Looking for something new to watch this week? We’re here to help. Most of us are currently cooped up at home practicing social distancing. With that, streaming movies has become essential to keep ourselves occupied. Luckily, this week has no shortage of new streaming options for every variety of viewer, including some brand new releases, as well as some remastered old favorites.
Viewers searching for something on the very new side to rent or purchase? We’ve got you covered. Would you rather watch something available on a widely-available streaming service such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or Disney+? We’ve got you covered there as well. Action flicks, nature documentaries and slashers, it’s all here. With that, here are this weeks’ new movie streaming picks.
Bad Boys for Life – Digital
We waited a long time to see Marcus back together again, but the wait proved to be worth it. Bad Boys for Life, which is available now digitally, reunited Will Smith and Martin Lawrence for what was ultimately a very satisfying ride. This time, the two get tangled up with Mexican drug cartels and partner up with a special tactical team name AMMO to take them down. Directors Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi breathed some new life into the series with its third installment, which may go down as one of the biggest, if not the single biggest, hit of 2020, earning $425 million worldwide.
The Current War: Director’s Cut – Digital
What a strange journey this seemingly prestigious drama had. Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, the tale of Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla at the dawn of a new technology that would change the world. With a cast that includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon and Tom Holland, this seemed Oscar-bound at one point. That time came and went, as the final product wasn’t what many hoped it would be. The director’s cut, which is available now digitally, is largely considered to be an improvement on the original theatrical cut. Now might be the time to decide for yourself.
Sonic the Hedgehog – Digital
Here we have another one of the only certifiable box office hits of 2020, given the current situation. Sonic the Hedgehog surpassed expectations both critically and commercially. Now, the Sega video game adaptation is available digitally for people to check out who perhaps missed it in theaters. The human cast is led by James Marsden and Jim Carrey, with Ben Schwartz providing the voice of Sonic. It serves as the directorial debut of Jeff Fowler, with Deadpool director Tim Miller producing.
Coffee & Kareem – Netflix
Those looking for something on the comedic end of the spectrum can head to Netflix starting April 3 for Coffee & Kareem. This buddy-cop throwback features a cast led by Ed Helms and Taraji P. Henson. Directed by Michael Dowse (Stuber), it centers on a 12-year-old who schemes to scare away his mom’s new police officer boyfriend, which backfires and exposes his family to a secret network of criminal activity. Critics have yet to weigh in on this one, as of this writing, but this is one of those situations where there doesn’t seem to be much to lose, save for a little time. And many of us have that spare at the moment.
Impractical Jokers: The Movie – Digital
Impractical Jokers: The Movie stars James “Murr” Murray, Brian “Q” Quinn, Joe Gatto, and Sal Vulcano, also known as the comedy troupe The Tenderloins, playing themselves in a fictional story of a humiliating high school mishap from the early nineties. Featuring appearances from Paula Abdul, Jaden Smith, and Joey Fatone, the movie combines the fictional narrative with real life footage of over-the-top punishments and callbacks to classic moments from the series. Once the Impractical Jokers hit the road, they compete in hidden camera challenges for the chance to turn back the clock and find redemption.
Angel Has Fallen – Netflix
The “Fallen” series of action movies starring Gerard Butler as agent Mike Banning brought a new entry, Angel Has Fallen, to theaters last year. For my money, it was a satisfying action flick that did away with the formula established in the previous two entries. Banning is on the run and is framed for a deadly attack, which nearly cost the president his life. Of note, this features a performance from Nick Nolte as Banning’s father, which is one of the more entertaining threads being pulled this time around. Those who didn’t catch this director Ric Roman Waugh’s latest theaters will have the chance to stream it on Netflix starting on April 4.
Good Boys – HBO
Good comedies are very hard to come by. I was lucky enough to catch the premiere of Good Boys at SXSW last year and this isn’t just a good funny movie, it’s genuinely fantastic. And also rather filthy. It centers on a group of 12-year-old boys who get invited to their first kissing party and get themselves into serious trouble when they seek some much-needed help. This one is finally arriving on streaming courtesy of HBO on April 4. Director Gene Stupnitsky, for my money, knocked this one out of the park. And seeing Jacob Tremblay in such inappropriate situations is something to behold.
Onward – Disney+
Pixar’s latest recently was made available by Disney digitally. Starting on April 3, it’s coming to Disney+. Onward had a rough run, as it hit theaters just before the shutdown and didn’t truly get a fair shake. Directed by Dan Scanlon, with a cast led by Tom Holland and Chris Pratt, it centers on a pair of teenage elf brothers who, through the use of magic, have the chance to be reunited, albeit briefly, with their late father. This may well be the best option for those seeking a family movie night this week.
Elephant and Dolphin Reef – Disney+
On the documentary side of things, nature lovers are in for a treat as not one, but two new Disneynature movies are arriving on Disney+ starting April 3. First up, we have Elephant, which is narrated by Meghan Markle, which follows an African elephant and her son as their herd makes an epic journey hundreds of miles across the vast Kalahari Desert. We also have Dolphin Reef, which is narrated by Oscar-winner Natalie Portman. It focuses on a young Pacific bottlenose dolphin who can’t quite decide if it’s time to grow up and take on new responsibilities.
James Bond in 4K – Amazon Prime
No Time to Die, unfortunately, was pushed back to November. In the meantime, Amazon Prime is bringing every single James Bond movie prior to the Daniel Craig era, even the non-canon Never Say Never Again, to streaming. Not only that, but Amazon is playing host to the 4K versions of these classics, which may be enough reason to revisit some old favorites or check out some classics you never got around to. Might I personally recommend giving The Spy Who Loved Me and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service a go? But this is Bond, James Bond, and it’s hard to go wrong.
Friday the 13th Franchise – Shudder
Lastly, for the horror lovers out there, Shudder is bringing Jason Voorhees to streaming as the first eight Friday the 13th movies are coming to the streaming service. Starting with 1980’s original slasher classic leading all the way up to 1989’s Jason Takes Manhattan, this is the perfect way to get your slasher fix. Especially since the Friday the 13th rights are still tied up in a messy lawsuit, which means we’re probably not getting any new movies in the series anytime soon.
