We've made it to the weekend again, folks, and that means a host of new movies to stream have landed on Netflix, Max, Prime Video, and more of the best streaming services.
But with so many great titles on offer, the question becomes how to narrow down what to watch. Don't panic: We've got you covered. We've curated a list of the five best movies to check out this weekend, including both new releases that are hitting streaming for the first time as well as old favorites seeing a return.
This week's new arrivals are led by the DC universe's first Latino superhero with the Blue Beetle on Max. There's also Biosphere on AMC Plus, a bizarre sci-fi buddy comedy. Or if you're looking for some early Christmas cheer, Netflix's Best. Christmas. Ever! pairs Brandy and Heather Graham in a bubbly yuletide tale. Here are our top picks for movies to stream this weekend.
Biosphere (AMC Plus)
This new sci-fi buddy comedy starring Mark Duplass (The Morning Show) and Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us) has an eye-catching premise: Lifelong best friends Buddy (Duplass) and Ray (Brown) find themselves the last two humans remaining on Earth following an apocalypse. The pair manage to survive by taking shelter in a dome built by Ray, where they live off the land by growing vegetables and eating fish.
However, once the only female fish in a pond dies, the two men are left staring down the very real possibility that they may starve to death without another reliable food source. That is until one of the remaining male fish exhibits signs of “accelerated evolution.” What happens next is a bizarre sequence of events that neither man could have predicted.
Streaming now on AMC Plus
Blue Beetle (Max)
DC's counterpart to the MCU, the DC Extended Universe, gets its first Latino superhero in Blue Beetle with Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña), a recent college grad who returns to his hometown with the hopes of securing a high-paying job to bring his family out of poverty.
However, his future takes an unexpected turn when he gets his hands on an ancient relic of alien biotechnology called the Scarab. A sentient weapon, the Scarab chooses him to be its symbiotic host, bestowing him with a near-indestructible exoskeleton armor with extraordinary (but unpredictable) powers. As he grows into his newfound superhero identity, his close-knit family reluctantly accepts his destiny and offers support. All the while, the unscrupulous CEO of the company that initially uncovered the Scarab (Susan Sarandon) schemes to take it back.
Streaming now on Max
Downton Abbey: The Motion Picture (Netflix)
Downton Abbey: The Motion Picture, the movie companion to the classic British series, was a huge hit at the box office when it came out in 2019, enough to spawn a sequel: Downton Abbey: A New Era. Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, and Elizabeth McGovern reprise their roles as everyone's favorite messy aristocratic family, the Crawleys, at their titular fictional estate in Yorkshire.
It's all hands on deck at Downton when the family receives word that the king and queen of England are due to visit. As preparations get underway, members of the royal staff arrive to ensure preparations go smoothly, and it becomes clear that they intend to take charge during the big shindig (something that the Downton staffers are none too pleased with). The shenanigans that follow revolve around an assassination attempt, a family secret and a royal ball.
Streaming now on Netflix
Best. Christmas. Ever! (Netflix)
It's never too early to get into the Christmas spirit. Director Mary Lambert brings yuletide warmth and cheer with Best. Christmas. Ever! on Netflix, a story of two former friends thrown together for the first time in ages who learn some valuable lessons befitting of the holiday season.
Jackie Jennings (Brandy) seems to have it all — a handsome husband, a perfect home — a fact that she reminds everyone of in her annual holiday newsletter. Her jealous old college friend Charlotte (Heather Graham) determines to be the Grinch that uncovers the truth behind the family's facade. She “accidentally” turns up on Jackie’s doorstep days before Christmas with her husband (Jason Biggs) and kids in tow to suss out some juicy secrets, only to discover that things may not be as picture-perfect as she assumed.
Streaming now on Netflix
Accepted (Prime Video)
Accepted has a novel premise that sets it apart from most other teen comedies: After being rejected from every college he applied to, senior Bartleby Gaines (Justin Long) devices a plan to create a fake university to fool his parents into thinking he's college-bound. His similarly overlooked friends get in on the grift, helping him cook up a fake website, turn an abandoned psychiatric hospital into a campus, and bring in a jaded former college professor (Lewis Black) to pose as the dean.
However, they realize they did their jobs a little too well when hundreds of other college rejects show up trying to gain admittance to their nonexistent school. While not every joke stands the test of time, Accepted is a clever satirical take on the American education system punctuated by Black's trademark ranting and finger-pointing to expose the absurdities of life.
Streaming now on Prime Video
