Poor Things, Aquaman 2, Netflix’s Spaceman and every new movie you can watch this weekend
February is coming to an end and with it more awards contenders are heading to streaming services with the Oscars just around the corner.
Poor things, the latest strange dark comedy from Yorgos Lanthimos, is now available to rent or purchase digitally (with a Hulu release right around the corner on March 7). Ridley Scott’s epic Napoleon coming to Apple TV Plus on Saturday (but only the theatrical version – sorry to my fellow nerds who were hoping for the four-and-a-half-hour director’s cut).
But they are not all prize candidates. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom splashes its way to Max, and Netflix has a pair of exciting new sci-fi releases in the Adam Sandler drama Spaceman And Code 8 Part IIthe sequel to the 2019 cult hit film. And two more to keep an eye on in the VOD department: Dark Comedy Lisa Frankenstein and the masterful mystery of Hirokazu Kore-eda Sample are also making their debut this week. I can’t recommend the latter more (I haven’t seen the former, but have heard good things).
Here’s everything you can watch this weekend!
New on Netflix
Spaceman
Where to watch: Available to stream Netflix
Image: Netflix
Genre: Science fiction
Duration: 1h 47m
Director: Johan Renck
Form: Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, Paul Dano
You’ve seen Dramatic Adam Sandler, but what about Dramatic Adam Sandler… in space?
Based on the novel by Jaroslav Kalfař, the film follows an astronaut on a lonely mission who forms an unusual relationship with an alien spider (voiced by Paul Dano).
We spoke to Sandman about his work in the film, including the new skill he gained in his most serious role yet.
Code 8 Part II
Where to watch: Available to stream Netflix
Image: Netflix
Genre: Science Fiction
Duration: 1h 40m
Director: Jeff Chan
Form: Robbie Amell, Stephen Amell, Sirena Gulamgaus
The first Code 8 was a surprise hit when it hit Netflix in 2020, so don’t be shocked if the sequel becomes one of the most popular movies on Netflix this week. In this film, starring real-life cousins Robbie and Stephen Amell, they help a teenage girl hope to avenge her late brother, who was murdered by police officers.
New on Max
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Where to watch: Available to stream Max
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Comics
Genre: Superhero
Duration: 2h 4m
Director: James Wan
Form: Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Put on your swimsuits and fins, because we are going back to Atlantis. The film underwent serious reshoots and received significantly worse reviews overall than the surprisingly good first entry, and is the DCEU’s final film before James Gunn’s reboot of the DC Universe.
From our review:
The sequel to Aquarius is a total disappointment for those of us who enjoyed it Aquarius. Wan has proven himself on every scale, but in his attempt to embark on a new adventure in this universe, he feels a bit stuck. This could be the predicament of an ongoing Aquaman franchise, if DC ever tries it again: if your sequel is stuck in the ocean, the only way to go is down.
New on Apple TV Plus
Napoleon
Where to watch: Available to stream AppleTVPlus
Image: Apple TV Plus
Genre: Historical epic
Duration: 2h 37m
Director: Ridley Scott
Form: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim
Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix reunite for another historical epic, this time about the story of Napoleon Bonaparte. Scott’s original vision of the film was over four hours long, so the theatrical version now streaming has been significantly reduced to around two and a half hours. The film was nominated for three Oscars: Best Production Design, Best Costume Design and Best Visual Effects.
From our review:
But Napoleon doesn’t spend much time elaborating on the power of his subject. Despite the broad scope of 32 years, Scott and Scarpa keep the film’s focus narrow and its power plays without emotion. Treating Bonaparte’s status in history as established, the film gives Phoenix the space to paint a portrait of the man in conversation with colleagues, rivals, and his wife, among visually striking and carefully depicted battles. Those battles are amazing: few filmmakers are given the resources to operate on this scale, and fewer are as effective at beautifully depicting the violence of men at war. But in NapoleonThe battle sequences are also romantic overtures, a violent expression of the tortured letters that Bonaparte writes to Joséphine.
New on AMC Plus
The Disappearance of Shere Hite
Where to watch: Available to stream Apple TV Plus
Photo: Iris Brosch/IFC Films
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 1h 58m
Director: Nicole Newham
This documentary tells the story of famed sex educator and feminist Shere Hite, and is narrated by Mrs. Web star Dakota Johnson (her web really connects them all). The film was nominated for documentary awards at numerous festivals in 2023, including Sundance.
New for rent/purchase
Poor things
Where to watch: Available to rent Amazon, Appleand Vudu
Photo: Atsushi Nishijima/Searchlight Pictures
Genre: Dark comedy
Duration: 2h 22m
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Form: Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo
Emma Stone stars as a young woman brought back to life after a brain transplant in this twist on the Frankenstein formula, adapted by Greek dark comedy filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos from Alasdair Gray’s novel. It has been an awards winner to date, with five BAFTAs and two Golden Globes, and nominated for eleven Oscars, including Best Picture.
Sample
Where to watch: Available to rent Amazon, Appleand Vudu
Image: Well, go to the US
Genre: Mystery
Duration: 2h 5m
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Form: Sakura Andō, Eita Nagayama, Sōya Kurokawa
I can’t say more about Hirokazu Kore-eda’s (Shoplifters) Sample. It’s a tantalizing thriller about a mother trying to figure out what’s going on with her son, who has been acting strangely lately and gets into a conflict with his teacher at school. An incredibly deliberate filmmaker, with every detail deeply considered, Kore-eda uses the film’s intricate story to unravel one of the best mysteries in years. It’s an absolute gem.
Lisa Frankenstein
Where to watch: Available to rent Amazon, Appleand Vudu
Photo: Michele K. Short/focus features
Genre: Horror comedy
Duration: 1h 41m
Director: Zelda Williams
Form: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Carla Gugino
Love stories about reanimated corpses are all the rage this week. This time it’s a goth teenage girl (Kathryn Newton) who falls in love with a 19th century man (Cole Sprouse) who comes back to life after a lightning strike. The film is directed by Zelda Williams, Robin’s daughter, and written by Diablo Cody, who says the film is set in the same universe as her previous teen horror classic. Jennifer’s body.
From our review:
Even though this film is sometimes haphazardly stitched together, like a dismembered hand added to a corpse, Lisa Frankenstein is brought back to life by magnetic images, captivating chemistry and wonderfully escalating motifs.