This week’s biggest new movies to watch online had us checking the schedule. Because Bennifer is back, albeit in different movies. First video And netflix bring new titles featuring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez to two of the best streaming services.
Safer Apple TV Plus, Michael J. Fox tells the story of his own life, from his early success to his battle with Parkinson’s disease. That said, it’s meant to be more than your standard documentary, with enough comedy and drama built in to feel like one of Fox’s own films.
Additionally, Hulu is delivering drama based on the true story of a mother accused of killing her own daughter, and the Evil Dead franchise is back in full force. Oh, what if you want superheroes? We also have something for you.
Air (main video)
After Tetris, the movie about selling Tetris rights, we have Air, which chronicles the deals behind the iconic Air Jordan sneakers. And while it might not sound like a pitch slam dunk, the hype will light up once you see it’s a Matt Damon and Ben Affleck movie.
Affleck directs and plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight, whose company is nearly saved by ideator Sonny Vaccaro (Damon). Sonny’s big plan is to bet big on an up-and-coming young basketball player whose mother Deloris Jordan (Viola Davis) demands the best in exchange for her son’s trademark rights.
Yes, there’s hardly any GM in Air, but the movie still rules. A tightly scripted time capsule filled with relatable stories, Air is proof that Affleck is a director who can make something out of next to nothing.
To watch First video (opens in a new tab) from Friday (May 12)
Evil Dead Rise (Digital)
Although there is no sign of Ash (Bruce Campbell), the world of Evil Dead is back and thriving. And all thanks to a child who found a copy of the Book of the Dead and summoned the evil spirits.
In a seedy apartment complex perfect for the world of Evil Dead, mother-of-three Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) is forced to confront the terrors that lurked within the pages of the book. Her three children and her sister Beth (Lily Sullivan) will have to do their best to save her, while trying to avoid inheriting the demon.
Critics say Evil Dead Rise hits all the right bloody marks, while still keeping the spirit of the original films.
Shop digitally at Amazon (opens in a new tab) and other digital retailers today (Tuesday, May 9)
The Mother (Netflix)
Jennifer Lopez stars in The Mother, where she plays the titular hero – who doesn’t have a real name. Or at least no names were mentioned in the promotion for the film. The mother never intended to have children either, nor did she have much of a mother figure in her life.
Instead, she found her family growing up in the military, where she found the serious set of skills she’ll need to save her daughter. Now on the run with her daughter, she must teach her child enough skills she will need to survive.
Their nemesis, Adrian (Joseph Fiennes) is an arms dealer who has always wanted to use The Mother to bolster his team. Oh, and Gael García Bernal plays a character The Mother crosses paths with at Guantanamo Bay.
To watch netflix (opens in a new tab) from Friday (May 12)
Legion of Super-Heroes (HBO Max)
Waiting to know when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Disney Plus hits, HBO Max adds an animated DC Universe movie to keep comic book fans entertained. In Legion of Super-Heroes, Superman introduces his cousin Kara (i.e. Supegirl) to Legion Academy.
There she meets other super-powered wannabes who could become members of the Justice League. And while Batman worries about Kara’s use of his powers, the kid seems to have what it takes to be a leader.
To watch HBO Max (opens in a new tab) right now (out Monday, May 8)
Still Image: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV Plus)
Actor Michael J. Fox has lived enough life for several documentaries, so we’re glad to see critics rave that Still manages to balance honesty and nostalgia in telling Fox’s story. So as he navigates Fox’s rapid rise in Hollywood, it also leaves time for him to tell his story of being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
And since it’s an Apple TV Plus movie, we’re not at all shocked to hear that Still tells an uplifting story about Fox’s struggles. Still also earned points for getting it wrong by telling his story in a low-key way, to avoid tearful sentimentality.
To watch Apple TV Plus (opens in a new tab) from Friday (May 12)
Saint Omer (Hulu)
Senegalese immigrant Laurence Coly (Guslagie Malanda) is on trial, accused of abandoning her 15-month-old daughter, who died shortly after when the tide at the beach pulled her in. Observing the trial is the novelist Rama (Kayije Kagame), traveled to Saint-Omer in France to observe the trial and write about it.
The more Rama learns, the more she feels connected to Laurence, as the film analyzes the topics of race and motherhood through the lens of postcolonial France. Based on a real court case – Fabienne Kabou faced similar charges in 2016 – Saint Omer has received praise for her emotionally powerful and intellectually stimulating story.
To watch Hulu (opens in a new tab) from Friday (May 12)
Crater (Disney Plus)
Caleb (Isaiah Russell Bailey) lives in a mining colony on the moon, but the death of his father (Scott Mescudi, aka musician Kid Cudi) means he will have to move to a new planet, far from all his friends. But since you can’t leave without a going away party, Caleb and his friends — plus an earthling — go on a road trip.
In order to fulfill Caleb’s father’s dying wish to learn the secret of a mysterious crater, the gang steals a rover and adds a fifth member: a girl from Earth named Addison (Mckenna Grace).
To watch Disney+ (opens in a new tab) from Friday (May 12)