This weekend’s streaming lineup is packed with fascinating new titles across film and TV. Alice Rohrwacher’s La Chimera blends tomb raiding and magic in a dreamy odyssey, while Eileen, starring Anne Hathaway and Thomasin McKenzie, is a gripping thriller filled with dark twists. The Aaron Falk mystery continues in Force of Nature: The Dry 2, and Zac Efron leads The Iron Claw, a tragic story of a Texas wrestling dynasty.
For documentary fans, Kim’s Video explores the remarkable journey of a legendary VHS and DVD collection, while The Last Stop in Yuma County offers a thrilling noir experience. The long-awaited restoration of Let It Be gives Beatles fans a rare look at their final days.
On TV, Ncuti Gatwa stars as the Fifteenth Doctor in Doctor Who, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School reinvents the series with a slasher twist, and Interview With the Vampire returns with more gothic drama. Apple TV+ adds Dark Matter, a sci-fi series about alternate realities, and the Eurovision Song Contest brings musical spectacle live from Malmö, Sweden.
Keep reading to find out where you can stream these picks and more this weekend.
Movie Picks
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (Wes Ball)
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes aims to bridge the gap between the reboot-prequel series and the original 1968 film. Though the story is tangled and anticlimactic, it offers an entertaining action-packed ride that serves as a tribute to the original. Despite its flaws, the film ensures the franchise ends on a high note with striking CGI and nostalgic storytelling.
In theaters now
La Chimera (Alice Rohrwacher)
Forget Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny; another Cannes selection involving tomb raiders is destined for greater longevity. Alice Rohrwacher’s La Chimera, starring Josh O’Connor, Isabella Rossellini, and Alba Rohrwacher, earned its spot on our list of top 50 films of 2023 for good reason. It’s a whimsical and ethereal journey where the Italian director brings her signature magic, transporting audiences with an otherworldly vision she’s mastered in her previous films.
Streaming on VOD
Eileen (William Oldroyd)
Eileen should have been a massive hit given how much the internet loves to champion women’s wrongs. William Oldroyd’s thriller grips you from the first scene with Otessa Moshfegh and Luke Goebel’s sharp script. While Anne Hathaway shines, this film truly belongs to Thomasin McKenzie, who delivers a mesmerizing performance with just her eyelids. Marin Ireland’s standout monologue is another highlight. If gritty characters, Boston accents, and a touch of queer tension are your thing, Eileen should be on your watchlist.
Streaming on Hulu
Force of Nature: The Dry 2 (Robert Connolly)
Force of Nature: The Dry 2 continues the Aaron Falk saga as Robert Connolly brings a new mystery based on Jane Harper’s novel to life. The sequel, set in the fictional Giralang Ranges rainforest and shot in Victoria, Australia, shifts away from the outback of The Dry while offering a more intricate plot, additional characters, and heightened production value. As Falk narrows in on the killer, a violent storm draws near, upping the tension in this labyrinthine thriller.
Streaming on VOD
The Iron Claw (Sean Durkin)
The Iron Claw delivers a gut-wrenching look into the tragic tale of the Von Erich family, a Texas wrestling dynasty from the 1980s. Zac Efron leads as Kevin, the eldest brother, navigating Sean Durkin’s gripping and intimate narrative with a remarkable transformation, both physically and emotionally. The brothers’ father (Holt McCallany) drives them to excel in the ring, but his relentless demands lead them down a path of inevitable tragedy.
Streaming on Max
Kim’s Video (David Redmon and Ashley Sabin)
David Redmon and Ashley Sabin’s documentary Kim’s Video explores the rise, fall, and resurrection of Youngman Kim’s vast VHS and DVD collection, which was legendary among cinephiles. Following a personal-inquiry, man-on-the-street format, the film recounts the journey from the East Village’s counterculture scene to a mafia-tinged heist, ultimately concluding with the collection’s return to Lower Manhattan’s Alamo Drafthouse. The movie provides a fascinating look at the preservation effort spearheaded by Nick Prueher of the Found Footage Festival.
Streaming on VOD
The Last Stop in Yuma County (Francis Galluppi)
In Francis Galluppi’s noir thriller The Last Stop in Yuma County, a traveling knife salesman (Jim Cummings) finds himself stranded at a remote Arizona diner just as a group of criminals enters the scene. This clever one-location debut is an homage to crime cinema that stands on its own, boasting twists and turns that could make even the Coen brothers smile.
Streaming on VOD
Let It Be (Michael Lindsay-Hogg)
After years of anticipation, Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s Let It Be finally gets its restoration. Despite Get Back highlighting the creative process behind the Beatles’ final album, the original 1970 film remains infamous for its raw portrayal of the band’s internal tensions. Once relegated to bootlegs, the film now makes a welcome return.
Streaming on Disney+
TV Picks
Doctor Who (Series 14)
Ncuti Gatwa (known for Sex Education and Barbie) takes the helm as the Fifteenth Doctor in the long-running series, traveling through time and space with his companion Ruby (Millie Gibson). I’m not a regular Doctor Who fan, but I can’t wait to see Gatwa’s fantastic outfits.
Streaming on Disney+
Pretty Little Liars: Summer School (Season 2)
Pretty Little Liars: Summer School reboots the franchise as a campy slasher homage. With little resemblance to the original series, it dives headfirst into a Friday the 13th-style riff that’s unserious and thoroughly enjoyable.
Streaming on Max
Interview With the Vampire (Season 2)
Rolin Jones’s adaptation of Anne Rice’s gothic novel explores the complicated relationship between Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) and his vampire daughter Claudia (Delainey Hayles) after they seemingly kill Louis’s former lover and maker (Sam Reid).
Streaming on AMC+
Dark Matter (Season 1)
Dark Matter follows physicist Joel Edgerton as he navigates an alternate reality after finding himself in a world much like his own but distinctly different. It echoes another sci-fi series from Apple TV+, making you wonder if they’re alternate-universe versions of each other.
Streaming on Apple TV+
Eurovision (Live Event)
The 68th annual Eurovision Song Contest is back, broadcasting live from Malmö, Sweden, after Loreen’s victory last year with “Tattoo.” Thirty-seven countries compete, including Luxembourg, returning after 31 years. Tune in Saturday (May 11) at 3 p.m. ET on Peacock to see Switzerland’s “The Code” by Nemo and Croatia’s “Rim Tom Tagi Dim” by Baby Lasagna battle it out for the top spot.
Streaming on Peacock
