Latest news with #IWatchEverything
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See Wes Anderson's 'The Phoenician Scheme' in theaters, rent 'The Prosecutor,' stream 'Captain America: Brave New World,' plus more movies to watch this weekend
Hello, Yahoo Entertainment readers! I'm Brett Arnold, a longtime writer and editor at Yahoo and film critic at my 'Siskel & Ebert' tribute podcast, Roger & Me, and welcome to Trust Me, I Watch Everything. I'm here to recommend what you should see in movie theaters, rent from the comfort of your couch or queue up from a streaming service you may already subscribe to. I watch it all so you don't have to. This week, there are two great options in limited release theatrically, The Phoenician Scheme and Tornado. There's also a super-fun rental in The Prosecutor, a moving one-man show on Apple TV+ Bono: Stories of Surrender and the box-office smash Captain America: Brave New World makes its way to Disney+. That's not all — there's something for everyone so keep reading for the full weekly what to watch guide. What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies debuting on streaming services you may already have Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Wes Anderson and his trademark aesthetic are back just two years after the profoundly moving and deeply personal Asteroid City. This time, the writer/director is delivering perhaps the silliest movie he has ever made, or at least the goofiest one in a long while, and I mean that as a compliment. In fact, the movie is as sincere and emotional as anything he's ever made! Benicio Del Toro is sublime as 'Zsa-Zsa' Korda, an industrialist and arms dealer who, after surviving his sixth assassination attempt, finally realizes he needs to appoint an heir to his fortune. He has nine sons he doesn't pay attention to, but he also has an estranged child (played by Kate Winslet's daughter Mia Threapleton in a wonderfully deadpan performance) and decides that she's the one to take on his business dealings, which amount to the very specific and titular scheme. This has to be the first Anderson movie to feature a fighter jet sequence and it's every bit as delightful as that sounds. The joys here, and some of the film's biggest laughs, come from not only the eccentric characters and beautiful compositions we've come to expect from Anderson, but also from the surprising things you don't expect to see in a movie like this. I didn't know I needed to see a man violently (and bloodily!) explode in Wes Anderson's signature style, but I absolutely did, and I likely haven't laughed harder at anything this year. The cast features a ton of A-listers and Anderson regulars like Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Jeffrey Wright, Riz Ahmed, Scarlett Johansson and Benedict Cumberbatch, with the standout supporting player Michael Cera, who fits perfectly into Anderson's overall aesthetic. Fans are in for a hilarious treat! 🍿 What critics are saying: They're mostly on board here, with Rolling Stone's David Fear calling it one of his best films and William Bibbiani at the Wrap praising its leading man, saying "Del Toro hasn't had a role this juicy in ages, and he's captivating at all times." The BBC's Nicholas Barber, however, says "it feels as if Anderson and his team were enjoying it more than audiences ever will." 👀 How to watch: The Phoenician Scheme is currently playing in limited release and expands wide next week. Get tickets ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: Tornado is just your average Scottish samurai-western ... wait, what?! Clearly inspired by Japanese cinema (with a side of Quentin Tarantino), Scottish filmmaker John Maclean returns with Tornado, a decade after his 2015 indie debut, Slow West, with Michael Fassbender. Actress Kōki stars as Tornado, a Japanese puppeteer's daughter who gets caught up with criminals when their traveling circus show crosses paths with an infamous gang of criminals, led by Sugarman (Tim Roth) and his son Little Sugar (Jack Lowden). It's as riveting as it is efficient, running a brisk 85-minutes and wastes no time setting up the stakes. The story is familiar but imbued with enough specific quirks and eye-catching style that it feels entirely unique. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics largely agree that it's worth a look. IndieWire's Josh Slater-Williams dug it and praised the performance of Takehiro Hira, who was recently nominated for an Emmy for his work on Shōgun while Peter Bradshaw at the Guardian praised the distinctive "film-making language." On the other side of things, David Jenkins at Little White Lies says that ultimately "we're left with a film which leaves only a superficial impression and little sense of purpose." 👀 How to watch: Tornado is now playing in limited release theatrically. Get tickets 🤔 If those aren't for you... : A legacy sequel that's basically just another remake as the plot is the exact same one we've seen twice now, in the original 1984 and the 2010 flick, not to mention the other sequels and the massively popular Netflix spinoff series Cobra Kai. It attempts to unite the two main entries in a very perfunctory way and the movie is so briskly-paced that there's no real time spent setting up stakes, yet somehow it still finds time for strange subplots. It's a shame the movie is such a mess because the new karate kid Ben Wang is great and the fights themselves are entertaining, but the inclusion of both Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio feels forced. Kids, however, will likely be entertained, but nothing here touches the original, which is a classic for a reason. — Get tickets. :The filmmakers behind A24's hit horror film Talk to Me are back with another unsettling genre flick about a foster mother with a terrifying secret. The Philippou brothers again prove their ability to craft genuinely shocking moments, but this is pretty familiar stuff. — Get tickets. : A gripping ripped-from-the-headlines spy drama about a Syrian refugee pursuing the regime's fugitive leaders. It's quite good! — Get tickets. