thriller from the streamer? Here are my honest thoughts and whether I’d recommend giving it a watch this weekend.

‘Heartland’ hits the right notes with its music, not its mystery

“Heartland” gets off to a pretty jarring start, with Misty ending up in a heated disagreement with her neighbor over her dogs. I understand what the movie is going for here, using the confrontation to establish Misty’s closed-off nature and aggressive streak, but it’s an unusual way to introduce the character and didn’t immediately win me over. Still, like many of Netflix’s original movies, the first half is where “Heartland” is at its strongest.

We get straight into the mystery surrounding Charlie’s disappearance, with Misty’s brother pleading for her to return to Nashville after Charlie has missed several shows and concerts, leaving fans to drag her name through the mud online. Returning to her hometown also brings plenty of painful memories to the surface, with quick, scattered flashbacks offering glimpses into the trauma she’s spent years trying to bury. Chastain gives a strong enough performance, but I struggled to connect with Misty, which made it harder to invest in her personal journey. It was the mystery surrounding her niece that kept me interested.

Unfortunately, that mystery doesn’t have quite the staying power the movie needs. A major twist arrives around the halfway point, and rather than giving the story a much-needed boost, it pretty much sucks the intrigue out of the second half. Once the reveal comes into focus, there’s very little left to keep you guessing, particularly if you’ve been paying attention to how certain characters are introduced and positioned throughout the opening act. I had a pretty good idea of where things were heading from early on, so the eventual reveal didn’t carry much of a punch.

It’s a shame, because the first half does enough to make you curious about what’s really going on, but the film struggles to maintain that momentum once its biggest secret is out in the open. That said, “Heartland” does at least make good use of its country music roots, with plenty of on-stage performances and music woven into the story. There’s also an interesting look at the darker side of fame, particularly the pressure of staying relevant and the way public perception can turn against you.

Verdict: ‘Heartland’ is another forgettable Netflix movie

Unfortunately, “Heartland” is another Netflix original that’s likely to be forgotten about before long. The biggest frustration is that it makes very little effort to deliver a genuinely compelling story, with weak reveals and predictable twists making the climax particularly dull. The atmosphere, music and locations feel deeply rooted in Nashville’s country music scene, which is arguably where the movie works best. However, those elements can only do so much when the mystery at the heart of the story is so underwhelming.

I’d say “Heartland” is worth a watch if you’re a fan of Jessica Chastain’s work or simply in the mood for some country music and a little Nashville drama. However, if you’re looking for a mystery thriller with clever twists, memorable characters and a satisfying payoff, this probably isn’t going to scratch that itch. For the most part, I’d recommend giving this one a miss and saving your Netflix evening for something better.

"Heartland" is streaming on Netflix

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The holiday movie season is almost here, and there’s plenty to look forward to if you’re planning a trip to the theater. November and December 2026 are bringing some huge releases to the big screen, including the return of the Avengers in “Doomsday,” another trip to Arrakis in “Dune” and a new chapter in the “Hunger Games” franchise.

There’s also a festive horror sequel, a new adventure that brings a beloved video game to life outside its console, and a chilling medieval werewolf horror from “The Witch” director Robert Eggers. Clearly, the coming weeks have plenty to offer. I’ve rounded up seven of the biggest movies hitting theaters this holiday season, so you can start planning your next cinema trip. Here’s what deserves a spot on your watchlist.

‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ (November 20)

“The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” is easily one of the biggest movie releases to look forward to this month, thanks to the franchise’s huge fanbase and enduring popularity. It marks the fifth film directed by Francis Lawrence in the dystopian series, bringing him back together with the creative team behind its distinctive cinematic style. Lionsgate moved quickly to bring Suzanne Collins’ latest novel to the big screen, announcing the film adaptation alongside the book in 2024. The novel went on to become a major bestseller.

Set 24 years before the events of the original film, “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” follows 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy (Joseph Zada) as he prepares for the 50th annual Hunger Games. Living in District 12, Haymitch’s life changes when his name is selected during the Reaping, forcing him to leave behind his family and girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird (Whitney Peak). This year’s competition, known as the Second Quarter Quell, doubles the number of tributes sent into the arena. Alongside fellow tribute Maysilee Donner (Mckenna Grace), Haymitch must fight to survive.

"The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" hits theaters on Nov. 20

‘The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth’ (November 25)

“The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth” is an intriguing follow-up for fans of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” with Quentin Tarantino returning to write the story and David Fincher taking over directing duties. This time, the setting shifts away from the sun-soaked nostalgia of 1960s Hollywood towards a much darker 1970s crime backdrop. Fincher’s visual style should give the film a distinctly different feel with a much grittier atmosphere. It’s also a notable release for Netflix, which is giving the movie an IMAX-first theatrical run before it arrives on the streaming service over the holidays.

Set eight years after the events of “Once Upon a Time “in Hollywood,” the film follows former stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Having stepped away from stunt work, Cliff now earns a living as a bartender, using his unconventional skills to handle problems for the entertainment industry’s biggest names. When talent agent Karen Crosby (Elizabeth Debicki) approaches him on behalf of television star Charlie Peters (Scott Caan), Cliff becomes involved in a complicated situation involving Charlie’s wife Toni (Carla Gugino) and two mysterious gangster brothers causing trouble across the city.

"The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth" hits theaters on Nov. 25

‘Violent Night 2’ (December 4)

For something with a much bloodier take on Christmas, “Violent Night 2” should be on your radar next month. David Harbour returns as the hard-hitting Santa Claus, with Kristen Bell joining the cast for a new round of festive action. The sequel comes from the production company behind “Nobody 2” and “The Fall Guy,” so there’s good reason to expect plenty of inventive stuntwork and over-the-top fight scenes. Its reported influences include classic Spaghetti Westerns and traditional holiday movies, which sounds like an entertaining combination.

Santa Claus (David Harbour) returns for another Christmas showdown when a ruthless gangster (Jared Harris) and his armed henchmen take over the Silver Bell Mall. Stranded away from the North Pole and stripped of his magical powers, Santa must find another way to protect the mall’s merchants and the surrounding community. With time running out and his usual abilities no longer available, he’ll need to rely on his fighting skills to take down the criminals. Fortunately, he won’t be tackling the job alone, as Mrs. Claus (Kristen Bell) arrives to help him fight back.

"Violent Night 2" hits theaters on Dec. 4

‘Avengers: Doomsday’ (December 18)

“Avengers: Doomsday” is undoubtedly one of the biggest and most anticipated movies of the year, and I’m very curious to see what Marvel has planned. The Russo brothers return to the MCU for the first time since “Endgame,” reuniting with longtime collaborator Stephen McFeely to direct this next chapter and its follow-up, “Secret Wars.” As the 39th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there’s a lot riding on this one, particularly with Doctor Doom stepping into the spotlight as a major threat. I’m incredibly excited to see how it all unfolds, but also a little nervous about just how brutal Doom could be.

The Avengers face their biggest challenge yet when a powerful new enemy threatens multiple universes. Led by Victor von Doom (Robert Downey Jr.), the looming crisis brings together heroes from across the Marvel universe, including the Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men and Wakandans. As their worlds are set on a collision course, the unlikely allies must confront a threat capable of changing the fate of the multiverse. With familiar faces including Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), Shuri (Letitia Wright) and Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), the heroes must find a way to stop Doom before it’s too late.

"Avengers: Doomsday" hits theaters Dec. 18

‘Dune 3’ (December 18)

Another huge film releasing next month and competing on the same day with “Doomsday” is “Dune 3.” Denis Villeneuve returns to direct what is expected to be the final chapter of his Arrakis saga, adapting Frank Herbert’s 1969 novel “Dune Messiah.” Rather than simply serving as a traditional trilogy finale, Villeneuve has described the film as more of an epilogue to Paul Atreides’ story, bringing his journey to a close while taking the franchise in a new direction. With the previous two movies proving such huge cinematic events, this is easily one of the biggest releases over the holiday season.

“Dune 3” continues the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) following his rise to power on Arrakis. Set several years after the events of part 2, the film follows Paul as he rules as Emperor, while facing growing opposition to his reign and the consequences of the religious movement that has spread across the universe in his name. As rival factions secretly plot to overthrow him, Paul must contend with dangerous new enemies and a mysterious conspiracy involving the Bene Tleilax. Meanwhile, Chani (Zendaya) finds herself caught up in events that could change the future of House Atreides.

"Dune 3" hits theaters on Dec. 18

‘Jumanji: Open World’ (December 25)

“Jumanji: Open World” brings the modern rebooted franchise to a close, reuniting audiences with its familiar mix of action, comedy and adventure. The latest instalment looks set to shake up the formula by bringing the game’s dangers into the real world, rather than transporting its characters into a virtual jungle. That means wild animals, chaotic stampedes and other game hazards spilling into everyday suburban and urban settings. It’s an interesting twist on the series’ familiar setup, and a promising way to wrap up this latest chapter of the “Jumanji” franchise.

The group are reunited for another adventure when the Jumanji video game unexpectedly escapes its console and spills into the real world. As wild animals and dangerous creatures wreak havoc, the game’s familiar avatars, Dr. Smolder Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson), Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan), Mouse Finbar (Kevin Hart) and Professor Shelly Oberon (Jack Black), find themselves roaming the streets in demo mode. With the game threatening to turn everyday life upside down, the group must return to Jumanji and find a way to stop the chaos.

"Jumanji: Open World" hits theaters on Dec. 25

‘Werwulf’ (December 25)

One of my most anticipated films of 2026 in general is “Werwulf,” the period gothic folk-horror feature directed by Robert Eggers. Following “Nosferatu,” the director is taking on another creature-focused story, this time set in a period setting with a folk-horror twist. It also reunites several familiar faces from his previous film, including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe and Ralph Ineson. Eggers is co-writing with Sjón, marking their second collaboration after “The Northman,” and has described the screenplay as the darkest he's written so far.

Set in 13th-century England, “Werwulf” follows a mute medieval farmer (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) who lives quietly with his family while hiding a terrifying secret: he transforms into a murderous werewolf whenever the full moon rises. When a hunting party arrives under the king’s orders to eliminate the wolves roaming the countryside, the farmer is forced to join them, putting his secret at risk. As the hunters search for the creature responsible for a series of attacks, he struggles to conceal his identity while protecting his wife and children from the growing danger.

"Werwulf" hits theaters on Dec. 25

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I didn't know until quite recently that your calves are known as the "second heart" because they help pump deoxygenated blood back up the body. Not only that, but they also play a role in absorbing force during lower-body movement and provide stability to your lower limbs.

I'm not great at sitting still, so during my working days at my desk, I am known to have a quick wander to quell restless legs, and recently I learned about an exercise called a soleus push-up.

I've been performing maximum reps every hour while seated during my workday, and I've noticed a few things so far. Read on to find out more.

What is a soleus push-up?

A soleus push-up (SPU) is a seated calf raise exercise that targets the deeper calf, or soleus muscles.

Here's how to do soleus push-ups:

• Sit in a chair with both feet flat and knees bent
• Lift your heels and press through the balls of your feet
• Pause at the top and squeeze your calves
• Slowly lower your heels down
• Repeat for as many reps as you can in a smooth motion, totaling 60 seconds.

Why it works

Collectively, the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles form your calves and are referred to as a secondary heart. These muscles help pump blood toward the heart, squeezing the veins with contractions so oxygen-depleted blood travels up the body rather than pooling in your lower limbs.

To keep circulation going, being as active as possible helps, including walking, running, or cycling. You may also find elevating your legs at times can be useful, especially after prolonged sitting. But if you don't fancy swinging your legs up onto your desk in the office, seated calf raises or soleus push-ups can help.

But before we get into what happened when I tried it every hour, every day, for one week during work, there's a study I think you should know about. Published in the Journal of Biomechanics, the research found that people with chronic heart failure had smaller calf muscles (namely, the deeper soleus muscle that helps us walk and stand) than people deemed "healthy" with "functional hearts."

Performing these muscular contractions seated can be useful for people who have desk jobs or want to limit fatigue and blood pressure issues.

Here's what happened when I tried the exercise every day.

1. It helped my ankles

I have very mobile, clicky joints, and my ankles get both noisy and stiff if I don't move often enough, so adding as many reps as I could for 60 seconds per hour during my workday really helped.

I set eight alarms, one for every hour, and timed myself for 60 seconds, performing reps at my desk while still working.

When I got up to move around, particularly later in the week, I found my ankles felt more mobile and warmed up, and my calves felt less stiff. I recommend learning how to do calf raises, as well as trying some ankle mobility exercises and lower-body stretches alongside this move to ramp things up further.

2. It was easy, low-impact and accessible

Because the movement is driven from the lower limbs while seated, it's extremely accessible and low-impact, meaning most people don't even need to stop working while performing the soleus push-up. That also means you can go for high rep ranges while sitting at a desk.

The soleus muscles thrive on sustained periods of movement, so this makes it an ideal exercise to repeat during the week while keeping those muscle contractions going during seated periods.

I added ankle weights to increase the intensity, and this is safe to do because there's no impact. I found it worked my muscles harder and, after stopping 60 seconds later, I felt like I'd been walking up a set of stairs. Add weights just above your knees for even more resistance.

3. There are benefits for your metabolism, but I haven't noticed it yet

Marc Hamilton pioneered the soleus push-up at the University of Houston and published findings in the journal iScience, saying the exercise provides "optimal activation" and "elevates muscle metabolism for hours, even while sitting."

He adds that the exercise helps sustain an "elevated local oxidative metabolism" which can improve blood glucose regulation by helping clear blood glucose from the bloodstream. Oxidative metabolism refers to a process where oxygen helps burn blood glucose or fats, depending on the energy needs of your working muscles.

“No one ever investigated how to use it to optimize our health, until now,” says Hamilton. “When activated correctly, the soleus muscle can raise local oxidative metabolism to high levels for hours, not just minutes, and does so by using a different fuel mixture.”

Of course, without a carefully controlled lab setting, I couldn't tell you if this made a difference for me or not.

4. But it is helping circulation

I can be subject to swollen ankles and a little numbness in certain positions, a condition my musculoskeletal doctor hasn't been able to pinpoint just yet, so I was intrigued that soleus push-ups could boost circulation.

A week later, although not life-changing, I have noticed less swelling and numbness while sitting. This makes sense, as your soleus muscle helps pump blood toward the heart.

Plus, as we age, calf strength can decline, which can have a knock-on impact on gait and balance during movement. By maintaining strong, healthy calves, I know I'm reducing the workload on my joints, namely my ankles and knees, which should benefit me heading into my later years.

Keeping them strong can make everyday activities feel easier, too, while also improving balance, ankle stability and overall lower-limb function.

So, according to science, these muscles protect your heart, aid circulation, help produce movement, and impact gait and balance. What more reason do you need to give this exercise a try the next time you're seated?

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There have been so many heist thrillers in movies and TV that it’s tough to find a fresh angle on the well-worn subgenre. The new Apple TV series “12 12 12” attempts to make its heist story stand out by dividing it among three timelines, inspired by a dubious-sounding FBI statistic quoted at the beginning of each episode: A high-level, professional heist requires 12 months of planning, 12 hours to execute, and if the robbers aren’t caught within 12 days, they never will be.

That gives creators Jim Keeble and Dudi Appleton a strict format to follow, but fracturing the narrative mostly serves as a distraction from the basic heist-thriller elements.

Just because it’s basic doesn’t mean that it’s bad, and as a connoisseur of this type of story, I still mostly had fun with “12 12 12.” Eight episodes is a long time to spend on a single crime, though, and the momentum flags as the season progresses, especially when the creators are simply filling in the gaps for events that viewers have already seen.

Jamie Dornan and Anthony Mackie are compelling as the central criminal and cop, respectively, and “12 12 12” is slick and propulsive enough to make for a mildly entertaining watch, even if it’s far from reinventing the heist thriller.

‘12 12 12’ breaks up its heist into three pieces

Although it could be confusing to follow three separate timelines of the same characters engaged in the same project, “12 12 12” makes it relatively simple, with onscreen graphics indicating exactly which part of which segment is taking place at any given time. The individual tracks (months, hours, days) unfold in a linear fashion, so that the first episode begins with the first month of planning, the first hour of the robbery, and the first day of the getaway. Each episode moves the story forward in all three time periods.

In that way, “12 12 12” is rarely disorienting, but the structure also robs the story of some potential suspense. Viewers already know that the planning stage will lead to an actual heist, and that the heist will succeed well enough for the perpetrators to get away. Even so, Keeble and Appleton are able to consistently deploy surprise twists, and they use the show’s structure for misdirection, when something that happens in one particular time period turns out not to be what it seems once information from later or earlier is revealed.

Laid out in a straightforward manner, the plot is pretty standard. Reformed robber Paul Galvin (Dornan) is drawn back into criminal activity by his screw-up older brother Bobby (Jack Kesy), who’s gotten himself in trouble with a powerful French mobster. That menacing crime boss threatens to kill Paul’s wife Severine (Agathe Rousselle) and his unborn child if he doesn’t take on the job of stealing nearly $1 billion in cash stored by the Russian mafia in a Swiss bank.

Meanwhile, FBI agent Jack Strickland (Mackie) has transferred to Europe so that he can track the Galvins after a failed takedown in Newark that left Jack’s partner dead.

