It’s set to be another busy week for new movies across the best streaming services. Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max and Starz have fresh flicks for subscribers to enjoy, while a trio of options arrives on premium streaming. Whatever your tastes, there’s sure to be a movie for you.
I suspect this week’s most popular new movie will be Tyler Perry’s latest project on Netflix, which sees him return to his 2000s comedy-drama series, “Why Did I Get Married?” Meanwhile, HBO Max adds “Supergirl” to its library, and Hulu has a dark thriller from the director of “The Platform.” On PVOD, there’s a Disney remake, a Jason Statham action movie and a rom-com the internet dubbed “‘The Purge’ but for sex” over the summer.
There are plenty of new options to consider this week, so I’m highlighting the most noteworthy new arrivals to help you spend more time watching movies and less time scrolling through streaming service libraries. And we’ve also got a guide to the top new TV shows this week, too.
‘Moana’ (PVOD)
Disney’s latest live-action remake was perhaps its most unnecessary yet. The original animated “Moana” is just a decade old, with a sequel landing in 2024. There hasn’t been enough time yet for audiences to get nostalgic about Moana, and the movie’s poor box office takings appear to reinforce that idea. It grossed $315 million, which sounds like a lot, but with a $250 million budget, it’s not even close to profitable. Maybe it’ll swim on digital?
If you’ve seen the original “Moana,” you know the deal here; this family-friendly adventure follows the eponymous heroine (Catherine Laga’aia) as she embarks on an ocean odyssey to save her island from a curse. She’s joined on her quest by demi-goal Maui (Dwayne Johnson, reprising his role from the original). The foundations are still solid, but in a world where the animated “Moana” exists, there’s little need for this live-action adaptation.
Watch onPrime Video (buy/rent)starting September 8
‘Mutiny’ (PVOD)
The rollout of Jason Statham’s new action-thriller “Mutiny” was noteworthy because Amazon accidentally leaked the movie by putting it up on Prime Video for several hours. It was eventually removed, and now it’s heading to streaming in an official capacity. “Mutiny” offers viewers exactly what you’d expect from a Statham-led action movie. The British actor plays a former military man, now working as a bodyguard, drawn into a criminal conspiracy.
In “Muntiny,” Cole Reed (Statham) must spring into action when his billionaire boss is murdered, and he’s framed for the crime. Stowing away on a cargo ship, he uncovers a criminal plot and must bring down those responsible, while also clearing his name. The boat setting adds a degree of novelty (fortunately it’s better than “Speed 2”), but otherwise “Mutiny” is a very predictable and unambitious action-thriller with Statham largely going through the motions.
‘One Night Only’ (PVOD)
“One Night Only” made a lot of waves online thanks to its high-concept premise. This romantic comedy is set in a world in which the United States government has outlawed premarital sex. But to avoid public backlash, for one night a year, during a 12-hour window, sex is permitted. The internet dubbed this “‘The Purge’ but for sex,” and it’s certainly a kooky idea for a movie. However, beyond the novel setup, this is avery cliché rom-com.
Callum Turner plays Owen, an NYC pizza shop owner, who is dumped by his girlfriend just as the 12-hour window begins. At the same time, Allie (Monica Barbaro) is across town, looking for a meaningful connection on a night where everybody wants to hook up. Naturally, their paths cross, sparks fly, and you can probably guess where it goes from here. Turner’s leading man credentials are unconvincing, but Barbao has effortless charm.
‘Why Did I Get Married Again?’ (Netflix)
Tyler Perry is one of Netflix’s most dependable collaborators. His popular Madea character and spin-offs like “Joe’s College Road Trip,” which hit Netflix in February, always go down a treat with subscribers. However, Perry’s latest Netflix project doesn’t feature the loud-mouthed aunt; instead he’s returning to his 2007 comedy-drama “Why Did I Get Married?” for a long-awaited second sequel, “Why Did I Get Married Again?”
Following on from 2010’s “Why Did I Get Married Too?,” this revival again explores long-term relationships, and the various hurdles faced once a couple becomes husband and wife. Several original cast members return, including Perry, Jill Scott, Richard T. Jones, Michael Jai White and Tash Smith, though Janet Jackson is absent this time. Critics were never hot on this franchise, but Perry has a strong track record of appealing to viewers.
‘Supergirl’ (HBO Max)
The second feature film in James Gunn’s new DC Universe was an outright box office bomb, grossing $126 million against an estimated budget of $170-180 million. But the hope will be that Supergirl can take flight on HBO Max. While I didn’t find “Supergirl” worthy of a cinema trip, it’s far from the worst comic-book movie released in recent years. Milly Alcock is excellent as the titular hero, and it’s perhaps worth watching ahead of “Man of Tomorrow” landing in theaters next summer. Alcock’s Kara Zor-El is confirmed to appear in the “Superman” sequel.
Based on the fan-favorite “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” comic book, Kara Zor-El hasn’t taken to being a world-saving hero like her cousin Clark Kent (aka Superman). Instead, Supergirl spends her days aimlessly wandering between planets and visiting dive bars. But she’s forced to adopt the hero lifestyle when a ruthless villain emerges. She teams up with a young survivor (Eve Ridley) to dish out some justice and save her fan-favorite dog, Krypto.
‘Rich Flu’ (Hulu)
Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, director of Netflix’s “The Platform,” delivers another thriller that explores class divide, but this time it’s the 1% under the spotlight. The cast includes Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Rafe Spall, and while the reviews have been mixed (it’s currently rated 50% on Rotten Tomatoes), I’m always willing to check out a movie with satirical bite.
Laura (Elizabeth Winstead) is reaching a career peak when a mysterious virus emerges. This disease selectively targets the ultra-wealthy. Overnight, having wealth becomes a death sentence, which leads the most well-off in society to desperately try to give away their vast fortunes to avoid their demise. With the virus making its way down the wealth ladder, Laura embarks on a desperate journey across the globe to save her family.
‘In the Grey’ (Starz)
Starz doesn’t always get the same level of attention as the likes of Netflix, Prime Video and the rest of the biggest streamers, but this week it’ll hope to get its share of the spotlight as it drops a new movie, “In the Grey.” This action-thriller has quite the cast, including Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal, Eiza Gonzalez and Rosamund Pike, and it comes from writer/director Guy Ritchie. So there’s lots of talent in front of and behind the camera.
Rachel Wild (Gonzalez) works in debt recovery for various powerful clients, employing two clandestine operatives, Sid (Cavill) and Bronco (Gyllenhaal), to pressure targets to repay. But the team faces its toughest mission yet when they are assigned to retrieve a stolen billion-dollar fortune. What begins as an impossible heist becomes even more complex as the delicate situation spirals into a cutthroat war of strategy, deception and survival with a ruthless tyrant (Carlos Bardem) pulling the strings.
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