Multiple times per week, our TV and film experts will list the most important ten streaming selections for you to pop into your queues. We’re not strictly operating upon reviews or accrued streaming clicks (although yes, we’ve scoured the streaming site charts) but, instead, upon those selections that are really worth noticing amid the churning sea of content. There’s a lot out there, after all, and your time is valuable.
TIE: 10. The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special (Disney+ movie)
James Gunn is shaking up the Superman game (meaning that he will focus on a film revolving around the young Clark Kent, and Henry Cavill won’t star, but that is fine since he has another iron in the fire already) and completely retooling the DCEU/DCU. Yet before that happens, he’s still got some MCU cheer on the way during this special that’s the perfect occasion to toss Groot in the fireplace. Just kidding, maybe. Awww, I love Groot, too, but I’m much more about Rocket Raccoon and whatever he’s going to do with that Spoilery Item. Godspeed, Trash Panda.
TIE: 10. The White Lotus (HBO series streaming on HBO Max)
By now, there’s a good chance that you caught up on this show if you’ve already been watching. So you know who dies and who does the killing and who gets a happy ending. What you don’t know, however, is what no one else knows: will Sicily ever recover from Tanya’s intentionally chaotic wardrobe choices? Also, the wait for Season 3 already seems too long, and I think we need a weekly podcast from Meghann Fahy as Daphne and Aubrey Plaza as Harper, where they simply sh*t all over people in different ways. Admit it, you’d listen to something like that, too.
9. Troll (Netflix movie)
Sometimes you just wanna watch a Norwegian movie, in which a creature who should only subsist within folklore collides with some impressively decent special effects and a Godzilla-like origin story. Then the being wreaks havoc upon humanity as it sets off for the nation’s capitol. Think of this as holiday counter programming because this is currently the most popular non-English film on Netflix.
8. Bullet Train (Sony movie streaming on non-basic Netflix and VOD)
One can rarely say “nope” to a Brad Pitt movie, and that’s especially the case for a frenetic Brad Pitt action flick. The title of the film might lead one to believe that this is a remake of the 1975 Japanese film of the same name, but that would be inaccurate. Rather, this picture is based upon Kotaro Isaka’s darkly comedic novel, which follows five assassins en route to Kyoto when they figure out that they’re all on missions that are somehow related. Joey King and Aaron Taylor-Johnson co-star, and expect appearances from Bad Bunny, Michael Shannon, Sandra Bullock, Brian Tyree Henry, and Logan Lerman.
7. His Dark Materials (HBO series on HBO Max)
This fantasy series adaptation is back for one final rodeo after easily besting the hell out of the 2007 movie starring Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman that’s also based upon Phillip Pullman’s work. This third season follows The Amber Spyglass and not only gives us more of Plucky Lyra (Dafne Keen continues to hold her ground alongside those Dæmons) but also some bonus helpings of James McAvoy’s Lord Asriel.
6. Wednesday (Netflix series)
Although this show hasn’t yet received a Season 2 renewal, it seems increasingly likely that we will receive more of the record-breaking, non-blinking protagonist who ruled Thanksgiving weekend in the streaming realm. Tim Burton knew precisely how an inventive storyline would work much better than treading old ground from the movies or O.G. TV show, and Jenna Ortega brings the spooky vibe home with Wednesday Addam’s parents, Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Gomez (Luis Guzmán) along for the ride in perfect doses.
5. Emily The Criminal (Roadside Flix/Netflix movie)
Man, this is a bit of a horror movie, but it’s also a movie where Aubrey Plaza kicks some overdue ass. She takes no bullsh*t as Emily, who’s buried deep in student loan hell and catching no breaks from having a felony offense on her record. She’s no heroine, but Emily’s compelling as hell to watch while choosing to hop into a scheme that’s led by Theo Rossi’s sinister character with a soft side. This movie should also please The White Lotus fans who wanted Harper to haul off and beat the hell out of those who anger her most.
4. Fleishman Is In Trouble (FX series on Hulu)
Claire Danes is nearly a ghost throughout much of this season (which is dropping on a weekly basis), but her Rachel is still mightily screwing with her husband, Toby Fleishman, as played by Jesse Eisenberg. They play spouses who are divorcing, which is probably in the best interests of everyone, but then Rachel evaporates. There’s a bit of mystery regarding her whereabouts, but that’s not the real attraction of this show. Rather, it’s amazing how Eisenberg can continue to be awkward in many different ways and still remain watchable. Also, Lizzy Caplan’s character rules in Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s adaptation of her own novel, and Adam Brody is here for some finance-bro comic relief.
3. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix movie)
Did we really need another take on this classic? Once you catch a few minutes of this stop-motion masterpiece, then you’ll realize that sometimes, another retelling of the same story can yield some magic. The maestro who recently brought his Cabinet of Curiosities to Netflix now takes on the wooden puppet whose story gets reinvented with some darkness but with plenty of thematic relevance for a new audience. You probably won’t want to show this to young children, but other ages will dig the latest from the helmer of Crimson Peak.
2. Harry & Meghan (Netflix docuseries)
Alright, so Piers Morgan is having an absolute field day (he even forgot to publicly wish his wife a happy birthday when the first batch of episodes started streaming) with hating on the Sussexes, but they have their fans as well as their detractors. Especially with the second installment that arrived this week, this limited series gives a peek behind the curtain of what pushed Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to make the difficult decision to part from the British Royal Family. And of course there are strong opinions, but that’s part of the viewing experience.
1. Avatar (20th Century Fox/Disney movie streaming on Amazon and VOD)
You may have heard that Avatar: The Way Of Water has arrived in theaters and is apparently a very good movie. So before you watch this sequel that James Cameron promised will make “sh*t yourself with your mouth wide open,” you might as well also relive the original trip to Pandora. The film got pulled from Disney+ ahead of the sequel’s theatrical release, but it’s available for rental on Amazon and VOD platforms, so get back in league with the Na’vi and then prepare to check yo’ britches.
