The best new streaming movies this week: Hit Man, Origin, and more

• Release date: May 24, 2024
• Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime
• Rating: R
• Director: Richard Linklater
• Cast: Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, Retta, Sanjay Rao, Molly Bernard, Evan Holtzman

Philosophy professor by day, hitman by night, Gary Johnson leads a double life, helping his police pals catch criminals in the act of hiring contract killers. Awkward and unassuming in the classroom, Gary transforms into a suave operator when he goes undercover, donning disguises and adopting personas. But his well-ordered system hits a snag when beautiful Maddy Masters walks into his life, looking to escape her controlling husband.

As “Ron”, Gary talks Maddy out of the hit, but can’t resist falling for her himself. Director Richard Linklater keeps the action popping and the screwball romance sparking. What will Gary have to do to save his girl and his secrets? Sizzling chemistry and whip-smart dialogue make this movie a fun, fizzy ride.

• Release date: June 6, 2024
• Genre: Animation, Action
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Toshiki Hirano
• Cast: Nobunaga Shimazaki, Tatsuhisa Suzuki

The hardcore heroes of two hit Netflix anime finally face off in an epic crossover event that will leave only one standing. Baki Hanma, the stoic mixed martial arts champ raised from childhood to fight, takes on Kengan Ashura’s Ohma Tokita, the underground arena brawler with a wild style and a wilder backstory. Teeth will shatter, bones will crunch, and blood will gush as the two trade earth-shaking blows in a battle for the ages.

Flashy animation captures every gouged eye and snapped limb in kinetic detail, Baki Hanma VS Kengan Ashura delivers the goods for fans hungry for a fist-to-face fracas. Lots of humor from secondary characters to look forward to in this one, this movie is as much a fun diversion as it is a true clash of titans.

• Release date: January 19, 2024
• Genre: Drama, History
• Rating: PG-13
• Director: Ava DuVernay
• Cast: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash-Betts, Emily Yancy, Finn Wittrock, Victoria Pedretti, Jasmine Cephas Jones

Isabel Wilkerson’s landmark 2020 book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents brilliantly reframed racism as a caste system with deep historical roots in societies around the world. Now, director Ava DuVernay gives us Origin, telling the story of Wilkerson as she conceived and wrote the book while navigating personal angst. Flashing between eras, the film draws fascinating parallels between American slavery, Nazi Germany, and India’s oppression of the Dalit caste, uncovering disturbing conclusions.

We see a younger Wilkerson studying these grim histories and making potent connections in her work and life. Meanwhile, the present-day author copes with the death of her beloved husband and the decline of her elderly mother, finding solace in family and the hope that her book will make a difference. Origin is thought-provoking, grab a copy of the book once you’re done watching the movie. 

• Release date: June 6, 2024
• Genre: Documentary
• Rating: N.A.
• Director: Ed Watkins
• Cast: Andrew Rannells, Sue Perkins, Christine Wilkinson

As conservatives rant about a “gay agenda”, Peacock cheekily presents Queer Planet, an eye-opening nature documentary that completely rebuffs the idea that homosexuality is “unnatural”. Narrated by actor Andrew Rannells, the special tours the animal kingdom to spotlight same-sex pairings and gender-fluid behavior, from affectionate lady lions to polyamorous bonobos.

Along the way, an array of colorful experts outline how pioneering biologists imposed their Victorian mores on the natural world, discounting queer conduct as non-existent for centuries. The ultimate conclusion: love is love, whether you’re a hetero human or a gay goose. Sure, there’s a clear political message here. But the film’s playful, accessible approach and fascinating footage make this an engaging watch for Pride month, or any time of the year. Queer Planet is a blast of fresh air in the often stuffy nature doc genre.

• Release date: December 21, 2023
• Genre: Drama
• Rating: PG
• Director: Wim Wenders
• Cast: Koji Yakusho, Tokio Emoto, Arisa Nakano, Aoi Yamada, Yumi Asou, Sayuri Ishikawa, Tomokazu Miura

A man methodically mops a floor and scrubs a sink in a public restroom. This is no one-off, but a daily ritual for Hirayama, who takes great pride in his work as a Tokyo toilet cleaner. But there’s more to Hirayama than his humble profession in this delicate, deceptively simple character study from director Wim Wenders. Precisely ordered days filled with books, music, photography, and visits to a favorite bar hint at a life rebuilt from some past upheaval.

