There are plenty of new movies across the biggest streaming services this week, including fresh flicks on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max and Apple TV. Not to mention, new arrivals on premium streaming fresh from movie theaters.
Netflix is dropping a star-studded comedy that sees Anya Taylor-Joy play a cult leader who kidnaps a movie star, played by Chris Evans. Meanwhile, Prime Video offers two original picks: a new romantic drama with a trailer that promises tears, and a hilarious heist caper that brings a family dynamic to an audacious plan to steal the Mona Lisa. Or how about a new biographical movie on Apple TV, based on the first successful climb of Mount Everest?
That's just the start. You're spoilt for choice over the coming days, which is why I’ve picked out the most noteworthy new arrivals across streaming platforms to help you spend more time watching and less time scrolling. Plus, don’t forget to check out this article’s companion guide covering all the top new TV shows this week.
‘Practical Magic 2’ (PVOD)
The long-in-development follow-up to cult ‘90s fantasy comedy “Practical Magic” certainly cast a spell on fans; this sequel holds a mighty impressive 91% viewer score on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics weren’t exactly wowed (its critical rating is much lower at a weak 36%), but “Practical Magic 2” was clearly made for the fans, and with original stars Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman returning, it delivers the witchy hijinks that made the original a cult favorite.
Set 28 years after the first “Practical Magic 2,” the Owens sisters (Bullock and Kidman) return, and their ancestral curse, which means that any man who falls in love with an Owens woman will die, is still plaguing the family. With the next generation of Owens now facing the curse’s cruel effects, the sisters must confront their past and break the spell once and for all. Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing also reprise their original roles, with new cast members added to the magical mix, including Joey King, Lee Pace, Maisie Williams, and Xolo Maridueña.
Watch on Prime Video (buy/rent) starting October 13
‘Runner’ (PVOD)
Fans of buddy movies will want to run to their preferred premium streaming platform to stream “Runner” this week. Pairing Alan Ritchson, star of Prime Video’s “Reacher,” with 2000s comedy icon Owen Wilson, it’s an action comedy that succeeds thanks to strong chemistry between its unlikely leads and a commitment to over-the-top stunt sequences. It might not shake up the genre template, but it’s an enjoyable slice of blockbuster escapism.
Former special forces operative Hank Malone (Ritchson) now works as a “runner,” transporting high-value items for anybody who will pay him enough. Tasked with delivering an organ for transplant to a very sick child in hospital, he’s accompanied by an unlikely partner (Wilson), who is determined to ensure the job is done correctly. Things get hairy when they become the targets of a ruthless cartel, who want the precious organ for themselves.
Watch on Prime Video (buy/rent) starting October 13
‘Love of Your Life’ (Prime Video)
Prime Video has been all about romance lately, dropping originals like “The Last Sunrise” and “The Love Hypothesis” in recent weeks. That streak continues with “Love of Your Life,” another original movie that is sure to tug at your heartstrings. This one boasts quite the cast as well. It’s led by Margaret Qualley, Aaron Pierre and Patrick Schwarzenegger. And while he (sadly) doesn’t feature on screen, Ryan Gosling, a genre veteran, serves as a producer.
Like so many romantic dramas before it, “Love of Your Life” begins with an unexpected encounter between Maya (Qualley) and Charlie (Gabriel Basso). This sparks an intense romance and the possibilities of a blissful future. However, when this future is cruelly ripped away, Maya is forced to face that life doesn’t always play out as expected, and that finding the strength to love again can be the greatest challenge of all. You might want to bring tissues for this!
Watch on Prime Video starting October 14
‘The Death of Robin Hood’ (HBO Max)
Not to be confused with “The Uprising,” an Andrew Garfield-led historical drama that briefly claimed to be a Robin Hood movie in its pre-release marketing campaign, only to walk the claim back (the situation was messy), “The Death of Robin Hood” sees Hugh Jackman play the notorious outlaw. As the title implies, this story is set during his final days. It explores the man behind the myth and is adapted from a 17th-century ballad, “Robin Hood’s Death.”
Gravely injured after assisting his old friend, Little John (Bill Skarsgård), in retaking his land, legendary outlaw Robin Hood (Jackman) grapples with his violent past. A hero to some, a criminal to others, he’s left in the care of Sister Brigid (Jodie Comer) at a remote nunnery. As Robin faces the possibility of his impending death, he is offered an unexpected chance to repent.
Watch on HBO Max starting October 16
‘Sacrifice’ (Netflix)
It’s a good news and bad news situation with “Sacrifice,” Netflix’s new comedy-thriller. Let’s start with the positives. The cast list here is stacked. You’ve got Chris Evans, Anya Taylor-Joy, Vincent Cassel, Sam Richardson, John Malkovich and Salma Hayek. The downside? The movie’s reception at the Toronto International Film Festival last September was less than stellar, and has translated to a very disappointing 36% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The movie centers on a doomsday cult led by Joan (Taylor-Joy) and her siblings, who are convinced they must cleanse the Earth to prevent a volcanic apocalypse. To save humanity, they abduct three people, including a movie star making a comeback (Evans), with plans to sacrifice them as part of a ritual. As the night descends into chaos, the situation becomes increasingly messy, and the lines between savior and sacrifice start to blur.
Watch on Netflix starting October 16
‘Masterplan’ (Prime Video)
Prime Video isn’t content with just the one original movie this week, as it’s also set to debut “Masterplan,” a heist caper that looks like a real blast. If a high-stakes theft wasn’t enough, this movie from director Thomas Vincent adds an extra wrinkle by mixing in some chaotic family drama. It looks like a hoot, and with Stanley Tucci playing the lead, consider me (cautiously) optimistic.
Tucci plays a legendary thief who sets his sights on the Mona Lisa, planning a daring heist of the Louvre museum in the French capital. To assist, he recruits two young helpers, a talented hacker (Simona Tabasco) and an explosives expert (Victor Belmondo), before revealing he is actually their estranged father. Turns out stealing the world’s most valuable painting might be the easy part; getting this fractured family working together is the real test.
Watch on Prime Video starting October 16
‘Tenzing’ (Apple TV)
At the start of the month, Apple TV added “The Last First: Winter K2” to its library, an acclaimed documentary offering a fascinating insight into the world of high-stakes mountaineering. The streamer is following that doc up with “Tenzing,” a biographical drama that chronicles one of the most famous climbs in human history: Edmund Hillary’s summit of Mount Everest.
However, as the name suggests, while Hillary features (and is played by Tom Hiddleston), the focus of this biopic is on Tenzing Norgay (Genden Phuntsok), the gifted Himalayan climber who accompanied the New Zealand mountaineer to the top of the world’s tallest mountain. It’s a story of conflicting backgrounds, competing ambitions and a truly remarkable achievement in human history. Also starring Willem Dafoe as Colonel John Hunt, who led the 1953 expedition up Everest, “Tenzing” is an inspirational story about one of mankind’s greatest feats.
Watch on Apple TV starting October 16