'Tis the season for staying inside and catching up on the newest releases across the best streaming services. And if you're wondering what to watch next, we've narrowed down the best new movies that just landed on streaming to make your next movie night one to remember.
Leading the pack this week are two blockbusters arriving on paid video-on-demand services: the superpowered free-for-all "Venom: The Last Dance" and "Heretic," a psychological horror-thriller where Hugh Grant plays against type. Elsewhere, "Joker: Folie A Deux" makes its streaming debut on Max after a disappointing box office performance, Netflix has a rare Christmas thriller in "Carry-On," and Hulu just got a satirical dark comedy that's never been more timely.
So without further ado, let's dive into the best new movies on streaming.
'Carry-On' (Netflix)
You've heard of a Christmas rom-com, but what about a Christmas thriller? Netflix's "Carry-On" gets the adrenaline pumping to keep you warm while the weather outside is frightful. "Rocketman" and "Kingsman" star Taron Egerton plays Ethan Kopek, a TSA agent who’s blackmailed by a mysterious traveler (Jason Bateman) to let a dangerous package slip through security on Christmas Day.
With previous projects like "Non-Stop" and "The Commuter," "Carry-On" director Jaume Collet-Serra has made a name for himself with these kind of one-location thrillers. Between that, pairing two action powerhouses like Egerton and Bateman, and the oddball premise that's that just off the rails enough to work, Netflix could be cooking up the next holiday must-watch movie.
Watch it now on Netflix
‘Venom: The Last Dance’ (PVOD)
I'm a big fan of the "Venom" movies for their campy antics and bromance between Eddie Brock and Venom (both played by Tom Hardy). "Venom: The Last Dance" is the third and supposedly final installment, though a mid- and post-credit scene leave the door open for more, and it's easily the messiest of the bunch. Still, it's a fun watch so long as you keep your expectations in check.
Brock is still on the run after his clash with Carnage at the end of the second movie, which culminated in the murder of former police detective Patrick Mulligan (Stephen Graham). He and Venom make their way to New York in an attempt to prove his innocence, along the way uncovering a plot to destroy the world and a slew of other symbiotes that become reluctant allies during the big, bombastic final showdown.
Buy or rent now on Amazon
‘Heretic’ (PVOD)
"Heretic" easily ranks among my favorite movies of the year, in large part because Hugh Grant makes a surprisingly captivating and chilling villain. He plays Mr. Reed, a reclusive man who welcomes two Mormon missionaries (played by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) into his home in what turns into a deadly game of cat and mouse as his sinister true intentions come to light.
This psychological horror-thriller takes a while for the real action to get rolling, but its wordy first half is still riveting and deeply unsettling to watch thanks to the all-too-real tension the young women face playing nice with a potentially dangerous man. "Heretic" joins the likes of "The Invisible Man" and "Get Out" as thought-provoking horror movies that even non-horror fans should add to their watchlist.
Buy or rent now on Amazon
‘Joker: Folie A Deux’ (Max)
The "Joker" sequel no one asked for is on Max, but whether "Joker: Folie à Deux" deserved the hate it got is up for you to decide. Directed by Todd Phillips, it sees Joaquin Phoenix return as Arthur Fleck, now in custody at Arkham while awaiting his trial for the dramatic murder on live TV that marked the first movie's end.
Life behind bars and grappling with his dual identity have taken its toll. But things start to look up after meeting Harleen "Lee" Quinzel (Lady Gaga) at a music therapy session, who proves to be just as deluded as he is. The two kick off a twisted romance as Arthur's trial unfolds, but things aren't what they seem, especially as the proceedings take a deadly turn.
Watch it now on Max
'Coup!' (Hulu)
This dark comedy about class warfare and infectious disease is more fun than it sounds. Written and directed by Austin Stark and Joseph Schuman, "Coup!" is a tasty satire about bourgeois hypocrisy amid a pandemic — no, not that one, but rather the 1918 influenza.
Peter Sarsgaard stars as a mysterious grifter named Floyd Monk who shows up at a remote mansion on an island claiming to be the wealthy family's new chef. When the epidemic starts descending on their siloed haven, Monk convinces the rest of the staff to stage an insurrection against their the patriarch Jay Hornton (Billy Magnussen), and the mind games between master and servant devolve into class warfare.
Watch it now on Hulu
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