When the fragile cocoon Hirayama has constructed starts to fray, we see flickers of deep anguish and worry about Hirayama. Will he bounce back, and reenter his days of art and taking pride in his work? Perfect Days finds poetry in an overlooked life and the shadows that can shape us.

• Release date: June 6, 2024
• Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure
• Rating: TV-Y7
• Director: Anna O’Brian
• Cast: Chris Houghton, Marieve Herington, Bob Joles, Artemis Pebdani, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Zeno Robinson, Anna Akana

Cricket Green and his offbeat country family trade the Big City for access to space in this action-packed musical comedy based on the Disney Channel series. When wacky tech mogul Gwendolyn Zapp recruits the Greens to test out an experimental asteroid farm, they eagerly volunteer, dreaming of an out-of-this-world adventure. But their cosmic lark turns into a disaster movie mission as everything that can go wrong does.

From worrying about malfunctioning robots to an asteroid knocked off course and hurtling toward Earth. It’s up to the Greens and astronaut Colleen Voyd to put aside their differences and save the day. This is a fun ride — with catchy songs, madcap humor, and a heartwarming message about finding the comforts of home and family wherever you are. But it’s the characters that really shine, with Cricket’s goofy schemes, Gramma Alice’s wisecracks, and Bill’s befuddled charm.

What was new and worth watching over the last month

Missed out on our previous lists? Here’s a recap. 

• Release date: January 24, 2022
• Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
• Rating: R
• Director: Stephanie Allynne
• Cast: Dakota Johnson, Sonoya Mizuno, Jermaine Fowler, Kiersey Clemons, Molly Gordon, Whitmer Thomas, Sean Hayes

Lucy and Jane have been inseparable best friends since childhood. But when Jane drunkenly confesses she once kissed a girl as a teenager, it opens up long-suppressed questions about sexuality for the 32-year-old Lucy. Just as Jane is preparing to move across the world to London with her boyfriend Danny, Lucy finds herself undeniably attracted to Brittany, a free-spirited masseuse at the spa where Lucy works.

And after one intimate night with Brittany, everything changes for Lucy.

• Release date: June 5, 2024
• Genre: Action, Horror
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Xavier Gens
• Cast: Bérénice Bejo, Nassim Lyes, Léa Léviant, Anaïs Parello, Iñaki Lartigue, Julien Jakout, José Antonio Pedrosa Moreno

Did it finally happen? A shark movie worthy of being compared to Jaws? Under Paris does establish an interesting premise — after a tragic diving accident leaves marine biologist Sophia Marleau permanently scarred. The massive great white shark she was tracking — a female mako nicknamed Lilith — goes rogue. Three years later, Lilith has somehow found her way into the Seine River running through the heart of Paris.

As Lilith starts racking up a terrifying body count, mutilating any unlucky enough to cross her path, Sophia teams up with shark activist Mika and river patrol sergeant Adil. Their urgent mission: capture Lilith and lead her back to her natural ocean habitat before the mayor’s ill-advised decision to allow a major open-water swimming competition turns the Seine’s currents bloodred.

• Release date: February 23, 2024 
• Genre: Horror
• Rating: R
• Director: Robert Morgan
• Cast: Aisling Franciosi, Stella Gonet, Tom York, Therica Wilson-Read, Bridgitta Roy, Caoilinn Springall, Alex Freeborn

In Stopmotion, talented stop-motion animator Ella Blake is working on a personal film project after the death of her overbearing mother Suzanne, who used to control and criticize her every creative move. Finally free from her mother’s shadow, Ella moves into an apartment to focus solely on bringing her dark, twisted, stop-motion story to life.

However, Ella finds an unexpected collaborator in the building’s only other resident – a strange little girl who begins “helping” with the animated film. As Ella uses increasingly disturbing and unconventional materials to craft her stop-motion figures, the lines between her art and reality start blurring in dangerous ways. Stopmotion blends mesmerizing stop-motion animation with a disturbing psychological horror tale of artistic obsession and internalized trauma.

• Release date: March 15, 2024 
• Genre: Comedy, Fantasy
• Rating: PG-13
• Director: Kobi Libii
• Cast: Justice Smith, Zachary Barton, Anthony Coons, Robbie Troy, Gillian Vigman, James E. Welsh, David Alan Grier

Part biting racial satire, part supernatural comedy, The American Society of Magical Negroes takes the offensive “magical negro” trope to absurdly literal heights.