‘12 12 12’ balances a large ensemble with intricate plotting

To pull off the heist, Paul recruits an extensive crew that includes his drilling-expert father-in-law, the bank’s disgraced head of security, and a contortionist who can fit inside a safety deposit box, among others. Most of the characters get limited screen time, and even a recognizable star like Kali Reis of “True Detective” is little more than a cog in the heist plan, playing an expert in train engineering who plans the getaway. It’s a bit disappointing given the lengthy running time that there isn’t more room for character development beyond the combative relationship between the Galvin brothers.

That fraternal dynamic wears out quickly, but Jack has a more complex, rewarding arc, as he has to transcend his desire for revenge against the Galvins and find a way to move forward. The most compelling relationship in “12 12 12” is between Jack and Swiss police detective Lena (Sallie Harmsen), who goes from wary colleague to devoted ally to something more. Their scenes together have more emotional resonance than all of the Galvin brothers’ macho bluster.

Even if the characters never acquire that much depth, the plot moves so briskly that there’s rarely a chance to stop and wonder what makes these people tick. There are a couple of exciting car chases, especially one through the streets of Zurich in the first episode, plus plenty of nail-biting moments as the crew tries to solve various problems under the threat of imminent discovery or danger.

Verdict: ‘12 12 12’ is a solid, stylish heist thriller

If nothing else, “12 12 12” puts its budget to great use, with action that spans multiple European countries and set pieces that include a giant avalanche and a narrowly avoided train collision. It’s not as lively or witty as the “Ocean’s” movies, and the rivalry between Paul and Jack has nothing on Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in “Heat.” But it holds the audience’s attention almost all the way to the end, until a final episode that has one or two superfluous conclusions.

The timeline trickery proves to be largely superfluous, too, but it keeps viewers on their toes and offers a few satisfying “aha” moments. That’s about all a heist thriller needs. If the formula works, there’s no reason to mess with it.

“12 12 12” premieres Nov. 13 on Apple TV

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November 2026 is chugging along nicely, and HBO Max is rolling out a fresh wave of titles ready for you to add to your weekend watchlist. As the temperatures drop and the holiday rush begins, the streamer has released plenty of new shows to give you something to relax with when it's time to hit the couch and cue up some good ol' binge material.

Whether you’re in the mood for a true story or a gritty slice of drama, there’s plenty on tap, and this week’s picks don't disappoint. True-crime fans can dig a tense limited series that reframes a notorious 2011 murder case as a psychological thriller about a marriage degraded by control and manipulation.

For something equally jaw-dropping but a little more playful, there’s a German documentary chronicling the audacious heist of a 100-kilogram solid-gold coin from a Berlin museum, and the investigation that followed. And if you’d rather sink into something scripted, the acclaimed “City of God: The Fight Rages On” returns for a second season, exploring the power struggles of Rio’s favelas.

That lineup should keep you plenty busy as November continues. Clear your schedule and grab the popcorn, because here are three newly added HBO Max shows you need to add to your watchlist this weekend.

'Melanie Rea'

Genre: True crime drama

What is it about? This Italian limited series dramatizes one of the most notorious real-life criminal cases in recent Italian history. In 2011, 29-year-old Melania Rea’s body was discovered in a wooded area of the Abruzzo National Park, near the home she shared with her husband and their daughter. It was a murder that gripped the nation and dominated headlines for months. But “Melania Rea” takes you beyond the tabloids to tell the true story behind it, unfolding across parallel timelines to reveal a woman trapped in a marriage that was never quite what it seemed.

Why you should watch it: Across four episodes, the series takes fantastical true crime headlines and transforms them into a psychological thriller about dangerous relationships. It's a great look beneath the surface that brings an often-overlooked situation to light.

Watch "Melanie Rea" on HBO Max now

'City Of God: The Fight Rages On' season 2

Genre: Crime drama

What is it about? The sequel series to the 2002 Brazilian film “City of God” returns for a second season, once again exploring the many power struggles of Rio de Janeiro’s favelas. This season picks up after the death of drug lord Curió, which kicks off a brutal war for control of the territory. Meanwhile, councilwoman Berenice (Roberta Rodrigues) takes on political corruption, Jerusa (Andréia Horta) hunts down those who destroyed her family, and Leka (Luellem de Castro) turns to funk music and dance parties to try and bring the community together.

Why you should watch it: Filmed on location in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, “City of God: The Fight Rages On” matches the energy and storytelling that made its predecessor a classic. You'll want to check out the movie and first season if you're a newcomer, but if you're all caught up, this is a delicious binge to dine on.

Watch "City Of God: The Fight Rages On" season 2 on HBO Max now

'Clangold'

Genre: True crime documentary

What is it about? “Clangold” tells the true story of one of the biggest heists in recent memory. In 2017, thieves stole the “Big Maple Leaf,” a 100-kilogram solid gold Canadian coin worth millions, from Berlin’s Bode Museum. It seemed like the perfect crime, but this German documentary series follows the investigation that followed and proves that it was not. In fact, police were led deep into the city’s notorious organized-crime “clan” underworld in a tense hunt for the culprits, making for this gripping documentary you can watch this weekend.

Why you should watch it: Mixing reenactments with real-world interviews, “Clangold” is much like a real-life thriller. If you love a juicy true crime story with a jaw-dropping hook, you'll tear through this four-episode caper.

Watch "Clangold" on HBO Max now

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Fall has settled around us now, and that couch is looking comfier and comfier as the days grow colder. Like the rest of the best streaming services, Hulu added a ton of new movies at the top of the month. That's hundreds of new options for what to watch this evening...and most of them ain't worth the time anyway.

That's why I've already done the hard work for you, and combed through everything new on Hulu in November to shine a spotlight on the best movies of the bunch. That includes:

Want to know more about my picks before you dedicate your precious streaming time? I don't blame you. Here's everything you need to know about which three new movies on Hulu deserve a spot on your watchlist.

'Black Bag' (2025)

Kicking things off with a good ol' dad movie, "Black Bag" is a cross between "Ocean’s Eleven" and "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" with some charming chemistry on display between co-leads Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett. Tightly crafted, smart, and with plenty of dark humor to spare, it stars the two as a married couple who are both spies for the British intelligence service.

He's a human lie detector, but when his wife is suspected of being a double agent, he’s forced to use his skills on the one person he thought he knew best. Clocking in at just 94 minutes, "Black Bag" checks all the boxes, nailing exactly the kind of ever-rising stakes that you're looking for in an action movie without overstaying its welcome. It's just the kind of thing to throw on in the background for a night on the couch.

Stream "Black Bag" on Hulu now

'Heart Eyes' (2025)

My colleague plugged "Heart Eyes" in last week's column, but I have the wheel of your attention now, and I say it's worth a second shout-out. The premise is hokey but fun: Each year on Valentine's Day, a masked serial killer known as Heart Eyes hunts down couples — except this time, he messes with the wrong one. For starters, they're not even together. Not yet, anyway, though it won't be long given all the meet-cute romcom movie magic propelling them into each other's orbit with the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

Ally (Olivia Holt), a newly single ad designer, is stuck working with her hopeless romantic colleague Jay (Mason Gooding) on a big project when Heart Eyes mistakenly targets them as this year's victims. It's a fun watch with plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor and solid scares. The biggest jumpscare came at the end, though, when I saw Josh Ruben, a name any Dropout or College Humor fan will recognize, was in the director's chair. His love of romcoms and horror comes through loud and clear.

Stream "Heart Eyes" on Hulu now

'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' (2013)

"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" is one of my husband's comfort movies, and I include it on today's list for that fact alone. It's an epic about the whimsy in life we may always find if we look for it, with Ben Stiller at his peak as Walter Mitty — a lovable sap you can't help but root for. He's a lowly office drone toiling away for a decade and a half as a photo manager for Life magazine when he gets pushed into what becomes the sort of adventure he often daydreams about. It's "Forrest Gump" by way of "Cats," if you will.

"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" is a bunch of short stories James Thurber wrote in 1939 cobbled together and given a 21st-century overhaul with Stiller at the helm. Kristen Wiig is also worth shouting out as Cheryl, his co-worker love interest he quietly pines for. Stiller brings an infectious sense of joy to this one that'll leave you feeling like you're walking on air.

Watch "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" on Hulu now

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Looking for thriller movies to watch on Netflix this week? Then you’ve come to the right place. Every week I comb through the new arrivals on the world’s most popular streaming service to find the recently added thriller movies to bring some excitement to your watchlist.

This week, I’ve not been short on options. For starters, we’ve got a “Bonnie and Clyde” style crime drama that mixes a criminal spree with romance, and it stars Samara Weaving, who’s recently been confirmed for Marvel’s new “X-Men” team. Or how about the latest Netflix original, led by an Oscar winner, that explores the darker side of Music City. Finally, there’s the movie of 2026, which might be primarily a horror, but still has plenty of thrilling moments.

All three of my picks this week are worthy of your attention, so without further teasing, let’s dive into the Netflix thriller movies to watch this week.

3 new to Netflix thrillers to watch this week

‘Carolina Caroline’ (2025)

Watching “Carolina Caroline” feels quite appropriate this week as the entertainment world turns its focus to a little video game called Grand Theft Auto VI. You might be wondering how the two are related; after all, one is a game set in a fictional version of Miami, the other a movie set in the ‘90s American South. Well, both are clearly inspired by “Bonnie and Clyde,” with each exploring a romance between two criminals caught up in a dangerous spree.

Caroline Daniels (Samara Weaving) is a gas station attendant in rural Texas, dissatisfied with her life; she impulsively decides to skip town with Oliver Anderson (Kyle Gallner), a charismatic con man. The two begin a criminal spree across the country, ranging from small cons to daring heists, all while falling madly in love. But much like the infamous misadventure of Bonnie and Clyde, this doomed relationship can surely only end one way.

Watch "Carolina Caroline" on Netflix now

‘Heartland’ (2026)

Sorry, Tyler Perry, “The Gospel of Christmas” looks heart-warming enough, but Netflix’s most buzzy original this week is “Heartland.” This new mystery-thriller combines the always popular genre with the world of country music, which has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years. All signs point to a Netflix original that will rocket straight to the No. 1 spot in the streaming service’s top 10 most-watched list. Here’s hoping it’s good enough to deserve it.

“Heartland” stars Oscar-winner Jessica Chastain as Misty Jones, once a country music megastar, now a reclusive figure who has stepped away from the Music City spotlight. However, when Misty’s niece, played by IRL country singer Carter Faith, goes missing, she returns to Nashville to investigate. This forces Misty to grapple with her own complicated past and also to delve into the city’s underbelly. Expect a twist or two to keep you hooked.

Watch "Heartland" on Netflix starting November 13

‘Obsession’ (2026)

Okay, so “Obsession” is predominantly categorised as a horror flick, but I’m including it here because it’s an acclaimed movie that blends multiple genres. In this well-crafted mixture, you’ve got horror, comedy and thriller elements. A box-office juggernaut, made for less than $1 million and grossing more than $500m, it’s one of 2026’s biggest success stories, and with awards buzz growing, now is the time (re)watch it as it heads to Netflix on Nov. 16.

Written and directed by Curry Barker, now one of Hollywood’s hottest talents, “Obsession” focuses on a timid music store worker named Bear (Michael Johnston). Hopefully infatuated with his friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette), Bear makes a wish for his feelings to be returned, which actually comes true, and then spirals totally out of control. Anchored by Navarrette’s incredible performance, “Obsession’s” position as a modern classic is already secured.

Watch "Obsession" on Netflix starting November 16

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One of the perks of the streaming era is that, unlike the 20-episode seasons of network TV yore, television shows nowadays are in that sweet spot of 6-10 episodes, meaning that you can easily crush an entire season of great TV in a single weekend.

Apple TV certainly is no exception — the streaming service is home to plenty of quick comedies, high-tension limited series and short-story anthologies that are seemingly made to finish before Monday rolls around yet again.

And these three in particular are exceptionally star-studded affairs, despite their comparatively short episode orders, led by A-listers like Jake Gyllenhaal, Matthew McConaughey, Taron Egerton, and Woody Harrelson. Whether you're after a breezy buddy comedy or a slow-burn psychological thriller, here are three Apple TV shows you can binge-watch in one weekend.

'Black Bird'

Based on the 2010 autobiographical book "In with the Devil" by James Keene and Hillel Levin, this true-crime drama centers on Jimmy Keene, a high school football hero and decorated policeman's son, whose clean-cut life is upended when he is sentenced to 10 years in a minimum-security prison for dealing narcotics.

That all changes when he's given a high-stakes deal with the FBI: Enter a maximum-security prison and befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser, who won an Emmy and Golden Globe award for his chilling work here) to extract a confession, or serve his full sentence with no possibility for parole.

Across six gripping episodes, the moody psychological thriller thrums with unsettling tension and moral complexity. An ensemble cast that includes Sepideh Moafi, Greg Kinnear and the late, great Ray Liotta doesn't hurt, either.

Stream "Black Bird" on Apple TV now

'Brothers'

Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson have always shared a similar mischievousness, one that, according to a long-standing rumor, might be genetic. Speculation that the two Hollywood stars and real-life besties might actually be biological half-brothers started after Matthew's mother, Kay, revealed during a family vacation that she "knew" Woody's father, Charles Harrelson, if you catch our drift.

The actors gamely expand on that rumor in this Apple TV comedy, which was initially conceived as a standalone eight-episode story but might return for a second season, especially after that season one cliffhanger. In the show, McConaughey and Harrelson play fictionalized versions of themselves, who are forced to deal with that bombshell from Ma Mac (played by Holland Taylor) while gathered at Matthew’s Texas ranch.

The show is also noted for being a "True Detective" reunion of sorts, as McConaughey and Harrelson starred together in the first season of the popular HBO crime series.

Stream "Brothers" on Apple TV now

'Presumed Innocent'

A second season of this legal thriller anthology is soon to come (with a brand-new cast including Rachel Brosnahan and Matthew Rhys), but before that, you should catch up with its excellent first season, a twisty murder mystery starring a stalwart of the genre, Jake Gyllenhaal.

Adapted from Scott Turow’s 1987 novel of the same name, the eight-episode crime drama revolves around Rusty Sabich (Gyllenhaal), a respected chief deputy prosecutor whose life implodes when he becomes the prime suspect in the brutal murder of his colleague-slash-lover (Renate Reinsve). Rusty is left to fight for his career, his family, and his sanity as he maintains his innocence.

Along with Gyllenhaal and Reinsve, the absolutely stacked cast includes Ruth Negga, Bill Camp, O-T Fagbenle, Chase Infiniti, Nana Mensah, Peter Sarsgaard, Kingston Rumi Southwick and Elizabeth Marvel.

Stream "Presumed Innocent" on Apple TV now

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Although she has a long way to go before reaching Harlan Coben status, novelist Karin Slaughter creates similarly addictive yet disposable crime thrillers, full of sudden twists and complicated backstory.

I get a similar feeling from watching TV adaptations of both authors’ books, eager to tune in for the next episode but a bit let down when all of the secrets are revealed. That was my response to the first TV series based on a Slaughter novel, the 2022 Netflix hit “Pieces of Her,” and it’s the same for the new Slaughter series, "The Good Daughter."

There’s more emotional depth to Slaughter’s stories than Coben’s, and “The Good Daughter” is anchored by two strong performances from Meghann Fahy and Rose Byrne as estranged sisters Charlie and Sam Quinn. The six-episode Peacock original series, adapted by Slaughter herself from her 2017 novel, is more briskly paced than “Pieces of Her,” although it still gets bogged down in lengthy stretches of exposition.

It deals with some heavy themes, but always in a pulpy, airport-novel kind of way, making it an easy binge despite the dark subject matter.

‘The Good Daughter’ explores dangerous small-town secrets

Set in the fictional Georgia town of Pikeville, “The Good Daughter” shifts between past and present as it tells the connected stories of two terrible incidents involving Charlie and Sam (played as children by Drew Cheek and Audrey Grace Marshall). Their father Rusty (Brendan Gleeson) is a steadfast local defense attorney who frequently incurs the wrath of the corrupt legal system run by the powerful Coin family.

When he angers the wrong people, the Quinns’ house gets burned down, and then they’re attacked by two gunmen in their new home while Rusty is out. The assailants kill Charlie and Sam’s mother, Gamma (Olivia Williams), and the two young girls barely get away.

Decades later, Charlie still lives in Pikeville, working as a defense lawyer alongside her father and separated from her husband Ben (Michael Dorman), an assistant district attorney. She finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time when she witnesses the aftermath of a shooting at the local high school, and soon she’s deeply involved in defending the shooter, a scared and possibly mentally disabled young woman named Kelly Wilson (Shayna Benardo). After he’s incapacitated, Rusty calls in Sam for help, and she arrives from New York City, where she’s been working as a patent lawyer.

That’s just some of the set-up for this overstuffed story, which can get a bit unwieldy as it moves back and forth across time periods and works out all of the intricate, overlapping relationships among the characters.

Of course, everyone in town is hiding something, and that includes the Quinns, who have to reveal their own long-buried secrets while searching for the truth about what actually happened at the high school, where the principal and one student were shot dead.

The central relationship carries ‘The Good Daughter’

In the hands of lesser actors, “The Good Daughter” could have come across as low-rent exploitation, but Fahy and Byrne find the honesty and vulnerability in their characters, and the show succeeds as a story about sisters learning to trust and care for each other again.