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Hong Kong action star and martial arts legend Donnie Yen stars in this super-fun hybrid of an action movie and a courtroom thriller. Yes, Donnie Yen is a lawyer and yes, he kicks people's butts as well. He also directed the movie — a triple threat! The inspired silliness here is pitched in exactly the right key, the fight scenes are impressively choreographed and shot innovatively and the wrongly-accused man plot goes down smooth. Imagine watching a serious, earnest courtroom drama like A Few Good Men, and then imagine if that movie stopped every other scene to feature an insane action sequence that was relevant to the plot. It's a riot and has plenty to say about what justice actually means. 🍿 What critics are saying: They dig it! Indiewire's David Ehrlich says its "perhaps best enjoyed as the meta story of an action star who refuses to be aged out of his metier" and Richard Kuipers at Variety similarly praised the "top notch" action prowess of its 61-year-old star. 👀 How to watch: The Prosecutor is now available to rent or buy on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 🤔 If that's not for you... :Kerry Washington and Omar Sy star in this action flick from veteran of the genre Joe Carnahan. An estranged couple with a bounty on their heads must go on the run with their son to avoid their former employer, a unit of shadow ops that has been sent to kill them. — Rent or buy. : Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi and Will Poulter star in this adaptation of the book of the same name. Muriel and her husband, Lee, begin a new life together after he returns home from the Korean War. Their newfound stability gets upended by the arrival of Lee's charismatic brother, a gambler with a secret past. It features great performances but is a little too restrained to have much impact. Rent or buy. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: As someone who knows very little about U2, I wasn't looking forward to this self-indulgent-sounding one-man show from Bono, the band's frontman, but I walked away from it impressed by the filmmaking, the music and by Bono's skills as an orator and his vulnerability. Andrew Dominik's film is a movie version of Bono's Stories of Surrender, a filmed version of shows that took place at the Beacon Theater in New York City. It's a very striking-looking production, making a meal out of what could have easily been a lazy "point the camera at the stage and shoot" job,and I found myself moved by Bono's stories about his lack of a meaningful relationship with his father as well as tales of the band and their years of activism. And the songs sound great! As a firm non-U2 fan I enjoyed this, but I feel safer saying that fans of the man and the band will love this, and more casual observers will likely get something out of it. 🍿 What critics are saying: Reviews skew positive with the Wrap's Steve Pond calling it it "bombastic" and "extravagant" in a good way and the Hollywood Reporter praising its "arresting cinematic quality." 👀 How to watch: Bono: Stories of Surrender is now streaming on Apple TV+. Stream 'Bono: Stories of Surrender' 🤔 If that's not for you... : What if the hit HBO show Succession was a feature-length broad comedy that allowed no time for any real character development and instead stuck with archetypes about billionaires ruining the world via AI? It would be pretty annoying it turns out! I found this to be insufferable, but you may not; it's a new original movie from Jesse Armstrong, creator of Succession. Starts streaming Saturday night on HBO Max. : A Korean animated movie set in the year 2050 in Seoul, following an astronaut with dreams of exploring Mars who must leave the love of his life when chosen for an expedition. Now streaming on Netflix. My not-quite-a-recommendation: Why you should maybe still watch it: Marvel's latest Captain America was the highest-grossing movie of 2025 until A Minecraft Movie dethroned it faster than you can say 'chicken jockey' and then Sinners' success pushed it to number three. In the film, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie, sporting the superhero's suit and shield) finds himself in the middle of an international incident after meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford). He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red. Ford turning into Red Hulk was the centerpiece of the film's marketing campaign, which is a real shame considering the movie treats it as a late reveal and most of the audience is likely already aware that's what's happening. That means that for most of the movie, it's just Ford taking pills to stop from Hulking out, which isn't very exciting to watch. It's also a bizarre artifact in terms of how it fits into the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe — not only is it a stealth sequel to 2008's The Incredible Hulk, but it also requires you to have watched the Disney+ series The Falcon & Winter Soldier to fully grasp who some of the key characters are. The final product is poorly assembled and visually muddled, but fans of the MCU who missed it in theaters and want to stay up-to-date ahead of Thunderbolts* now have their chance to see it "for free." 🍿 What critics are saying: Reviews were not kind, with Mashable's Kristy Puchko labeling it a "wasted opportunity" and Wendy Ide at the Guardian dubbing it "a humorless drag of a picture." Even a somewhat positive review from USA Today's Brian Truitt includes this reprimand: "Captain America deserves better." 👀 How to watch: Captain America: Brave New World is now streaming on Disney+. Stream 'Brave New World' 🤔 If that's not for you... :Based on the beloved series of kids books from the author of Captain Underpants, it's about a police officer and his dog becoming a hybrid dog man after an accident, which sounds like R-rated body horror flick but is actually cute and made for children. Now streaming on Peacock. That's all for this week — we'll see you next Friday at the movies!
