‘Tis the season for holiday romances and Oscar contenders among the new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Max and more of the best streaming services. Right now, you can watch all of these picks for less with deeply-discounted Black Friday streaming deals.
The mystery thriller "Conclave," which has 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, hits premium video-on-demand sites, so you can watch the political intrigue of a papal election via your preferred streaming retailer. Plus, three comedies lean into the festive spirit: "Our Little Secret" with Lindsay Lohan and "Sweethearts" with Kiernan Shipka and "Nutcrackers" with Ben Stiller.
On the TV side, spy drama "The Agency" and conspiracy thriller "The Madness" will leave you on the edge of your seat. Here's our guide on what to watch this weekend.
New TV shows
‘The Agency’ (Showtime)
A sterling cast including Michael Fassbender, Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith and Richard Gere headlines Showtime’s new espionage thriller. Covert CIA agent "Martian" (Fassbender) is ordered to abandon the undercover life spent years building and return to London Station. When the love he left behind reappears, their romance reignites — pitting his career, real identity and mission against his heart. He and his paramour soon find themselves thrust into a deadly game of international intrigue.
Episodes 1 and 2 streaming now on Paramount Plus With Showtime
‘The Madness’ (Netflix)
This conspiracy thriller stars Colman Domingo as media pundit Muncie Daniels, who’s looking for a new direction and takes a work sabbatical in the Poconos to write the great American novel. There, Muncie stumbles upon the murder of a well-known white supremacist — and then is framed for the crime. Forced to go on the run to clear his name, he reconnects with estranged family members and finds unlikely allies to fight against disinformation in a post-truth world.
All 8 episodes streaming now on Netflix
‘The Later Daters’ (Netflix)
The success of ABC’s “The Golden Bachelor” is naturally drawing copycats. Netflix’s version follows singles in their 50s, 60s and 70s as they try for a second (or third … or fourth) chance at love. Six baby boomers — some of whom haven’t been in a relationship in over a decade — go on a series of blind dates with potential partners of a similar age. They get some help navigating the modern dating landscape from their children, friends and dating coach Logan Ury. She encourages the singles to set realistic dating goals and expectations, while also enjoying the unexpected, joyous moments that come with meeting new people.
All 8 episodes streaming now on Netflix
‘Chef’s Table’ season 7 (Netflix)
Yes, chef! Once again, the "food porn" show returns to highlight culinary masters across the globe who are redefining today’s food landscape. Season 7's lineup features Philadelphia’s Nok Suntaranon, cooking Southern Thai; “Top Chef” standout Kwame Onwuachi of New York City, cooking Afro-Caribbean; Spain’s Ángel León, cooking seafood; and married chefs Norma Listman and Saqib Keval of Mexico City, cooking Mexican and South Asian fusion.
All 4 episodes streaming now on Netflix
New movies
‘Conclave’ (PVOD)
One of the most thrilling movies of the year centers on an election … no, not that one. It chronicles the ancient, highly secretive and intensely political process of selecting a new Pope. After the unexpected death of a beloved Pope, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) must oversee the selection of the new pontiff from among the powerful cardinals who have gathered from around the world, including top contenders Aldo Bellini (Stanley Tucci), Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow), Joshua Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) and Goffredo Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto). Locked within the Vatican, they engage in subtle warfare — maneuvering, scheming and undermining. But as the election proceeds, Lawrence begins to uncover secrets that could shake the foundations of the Catholic Church.
Streaming now with purchase on Amazon or Apple
‘Our Little Secret’ (Netflix)
Merry Ex-mas, Lindsay Lohan! The new queen of Netflix rom-coms is back with a Christmas outing that sees her run into an ex-boyfriend (Ian Harding) in the worst possible circumstance. Avery spends the holiday with her new guy (Jon Rudnitsky) and his family, including his terrifying mom (Kristin Chenoweth). There, she comes face to face with Logan, who’s there with his new girlfriend Cassie (Katie Baker). Turns out their paramours are siblings … so awkward! Avery doesn’t want anyone to find out about their past, which leads to one big yuletide mess.
Streaming now on Netflix
‘Sweethearts’ (Max)
If you’ve never heard of “Drunksgiving” — aka “Drinksgiving” or “Blackout Wednesday” — it’s the night before Thanksgiving, when everyone returns to their hometown and reunites with their old friends as the, uh, drinks flow. This is the set-up for this holiday comedy, which revolves around best friends Jamie (Kiernan Shipka) and Ben (Nico Hiraga) who attend the same college and are still with their high school sweethearts. They’re tired of holding themselves back in their college social scene, so they decide they need to break up with their respective partners on Drunksgiving, which turns into one chaotic and messy night.
Streaming now on Max
‘Beatles ‘64’ (Disney Plus)
Beatles mania is coming to Disney Plus once again. Following the success of Peter Jackson’s “The Beatles: Get Back,” a new documentary from director David Tedeschi and producer Martin Scorsese chronicles the cultural impact of the Fab Four on the United States starting with their first visit to the country in February 1964. Using archival footage shot by David and Albert Maysles, the doc captures the sheer chaos that occurs from the Beatles’ arrival at the newly-named John F. Kennedy airport to their iconic appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” through their journey to Washington, D.C. and Miami, accompanied by screaming fans.
Streaming now on Disney Plus
‘Nutcrackers’ (Hulu)
This holiday comedy mashes up a bunch of tropes: the workaholic city slicker stuck in the sticks; orphaned kids in need of a home; those kids misbehaving; a saintly small-town social worker; and accidentally destroying a nativity scene. Ben Stiller stars as Mike, who travels to rural Ohio to look after his recently orphaned, very rambunctious nephews. As social worker Gretchen (Linda Cardellini) assures him, he only needs to be there through Christmas, just until she can find them a foster family. Madcap hijinks and shenanigans ensue, but (shocker) Mike finds his ice-cold heart thawing.
Streaming now on Hulu