As the present-day story begins, Charlie and Sam haven’t seen each other in 10 years, and Sam initially intends to spend only a day in town to help Rusty get back on his feet. But the more they’re together, the more they renew their connection, while also pushing each other’s buttons.

Fahy and Byrne have convincing sisterly chemistry, and it’s easy to believe that these people care deeply for one another and also carry deep resentment. The family dynamic is ultimately more engaging than the mystery of the school shooting, and the resolutions of the past and present storylines aren’t tied together as closely as might be expected.

Both Charlie and Sam are holding onto issues from the day their mother was murdered, and those revelations are cathartic, while the solution to the present-day mystery just feels like wrapping up loose ends.

Verdict: ‘The Good Daughter’ is a watchable but forgettable thriller

Once the pieces start to fall into place, it’s not difficult to see where the story is going, and the final episode offers a string of long explanations that clear up every little question. Like the many Coben shows, “The Good Daughter” is both complicated and superficial, and it’s unlikely to linger in viewers’ minds for long.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth the time, though, especially for Coben fans or anyone who enjoyed seeing Fahy in fellow beach-read adaptations “The Perfect Couple” and “Sirens.” I was never hesitant to press play on the next episode, but I also found it easy to walk away at the end.

“The Good Daughter” premieres Nov. 12 on Peacock

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Winter is coming at long last, after an extended and outrageously hot summer. Sadly that means the usual winter problems are coming with it, including cold air that inevitably causes my hands to dry out. Normally this is more of an annoyance than anything, but over the last few years it's started affecting my phone use.

Yes, that's right, cold weather has been interfering with how I use my phone. Specifically the under-display fingerprint scanner, a feature that is almost universally available on premium Android phones. It turns out, dry skin can affect whether those fingerprint scanners can recognize your digits. Thankfully, there's a useful hack that can help you out in a pinch — even if it is a little bit gross.

Obviously the best way to stop dry skin is to keep them moisturized, by whatever method or product you prefer. But I always forget about this until the effects of dry hands start to affect by day, at which point anything I do is reactive rather than preventative. That's no good in a pinch, but you know what is? Wiping your finger across your nose.

Wait, what?!

Yes, you read that correctly. It's a tip I first heard about back in 2023 after months of users reporting issues with the fingerprint sensor on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7. Various users that experienced ongoing issues realized that dryness was the root cause of a lot of their problems, and somehow figured out that the oils in your face (which concentrate on your nose and forehead) were enough to briefly alleviate the issues.

At the time it was speculated that Google's use of the optical fingerprint scanner was a primary suspect in all the reported problems. Admittedly the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner that debuted on Pixel 9 works a lot better than the older scanners, but even that doesn't seem to be able to account for excess skin dryness that may occur during colder weather. Or, at least, that's been my experience using the Pixel 10 Pro.

The idea of using your own face grease to access your phone sounds gross, but the science behind it is pretty sound. Those oils on your skin act as a barrier to help prevent you from losing moisture.

I'm not sure whether it hydrates the skin directly, or if it just offers a small layer of moisture to facilitate the scanning process, but I'm not about to complain. Lotion apparently works too, assuming you tend to carry a bottle on your person at all time, but I haven't actually tested it myself. It's pretty rare that I go anywhere with my face fully covered these days, so the nose trick actually works pretty well for me.

I have to remind myself about this every fall

I first started noticing issues with my fingerprint scanner last week. My Pixel 10 Pro was straight up refusing to read my fingerprint, and failed so many times I had to resort to using my PIN to get into my phone. As simple as it is to type in a six digit number, it's nowhere near as convenient as slapping a finger or thumb onto the screen.

At first I wondered whether my screen protector was to blame. I dropped my phone onto a gravel path a couple of months back, chipping the edge of the protector and causing a crack to shoot across to the opposite side of the screen. Leaving a cracked protector for long enough means the damage inevitably spreads, and I assumed that this might have explained why my fingerprint scanner had suddenly stopped working 90% of the time.

Then I remembered the nose-touching hack, and figured it was worth a try. Lo and behold, the fingerprint scanner started working again. It wasn't back to 100%, but it was still enough to actually unlock my phone without hitting the fail limit and disabling biometrics in the process. I also discovered that touching my forehead, or anywhere else in the T-Zone, is just as effective.

In the short term, exploiting my own gross biology helped with unlocking my phone. In the long term, well, the only thing I can do is start moisturizing my hands more often and try to wear gloves when I'm doing work around the house.

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Prime Video is a goldmine for science fiction movies, but not just the blockbuster franchises you can find on plenty of the other streaming services. There, you can find dozens of genuinely great sci-fi flicks that the algorithm never bothers to recommend, the kind you’d only stumble on by scrolling for an hour or getting a tip from a movie buff. And honestly, those are usually the best kind.

If you're not sure where to start finding something new to watch, then we've got your back. We’ve taken care of all the digging so you can skip straight to the good stuff. These three movies below should get you started on your next sci-fi movie night.

These three sci-fi films on Prime Video are real diamonds in the rough, and I’ve seen every one of them myself. Something tells me you’ll be recommending them to someone else before long. But something also tells me you probably haven't seen them, so my advice is to check them out ASAP.

3 overlooked sci-fi movies on Prime Video

'Paradise Hills' (2019)

Uma (Emma Roberts) wakes up on a remote island with no memory of how she got there. She’s at Paradise Hills, a lavish facility where wealthy families send their rebellious daughters to be "fixed," meaning they're effectively brainwashed through etiquette lessons, diets, and beauty treatments so they can be the perfect young women their families want them to be. Uma was shipped off for refusing an arranged marriage, and she finds unlikely friends in residents Chloe (Danielle Macdonald), Yu (Awkwafina) and a famous pop star (Eiza González). But the longer she stays, the clearer it becomes that something deeply sinister hides beneath all that beauty, and the island’s enigmatic ruler, the Duchess (Milla Jovovich), has no intention of letting anyone leave.

Watch on Prime Video

'Lifeforce' (1985)

When a joint British-American space mission investigates Halley’s Comet, the crew discovers an alien ship drifting in its tail, containing three humanoid bodies in suspended animation. They bring the mysterious passengers back to London, where the "Space Girl" (Mathilda May) wakes up and reveals her true nature: she’s a vampire who drains the very life force out of anyone she touches, leaving behind withered husks that rise again to feed on others. As the plague spreads and the dead begin walking, the city spirals toward an apocalypse, and a haunted astronaut (Steve Railsback) who shares a strange psychic bond with the creature may be the only one who can stop her. How do you kill something that feeds on life itself?

Watch on Prime Video

'The Assessment' (2024)

In a dystopian future after climate collapse, having a child is a privilege. No couple is allowed to become parents without passing a grueling evaluation. Mia (Elizabeth Olsen) and Aaryan (Himesh Patel) seem like ideal candidates. To be approved, they have to open their home to Virginia (Alicia Vikander), a government assessor who moves in for seven days to observe their every move. But Virginia’s methods are anything but ordinary. She behaves like a petulant, unpredictable child, escalating her behavior until the couple’s relationship begins to buckle. As the assessment grows more harrowing, Mia and Aaryan struggle to prove they’re worthy with Virginia's unorthodox methods in mind.

Watch on Prime Video

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One of my best pals loves 1988’s “Die Hard” so much, he ‘makes’ me play a drinking game around it every holiday season. So if he reads the following, he’ll be loading up a stocking full of coal to bash my head in with. Look, John McTiernan’s legendary movie isn’t just arguably the greatest actioner ever; it’s a whole lot of folks’ favorite Christmas flick too. Still, other Christmas-themed action movies are definitely worth your attention this year, too.

John McClane will no doubt be throwing festive profanities at me for suggesting other festive actioners, but I really dig the following trio. First up, there’s “Carry-On”, a super-fun action-thriller that takes more than a few pages out of “Die Hard 2”. Next we have “Violent Night”, which is a dark comedy about a sociopathic Santa Claus that just so happens to have a sequel coming out next month. Lastly, there’s “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”, a beloved kinda Christmas comedy that helped put Robert Downey Jr. back on the map. It also gives me serious vibes of 2016’s “The Nice Guys”.

I’m obviously not telling you you shouldn’t watch “Die Hard” this holiday season. What I am saying is that you’ll be on my personal Naughty List for a long old while if you don’t give this trio of Christmasmas action treats a try. And after you’re done with them, check out the 5 best Christmas movies on Netflix, ranked by Rotten Tomatoes scores.

'Carry on' (2024)

What a few years it’s been for TSA agents. First kickass Rod Williams in 2017’s “Get Out”, and now Ethan Kopek (Taron Egerton) in the very much underrated "Carry On". As someone who loathes both airports and flying, this Christmas-set action movie gives me all the uneasy vibes. Set on Christmas Eve, poor Ethan endures the shift from hell after a mysterious mercenary known as “The Traveler” (a truly chilling Jason Bateman) convinces him to let a deadly nerve agent through airport security.

Why would Kopek play along with such a sinister plan? The Traveler will kill his pregnant girlfriend Nora (Sofia Carson) if he doesn’t play ball. With Bateman’s dead-eyed terrorist for hire planning to assassinate a Congresswoman, then frame the Russians and reap the rewards, the stakes in “Carry-On” are a smidge higher than running out to the store and discovering the last carton of eggnog has just sold out. Fast-paced, edgy and propulsively plotted, this Netflix original would make McClane proud.

Watch “Carry-On” on Netflix now

‘Violent Night’ (2022)

You thought Billy Bob Thornton’s deviant department store Old Saint Nick was naughty in 2003’s “Bad Santa”? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Meet David Harbour’s take on Père Noël. He’s disgruntled, disillusioned and constantly drunk… and oh yeah, he just happens to be an ancient Norse warrior who swapped his Viking gear for a certain red suit centuries ago.

"Violent Night" plays out like a particularly R-rated take on “Home Alone”. Y’know, if Kevin McCallister swapped torturing Harry and Marv with cracked Christmas baubles for beating the brains out of goons with a sledgehammer called Skullcrusher. Despite his killer tendencies, Harbour is actually the reluctant anti-hero in this dark comedy. After he inadvertently stumbles down a chimney to find a criminal gang led by “Scrooge” (a playful John Leguizamo) who are trying to break into the vault of a family’s mansion, it’s up to not-so-merry Old Nick to lay serious Santa smackdown. “Violent Night 2” hits theaters on December 4. Pray you stay on Kris’ Nice List until then.

Watch “Violent Night” on Netflix now

‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ (2005)

Three years before he’d nab the iconic role of his career playing some sort of metal fellow in the MCU, Robert Downey Jr. was slowly rebuilding his Hollywood reputation in this dark comedy set around the holidays. Here, the future Tony Stark plays Harry Lockhart; a thief so bumbling, he accidentally stumbles into a screen test after he fails to fleece a toy story. So convincing is Harry’s spontaneous performance, the agents give him the gig on the spot and he’s swiftly flown out to Tinseltown.

From here, our thief is paired with Perry van Shrike (a rarely better Val Kilmer), a cynical private investigator tasked with training Harry on how to act like a detective for his upcoming ‘role’. As the pair begrudgingly pal around, Lockhart is reunited with his old flame Harmony Faith Lane (Michelle Monaghan), who pulls our unlikely duo into a real-life murder mystery. Expertly penned and directed by Shane Black of “Lethal Weapon” fame, this alternate Christmas tale might not be quite as associated with the holidays as “Gremlins”, but it’s a hell of a lot of fun all the same.

Watch “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” on Amazon Prime now

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The thriller movie options on Prime Video are on the weaker side of the scale in November 2026. The streaming service might have added more than 100 movies to kick off the month, but seasonal holiday flicks dominate the slate.

Still, I've combed through all the latest arrivals and have been able to find three thrillers worthy of your time. Well, cards on the table, one of them is more of a comedy than a thriller, but it does revolve around a heist at least. Meanwhile, the other two, both released in the 1960s, are true classics.

So, if you want to give your Prime Video watchlist an injection of excitement this week, here are the latest thriller movies on the service to watch now.

3 best new to Prime Video thriller movies this week

‘The Manchurian Candidate’ (1962)

It might be an overstatement to call “The Manchurian Candidate” a foundational thriller, but this 1960s classic is undeniably influential. Its impact shows up in 21st-century projects like “Homeland,” and like the best classics, its brilliance hasn’t waned with age. Starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Angela Lansbury and Janet Leigh, it’s a twisting watch that was even selected for preservation in the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry, which neatly displays the importance of this John Frankenheimer thriller.

In this psychological, politically charged thriller, Sergeant Raymon Shaw (Harvey) returns from the Korean War after being held as a POW. On the surface, it’s a feel-good homecoming, but in reality, Shaw’s return is part of a sinister plot. He’s been programmed as a sleeper agent by his communist captors. Shaw doesn’t know it, but at any moment his programming could be triggered with devastating consequences for the United States. Rated 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, “The Manchurian Candidate” is a masterpiece.

Watch "The Manchurian Candidate" on Prime Video now

‘In the Heat Of The Night’ (1967)

If one classic 1960s masterpiece wasn’t enough for you this week, how about a second? “In the Heat of the Night” is a five-time Oscar winner, including taking home Best Picture at the 40th Academy Awards, and if you’re talking about timeless watches, this neo-noir mystery makes the cut every time. It finds the perfect balance between spinning an engaging murder mystery and exploring the societal prejudices of the American South in the 1960s.

Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier in one of his best-ever roles) is an African-American police detective who is wrongly arrested under suspicion of murder by a Mississippi police chief, Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger). After proving his innocence, Tibbs’ superior officer asks him to stick around in the small town of Sparta and assist Gillespie in tracking down the real killer. As their investigation brings them closer to the true culprit, they make new enemies but also develop a strong bond, which forces Bill to reconsider his attitudes.

Watch "In the Heat Of The Night" on Prime Video now

‘Tower Heist’ (2011)

An early-2010s heist comedy starring Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy, helmed by Brett Ratner (director of “X-Men: The Last Stand”)? On paper, “Tower Heist” should be absolutely awful. And look, it’s no masterpiece like my two picks above, but when graded on a slightly generous curve, this one does have its charms, mostly found in Murphy's rib-tickling performance as a petty crook. Granted, it’s not a full-blown thriller, but with limited options on Prime Video this week, it makes the cut because it centers on a daring heist, which gives it just enough exciting moments to qualify (but only just).

“Tower Heist” is an ensemble comedy that sees workers at an upscale New York apartment building left devastated after it's revealed they’ve been scammed out of their pensions by a Wall Street billionaire living in the complex. Eager for revenge and to get their money back, they come together to pull off a risky heist that involves breaking into the billionaire’s secure apartment. The high-concept comedy also stars Casey Affleck, Matthew Broderick and Michael Peña.

Watch "Tower Heist" on Prime Video now

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Netflix's top 10 shows list is always changing, which can make it tricky to know what’s actually worth adding to your watchlist. With new releases arriving every week and hit shows climbing back up the rankings, there’s usually plenty to choose from. But if you’re anything like me, you don’t always have time to sift through dozens of titles to find your next binge-watch.

So, I’ve taken a look at what’s currently trending on Netflix and picked out three shows that deserve your attention this week. Whether you’re after a twist-filled spy thriller about a secret agent, a warm-hearted comedy set in a small Arctic community, or a gripping prison drama, there’s something here for you. These are the three Netflix top 10 shows I’d put at the top of my watchlist right now.

Note: This list is based on the Netflix U.S. top 10 shows as of Tuesday, November 10, 2026.

Best shows in the Netflix top 10

‘Black Doves’

The second season of “Black Doves” is here, which means you have six new episodes to binge-watch this week. Originally planned as a limited series, the spy thriller proved popular enough to earn a second outing, with creator Joe Barton and production company Sister returning for another chapter. I’d also argue it deserves a place among this year’s Christmas viewing, thanks to its wintry London backdrop, complete with sparkling festive displays and freezing streets. The story itself is far from cozy, but that contrast makes it an interesting choice for the holiday season.

Helen Webb (Keira Knightley) leads a double life as an undercover spy for a secretive organization that sells stolen intelligence to the highest bidder. When her secret lover is murdered, Helen teams up with her longtime friend Sam (Ben Whishaw), a professional hitman, to investigate his death. Season 2 sees Helen continue passing government secrets to the Black Doves as her husband Wallace prepares to become prime minister. When her handler, Mrs. Reed (Sarah Lancashire), becomes caught up in a plot to undermine her position, Helen reunites with Sam.

Stream "Black Doves" season 2 on Netflix

‘North of North’

“North of North” is also back for season 2, giving fans another chance to spend time with its quirky Arctic community. The comedy-drama made history as Netflix’s first Canadian original series produced directly in Nunavut, and its distinctive setting is a big part of what makes it stand out. Director Anya Adams, whose credits include “Yellowjackets” and “Abbott Elementary,” helps bring plenty of personality to the ensemble. With the show already making an appearance in Netflix’s top 10, there’s plenty of reason to give this one a try.

Siaja (Anna Lambe) is a young Inuk mother who makes a very public exit from her marriage and attempts to start afresh with her young daughter in the small Arctic town of Ice Cove, Nunavut. Between finding a job and adjusting to single parenthood, she quickly discovers that rebuilding her life won’t be straightforward. In season 2, Siaja is determined to take on more responsibility at the community center while getting to know a half-sister she never knew existed. Newly divorced, she’s also open to dating again, all while raising Bun.