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See Wes Anderson's 'The Phoenician Scheme' in theaters, rent 'The Prosecutor,' stream 'Captain America: Brave New World,' plus more movies to watch this weekend
We independently evaluate the products we review. When you buy via links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read more about how we vet products and deals. Hello, Yahoo Entertainment readers! I'm Brett Arnold, a longtime writer and editor at Yahoo and film critic at my 'Siskel & Ebert' tribute podcast, Roger & Me, and welcome to Trust Me, I Watch Everything. I'm here to recommend what you should see in movie theaters, rent from the comfort of your couch or queue up from a streaming service you may already subscribe to. I watch it all so you don't have to. This week, there are two great options in limited release theatrically, The Phoenician Scheme and Tornado. There's also a super-fun rental in The Prosecutor, a moving one-man show on Apple TV+ Bono: Stories of Surrender and the box-office smash Captain America: Brave New World makes its way to Disney+. That's not all — there's something for everyone so keep reading for the full weekly what to watch guide. What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies debuting on streaming services you may already have Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Wes Anderson and his trademark aesthetic are back just two years after the profoundly moving and deeply personal Asteroid City. This time, the writer/director is delivering perhaps the silliest movie he has ever made, or at least the goofiest one in a long while, and I mean that as a compliment. In fact, the movie is as sincere and emotional as anything he's ever made! Benicio Del Toro is sublime as 'Zsa-Zsa' Korda, an industrialist and arms dealer who, after surviving his sixth assassination attempt, finally realizes he needs to appoint an heir to his fortune. He has nine sons he doesn't pay attention to, but he also has an estranged child (played by Kate Winslet's daughter Mia Threapleton in a wonderfully deadpan performance) and decides that she's the one to take on his business dealings, which amount to the very specific and titular scheme. This has to be the first Anderson movie to feature a fighter jet sequence and it's every bit as delightful as that sounds. The joys here, and some of the film's biggest laughs, come from not only the eccentric characters and beautiful compositions we've come to expect from Anderson, but also from the surprising things you don't expect to see in a movie like this. I didn't know I needed to see a man violently (and bloodily!) explode in Wes Anderson's signature style, but I absolutely did, and I likely haven't laughed harder at anything this year. The cast features a ton of A-listers and Anderson regulars like Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Jeffrey Wright, Riz Ahmed, Scarlett Johansson and Benedict Cumberbatch, with the standout supporting player Michael Cera, who fits perfectly into Anderson's overall aesthetic. Fans are in for a hilarious treat! 🍿 What critics are saying: They're mostly on board here, with Rolling Stone's David Fear calling it one of his best films and William Bibbiani at the Wrap praising its leading man, saying "Del Toro hasn't had a role this juicy in ages, and he's captivating at all times." The BBC's Nicholas Barber, however, says "it feels as if Anderson and his team were enjoying it more than audiences ever will." 👀 How to watch: The Phoenician Scheme is currently playing in limited release and expands wide next week. Get tickets ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: Tornado is just your average Scottish samurai-western ... wait, what?! Clearly inspired by Japanese cinema (with a side of Quentin Tarantino), Scottish filmmaker John Maclean returns with Tornado, a decade after his 2015 indie debut, Slow West, with Michael Fassbender. Actress Kōki stars as Tornado, a Japanese puppeteer's daughter who gets caught up with criminals when their traveling circus show crosses paths with an infamous gang of criminals, led by Sugarman (Tim Roth) and his son Little Sugar (Jack Lowden). It's as riveting as it is efficient, running a brisk 85-minutes and wastes no time setting up the stakes. The story is familiar but imbued with enough specific quirks and eye-catching style that it feels entirely unique. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics largely agree that it's worth a look. IndieWire's Josh Slater-Williams dug it and praised the performance of Takehiro Hira, who was recently nominated for an Emmy for his work on Shōgun while Peter Bradshaw at the Guardian praised the distinctive "film-making language." On the other side of things, David Jenkins at Little White Lies says that ultimately "we're left with a film which leaves only a superficial impression and little sense of purpose." 👀 How to watch: Tornado is now playing in limited release theatrically. Get tickets 🤔 If those aren't for you... : A legacy sequel that's basically just another remake as the plot is the exact same one we've seen twice now, in the original 1984 and the 2010 flick, not to mention the other sequels and the massively popular Netflix spinoff series Cobra Kai. It attempts to unite the two main entries in a very perfunctory way and the movie is so briskly-paced that there's no real time spent setting up stakes, yet somehow it still finds time for strange subplots. It's a shame the movie is such a mess because the new karate kid Ben Wang is great and the fights themselves are entertaining, but the inclusion of both Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio feels forced. Kids, however, will likely be entertained, but nothing here touches the original, which is a classic for a reason. — Get tickets. :The filmmakers behind A24's hit horror film Talk to Me are back with another unsettling genre flick about a foster mother with a terrifying secret. The Philippou brothers again prove their ability to craft genuinely shocking moments, but this is pretty familiar stuff. — Get tickets. : A gripping ripped-from-the-headlines spy drama about a Syrian refugee pursuing the regime's fugitive leaders. It's quite good! — Get tickets. