Weekly Box Office Guide: Streaming Edition

We here at Comicbook.com get a lot of great insights about what movies are available for your viewing pleasure each week – be it big new releases competing for box office glory; previously released movies hoping to added to the their box office totals; or even smaller releases available through either limited theatrical released, On Demand, etc.

As you may have noticed (from our week-long hiatus) that the box office has been pretty quiet, lately. Fate of the Furious has pretty much owned things for the last few weeks – domination that ‘s likely to continue until Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 opens in the US market, next week.

To that end, we’ve gone ahead and compiled a list of some good streaming service options that you can enjoy this week, with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and cable On Demand all offering some good watches for audiences, from the comfort of their homes.

Netflix

Netflix is always reliable for a good watch on a slow weekend, and in the last year, the service has made a real big push into keeping new and widely varying content in front of viewers on a regular basis. 

Here’s what you can view this week: 

Movies

• Sand Castle – X-Men star Nicholas Hoult and Batman v Superman star Henry Cavill star in this Netflix Original war drama about a group of American soldiers trying to protect a village during the occupation of Iraq. Not a bad Fri or Sat headliner. 
• The Prestige – One of Chris Nolan’s best films (about long feud between magicians in 19th Century England) features an ensemble of Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale and Scarlett Johansson, just before they (and their director) became superhero icons. That twist ending still chills our bones. Catch this one again; definitely click play if you’ve never seen it. 
• Southside With You – The story of how Barack and Michelle Obama when on their first date in South Side Chicago during summer 1989. A nice romantic drama for the grownups.
• The Secret Life of Pets – One of the most fun animated movies of 2016 is now available on Netflix. So if you need a family movie choice, or just want to occupy the kids…

TV

• Netflix Comedy – Dave Chappelle, Louis C.K., Jim Gaffigan, Trevor Noah and Bill Burr all have new comedy specials available. No reason your weekend shouldn’t be filled with some much-needed laughter. 
• Nerd Stuff – Bill Nye Saves The World brings science back as a pop-culture talking point in this Netflix original series; for something less series, there’s the long-awaited return of Mystery Science Theater 3000. 
• For Grownups – There’s the teen suicide drama 13 Reasons Why or the new release of Girlboss, which features young Britt Robertson (Tomorrowland) as a sardonic misfit who starts her own dumpster-diving fashion business. Based on the real-life story of Nasty Gal founder, Sophia Amoruso. 

Hulu

Hulu may not have the same movie power that Netflix does, but the service is offering some new original series that are gaining more and more acclaim. 

This week, the big Hulu release is no doubt The Handmaid’s Tale, a look at a society in which fertile women are kept like slaves and used by wealthy lords for reproduction. Comicbook.com’s Charlie Ridgley is already hailing it as one of the best series in television. 

MORE: The Handmaid’s Tale Official Review

If you want more of Mad Men’s Elisabeth Moss, the actress has a second Hulu series now available: a crime drama mystery called Top of the Lake.  

Amazon

Amazon has a combination of old movie offerings on prime video, and some good original movies and TV series, and some nice “day after” runs of popular TV shows. 

Original Movies/TV

• The Handmaiden – acclaimed Korean director Park Chan-Wook (Oldboy) is back with this mystery/thriller about a handmaiden who infiltrates a Japanese heiress’ circle, on a mission to defame her. Good pick for fans of international cinema. 
• Bosch Season 3 – Gone Baby Gone, Transformers, and Lost actor Titus Welliver steps out in this original series about a troubled cop. Season 3 puts Bosch in the crosshairs of a controversial case of police brutality (and murder). If you haven’t checked out this Emmy-nominated series, now is a good time. 
• Thunderbirds Are Go Season 3  – The popular kids series has a new season out for kids (or nostalgic adults) to enjoy.

Old as New Movies

• RENTALS – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Hidden Figures are both available to rent now. 
• Tommy Boy – The Chris Farley/David Spade ’90s comedy classic is always good for a watch. 
• Almost Famous – Cameron Crowe’s rock n roll drama helped make Kate Hudson a star.
• American Honey – This cult-hit gem from 2016 introduced Sasha Lane and gave Shia LaBeouf a good role to dig into, in Andrea Arnold’s beautiful road trip movie ode to youthful abandon. 

TV Reruns

• You can catch the latest episodes of Archer: Dreamland, Fargo S3, and Better Call Saul S3 – and should definitely keep up with all three acclaimed shows. 

Cable

Suicide Squad, War Dogs, The Purge: Election Year and Independence Day: Resurgence are all good picks for cable movies currently available to subscribers. 

HBO will also premiere Chronicle writer Max Landis’ version of the Victor Frankenstein mythos, as it’s Saturday night premiere. 

Movie Picks

There are a couple of options, if you’re hell-bent on being the theater this weekend: 

Sleight – This urban superhero origin story follows a young street magician with superpowers, who must care for his little sister after their parents’ death. When she is abducted, the magician must unleash his power to save her. 

The Circle – Tom Hanks, Emma Watson, and Star Wars‘ John Boyega star in this thriller about the near future when obsession with technology and social media bubbles is growing even more out of control. Not much buzz, but may be a solid B-movie thriller. 

Fate of the Furious – If you haven’t checked it out yet, you might as well now. It’s a good action movie to tide fans over until the official summer season begins.