After a busy few weeks in the world of streaming, it’s been relatively quiet on the new movies and TV shows release front over the past few days.
The world’s best streaming services have released some new content for you to enjoy, though, including the return of a big Amazon TV Original and three wildly different shows on Netflix. So, no matter what type of entertainment fare and/or genres you’re into, there’s something in this week’s recommendations article that’ll appeal to you. – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 (Prime Video)
Prime Video takes centre stage following the release of The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3, aka one of the best Prime Video shows‘ final season.
If you thought Belly had found her soulmate at the end of season 2, think again, because she’s not quite done with the Fisher boys yet. However, while the show is based on showrunner Jenny Han’s book series namesake, it’s taken some creative liberties that make it diabolically different from the books.
Regardless of the adaptation’s differences, the ‘will they, won’t they’ trope is firmly keeping us glued to the screens to see what surprise twists might unfold during this next long vacation. After all, it’s not summer until we get to Cousins Beach. – Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor
The Amateur (Hulu/Disney+)
A remake of Robert Littell’s 1981 novel and its movie namesake that arrived that same year, 20th Century Studios’ retelling of The Amateur has finally landed on Hulu (US) and Disney+ (internationally).
Mr. Robot and James Bond alumnus Rami Malek plays CIA cryptographer Charlie Heller, who takes matters into his own hands after his wife is killed by terrorists and his own agency refuses to help him find those responsible because it’ll impact a wider investigation into the criminal network. Laurence Fishburne is among its starry cast,
The Amateur‘s 61% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes suggests it shouldn’t infiltrate our best Hulu movies and best Disney+ movies lists, but its 88% audience score indicates it might. Keep your eyes and ears out, then, to see if it’ll stealth its way onto one or both guides. – TP
- Watch The Amateur on Hulu (US) and Disney+ (internationally)
Untamed (Netflix)
Ready to marvel at giant granite cliffs and redwoods from the comfort of your home? Netflix’s new murder mystery drama Untamed will take you to the wilds of Yosemite National Park.
The six-episode series sees Eric Bana (Dirty John; Troy) play a ranger/special agent of the National Parks Service who gets swept up in an investigation over a brutal death that ends up leading him down a much darker path that isn’t just vistas and pretty scenery.
Creators Mark Smith (The Revenant, American Primeval) and Elle Smith (The Marsh King’s Daughter) are no strangers to gritty dramas, so we can expect this potential addition to our best Netflix shows list to be as gripping as it is beautiful. – AS
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 (Paramount+)
It’s time to hop back on board the USS Enterprise as Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 has launched. One of the best Paramount+ shows was renewed for a fourth season in April, too, so fans can rest assured there’s more to come.
This installment in the sci-fi franchise has been met with critical acclaim and has a fresh 85% Rotten Tomatoes score, so this Paramount+ TV Original is a must-watch for Trekkies across the globe.
Anson Mount’s Captain Christopher Pike is back to lead weekly adventures throughout the cosmos alongside Ethan Peck’s Spock, Jess Bush’s Christine Chapel, and the rest of the crew who are on hand to help out. It’s both new and comfortingly familiar with outfits, characters, and references that long-term Star Trek fans will adore. – Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer
Billy Joel: And So It Goes (HBO Max)
HBO Max is sitting down with the Piano Man this weekend, with a two-part documentary exploring the life and career of musician Billy Joel.
Early reviews are very positive indeed and, while there might not be much here for non-fans, it’ll be a real treat for those keen to learn more about the singer-songwriter.
Indeed, fans can tune in to an “expansive portrait of the life and music of Billy Joel, exploring the love, loss, and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting”. You can expect to see exclusive performances, home movies, and one-on-one interviews in this week’s and next week’s installments. – LB
Trainwreck: Balloon Boy (Netflix)
From Poop Cruise to The Cult of American Apparel, Netflix’s Trainwreck docuseries has been beyond unhinged. Even so, Balloon Boy might just have them all beat as it tells the story of 6-year-old Falcon, who was allegedly stuck inside a gas balloon resembling a UFO built by his parents.
Don’t panic: the story doesn’t have a tragic ending, but rather a completely bizarre one. Falcon’s balloon plight turned out to be an elaborate hoax, supposedly the brainchild of parents Richard and Mayumi Heene. The reveal that Balloon Boy is actually a publicity stunt won’t spoil your watch – the horror is in the detail of how it came to be. Plus, we’re finally getting the full account from the Heenes themselves, which seems to be brilliant news to Falcon. – Jasmine Valentine, entertainment writer
Sakamoto Days season 1 part 2 (Netflix)
You thought Taro Sakamoto was done after merely 10 episodes? Taro Sakamoto is never done, even when he says he is.
The hit Netflix anime, which follows a former hitman who ditched his high-profile life to raise a family, and now has his former colleagues are after revenge, took off with its first half earlier this year. It’s as endearing as it is exciting, revolving around the idea that family isn’t something you’re born into, but something you choose.
Sakamoto Days perfectly toes the line of drama and comedy, punching out something heartfelt, high-octane, and genuinely laugh-out-loud with each landed blow. In part 2, we’re expecting to see a set of death row inmates freed in order to try and kill Sakamoto, if the manga is anything to go by. – JV
For more streaming suggestions, read our guides on the best Netflix movies, best Disney+ shows, best Prime Video movies, and best HBO Max shows.
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