We’re in the mid-August lull now, and that’s clearly being reflected in this week’s line of new movies across the best streaming services. The biggest players like Netflix and Prime Video are taking the week off, but this gives HBO Max and Paramount+ a chance to pick up the slack. So even if the options are more limited this week, there are still new movies to watch.
My pick of the week comes on premium streaming with the digital release of “Toy Story 5.” Pixar’s latest animated adventure is pure joy and proves this franchise still has that beloved spark even after all this time. But if you’re craving something less family-friendly, there’s an overlooked Anne Hathaway drama on HBO Max, and Paramount+ has a new horror.
I’ve combed through the most noteworthy new arrivals across streaming services to help you spend more time watching and less time scrolling. Also check out our guide to the top new TV shows this week.
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‘Toy Story 5’ (PVOD)
Let me take this opportunity to apologize to Pixar. I was one of many who felt that “Toy Story 5” was a totally unnecessary sequel with the franchise ready to retire. I should have had more faith in the folks over at Pixar because their most consistent series delivers yet again in this fifth outing. Focusing on Jessie (voiced by Joan Cusack), it’s another family-friendly ride stuffed with humor and enough heart to make you tear up a little.
In “Toy Story 5,” it’s “toys vs. tech” as Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) is gifted a tablet device called Lilypad (Greta Lee) and quickly becomes screen-obsessed. Concerned about the impact this new gadget is having on Bonnie, all your favorite toys, including Jessie, Buzz (Tim Allen) and Woody (Tom Hanks), team up to save playtime. Along the way, Jessie is also forced to face her past and accept that letting go is part of life. It all builds to one of the franchise’s most emotionally charged moments.
Watch on Prime Video (buy/rent) starting August 18
‘Rose of Nevada’ (PVOD)
There are a few overlooked movies heading to streaming this week, but none of them are rated as highly on Rotten Tomatoes as “Rose of Nevada.” This sci-fi drama holds a mighty impressive 92% score, so if you put stock in RT ratings, you’ll definitely want to consider streaming this British movie. It pairs together George MacKay and Callum Turner, who you can currently see in theaters in the rom-com “One Night Only.”
Set in a Cornish fishing village battling against economic downturn, the legend of the Rose of Nevada, a vessel that mysteriously disappeared at sea three decades earlier, still grips the town. When the long-lost boat suddenly reappears in the harbor, Nick (MacKay) and Liam (Turner) join its new crew and, on their maiden voyage, find themselves transported back in time to 30 years previously. It’s a salty sci-fi adventure with lots of heart.
Watch on Apple TV (buy/rent) starting August 18
‘Passenger’ (Paramount+)
When “Obsession” and “Backrooms” were hogging the horror spotlight in theaters, another chiller was also battling for attention: “Passenger.” It definitely didn’t manage to compete with two of the year’s buzziest flicks. Maybe that’s because it’s quite a generic scary movie, but it does have a few spooky moments. Plus, it effectively uses the inherent fear of driving on a dark road in the middle of the night. Just expect lots of jump scares.
A young couple, Tyler (Jacob Scipio) and Maddie (Lou Llobell), have recently quit their jobs and taken up the van life lifestyle. Swapping everyday mundanity for a life of living on the open road. When they witness a gruesome accident on an isolated highway, something sinister begins to follow them. Hearing tall tales of a demonic presence known as the Passenger, they must rid themselves of this specter before it’s too late.
Watch on Paramount+ starting August 20
‘Mother Mary’ (HBO Max)
Ann Hathaway is having a record year at the box office. Cumulatively, her movies have grossed more than $2 billion worldwide, with “The Odyssey” and “The Devil Wears Prada 2” the standouts. However, “Mother Mary,” a psychological drama starring the popular actress, didn’t quite manage to make the same sort of splash. Which is a shame, as my colleague Malcolm McMillan notes that Hathaway “stuns” in this David Lowery project.
Hathaway plays the eponymous Mother Mary, a globally successful pop star who is preparing for a comeback after an on-stage accident derailed her career. With the pressure mounting, she seeks out her estranged best friend and former costume designer, Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel). This opens old wounds and a reckoning with the past. Part drama, part thriller, part romance, and even part concert movie, “Mother Mary” is a fascinating mix, even if it doesn’t quite manage to blend all its elements perfectly.
Watch on HBO Max starting August 21
‘The Fence’ (AMC+)
Claire Denis’ new movie is an adaptation of the play “Black Battles with Dogs” by Bernard-Marie Koltès. This drama stars Isaach de Bankolé, Matt Dillon, Mia McKenna-Bruce and Tom Blyth. I’m particularly interested in this one due to the latter two names. Tom Blyth, who you might recognize from “The Hunger Games” franchise, was excellent in “Wasteman” earlier this year, and Mia McKenna-Bruce completely blew me away in 2023’s devastating British drama “How to Have Sex.” Consider me intrigued!
Set on a construction site in West Africa, the site’s supervisor, Horn (Dillon), shares a cabin with a young engineer, Cal (Tom Blyth). Horn’s new bride, Leone (McKenna-Bruce), arrives for a visit, while at the same time a man named Alboury (de Bankolé) appears demanding the body of his brother, who died earlier that day on site. What follows is a very long night, as Alboury refuses to leave quietly, and Leone is caught in the middle.
Watch on AMC+ starting August 21
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