Another week on the books, and another weekend is here. And you know what that means: It's time once again to figure out what to watch. With so many new movies landing on Netflix, Max, Peacock and more of the best streaming services, narrowing down the best movies is no small task.
Thankfully, you don't have to. We've curated a list of the nine best movies to check out this weekend, including a mix of old and new that's sure to have something for everyone to watch. Apple TV Plus has a new documentary about Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy author John le Carré, while Netflix has released its latest fictionalized account of the opioid epidemic in the crime drama Pain Hustlers.
With Halloween just around the corner, there are also two horror movies hitting streaming. Peacock's got Five Nights at Freddy's, the video game series-inspired tale of a rundown pizzeria where smiling animatronics turn murderous at night. Meanwhile, you can watch the latest terrifying entry in the Conjuring Universe on Max with The Nun II. Here are our top picks for movies to stream this weekend.
Pain Hustlers (Netflix)
Pain Hustlers is the latest fictionalized account of the opioid epidemic, following in the footsteps of Hulu's award-winning miniseries Dopesick and Netflix's Painkiller. This time around, Emily Blunt stars as broke but ambitious single mom Liza Drake who, in an act of desperation, becomes entangled in the opioid crisis.
After losing her job, Liza bumps into pharmaceutical sales rep Pete Brenner (Chris Evans), and begins to work at his pharmaceutical start-up that, unbeknownst to her, is struggling to keep the lights on. What was supposed to be her ticket out of living paycheck-to-paycheck turns into a dangerous racketeering scheme that puts her on an economically favorable but morally dubious path.
As she deals with her increasingly unhinged boss (Andy Garcia) and her daughter's (Chloe Coleman) health taking a turn for the worse, Liza becomes intimately familiar with the devastation her company is causing and is forced to do some soul-searching.
Streaming now on Netflix
Five Nights at Freddy’s (Peacock)
The big screen treatment for viral horror game series Five Nights at Freddy's has long been in the works, and this week it debuts in theaters and on Peacock. Produced by Blumhouse (Get Out, M3GAN, The Purge), it sees Josh Hutcherson as Mike Schmidt, a down-on-his-luck security guard new to the night shift at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, a rundown family entertainment center with a terrifying secret.
Anyone who's played the games knows where this is going. What was supposed to be a cushy gig turns into a desperate bid for survival as the venue's Chucky Cheese-esque animatronic mascots stalk the grounds at night, tearing down anyone in their path.
While video game movie adaptations don't have the best track record, it's a good sign to see series creator Scott Cawthon listed as both a co-producer and co-writer on the Five Nights at Freddy's screenplay. And though the movie's currently sitting at an abysmal 24% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, it's notable that audiences rate it a fresh 88%. That's enough to pique my interest as someone who's only played a few (I'm a wimp with horror games) but has watched enough Game Theory videos to realize the dizzying amount of lore sprinkled throughout the series.
Streaming now on Peacock
The Nun II (Max)
Keeping the spooky train rolling, The Nun II has landed on Max just in time for Halloween. The eighth installment of the Conjuring Universe follows the characters from the original Nun in another supernatural nightmare.
Taissa Farmiga, sister of Conjuring star Vera Farmiga, returns as Sister Irene, now settled into a new convent in Italy four years after vanquishing the Demon Nun in the first film. She’s dispatched by the cardinal to investigate a series of murders across Europe seemingly tied to the reappearance of the evil entity Valak (Bonnie Aarons).
The bloody trail leads to a boarding school in France where, unbeknownst to Irene, her friend Maurice (Jonas Bloquet) has been possessed by Valak. With the help of skeptical Sister Debra (Storm Reid), Irene must confront Maurice and find a way to exorcise Valak for good.
Streaming now on Max
The Pigeon Tunnel (Apple TV Plus)
From famed documentary director Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line, The Fog of War) comes an engaging profile of the late spy turned novelist John le Carré. Le Carré (whose real name was David Cornwell) is best known for his best-selling spy thrillers like The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
In a series of interviews conducted before the author's death, Morris asks about how Cornwell’s life influenced the work of le Carré and vice versa, delving into how the author’s complex relationship with his father had a profound impact on his worldview and writing, which ultimately reshaped the spy game in fiction forever more. The answers are interspersed with clips from TV and movie adaptations of his work along with archived interview footage and some dramatizations commissioned especially for this film.
Streaming now on Apple TV Plus
Minions (Netflix)
If you're looking for something a little lighter than haunted animatronics, demonic nuns and the dark side of Big Pharma, the kid-friendly animated comedy Minions also lands on Netflix this weekend. This Despicable Me spin-off tells the backstory behind the army of gibberish-speaking, pill-shaped yellow peons of Gru and how they came to work for their supervillain master.
As it turns out, the Minions have been up to mischief for millennia, serving under some of the most evil monarchs, warlords, and apex predators throughout history. And they suck at it. Driven to isolation in the Arctic after pissing off one too many powerful villains, the Minions grow despondent and depressed without a master to serve. Decades later, a scouting party sets off to find a new bad guy to serve in a quest that causes mayhem across the Big Apple.
Streaming now on Netflix
Sly (Netflix)
Netflix also has a documentary biopic debuting this week, this one on Hollywood heavyweight Sylvester Stallone. Growing up, his passion for cinema served as a means to escape the challenges of his difficult childhood, but even as he got older he continued to be defined by that same scrappy spirit. Over the course of the last 50 years, he's captivated generations of fans through his beloved characters and legendary Hollywood franchises, from Rocky to Rambo.
This documentary delves into his journey from underdog to international movie star, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how his life experiences have resonated in the characters he plays on the big screen. This retrospective doc offers unmatched insight into Sly’s life and career with input from the main himself and the people who know him best. It is an absolute must-watch for anybody with a fondness for 80s action stars, or a desire to see the underdog come out on top.
Streaming now on Netflix
Susie Searches (Hulu)
Kiersey Clemons (The Flash, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters) gets her Nancy Drew on in Susie Searches. As the titular Susie, an outcast college student eager to get her failing true crime podcast off the ground, she sees her big break when the campus heartthrob (Alex Wolff) gets kidnapped.
Eager to crack the case (and hopefully go viral in the process), she puts her amateur gumshoe skills to the test. But things take a dark turn as she uncovers the truth and quickly finds herself way in over her head.
Streaming now on Hulu
The Girl Who Killed Her Parents — The Confession (Prime Video)
True Crime fans should check out The Girl Who Killed Her Parents — The Confession on Prime Video this weekend. This psychological thriller is inspired by the real-life murders of Manfred and Marísia von Richthofen orchestrated by their own daughter, Suzane, along with her boyfriend and brother-in-law, the Cravinhos brothers.
The film takes audiences behind the scenes of the investigation of the brutal crime, revealing crucial moments of the murder and what Suzane and the brothers did in the days after orchestrating Brazil's most shocking crime.
Streaming now on Prime Video
Sister Death (Netflix)
In the mood for more spooky flicks to get in the Halloween spirit? Sister Death premieres on Netflix this week, a prequel to acclaimed horror director Paco Plaza's Veronica that tells the backstory of the movie's blind nun, Sister Narcisa, a.k.a. Sister Death.
After a haunting incident during the Spanish Civil War, a young girl from an isolated village develops supernatural powers. Later in life, she arrives at a former convent that's been converted into a school for girls where she takes on the role of teacher. It's not long before she realizes the convent is harboring a disturbing secret as she's haunted by the spirit of a young girl and a deceased nun. Unraveling the mystery behind her new home puts her powers to the test in a way that changes her life forever.
Streaming now on Netflix
More from Tom's Guide
