August is typically a slow month at the movie theater, and while “Bodies Bodies Bodies” and “Bullet Train” can offer some sweet, bloody release from the heat at the local multiplex this weekend, if you’re more into staying home, there’s a wealth of high-profile new movies on streaming services to check out too.
On Hulu, the new movie in the “Predator” franchise, “Prey,” premieres on Friday. The “Predator” franchise is particularly agile and adept at genre-hopping, and this new film is a historical horror flick set 300 years ago in the Comanche Nation. In this Predator origin story, Amber Midthunder stars as Naru, a young warrior on the Great Plains who encounters the highly evolved alien predator threatening her camp and her people. “Prey” is directed by Dan Trachtenberg, who previously helmed “10 Cloverfield Lane.”
What makes “Prey” even more unique is that in streaming at home, viewers will have the option to watch the film dubbed entirely in the Comanche language. The filmmakers were dedicated to making a film that was an accurate portrayal of the Comanche, and producer Jhane Myers, a member of the Comanche Nation and acclaimed filmmaker, helped to bring that authenticity to the production. The cast is made up almost entirely of Native and First Nations actors. Be sure to catch it on Hulu this weekend.
Another topical horror film arrives on Peacock Friday. “They/Them” is written and directed by John Logan and is set within a LGBTQIA+ conversion therapy camp. Kevin Bacon stars as the camp’s director, with Anna Chlumsky, Carrie Preston and Boone Platt filling out the rest of the staff. Who will be getting slashed in this social slasher? You’ll have to watch and find out on Peacock this weekend.
Rebecca Ferguson, who starred in the chilling haunted house thriller “The Night House” last year (streaming on HBO Max), is in another mysterious and intimate thriller, “Resurrection,” written and directed by Andrew Semans. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Ferguson stars as successful single mother Margaret, whose orderly life is disrupted when a man from her past (Tim Roth) returns. The film opened in theaters last weekend, will be available on demand and digital rental Friday, and will stream on horror-specific streaming service Shudder on Oct. 28.
Finally, Academy Award winning director Ron Howard’s latest film, “Thirteen Lives” arrives on Prime Video this Friday after a short theatrical run. Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell and Joel Edgerton star in this film based on the incredible true story of the global effort to rescue the Thai soccer team trapped in the Tham Luang cave in 2018. A team of international divers joined the Thai forces to attempt the harrowing rescue of the 12 boys and their coach, with the whole world looking on. The film has received positive reviews, and is certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, so it’s worth your streaming hours this weekend.
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