This week's biggest new movies to watch online made us check the calendar. Because because Bennifer is back, albeit in different movies. Prime Video and Netflix bring new titles starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez to two of the best streaming services.
The retro vibes are also set by The Fabelmans hitting a new streaming service and Owen Wilson's turn as a Bob Ross-like figure. Over on Apple TV Plus, Michael J. Fox tells his own life story from early success to his battle with Parkinson's disease. That said, it's supposed to be more than your standard documentary, with enough comedic and dramatic elements rolled into make it feel like one of Fox's own films.
Plus, Hulu offers a drama based on the true story of a mother who's accused of killing her own daughter, and the Evil Dead franchise is back in a big way. Oh, and if you want superheroes? We've got something for you, too. Want new TV shows, too? Check out our guide to the 9 new shows and movies to watch this weekend.
Air (Prime Video)
Following Tetris, the film about how the rights to Tetris were sold, we have Air, which chronicles the deals behind the iconic Air Jordan sneakers. And while that doesn't sound like a slam dunk pitch, the hype lights up once you see this is a Matt Damon and Ben Affleck movie.
Affleck directs and plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight, whose business is nearly saved by idea guy Sonny Vaccaro (Damon). Sonny's big plan is to bet big on a young rising basketball player whose mother Deloris Jordan (Viola Davis) demands the best in exchange for her son's branding rights.
Yes, there's next to no MJ in Air, but the film still rules. A tightly-scripted time capsule filled with relatable stories, Air is proof that Affleck is a director who can make something out of next to nothing.
Watch on Prime Video starting Friday (May 12)
Paint (Digital)
Painter Bob Ross' "happy little clouds" by any other name are still happy little clouds, but Paint imagines a different situation. Owen Wilson stars as the upbeat painted and TV show host Carl Nargle, whose popularity is jeopardized by the competition, as Ambrosia (Ciara Renée) shows up on the scene.
While critics don't exactly love Paint (they're making all the predictable puns about "paint drying" and "broad strokes"), they do note Owen Wilson makes Nargle work. Audiences are a little more positive, especially those who loved Bob Ross' show.
Buy digitally on Amazon and other digital retailers right now (released Tuesday, May 9)
The Fabelmans (Showtime)
I didn't think I needed a backstory movie about Steven Spielberg's childhood, but The Fabelmans (which is basically that), proved me wrong. Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle) is the director's stand-in, and becomes a devotee of cinema at a young age, latching onto the cameras as his family begins to unravel.
Bolstered from fantastic performances by Michelle Williams and Paul Dano, who play Sammy's parents, The Fabelmans was one of the biggest surprises of 2022. And while you could watch The Fabelmans on regular Showtime, you should get a free month trial via Paramount Plus:
Watch on Paramount Plus with Showtime for free for one month with the code 'FatalAttraction' (Arrived today, Thursday, May 11)
Evil Dead Rise (Digital)
While there is no sign of Ash (Bruce Campbell), the world of Evil Dead is back and thriving. And it's all thanks to a kid finding a copy of the Book of the Dead, and summoning the wrong spirits.
In a dingy apartment complex perfect for the Evil Dead world, mother of three Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) is forced to deal with the terrors that lurked in the book's pages. Her three kids and sister Beth (Lily Sullivan) will have to do their best to save her, while trying to avoid inheriting the demon.
Critics say Evil Dead Rise hits all the right gory marks, while still keeping the spirit of the original films.
Buy digitally on Amazon and other digital retailers right now (released Tuesday, May 9)
The Mother (Netflix)
Jennifer Lopez stars in The Mother, where she plays the titular hero — who has no real name. Or at least no name that's been mentioned in the promotion of the film. The Mother never intended on having kids either, nor did she have much of a maternal figure in her life either.
Instead, she found her family growing up in the military, where she found the serious set of skills she will need to save her daughter. Now, on the run with her daughter, she has to teach her child enough of the skills she'll need to survive.
Their nemesis, Adrian (Joseph Fiennes) is an arms dealer who has always wanted to use The Mother to bolster his squad. Oh, and Gael García Bernal plays a character whom The Mother crosses paths with in Guantanamo Bay.
Watch on Netflix starting Friday (May 12)
Legion of Super-Heroes (HBO Max)
While we wait to learn when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits Disney Plus, HBO Max is adding an animated DC Universe film to keep comics fans entertained. In Legion of Super-Heroes, Superman introduces his cousin Kara (i.e. Supegirl) to the Legion Academy.
There, she meets other aspiring super-powered individuals who could go onto become members of the Justice League. And while Batman's concerned about Kara's use of her powers, the kid appears to have what it takes to be a leader.
Watch on HBO Max right now (released Monday, May 8)
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV Plus)
Actor Michael J. Fox has lived enough life for multiple documentaries, so we're happy to see critics rave that Still manages to balance honesty and nostalgia in telling Fox's story. So, while it goes through Fox's rapid ascent in Hollywood, it also allows him time to tell his story of becoming diagnosed with Parkinson's disorder.
And because it's an Apple TV Plus movie, we're not at all shocked to hear that Still tells an uplifting story about Fox's struggles. Still also won points for erring towards telling his story in an understated way, to avoid maudlin sentimentality.
Watch on Apple TV Plus starting Friday (May 12)
Saint Omer (Hulu)
Senegalese immigrant Laurence Coly (Guslagie Malanda) is on trial, accused of abandoning her 15-month-old daughter, who died shortly thereafter when the tide at the beach pulled her in. Observing the trial is novelist Rama (Kayije Kagame), traveled to Saint-Omer in France to observe the trial and write about it.
The more Rama learns the more she feels tied to Laurence, as the film analyzes the the topics of race and motherhood through the lens of postcolonial France. Based on a real court case — Fabienne Kabou faced similar charges in 2016 — Saint Omer won praise for its emotionally powerful and intellectually stimulating story.
Watch on Hulu starting Friday (May 12)
Crater (Disney Plus)
Caleb (Isaiah Russell Bailey) lives on a mining colony on the moon, but the passing of his father (Scott Mescudi, aka musician Kid Cudi) meaqns that he'll have to move to a new planet — away from all of his friends. But since you can't move away without a going away party, Caleb and his friends — plus an earthling — are going on a road trip.
In order to fulfill Caleb's father's final wish of learning the secret of a mysterious crater, the gang steals a rover and adds a fifth member: a girl from Earth named Addison (Mckenna Grace).
Watch on Disney Plus starting Friday (May 12)
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