It may be the calm before the Barbenheimer storm, but there’s an ample amount of movies and TV shows dropping this week that are worth a watch.
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From Ari Aster’s latest flick to the newest season of Miracle Workers, to Mission: Impossible‘s seventh installment, there’s something for everyone this week, no matter the mood. We’ve rounded up the best new titles coming to streaming and theaters, so buckle up and enjoy the show!
Beau Is Afraid
Credit: Takashi Seida/A24
Ari Aster, the ingenious mind behind Hereditary and Midsommar, returns with Beau Is Afraid — an intense, surrealist horror/comedy following one man’s journey to his mother’s home. Starring Joaquin Phoenix as the eponymous Beau, the film unravels all the eccentric, almost dreamlike, hurdles Beau must overcome before finally reaching his mother’s house (played by the incomparable Patti LuPone) where even more strange surprises await.
What we thought: “I can’t promise you’ll enjoy Beau is Afraid. I can promise it’ll fuck you up.” — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor
How to watch: Beau is Afraid is now available on VOD, including Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Final Cut
Credit: Tribeca Film Festival
A French remake of the Japanese cult classic One Cut of the Dead, Final Cut is a hilarious horror spoof that follows a film crew making a low-budget zombie flick. But life soon starts imitating art, as real zombies start attacking the film crew while they’re making a film about zombie attacks. It’s all very meta. While the cameras continue rolling, Final Cut has some plot twists under its belt — did the crew stumble upon the best footage they could ever hope for? Or was it all part of the script?
What we thought: “Between its B-movie aesthetic and how it pays off long-running gags, there are a lot of laughs to be had. But does that fun stem from Final Cut itself, or from the fact that it’s an almost shot-for-shot, joke-for-joke take of One Cut of the Dead? Your mileage on this film will vary depending on how you choose to answer that question.” — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Final Cut is now playing in theaters.
Miracle Workers Season 4
Credit: TBS
Television’s most underrated show is back with another season. Miracle Workers, an anthology comedy series created by Simon Rich, follows a unique set of stories each season that all differ from each other but are wildly entertaining all the same. While the show’s taken us to Heaven and back (literally), the latest season of Miracle Workers, End Times, is set in a post-apocalyptic, Mad Max-esque, landscape where a group of wasteland warriors are fighting for a better life. From its wacky wit to its stellar cast (including Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi), we promise that Miracle Workers is a must-watch.
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What we thought: “Miracle Workers: End Times is a welcomed addition to one of the best under-sung shows on television. So, do yourself a favor and watch the lot. Because it’s an anthology, you can start with any season. Plus, they get better with every re-watch. Binge away and revel in the twisted delights of this supremely ludicrous and addictive anthology.” — K.P.
How to watch: Season 1-3 of Miracle Workers are streaming on Max. Season 4 airs weekly on TBS, with new episodes every Monday.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Credit: Paramount Pictures and Skydance
Cue the Mission: Impossible theme song. Tom Cruise returns for the seventh installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, titled Dead Reckoning Part One (so you already know there’s going to be a part two), where Ethan Hunt’s latest thrilling mission involves saving all of humanity — casual stuff for one man to bear on his shoulders alone. There’s a new mysterious weapon in town that can end all life as we know it, and it’s up to Ethan to track it down and stop it from getting into the wrong hands. As Ethan embarks on this high-stakes quest, we can’t help but ask, is this mission really possible?
What we thought: “If you’re a fan of this franchise, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One will pull you to the edge of your seat and thrill you down to your bones. That’s just science.” — K.P.
How to watch: Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is now playing in theaters.
Survival of the Thickest
Credit: Netflix
Michelle Buteau’s best-selling book of essays, Survival of the Thickest, is now a TV show starring the writer-comedian herself as Mavis Beaumont, a 38-year-old, plus-sized, single Black woman trying to rebuild her life. The comedy follows Beaumont as she tries to make it as a stylist, boasting a body-positive attitude, lip gloss, and fab besties as her secret weapons for success. Hilarious and heartfelt, Survival of the Thickest is the perfect watch for anyone who needs a better (and more inclusive) Sex and the City.
What we thought: “With an average episode runtime of 27 minutes, the series is highly bingeable. When the plot seems predictable, Buteau throws curveballs that will leave viewers eagerly anticipating how Mavis will cleverly navigate her way out of each situation. Survival of the Thickest remains an enjoyable watch, thanks to the talented and diverse ensemble cast that brings the characters to life. Hopefully, the show will get a second season to find its footing. Buteau deserves that much.” — Karama Horne, Freelance Contributor
How to watch: Survival of the Thickest is now streaming on Netflix.
The Afterparty Season 2
Credit: Apple TV+
Chris Miller and Phil Lord’s hilarious whodunnit returns for a second season filled with even more antics and suspense. The Afterparty typically follows a homicide investigation where every witness is a suspect and every witness gets to tell their story in their own whimsical way. Each episode pays tribute to a different film genre depending on each suspect’s retelling of the evening, from film noirs to medieval period dramas to Wes Anderson’s famous orange hues. In Season 2, The Afterparty takes on a wedding gone horribly wrong, and the groom’s killer isn’t the only surprise waiting in store.
What we thought: “The Afterparty Season 2 destroyed any concerns I may have had about the potential longevity of the series. A new murder, new cast, and new slate of film genres certainly keep the show fresh and funny — but it’s the season’s bigger stylistic swings that truly elevate it.” — B.E.
How to watch: The Afterparty is now streaming on Apple TV+.
Theater Camp
Credit: Searchlight
The highs and lows of a theater camp are finally getting their moment to shine on screen. Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman’s succinctly titled comedy, Theater Camp, follows a ragtag staff at an upstate New York theater camp (played by Gordon, Ben Platt, Jimmy Tatro, and Ayo Edebiri) trying to band together after the camp director falls into a coma. For all the theater kids out there, this one’s for you.
What we thought: “[Theater Camp] takes a familiar-feeling premise and delivers a sweet, scrappy crowdpleaser that reminds us just how damn great theater is, setbacks and all.” — B.E.
How to watch: Theater Camp is now playing in theaters.
