The best new streaming movies this week: Thelma and more

We’re back with a brand new list for the week. It’s going to be fun — grab a cup of coffee!

The best new streaming movies this week

• Release date: June 21, 2024 
• Genre: Action, Comedy
• Rating: PG-13
• Director: Josh Margolin
• Cast: June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Richard Roundtree, Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, Malcolm McDowell, Nicole Byer

The story follows Thelma, a 93-year-old woman who falls victim to a sophisticated phone scam, losing $10,000 to someone impersonating her grandson Daniel. While her daughter and son-in-law attempt to move past the incident with resigned practicality, Thelma refuses to accept her status as a helpless victim. She enlists her late husband’s best friend Ben and goes on a determined quest to recover her money.

Margolin’s direction maintains a warm, sitcom-like tone that celebrates elderly determination without veering into condescension or excessive sentimentality. Rather than delivering high-octane action sequences, Thelma succeeds as an affectionate character study that examines elderly autonomy, family dynamics, and the determination to maintain dignity in the face of exploitation.

• Release date: July 19, 2024 
• Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
• Rating: PG-13
• Director: Lee Isaac Chung
• Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, Harry Hadden-Paton, Sasha Lane

Set in the present day, the film follows Kate Carter, a meteorologist who carries trauma from a past tornado encounter. She works for the National Weather Service in New York City, where she’s earned a reputation as a “storm whisperer” for her uncanny ability to predict tornado behavior.

When her old friend Javi appears, asking her to return to Tornado Alley for a potentially life-saving project, Kate reluctantly agrees to go west. Javi, who’s from Florida, has personal stakes in understanding extreme weather events. Upon arriving in Oklahoma, Kate discovers the storm-chasing scene has evolved into something of a circus, populated by various chasers
trying to capitalize on the increasingly active tornado season.

• Release date: August 13, 2023 
• Genre: Drama
• Rating: R
• Director: Dominic Savage
• Cast: Elliot Page, Hillary Baack, Wendy Crewson, Peter Outerbridge, Janet Porter, Alex Paxton-Beesley, Daniel Maslany

An intimate drama marking Elliot Page’s first male film role, following a trans man returning home for a tense family reunion after 5 years away. The film particularly excels in its quiet moments, with Page bringing palpable personal investment to scenes exploring family microaggressions and unspoken tensions.

Hillary Baack provides strong support as Katherine, a former high school friend whose unconditional acceptance offers a stark contrast to the family’s more complicated responses. Though some of the dialogue can feel pointed, the film’s raw authenticity and emotional honesty shine through.

• Release date: August 13, 2024 
• Genre: Animation, Action, Drama
• Rating: R
• Director: Brandon Vietti
• Cast: Troy Baker, Adrienne Barbeau, Corey Burton, Michael Cerveris, Jeffrey Combs, Grey DeLisle, Kelly Hu

The story begins with the murder of Edward Blake/The Comedian, a morally dubious former superhero who is thrown from his high-rise apartment. Rorschach, a masked vigilante who narrates like a hard-boiled detective, investigates the death and theorizes it’s part of a pattern targeting former superheroes.

The film’s strength lies in its commitment to preserving the source material’s multiple layers, including the crucial Black Freighter subplot that adds metaphorical depth to the main narrative. Titus Welliver’s performance as Rorschach and the high-quality animation help bring new life to familiar scenes.

• Release date: July 19, 2024 
• Genre: Drama
• Rating: R 
• Director: Thomas Napper
• Cast: Haley Bennett, Tom Sturridge, Sam Riley, Leo Suter, Ben Miles, Anson Boon, Paul Rhys

This is a biopic of Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, who took over her husband’s champagne house at age 27 and built it into an international business. Haley Bennett delivers a quietly intelligent performance in the title role, though Tom Sturridge as her troubled husband François provides the film’s most volatile moments.

The film’s most compelling sequences are its flashbacks, where Sturridge’s portrayal of François’s mental decline adds unexpected depth to what could have been a straightforward empowerment narrative.

• Release date: August 15, 2024 
• Genre: Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller
• Rating: R
• Director: Fede Álvarez
• Cast: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, Aileen Wu, Rosie Ede

Fede Álvarez’s entry in the Alien franchise, set between the first two films, follows young adults exploring an abandoned research station in hopes of finding a way to improve their lives. The group includes Rain, her android brother Andy, and Tyler, Kay, Bjorn, and Navaro. What begins as an opportunity for a better future quickly devolves into a desperate fight for survival as they encounter the deadliest creature in the universe.

At the heart of the film is the compelling relationship between Rain and Andy, with David Jonsson delivering a standout performance that makes his android character simultaneously endearing, awesome, and unsettling.