Aren is recruited into this organization after displaying supernatural talents. At first, he’s in awe of his new abilities. But soon, he starts questioning everything. Caught between the magical mentor bringing him into the fold and a white love interest oblivious to the society’s influence, Aren must decide whether to keep using his powers to enable white supremacy or reject the society’s antiquated agenda once and for all.

• Release date: May 30, 2024 
• Genre: Action
• Rating: N.A.
• Director: Eric Appel
• Cast: Kevin Hart, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ben Schwartz, John Cena, Paula Pell, Greg Kriek, Melissa Ponzio

To prove he can do his stunts, Kevin Hart hires goons to take over a fancy restaurant. Just so he can fight his way out looking like a badass. This is the last straw for the studios, because who’s going to back his insane vanity project? Apparently, a mysterious European investor will. He swoops in to greenlight Hart’s dream by actually having him and his reluctant co-star Nathalie Emmanuel kidnapped for real.

Convinced it’s all part of his “movie,” the delusional Hart plays along, dodging tranquilizer darts and escaping captors as the body count rises. But who is actually behind this twisted plot? Could it be Hart’s fired stunt double-played by John Cena seeking revenge? As the violent game of make-believe blurs with reality, Hart must finally accept this is not a rehashed reboot – it’s life or death. This movie is action-packed and the stakes are high, but it does have Hart in it, so it is characteristically funny.

• Release date: June 6, 2024 
• Genre: Drama
• Rating: N.A.
• Director: Fatima AlBanawi
• Cast: Fatima AlBanawi, Eissa Hafiz, Yasir AlSasi, Mai Hakeem, Terad Sindi, Mohammed Fawzi

Basma is a 26-year-old Saudi woman who returns home to Jeddah from the U.S. to find her father suffering from paranoid delusions and deteriorating mental health. As she tries to get him proper treatment before having to leave again, Basma confronts the harsh stigmas and lack of resources around mental illness in Saudi society.

Writer/director Fatima Al-Banawi, who also stars, draws from her psychology background to authentically explore one woman’s struggle to help a loved one with a psychological condition in a culture that largely shuns discussions of mental health. Basma’s urgent mission to save her father lays bare the isolating challenges for Saudi families dealing with psychic disorders.

• Release date: May 24, 2024 
• Genre: Action, Adventure
• Rating: PG-13
• Director: Brad Peyton
• Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown, Gregory James Cohan, Abraham Popoola, Lana Parrilla, Mark Strong

In a futuristic world, the destiny of humanity is at stake. Atlas, a rugged analyst with an intense suspicion of artificial intelligence, volunteers to be part of a military journey to track down Harlan, who is a fugitive AI rebel who caused millions of deaths 28 years ago when he led a rebellion against humans. However, as soon as the operation goes awry, Atlas has no other alternative but to seek protection from an AI mech called Smith.

As an unusual connection between Atlas and Smith, she reveals surprising truths about her ties to Harlan. With little time left before Harlan destroys Earth, Atlas has to get over her tragic past and get over it fast, to stop this rogue AI. Netflix’s Atlas, featuring Jennifer Lopez and Simu Liu, promises audiences a pulsating science fiction adventure that explores a very current topic — AI.

• Release date: May 24, 2024
• Genre: Animation, Adventure
• Rating: TV-PG
• Director: Tomotaka Shibayama
• Cast: Kensho Ono, Miyu Tomita, Shintaro Asanuma, Aya Yamane, Tomoko Shiota, Shirou Saitou, Mio Tanaka

Yatsuse Hiiragi, a timid high school freshman, has always struggled to fit in. Desperate to be liked, he can never refuse a request, even if it means sacrificing his own happiness. But despite his best efforts, Hiiragi finds himself friendless and alone. Everything changes when a mysterious snowfall blankets his town in the middle of summer. He meets Tsumugi, a free-spirited demon girl searching for her mother in the human world.

Despite their opposite personalities, Tsumugi pulls Hiiragi along on her quest, challenging his people-pleasing ways. Together, this unlikely duo will discover the meaning of true friendship and staying true to oneself on a heartwarming journey.

