Every week, I sort through all the new releases across the best streaming services and premium video-on-demand platforms and pick out the most exciting movies worth watching.
This week is a slightly underwhelming slate, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still a few noteworthy new additions. The premium offerings are the strongest with fresh-from-the-theaters flicks “Mickey 17” and “Novocaine,” swapping movie theaters for PVOD streaming. However, my pick of the week is “G20” on Prime Video. This movie hasn’t entirely convinced me of its quality ahead of release but I’ll watch anything with Viola Davis.
If you fancy streaming something new this week, then you’ve come to the right place, as I’ve rounded up the top new movies you can watch this week. Plus, make sure to check out this article’s companion covering the best new TV shows you can binge this week.
‘Mickey 17’ (PVOD)
“Mickey 17” is one of the year’s most high-concept and absurdly enjoyable movies to date. Based on the 2022 novel "Mickey7" by Edward Aston (the movie increases the Mickey count by 10), it comes from “Parasite” director Bong Joon Ho, and while it slightly loses its way in a messy third act, it’s a fantastic showcase of Robert Pattinson’s talents.
Plus, the supporting cast is stacked with Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette and Mark Ruffalo channeling the smarminess of his “Poor Things” character, and I loved his performance.
Set in a future where humanity is fleeing a rapidly decaying Earth, Mickey Barnes (Pattinson) signs up to be an “Expendable” on a colony ship traveling to the ice world of Niflheim. As an “Expendable,” Mickey is a disposable grunt whose body is cloned upon death and whose mind is uploaded to the new body.
Assigned the worst and most dangerous jobs on the ship, Mickey finds himself wrapped up in a madcap adventure that gets increasingly outlandish.
Buy or rent on Amazon from April 8
‘Novocaine’ (PVOD)
Speaking of high-concept and absurdly enjoyable movies, “Novocaine” is a ludicrously daft action-comedy without a serious bone in its body.
The movie stars Jack Quaid as Nathan Caine, an introvert with a rare condition that means he can’t feel any pain whatsoever. When the girl of his dreams (Amber Midthunder) is taken hostage following a bank robbery, he sets out on a mission to rescue her. A mission that becomes increasingly bloody and bonkers.
Perhaps “Novocaine’s” biggest issue is that it never evolves beyond its admittedly hooky core premise. Nathan’s ability to feel pain is the punchline for basically every joke, and while the dangerous situations he finds himself in continue to escalate until the very end, the singular gag starts to feel repetitive at around the halfway point.
Still, if you’re looking for a breezy action movie this week, “Novocaine” has its charms, but you’ll need to be able to suspend your disbelief a whole lot.
Buy or rent on Amazon from April 8
‘G20’ (Prime Video)
Viola Davis is capable of leading just about anything, from tear-jerking dramas to blockbuster action movies. After giving a sterling performance in 2022’s “The Woman King,” it’s the latter camp she returns to in “G20.”
This Prime Video original action-thriller could be exactly what the streaming service needs following a string of original duds in 2025, but after getting my hopes dashed by “Holland,” I’m keeping my expectations firmly in check for “G20.”
The movie sees Viola Davis play a fictional United States President named Danielle Sutton. When she’s not leading the free world, this POTUS is kicking some serious butt. The movie begins with Sutton attending a G20 summit in Cape Town, South Africa for a spot of international diplomacy. But when terrorists hijack the political conference, she must spring into action to protect her family and fellow world leaders.
Watch on Prime Video from April 10
‘The Alto Knights’ (PVOD)
“The Alto Knights” feels a little out of time. This mob drama reminds me of the movies that dominated the big screen a few decades ago but aren’t so common anymore.
Unfortunately, it seems these movies fell out of fashion for good reason as “The Alto Knights” was a box office flop and Warner Bros. will be hoping to claw back some of its sizeable budget now that it’s arriving on premium streaming platforms.
Directed by Barry Levinson and written by Nicholas Peggi (co-writer of “Goodfellas”) this biographical drama sees Robert De Niro in a dual leading role as both Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, two Italian-American mobsters battling for control of New York City in the 1950s.
On paper, “The Alto Knight” seems like it has all the ingredients for a gangster hit, but the final product is disappointingly drab. I would only recommend it to the most dedicated De Niro fans.
Buy or rent on Amazon from April 11
‘Magpie’ (Hulu)
“Magpie” is perhaps the most intriguing movie on this list. After premiering at the South by Southwest festival in 2024, it's enjoyed generally strong reviews (it’s currently 83% on Rotten Tomatoes) and will land on Hulu this week.
Daisy Ridley plays the lead, and I’m looking forward to seeing the "Star Wars" alumna in another anchoring role after enjoying her work in last year’s “Young Woman and the Sea.”
The movie centers on the parents of a young daughter who lands a movie role co-starring alongside a famous actress, Alicia (Matilda Lutz). Anette (Ridley) quickly becomes suspicious when her husband Ben (Shazad Latif) takes a real shine toward the movie star, and eventually, she becomes convinced they are having an affair. What follows is a whole load of secrets and lies tumbling out that change the lives of everybody involved.
Watch on Hulu from April 11
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