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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!
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines' in theaters, rent ‘A Minecraft Movie' or ‘Snow White,' stream 'The Brutalist' on HBO Max, plus more movies to watch this weekend
Hello, Yahoo Entertainment readers! My name is Brett Arnold, and I'm a longtime writer and editor at Yahoo who side-hustles as a film critic with my podcast, Roger (Ebert) & Me. I'm here to recommend what you should watch, whether you want to head to the movie theater and take in the latest flick on the big screen with a Coke and buttery popcorn or it's more of a Netflix and chill — or chill and pay $19.99 for a rental — kind of night. Why should you trust me? Well, I watch everything, about 10 to 15 movies this week, and refuse to let all those hours of media consumption go to waste. So, behold: my guide for you on what to watch. This week, there are no new streaming debuts, but there are more options than usual for the 'movies newly available on streaming services you may already have' section, which is the good stuff, so it all balances out. Picks include Final Destination: Bloodlines, A Minecraft Movie, Snow White, The Brutalist, Novocaine, but that's far from everything. Keep reading for reviews and a curated list of other top films. What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: It has been 14 years since the surprisingly good Final Destination 5, and thankfully Final Destination: Bloodlines more than makes up for lost time with what has to be the most crowd-pleasing and ambitious entry yet. This movie got a sold-out crowd to cheer the death of a child in its opening scene, which is quite an impressive feat. It's an absolute blast, as nihilistic as it is laugh-out-loud hilarious, and finds a clever and fun way into slightly retooling its concept, which might've felt lame in any other franchise, but due to the premise, it works great here. Let me explain: In the franchise thus far, death always comes for a group of unrelated strangers after they survive some sort of freak accident, but in this entry, it's hereditary. It takes this idea a step further by incorporating a period-set element and suggesting that not only is everybody who survived the opening incident marked for death, so are their families, since they should technically never have been born, according to 'death's design,' to use Final Destination parlance. That '60s-set extended opening sequence in a high-rise Seattle Space Needle-esque structure isn't just a highlight of the movie, by the way, but also one of best of the entire series. The bread and butter of the franchise, cruelly funny Rube Goldberg-style death sequences that have a lot of fun teasing the audience with misdirects before landing on the ultimate mode of demise, is in top form here, one-upping itself as it goes with some truly jaw-dropping set pieces. Formula can really be such a comfort, even if it's disgustingly gruesome! It also features an unexpectedly affecting send-off to the late Tony Todd, as it becomes that the scene was clearly written with the knowledge that he didn't have much time left. 🍿 What critics are saying: As of now, it's the highest-rated entry in the series with 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Radheyan Simonpillai at the Guardian raved that it 'breathes new life' into the franchise, and Jacob Oller at the AV Club says it 'honors a legacy of unrepentant silliness and gleeful gore with a knowing wink.' 👀 How to watch: Final Destination: Bloodlines is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets My sort-of, caveated recommendation: Why you should maybe, possibly watch it: I am not the target demographic for A Minecraft Movie. As such, I did not enjoy it, despite appreciating how much personality director Jared Hess, the man behind the cultural phenomenon that was Napoleon Dynamite and also the less-successful Nacho Libre, manages to sneak into it. It absolutely feels like a movie made by the guy who made those, and that's fun, but there's just something ironic to the idea of making a movie about the power of creativity and imagination that's indistinguishable from similar formulaic fare about characters chasing a glowing orb. All you need to make a mega-budget movie these days is Jack Black and a green screen! Despite feeling this way, I must acknowledge the movie is a colossal hit and that kids are going absolutely feral for it, so if you managed to avoid taking your children to a 'chicken jockey' screening, renting or buying it at home may be the most cost-effective way to endure it. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's no surprise that critics felt similarly, with a 47% 'rotten' designation on Rotten Tomatoes — again, this is a movie for children, not critics. I echo the sentiment of the Atlantic's David Sims, who agreed it's good that kids are going to movie theaters, even if 'the film occasionally made me want to pop an Advil.' Mark Kennedy at the Associated Press, however, liked it and praised Jason Momoa's performance in particular. 