What was new and worth watching over the last month

Here’s a quick roundup of our previous lists if you missed them. Also, if you’re in the mood for something else this weekend, we have a list of streaming shows to cater to that.

• Release date: July 25, 2024
• Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
• Rating: R
• Director: Shawn Levy
• Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen, Dafne Keen, Jon Favreau, Morena Baccarin

The Time Variance Authority recruits Deadpool to save his universe from destruction. To accomplish this, he must find a living version of Wolverine in another universe, since the one in his world died at the end of Logan. The film heavily references its status as Disney’s first R-rated Marvel film, with Deadpool constantly breaking the fourth wall to joke about joining the MCU at a bit of a low point.

Hugh Jackman returns as Wolverine, finally donning the character’s iconic yellow-and-blue costume from the comics, leading to more meta-commentary. The plot involves the TVA, led by a hammy Matthew Macfadyen, though the film seems focused on its self-referential humor and the collision between Reynold’s irreverent Deadpool and Jackman’s serious Wolverine. The movie includes several carefully hidden cameos that poke fun at the superhero industry — which is refreshing in itself.

• Release date: August 21, 2024
• Genre: Crime, Musical
• Rating: R
• Director: Jacques Audiard
• Cast: Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, Edgar Ramírez, Mark Ivanir, Eduardo Aladro

Rita, a successful but morally conflicted lawyer in Mexico, receives a mysterious call from cartel leader Juan “Manitas” Del Monte. Despite his tough exterior, Manitas reveals his desire to transition and hires Rita to arrange both gender-affirming surgery and a new identity. After successfully helping Manitas become Emilia Pérez, Rita moves to London with her payment.

Four years later, Emilia reappears in Rita’s life with new requests — she wants to reconnect with her family who believe she’s dead, and seeks help pursuing a relationship with a woman named Epifanía. The film is structured as an operatic musical. Shot entirely in France on sets designed to look like Mexico, the film combines elements of melodrama with musical numbers.

• Release date: November 13, 2024
• Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
• Rating: TV-PG
• Director: Jerry Ciccoritti
• Cast: Lacey Chabert, Dustin Milligan, Craig Robinson, Joe Lo Truglio, Katy Mixon, Lauren Holly, Chrishell Stause

Kathy, still grieving her husband who died from cancer, runs a struggling cafe called Kathy’s Kafe in the town of Hope Springs. Her life changes when she puts a scarf on a snowman who magically comes to life as Jack, a handsome man who literally runs cold and therefore rarely wears a shirt. Due to the scarf, Jack imprints on Kathy and immediately declares his love.

While romance blooms between them, local sheriff Nate and his deputy attempt to arrest Jack, believing him to be a “streaker” disrupting the town. The film blends romantic comedy tropes with magical elements, as Kathy struggles with the possibility of loving someone who might literally melt to death.

• Release date: November 8, 2024
• Genre: Horror, Thriller
• Rating: N.A.
• Director: Bruce Goodison
• Cast: Nick Frost, Synnøve Karlsen, Luke Norris, George Bukhari, Tessa Parr

The film begins with a vision of a pregnant ghost in a white nightgown running through misty woods. Anne awakens from this dream and attends a disastrous dinner where her abusive fiancé Patrick announces their engagement despite her having kicked him out. Escaping in a cab driven by Ian, things take a dark turn when Ian recognizes Anne from giving her a ride home from a maternity hospital — revealing her pregnancy to Patrick.

Ian then tasers Patrick, zip-ties him to the door handle, and takes Anne hostage. The story unfolds almost entirely within the cab as Ian drives through dark, foggy roads, revealing disturbing details about his own failed marriage and hinting at sinister intentions. The film incorporates supernatural elements with the recurring appearance of the ghostly woman, building tension through the claustrophobic setting and Frost’s unsettling performance as he oscillates between friendly chattiness and menacing behavior.

• Release date: May 10, 2024
• Genre: Comedy, Mystery
• Rating: R
• Director: Chris Pine
• Cast: Chris Pine, Annette Bening, Danny DeVito, DeWanda Wise, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Stephen Tobolowsky, Clancy Brown

An eccentric pool maintenance man lives in a Tiki shack beside a run-down Los Angeles apartment complex. He spends his time writing letters to Erin Brockovich (whose photo he worships), crafting origami, and attending city council meetings where he rants at a corrupt official who’s inexplicably also an Orthodox rabbi.

His life changes when a femme fatale draws him into a conspiracy involving illegal water diversion. The plot involves his attempt to expose government misdeeds with help from his Jungian therapist and a documentary filmmaker who live in the apartment complex. The film aims for an absurdist LA noir comedy style and the dialogue consists largely of unfinished thoughts and whimsical non-sequiturs, creating an intentionally disconnected narrative style.

