The 10 best new releases to stream this weekend
Regrettably, summer is now winding to an end, but for streaming services, this is no bad thing, after all, less sunshine means more time inside glued to the likes of Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime. Whilst the months of sun were peppered with a scattering of promising releases, including Stranger Things, She-Hulk and The Sandman, nothing beats a release of brand new content.
This week the good stuff doesn’t stop coming, with several highly-anticipated releases finally hitting our small screens, including the big-budget prequel series to Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon. Starring Matt Smith, Milly Alcock and Paddy Considine, the new series is sure to replicate the success of the HBO original, claiming the fantasy spotlight before the release of Amazon’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power next week.
If you’re not a fan of fantasy, fear not, this week has plenty of varying offerings, from anticipated TV series to classic movies that have finally made their way onto streaming. Check out our tidy list below, which picks out the very best pieces of content coming to Netflix, Disney, Amazon, NOW TV and more throughout this weekend.
The 10 best new releases to stream this weekend
10. Be Kind Rewind (2008) – MUBI – August 27th
We start off the week with one of the lightest comedies of the 21st century, coming straight from the whimsical mind of French filmmaker Michel Gondry. Starring the likes of Jack Black, Danny Glover, Mia Farrow, Mos Def and Sigourney Weaver, the 2008 comedy was beloved at the time for its nostalgic storyline and charming cinematography, telling the story of two video-store owners trying to save their company.
Watching this film is a bit of a nostalgia trip, taking viewers back to a different time for Hollywood filmmaking.
9. Samaritan (2022) – Amazon Prime – August 26th
Is it any surprise that Amazon is trying to jump on the superhero bandwagon (even if they are several years too late)? Their efforts look a little damp, with Sylvester Stallone starring as an ageing superhero who once protected the streets only to go into hiding after an epic battle with his souped-up brother. There’s no easy way to say it; the concept seems a little weak, but this could be a surprise.
As well as Stallone, the film also stars Javon Walton, Pilou Asbæk, Moises Arias, Dascha Polanco, Deacon Randle and Martin Starr.
8. Tomb Raider (2018) – Amazon Prime – Available now
Arguably the greatest film of the video-game adapted series, the 2018 version of Tomb Raider presents a thrilling action movie that takes itself a little more seriously than the Angelina Jolie movies of the earlier 2000s. Replacing Jolie for Alicia Vikander, the film is helmed by Roar Uthaug, the director of The Wave, Escape and Magic Silver, and is a solid piece of Hollywood filmmaking.
Joining Vikander are such stars as Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu, Dominic West, Hannah John-Kamen, Nick Frost and Kristin Scott Thomas.
7. See: Season 3 (2022) – Apple TV+ – August 26th
The third and final series of See, the show you ironically haven’t seen advertised at all, is hitting Apple TV+ this weekend. For fans of the sci-fi saga, this new series is set a year after Baba Voss (Jason Momoa) has bid farewell to his family to live remotely in the forest, only for an existential threat to their way of life to force the protagonist back home to save his bloodline and fellow community.
Premiering weekly on Fridays, the eight-episode series features Momoa alongside Sylvia Hoeks, Hera Hilmar, Yadira Guevara-Prip and Dave Bautista.
6. Selling The OC: Season 1 (2022) – Netflix – Available now
Do you like Selling Sunset? No? Then please move on to the next suggestion on our list. Still here? Netflix are doubling down on the whole concept of a real-estate reality show with the new series following a fresh set of realtors hoping to establish themselves at The Oppenheim Group’s second office on the Orange County coast. Expect drama, backstabbing and over-the-top energy.
If the new show is anything like the wildly successful original series, then Netflix has a proper hit on their hands.
5. Licorice Pizza (2021) – Amazon Prime – August 26th
Like many of the films of Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza gives audiences an objective, atmospheric impression of a certain place and time. Following two young individuals as they navigate their lives under the glitz, sun and eccentricity of the San Fernando Valley in L.A., Anderson’s latest is infused with a passion for the 1970s, telling a nostalgic tale that is a joy to behold.
Held together by a tight script and some stunning cinematography, it is the lead actors Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman who are the real stars of the show, promising further greatness in the near future.
4. Untrapped: The Story of Lil Baby (2022) – Amazon Prime – August 26th
Amazon Prime’s latest documentary, Untrapped: The Story of Lil Baby, offers unparalleled access into the life of the Grammy-award-winning rapper, privately known as Dominique Armani Jones. Charting his rise from the streets of West Atlanta to the very top of the Billboard charts, the new documentary will explore his role as a father, son, philanthropist and more, making it a must-watch for music fans.
Known for his songs ‘do we have a problem?’, ‘Drip too Hard’ and ‘In a Minute’, Lil Baby is seen as one of the most successful rappers in modern music.
3. Welcome to Wrexham: Season 1 (2022) – Disney+ – Available now
When movie stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney purchased Wrexham football club in Wales many years ago, many thought it was something of a PR stunt. Though seasons later, and with one documentary series in the can, it’s clear that the purchase was far from being a joke, with the two stars eager to make the football club an established name in British football after years in the lower divisions.
Something tells us this series will perform very well amidst the bevvy of more serious football documentaries available on other platforms.
2. Running with the Devil: The Wild World of John McAfee (2022) – Netflix – Available now
Know anything about the business owner and creator of Anti-virus software, John McAfee? As the new Netflix series title suggests, he is one wild figure in the world of business, with the new show keen to show off each and every one of his peculiarities to the wider world. The new documentary series will delve deep into the mind of the businessman and uncover some of his strangest secrets.
As Netflix continues to churn out quality documentary content, Running with the Devil: The Wild World of John McAfee may be one of their most exciting releases in weeks.
1. House of the Dragon: Season 1 (2022) – NOW TV – Available now
The HBO revival of Game of Thrones has finally arrived on the small screen as House of the Dragon, a spin-off that sees fans return to the world of George R. R. Martin’s Westeros. Among the many actors heading up the cast, including Paddy Considine, Milly Alcock, Olivia Cooke and Rhys Ifans, it is Matt Smith who has shined in the first episode of the anticipated new series, playing Prince Daemon Targaryen, the wicked brother of King Viserys Targaryen.
This is such an obvious show to watch if fantasy is your passion, and even for non-dragon-lovers, this new series features plenty of political backstabbing and more. Just think of it as a medieval Succession.