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Hong Kong action star and martial arts legend Donnie Yen stars in this super-fun hybrid of an action movie and a courtroom thriller. Yes, Donnie Yen is a lawyer and yes, he kicks people's butts as well. He also directed the movie — a triple threat! The inspired silliness here is pitched in exactly the right key, the fight scenes are impressively choreographed and shot innovatively and the wrongly-accused man plot goes down smooth. Imagine watching a serious, earnest courtroom drama like A Few Good Men, and then imagine if that movie stopped every other scene to feature an insane action sequence that was relevant to the plot. It's a riot and has plenty to say about what justice actually means. 🍿 What critics are saying: They dig it! Indiewire's David Ehrlich says its "perhaps best enjoyed as the meta story of an action star who refuses to be aged out of his metier" and Richard Kuipers at Variety similarly praised the "top notch" action prowess of its 61-year-old star. 👀 How to watch: The Prosecutor is now available to rent or buy on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 🤔 If that's not for you... :Kerry Washington and Omar Sy star in this action flick from veteran of the genre Joe Carnahan. An estranged couple with a bounty on their heads must go on the run with their son to avoid their former employer, a unit of shadow ops that has been sent to kill them. — Rent or buy. : Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi and Will Poulter star in this adaptation of the book of the same name. Muriel and her husband, Lee, begin a new life together after he returns home from the Korean War. Their newfound stability gets upended by the arrival of Lee's charismatic brother, a gambler with a secret past. It features great performances but is a little too restrained to have much impact. Rent or buy. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: As someone who knows very little about U2, I wasn't looking forward to this self-indulgent-sounding one-man show from Bono, the band's frontman, but I walked away from it impressed by the filmmaking, the music and by Bono's skills as an orator and his vulnerability. Andrew Dominik's film is a movie version of Bono's Stories of Surrender, a filmed version of shows that took place at the Beacon Theater in New York City. It's a very striking-looking production, making a meal out of what could have easily been a lazy "point the camera at the stage and shoot" job,and I found myself moved by Bono's stories about his lack of a meaningful relationship with his father as well as tales of the band and their years of activism. And the songs sound great! As a firm non-U2 fan I enjoyed this, but I feel safer saying that fans of the man and the band will love this, and more casual observers will likely get something out of it. 🍿 What critics are saying: Reviews skew positive with the Wrap's Steve Pond calling it it "bombastic" and "extravagant" in a good way and the Hollywood Reporter praising its "arresting cinematic quality." 👀 How to watch: Bono: Stories of Surrender is now streaming on Apple TV+. Stream 'Bono: Stories of Surrender' 🤔 If that's not for you... : What if the hit HBO show Succession was a feature-length broad comedy that allowed no time for any real character development and instead stuck with archetypes about billionaires ruining the world via AI? It would be pretty annoying it turns out! I found this to be insufferable, but you may not; it's a new original movie from Jesse Armstrong, creator of Succession. Starts streaming Saturday night on HBO Max. : A Korean animated movie set in the year 2050 in Seoul, following an astronaut with dreams of exploring Mars who must leave the love of his life when chosen for an expedition. Now streaming on Netflix. My not-quite-a-recommendation: Why you should maybe still watch it: Marvel's latest Captain America was the highest-grossing movie of 2025 until A Minecraft Movie dethroned it faster than you can say 'chicken jockey' and then Sinners' success pushed it to number three. In the film, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie, sporting the superhero's suit and shield) finds himself in the middle of an international incident after meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford). He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red. Ford turning into Red Hulk was the centerpiece of the film's marketing campaign, which is a real shame considering the movie treats it as a late reveal and most of the audience is likely already aware that's what's happening. That means that for most of the movie, it's just Ford taking pills to stop from Hulking out, which isn't very exciting to watch. It's also a bizarre artifact in terms of how it fits into the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe — not only is it a stealth sequel to 2008's The Incredible Hulk, but it also requires you to have watched the Disney+ series The Falcon & Winter Soldier to fully grasp who some of the key characters are. The final product is poorly assembled and visually muddled, but fans of the MCU who missed it in theaters and want to stay up-to-date ahead of Thunderbolts* now have their chance to see it "for free." 🍿 What critics are saying: Reviews were not kind, with Mashable's Kristy Puchko labeling it a "wasted opportunity" and Wendy Ide at the Guardian dubbing it "a humorless drag of a picture." Even a somewhat positive review from USA Today's Brian Truitt includes this reprimand: "Captain America deserves better." 👀 How to watch: Captain America: Brave New World is now streaming on Disney+. Stream 'Brave New World' 🤔 If that's not for you... :Based on the beloved series of kids books from the author of Captain Underpants, it's about a police officer and his dog becoming a hybrid dog man after an accident, which sounds like R-rated body horror flick but is actually cute and made for children. Now streaming on Peacock. That's all for this week — we'll see you next Friday at the movies!
