This holiday weekend offers an interesting set of new movies to watch online. While we're highlighting Hypnotic, a Ben Affleck movie where he's a cop dealing with a criminal who's masterminded hypnosis, there's a more-real story on Max. Reality — the new HBO Original film starring Sydney Sweeney is based on a controversial true story involving stolen US intelligence.
Elsewhere on our list, one of the best new movies of 2023 hits home: BlackBerry, the movie about the making of the iconic smartphone with the clicky keyboard, is so much better than you probably expect it will be. That said, it features It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Glenn Howerton as an angry exec, so it had to be good.
Netflix subscribers may tune into To Leslie to see the film that stirred a lot of Oscar nomination drama for star Andrea Riseborough. Oh? Want supernatural thrills? Hulu gains a movie where the devil is coming to Earth.
Reality (Max)
Reality Winner (Sydney Sweeney), a former U.S. Air Force member who went onto work in U.S. Intelligence, leaked classified materials related to the 2016 US presidential election. And then the FBI showed up to interrogate her.
Reality is a stark pivot for Sweeney, best known for being the drama-prone Cassie in Euphoria, and hotel guest Olivia in The White Lotus. Right now, Reality has an impressive 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Stream on Max right now (released Monday, May 29)
Hypnotic (Digital)
A Ben Affleck movie you've never heard of? Available to watch right now? Do I have your attention? Well, Hypnotic is exactly what it says on the tin, a crime drama where a very bad man (William Fichtner) has the power to hypnotize victims immediately, and have them obey his commands.
Affleck plays a cop still mourning the loss of his daughter, but he has a chance to make things right by saving another young girls. Alice Braga co-stars.
Buy digitally on Amazon and other digital retailers right now (released Tuesday, May 30)
To Leslie (Netflix)
To Leslie, from Michael Morris, is all about how fast you can fall. Leslie (Andrea Riseborough) is a single mother in West Texas who manages to win the lottery. Her alcohol problems, though, eat away at her newly won finances. Co-stars include Marc Maron, Allison Janney, Stephen Root and Andre Royo.
To Leslie may be more famous for the controversy it created, as many believe To Leslie paid off a ton of celebrities for its attention. Many of those who talked about the film online used the exact phrase "a small film with a giant heart."
Watch on Netflix starting Thursday (June 1)
Book Club: The Next Chapter (Digital)
Book Club is back in session, as Jane Fonda, Candace Bergen, Diane Keaton and Mary Steenburgen are headed to Italy for a sort of a bachelorette party for Vivian (Fonda). Think about it as a more luxurious 80 For Brady, as it's not trying to reinvent the genre of girls trip movies, but it does give another chance for audiences to see this stellar cast since there are sadly too few roles written for women of their age group.
Buy or rent digitally on Amazon and other digital retailers right now (released Tuesday, May 30)
Magic Mike's Last Dance (Max)
If you saved the last dance for streaming, you'll watch Magic Mike's trilogy (probably) end on Max. Here, Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) comes back to his favorite form of dance after time out of the game caused by the Covid-19 pandemic shattering his livelihood. Financier Maxandra Mendoza (Salma Hayek Pinault), though, is the investor he needs.
Of course, the two sleep together before plotting a grand finale performance in London. Critics gave Tatum points for his persistence in charming through the screen, as he still makes it fun even if the tone is more somber.
Stream on Max starting Friday (June 2)
BlackBerry (Digital)
I am as shocked to write this as you will be to read it: the movie about the origin of the BlackBerry is one of the best movies of 2023. Available for digital purchase this week, BlackBerry simmers off of the ambitions of the lovable losers of the tech industry.
BlackBerry works perfectly because of how perfectly Glenn Howerton (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) plays the smarmy Jim Balsillie who convinces nerds Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) and Douglas Fregin (Matt Johnson) to let him take over. Even though he goes against most of what they want.
And, then — spoiler — when the iPhone shows up to ruin everything, you'll see the tech world in a new light. It's why I finally understood the rush to MR/VR/AR headsets.
Buy digitally on Amazon and other digital retailers starting Friday (June 2)
Close (Showtime)
A pair of 13-year-old boys (Eden Dambrine and Gustav De Waele) in Belgium have the strongest friendship, and one that's far closer than any of their peers could understand. This, of course, doesn't last when the boys go to high school, and gossip turns into shame.
Dambrine and De Waele earned critical applause for their natural performances in a very difficult movie.
Watch on Showtime on Paramount Plus for free with a 1-month free trial with code 'FATALATTRACTION' — remember to choose the Showtime bundle
The Devil Conspiracy (Hulu)
Now, something for those who want something completely different. The Devil Conspiracy is a shlocky action movie where humanity goes to war with Satan. It all begins as The Shroud of Turin is stolen, to bring back the devil himself into a willing body.
Will 'Hell,' as the film's villains claim, come to Earth? Should you watch? That's between you and Hulu.
Watch on Hulu starting Friday (June 2)
Monica (Digital)
Firstly: no, your phone isn't broken. Monica, a movie about mourning and grief, is presented in a 1:1 (square) aspect ratio. Monica (Trace Lysette) is a trans woman dealing with a tough return home, as her mother Eugenia (Patricia Clarkson) is terribly ill.
On top of that, the two are estranged after she kicked Monica out of her home as a teen because of her sexuality. But upon arriving home, Monica learns that her mother does not know who she is, because of the time since her transition and the brain tumor that damaged her cognitive abilities.
Buy or rent digitally on Amazon and other digital retailers right now (released Tuesday, May 30)
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