👀 How to watch: A Minecraft Movie is now available to rent or purchase on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 'The Minecraft Movie' It's also still playing in theaters nationwide. Get tickets ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: Putting all the extra-textual controversies aside, Snow White is actually one of the better live-action remakes of a Disney classic. There's infectious energy and charm here, almost entirely thanks to star Rachel Zegler, who appears alongside many very ugly CGI creatures, hideous backgrounds and all the usual stuff you see in modern blockbusters. Zegler does a ton to elevate the material, and it's quite cute in its best moments; there's one new song that's so fun and flirty and you genuinely buy the relationship between her and the prince and root for them. Gal Gadot makes very little impression and disappears for a sizable chunk of it, which was probably for the best. The CGI dwarves sounded like a bad idea on paper but work well in context, and their lengthier rendition of 'Heigh-Ho' is a highlight. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics largely weren't as kind to Snow White; it sports a rather brutal 40% on Rotten Tomatoes, though Stephanie Zacharek of Time magazine agrees with me that it's better than anticipated, highlighting 'little touches that show evidence of human thought and care' more so than similar fare. However Shirly Li, writing for the Atlantic, explained why the audience at her "screening seemed confused throughout most of the film.' 👀 How to watch: Snow White is now available to rent or purchase on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 'Snow White' My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Adrien Brody won the Oscar for Best Actor for his work in The Brutalist, and watching the film, it's easy to see why. It's a commanding performance in a movie of epic scale, essentially conveying an entire lifetime of his character's experiences. His costars all deserve equal praise. Alessandro Nivola, Guy Pearce, Felicity Jones, everybody here is terrific. It's a movie about many things: the postwar period and the birth of the modern United States, the immigrant experience in our country and the dawn of brutalist architecture. It's most fascinating as an allegory about the perils of making art, being careful about who funds that art and what those implications do to the meaning of that art. It gets shockingly literal in its depiction of the artist feeling screwed over by the moneymen, yet it's profoundly moving. 🍿 What critics are saying: The Brutalist is one of the best-reviewed films of the year, though it's not without a few detractors. The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey, though, gave it five stars out of five and called it a 'colossal cinematic achievement,' and there are hundreds more raves. 👀 How to watch: The Brutalist is now streaming on HBO Max. Make sure you have 3 hours and 35 minutes to spare! Stream 'The Brutalist' ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: Novocaine is an action-comedy star vehicle for Jack Quaid, with a high-concept premise that the movie, thankfully, lives up to. The film follows Nathan Caine, who is incapable of feeling physical pain, as he sets out to rescue the girl of his dreams (Sherry, played by Amber Midthunder) after she's kidnapped. He turns his rare physical condition into an unexpected advantage. The movie is at its most charming and effective in its setup as we watch Nathan fall for Sherry. The two have terrific chemistry, and the romantic elements work far better than you'd expect for a movie that also features people getting killed in some of the most disgusting ways imaginable. It's an exciting blend of action, comedy and gross-out gore that also gets a laugh with the sheer audacity of the violence. Ray Nicholson, son of Jack Nicholson, is appropriately scary as the villain. It's worth a watch for anyone who's not too squeamish — but take that warning seriously, as things do get pretty nasty! 🍿 What critics are saying: Novocaine sports an 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the AP's Lindsay Bahr noting how much better it is than recent action-comedies. Though Tim Robey at the Telegraph wasn't amused, writing that it 'feels like a brainstorming session for itself.' 👀 How to watch: Novocaine is now streaming on Paramount+. Stream 'Novocaine' 🤔 If those aren't for you... Acclaimed filmmaker Mike Leigh reteams with Secrets & Lies star Marianne Jean-Baptiste for this laugh-out-loud funny and also devastatingly human, sad movie that is one of the most underrated films of last year. In Leigh's hands, a platitude as simple as 'hurt people hurt people' cuts deep. Now streaming on Paramount+ w/ Showtime. Beloved children's movie character Paddington returns after the wild success of Paddington 2 with this delightful, charming and funny family adventure. Beloved actors Antonio Banderas and Olivia Colman get to have a lot of fun! Now streaming on Netflix. A powerful film that explores the true story of an ordinary family living under fascism in 1970s Brazil. It won the Oscar for Best International Film, and star Fernanda Torres got a surprise (and well-deserved!) Best Actress nomination for her performance. Starts streaming on Netflix this Saturday. That's all for this week — we'll see you next Friday at the movies!