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See ‘Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning' in theaters, rent ‘Cheech & Chong's Last Movie,' stream ‘Fountain of Youth' and more movies to watch this weekend
Hello, Yahoo Entertainment readers! I'm Brett Arnold, a longtime writer and editor at Yahoo and film critic for my podcast, Roger (Ebert) & Me, and welcome to Trust Me, I Watch Everything. I'm here to recommend what you should see in movie theaters, rent from the comfort of your couch or queue up from a streaming service you may already subscribe to. I watch it all so you don't have to. There are so many great picks — a new Mission: Impossible, Friendship, The Legend of Ochi, Fountain of Youth, Mickey 17, and more — it's safe to say there's something here for everyone. What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies debuting on streaming services you may already have Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning spends much of its runtime reiterating that Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt is the only person on the planet with the abilities necessary to save the world. Essentially, in this eighth installment of the franchise, the superagent is utilizing old-school practical 'analog' stunt work to defeat the all-powerful AI-algorithm known as the Entity, which was introduced in the previous film, that can be read as 'Tom Cruise isn't going to let Netflix or Warner Bros. sending their theatrical movies to streaming during the pandemic kill 'the movies.'' This one even takes its real-life metaphor a step further, getting into misinformation and how the algorithm is making us all distrust each other with weaponized lies. Allegories aside, it's a Mission: Impossible movie and it absolutely delivers where it matters. The movie builds to two giant set pieces and both stunts are jaw-dropping, heart-skip-a-beat breathtaking, with the plane-wing-walking finale ending things on what's likely a series high. The highs are so satisfying to watch that they almost make you forget that the first hour of this movie is all montage and exposition and completely expendable. It also falls into the same trap of the previous entry in trying to add legacy sequel elements and clumsily tie all 29-years of movies together, which provides some laugh-out-loud moments that likely weren't intended to be funny. There is a payoff to a throwaway line of dialogue from the very first movie here that's such a great gag, it won me over. So while it may rank towards the bottom of the franchise overall, that speaks more to the quality of the series than how 'bad' this one is. A weak Mission: Impossible movie is still better than 99% of the blockbusters Hollywood churns out these days. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics lean positive but are pretty mixed, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 79%. Lindsay Bahr at the AP agrees 'that in attempting to tie everything together, Mission: Impossible lost the plot.' Rolling Stone's David Fear was kinder, saying the movie 'feels like a conclusion to 30 years worth of proving that yes, you still can conjure up a certain vintage strain of Hollywood magic.' 👀 How to watch: Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: The comedy of Tim Robinson is definitely not for everyone, but those that do appreciate his comedy rabidly anticipate his work, and his beloved Netflix sketch comedy series I Think You Should Leave has become something of an obsession for its devotees. If you've ever watched that show and wondered, 'could one of these deranged characters ever anchor a feature-length film?" we now have an answer, and it's, quite surprisingly, a yes! Everybody's comparing Friendship to I Love You, Man, which makes sense given the premise and the fact that Paul Rudd costars in both, but a better point of comparison might be The Cable Guy. It's about a suburban dad (Robinson) with an unsatisfied wife (Kata Mara) and a kid who thinks he's a loser befriending his super cool neighbor (Rudd) and becoming a little too into him, alienating him and his other pals along the way. It's laugh-out-loud hilarious throughout if you find Robinson's antics amusing, and likely aggravating if you don't. It also features probably the funniest drug trip sequence of all time, a wonderful subversion of the comedy trope. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics love it, with 90% on Rotten Tomatoes; Chase Hutchinson at the Wrap goes so far as calling it 'the year's best comedy.' Though Robinson's brand of humor is definitely divisive, with Time's Stephanie Zacharek aptly summarizing the average nonbeliever view: 'How much Tim Robinson is too much? Maybe the exact amount you get in Friendship.' 👀 How to watch: After a limited release in early May, Friendship is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets 🤔 If those aren't for you... :A perfectly OK Disney live-action remake of a modern-classic cartoon, with fun performances and affecting emotional beats that still land, but it never justifies why you shouldn't just watch the way-nicer-to-look-at, hand-drawn original — get tickets. : Neal McDonough stars in a movie he also cowrote about a retired rodeo star entering a high-stakes bull-riding competition to raise money to save his sick grandson. It's serviceable but a bit too contrived; Chloe Zhao's The Rider tells a similar story more effectively — get tickets. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: The Legend of Ochi tells a familiar tale with enough style and practical effects-based magic that it makes up for a relative lack of substance. In fact, it's basically just Lilo & Stitch, which itself was riffing on E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. In a remote village on the island of Carpathia, a shy farm girl named Yuri is raised to fear an elusive animal species known as ochi. But when Yuri discovers a wounded baby ochi has been left behind, she escapes on a quest to bring him home. What makes it stand out is the incredible designs of the creatures and the use of puppetry and animatronics to bring them to life. It's such a beautiful and striking-looking film that even though its attempt at an emotional payoff didn't really land for me, I still felt like watching this was time well spent. It's also just nice to see a live-action movie for children! We don't really get those anymore and instead have to settle for CGI-animated everything. 