From films that you may have recently missed in theaters to a new season of the Royal Family’s Elizabethan saga, this week has plenty of hot topics and titles to work your way through. A sitcom, a teen classic, and a reliably fun musical round out the new additions, so whether you’re down for something serious or something silly, your streaming schedule is booked.
What to watch on Netflix
Blockbuster
This new series promises to play with a healthy dose of nostalgia, not least of all because it takes place at the last operating Blockbuster Video store. Blockbuster stars sitcom favorites Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat) and Melissa Fumero (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) as the store’s manager and long-time employee, respectively. The show presents the shop as the last of its kind, a relic in a modern streaming world, made all the more ironic by its presence on Netflix. It’s all khaki pants, blue polo tops, and DVD sales in this workplace comedy, but that hardly means it’ll feel dated. Blockbuster premiered Thursday, November 3rd.
The Crown
In the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s passing, the upcoming season of The Crown takes on quite a different cultural resonance. The series has an almost built-in understanding of that progression, though, as Season 5 takes place in the ‘90s and sees an older Elizabeth, played by Imelda Staunton. Jonathan Pryce takes over as Prince Philip, Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret, and Dominic West as Prince Charles. The last notable character update involves Elizabeth Debicki, whose divorce era Princess Di is sure to make waves. Season 5 of The Crown premieres Wednesday, November 9th.
What to watch on Hulu
Mamma Mia!
Simply put, it’s never a bad time to watch Mamma Mia! This gleefully corny musical is a breath of fresh island air, complete with a banger of an ABBA soundtrack. The ensemble is more than game, featuring stars like Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgård, all of whom get a moment to shine via song (some more than others, admittedly). Have you really lived if you haven’t seen the movie’s bonkers renditions of “Lay All Your Love on Me” and “Voulez-Vous”? I’d argue no. Mamma Mia! started streaming earlier this month.
What to watch on Amazon Prime
My Policeman
Between Don’t Worry Darling and My Policeman, Harry Styles is making his mark on the fall film season. The latter movie certainly carries less behind-the-scenes baggage, which is to the benefit of this quiet drama. Based on the book of the same name, My Policeman stars Styles as a closeted policeman in 1950s England; though he marries a schoolteacher played by Emma Corrin, his heart belongs to a male museum curator (David Dawson). It’s a small but stirring period piece, one both wistful and tragic as it spans decades of this complicated relationship. My Policeman premieres on streaming Friday, November 4th.
10 Things I Hate About You
While you’re racing to catch Clueless before it expires later this month, keep in mind that another iconic ‘90s teen rom-com adaptation of classic literature awaits. 10 Things I Hate About You is a contemporary take on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, and thus far it’s been about as enduring as the Bard’s work. Julia Stiles stars as Kat, an independent but chilly teenager who views dating as anathema. However, some plotting by her sister (and a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt) results in her being set up with the school’s bad boy, played by a peak heartthrob Heath Ledger. Teen romance ensues. 10 Things I Hate About You became available to stream at the beginning of the month.
What to watch on HBO Max
Harry Potter
The Harry Potter franchise has always been a bit of a streaming hot potato, hopping from platform to platform throughout the year. This time around, all eight movies are coming to HBO Max. Whether you want to restart at the beginning of the series or watch Imelda Staunton in her most memorable role before diving into The Crown, it’s all available for you to stream. It’s a magical world to sit in on, packed to the brim with imagination and beloved characters. The Harry Potter franchise was made available at the start of the month.
See How They Run
This delightful detective film hit theaters about a month and a half ago, but now it’s coming to a small screen near you. See How They Run stars Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan as an unlikely team who must investigate a theater company murder. Everyone’s a suspect, anyone could be the next victim, and the whodunnit is made all the more fun by the fact that it’s framed by the troupe’s performance of an Agatha Christie play. Adrien Brody, Ruth Wilson, and David Oyelowo are just a few of members of this cast of characters. See How They Run premiered at the start of the month.
What to Watch is a regular endorsement of movies and TV worth your streaming time.