Stream "North of North" season 2 on Netflix

‘Rectify’

“Rectify” is a critically acclaimed Southern Gothic drama that deserves more attention from fans of character-driven TV. The series was the first fully owned original scripted drama developed for SundanceTV and ran for four seasons, with 30 episodes in total. Its slower pace and cinematic approach give the story room to explore its characters in a way that feels closer to independent filmmaking than traditional cable drama. The show also received a Peabody Award in 2014, securing it as one of the standout dramas of its era.

Daniel Holden (Aden Young) is released from death row after spending 19 years in prison for the alleged murder of his teenage girlfriend. New DNA evidence overturns his conviction, allowing him to return to his childhood home and reunite with his family. However, adjusting to life outside prison proves difficult, particularly as he faces suspicion and hostility from a community still divided over his alleged crime. Meanwhile, his younger sister Amantha (Abigail Spencer) stands by him, while other family members struggle to accept his return.

Stream "Rectify" seasons 1-4 on Netflix

Netflix top 10 shows right now

1. "Taken: Natalee Holloway" (2026)
2. "Black Doves" (2024)
3. "Love is Blind" (2020)
4. "From" (2022)
5. "Nobody Wants This" (2024)
6. "The One About Matthew Perry" (2026)
7. "Mistletoe Murders" (2024)
8. "The Neighborhood" (2018)
9. "North of North" (2025)
10. "Rectify" (2013)

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Apparently we’re exactly six weeks and five days away from Christmas (that’s 47 days). Considering December 25 is my favorite day of the whole year — mainly ‘cause I get to watch my most beloved movies all day — with the latest week’s Prime Video top 10 movies chart now in, I thought I’d sneak a festive classic in there. Hey, quiet with the ‘humbugs’ at the back.

While some Prime Video top 10s can include some absolutely bangers, that’s not always the case every week. Still, this time out I’ve gone for one I know you’ll absolutely adore. Admittedly, my two other choices are somewhat harder sells (including a remake of an Arnie classic no one asked for). But hey, at least one of them is about a homicidal hippo!

The movies below are taken from Prime Video’s top 10 as of Monday, November 9, 2026. A mix of man-sized Christmas elves, a super agent who’s had his memories erased, and that aforementioned monstrous hippopotamus. At least it’s a varied list! And I think you should check out all three on Amazon’s streaming platform this week.

Best movies in the Prime Video top 10

‘Hungry’ (2026)

Hoo-boy, is this ever a movie I’ve been waiting for since I was a kid. If you told me one day I’d eventually be treated to a killer hippopotamus movie in 2026, that little tyke who played so much Hungry Hungry Hippos would have been ecstatic… despite the fact “Hungry” is a kinda mediocre 2/5 horror flick. C’mon though, people. It’s a killer hippo flick!

The plot is ludicrous on many levels, but some I actually find a little endearing. After a group of tourists takes a bayou cruise to see a particularly legendary alligator, it’s not long before they come upon a 4,000 lb hippo that is very much hungry for human flesh. Some of the set pieces are a giggle and the final act somehow manages to paint the hippo in a somewhat sympathetic light. Anyway, it’s schlocky as heck, but I had fun with it.

Watch "Hungry" on Prime Video now

‘Elf' (2003)

I don’t want to provoke a raging online debate over the best Christmas movies in a weekly Prime Video roundup. But here we are. The correct answer is “Die Hard”. “Home Alone" gets the runner-up medal, then it’s a toss between “Gremlins” and “Elf” for me as the greatest remaining festive movies ever. And 2003’s wonderfully sweet, genuinely funny comedy has rightly become one of the most beloved movies of all time.

The premise of “Elf” is brilliant. A baby called Buddy accidentally crawls into Santa’s sack on Christmas Eve, Kris Kringle inadvertently flies him back to the North Pole, where the resident elves end up raising him until he becomes a large man (Ferrell). Upon finding out he’s not actually an elf, the childlike Buddy tracks down his workaholic father in NYC ( a gloriously grumpy James Caan) and even finds an unlikely romance with a jaded department worker (Zooey Deschanel). The tone of “Elf” is just joyous, and its uplifting finale really will reinvigorate your Christmas spirit.

Watch "Elf" on Prime Video now

'Total Recall' (2012)

Look, it’s obviously not as good as the Arnie original, what with its outstanding practical alien effects and killer quips. Yet just like 2014’s “RoboCop”, this reimagined sci-fi isn’t actually all that offensive. Yes, it was critically panned — try to get that 30% Rotten Tomatoes rating out of your head if you can. But I think director Len Wiseman has given the movie an interesting, edgy look and some of the action scenes are certainly slick.

Set in a future where a company called Rekall can make your dreams into a reality, a disgruntled colony worker Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell) decides he’s had enough of building police robots — which actually sounds like a pretty kickass gig to me. So he elects to have Rekall give him artificial memories. Unfortunately, the procedure doesn’t go to plan, with secrets about Quad’s real life as a rogue agent remerging. Cue a lot of shooty-shooty action but little of the original's winning ability to wink at itself. At least the cast, including Bryan Cranston, Kate Beckinsale and Bill Nighy, is pretty stellar.

Watch "Total Recall (2012) on Prime Video now

Prime Video top 10 movies right now

1. "Hungry" (2026)
2. "Hunting Season" (2025)
3. "Total Recall" (2012)
4. "Scream 7" (2026)
5. "Apocalypse Z: New World" (2026)
6. "First Winter" (1982)
7. "Dark Nature" (2023)
8. "Drive - The Pretenders" (2026)
9. "Forget Me Never" (1999)
10. "Love of Your Life" (2023)

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Netflix is a goldmine for crime dramas. You can find some of the most acclaimed original series the genre has ever produced there, the kind that rack up impressive IMDb scores. But which of Netflix's crop of originals are some of the best-rated and most worth your time?

If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve got your back. We’ve taken care of all the digging so you can skip straight to the good stuff. The three shows below are among the best crime dramas Netflix has ever made, as rated by IMDb users.

Something tells me you’ll be recommending at least one of these to someone else before long. And if you somehow haven’t gotten around to any of them yet, my advice is to fix that as soon as possible. Check them out as soon as you finish reading and get started on remedying that now.

'Narcos'

One of the original Netflix powerhouses, “Narcos” kicked off the streamer’s run of must-watch crime dramas. It chronicles the bloody rise and fall of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura) and the DEA agents, including Javier Peña (Pedro Pascal), who spend years trying to bring him down. Blending dramatized events with real archival footage, it explores the cocaine trade’s explosive growth and the violence it unleashed across Colombia. “Narcos” is a gripping crime epic that doubles as a crash course in one of modern history’s most infamous criminal empires. So if you want something gritty and realistic, this might want to be your first stop.

IMDB Rating: 8.7/10
Watch on Netflix

'Mindhunter'

Executive produced by master of suspense David Fincher, "Mindhunter" is one of Netflix’s most chilling achievements. Set in the late 1970s, it follows two FBI agents, Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) who sit down and interview imprisoned serial killers to understand how their minds work. There are no car chases or shootouts here. But there are plenty of long, unnerving conversations with some of history’s most notorious murderers. And they're starting to take a psychological toll on the men conducting them. This adventure into the minds of killers is a cerebral, slow-burn crime drama that gets under your skin, and it definitely didn't last long enough.

IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
Watch on Netflix

'Ozark'

Jason Bateman stars as Marty Byrde, a financial advisor who launders money for a Mexican drug cartel, until a deal goes wrong. Then, he's forced to uproot his family to the Lake of the Ozarks to make good on his debt and, most importantly, stay alive. As Marty and his wife Wendy (Laura Linney) sink deeper into the criminal underworld, they get tangled up with local crime families, the FBI, and young hustler named Ruth (Julia Garner). Bleak and gripping, this slow-burn thriller is unnervingly easy to lose a weekend to, and you probably will.

IMDB Rating: 8.7/10
Watch on Netflix

If you read any review for Apple’s new MacBook Pro, you will see a lot of folks drooling over the new PROLED XDR display. And they’re not wrong — flawless color calibration, a new touchscreen interface and up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness.

But if you look past the shiny new Dynamic Island, you’ll see a darker reality. One where what I like to call “OLED washing” is happening.

Apple didn’t build a machine for the next generation of computing (local AI). They built a $2,899 luxury item. If you want to see what a real, weaponized local AI computer looks like in 2026, you need to look away from Cupertino and start looking more closely at the better value-for-money monsters being built with Nvidia’s RTX Spark and AMD’s Strix Halo inside.

The elephant in the room: memory

Yes, we are currently living through RAMageddon, a brutal memory shortage driven by enterprise data centers hoarding silicon. While I do see cracks in this cloud AI bubble, it’s going to be here for a while.

Apple’s response to this was to slap a near-three racks starting price on the 14-inch PROLED MacBook Pro and give you a paltry 24GB of unified memory.

It’s both overkill in some ways — that tandem OLED screen might be worth it if you are a Hollywood color grader editing 8K ProRes video for example.

But in others, for those moving into the era of ditching the data center and running local agentic AI directly on our hardware — 24GB is a tough pill to swallow.

It’s effectively a multi-million dollar mansion with only one bathroom. It looks gorgeous from the street, but the moment you invite guests over (or spin up a local 70B parameter LLM), the plumbing completely collapses.

The portable data centers taking its place

While Apple is obsessing over making their chassis lighter and adding a touchscreen nobody asked for, the Windows ecosystem has been quietly preparing for a value war.

Just a few weeks ago, I balked at the high $5,899 price tag for the 128GB version of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra that I tested. And then, I saw the equivalently-specced 14-inch MacBook PROLED come in at $7,099 ($7,399 for the 16-inch).

And yes, the PROLED does have a much better display, better CPU performance and a longer battery life. But, are those uplifts worth an additional $1,200? I’m not sure.

Plus if you are leaning more towards local AI, the tokenomics of an RTX Spark are a little better than M5 Pro too. M5 Max is faster, but you'll have to pay much more for that (as you can see).

If the tandem OLED is important, then the MSI Prestige N16 Flip AI+ may have a terrible name, but at $6,799, it’s still $300 less.

More bang for your buck with team red

And I haven’t even gotten to the AMD side of things yet. The Strix Halo chip has grown into quite the AI-capable silicon over its life. And that longevity means you can find some good options with more money for much less money than taking a bite of the Apple.

So as you can see, whether you want a better balance of memory, want to keep that OLED display, or want to go all out (that Z13 with 128GB for $3,800 less is looking mighty tempting), you can get much more local AI headroom with these machines too.

Form over function

So let me be clear, because I don’t want this to be me dunking on Apple here. The MacBook PROLED has easily won the display and battery life war this year — that screen is a masterclass. But the “why not” era can easily blind you from picks that offer better bang for your buck.

Apple’s charging you $3,000 for a reference monitor so you can have a prettier interface when you ask Siri to summarize your emails. Meanwhile, the RTX Spark and Strix Halo laptops give you the raw compute and massive memory pools to actually build this local agentic future on your desk.

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As much as I enjoy many zombie movies and TV shows, zombies have always struck me as slightly less versatile onscreen monsters, with a single primary function of shambling — or, sometimes, running — mindlessly after people in order to eat their brains and/or other organs. So it’s particularly refreshing when a show like “iZombie” comes along, finding a fresh take on the familiar beats of zombie storytelling. There are plenty of references to zombie classics, from “Night of the Living Dead” to “28 Days Later,” but the series forges its own unique path in the zombie subgenre.

The supernatural drama created by “Veronica Mars” veterans Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright aired for five seasons on The CW from 2015-2019, but never quite achieved the same level of fan following as other CW genre shows. It’s been available on various streaming platforms since then, and as of this month, all five seasons of “iZombie” are streaming on Prime Video.

One other advantage for the potential rediscovery of “iZombie” is star Rose McIver’s breakout role on another, much more popular supernatural series, CBS’ “Ghosts.” She brings the same likable presence and slightly snarky demeanor to her portrayal of assistant medical examiner Liv Moore, who uses her zombie abilities to help solve crimes in her Seattle hometown.

‘iZombie’ creates its own unique zombie mythos

Although it’s based on a Vertigo comic book series by writer Chris Roberson and artist Mike Allred, “iZombie” takes very little from its source material, even changing the protagonist’s name to one of Thomas and Ruggiero-Wright’s many amusing pun-based monikers. Liv is a promising medical resident with a picture-perfect relationship with her hunky fiancé Major Lillywhite (Robert Buckley) when an ill-fated night out at a boat party ends in her becoming one of the undead.

Liv isn’t a grunting, stumbling corpse, though; she’s essentially still herself, just with paler skin, white hair and almost no resting heart rate. Oh, and she also has a craving to eat brains, without which she’ll degenerate further into a more stereotypical zombie. As is often the case for network TV shows, “iZombie” grafts its high-concept premise onto a crime procedural, as Liv quits her hospital job to go work in the police morgue alongside Dr. Ravi Chakrabarti (Rahul Kohli). She discovers that eating brains not only gives her sustenance, but also provides visions from the dead person’s life, which helps in finding out information about murder victims.

Liv teams up with police detective Clive Babineaux (Malcolm Goodwin) to aid in his investigations, at first claiming to be psychic before eventually letting him in on her zombie secret. Initially, Liv and fellow boat party victim Blaine DeBeers (David Anders) seem to be the only surviving zombies in Seattle, but “iZombie” eventually builds out an entire zombie subculture, with the effects of brain-eating as a central facet.

Along with the dead person’s memories, zombies also absorb some of the victim’s personality, giving McIver the chance to play everything from a hockey bro to a dominatrix over the course of the series.

‘iZombie’ mixes quirky characters with sci-fi ambition

Blaine is just one of many memorable villains that Liv contends with across five seasons of “iZombie,” and guest stars including Steven Weber, Robert Knepper and Jason Dohring of “Veronica Mars” make strong impressions as devious antagonists. Liv also builds a makeshift team/family of allies as more characters learn about her zombie nature.

Although she breaks up with Major when she first becomes undead, he’s quickly drawn back into various zombie conspiracies, as is Liv’s best friend and roommate, lawyer Peyton Charles (Aly Michalka). Recurring characters like vain TV weatherman Johnny Frost (Daran Norris) and smarmy defense attorney Brandt Stone (Ken Marino) give the show a comfortable, lived-in feel as Liv navigates her new existence.

In its later seasons, “iZombie” gets a little too ambitious, turning Seattle into a dystopian zombie enclave ruled by the private military contractor Fillmore Graves, and the budget doesn’t always match up to the grand storytelling ambitions. Even so, the creators mostly maintain the episodic procedural structure amid the increasing serialization, giving Liv the chance to adopt more offbeat personalities and bring justice to more murdered people.

McIver takes on every new persona with enthusiasm and skill, showcasing her wide range as a comedic actor while also giving her chances for dramatic depth as the stakes rise for Liv and her friends. Throughout the series, Thomas, Ruggiero-Wright and their collaborators stretch the boundaries of the zombie concept, never falling back on the obvious clichés.

As someone who’s seen seemingly every type of zombie story, I find that consistently delightful, even more so as zombies retain their hold on horror pop culture, rarely doing more than what’s expected of them.

Stream “iZombie” on Prime Video now

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Based on Stephen King’s 2019 novel of the same name, “The Institute” is a sci-fi thriller series that first premiered on MGM+ in July 2025. Starring Ben Barnes, Mary-Louise Parker and Joe Freeman, the adaptation quickly made an impression with audiences, recording one of the best premieres in the streamer’s history.

Now, the King adaptation is back, with the story continuing beyond the events of the original novel. As a fan of the first season and this genre in general, I have plenty of thoughts.

Season 2 picks up following Luke Ellis (Joe Freeman) and his friends’ escape from Dennison, as they set out to bring the Institute down for good. However, their freedom doesn’t mean they’re out of danger, with the organization already working to rebuild under the direction of a powerful new ally, tech billionaire Nolan Reeves (Alfie Allen). Meanwhile, Ms. Sigsby (Mary-Louise Parker) finds herself on the outside looking in and is determined to find a way back into the organization. With more secrets to uncover and new threats emerging, the fight against the Institute is far from over.

I’ve watched the episodes ahead of their official release on MGM+ and I’m ready to share my honest thoughts on whether this Stephen King adaptation is worth your time. From its expanded storyline and returning characters to the new additions and twists, there’s plenty to get stuck into now that the first episode is streaming.

‘The Insitute’ season 2 is bigger and darker

Season 2 picks up almost immediately after the events of the first, with Luke and the others having escaped the Institute and desperately trying to put as much distance between themselves and the organization as possible. We initially find them fleeing on the back of a train before jumping forward four months, where the group is now hiding out in a disused construction site.

Tim (Ben Barnes) is still recovering from his bullet wound, but the experience has left him tougher and more guarded, particularly when it comes to keeping the children safe. Meanwhile, Luke’s precognition abilities are kicking into full swing, making him more determined than ever to track down a specific flash drive that could bring the organization down for good.

The series takes a little while to find its feet, but things start to pick up as the episodes progress. That slower approach does at least give the characters more room to breathe, with the story regularly switching between Luke and the other children and the powerful figures pulling the strings behind the Institute.

One of the most interesting additions is Nolan Reeves (Alfie Allen), an eccentric European tech billionaire who financially backs the organization. He’s not quite as straightforward as he first appears, and his own ambitions add another layer of mystery to the season. It’s nice to see the show introduce someone who could potentially be just as dangerous as the people already running the operation.