🍿 What critics are saying: According to Rotten Tomatoes, 77% of critics dug it, with Jesse Hassenger at the Guardian calling the film 'an anomaly in a world where US children's films are so intent on prodding and goading their audiences into predetermined reactions. 👀 How to watch: The Legend of Ochi is now available to rent or purchase on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 🤔 If that's not for you... :An unexpectedly honest, moving and informative documentary exploring the 5-decade career of the iconic comedy duo. Now available to rent or buy. : An adaptation of the video game of the same name that doesn't require any knowledge of its source material to enjoy. A fun, self-aware horror flick in the vein of Cabin of the Woods that cleverly subverts tropes. Now available to rent or buy. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Fountain of Youthproves that all you need to make your streaming movie stand out from the pack is to hire a competent director like Guy Ritchie to make it. Casting Natalie Portman doesn't hurt either! Like Ochi, the movie is a derivative of a derivative — it's literally just a more international take on National Treasure, which itself is a facsimile of an Indiana Jones adventure. It's about John Krasinski's character forcing his estranged sister (Portman) to reunite with him for a treasure-hunting adventure to find the fabled fountain of youth. Thanks to Ritchie, the action sequences pop and it's a relatively breezy watch, despite the lack of originality. It's good enough, and even if I'll never watch it again, it gets points for using several exotic on-location sites. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics were mixed-negative, with a scant 44% on RottenTomatoes. Jordan Hoffman at Entertainment Weekly isn't wrong when he writes that the movie "feels like a light snack instead of a full meal." Kate Erbland at Indiewire was more positive, agreeing that "you could do far worse with a streaming subscription price." 👀 How to watch: Fountain of Youth is now streaming on Apple TV+. Stream 'Fountain of Youth' 🤔 If that's not for you... : The fourth entry in the Fear Street franchise, and the first since the original trilogy rolled out one week after another in 2021, adapts the R.L. Stine book of the same name. Now streaming on Netflix. Stream 'Fear Street: Prom Queen' My sort-of recommendation: Mickey 17 Why you should watch it: Mickey 17 is South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho's follow-up to his Best Picture-winning Parasite. This, unfortunately, looks to be a classic case of a director cashing in his blank check from Hollywood after a big win at the Oscars. Based on the 2022 novel Mickey7, Mickey 17 is a science-fiction film set in the year 2054 that follows a man, played by Robert Pattinson, who joins a space colony as an "Expendable," a disposable worker who gets cloned every time he dies for research purposes. The film is at its best when it leans into the humor regarding these deaths, highlighting the Mickey character's buffoonery and the various ways scientists experiment on him. It's at its worst when Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette are chewing scenery as the villains. The movie pivots in the third act to something completely different, aligning itself more with Bong's environmental message-heavy effort Okja than the rip-roaring excitement of something like Snowpiercer, which balanced its class-conscious satire with thrills in a more compelling fashion. Mickey 17 is unwieldy, but the setup is fun enough, as is watching Pattinson play against himself when Mickey 18 rears his head. Watching it for free on streaming feels like the right move. 🍿 What critics are saying: Many are kinder to Mickey 17 than I am — it's got a 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. The Atlantic's Shirley Yi praised Pattinson, saying 'the actor's delightfully offbeat performance anchors the story in an endearing humanity.' Variety's Peter DeBruge says the plot 'is easy enough to follow, though the film insists on making it more complicated.' 👀 How to watch: Mickey 17 is now streaming on HBO Max. Stream 'Mickey 17' ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: The Surrender is an indie horror movie that does a great job of setting up its basic plot before delivering the spooky goods. When the family patriarch dies, a grieving mother and daughter risk their lives to perform a brutal resurrection ritual and bring him back from the dead. Yes, this is yet another movie that could be described as familiar but its unique character dynamics and great performances make it feel alive. It's an incredibly strong debut from director Julia Max, boasting impressive visuals as well as deeper questions about family and the things we ignore. Not every demonic possession flick is created equal; this is a solid one! 🍿 What critics are saying: 84% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes enjoyed it, though Lena Wilson at IGN thought the familial drama in the first half worked, but that the horror element didn't. 👀 How to watch: The Surrender is now streaming on Shudder. Stream 'The Surrender' 🤔 If those aren't for you... Flight Risk: Mark Wahlberg stars as a bad guy hijacking a plane carrying a fugitive witness in this action flick directed by Mel Gibson. Starts streaming Saturday on Starz. The Last Showgirl: Pamela Anderson earned acclaim and nominations for her performance in Gia Coppola's film about a Las Vegas showgirl who must plan for her future. Now streaming on Hulu. That's all for this week — we'll see you next Friday at the movies!
