7 new movies and TV shows to watch on Netflix, Prime Video, Max, and more this weekend (May 16)
Congratulations, you’ve made it to the end of another week. You know what that means – yep, it’s time to kick back and enjoy a plethora of new movies and TV shows that have just landed on the world’s best streaming services.
I’ll admit that this week’s streaming list is very light on the new film front, but at least there are lots of options for TV aficionados to be entertained by. So, without further ado, these are seven things you won’t want to miss before Monday arrives. – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
Love, Death & Robots volume 4 (Netflix)
Watch On
Netflix’s animated anthology series Love, Death and Robots has finally returned with 10 new episodes, each hailing from a different team of talented artists. Indeed, what’s so striking about the series is the drastically different visual styles on showcase, from stop motion and hand-painted 3D models to photorealistic CGI.
It’s one of the best Netflix shows for this exact reason and has wide appeal because of the different stories it brings to life. In volume 4, you can expect to find a mix of genres again, including horror, sci-fi and fantasy. To give you an idea of the variety, there’s even a Red Hot Chilli Pepper music video that David Fincher directed.
If, however, you don’t want to go into the series blind and risk falling prey to a jump scare, then make sure to give our episode ranking of Love, Death and Robots volume 4 by fear factor a read to avoid any unwelcome surprises. – Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor
The Brutalist (Max)
Watch On
The Brutalist is out now on Max this weekend, and the three-hour-plus movie has received much critical acclaim, making it worthy of a space on our best Max movies round up.
As well as scoring a healthy 93% Rotten Tomatoes score, it also won three Oscars including Best Actor for Adrian Brody and Best Cinematography, so it’s no surprise people were excitedly waiting for its streaming release.
The movie is so long, in fact, it had an intermission in theaters, which is a very rare occurrence these days. Watching it in the comfort of your own home, though, means you can choose your own intermission where you can get up and make a cup of tea. Or, you can stay glued to your screen the whole time, and given how good it is I wouldn’t blame you if you did! – Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer
Overcompensating (Prime Video)
Watch On
This new Amazon TV Original is a yet another comedy about fraternities, football players, and enjoying the perks that college has to offer. But, before you roll your eyes, it’s got a very surprising score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. I guess that’s what I get for judging a series by its marketing!
Prime Video’s latest offering follows Benny, a football player who struggles with his sexuality. As the title suggests, he starts overcompensating to try and fit in as someone he’s not, and the result is a heartfelt comedy show that’s really all about self-acceptance.
Those who love coming-of-age-dramas will likely have a good time with Overcompensating, which should join our best Prime Video shows hub by virtue of its high RT rating. It’s also soundtracked by Charli XCX, so you can expect some catchy tunes along the way. – LB
Duster (Max)
Watch On
J. J. Abrams helms this new Max thriller series, which seems to be a divergence from his usual brand of ‘watch out for lens flares!’ sci-fi. Instead, he’s honing in on the FBI’s first Black woman agent as she works to stop a crime syndicate with the assistance of a talented getaway driver.
It’s set in the Southwest in 1972, looks like it’ll be a very intriguing watch, and is a marked change for projects Abrams is involved in. It’s important to note that the characters and their storylines have no direct connection with real-life people or events so, while it may have been inspired by things, it’s ultimately a work of fiction. – LB
Murderbot (Apple TV+)
Watch On
You’ve heard of The Terminator, now get ready for Murderbot. Alexander Skarsgård leads the cast of this new Apple TV+ show, which follows a rogue security robot who secretly gains free will and spends more time trying to decipher humanity than, well, murder people he comes across.
TechRadar recently spoke to Murderbot‘s cast about, their bias aside, it sounds pretty unique for its primary genre. Sci-fi has done well on Apple TV+ so far, so this looks like another genre-based winner for the tech giant that’ll deserve a spot on our best Apple TV+ shows list. – LB
Bad Thoughts (Netflix)
Watch On
New Netflix sketch comedy Bad Thoughts has proven divisive with the critics, which asks the question: what would happen if you actually followed through on your intrusive thoughts.
However, I’m among those that actually had a very good time with this. While it’s not rated highly enough by my peers, I’d still argue it’s worth a go and its controversial brand of comedy will definitely land with some viewers. If you’re a fan of dark comedy and crude humor, then Tom Segura’s latest project might be your ideal binge watch this weekend
You can expect parodies of things like action flicks, disaster movies, and A24 movies, as well as some ridiculous characters, many of which are played by Segura himself. If you’re looking for something quick to watch, its episodes are on the short side, too. – LB
Welcome to Wrexham season 4 (Hulu/Disney+)
Watch On
The soccer-based docuseries that just keeps on giving, Welcome to Wrexham returned for its fourth season on Hulu (US) and Disney+ (internationally) this week. And, spoilers notwithstanding, it may be the show’s most intense installment yet.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McIlhenney, two of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces and the owners of Welsh soccer club Wrexham FC, are the driving force behind this program and the sport team’s rapid rise up the English football pyramid. But, as always, it’s the personal stories of those involved in the day-to-day running of Wrexham FC, plus the local community, that make this such a compelling and oft-times tear-jerking watch.
Season 4’s first two episodes are out now and, with new entries releasing weekly, I’m ready to laugh, cry, and learn more about one of the UK’s oldest soccer institutions in one of the best Hulu shows’ (and best Disney+ shows’) latest chapter. – TP
For more streaming suggestions, read our guides on the best Netflix movies, best Prime Video movies, best Paramount+ shows, and best Apple TV+ movies.