Joe Freeman and Ben Barnes remain two of the season’s biggest strengths, delivering performances that capture very different sides of the fight against the Institute. Freeman brings plenty of determination to Luke’s search for justice, while Barnes does a good job showing how Tim’s experiences have changed him and how much he fears losing the people he’s trying to protect. Not everything works quite as well, however. The developing love triangle between Luke, Kalisha (Simone Miller) and Nicky (Fionn Laird) is one of the weaker additions, particularly because their strongest connections have always felt rooted in friendship. It comes across as a little forced and doesn’t feel especially necessary.

Unfortunately, season 2 has lost some of the initial spark that made its predecessor so compelling. The first season had such an intriguing central mystery and a claustrophobic atmosphere that made the Institute feel genuinely unsettling, and that’s something the follow-up doesn’t quite manage to recapture. There are still some tense episodes and interesting developments, but the story occasionally feels like it’s revisiting familiar ground, with certain plot points and structural choices feeling a little too similar to what we’ve already seen. Still, there’s enough here to keep fans invested, and the ending leaves the door open for another chapter.

Verdict: ‘The Institute’ season 2 takes some bold steps beyond the original story

One thing season 2 certainly has going for it is its ambition. The series feels noticeably bigger this time around, with more varied settings, additional characters and some larger action sequences that give the story a different sense of scale. Not all of it lands, though, and some questionable special effects take away from the impact of certain locations and bigger moments. Thankfully, the cast and the underlying story are strong enough to make up for some of those shortcomings, keeping things engaging even when the visuals don’t quite deliver.

With the first season having covered the entirety of Stephen King’s original novel, the decision to take the story in a new direction gives the writers much more creative freedom. I think that mostly works in its favor, even if the results are a little uneven at times. There’s still plenty left to explore within this world, and the second season leaves enough doors open to make me curious about what comes next. There’s enough here to make another visit to the Institute worthwhile.

"The Institute" season 2 is streaming on MGM+, with new episodes arriving every Sunday.

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I've always been a little bit confused about the launch of Camera Control on the iPhone 16. It's one of those features that generally feels pretty redundant, especially since there are already better ways to quick launch the camera app that Apple hasn't bothered with yet. Well the good news is that the standalone Camera Control button could be on its way out, or at least it might be according to one leaker.

The leaker Instant Digital posted about this on their Weibo account, noting that the Camera Control and Action Buttons could be merged as soon as next year's iPhone 20. The new button will apparently launch the camera with a single tap, while press-and-hold will fire up whatever Action Button setting you have mapped. There's no mention of touch sensitivity, or any of the other Camera Control features that are currently available.

Instant Digital clarifies that this means the Action Button will be rolled into Camera Control, rather than the other way around. This presumably means the button will remain on the bottom right side of the phones, in the spot Camera Control currently occupies. That said, whichever way this might happen, I am all for it, because I've never liked Camera Control.

We never needed Camera Control in the first place

I've been using iPhones on and off for years, since before the Camera Control button was added to the iPhone 16 series two years ago. Apple marketed this button as a way to instantly access the camera with a single click and adjust camera features with your finger — rather than the touchscreen controls.

Apple didn't come up with the idea of a dedicated camera button, those have existed on smartphones for years, but mostly fell out of favor. Instead phones came up with better ways to access the camera with the existing button layout — including the well known "double tap" gesture on an Android phone's power button.

Admittedly Camera Control was meant for more. It was a way to access Visual Intelligence, until it got rolled into the camera app as "Siri Mode," and to adjust various different camera levels without having to poke around on the screen.

Though, in my experience with recent iPhones, that was never particularly appealing. On-screen controls always felt faster and simpler, especially since I could adjust things like zoom without taking my hands off the phone itself.

It's really not that difficult to do, and I've never felt the need to actually utilize the Camera Control button to the fullest extent of its capabilities. The older ways were easier and simpler to do, and didn't require much in the way of thinking first. Plus, the volume keys were (and still are) a valid way to activate the shutter for photos and video.

I've never fully understood why Apple felt the need to add that extra button to the side of the iPhone, when better alternatives were already being used. Especially after all the rumors that suggested Apple was trying to eliminate buttons altogether.

Combining buttons is the perfect middle ground

I'll admit, in the same way that I do not care for the Camera Control button, there are plenty of people who do. In fact some of them have already taken to social media sites like Reddit to discuss their own feelings about both the Action Button and Camera Control — many of them lamenting the fact that the current iterations may be lost.

I get it to an extent, but it still feels as though iPhones are getting a little too cluttered for my liking, especially on the smaller models. That's assuming you ignore all those rumors about a possible third button on the iPhone 17, which didn't come to pass because it would have been a step too far.

The features that are on offer aren't necessarily bad, but there are better ways to implement them. Combining Camera Control and the Action Button together is one good way of doing it. After all, the Action Button is triggered by a long press, while the Camera Control opens your camera with a single or double press. There's no reason why the two can't live in harmony as a single dual-purpose button.

Of course turning the Camera Control button into an Action Button will mean Siri Mode needs a new shortcut. At the moment, pressing and holding the Camera button launches the camera app in Apple's AI camera mode, just like how it launched Visual Intelligence before the release of iOS 27.

Likewise you won't be able to use the Action Button while the camera is open, since that action is already reserved for recording video — and nobody wants to get rid of that. I'm guessing that the emphasis on the claim that the Action Button will become part of Camera Control means the latter's touch-sensitive controls will stick around for people that actually use them.

Sure, it will take some getting used to, regardless of how old your current iPhone might be, but I think that it will end up being the more efficient option in the long run. I just hope they pick a more sensible spot, because the bottom right side of an iPhone doesn't really scream "Action" to me.

Bottom line

The one thing that has to be made very clear is that this is an unverified rumor. Instant Digital doesn't have a bad reputation, but that doesn't mean they have a 100% track record, and we're still pretty early in the iPhone 20 development cycle. So, in other words, there's no guarantee that Apple will actually make this change with the iPhone 20.

Especially when you remember all the other Camera Control rumors that never came true, and the fact the iPhone 20 is also rumored to swap out buttons for haptic sensors. If every phone rumor we heard turned out to be true, these devices would be a complete mess.

Still, I would quite like to see this happen. The Action Button is useful, and I don't want to see that go away, but there are plenty of people who have grown to like the Camera Control button too — even if I don't really care for it myself. If you're going to keep both, you might as well merge them into a single, easy to use button.

At the very least it's going to look and feel neater than plastering the iPhone with more buttons than a keyboard.

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"Top Gun." "Raiders of the Lost Ark." "Ghostbusters." "Back to the Future." "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back." Everybody knows — and has probably seen — these '80s movies, but the Me Decade spawned a whole lot more films, many of which you might not have seen. So, let's hop in the DeLorean and go back in time to rediscover some lost classics.

As a child of the 80s, I've picked five movies ranging from horror to comedy, and starring professional wrestlers, a future Batman, and, because it's the 80s, John Cusack.

5 best '80s movies you (probably) haven't seen

'They Live' (1988)

"Put the glasses on!" Thus starts one of the most epic fight scenes in all of moviedom between Nada (Roddy Piper) and Frank (Keith David). The reason? Nada wants Frank to don the shades and expose him to the fact that aliens have permeated society and are brainwashing earthlings into becoming subservient consumers.

This B-level horror flick directed by John Carpenter has a few other choice lines from Piper, the pro-wrestler-turned-actor, and has even more to say about rampant consumerism and economic inequalities in society. The fight scene itself is so iconic that it was parodied in an episode of "South Park," but that's not the only reason to check out this movie as we head into the holiday shopping season.

Watch "They Live" on Prime Video now

'Better Off Dead' (1985)

John Cusack's fame was still on the rise when he starred in this rom-com as Lane Meyer, a hapless teenager dumped by his girlfriend for the popular ski jock in high school. In typical 80s fashion, he falls for a French exchange student, who helps him get his mojo back — and face his nemesis in a ski race down the mountain.

"Better Off Dead" came out one year after "Sixteen Candles," and four years before "Say Anything," so you can see the young Cusack still perfecting his craft. And, with plenty of quotable moments in this movie, you definitely won't want your two dollars back.

Watch "Better Off Dead" on Prime Video (buy/rent) now

'Top Secret!' (1984)

Catch another star on the rise in this hilarious comedy, which sees pop idol Nick Rivers (Val Kilmer) join a resistance movement in East Germany to free a scientist held captive. Directed by Jim Ambahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker — the geniuses behind "Airplane!" and "The Naked Gun" — this movie is absolutely packed with belly-laughing dialogue and sight gags galore. There's even one scene where everything is filmed backwards.

"Top Secret" is Val Kilmer's first movie credit on IMDB, but you can see early on that he's got the chops for a hugely successful career. He's so baby-faced in this film that it's hard to believe that in just two years, he'd be the chiseled Iceman in "Top Gun."

Watch "Top Secret!" on Prime Video (buy/rent) now

'Highlander' (1986)

"There can be only one." Thus is the premise of "Highlander," which follows an immortal Scot (Christopher Lambert) as he duels others of his kind to become the last one standing. The only way you can kill an immortal? Slicing their head off, which means you get some excellent swordplay throughout this uneven movie.

While Lambert and accent are nominally the star of the film, both Sean Connery and Clancy Brown absolutely dominate their scenes. Brown, especially, is a real treat as the villain Kurgan. As a bonus, the entire soundtrack was scored by Queen, including an incredible rendition of "New York, New York."

While there were several forgettable sequels made — and a remake is in the works with Henry Cavill — do yourself a favor and check out the original.

Watch "Highlander" on Prime Video now

'Evil Dead II' (1987)

While its title would have you think that "Evil Dead II" is a sequel, it's more of a remake of the original 1981 film, but with the blood and campiness dialed up to the extreme. A group of college students goes for a little vacation in the woods, but when they play a recording from the Necronomicon (the book of the dead), they unleash an evil terror who tries to kill them all. Their only hope is Ash (Bruce Campbell), who's as quick with a joke as he is with a chainsaw.

The movie, directed by Sam Raimi ("Spider-Man," "Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness"), is carried by Campbell, who really sells the slapstick in sliced-off limbs. If you enjoy this movie, then be sure to check out its sequel "Army of Darkness," which came out in 1992, and is more action than horror — but even funnier.

Watch "Evil Dead II" on HBO Max now

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Going into this, I thought that "The Magnificent Seven" (2016) would be a tough movie to recommend. It's not that I expected it to be the worst film in my 52-movie-long Denzel Watchathon. I thought it would be perfectly fine, and ultimately, it did live up to those moderate expectations. The problem is, this movie is a remake of the 1960 Western classic of the same name, and that's one of the greatest Westerns ever made.

Further complicating things is that the 1960 version of "The Magnificent Seven" isn't even the best version of that story. That honor belongs to Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai," a movie you likely heard of and almost certainly saw an homage to at some point. It's been remade or copied directly over a dozen times and then indirectly probably scores more. One of my favorite clones of "Seven Samurai" is the episode "Bounty Hunters" from "Star Wars: The Clone Wars."

In short, it's tough to recommend watching a movie that's an inferior copy of a copy, even if the movie itself is perfectly fine. But as I watched this latest homage to Kurosawa, I realised that there is an audience for this movie. Especially while you can still stream it for free.

If you want to watch this movie before you read on, I have good news! It's currently streaming for free on Tubi, one of the best free streaming services we've tested. You can also stream it for free on YouTube (with ads).

'The Magnificent Seven' is a great starter Western ... just not a great movie

If you're a fan of Westerns, you can probably turn back now. Not only have you probably seen the original 1960 version of "The Magnificent Seven," but you've probably seen "Seven Samurai." If that's the case, the only reason for watching this movie is if you're a Denzel Washington completist like me. Again, this isn't because the movie is bad; it's just that it doesn't bring anything to the table aside from updating the call sheet.

But for those of you who are new to the Western genre, this movie is a great starting point. It stars Denzel Washington as Sam Chisholm, a bounty hunter from Kansas. He is in search of a fugitive, which causes him to cross paths with Emma (Haley Bennett). Her town of Rose Creek is in danger of being taken by a mining tycoon, Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard), and she's trying to find men who will help the townspeople keep their land.

Sam agrees to help her, so he recruits a group of six others (Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Lee Byung-hun, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo and Martin Sensmeier) to help Emma and her fellow citizens make a stand against Bogue. Upon arrival in Rose Creek, they quickly dispatch Bogue's agents left behind to keep the townspeople in check, then get to work training the newly conscripted soldiers and setting up traps for when Bogue eventually returns to claim the town.

That's essentially the long and short of this movie's plot, aside from the climactic battle, and that is one of the problems with this remake.

The 1960 original and Kurosawa's 1954 classic both make serious attempts to emotionally connect you to the seven soldiers and the townspeople they're defending. There are romantic entanglements, class struggles, betrayals and more.

This 2016 version only ever hints at delving deeper into its characters. We learn that Ethan Hawke's Goodnight Robicheaux is suffering from PTSD following his time as a Confederate sharpshooter in the U.S. Civil War, which Chris Pratt's Joshua Faraday refers to as "The War of Northern Aggression." Given that both these men are currently serving under Sam, a Black man — Sam and Robicheaux even clearly have a strong friendship — you'd think that there'd be some deeper exploration of the racial tensions between these characters. But clearly Robicheaux and Faraday were just fighting for states' rights.

The closest we really get to any sort of emotional connection is in the film's climactic battle, when Faraday and Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), who openly harbor some dislike for each other over racial animosity, find themselves bonded by blood in the movie's deadlier moments. We also learn, just at the end, why Sam really agreed to help these townspeople. This is a construct crafted completely by the 2016 movie, so I won't spoil the big reveal for you here. But I'll just say I wish the movie had chosen to let us sit with the information going into the final gunfight rather than turn it into a twist.

Still, if you're brand new to Westerns, the final showdown of this movie is undeniably epic. It's around 30 minutes of non-stop shooting and action. So, if you're just looking to dip your toe into the genre, it's okay if you pick something like this that doesn't quite get into the nuances and emotional depth that it should. Start with this, see if you can handle the violence, and then branch out into more well-crafted movies in the genre.

Verdict: 'The Magnificent Seven' is a great entry point for budding Western lovers, but only if it's free to stream

It's worth noting that my recommendation of this as a starter Western is only applicable as long as this movie is streaming for free. I cannot and do not advocate that you pay any of your hard-earned dollars to see this film. Not when there are other great Westerns available to stream for free, including "Seven Samurai," which, despite its setting of feudal Japan, is undeniably a Western.

But that movie is also in Japanese, so it's less accessible for those not yet fully comfortable with subtitles. It's also in black-and-white, which isn't everyone's preferred format. For me, someone who owns the Criterion Collection 4K disc of Kurosawa's masterpiece, those aspects of the film are both positives, but I can see how they'd be barriers to entry.

So if you're truly just looking for a starter-kit Western, you could do a lot worse than Denzel's version of "The Magnificent Seven," and not least of all because it has Denzel in it. Just make sure, once you're done, to branch out further into the genre. Once you're hooked, there's an entire lifetime's worth of Western movies to explore.

Stream "The Magnificent" for free right now on Tubi or for free on YouTube

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While I'd usually queue up the holiday movies as the season approaches, for some reason, I'm not quite ready this year. I miss long summer days, even if they do come with insects and heat. Like me, if you are longing for beachy days, you may want to skip the queue of winter-heavy movies and opt for a summer-based thriller instead.

I happened upon "The Mean Season" on Tubi while looking for a thriller, and it completely swept me away. Starring Kurt Russell, Mariel Hemingway, and Richard Jordan, the film is set in a stormy, beautiful Miami during its "mean season" of storms and hurricanes.

It let me put off the cold weather a little longer while keeping me captivated by an intricate serial-killer plot — the ultimate escape from the dark fall and winter days to come. And best of all, it's completely free to stream "The Mean Season" since it's on Tubi.

What is 'The Mean Season' about?

"The Mean Season" kicks off with a murder. Alongside shots of a newspaper's printing press, a woman is seen walking out to the beach. At first, she seems to smile, only for someone to come up behind her, pointing a gun. The camera cuts away to a looming storm as a gunshot rings out.

The next scene introduces us to the weary Malcolm Anderson (Kurt Russell), who is ready to leave behind his journalism career in Miami for a slower life with his girlfriend, Christine Connelly (Mariel Hemingway), in Colorado. But before he leaves, his editor, Bill Nolan (Richard Masur), approaches him with one final assignment: a body that's been found.

The victim turns out to be a teenage girl. Malcolm is on the scene, talking to witnesses and gathering information, then returns to the office to write up the article. After it gets printed, he gets a phone call. While initially thinking it was a prank or a strange reader, the caller (Richard Jordan) admits to being the one who killed the girl. He even shares details only the killer would know.

Thus begins a truly bizarre relationship between reporter and murderer. The killer wants Malcolm to keep writing about him. Despite Malcolm's longing to escape the entire hustle for news, he can't help but stay and see it all play out. As the news reports on the crimes, the killer becomes restless, believing that too much focus is on Malcolm and not on the killer himself. It won't be long before both Malcolm and his girlfriend are at risk.