• Release date: September 13, 2024
• Genre: Comedy
• Rating: R
• Director: Megan Park
• Cast: Maisy Stella, Aubrey Plaza, Percy Hynes White, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks, Maria Dizzia, Alain Goulem

In a picturesque Ontario cranberry farming community, 18-year-old Elliott is counting down the days until she leaves for college in Toronto. During a mushroom-fueled camping trip with her best friends to celebrate her birthday, she has an extraordinary encounter with her 39-year-old self, a somewhat cynical PhD student.

While young Elliott navigates her final summer at home, including a crush on the local barista and complex family dynamics, her older self offers cryptic warnings about someone named Chad. When a suspiciously charming college student starts working at her family’s farm, Elliott must decide whether to follow her heart or heed her future self’s advice.

• Release date: November 6, 2024
• Genre: Comedy, Romance
• Rating: TV-14
• Director: Rusty Cundieff
• Cast: Christina Milian, Devale Ellis, Kofi Siriboe, Kalen Allen, Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Kirstin Maldonado

When a snowstorm strands Layla in an airport lounge, she shares an enchanting connection with a handsome stranger. Before parting ways, they make a pact: if they’re both single next Christmas, they’ll meet at the annual Pentatonix holiday concert.

A year later, freshly heartbroken, Layla is determined to make it to the sold-out show. She enlists the help of a concierge service and is paired with a charming assistant. As they go on a frantic search across the city for tickets, Layla begins to wonder if the perfect Christmas romance might be right in front of her.

• Release date: June 28, 2024
• Genre: Drama
• Rating: PG-13
• Director: Annie Baker
• Cast: Julianne Nicholson, Zoe Ziegler, Will Patton, Sophie Okonedo, Elias Koteas, Luke Bosco, June Walker Grossman

In the languid summer of 1991, 11-year-old Lacy and her acupuncturist mother Janet live in an idyllic woodland house in rural western Massachusetts. Their close-knit world is gradually disrupted by a series of visitors: Janet’s gruff boyfriend Wayne, an old friend Regina, and a self-styled New Age mystic named Avi.

Through Lacy’s eyes, we witness the subtle complexities of adult relationships while experiencing the droll, uneventful nature of childhood summers.

• Release date: November 1, 2024
• Genre: Documentary, Biography, Music
• Rating: PG
• Director: Laurent Bouzereau
• Cast: John Williams, Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams, Emanuel Ax, Kate Capshaw, Chris Columbus, Gustavo Dudamel

This documentary follows the legendary 92-year-old composer John Williams as he sits at the same piano he’s used since the 1960s, breaking down the creation of cinema’s most memorable scores.

From his early days playing piano for “Peter Gunn” through his groundbreaking collaborations with Steven Spielberg, Williams shares insights into his creative process. Featuring commentary from filmmakers including J.J. Abrams and fellow composers, plus interviews with Spielberg himself, we see how Williams explored traditional orchestral methods.

• Release date: June 28, 2024
• Genre: Animation, Drama
• Rating: PG-13
• Director: Kiyotaka Oshiyama
• Cast: Yuumi Kawai, Mizuki Yoshida, Yoichiro Saito, Kota Oka, Kureha Maki, Takeshi Miyajima, Daisuke Takahashi

In this emotionally resonant anime, middle school student Amuyu Fujino takes pride in creating comics for the school newspaper, until she discovers the remarkable artwork of her reclusive classmate Kyomoto. As the two begin collaborating, their creative partnership evolves into a deep friendship.

The film follows their artistic journey together, exploring the challenges of creative collaboration and personal growth, before taking a dramatic turn that reframes their entire relationship.

• Release date: November 1, 2024
• Genre: Documentary
• Rating: N.A.
• Director: Thommy Hutson
• Cast: Autumn Ivy, Don Mancini, Brad Dourif, Jennifer Tilly, Alex Vincent, Christine Elise, Catherine Hicks

Originally conceived as a dark satire of 1980s toy commercialization, inspired by Cabbage Patch Kids riots and talking dolls like My Buddy, the story of how a possessed doll named Chucky became a horror icon unfolds through intimate interviews. Mind you, this goes on for five hours.

The documentary reveals fascinating behind-the-scenes details, from early casting what-ifs (Jessica Walter was considered for Chucky’s voice) to the intricate animatronics that brought the murderous doll to life.

• Release date: July 5, 2024 
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
• Rating: PG
• Director: Chris Renaud
• Cast: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Sofía Vergara, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Madison Polan

Gru and Lucy face new challenges as Anti-Villain League agents while managing their growing family, including a new baby. Their lives become chaotic when Gru’s former villain school rival and his girlfriend break out of prison seeking revenge.

Meanwhile, the Minions discover superpowers, leading to chaos on the streets of what appears to be New York. This fourth installment blends family drama with superhero parody as the Minions attempt to master their newfound abilities.