7 best new movies to stream this weekend on Netflix, Hulu, Max and more
'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,' 'Lonely Planet,' 'Caddo Lake' and more movie night hits just landed on streaming
We're barreling through spooky season, and the best streaming services are not slowing down with their slate of new movies to add to your watch-list. But with so much on offering, narrowing down what to watch can become quite the ask.
That's why we've combed through the latest flicks on Netflix, Max, and more to highlight which movies you won't want to miss. Leading the pack this week is the premium streaming debut of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," Tim Burton's long-awaited revival of the ghost with the most. Meanwhile, Netflix rolls out a new romantic drama, "Lonely Planet" and you can find the latest M. Night Shyamalan mystery thriller "Caddo Lake" on Max.
So without further ado, here are all the best new movies that just arrived on streaming. For even more streaming recommendations, be sure to check out our list of the top new TV shows you can watch this week.
‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ (PVOD)
Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara are all back for "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," the long-awaited sequel to Tim Burton's 1988 comedy-horror classic. Also along for the ride this time around is newcomer Jenna Ortega fresh off her stint in Burton's Addams Family adaptation "Wednesday."
Set several decades after the first “Beetlejuice”, Lydia Deetz (Ryder) has amassed a dedicated following as the host of her own ghost-hunting show. Too bad her estranged daughter thinks all this supernatural hocus pocus is little more than smoke and mirrors to earn a profit. Following a family tragedy, Lydia returns to her old home in Winter River, where she's forced to confront her eccentric stepmother (O’Hara) and the hijinks of the sinister spirit Betelgeuse (Keaton). This is a fantastic spooky adventure for the whole family, filled with lighthearted slapstick comedy and fun scares that are more entertaining than scary.
Buy or rent on Amazon now
‘Lonely Planet’ (Netflix)
If you'd rather sit out on the scares, Netflix has a juicy new romantic drama from "Erin Brockovich" writer Susannah Grant that pairs Laura Dern and Liam Hemsworth. Dern plays a down-on-her-luck novelist named Katherine who's stuck in a rut after separating from her cancer-surviving sculptor ex. A sunny retreat to Morocco seems just the cure for writer's block.
Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
There, she meets Owen (Hemsworth), a young man who’s come to the retreat with his girlfriend, and the sparks fly despite their age difference. After a few chance encounters, their friendship blooms into something more, kicking off a life-altering love affair. While it's not likely to throw any narrative curveballs, "Lonely Planet" looks like a tender drama with two stunning leads and an equally gorgeous setting that should be more than enough to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
Watch it now on Netflix
‘The Last of the Sea Women’ (Apple TV Plus)
From A24 and "The Speed Cubers" director Sue Kim comes a poignant documentary about a group of Korean grandmother divers often referred to as real-life mermaids who are determined to keep their vanishing culture alive.
"The Last of the Sea Women" tells the story of the haenyeo, the renowned divers from South Korea’s Jeju Island who have been plunging to the depths of the ocean for centuries without oxygen or any other specialist equipment to harvest seafood for their communities. Today, most haenyeo are in their 60s and 70s, yet these resilient and determined women continue their craft, inspiring younger generations to protect both their tradition and the ocean that sustains them. This heartwarming documentary follows the inspirational mothers and grandmothers while exploring the deep bonds of friendship within their tight-knit community.
Watch it now on Apple TV Plus
'Caddo Lake' (Max)
M. Night Shyamalan is back, this time with a new mystery thriller from "Topside" directors Logan George and Celine Held. It's set in the rural, wetland community of Karnack, Texas, which is rocked by the disappearance of an 8-year-old girl. Her stepsister Ellie (Eliza Scanlen) is determined to get to the bottom of things, which sees her path cross with another local Paris (Dylan O’Brien), a young man still reeling from the death of his mother, who had a seizure while driving that sent them both careening into Caddo Lake.
As weird things start happening, their investigation turns up shocking revelations and long-buried secrets about the lake. Much of the plot has been kept under wraps, but the trailer makes it clear there are some sci-fi, timey-wimey elements at play. And given that it's a Shyamalan movie, there's bound to be twists and turns aplenty.
Watch it now on Max
'A Quiet Place Part II' (Netflix)
If seeing "A Quiet Place: Day One" had you itching to revisit the franchise, you'll be happy to know "A Quiet Place: Part II" just landed on Netflix in time for the spooky season. The sequel picks up where the first left off, with the Abbott family, led by Emily Blunt's matriarch Evelyn, setting off with her three kids to search for survivors in a world filled with deadly aliens that hunt by sound.
Joining the cast this time are Cillian Murphy as an equally hardened survivor, an old family friend named Emmett, and Djimon Hounsou as the leader of an island colony of survivors, whom we learned more about in "Day One." Filled with pulse-pounding moments and a cast of characters you can't help but get attached to, "A Quiet Place Part II" delivers far more than just cheap thrills—it's a horror film with depth and heart.
Watch it now on Netflix
‘The Silence of the Lambs’
A few years back when I was brainstorming what to get for my first tattoo, the answer came to me during my annual rewatch of Silence of the Lambs: a death's-head hawk moth. I first watched Jonathan Demme's Oscar-winning horror classic at what was, in retrospect, probably too young an age, but it inspired my love for the genre nonetheless. Not to mention a lot of the movie takes place in my home state of Virginia, which no doubt helped spark my obsession.
Anthony Hopkins' iconic performance as Hannibal Lecter never fails to make my skin crawl, and his spell-binding monologues are just as unsettling whether it's your first or hundredth watch. Jodie Foster is equally mesmerizing as the tenacious FBI-agent-in-training Clarice Starling, who's given the impossible task of consulting with the convicted cannibal to flush out a new serial killer on the loose known as Buffalo Bill. Demme uses some ingenious camera tricks to foster a general sense of unease and replicate the othering Clarice struggles with as one of the few women in her line of work.
Watch it now on Prime Video
'Tuesday' (Max)
A24's "Tuesday" tells the story of a mother (played by Seinfeld star Louis-Dreyfus in a rare dramatic role) and her terminally ill teenage daughter (Lola Petticrew) who get the surprise of their lives when Death, in the form of a talking bird, arrives to help them cope with the daughter's impending death. The feature directorial debut from prolific short filmmaker Daina O. Pusić, "Tuesday" faired alright with critics (it's currently sitting at a 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), though several warned that the film goes off the rails in the latter half.
Watch now on Max
More from Tom's Guide
Alyse Stanley is a news editor at Tom’s Guide overseeing weekend coverage and writing about the latest in tech, gaming and entertainment. Prior to joining Tom’s Guide, Alyse worked as an editor for the Washington Post’s sunsetted video game section, Launcher. She previously led Gizmodo’s weekend news desk, where she covered breaking tech news — everything from the latest spec rumors and gadget launches to social media policy and cybersecurity threats. She has also written game reviews and features as a freelance reporter for outlets like Polygon, Unwinnable, and Rock, Paper, Shotgun. She’s a big fan of horror movies, cartoons, and miniature painting.