5 top new movies to stream this week on Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus and more (June 17-23)
There's plenty of noteworthy new movies across the best streaming services this week, with a little something for everyone from gruesome horror to an inspiring space-themed doc.
However, I think the biggest newcomer is the arrival of 'A Minecraft Movie' on HBO Max. I'm no fan of the flick; it ranks in my 5 least favorite movies of 2025 to date (sorry, Minecrafters), but its box office-breaking success suggests I'm in the minority camp with this opinion.
Other top new picks include 'Final Destination Bloodlines' arriving on premium video-on-demand streaming platforms, and Netflix's new vibrant animation from the studio behind 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,' 'Kpop Demon Hunters' — yes, that is a real movie that you can watch this week.
If you're looking for something fresh to stream over the next seven days, you've come to the right place. And also don't forget to check out our guide to the best TV news shows this week.
The return of the iconic 'Final Destination' series was a long time coming and after more than a decade's wait, 'Final Destination Bloodlines' proved more than worthy of the franchise's name.
I'd go as far as to say it might even be the best installment to date; it's certainly top two, in my opinion. The passage of time certainly helps the formula of a cast of characters being stalked by death feel fresh again, but 'Bloodlines' makes some subtly creative (and super bloody) choices that work a treat.
As all 'Final Destination' movies do, 'Bloodlines' begins with a bombastic premonition, where a character sees a vision of future death to come, managing to save a few people, death quickly comes back to claim those who escaped his master plan.
However, the wrinkle here is that this time it's the grandchildren of one of the survivors who are being hunted. Alongside this new spin, 'Bloodlines' still offers all the outrageously gory deaths you'd expect from a 'Final Destination' movie and has an enjoyable self-aware streak as well.
Buy or rent on Amazon from June 17
My local theatre hasn't yet screened 'Friendship,' so I'm particularly pleased to see it arrive on streaming this week because the comedic combo of Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd sounds absolutely perfect.
Based on the movie's critical reception (it's currently rated 88% on Rotten Tomatoes), it looks like the team-up of Rudd and Robinson was just as good in practice as it sounded on paper. This one certainly seems worth the rental fee.
In 'Friendship,' Tim Robinson plays Craig, a suburban husband and father whose wife is growing frustrated with his increasing emotional distance. When he meets a neighbor, Austin (Rudd), the two strike up a close friendship.
But their fast relationship might just be the catalyst for the destruction of both their lives. It kinda looks like a quirky version of Rudd's other bromance comedy, 'I Love You, Man,' and that's one heck of an elevator pitch to me.
Buy or rent on Amazon from June 17
Sally Ride was an extremely inspirational figure as the first American woman to travel to space (and only the third overall). This new documentary aims to celebrate her life and a litany of incredible achievements.
It's sure to be a documentary that will inspire viewers and also remind us just how small our place in the universe truly is. Also, it's simultaneously hitting both Hulu and Disney Plus, so the House of Mouse is giving this a big push.
Beyond Sally's incredible achievements while working at NASA, the movie also explores her life beyond her important work, highlighting the deeply personal story that was going on behind the scenes.
Her 27-year relationship with science educator Tam O'Shaughnessy is a key part of the documentary, with 'Sally' showcasing how the pair had to make numerous sacrifices in their professional and personal lives to keep their romance under wraps.
Watch on Hulu and Disney Plus from June 17
If I selected movies on this list based on the titles alone, then Netflix's 'KPop Demon Hunters' would deserve the top spot, because the eyebrow-raising name is surely going to help this animated musical action-comedy stand out in the crowded Netflix library.
I'm a little surprised to learn that this isn't based on a pre-existing manga or anime, or created in collaboration with a real pop band. Instead, it's an original property from Sony Pictures Animation. Consider me intrigued to see the final result.
The movie focuses on a Kpop super group, comprised of Rumi (voiced by Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong) and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo), who spend their time leaping between sell-out stadium shows and, you've guessed it, hunting demons.
They must rise to the occasion when they face their biggest threat yet, a rival boy band who are really demons in disguise. I'm not a Kpop aficionado whatsoever, but the fantastic 'Spiderverse'-like animation style is enough for this movie to have already earned a place in my Netflix watchlist.
Watch on Netflix from June 20
If you've been desperate to scream 'Chicken Jockey' at the top of your lungs in your own living room, then you'll be delighted to know that 'A Minecraft Movie' is streaming on HBO Max from Friday (June 20). Just don't ask me what the term means, I'm still not really sure.