• Release date: December 25, 2023 
• Genre: Biography, Drama, History
• Rating: R
• Director: Michael Mann
• Cast: Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Patrick Dempsey, Jack O’Connell, Gabriel Leone, Giuseppe Festinese

The world of Italian auto racing is about to change forever in the summer of 1957. Enzo Ferrari is at the center of this film, the creator behind the fabled car brand by that name. However, beneath the glossy red cars and international prestige hides a man haunted by personal demons and professional hurdles that could destroy all he has created.

Enzo is preparing his team for Italy’s notorious Mille Miglia — a treacherous 1,000-mile endurance race. In a field of determined rivals, Ferrari will test not only himself but also his cars and crew far beyond reason. With stunning photography, a star-studded cast, and Mann’s trademark gritty style, this movie is an exhilarating story about what happens when a visionary pushes too hard and how hard it can be to hold on to your dreams sometimes.

• Release date: January 26, 2024 
• Genre: Horror, Thriller
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Barnaby Clay
• Cast: Scott Haze, Kate Lyn Sheil, Alex Montaldo, Charlie Avink, Thatcher Jacobs, Harrison Middleton, Michael Monsour

When hiker Wyndham Stone wanders off the trail to help a child, he finds himself in a world of trouble. Trapped in a remote canyon with the mysterious Alina, Wyndham soon realizes that escape is the least of his worries. As strange events unfold and eerie kids lurk in the shadows, Wyndham’s grip on reality starts to slip. This movie takes you on a twisted journey through the Utah desert, where the line between captor and captive blurs.

With each passing day, Wyndham and Alina’s relationship gets weirder and more unsettling, leaving us wondering who’s really in control. The Seeding is a wild mix of classic horror inspirations and fresh new nightmares, all set against the backdrop of a landscape that’s as deadly as it is beautiful, crafting an atmosphere that’ll make your skin crawl.

• Release date: April 5, 2024 
• Genre: Horror
• Rating: R
• Director: Arkasha Stevenson
• Cast: Nell Tiger Free, Ralph Ineson, Sônia Braga, Bill Nighy, María Caballero, Nicole Sorace, Tawfeek Barhom

Is there such a thing as too many Omen movies? The answer is no. While my personal favorite remains Omen IV: The Awakening, the newest addition does not disappoint. If you missed this one in the theatres, now’s your chance to get up to speed.

Sent to the crumbling Vizzardeli Orphanage, Margaret is drawn to a troubled young girl, Carlita, whose dark visions hint at an unspeakable fate. As a series of horrifying events unfold, a desperate priest (Ralph Ineson) reveals the Church’s true intentions: to bring forth the Antichrist and drive the faithful back to God through fear.

• Release date: May 24, 2024
• Genre: Animation, Comedy
• Rating: TV-MA
• Director: Trey Parker
• Cast: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, April Stewart, Mona Marshall, Kimberly Brooks, Jessica Makinson, Vernon Chatman

When Cartman’s doctor prescribes a drastic solution for his weight problem, Kyle and Butters navigate the absurdities of America’s healthcare system on an epic quest to make Cartman thin. Meanwhile, Randy Marsh gets swept up in a bizarre weight loss craze that’s taking South Park by storm. With the town’s moms shedding pounds and inhibitions, chaos ensues as Randy’s pursuit of the perfect beach bod leads him down a hilariously misguided path.

From the minds of Trey Parker and Matt Stone comes a razor-sharp takedown of our obsession with quick-fix weight loss solutions and the broken system that enables it. Buckle up for an outrageous adventure that skewers everything from Ozempic to Lizzo, leaving no sacred cow unslaughtered. Featuring all your favorite South Park characters, this is a shocking, side-splitting journey that proves there’s no easy way out when it comes to our national health crisis.

• Release date: May 17, 2024 
• Genre: Documentary
• Rating: G
• Director: Paul Crowder
• Cast: Brian Allendorfer, Bobby Speed Baldock, Bryon Beck

Paul Crowder and his crew were granted access to the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron, and they did not disappoint with the behind-the-scenes footage they captured. The Blue Angels is a documentary that showcases the rigorous selection process, and intense training that takes place in the lives of these extraordinary pilots.

The film features breathtaking aerial cinematography, including shots captured by a helicopter flying in the Blue Angel’s restricted airspace and slow-motion footage of stunning vapor trails. Intimate interviews reveal the passion, dedication, and camaraderie that define the squadron. The documentary promises an immersive, high-speed experience that will leave viewers in awe of these incredible pilots and their commitment to excellence.