Heists, monsters, and Tony Shalhoub’s return as Monk mark some of the most exciting entries on streaming this week. Plus, the newest project from the man who created Mr. Robot, and a Mad Max refresher ahead of more Furiosa news are available.
What to watch on Netflix
Leave the World Behind
From Sam Esmail, the man behind acclaimed, cerebral series like Mr. Robot and Homecoming, comes a new film about a frightening cyber collapse. Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke star as the heads of a family on their way to what they expect to be a peaceful Long Island vacation; they’ve rented a house with their two kids for a nice, quiet stay, but that’s interrupted by the arrival of two strangers (Mahershala Ali and Myha’la) who portend the end of the modern world as we know it. Leave the World Behind premieres on streaming Friday, December 8th. Read Observer’s review.
Love and Monsters
Monster movies can be hard to get right, but Love and Monsters manages to nail it and add some fun for the genre. Dylan O’Brien stars as Joel, a lonesome man who lives in an underground bunker community several years after a monstrous apocalypse has taken over the planet. He was separated from his girlfriend, Aimee (Jessica Henwick), while fleeing the initial invasion years ago, but life after love doesn’t feel very special. As he ventures above ground to find her, he must overcome his fears of the treacherous creatures that roam the earth. Love and Monsters streams starting Saturday, December 9th.
What to watch on Hulu
Culprits
Who doesn’t like a heist? Culprits is a new thriller series that takes place after a high-stakes, high-profile heist, when the elite team who orchestrated it has gone their separate ways. They’re each trying to craft their own lives with their earnings, but a mysterious, merciless assassin has other ideas. Can the fractured team come together again to find out who’s coming after them? More importantly, can they keep themselves from being the next target? The ensemble cast includes Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Gemma Arterton, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste, among others. Culprits premieres Friday, December 8th.
What to watch on Max
Mad Max: Fury Road
With the first trailer of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga out now and fans revving their engines to go see the movie next spring, it’s the perfect time to watch Mad Mad: Fury Road. George Miller all but reinvented the action genre with this film, which is packed to the brim with car chases, wild stunt performances, and guitars that double at flamethrowers. Tom Hardy stars as the title character, a man captured by the tyrannical Immortan Joe and his War Boys, but it’s Charlize Theron as Furiosa who steals the show. Mad Max: Fury Road became available to stream earlier this month.
What to watch on Peacock
Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie
From Poker Face to Only Murders in the Building, the murder mystery genre is in full resurgence, and Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie seeks to make the most of the moment. Tony Shalhoub returns to his iconic role of Adrian Monk, the idiosyncratic and mildly hesitant detective who solved mysteries with his compulsions and quirks for eight seasons. Now, though, he’s gladly stepped away from the game, only to be pulled back in when his stepdaughter’s fiancée dies suddenly and strangely. Can Monk solve it and keep himself sane amidst a wedding, his own troubled memories, and post-pandemic life? Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie premieres Friday, December 8th.
What to watch on Disney Plus
The Mission
Missionary work may seem like an antiquated practice, a fool’s errand to try to convert people to religions they’ve never heard of in the bygone era of global colonialism, but it’s hardly a thing of the past. The Mission demonstrates that by telling the story of John Chau, a fervent believer and ardent adventurer. His self-imposed mission work led him to illegally travel to the remote, isolated Sentinel Islands, where he hoped to bring Christianity to the tribe there. After several attempts at establishing contact, though, he was shot and killed by an arrow. This documentary tells his story, from start to finish. The Mission premieres Friday, December 8th.
What to Watch is a regular endorsement of movies and TV worth your streaming time.