Beyond the many memes, the movie is a sugary blockbuster bursting with colorful effects and larger-than-life characters. Whether you find it entertaining or just highly irritating is a matter of personal taste, but you can't deny its cultural impact.
Starring Jack Black, Jason Momoa and Danielle Brooks, this wild adventure is inspired by the juggernaut block-building video game of the same name, and sees a quartet of misfits stumble upon a strange blocky land known as the Overworld. Here, they team up with a zany crafter, Steve (Black), and set out on a quest to save the Minecraft universe from an army of sinister pigs.
Watch on HBO Max from June 20
5 top new shows to stream this week
Netflix top 10 movies — here's the 3 worth watching
All 6 'Final Destination' movies, ranked
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USA Today
6 minutes ago
- USA Today
'And Just Like That' series finale is a major letdown, for Carrie Bradshaw and her fans
Spoiler alert! The following story contains details about the series finale of "Sex and the City" sequel "And Just Like That..." (now streaming on HBO Max). You know that old Bible verse: 'Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; my toilet runneth over.' It sounds a lot like the series finale of 'And Just Like That…,' which launched unholy scatological warfare against our beloved Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), who had merely hoped to spend a lovely Thanksgiving dinner with her dear friends after her romances with Aidan (John Corbett) and Duncan (Jonathan Cake) fizzled. Instead, Carrie's holiday is filled with a revolving door of haughty art dealers and Gen Z queerdos, one of whom clogs the toilet and expels a sea of brown that Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is forced to clean up. A magical land called Manhattan, this is not. In some ways, it's an apropos ending for 'And Just Like That…,' which in three seasons found stunning new ways to humiliate and torture our 'Sex and the City' heroines. An entire episode devoted to Charlotte (Kristin Davis) feuding at the dog park? Send the meteor. Carrie listening to Aidan masturbate in his truck after he imposes a five-year break to focus on his kids? Virginia is not bad enough — truly, take him to the Hague. Like dutiful piggies awaiting their slop, we tuned in every week to see what fresh hell was in store for these once-nuanced characters, who during the original 1998-2004 run of HBO's 'Sex and the City,' were as scintillating as a fresh pair of Manolos. 'Sex' was the rare show that could tackle infertility and exhibitionist kinks in the same breath; it never spoke down to its viewers nor judged its central foursome. (Kim Cattrall, who played the voracious and va-va-voom Samantha, wisely sat out the sequel series.) Meanwhile, 'And Just Like That…' could never figure out what kind of show it wanted to be. The original cast was whiter than Miley Cyrus' veneers, and creator Michael Patrick King attempted to rectify that by adding a slew of racially and sexually diverse new characters. But despite the best efforts of Sarita Choudhury (as Seema) and Nicole Ari Parker (as Lisa), their shoehorned storylines contained neither logic nor depth. At least we'll always have the memory of Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez) and their comedy concerts. More egregiously, after spending the entire first season grieving her husband, Mr. Big (Chris Noth), we naïvely hoped that Carrie would dip her toe back into the dating pool as an older yet no less adventurous woman. Instead, the writers dredged up her past, wasting the next two seasons on a stagnant relationship with Aidan that merely rehashed their pent-up resentments and insecurities. The series finale finds Carrie confronting her singledom and asking herself, "Who will I be alone?" It's a worthwhile question: According to a 2020 survey by the Pew Research Center, 29% of women between the ages of 50 and 64 are single; that number jumps to 49% for women over 65. "And Just Like That..." had an opportunity to show the pains and glories of single life for women like Carrie, who was once a witty, wide-eyed emblem for hopeless romantics everywhere. Instead, the final episode almost looks down on Carrie's relationship status with pity. When she goes stag to a Chinese restaurant, servers plop a plush doll in the seat across from her "so you don't have to eat alone." On Thanksgiving Day, she goes door to door delivering pies to her closest pals, most of whom are too busy with their respective families and partners to celebrate with her. For a show that's long insisted that all you really need are your best girlfriends, it's disappointing that Carrie spends practically the entire episode in the company of strangers. "I have to stop thinking, 'Maybe a man,' and start accepting maybe just me," Carrie tells Charlotte early in the episode. "It's not a tragedy, it's a fact." And in the final scene of the series, Carrie eats dessert alone in her kitchen before dancing around her cavernous townhouse to Barry White's "You're the First, the Last, My Everything." It's a sweet sentiment of self-love, but one that feels too tacked on and hastily written to pack an emotional wallop. And after nearly 30 years of knowing and loving Carrie, she deserved far better than this treacly Hallmark sendoff. On Aug. 1, when King announced "And Just Like That..." was ending, Parker penned a lengthy tribute on social media that made me tear up, capturing the wild, wonderful whims of our cosmo-sipping fashionista in all of her beautiful messiness. "Carrie Bradshaw has dominated my professional heartbeat for 27 years," the actress wrote. "I think I have loved her most of all." You can flush the rest – that's how we'll choose to remember "Sex and the City."