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See ‘Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning' in theaters, rent ‘Cheech & Chong's Last Movie,' stream ‘Fountain of Youth' and more movies to watch this weekend
We independently evaluate the products we review. When you buy via links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read more about how we vet products and deals. Hello, Yahoo Entertainment readers! I'm Brett Arnold, a longtime writer and editor at Yahoo and film critic for my podcast, Roger (Ebert) & Me, and welcome to Trust Me, I Watch Everything. I'm here to recommend what you should see in movie theaters, rent from the comfort of your couch or queue up from a streaming service you may already subscribe to. I watch it all so you don't have to. There are so many great picks — a new Mission: Impossible, Friendship, The Legend of Ochi, Fountain of Youth, Mickey 17, and more — it's safe to say there's something here for everyone. What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies debuting on streaming services you may already have Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning spends much of its runtime reiterating that Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt is the only person on the planet with the abilities necessary to save the world. Essentially, in this eighth installment of the franchise, the superagent is utilizing old-school practical 'analog' stunt work to defeat the all-powerful AI-algorithm known as the Entity, which was introduced in the previous film, that can be read as 'Tom Cruise isn't going to let Netflix or Warner Bros. sending their theatrical movies to streaming during the pandemic kill 'the movies.'' This one even takes its real-life metaphor a step further, getting into misinformation and how the algorithm is making us all distrust each other with weaponized lies. Allegories aside, it's a Mission: Impossible movie and it absolutely delivers where it matters. The movie builds to two giant set pieces and both stunts are jaw-dropping, heart-skip-a-beat breathtaking, with the plane-wing-walking finale ending things on what's likely a series high. The highs are so satisfying to watch that they almost make you forget that the first hour of this movie is all montage and exposition and completely expendable. It also falls into the same trap of the previous entry in trying to add legacy sequel elements and clumsily tie all 29-years of movies together, which provides some laugh-out-loud moments that likely weren't intended to be funny. There is a payoff to a throwaway line of dialogue from the very first movie here that's such a great gag, it won me over. So while it may rank towards the bottom of the franchise overall, that speaks more to the quality of the series than how 'bad' this one is. A weak Mission: Impossible movie is still better than 99% of the blockbusters Hollywood churns out these days. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics lean positive but are pretty mixed, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 79%. Lindsay Bahr at the AP agrees 'that in attempting to tie everything together, Mission: Impossible lost the plot.' Rolling Stone's David Fear was kinder, saying the movie 'feels like a conclusion to 30 years worth of proving that yes, you still can conjure up a certain vintage strain of Hollywood magic.' 👀 How to watch: Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: The comedy of Tim Robinson is definitely not for everyone, but those that do appreciate his comedy rabidly anticipate his work, and his beloved Netflix sketch comedy series I Think You Should Leave has become something of an obsession for its devotees. If you've ever watched that show and wondered, 'could one of these deranged characters ever anchor a feature-length film?" we now have an answer, and it's, quite surprisingly, a yes! Everybody's comparing Friendship to I Love You, Man, which makes sense given the premise and the fact that Paul Rudd costars in both, but a better point of comparison might be The Cable Guy. It's about a suburban dad (Robinson) with an unsatisfied wife (Kata Mara) and a kid who thinks he's a loser befriending his super cool neighbor (Rudd) and becoming a little too into him, alienating him and his other pals along the way. It's laugh-out-loud hilarious throughout if you find Robinson's antics amusing, and likely aggravating if you don't. It also features probably the funniest drug trip sequence of all time, a wonderful subversion of the comedy trope. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics love it, with 90% on Rotten Tomatoes; Chase Hutchinson at the Wrap goes so far as calling it 'the year's best comedy.' Though Robinson's brand of humor is definitely divisive, with Time's Stephanie Zacharek aptly summarizing the average nonbeliever view: 'How much Tim Robinson is too much? Maybe the exact amount you get in Friendship.' 👀 How to watch: After a limited release in early May, Friendship is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets 🤔 If those aren't for you... :A perfectly OK Disney live-action remake of a modern-classic cartoon, with fun performances and affecting emotional beats that still land, but it never justifies why you shouldn't just watch the way-nicer-to-look-at, hand-drawn original — get tickets. : Neal McDonough stars in a movie he also cowrote about a retired rodeo star entering a high-stakes bull-riding competition to raise money to save his sick grandson. It's serviceable but a bit too contrived; Chloe Zhao's The Rider tells a similar story more effectively — get tickets. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: The Legend of Ochi tells a familiar tale with enough style and practical effects-based magic that it makes up for a relative lack of substance. In fact, it's basically just Lilo & Stitch, which itself was riffing on E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. In a remote village on the island of Carpathia, a shy farm girl named Yuri is raised to fear an elusive animal species known as ochi. But when Yuri discovers a wounded baby ochi has been left behind, she escapes on a quest to bring him home. What makes it stand out is the incredible designs of the creatures and the use of puppetry and animatronics to bring them to life. It's such a beautiful and striking-looking film that even though its attempt at an emotional payoff didn't really land for me, I still felt like watching this was time well spent. It's also just nice to see a live-action movie for children! We don't really get those anymore and instead have to settle for CGI-animated everything. 