Why I recommend you stream 'The Mean Season'

While "The Mean Season" has its flaws, Russell and Jordan's excellent acting and the vivid Miami setting make it an electric thriller. These types of late '80s thrillers always leave me wanting more; it's something about the gritty setting and the less-than-combed look of the entire movie that makes it feel more real than anything of our modern era.

Plus, I've always loved Kurt Russell in films. He manages to portray a charming, decent man with notable personality flaws—including the ambition shown here that leads him into a relationship with a killer, putting both his and his girlfriend's lives at risk.

Richard Jordan as the killer is downright frighteningly good. He plays a diabolical man incredibly well, reminding me of how much we lost when this actor passed away far too soon. He's one of the biggest reasons to spend time watching this flick.

I also can't resist the Miami beach setting, especially with the stormy weather looming as equally close and threatening as the killer himself.

Also, keep an eye out for a fresh-faced Andy Garcia as Detective Ray Martinez. He does an excellent job matching the intensity of the moment throughout the movie.

Stream "The Mean Season" free on Tubi

I’ve spent thousands of hours with my PS5 since launch. But in all that time, every single one of the best PS5 games I’ve enjoyed has been played on a stock DualSense controller. I’ve never used a so-called “pro” controller.

That was until this week, when I got my hands on Nacon’s new Revolution 5 Unlimited controller, designed for use with Sony’s current generation console (and PC). It’s opened my eyes to a whole new way of experiencing competitive gaming. It's made returning to my regular old DualSense a challenge (sadly, the Revolution 5 Unlimited sometimes needs to charge).

This $230 / £179 pad most definitely qualifies as a pro controller, offering a vast array of features and upgrades: Magnetic TMR joysticks, dual-mode actuation triggers, and seven (yes, seven) fully programmable shortcuts. And that’s just the start; there’s one upgrade that stands out most of all, and it turns this third-party controller into a genuine game-changer.

Nacon R5U’s biggest upgrade is unmissable

You can’t fail to notice the biggest thing that sets the Nacon Revolution 5 Unlimited apart from a stock PS5 DualSense. It’s not the offset sticks, redesigned d-pad, or all those extra buttons on the back of the controller. No, the eye-catcher is the (roughly) 1.8-inch display on the controller face.

Replacing the DualSense’s largely useless touchpad (on the R5U the touchpad is reassigned to a button between the d-pad and right analog stick), Nacon calls it the “command screen,” and it’s a very fitting name.

The display gives you instant access to the controller’s “mapping” features, letting you select inputs for the four back buttons, two buttons on the top of the controller, and even reassign the “touchpad” button. I recommend keeping the latter set to the default input, as most games require it.

There’s no need to mess around in the PS5’s settings menus or use a companion mobile/desktop app; you can assign each additional button directly on the controller’s display. While I haven't used a controller that requires an app, I can't imagine not having a built-in display now. Assigning shortcuts on the fly is unbelievably convenient and makes experimenting with different input combinations straightforward.

The controller also offers up to eight individual profiles, which you can swap between directly on the R5U at the touch of a button. This allowed me to create input combinations tailored to the various games I’m playing right now, and leap between them instantly. It’s a breeze!

Sadly, it’s not all upgrades. While this new Nacon controller is officially licensed, it doesn’t include some DualSense-exclusive features, namely haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. And it can’t be used to turn on your PS5 console, which is a small inconvenience in the grand scheme. Plus, to connect it wirelessly, you’ll need to use the supplied USB dongle.

Has the R5U made me a better PS5 player?

There isn’t really a scientific way to judge whether I play better on the DualSense or the Nacon Revolution 5 Unlimited, but I’d say I feel more in control when playing with the R5U.

Well, I do now, at least; that was most certainly not the case initially. A pro controller like this is designed for competitive online play, and what better way to test it out than on the recently released Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, the latest installment in the annual shooter series.

Turns out that trying to unlearn more than 30 years of muscle memory playing on a standard controller is kind of hard, and out of the gate, my fingers were confused, caught behind using the back buttons to shoot and the regular triggers. But this adaptation period didn’t hold me back for too long, and eventually I was able to start developing new muscle memory.

I’m a pretty average CoD player in general (my K/D averages out to an unspectacular 1.0), and while using the R5U hasn’t seen my performance suddenly leap up into e-sports pro territory, in a game like CoD where micro-seconds count, I feel like I’m getting the drop on enemy players where previously I might not. But this could be a placebo effect, of course.

Another game I’ve been using to test out the R5U this week is Star Wars: Galactic Racer, and this is one where I can say the R5U has made a difference. Assigning my speeder’s boost and drift to back buttons (X and Square on a DualSense) means I never have to take my fingers off either stick. My racing lines have never been cleaner, and my lap times better.

Nevertheless, if you’re more of a single-player gamer, I don’t think there’s much of a case for a controller like the R5U. But if you enjoy competitive online play, it offers additional control options, and because it’s so customizable, you can find the setup that enhances your skills.

We’ll have a full review of the Nacon Revolution 5 Unlimited on Tom’s Guide soon, but as far as initial impressions go, it’s quickly become my preferred PS5 controller. As somebody who’s loved the standard PS5 DualSense since day one, that is a very big compliment.

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Have you recently checked out a certain Irishman's latest action-thriller involving a combat veteran? Then you’re likely keen to revisit some of Liam Neeson’s past action work. I’ve got you covered on that front. Cold, charismatic and with an iconic accent that could melt steel, how can you not love this actor’s stellar CV?

I’ve adored Liam ever since I first saw him in 1995’s “Rob Roy”, even if his Highland accent isn’t the best. Hey, I’m Scottish (I can judge). Over the last 20 years of tackling terrorists and timber wolves, Neeson has become a slightly unlikely action star. After all, how many performers can claim to be an actual Jedi who has also starred in a Steven Spielberg Best Picture winner? ‘One’ is the answer. His name is Liam Neeson, and here are three action movies you need to watch after seeing “The Mongoose”.

‘Taken’ (2008)

Ah yes, the film that alerted the world to Mr. Nesson’s “very particular set of skills”. Said skills happen to include beating bad guys rotten, should they be silly enough to kidnap Big Liam’s daughter. Though it seems bizarre to say, considering he played the main role in 1993’s widely acclaimed “Schindler’s List”, 2008’s “Taken” does feel like the iconic North Irishman’s most pivotal part.

However “The Mongoose” ultimately performs at the box office, you could argue the main reason Neeson’s latest project exists is because of “Taken”. In playing a vengeful father capable of kicking serious ass well into middle age, Liam laid down the blueprint for 20 years’ worth of solid action work. This thriller pinned Neeson as the go-to hard guy with a heart. He’s deservedly lived well off that image ever since.

Watch "Taken" on Prime Video (buy/rent) now

‘The Grey’ (2011)

Let me paint you a picture: Liam Neeson vs wolves. That’s it. You’re either in or you’re out… and you should definitely be in. The premise is semi-absurd — Neeson’s refinery worker survives a plane crash in Alaska then has to beat up fluffy timber predators — but “The Grey” totally works as a no-frills ‘guilty pleasure’ movie. Don’t let anyone ever judge you for enjoying Liam kicking CGI wolves to the turf.

Admittedly, said effects haven’t aged that well. Hollywood continues to have a problem nailing down convincing CG fur. Still, that shouldn't put you off this chilly thriller. The whole reason the movie works is because Neeson treats proceedings with his trademark sense of unironic gravitas. When he kicks a computer-generated canine in the face, you know he believes it. After the all-timer that is 1981’s “American Werewolf in London”, this is definitely my second favorite lupine flick.

Watch "The Grey on Prime Video (buy/rent) now

‘Unknown’ (2011)

The Year of our Lord 2011 was a big one for Mr. Neeson. Qui-Gon Jinn really enjoyed getting into crashes over this 12 month period (see “The Grey” above). A handsome man who is at least six feet and four inches tall shouldn’t be able to play a low-key doctor so well, but that’s Jedi mind tricks for you. Hollywood has seen Neeson as an every man for a couple of decades now, even in real life you know the actor could slay you with an upper eyebrow.

A Berlin-set tale of stolen identities, there’s a hint of Hitchcock classic “North by Northwest” about this Neeson thriller; even if the film takes itself more seriously than Alfred’s iconic dark comedy. The convenient "Amnesia Effect” trope is admittedly on the nose, but Neeson plays out the action with his typified class. It’s no "Schindler's List”, but "Unknown" is still worth 113 minutes of your time.

Watch "Unknown" on Prime Video now

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The Steam Deck is one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. Valve’s handheld PC can play so many games with ease. However, with the Steam Machine and Steam Frame now available, the Steam Deck is still one of the best handhelds for retro gaming in 2026.

I’ve always been a retro gamer. I grew up with Sonic the Hedgehog, Tomb Raider, Metal Gear Solid, and others. I’ve carried a PS Vita in my backpack for years so I could play titles from each of these series, and more, on the go. Granted, recent remasters mean I haven’t needed to use the Vita as much, but plenty still hasn't appeared on modern systems.

It’s why the Steam Deck fills that gap. Not only can I play DRM-free games via GOG and many Steam games that haven't been updated in years, but I can also use many emulators, giving me access to titles that have next to no chance of appearing anytime soon. With that in mind, here’s how you can set up your Steam Deck as a powerful retro handheld.

EmuDeck

Although the Steam Deck OLED is almost 3 years old as of this writing, it’s still powerful enough to play plenty of games from the PlayStation 3 era. Games like Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II and Dead or Alive 3 run at full speed thanks to Dolphin and Xemu, respectively.

But setting up all these emulators can be a hassle, which is where EmuDeck comes in. In less than 10 minutes, you can transfer games from your PC or Mac to your Steam Deck via its ROM Manager, and start playing games from your childhood. Better yet, EmuDeck works with SteamOS, so any titles you transfer will sit alongside your Steam library.

You don’t have to install every emulator, perhaps a few, just to save space on your Steam Deck. EmuDeck gives you plenty of control over your games and BIOS files, as well as how they look on the handheld’s display. The app is a fantastic way of playing games from your past without much hassle.

If you own a Steam Deck but have been tempted to play The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD or Tekken Tag Tournament, EmuDeck will make it happen. But something else has been making the Steam Deck an essential retro gaming machine that doesn’t run via emulators.

Decompilations

2026 will be known as the year when decompilations exploded, and for good reason. For anyone unaware, decompilations reverse-engineer games into source code, meaning long-standing bugs can be fixed and new features can be added. For example, Harbour Masters has released decompilations of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Banjo-Kazooie, Star Fox 64, and more.

You can play these on the best Windows PCs or Macs in native widescreen, with quality-of-life features and more benefits. But you can play plenty of others right now. The decomps subreddit mostly keeps track of what’s in development - with many of them not made by AI.

Wes Fenlon has a fantastic, frequently updated overview of decompilations and recompilations of classic games, and it also means many of these re-releases can be played on Steam Deck. Many, like Harbour Masters, offer a Linux version, so it’s a matter of installing the file and following a few steps to get it up and running.

It’s another way to preserve certain games that run even better than emulation. It’s also better for battery life on the Steam Deck, since these are native ports, meaning the CPU and GPU use less power to run the game. When you consider the native display resolution and graphical settings for these decompilations, it makes these games feel like they were meant to be played this way on the Steam Deck.

What’s next?

Game preservation is in a state of interesting flux. Emulators are now running games as originally intended, with no major graphical glitches or slowdown on devices from the Raspberry Pi to the Steam Deck. New emulators for PS4 and PS5 are already beginning to appear, which means games like Astro Bot and Marvel's Wolverine could someday be playable on a future Steam Deck handheld.

But there’s also the matter of decompilations. Plenty of AI-vibe-coded ones have recently appeared, to the detriment of others that have passionately reverse-engineered classic games with care and determination. You can keep track of others that are close to being fully decompiled at decomp.dev, with titles like Silent Hill, Starfox Adventures, and Super Smash Bros. Melee that could have the same benefits as Harbour Masters’ The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time decompilation someday.

Nevertheless, this is all good news for your Steam Deck. Emulation and decompilations give your handheld another way to play your favorite games on the go, including eras like the Game Boy and PlayStation 3. As things stand, it looks like there are plenty more decompiled titles to look forward to playing on it.

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Apple has long opposed releasing a touchscreen MacBook, with Steve Jobs himself calling touchscreen laptops “ergonomically terrible” and saying that “touch surfaces don’t want to be vertical.” As recently as 2021, current Apple CEO John Ternus stated that “the Mac is totally optimized for indirect input” and that Apple hadn’t “felt a reason to change that."

Now, in late 2026, Apple has reversed course by releasing the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display — its very first touchscreen MacBook.

Touchscreen laptops have been around for almost two decades, so Apple is decidedly late to the party here. That said, the wait has arguably been worth it for touchscreen lovers, as the feature works as well as Apple has advertised. As someone who has tested dozens of touchscreen laptops, I can tell you that the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display is easily among the best.

In my MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display review, I discussed the laptop’s touch functionality. However, I want to go into more detail here, as the touchscreen experience has been more useful than I expected. I won’t say it’s converted me into a touchscreen laptop enthusiast, but it has certainly made a strong case for a feature I’ve typically dismissed in the laptops I’ve reviewed.

Below, I’ll detail how the MacBook Pro OLED’s touchscreen works and what it’s like to use for everyday tasks. I’ll also cover some of the drawbacks, as this touch display isn’t without faults. With that said, let’s dive in.

How touch on the MacBook Pro works

Most laptops like the Dell XPS 16 (2026) use a separate digitizer to support touch input. But with the PROLED, Apple built the touch sensor directly into the display panel rather than layering it on top. This reduces latency and delivers higher-precision touch controls. The display supports the common gestures you’re used to, such as swiping, pinch-to-zoom, drag-and-drop, and double-tapping.

In practice, the touchscreen feels snappy and intuitive. Again, I test a lot of touchscreen laptops, and I immediately noticed how much faster the MacBook Pro responds to touch than its competitors. Using the touchscreen feels more like interacting with an iPad. I didn't notice any input lag.

Though I initially had to consciously use touch controls because I’m so used to doing everything on the keyboard and touchpad, I eventually switched between both. For example, I’d open apps by clicking the touchpad and then use my fingers to rearrange them on the touchscreen. I especially like how the red, yellow, and green window dots get bigger when you hold your finger over them, which also brings up the window-tiling options.

I mostly use Google apps like Docs and Drive for work, and so far I haven’t run into any issues with touch controls. Apple says many third-party applications already take advantage of touch controls, but some might not work as well. So far, I haven’t encountered any.

Even though I test touchscreen laptops, I don’t often use touch controls. I always assumed it was because I could do anything I needed with keyboard shortcuts and the touchpad. But given how much I use touch controls on the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, I wonder if I just didn’t like how (relatively) unintuitive the experience was on those Windows machines. Whatever the reason, I think it’s a small miracle that this laptop has made me use a feature I previously all but dismissed or ignored.

The trade-offs

Touch controls work well on the OLED MacBook Pro, but they have some drawbacks.

First, the touchscreen doesn’t support the Apple Pencil Pro. This is especially baffling since Apple itself says you can draw on the screen. While you can technically draw with your finger, I don’t think most artists would want to. Not only would it be uncomfortable, but a stylus offers more versatility than your natural digits.

Speaking of comfort, I also can’t imagine musicians opting to play a virtual piano/keyboard on the touchscreen. Again, this is technically possible, but I imagine it would be murder on your back and shoulders if you do that for extended periods.

On a related note, I found it interesting that many folks on YouTube asked us whether the PROLED MacBook Pros are iPad replacements. I’m not sure where that idea came from, especially since the display doesn’t flip like a 2-in-1 convertible laptop. Sure, the touchscreen is as responsive as on an iPad, but the laptop’s form factor alone prevents it from being an iPad replacement. And again, without Apple Pencil support, you wouldn’t get a 1:1 iPad experience anyway.

Outlook

Even if Apple was hesitant to introduce touch to MacBooks, I think it’s ultimately good that the company now gives customers the option. Yes, that option also comes with a steep price tag of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, but it’s there for folks who can genuinely use it—even with some of the inherent flaws I detailed above.

Now that touchscreen MacBooks are real, I wonder how much further Apple will push things. For instance, will the company eventually release 2-in-1 MacBooks that are better suited for iPad-like use? We can’t know for sure, but the door seems open now that Apple has reversed its stance on touchscreen laptops. Who knows what to expect?

While the touchscreen on the MacBook Pro with the PROLED XDR Display lacks Apple Pencil support and can be awkward at times, it mostly works as advertised. That might change with more testing, and I’ll report on it if and when it happens. Right now, though, I’m going to consider the MacBook Pro touchscreen a success.

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I like to think I’m a patient person, but now that we’re two weeks after the iPhone Duo release date, I’m starting to wonder what the heck is going on with the app situation.

It’s not like the iPhone Duo doesn’t have other issues, whether it’s “Crackgate,” the weighty design, or the lack of a telephoto zoom. But my biggest issue right now has nothing to do with Apple or the hardware.

Don’t get me wrong; there are plenty of apps that have already been updated and optimized for Apple’s first foldable phone. Some of my favorite iPhone Duo apps include YouTube TV, which allows you to watch four shows at once in a grid view, the PianoFold Rhythm game, and AirMail with its handy 2-column layout.

But overall I’m pretty shocked by how many high-profile apps still look awful on the $2,000 iPhone Duo 2. Here are some of the worst offenders, and I’m warning you now that several are from Google.