New York Post
6 minutes ago
- New York Post
Carrie Bradshaw's ending in ‘And Just Like That' is a literal pile of crap
That's all Carrie Bradshaw wrote. The 'Sex and the City' saga – which began in 1998 and concluded with the Season 3 finale of 'And Just Like That' on Thursday night – ends in the toilet. Unfortunately, that's not a metaphor. 17 Sarah Jessica Parker channeling her beloved character Carrie Bradshaw in the 'And Just Like That' finale episode. HBO For some ungodly reason, the final episode of television featuring the iconic NYC writer Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) had a plotline involving showing an image of literal crap in a toilet on-screen. Seriously. It's a little too on the nose. 17 Sarah Jessica Parker in 'And Just Like That' Season 3, which aired in May. GC Images Spoilers ahead for 'Party Of One,' the series finale of 'And Just Like That,' now streaming on HBO Max. After Carrie Bradshaw has spent almost 30 years on the air, here's how her story ends in the series finale for the 'Sex and the City' spinoff, 'And Just Like That.' At the beginning of the episode, Carrie eats a meal alone at a futuristic restaurant. When the waitstaff puts a doll across from her, she later complains to her friends that she felt like she was being 'shamed' for dining solo. 17 The series finale includes a plotline about poop and clogged toilets. HBO 17 In the last episode, Carrie met with her editor, who did not like her novel's ending, which is a woman ending up alone. HBO Carrie tells Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis): 'Apparently, not only is it tragic for a woman to be alone in the past, it's also an issue in the future.' She was referring to the novel she's writing, which is about a woman in the 1800s. During last week's episode, Carrie met with her editor, who took issue with the fact that the novel ends with the heroine being alone. 17 Carrie's laptop screen showing her novel's epilogue, reading, 'The woman realized she was not alone – she was on her own.' HBO 17 Sarah Parker as Carrie Bradshaw in 'And Just Like That' finale. Craig Blankenhorn/HBO Max 17 Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw and Niall Cunningham as Miranda's son, Brady Hobbes. Craig Blankenhorn/HBO Max Carrie's editor called it a 'tragedy' and said that she prefers 'happy endings,' which was clearly the show thinking aloud about how Carrie's own romantic saga should end. Carrie maintained that she liked the way her novel ended, but she caved to her editor's wish in last week's episode and wrote an epilogue, implying that her heroine is alone now, but she will soon meet her friend's cousin, who is a 'handsome widower.' Later in the series finale, Carrie tells Charlotte, 'I may be alone for the rest of my life.' 17 Carrie Bradshaw dancing around her fancy townhouse in the series finale. HBO 17 Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie and Chris Noth as Mr. Big in 'Sex and the City' Season 3. Getty Images 17 Cynthia Nixon and Sarah Jessica Parker in the second season of 'And Just Like That.' Photograph by Craig Blankenhorn/Max When Charlotte assures her that she'll find a new man, Carrie refers to the series premiere of 'And Just Like That,' which killed off her longtime 'Sex and the City' love interest and husband, Big (Chris Noth). 'Even when Big died, after the shock and the total devastation, in the back of my mind, I thought, 'Aiden, maybe Aiden,'' she says. Carrie's other famous ex, Aiden (John Corbett), had an arc on 'And Just Like That' Season 3, where he and Carrie rekindled their romance before they called it quits. She then had a fling with her neighbor, Duncan (Jonathan Cake), but his work took him away from New York City. Carrie continues telling Charlotte, 'And recently, though Duncan clearly told me 'I'm not coming back,' I thought, 'Maybe?' Hmm. But, I have to quit thinking 'maybe a man' and start accepting 'maybe just me.' And it's not a tragedy, it's a fact. And I just have to start accepting it, full stop.' Following that conversation, Carrie attends an awkward Thanksgiving dinner. 