Welcome to the end of another working week. It’s time to put your feet up and load up one of the many new movies and/or TV shows that have debuted on the world’s best streaming services this weekend.
Personally, I’ll be tuning in to watch the Severance season 2 finale again (read my Severance season 2 ending explained piece if you need more information on what just happened). But, from Oscar winners like Anora and Wicked, to intriguing new series, such as The Residence, there’s plenty more to check out before Monday arrives. – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
Anora (Hulu)
Who else cried watching Anora? This year’s huge Oscar-winning smash hit completely bowled over critics and audiences alike with the way it challenges the well-trodden rags-to-riches storyline. If you missed the chance to catch it in the cinema, now’s the time to watch it as it’s finally available on Hulu.
For anyone unfamiliar with the plot of Sean Baker’s romantic drama, which will soon secure a spot as one of the best Hulu movies, it follows sex worker Ani (Mickey Madison), who meets and falls in love with Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of a Russian oligarch, that she ends up having a whirlwind marriage with. However, not everything’s peachy when Ivan’s parents find out…
If your Disney+ or Hulu subscriptions are about to expire, make sure to take advantage of this great deal that brings the bundle back down to its lowest ever price to watch this blockbuster hit and more for less. – Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor
The Residence (Netflix)
Move over Benoit Blanc, there’s another eccentric detective on the case in the new Netflix show The Residence. Inspired by The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House by Kate Andersen Brower, the mystery series follows Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba), who arrives at the White House to solve a murder where all the staff and guests at a state dinner are suspects.
Produced by Shondaland, The Residence has promise to become one of the best Netflix shows given the production company’s history of creating acclaimed series like Bridgerton and Grey’s Anatomy. And, I’m certainly excited to see all the secrets and scandals unfold in this whodunnit. – Grace Morris, entertainment writer
O’Dessa (Disney Plus/Hulu)
Sadie Sink may have joined the cast of Spider-Man 4 in a big supporting role, but the Stranger Things star proves she has the acting credentials to lead films in her own right in this straight-to-streaming dystopian cyberpunk musical.
In the Disney+/Hulu flick, Sink plays the titular farm girl, who embarks on a cross-country trip to retrieve a family heirloom – a guitar that might hold special power – and rescue the love of her life from the tyrannical Plutonovich (Murray Bartlett).
O’Dessa’s early reviews have been mixed, so it’s unlikely to find a spot on our best Disney+ movies and best Hulu movies lists. Nevertheless, critics say Sink delivers a great performance, which is to be expected from this rising star ahead of her final outing as Max in Stranger Things season 5. – TP
Wicked Part One (Peacock)
There’s no place like home for one of 2024’s biggest blockbuster hits. Indeed, Peacock is the service to sign up to this weekend if you want to catch Wicked in the US. The first part of the broadway musical’s film adaptation is available alongside a singalong version, too, if you fancy belting out its classic numbers.
Ozians will also be treated to extra behind-the-scenes content from Universal’s musical hit, which will include deleted and extended scenes, a making-of documentary, in-depth interviews with director Jon M Chu, and more besides!
There’s a lot of excitement around this Wizard of Oz prequel, which tells the origins of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. Once you’ve watched it, stream these six other movie musicals on Netflix, Max and more. – AS
Sing Sing (Max)
This overlooked gem flew under the radar after its limited theatrical run. Luckily, it’s out now on Max.
Sing Sing is one of six Max movies and shows we’re most excited to watch in March, not least because of the ever-incredible Coleman Domingo (Selma; Lincoln), whose performance earned him multiple Best Actor awards from various ceremonies. Clarence Maclin is similarly brilliant; the former inmate playing a fictional version of himself in the film.
In Sing Sing, which is based on a true story, Domingo plays an inmate called Divine G, who’s been imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit but finds solace by acting in a theatrical comedy with fellow prisoners. It’s one of the best Max movies you’ll watch this year. – AS
Happy Face (Paramount Plus)
After his creepy performance as the powerful Harvey in The Substance, Dennis Quaid is about to get creepier as he steps into the role of serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, aka the Happy Face Killer. However, Happy Face isn’t just about the notorious murderer – it also focuses on his daughter Melissa Jesperson-Moore.
Adapted from Melissa’s podcast Happy Face and her 2009 autobiography Shattered Silence, this new Paramount+ true crime drama series follows Melissa (Annaleigh Ashford), who discovered that her father was the Happy Face Killer when she was 15 years old. In Happy Face, an incarcerated Keith finds a way to force himself back into Melissa’s life after decades of no contact.
With an 83% critical Rotten Tomatoes score, it’s got a good chance of going down as one of the best Paramount+ shows and I can’t wait to see Quaid embody evil as this TV adaptation’s antagonist. – GM
Last One Laughing UK (Prime Video)
Want to see a battle royale between comedians trying to make each other laugh? Prime Video has you covered with the UK edition of Last One Laughing, which is creatively titled Last One Standing UK.
Hosted by Jimmy Car, its 10 comedians will attempt to make each other smile (without getting the giggles themselves). Considering the reality comedy gameshow format is based on a successful series from Japan called Documental that’s been adapted in various countries, it has a high chance of carving out a spot as one of the best Prime Video shows. – AS
For more streaming recommendations, read our guides on the best Netflix movies, best Disney+ shows, best Prime Video movies, and best Apple TV+ shows.
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tom.power@futurenet.com (Tom Power)