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines' in theaters, rent ‘A Minecraft Movie' or ‘Snow White,' stream 'The Brutalist' on HBO Max, plus more movies to watch this weekend
Hello, Yahoo Entertainment readers! My name is Brett Arnold, and I'm a longtime writer and editor at Yahoo who side-hustles as a film critic with my podcast, Roger (Ebert) & Me. I'm here to recommend what you should watch, whether you want to head to the movie theater and take in the latest flick on the big screen with a Coke and buttery popcorn or it's more of a Netflix and chill — or chill and pay $19.99 for a rental — kind of night. Why should you trust me? Well, I watch everything, about 10 to 15 movies this week, and refuse to let all those hours of media consumption go to waste. So, behold: my guide for you on what to watch. This week, there are no new streaming debuts, but there are more options than usual for the 'movies newly available on streaming services you may already have' section, which is the good stuff, so it all balances out. Picks include Final Destination: Bloodlines, A Minecraft Movie, Snow White, The Brutalist, Novocaine, but that's far from everything. Keep reading for reviews and a curated list of other top films. What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: It has been 14 years since the surprisingly good Final Destination 5, and thankfully Final Destination: Bloodlines more than makes up for lost time with what has to be the most crowd-pleasing and ambitious entry yet. This movie got a sold-out crowd to cheer the death of a child in its opening scene, which is quite an impressive feat. It's an absolute blast, as nihilistic as it is laugh-out-loud hilarious, and finds a clever and fun way into slightly retooling its concept, which might've felt lame in any other franchise, but due to the premise, it works great here. Let me explain: In the franchise thus far, death always comes for a group of unrelated strangers after they survive some sort of freak accident, but in this entry, it's hereditary. It takes this idea a step further by incorporating a period-set element and suggesting that not only is everybody who survived the opening incident marked for death, so are their families, since they should technically never have been born, according to 'death's design,' to use Final Destination parlance. That '60s-set extended opening sequence in a high-rise Seattle Space Needle-esque structure isn't just a highlight of the movie, by the way, but also one of best of the entire series. The bread and butter of the franchise, cruelly funny Rube Goldberg-style death sequences that have a lot of fun teasing the audience with misdirects before landing on the ultimate mode of demise, is in top form here, one-upping itself as it goes with some truly jaw-dropping set pieces. Formula can really be such a comfort, even if it's disgustingly gruesome! It also features an unexpectedly affecting send-off to the late Tony Todd, as it becomes that the scene was clearly written with the knowledge that he didn't have much time left. 🍿 What critics are saying: As of now, it's the highest-rated entry in the series with 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Radheyan Simonpillai at the Guardian raved that it 'breathes new life' into the franchise, and Jacob Oller at the AV Club says it 'honors a legacy of unrepentant silliness and gleeful gore with a knowing wink.' 👀 How to watch: Final Destination: Bloodlines is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets My sort-of, caveated recommendation: Why you should maybe, possibly watch it: I am not the target demographic for A Minecraft Movie. As such, I did not enjoy it, despite appreciating how much personality director Jared Hess, the man behind the cultural phenomenon that was Napoleon Dynamite and also the less-successful Nacho Libre, manages to sneak into it. It absolutely feels like a movie made by the guy who made those, and that's fun, but there's just something ironic to the idea of making a movie about the power of creativity and imagination that's indistinguishable from similar formulaic fare about characters chasing a glowing orb. All you need to make a mega-budget movie these days is Jack Black and a green screen! Despite feeling this way, I must acknowledge the movie is a colossal hit and that kids are going absolutely feral for it, so if you managed to avoid taking your children to a 'chicken jockey' screening, renting or buying it at home may be the most cost-effective way to endure it. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's no surprise that critics felt similarly, with a 47% 'rotten' designation on Rotten Tomatoes — again, this is a movie for children, not critics. I echo the sentiment of the Atlantic's David Sims, who agreed it's good that kids are going to movie theaters, even if 'the film occasionally made me want to pop an Advil.' Mark Kennedy at the Associated Press, however, liked it and praised Jason Momoa's performance in particular. 