🍿 What critics are saying: According to Rotten Tomatoes, 77% of critics dug it, with Jesse Hassenger at the Guardian calling the film 'an anomaly in a world where US children's films are so intent on prodding and goading their audiences into predetermined reactions. 👀 How to watch: The Legend of Ochi is now available to rent or purchase on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 🤔 If that's not for you... :An unexpectedly honest, moving and informative documentary exploring the 5-decade career of the iconic comedy duo. Now available to rent or buy. : An adaptation of the video game of the same name that doesn't require any knowledge of its source material to enjoy. A fun, self-aware horror flick in the vein of Cabin of the Woods that cleverly subverts tropes. Now available to rent or buy. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Fountain of Youthproves that all you need to make your streaming movie stand out from the pack is to hire a competent director like Guy Ritchie to make it. Casting Natalie Portman doesn't hurt either! Like Ochi, the movie is a derivative of a derivative — it's literally just a more international take on National Treasure, which itself is a facsimile of an Indiana Jones adventure. It's about John Krasinski's character forcing his estranged sister (Portman) to reunite with him for a treasure-hunting adventure to find the fabled fountain of youth. Thanks to Ritchie, the action sequences pop and it's a relatively breezy watch, despite the lack of originality. It's good enough, and even if I'll never watch it again, it gets points for using several exotic on-location sites. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics were mixed-negative, with a scant 44% on RottenTomatoes. Jordan Hoffman at Entertainment Weekly isn't wrong when he writes that the movie "feels like a light snack instead of a full meal." Kate Erbland at Indiewire was more positive, agreeing that "you could do far worse with a streaming subscription price." 👀 How to watch: Fountain of Youth is now streaming on Apple TV+. Stream 'Fountain of Youth' 🤔 If that's not for you... : The fourth entry in the Fear Street franchise, and the first since the original trilogy rolled out one week after another in 2021, adapts the R.L. Stine book of the same name. Now streaming on Netflix. Stream 'Fear Street: Prom Queen' My sort-of recommendation: Mickey 17 Why you should watch it: Mickey 17 is South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho's follow-up to his Best Picture-winning Parasite. This, unfortunately, looks to be a classic case of a director cashing in his blank check from Hollywood after a big win at the Oscars. Based on the 2022 novel Mickey7, Mickey 17 is a science-fiction film set in the year 2054 that follows a man, played by Robert Pattinson, who joins a space colony as an "Expendable," a disposable worker who gets cloned every time he dies for research purposes. The film is at its best when it leans into the humor regarding these deaths, highlighting the Mickey character's buffoonery and the various ways scientists experiment on him. It's at its worst when Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette are chewing scenery as the villains. The movie pivots in the third act to something completely different, aligning itself more with Bong's environmental message-heavy effort Okja than the rip-roaring excitement of something like Snowpiercer, which balanced its class-conscious satire with thrills in a more compelling fashion. Mickey 17 is unwieldy, but the setup is fun enough, as is watching Pattinson play against himself when Mickey 18 rears his head. Watching it for free on streaming feels like the right move. 🍿 What critics are saying: Many are kinder to Mickey 17 than I am — it's got a 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. The Atlantic's Shirley Yi praised Pattinson, saying 'the actor's delightfully offbeat performance anchors the story in an endearing humanity.' Variety's Peter DeBruge says the plot 'is easy enough to follow, though the film insists on making it more complicated.' 👀 How to watch: Mickey 17 is now streaming on HBO Max. Stream 'Mickey 17' ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: The Surrender is an indie horror movie that does a great job of setting up its basic plot before delivering the spooky goods. When the family patriarch dies, a grieving mother and daughter risk their lives to perform a brutal resurrection ritual and bring him back from the dead. Yes, this is yet another movie that could be described as familiar but its unique character dynamics and great performances make it feel alive. It's an incredibly strong debut from director Julia Max, boasting impressive visuals as well as deeper questions about family and the things we ignore. Not every demonic possession flick is created equal; this is a solid one! 🍿 What critics are saying: 84% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes enjoyed it, though Lena Wilson at IGN thought the familial drama in the first half worked, but that the horror element didn't. 👀 How to watch: The Surrender is now streaming on Shudder. Stream 'The Surrender' 🤔 If those aren't for you... Flight Risk: Mark Wahlberg stars as a bad guy hijacking a plane carrying a fugitive witness in this action flick directed by Mel Gibson. Starts streaming Saturday on Starz. The Last Showgirl: Pamela Anderson earned acclaim and nominations for her performance in Gia Coppola's film about a Las Vegas showgirl who must plan for her future. Now streaming on Hulu. That's all for this week — we'll see you next Friday at the movies!
