8 Best Movies To Watch on Streaming Services Right Now
Some days, there is nothing better than going into sloth mode and streaming films with snacks galore. Whether you’re after entertainment or thought-provoking cinema, here are 8 great to movies to watch on streaming services right now. Snuggle in, get cozy, and enjoy!
8 Best Movies To Watch on Streaming Services Right Now
Judas and the Black Messiah
Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah, which was released in theaters and on HBO Max on February 12, has already secured a Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor award for Daniel Kaluuya. Based on the true story of the 1969 murder of Black Panther chairman Fred Hampton and FBI informant William O’Neal’s role in that murder, the political biopic has been circulating to wide critical acclaim and has promise of a prolific awards season. If you’re a fan of biographical dramas, American history, and LaKeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah will not disappoint.
Where to stream: HBO Max
I Care A Lot
What “I Care A Lot” lacks in emotional depth, it makes up for in Rosamund Pike’s calculated, ruthless performance as Marla Grayson. Marla is best described as an amalgamation of Gone Girl’s sociopathic Amy Dunne—perhaps Pike’s career-making role — and the deadly femme fatales of 90s erotic thrillers like Basic Instinct and Fatal Attraction.
Wielding a razor-sharp haircut and dangerous megalomania, Marla’s scam is among the most depraved (and unfortunately plausible) in film history: she takes legal guardianship over elders, places them in restrictive care homes, and then liquidates their assets for herself. In line with recent female-led thrillers like Hustlers and A “Simple Favor” but tinged with the sour aftertaste of a more sinister scam, I Care A Lot poses a disturbing satire on the pitfalls of capitalism and lands another career highlight for Pike.
Where to stream: Netflix
Nomadland
Chloé Zhao’s highly anticipated Nomadland spurred ubiquitous critical acclaim during its festival run and is finally available to the public. Zhao’s adaptation of Jessica Bruder’s eponymous 2017 non-fiction novel stars Frances McDormand as Fern, an American woman bankrupt by the Great Recession who turns to the nomadic life in search of work, traveling across a desolate, sprawling west in her van. The Steinbeckian character study, overlapped with elegiac score by the great pianist Ludovico Einaudi, follows Fern through a life familiar to many Americans post-Recession: resigned to mundane labor even in old age, neglected by a failing government.
Contemplative and understated, Nomadland is an authentic portrait of the Recession’s effects on American ideology and the self-realization that resulted from it — and it landed Chloé Zhao a Golden Globe for Best Director.
Where to stream: Hulu
To All the Boys: Always and Forever
Fans of Netflix’s hit To All the Boys film series are sure to be looking forward to the trilogy’s bittersweet finale, To All the Boys: Always and Forever. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before made a splash as one of Netflix’s most watched originals in history, constituting 40% of Netflix’s viewing numbers at one point. Helmed by the effervescent Lana Condor as Lara Jean, the closing film still contains much of the charm and saccharine teen romance that enamored viewers in the first place, if not slightly exhausted by repetition.
Where to stream: Netflix
Possessor
Brandon Cronenberg’s cerebral sci-fi-horror flick Possessor reverberated throughout the indie horror community. The progeny of horror-sovereign David Cronenberg, Brandon’s Possessor features some of the genetic makeup of his father’s filmography, including gruesome body horror and the convergence of technology with human bodies. Possessor’s curious retro-futurism and cyberpunk nods propel an inventive exploration of social alienation in an increasingly anti-humanistic and tech-driven world, invasive corporatism, and the manipulation of the human body for capitalistic gain at the expense of sanity and physical wellbeing. Although it occasionally succumbs to convolution and its tangled web of heavy themes, Possessor is a unique horror experience that is sure to appeal to fans of Cronenberg Sr.
Where to stream: Hulu
The Dig
The Dig is a film that survives on stellar cinematography and strong performances, featuring household names like Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan. Based off of John Preston’s 2007 novel, the film focuses on novice archaeologist Basil Brown (Fiennes), recruited by the wealthy Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan) to conduct a dig on her land, where he uncovers a series of increasingly shocking discoveries. The film, while partially fictionalized, also sticks to its historical roots, telling the true story of what is called an “archaeological discovery for the ages.” Calmly weaving in elements of character study and sometimes parabolic storytelling, The Dig is an enamoring watch for avid fans of detail-oriented cinematography and “slow burn” cinema.
Where to stream: Netflix
The Mauritanian
Kevin Macdonald’s legal drama The Mauritanian has already been garnering plenty of support from awards season, winning Jodie Foster her second Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. Adapted from Mohamedou Ould Salahi’s Guantánamo Diary, the film tells the true story of Salahi, who was held without charges in the U.S. Military’s Guantánamo Bay detention center for 14 years. Salahi finds some respite in defense attorney Nancy Holland (Jodie Foster) and her partner Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley), but the trio still faces a barrage of obstacles posed by a repressive, abusive U.S. government. The Mauritanian will likely be a worthy watch for anyone interested in political and legal dramas.
Where to stream: FandangoNOW ($), iTunes ($)
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things
While it may fall victim to some of the clichés rampant in the many predecessors of its genre—teen rom-coms, time loop movies—The Map of Tiny Perfect Things still manages to provide a warm-hearted spin on the average teen movie while paying homage to its obvious cultural inspirations. Playing like a Groundhog Day for the TikTok generation — or a Palm Springs for a less sardonic audience—The Map of Tiny Perfect Things succeeds on a charming cast, starring Kyle Allen and Kathryn Newton.
Where John Green movies of the past have faltered in an obvious dichotomy between author and character—awkward teenagers speaking in verbose, self-aggrandizing sentences and debating about obscure philosophy—The Map of Tiny Perfect Things presents a welcome authentic portrayal of teens and the tedium of routines.
Where to stream: Amazon Prime