17 From left: Kristin Davis, Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon in the third season of 'And Just Like That.' HBO Miranda ditches her because her girlfriend Joy's (Dolly Wells) dog has an emergency. Charlotte also ditches her because her husband, Harry (Evan Handler), who had erectile dysfunction after his cancer, is suddenly able to perform. So, Carrie is left alone with Miranda's son, Brady (Niall Cunningham), three of his annoying friends and Mark (Victor Garber), whom Charlotte invited to set up with Carrie, much to Carrie's dismay, since she complains that he's been married three times. That's right — the bulk of Carrie's story ends with her at an awkward dinner party with a bunch of irritating new characters, and a date she doesn't want. What a way to end the story of a beloved TV character. 17 Jonathan Cake and Sarah Jessica Parker in 'And Just Like That.' HBO And that's not all: one of Brady's irritating friends clogs the toilet. When Mark uses the bathroom later, the toilet overflows, and the camera pans to show the audience that there's s–t in the toilet — really! — which encapsulates the direction in which the show has gone. After the toilet incident, Carrie goes home alone and turns on the song 'You're The First, The Last, My Everything' by Barry White. Smiling to herself, Carrie sits at her computer. She deletes the epilogue for her novel that implied her heroine will end up with a man. Instead, Carrie writes: 'The woman realized she was not alone – she was on her own.' 17 From left: Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis and Kim Cattrall in 'Sex and the City.' Getty Images 17 From left: Willie Garson (Stanford), Sarah Jessica Parker (Carrie), Kim Cattrall (Samatha) and Cynthia Nixon (Amanda) in 'Sex and the City' Season 3. Getty Images After finishing her novel with that line, she keeps smiling and dancing around her apartment, singing along to the Barry White song. The implication is that Carrie has no romantic partner and is content. The end credits then roll, playing the 'Sex and the City' theme song in the background. And just like that, with that steaming pile of crap – literally! – Carrie Bradshaw is finally off the air. 'Sex and the City' first premiered in 1998 and followed best friends Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha (Kim Cattrall, who only had a brief cameo in 'And Just Like That') through sex and dating adventures in the Big Apple. 17 Carrie, Charlotte, and Miranda returned in when 'And Just Like That,' which premiered in 2021, when they were in their 50s. Photograph by Craig Blankenhorn/Max After the show ended in 2004, it had two movies in 2008 and 2010, before returning to follow Carrie, Charlotte and Miranda in their 50s when 'And Just Like That' premiered in 2021. The spinoff show has been controversial from the start, as there was backlash around the choice to begin by killing off Big. The show was also blasted over characters such as Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez), who viewers slammed as a 'woke' caricature. Despite all the controversies, 'And Just Like That' was reportedly not canceled. 17 Sarah Jessica Parker and Chris Noth star in 'Sex and the City' in 1999. Getty Images 17 Sarah Jessica Parker Stars As Carrie in the original HBO series 'Sex and the City.' Getty Images On Aug. 1, when Parker made the abrupt announcement that the show would end with Season 3, showrunner Michael Patrick King also posted his own announcement on social media. 'While I was writing the last episode of 'And Just Like That…' season 3, it became clear to me that this might be a wonderful place to stop,' he wrote. He claimed that they didn't announce Season 3 would be the final season ahead of time because 'we didn't want the word 'final' to overshadow the fun of watching the season.' So, apparently, showing s–t in a toilet on-screen was 'a wonderful place to stop.' For a show that began as a fun examination of female empowerment and friendship to end on such a depressing note feels like a slap in the face. Carrie's final line rings of false bravado, trying to put the best face on her loneliness. It started as a comedy. It ended as a tragedy.