Google Drive

I use Google Drive all of the time for uploading photos and reviewing documents, but I simply don’t want to on the iPhone Duo because it’s so visually jarring. There are huge black bars on the left and right on the 7.6-inch display, and the buttons to rotate and enlarge the view don’t really help.

Uber

Here’s another app that fills up 1/3 of the screen. Granted, I mostly use Uber on the cover display for booking rides, but Lyft has already updated and optimized its app — so it fills the big screen.

Google Sheets

You would think that spreadsheets would look way better on the iPhone Duo’s main screen. And they would if the app was actually optimized. Instead, you get the same black bars here as in the Google Drive app, and you have to scroll a lot to see content. It looks totally unoptimized.

LinkedIn

Look, I’m not expecting an immersive LinkedIn experience when I use my iPhone Duo, but I’m not expecting a layout that looks outdated and broken. Pressing the rotate button fills up more of your screen, but it’s still not great. Maybe LinkedIn could post an app developer job ad…

DoorDash

I don’t have a major problem using the 5.4-inch cover display for ordering dinner. But I would at least like to have the option to use the bigger canvas for browsing menus, especially Cheesecake Factory.

Google Calendar

There are some pretty great calendar apps for the iPhone Duo. Google Calendar is not one of them. For now I would download Fantastical. It offers a wide format on the big screen and lets you easily check the weather along with your schedule and keep track of your to-dos.

Wells Fargo

This isn’t the only banking app that hasn’t been updated for the iPhone Duo yet, but it’s annoying for me because it’s the one I use. Wells Fargo is fine on the front screen for checking your balance or doing a quick transfer, but not so much for reviewing purchases where it helps to have more real estate.

Gmail

The Gmail app looks better than Drive and Sheets in that it actually fills the screen (yay!), but it doesn’t feature the 2-column layout that I would expect. So you can’t see your inbox on the left and your messages on the right as you can on Android foldables. It’s a massive waste of a 7.6-inch canvas.

Instacart

Did you hear that Doordash is buying Instacart for $17 billion? Well, it appears that neither company can afford to optimize their apps for the iPhone Duo right now. You basically get the phone app slapped on a larger screen, which makes shopping and browsing more tedious than it needs to be.

Bottom line

While there are plenty of apps that look great on the iPhone Duo, too many apps are just not optimized yet. And while it’s not Apple’s responsibility to fix the problem, the longer this drags on the more excuses people will have not to splurge. I would be way more aggressive in cajoling developers to update their wares for this form factor.

Maybe app makers are waiting for a critical mass of iPhone Duo users, which is a chicken-and-egg scenario that may be hard to overcome — at least until Apple is able to keep up with demand for this device.

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November is here, and we're still wondering where all the time has gone. Luckily, there's no shortage of goodies to stream on your favorite streaming service like Hulu, so you've got tons of options when deciding what to watch this weekend.

But it can be hard to sift through what you want to check out. That's why we've done all the choosing for you! First up is the return of Ryan Murphy’s gloriously soapy “All’s Fair” for a second season, with Kim Kardashian, Glenn Close and the rest of the all-female divorce firm back for more scandals, secrets and stilettos.

There’s also “The Remarried Empress,” a lavish new Korean period drama based on the hit webtoon, following a scorned empress who rewrites her own destiny after her husband brings home a new concubine.

And if you’d rather revisit an old favorite, the “Scrubs” revival is back with new episodes for season 2, reuniting Zach Braff, Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke at Sacred Heart for more comedy and a surprisingly emotional storyline.

Without further ado, here are three new titles worth adding to your Hulu queue this weekend -- and don't be afraid to go ahead and break out the holiday decorations. It's never too early.

'All's Fair' season 2

Genre: Drama

What is it about? Ryan Murphy’s campy courtroom drama returns for a second season inside the all-female divorce firm of Grant, Ronson & Greene. After splitting from their old male-led practice to launch their own, the attorneys face a new wave of soapy scandals and secrets. And this time, another new shocking revelation threatens the very existence of the firm. Kim Kardashian returns as Allura Grant, alongside Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Teyana Taylor, Sarah Paulson, and Glenn Close, with Cauã Reymond joining the cast this season.

Why you should watch it: Critics savaged the first season (and sometimes rightfully so), but viewers made it one of Hulu’s biggest hits as a silly and salacious guilty pleasure. It's basically a bunch of A-listers chewing every piece of scenery in sight, and this season will be more of the same.

Watch "All's Fair" season 2 on Hulu now

'The Remarried Empress'

Genre: Korean drama

What is it about? Based on the popular webtoon, this Korean period drama follows Navier (Shin Min-a), the empress of the Eastern Empire, who has built a prosperous land alongside her husband, Emperor Sovieshu (Ju Ji-hoon). Her world is forever changed when Sovieshu brings Rashta (Lee Se-young), a runaway slave, back to the palace with plans to make her his concubine. Rather than let heartbreak rule her, Navier stays composed and when Prince Heinrey (Lee Jong-suk), a charming rival leader from the Western Kingdom, takes an interest in her, she makes a life-changing choice that'll rewrite her own destiny.

Why you should watch it: The source webtoon racked up more than 2.6 billion views worldwide, and this adaptation brings its story to life with excellent production values. If you love historical dramas with a strong heroine at the center, this is a great additionto your K-drama queue.

Watch "The Remarried Empress" on Hulu now

'Scrubs' season 2

Genre: Comedy

What is it about? ABC’s “Scrubs” revival has returned to Sacred Heart Hospital for a second season, and the sitcom has had new episodes heading to the network and streaming every week. Zach Braff is back as daydreaming doctor J.D., alongside Donald Faison as his best friend Turk and Sarah Chalke as Elliot, with John C. McGinley reprising his role as the sarcastic Dr. Cox. This season gets a little more serious as J.D. rallies his friends to help Dr. Cox through an autoimmune illness that isn’t responding to treatment. all with a set of shifting changes happening throughout the hospital.

Why you should watch it: The original “Scrubs” is well-loved,and the revival’s first season earned largely positive reviews from critics and fans, proving the old magic is still intact. There are new episodes you can look forward to weekly that still bring the familiar feeling with gusto even after all these years.

Watch "Scrubs" season 2 on Hulu now

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With October in the can, we can finally say goodbye to the Sunday scaries. Hoorah! Now that Netflix’s November 2026 schedule is set, we’ve got plenty of great new content to get stuck into. This week, I’ve gone for a trio of shows that contain mercifully few frights.

First up is the highly-anticipated second season of “Black Doves”, where Keira Knightley continues to shine as the wife of the British Prime Minister… oh, and she’s also a covert spy. Next is the debut of “Will Trent” on Netflix. If you’ve slept on this charming detective drama, you’ve got a whole lot of binge-watching ahead of you this weekend with all four seasons now available. Lastly, season two of “North of North” is streaming, and Siaja’s chilly Canadian misadventures continue to delight.

Whether you're pining for spy thrills or gentle laughs with a detective and his tiny pooch, here are three fresh Netflix releases you should definitely add to your weekend watchlist.

'Black Doves' season 2

Talk about the best of British. “Black Doves” season 2 rocks an absolutely stellar cast of Blighty greats. Keira Knightley continues to impress as a covert agent who keeps leaking national secrets for the titular spy agency. Naughty Keira! She’s reunited with her handler Mrs. Reed (a typically charismatic Sarah Lancashire), who promptly goes missing, driving much of this season’s plot.

Our secrets-sharing protagonist also gets reacquainted with her best pal Sam (Ben Whishaw), who just so happens to be a professional assassin… and a bit of a drunk. This high-tension drama also benefits from the arrival of “Scream” legend Neve Campbell. Well plotted and stylishly shot, you can tell the Big N has chucked a huge amount at this thriller.

Watch "Black Doves" season 2 on Netflix now

'Will Trent' seasons 1-4

The first four seasons of this detective drama are now available to stream on Netflix, and "Will Trent" really does feel like a love letter to “Monk”. Tipping its hat to Tony Shalhoub’s awkward but brilliant homicide cop, the titular star of this show (played by Ramón Rodríguez) also struggles in social situations due to his dyslexia. Yet there’s no other agent you’d want on your case if you suddenly found your corpse ditched down a drainpipe.

Much of the action of “Will Trent” focuses on whether our hero can Sherlock his way through various Atlanta-based crimes. But the real hook beyond your standard police procedural tropes? That would be Will’s relationship with a newly adopted chihuahua called Bluebell. This easy going show has serious “Turner & Hooch” vibes. I’m all in.

Watch "Will Trent" seasons 1-4 on Netflix now

'North of North' season 2

Talk about a perfect show for these dark winter months. Focused on Ice Cove, Nunavut, this breezy comedy is set in Canada’s northernmost territory, meaning there’s a whole lot of daylight action. We’re once again back with Siaja (Anna Lambe), a young mother who’s still trying to figure out life post-divorce. In this second season, romance is back on the table, as our Inuk heroine enters the icy pools of the speed dating scene.

A big part of the show focuses on community, and Siaja now has to deal with new job demands under her boss Helen (Mary Lynn Rajskub, who you might remember as the irrepressible Chloe from “24”). “North of North” doesn’t trade in Jack Bauer breakneck action, but the show’s gentle laughs are occasionally punctuated with low-stakes drama, like a mini water crisis. Easy giggles and gorgeous scenery. What’s not to like?

Watch "North of North" season 2 on Netflix now

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November 2026 is here, which means a bunch of new titles are coming to top streaming services like Prime Video. And this weekend has a delightful mix of options where new TV shows are concerned, whether you're into boxing dramas, college romances or buddy thrillers.

First up is "The Greatest," an eight-part limited series centered on legendary American boxer and activist Muhammad Ali; the Prime Video bio-drama marks the first time that Ali's estate has fully approved and signed off on a scripted series about the boxing icon's life.

If you like your fighting to look more like an enemies-to-lovers dynamic, check out "Campus Drivers," a new college-set romance series based on a super-popular BookTok favorite. And if you want your crime drama with a side of lighthearted banter and buddy chemistry, tune into "Chaar Yaar," a new Hindi-language thriller set in early-aughts Mumbai.

That should keep you busy until Monday rolls around, right? Here are three top picks worth streaming on Prime Video this weekend.

'The Greatest'

What is it about: You know him as Muhammad Ali, arguably the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, but this eight-episode bio-drama lets you in on the young fella named Cassius Clay. In this first-ever authorized scripted series on the iconic prizefighter, we catch up with Clay (Jaalen Best) fresh off his landmark gold medal win at the 1960 Olympics, following the athlete as he sets his sights on the Heavyweight Championship and contends with newfound fame, family conflicts, and political strife along the way.

Why you should watch it: As one of the most legendary sports figures of all time, obviously a lot is known about Ali's fighting career and legacy, but this limited series pays equal attention to Clay's life beyond the fame and fortune. (Speaking of, the cast also includes Omari Hardwick as Ali's father, Cash, Dana Gourrier as his mother, Bird, and Kai Parham as his brother, Rudy.)

Stream "The Greatest" on Prime Video now

'Campus Drivers'

What is it about: Not to be confused with that other similarly titled Prime Video romance, "Off Campus," "Campus Drivers" is an upcoming French teen drama series based on C.S. Quill's best-selling college romance novels. Like "Off Campus," each book follows a different couple; the TV adaptation centers on Loïs (Carmen Kassovitz), a recently brokenhearted freshman at Belrose University who is forced into unexpected cohabitation with Lane (Baptiste Masseline), the charismatic creator of the campus's popular rideshare app.

Why you should watch it: If you're a BookTok superfan, you've no doubt already heard of Quill's popular book series. And if you enjoy steamy, new-adult romances like the aforementioned "Off Campus" or "Maxton Hall," this one should be right up your alley.

Stream "Campus Drivers" on Prime Video beginning Nov. 6

'Chaar Yaar'

What is it about: Set in early-2000s Mumbai, this eight-episode Hindi crime drama follows four middle-class friends—Jay Gala (Prayrak Mehta), Tony Gomes (Saqib Ayub), Saahil Shaikh (Purav Jha) and Sameer Khilji (Naman Jain)—who begin stealing cars to clear their heavy debts, a decision that pulls them into a massive interstate operation populated by ruthless gangsters, dangerous cartels and relentless cops.

Why you should watch it: With new titles arriving on the Amazon streaming service every single month, it's easy to miss an international gem like "Chaar Yaar," which arrived on Prime Video on October 23 and is packed with fun buddy chemistry and light thrills.

Stream "Chaar Yaar" on Prime Video now

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Paramount+ subscribers are spoilt for choice when it comes to recently added movies to watch this weekend. On November 1, the streaming service added 123 movies to its library, giving you plenty of options to consider. To help you find the gems, I've selected three I would watch.

Naturally, given the time of year, there are plenty of holiday movies now streaming on Paramount+, but making my pick was easy as Paramount+ just added my personal favorite Christmas film of all time. If you're not quite ready for festive-themed streaming, however, I'm also highlighting an iconic Sylvester Stallone action-thriller and an overlooked WWII drama.

Don't waste your weekend scrolling through the more than 120 movies just added to Paramount+. Here are the three that need to be at the very top of your watchlist.

'It's a Wonderful Life' (1946)

"It's a Wonderful Life" is practically mandatory viewing over the holiday season. This 1946 Frank Capra classic isn't just the best Christmas movie of all time, but one of the greatest films of the 20th century. Charming, warm and sentimental, it celebrates the true reason for the season in quite some style. It's a feel-good movie that almost every new holiday movie takes inspiration from; it's quite simply a timeless masterpiece.

James Stewart stars as George Bailey, a selfless man who has given up his own dreams to help his family and community. On Christmas Eve, he reaches rock bottom and considers suicide. However, his guardian angel, Clarence (Henry Travers), intervenes and shows George what a lesser place the world would be if he had never existed. Also starring Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore, "It's a Wonderful Life" lives up to its sterling reputation.

Watch "It's a Wonderful Life" on Paramount+ now

'First Blood' (1982)

Sylvester Stallone's John Rambo is one of the 1980s most iconic action heroes, which makes his debut, "First Blood," a little peculiar. Sequels would depict Rambo as an unstoppable killing machine, but in his first outing, he's a traumatized soldier, scarred by what he saw and what he did during the Vietnam War. In fact, Rambo kills only a single person in the entire movie, and even that death is typically classified as accidental.

If you're looking for '80s action pulp, go for one of the sequels, but if you want a tense thriller, then stream "First Blood." In my books, it's the best Rambo film of the lot. In "First Blood," Rambo (Stallone) finds himself on the wrong side of an arrogant small-town sheriff (Brian Dennehy); their confrontation spirals into a manhunt, as the law attempts to capture Rambo. But this former Special Forces soldier is a tricky man to catch.

Watch "First Blood" on Paramount+ now

'Allied' (2016)

The above picks are legendary movies. While they're still exceptional in 2026, you may have seen them before. So, for my final option this week, I'm going for "Allied." Directed by Robert Zemeckis (the filmmaker behind "Cast Away" and "Contact"), this 2016 wartime romantic drama stars Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard. It was a box office flop and received lukewarm reviews upon release, but I believe it's worthy of a second chance.

Opening in 1942, during World War II, operative Max Vatan (Pitt) is paired with a French Resistance fighter, Marianne Beauséjour (Cotillard). The two pose as a married couple as part of a plan to assassinate a German ambassador, only for their pretend romance to become real. They settle in London, get married, have a baby, and all seems well. That is, until Max is informed by his superiors that Marianne might just be a German spy.

Watch "Allied" on Paramount+ now

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If you're looking for something new to watch on Netflix this weekend, I've got you covered. November is already flying by, and that means another weekend and a fresh batch of movies to check out on the streaming service.

With plenty to choose from, knowing which new arrivals are actually worth your time can be tricky. I've picked out three of the best new movies to stream, covering a few different genres to suit whatever you're in the mood for.

The list includes a festive family drama about a household trying to find its feet again, and a tense psychological thriller starring Willem Dafoe as an art thief trapped inside a luxury penthouse. There's also a crime drama following a young woman who escapes her small-town life and gets caught up in a dangerous series of cons and heists across the American South. These are the three Netflix movies I'd recommend adding to your watchlist.

'A Dog's Perfect Christmas' (2026)

Netflix kicks off its original holiday movie lineup for 2026 with "A Dog's Perfect Christmas," which is already creeping towards the No. 1 spot on the streaming service and is an ideal pick for animal lovers. Based on W. Bruce Cameron's 2020 bestselling novel, the movie continues the author's familiar approach to heartfelt animal stories. Cameron co-wrote the screenplay with director Cathryn Michon, marking another collaboration between the pair following their previous adaptations of "A Dog's Purpose" and "A Dog's Journey."

This festive family comedy follows the Goss family as they prepare for Christmas amid a difficult period. Still grieving the loss of his wife, grandfather Sander (Dennis Quaid) struggles to get along with his teenage granddaughter Ello (Brooke Lena Johnson). But when a medical emergency leaves Ello's mother in a coma, the household faces an even bigger challenge. With the help of their loyal basset hound Winstead (voiced by Thomas Haden Church) and an adorable new Corgi puppy named Ruby, the family must find a way to keep things together while hoping for a Christmas miracle.

