And just like that, the Oscars come and go for another year. On the night, there weren’t many surprises – save for an absent, Best Actor-winning Anthony Hopkins – but the scaled back Hollywood ceremony clearly did its best to stoke the fires of love for cinema in a pandemic-hampered age.
In many ways, then, streaming services saved this year’s Academy Awards. Sound of Metal dropped on Amazon Prime Video, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom released on Netflix and Judas and the Black Messiah had a month-long window on HBO Max. Nomadland is available to stream on Hulu (and now Disney Plus in the UK), and Minari is rentable on several platforms – to name just a few of this year’s nominees bound to the small screen.
Thankfully, there’s plenty more to watch this weekend than just awards-chasing dramas. Below, we round up nine of the biggest highlights available on streamers this weekend – from quirky new Netflix anime to big-budget action flicks.
The Mitchells Vs. the Machines
If you watch one new Netflix movie this weekend, and you like decent family-friendly animation, consider checking out this acclaimed new movie from producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller (The Lego Movie, Into the Spider-Verse).
The Mitchells Vs. the Machines follows a family on a road trip suddenly confronted with a robot apocalypse. Expect good-natured humor and nice animation in this movie that Netflix acquired from Sony.
Now available to stream on Netflix
Things Heard and Seen (Netflix)
Amanda Seyfried and James Norton star in this new Netflix thriller following a couple of art historians who discover a sinister darkness in their marriage. Think The Conjuring, but with a lower budget.
It all sounds quite run-of-the-mill, and early reviews haven’t exactly been full of praise, but Things Heard and Seen may prove one of those Netflix Original movies that bucks the critical trend to claim a lengthy spot atop the streamer's ‘most watched’ list in May.
Now available to stream on Netflix
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
The delayed fourth season of Margaret Atwood’s mega-popular dystopian drama has finally arrived on Hulu, and sees Elizabeth Moss once again don the white coif of the Handmaids.
Three new episodes are available to watch now, with the remaining seven set to arrive on a weekly basis throughout May and June. The show has already been renewed for a fifth season – so this must be worth watching.
Now available to stream on Hulu
Yasuke (Netflix)
OK, this one looks pretty epic. In a war-torn feudal Japan filled with mechs and magic, Yasuke follows the plight of a legendary African warrior, the Black Samurai, as he takes up his sword against dark forces and bloodthirsty warlords.
The six-episode Netflix series sees LaKeith Stanfield lead its voice cast, with American director LeSean Thomas at the helm. It also looks really, really violent, which is always fun.
Now available to stream on Netflix
22 vs. Earth (Disney Plus)
Set before the events of Disney and Pixar’s latest feature film, Soul, 22 vs. Earth is a short which follows the plight of soul number 22 as she refuses to go to Earth.
Ahead of its release on Disney Plus, we sat down with director Kevin Nolting to discuss how 22 vs. Earth’s best jokes reference Apocalypse Now, the process of crafting a prequel to Soul and whether it features any Pixar Easter eggs.
Now available to stream on Disney Plus
The Mosquito Coast (Apple TV Plus)
The Mosquito Coast sees Justin Theroux lead the cast for a seven-episode adaptation of the 1981 novel of the same name, which was previously turned into a 1986 feature film starring Harrison Ford. It follows an American family who relocate to the jungle in Latin America.
The first two episodes are available now – both directed by Rupert Wyatt (of Rise of the Planet of the Apes fame) – with new episodes arriving weekly. It’s always good to see Apple TV Plus get some more new high-end content.
Now available to stream on Apple TV Plus
Assembled: The Making of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Disney Plus)
As with Wandavision before it, Marvel’s latest Assembled feature goes behind the scenes of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to reveal what went into making Disney Plus’ latest superhero show.
It features exclusive interviews with cast and crew members, and if you’re comfortable with shattering the illusion of MCU magic, Assembled shines a light on the sets, stunts and CGI that brought the world of the series to life.
Now available to stream on Disney Plus
Without Remorse (Amazon Prime Video)
If you’re after some standard gun-toting fare this weekend, Without Remorse should do the trick. Paramount's first Tom Clancy spin-off since the latest Jack Ryan series, it tells the origin story of franchise favorite John Clark, played here by Michael B. Jordan.
After Clark’s pregnant wife is murdered by assassins – Russian ones, obviously – he is forced to pursue revenge. Jodie Turner-Smith and Jamie Bell also star.
Now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video
Nomadland (Disney Plus UK)
How about a bonus entry for UK viewers? Hulu subscribers have been able to watch Nomadland for ages, now, but the Oscar Best Picture winner just dropped on Disney Plus for UK subscribers via Star. It's the best thing the addition of Star has brought to the service so far, and almost justifies the £2 monthly price bump singlehandedly.
Frances McDormand stars as a woman who, after losing her husband, travels the US in her camper van and lives life on the road – forming powerful bonds along the way. Do not miss it.
Now available to stream on Disney Plus UK
- What we know about Shadow and Bone season 2