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
7 Must-Watch Netflix Movies of 2025 So Far, Ranked: ‘Havoc,' ‘Back in Action' and More
Thus far in 2025, Netflix's original movies haven't quite hit the same heights that the streamer has previously reached. That may be because the Oscar-bait films are being held back until the latter part of the year. If that's the case, the list of Netflix's best original movies will look very different at the end of 2025. In the meantime, Watch With Us has selected the seven best Netflix movies of 2025 so far. Admittedly, this list is action-heavy, but it's the genre that Netflix does best. There are also some comedy and romance options, as well as two standout animated selections. 25 Must-Watch Movies on Netflix (July 2025): 'Happy Gilmore 2,' 'Brick' and More 7. 'Back in Action' (2025) After extended absences for different reasons, and Cameron Diaz got their respective comebacks in Back in Action. The duo play Matt and Emily, a pair of CIA agents who faked their own deaths after someone tipped off their enemies during their final mission. In the present, Emily and Matt are married and the parents of Alice (McKenna Roberts) and Leo (Rylan Jackson). The kids don't know anything about who their parents used to be, but they get a crash course when Emily and Matt's cover identities are blown and the entire family is targeted by an old adversary. Back in Action is streaming on Netflix. 6. 'La Dolce Villa' (2025) Scott Foley fully embraces his rom-com phase in La Dolce Villa, but the only reason Eric (Foley) has come to Italy is because his daughter, Olivia (Maia Reficco), is seriously considering a permanent move there after investing her inheritance in an abandoned property. 10 Must-Watch Rom-Com Movies on Netflix Right Now (June 2025) Eric is so concerned with keeping Olivia from making a mistake that he almost doesn't realize that Italy has a great deal of appeal for him as well. And once Eric meets the town's mayor, Francesca (Violante Placido), the romantic sparks inevitably fly between them. It's a charming love story, even though it's pretty predictable. La Dolce Villa is streaming on Netflix. 5. 'KPop Demon Hunters' (2025) KPop Demon Hunters is perhaps Netflix's most surprising smash hit of the year. Despite the title, this isn't a production from South Korea, although it does lampoon the way that KPop groups and Korean television shows have become a global phenomenon. The story revolves around a popular KPop act, Huntr/x, whose members double as demon hunters when they aren't on stage. However, the lead singer, Rumi (Arden Cho), is secretly part demon herself, and she's scared to reveal the truth to her bandmates. Meanwhile, the demons figure out that they can front their own KPop group, The Saja Boys, and steal the devotion of Huntr/x's fans as well as their souls. This is one of the most visually imaginative animated movies in recent memory, and it probably could have played very well in theaters. KPop Demon Hunters is streaming on Netflix. 9 Must-Watch Action Movies on Netflix Right Now (July 2025) 4. 'Exterritorial' (2025) Keep an eye out for Jeanne Goursaud after her performance in the German action thriller Extraterritorial. Goursaud showed off some real action chops while playing former soldier Sara Wulf, the widowed mother of a young boy named Josh (Rickson Guy da Silva). During a routine visit to the American Consulate in Germany, Josh goes missing. More alarmingly, the security footage has been altered to make it appear that Josh never accompanied Sara to the consulate. Since the German police are helpless to find her son, Sara takes matters into her own hands and goes deeper into the consulate to look for Josh. Dougray Scott has a dark turn as Erik Kynch, one of the consulate's primary security officials. It's his job to make sure that Sara's search comes to a permanent end. Extraterritorial is streaming on Netflix. 3. 'Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl' (2025) In the age of CGI animation, it's refreshing that a very old-school title like Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl still stands out as one of the best of the year. This full-length animated film revisits the eccentric inventor named Wallace (Ben Whitehead) and his loyal dog, Gromit. 5 Great Netflix Animated Movies to Watch Right Now (May 2025) For their latest misadventure, Wallace has invented a robotic gnome, Norbot (Reece Shearsmith), to take over the household chores. Gromit's fears about Norbit are proven to be correct when their old adversary, Feathers McGraw, reprograms Norbot and the other gnomes in a scheme for revenge and world domination. It's as silly as it sounds, and we love it. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is streaming on Netflix. 2. 'Bullet Train Explosion' (2025) If you've never seen the 1975 Japanese action thriller The Bullet Train, don't worry. Bullet Train Explosion is more of a thematic sequel, although it does reference its now 50-year-old predecessor. Think of it as Speed on a train, as a mad bomber forces the Hayabusa 60 to maintain an unsafe speed or else everyone on board will be killed. The bomber also demands a large ransom for their lives from everyone in Japan. While Detective Yoshiharu Kawagoe (Kenji Iwaya) attempts to find the bomber outside of the train, head manager Kazuya Takaichi (Kazuya Takaichi) tries to save everyone on Hayabusa 60 after the passengers discover what's happening. This is an unusually smart thriller that lets its heroic characters make good choices instead of leading them down the wrong path for the sake of contrivance. Bullet Train Explosion is streaming on Netflix. 13 Must-Watch Thrillers on Netflix Right Now (July 2025) 1. 'Havoc' (2025) The Raid director Gareth Evans delivered another great action thriller in Havoc. Tom Hardy stars as Patrick Walker, a homicide detective who is estranged from his fellow cops and on the payroll for a local businessman, Lawrence Beaumont (Forest Whitaker). There's a gang war brewing among the Chinese Triad, and Beaumont's son, Charlie (Justin Cornwell), is unintentionally at the center of it. Charlie and his girlfriend, Mia (Quelin Sepulveda), were framed for murdering a Triad leader, and now there's a price on their heads. Beaumont wants Walker to find and protect Charlie at all costs, but he doesn't realize that he's become a target as well. Havoc is streaming on Netflix.