Watch "A Dog's Perfect Christmas" on Netflix

'Inside' (2023)

Willem Dafoe delivers a gripping solo performance in "Inside," a psychological thriller that puts him in the middle of an increasingly tense survival story. The film also takes a darkly satirical look at the world of high-end art collecting, exploring what happens when priceless possessions become useless in a fight to stay alive. Director Vasilis Katsoupis filmed the movie in chronological order over seven weeks, helping capture the physical and psychological toll of the character's ordeal. It's a great choice if you enjoy claustrophobic thrillers.

Nemo (Willem Dafoe) is an experienced art thief who breaks into a luxurious New York penthouse to steal several valuable paintings. However, when the apartment's advanced security system malfunctions, he finds himself locked inside with no way to contact the outside world. Initially expecting his accomplices to come to his rescue, Nemo soon realizes he's been abandoned. With limited food and water, he must find increasingly inventive ways to navigate the apartment, which is filled with expensive artwork and high-tech features. As the days turn into weeks, Nemo's attempts to escape become more desperate.

Watch "Inside" on Netflix

'Carolina Caroline' (2025)

"Carolina Caroline" is an indie crime thriller with a neo-noir romantic twist, bringing director Adam Carter Rehmeier and actor Kyle Gallner back together after their cult favorite "Dinner in America." Set against the dusty backroads and forgotten towns of the American South, the movie has a distinctive look, with plenty of retro vibes. It's certainly worth checking out too, especially with its impressive 90% Rotten Tomatoes score. If you enjoy offbeat crime thrillers with a strong sense of atmosphere, this one deserves a spot on your watchlist.

Caroline Daniels (Samara Weaving) is a young woman working at a gas station in rural Texas who dreams of leaving her small-town life behind. When she meets Oliver (Kyle Gallner), a charming drifter and experienced con artist, she becomes fascinated by his tricks and soon joins him on the road. The pair travel across the American South, pulling off increasingly daring scams and bank robberies while developing a passionate relationship. Along the way, Caroline hopes to track down her estranged mother in South Carolina. However, the couple soon find themselves in some dangerous situations.

Watch "Carolina Caroline" on Netflix

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If you want to know what it looks like when a trillion-dollar tech bubble violently collides with physical reality, just look at yesterday. $2.5 trillion in tech valuations were wiped off the board as Wall Street panicked about AI’s leverage — punishing tech giants for incinerating cash on infrastructure that isn’t generating immediate profit.

Simultaneously, as we saw on Wednesday, the American voter rejected data center expansions in 40 out of 41 local ballot measures. The hardware hoarders are losing their grip, and the panic is palpable. The era of scrutiny is here, and I want to show you two possible timelines of where this could go.

But first, we have to go back over a couple things.

The memory penalty

When faced with this stock crash, AMD CEO Lisa Su said, “We are a data center first company.” While I’d love to throw my hands up and get angry at this, I have to turn the BS detector on myself and address a brutal truth: she’s right. This market crash is a sentiment correction, not an overnight fab cancellation.

The big three memory foundries — SK Hynix, Samsung and Micron — operate on long-term agreements. 2026-2027 is already locked in at sky-high prices, and on top of that, enterprise AI accelerators consume roughly 3x the silicon wafers of standard consumer DDR5 memory.

As long as those massive AI server chips are shipping, conventional RAM capacity remains deeply suppressed.

Why foundries aren’t sweating yet

So, if Wall Street is slashing valuations and data center permits are being blocked, why aren’t memory foundries pivoting back to consumer PC hardware right now?

Two words: fulfillment trap.

Hyperscalers are also starving for memory, and receive around 60-70% of what they ask for. If Microsoft and Meta get spooked by the market and pull back their massive order growth by 10% or even 15%, it wouldn’t trigger a supply chain pivot. It just means the foundries are a little less overwhelmed. Demand still vastly exceeds total factory capacity.

If foundries are still frantically trying to fulfill enterprise contracts, they have zero financial incentive to redirect back to consumer memory.

For them to actually panic and pivot, hyperscaler orders have to crater. A simple market correction like this won’t do it. But a sweeping wave of municipal zoning bans? That changes the math entirely.

If tech giants are legally barred from breaking ground on new server farms, they are forced to cancel their existing silicon orders because they physically have nowhere to plug the chips in.

My RAMageddon timeline

We are not getting a massive surplus of GPUs and memory kits tomorrow morning. But the midterms and the stock market correction did put a concrete ceiling on the shortage. So let me take a stab at how I think this is going to unfold.

Hold the line

We aren’t completely out of the woods, and we still have to survive a brutal winter. But in my mind, those 2028 doom-and-gloom shortage predictions are officially dead.

The hyperscalers just hit a political and financial ceiling, which may lead to a peak in memory pricing this spring rather than running unchecked into next year.

Hold off on your PC upgrades — the local AI renaissance could be scheduled for the second half of 2027.

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Is there a better time than the weekend to kick back and relax with a nice film? We work all week, and having the chance to kick our feet up and watch a movie is the ultimate way to relax.

This week, I'm locked in on slightly older movies from the Prime Video new releases. We have a late 1980s cartoon that's extremely near and dear to my heart, a Christmas classic and a 2010s goofball movie that'll have you rolling on the floor laughing (assuming you have a tolerance for this sort of oddball humor).

These are the three new-to-Prime Video movies I think you should watch this weekend. There are only so many hours in a weekend, and you don't want to waste a bunch watching a bad film, so we'll guide you to the good ones.

'All Dogs Go To Heaven' (1989)

I love "All Dogs Go to Heaven." It's a sad movie — both from a real-world perspective, given the circumstances of young actress Judith Eva Barsi, and from the plot involving the dog Charlie B. Barkin, his best friend Itchy Itchiford, and what happens to dogs when they die. But it's also heartwarming and highly entertaining for people of all ages.

Why is it special to me? As a kid, I went on vacation to Florida, and the day I arrived, I came down with a stomach bug that knocked me out of commission for the entire one-week trip. I literally did nothing but sit around in my grandparents' house for my entire annual vacation. And between trips to the bathroom, I watched "All Dogs Go to Heaven" over and over. You'd think that would make me dislike the movie, since I associate it with a ruined trip, but it brings back happy memories and got me through a difficult week. But it's not nostalgia; I watched it again as an adult with my 9-year-old stepson, and we both loved it.

Watch "All Dogs Go to Heaven" on Prime Video now

'Jingle All The Way' (1996)

This is another throwback to my childhood — I guess I'm in a nostalgic mood today. But instead of associating this with sleeping on the bathroom floor, I remember watching it every winter to get ready for Christmas with the tale of Turbo Man (and sometimes in the middle of summer when I felt like throwing in a funny VHS).

Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad (yes, unlike the Mandela Effect version of "Shazam," he's really in this one), "Jingle All The Way" follows the hunt for a special toy (the aforementioned Turbo Man) and the chaos of trying to find it on Christmas Eve. Like many kids' movies, it all wraps up with a tidy bow in a completely unrealistic way, but that doesn't make it any less entertaining.

Watch "Jingle All The Way" on Prime Video now

'Hot Tub Time Machine' (2010)

I couldn't put only kid-friendly movies on the list, so the entirely not-child-appropriate "Hot Tub Time Machine" rounds it out. John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, and Clark Duke contrast each other to create pure hilarity in this raunchy R-rated comedy, where the four go into a hot tub that sends them on a trip through time. It's a goofy premise for a goofy movie.

Keeping today's throwback theme alive, though, is the crew's first destination: 1986, the year I was born. If you remember the 80s fondly and want to see what a group of goofballs from 2010 do in the middle of the decade, you'll love this movie. It even has sci-fi elements that'll scratch fans' itch while keeping them laughing the whole way through.

Watch "Hot Tub Time Machine" on Prime Video starting November 1

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Although his films have been highly acclaimed and nominated for multiple Oscars, I’ve always been slightly skeptical of the work of writer-director Martin McDonagh. He’s undeniably clever, but there’s a show-offy style to his cleverness that bothers me, especially when it’s in service of making self-important social commentary.

So I went into his new film “Wild Horse Nine” with relatively low expectations, just hoping for something less self-serious than “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” and less smarmy than “Seven Psychopaths,” his two previous collaborations with star Sam Rockwell.

What I got is probably my favorite McDonagh movie to date, a dark buddy comedy that harkens back to his 2008 debut feature “In Bruges.” It’s still a bit enamored of its own cleverness at times, and never quite as emotionally affecting as it aims to be. But it’s an entertaining showcase for Rockwell and John Malkovich as a pair of dirtbag CIA agents in 1973, gearing up for the forthcoming military coup in Chile.

McDonagh’s social commentary remains glib and not particularly insightful, but the period setting is really just window dressing for a story about a couple of unlikely friends taking stock of their lives.

‘Wild Horse Nine’ works best as a freewheeling comedy

The movie opens with real-life images of Chileans celebrating the victory of left-wing president Salvador Allende, establishing the historical context before shifting to similarly grainy film footage being shot by CIA agent Lee Chesterfield (Rockwell) on his new camera. He’s playfully interviewing his colleague Chris Carlisle (Malkovich), and McDonagh casually introduces the idea that Chris was involved in the 1963 assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, in an offhand reference that establishes the movie’s cynical sense of humor.

Lee and Chris have spent a year in Chile laying the groundwork for overthrowing Allende’s government, and they’ve been rewarded with a vacation: a week spent on Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui, the Polynesian island off the coast of Chile famous for its ancient statues of large heads. Lee and Chris bicker and banter on their way to the island, in what at first seems like it’s just a work break.

Chris is remarkably reckless about revealing the truth of their mission in Chile to a pair of young female students at the airport, and once they arrive on Easter Island, it becomes clear that there’s a more serious element to the trip.

Even after Chris reveals that he’s dying of cancer, “Wild Horse Nine” remains snappy and snarky, with some farcical phone calls between Lee and the pair’s CIA boss, MJ (Steve Buscemi), who’s concerned about Chris’ newfound tendency to share state secrets. Rockwell and Malkovich have excellent chemistry, like Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as the hitmen in “In Bruges,” and it’s amusing to hear them talk so flippantly about all the people they’ve killed and governments they’ve toppled.

‘Wild Horse Nine’ falters when it gets more serious

The coup in Chile has yet to happen by the time the movie ends, and aside from a few opening scenes and cutaways, the entire story takes place on Easter Island. So McDonagh’s examination of American imperialism is entirely theoretical, mostly limited to Chris’ warnings to the Chilean students, who wind up staying at the same hotel. It’s hard to take the political points seriously, since they’re tossed off in such a sarcastic way, but the overall portrayal of the CIA as backstabbing degenerates makes the message clear enough.

“Wild Horse Nine” is not as absurd as another Malkovich-starring movie about CIA agents leaking vital information, the Coen brothers’ “Burn After Reading,” and it gets a bit lost in its increasingly urgent plot points about the JFK assassination conspiracy. It also gets a tad sentimental about the relationship between Lee and Chris as Chris faces the end of his life, and McDonagh’s writing remains too mannered to produce any genuine empathy. But the actors do their best to sell the connection between the characters, and there are some quiet, contemplative moments toward the end.

Those are nice enough, but “Wild Horse Nine” could have used more of the manic energy that Parker Posey brings to her two brief scenes as Lee’s philandering wife, calling him from the U.S. McDonagh is much better at crafting witty repartee between two reprehensible characters than he is at generating heartfelt honesty.

Verdict: ‘Wild Horse Nine’ is a modest success

It’s unlikely that “Wild Horse Nine” will generate the same awards attention given to McDonagh’s heavier films, but it’s a more pleasant viewing experience than a movie like “The Banshees of Inisherin.” Shot on location on Easter Island, it also functions as a gorgeous travelogue, with striking views of the iconic statuary. Malkovich, who’s been in far too many direct-to-video thrillers lately, gets a worthy showcase for his talents, and Rockwell generates laughs via his facial expressions alone.

I doubt I’ll ever become a McDonagh fan, but if he sticks with modest, entertaining movies like “Wild Horse Nine,” I’ll be more inclined to look forward to his next project.

“Wild Horse Nine” opens Nov. 6 in theaters

Halloween might be over, but that hasn't stopped the best streaming services from loading up their platforms with spooky treats, and Hulu is getting in on the fun this weekend with a new slasher. For those with iron guts, there's no reason for you not to keep catching up on new horror movies.

If you're not ready for the Sunday Scaries to leave just yet, at least one of my Hulu picks for the weekend ahead should frighten you. "Heart Eyes" is a 2025 slasher that looks to tip its mask to Ghostface, promising both chills, gore and comedy.

You also need to check out "The Banshees of Inisherin." Set in 1923 as the Irish Civil War is ending, it focuses on two old pals who suddenly end their friendship, much to the befuddled annoyance of Colin Farrell's diary farmer. For my money, it should have won Best Picture at the 2023 Oscars. And if you're in the mood for prehistoric sharks trying to munch on Jason Statham, "Meg 2: The Trench" has that particular itch scratched.

Those three flicks should keep you busy over the weekend. But if you're craving even more streaming options, check out our roundup of everything new to Hulu and Disney+ this month.

‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ (2023)

Genre: Comedy/Drama

What's it about? A tremendous period tragicomedy that received nine Oscar nominations back in 2023. It reunites director Martin McDonagh with Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell after the trio’s sensational work on 2008’s "In Bruges." Instead of dealing with disillusioned hitmen, “The Banshees of Inisherin" focuses on the breakup of two old pals, Pádraic Súilleabháin (Gleeson) and Colm Doherty, as the Irish Civil War is ending. The sudden breakup comes with a twist, though. Every time the bemused Colm attempts to reconcile with Pádraic, the latter will cut a finger off his own left hand. Quite awkward, when your teeny rural village only has one pub.

Why you need to watch it: Farrell plays a form of dim-witted grief brilliantly in this touching, frequently funny tale about what happens when the spark fizzles from a friendship. Gleeson is equally good as the local grump who just wants to be left alone to work on his music, while Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan also impress in this exquisitely shot movie. Ireland has rarely looked prettier on screen.

Watch "The Banshees of Inisherin" on Hulu now

‘Meg 2: The Trench’ (2023)

Genre: Action/Sci-fi

What's it about? Have a wild guess. If you guessed “super-dumb giant killer shark sequel?” You nailed it. Set five years after scientists unearthed an extinct prehistoric Megalodon, we’re reunited with Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) as he helps fight environmental crimes from his underwater Mana One facility. Alongside his late wife’s brother Jiuming Zhang (Wu Jing) and his best pal James “Mac” Mackreides (Cliff Curtis), Jonas’ team dive into the Mariana Trench in submersibles to track multiple Megs. Not only do they find the sharks, but they also stumble upon an illegal mining operation down in those deadly depths.

Why you need to watch it: It’s a Stath flick with multiple 80-foot sharks. End of. Oh, and one of the Megs has been trained this time. They even gave her a name: “Haiqi the Meg”. Cute. Alright, it’s clearly dumb as a box of rocks, but there are some fun set pieces in here, including an epic third-act fight involving a colossal octopus. Though the dinosaur opening scene makes my inner “Jurassic Park” fanboy cry, it’s a heck of a lot of fun.

Watch "Meg 2: The Trench" on Hulu now

'Heart Eyes' (2025)

Genre: Horror/Comedy

What's it about? A slasher that mixes both giggles and garroting, which makes sense, seeing as this is from the producers of the “Scream” franchise. The titular Heart Eyes Killer might not exactly be the new Ghostface, but at least his M.O. is memorable: every Valentine’s Day in Seattle, the unhinged HEK will bump off a romantic couple. Clearly someone took not getting any cards on Feb. 14 very badly. After the killer catches a pair of platonic co-workers staging a kiss, the definitely not lovers are forced to run for their lives.

Why you need to watch it: It’s obviously not in the original “Scream’s” league, but “Heart Eyes” is a fun enough slasher with a fairly fresh premise. As bewildered (and also petrified) co-workers on the run from a Valentine-obsessed killer, both Ally McCabe and Mason Gooding display effective comedic (and terrified) chops.

Stream “Heart Eyes” on Hulu starting November 8

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As much as I love dark stories about morally compromised protagonists doing terrible things, there’s a certain appeal to shows about nice people behaving pleasantly and supporting each other. In some ways, it’s tougher to make a show like that work, to find different kinds of conflict without resorting to obvious nefarious villains or giving in to the characters’ worst tendencies.

That’s why I enjoy the Canadian sitcom “North of North” so much, and creators Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril maintain that level of quality in the show’s second season, premiering this week on Netflix after airing on CBC in Canada in September.

Set in the fictional remote town of Ice Cove in the Canadian Arctic, “North of North” stars Anna Lambe as Siaja Kudlak, who began the first season by leaving her husband and starting a new life as a single mother, while also working to improve her town as an assistant at the local community center.

The show offers a vibrant showcase for Inuk culture while also telling grounded, funny stories about flawed people trying to figure out their lives. Siaja makes plenty of mistakes, but she’s smart and well-meaning, and Ice Cove is a better place because of how much she cares about it.

Warning: Minor spoilers ahead!

‘North of North’ remains sweet and funny in its second season

After struggling throughout the first season to distance herself from her ex-husband Ting (Kelly William) in a tiny town where it’s impossible to avoid anyone, Siaja gets a measure of freedom when Ting is suddenly transferred to another region for his job. The show gets that development out of the way as part of an expository monologue at the beginning of the first episode, helpfully catching viewers up on anything else they might not remember from the first season. It’s a bit abrupt, but having Ting out of the picture opens up new avenues for Siaja’s character development.