Streaming entertainment is bigger than ever, and with so many streaming services adding new shows and movies every week, it can be nearly impossible to sort through the good and the bad. If you need something to watch and don’t want to wade through the digital muck that washes up on the internet’s shores, follow our picks below for the best new shows and movies to stream on Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Amazon, and other services.
On the list this week: Matt Groening’s new animated series, a controversial Oscar nominee, and more.
‘Disenchantment’ season 1
Matt Groening’s latest series will look familiar to fans of his earlier works. Like The Simpsons and Futurama, Disenchantment is a colorful comedy built on rapid-fire puns, sight gags, and a cast of flawed-but-likable characters. Set in the magical kingdom of Dreamland, the show follows Princess Tiabeanie (Abbi Jacobson), who goes by “Bean,” a lush who has no interest in marrying a prince like her father wants. Instead, she strikes out on a life of adventure, along with a wicked demon named Luci (Eric Andre) and Elfo (Nat Faxon), a goofball elf who wants to see the world. Although some may find Disenchantment’s animation style hews a little too close to Groening’s past shows — Elfo looks like Bart Simpson dressed for a Renaissance fair — the show is charming enough to give it a shot.
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‘Insecure’ season 3 premiere
Issa Rae’s Insecure only debuted in 2016, but has already garnered huge amounts of praise from just about every critical establishment. The show follows two friends — nonprofit worker Issa Dee (Rae) and lawyer Molly (Yvonne Orji) — as they wrestle with the usual pitfalls of the 20-something experience (failed relationships, career hurdles), as well as the more specific experiences of being Black women. Season 3 finds both women, Issa in particular, in transitional stages of life, and the show’s willingness to shake things up is yet another feather in its cap. Come to Insecure for the knowing millennial humor, stay for the poignant reflections on modern life.
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‘Hostiles’
The Western is one film genre that will never go out of style, and even if Hostiles doesn’t stand up there with the titans of the genre (such as Unforgiven and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly), it’s a tense, thrilling yarn about a violent, formative time in American history. The film follows Joseph Blocker (Christian Bale), a captain in the U.S. Army and grizzled veteran of the Indian Wars. Despite his dislike of the indigenous tribes, Blocker’s superiors assign him to escort Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi), a Cheyenne chief, to his homeland before he dies. Along the way, Blocker comes across Rosalee Quaid (Rosamund Pike), a woman whose family was killed by Comanche raiders, and those very same raiders soon descend upon them. Hostiles isn’t a revolutionary Western, but it is skillfully made, with a talented cast and an intense, grim plot.
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‘Stan Against Evil’ season 2
In the sleepy New England town of Willard’s Mill, retired Sheriff Stanley Miller (John C. McGinley) barely has time to mourn the death of his wife before he learns a secret she had been hiding: The town is home to a variety of demons, ghouls, and other insidious creatures, and Stan’s wife was a hunter keeping their population down. Now, Stan and the new sheriff, Evie Barret (Janet Varney), must team up to slay the monsters and keep the town safe. Stan Against Evil is a raucous horror-comedy, likely to please fans of shows like Ash vs Evil Dead or Supernatural.
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‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’
Martin McDonagh’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri proved to be one of the more contentious films of 2017. A darkly funny drama about a woman seeking justice in a small Southern town, it touched a nerve with its treatment of American culture. The film begins as Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand), outraged that the police haven’t solved the murder of her daughter, throws up a trio of billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri, criticizing the police department and riling up the townsfolk. Despite criticism, Mildred continues to be a gadfly, hungry for justice regardless of the cost. Three Billboards drew a lot of criticism for its handling of racial issues, but it remains a powerful drama, with sharp writing and a fearsome performance from McDormand, along with fellow Oscar nominees Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell.
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