👀 How to watch: A Minecraft Movie is now available to rent or purchase on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 'The Minecraft Movie' It's also still playing in theaters nationwide. Get tickets ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: Putting all the extra-textual controversies aside, Snow White is actually one of the better live-action remakes of a Disney classic. There's infectious energy and charm here, almost entirely thanks to star Rachel Zegler, who appears alongside many very ugly CGI creatures, hideous backgrounds and all the usual stuff you see in modern blockbusters. Zegler does a ton to elevate the material, and it's quite cute in its best moments; there's one new song that's so fun and flirty and you genuinely buy the relationship between her and the prince and root for them. Gal Gadot makes very little impression and disappears for a sizable chunk of it, which was probably for the best. The CGI dwarves sounded like a bad idea on paper but work well in context, and their lengthier rendition of 'Heigh-Ho' is a highlight. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics largely weren't as kind to Snow White; it sports a rather brutal 40% on Rotten Tomatoes, though Stephanie Zacharek of Time magazine agrees with me that it's better than anticipated, highlighting 'little touches that show evidence of human thought and care' more so than similar fare. However Shirly Li, writing for the Atlantic, explained why the audience at her "screening seemed confused throughout most of the film.' 👀 How to watch: Snow White is now available to rent or purchase on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 'Snow White' My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Adrien Brody won the Oscar for Best Actor for his work in The Brutalist, and watching the film, it's easy to see why. It's a commanding performance in a movie of epic scale, essentially conveying an entire lifetime of his character's experiences. His costars all deserve equal praise. Alessandro Nivola, Guy Pearce, Felicity Jones, everybody here is terrific. It's a movie about many things: the postwar period and the birth of the modern United States, the immigrant experience in our country and the dawn of brutalist architecture. It's most fascinating as an allegory about the perils of making art, being careful about who funds that art and what those implications do to the meaning of that art. It gets shockingly literal in its depiction of the artist feeling screwed over by the moneymen, yet it's profoundly moving. 🍿 What critics are saying: The Brutalist is one of the best-reviewed films of the year, though it's not without a few detractors. The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey, though, gave it five stars out of five and called it a 'colossal cinematic achievement,' and there are hundreds more raves. 👀 How to watch: The Brutalist is now streaming on HBO Max. Make sure you have 3 hours and 35 minutes to spare! Stream 'The Brutalist' ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: Novocaine is an action-comedy star vehicle for Jack Quaid, with a high-concept premise that the movie, thankfully, lives up to. The film follows Nathan Caine, who is incapable of feeling physical pain, as he sets out to rescue the girl of his dreams (Sherry, played by Amber Midthunder) after she's kidnapped. He turns his rare physical condition into an unexpected advantage. The movie is at its most charming and effective in its setup as we watch Nathan fall for Sherry. The two have terrific chemistry, and the romantic elements work far better than you'd expect for a movie that also features people getting killed in some of the most disgusting ways imaginable. It's an exciting blend of action, comedy and gross-out gore that also gets a laugh with the sheer audacity of the violence. Ray Nicholson, son of Jack Nicholson, is appropriately scary as the villain. It's worth a watch for anyone who's not too squeamish — but take that warning seriously, as things do get pretty nasty! 🍿 What critics are saying: Novocaine sports an 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the AP's Lindsay Bahr noting how much better it is than recent action-comedies. Though Tim Robey at the Telegraph wasn't amused, writing that it 'feels like a brainstorming session for itself.' 👀 How to watch: Novocaine is now streaming on Paramount+. Stream 'Novocaine' 🤔 If those aren't for you... Acclaimed filmmaker Mike Leigh reteams with Secrets & Lies star Marianne Jean-Baptiste for this laugh-out-loud funny and also devastatingly human, sad movie that is one of the most underrated films of last year. In Leigh's hands, a platitude as simple as 'hurt people hurt people' cuts deep. Now streaming on Paramount+ w/ Showtime. Beloved children's movie character Paddington returns after the wild success of Paddington 2 with this delightful, charming and funny family adventure. Beloved actors Antonio Banderas and Olivia Colman get to have a lot of fun! Now streaming on Netflix. A powerful film that explores the true story of an ordinary family living under fascism in 1970s Brazil. It won the Oscar for Best International Film, and star Fernanda Torres got a surprise (and well-deserved!) Best Actress nomination for her performance. Starts streaming on Netflix this Saturday. That's all for this week — we'll see you next Friday at the movies!
