Comedies, intense dramas and fantastical adventures await anyone who wishes to venture into the world of streaming this week. There’s plenty of fun to be had, but you can also make time for some more serious viewing, should the mood strike you.
What to watch on Netflix
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah
We all know Adam Sandler is a comedic mastermind, but is funny something that gets passed down through the gene pool? You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah thinks so. This new family comedy stars Sandler’s daughter Sunny as Stacy, a middle schooler who’s long dreamed of sharing her bat mitzvah splendor with her best friend. When a boy and tween drama get in the way, though, those plans go out the window and sabotage becomes the name of the game. Adam Sandler and Idina Menzel co-star as Stacy’s parents (hello, Uncut Gems reunion!). You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah premieres Friday, August 25th.
One Piece
A popular manga turned thousand-episode anime is getting the live action treatment thanks to Netflix (NFLX). One Piece tells the tale of the Straw Hat Pirates, a band of adventurers who have linked up to search for a fabled treasure. But they have an armada of other, more ruthless pirates on their tail, as well as the navy, making this treasure hunt into a race as well as a fight. There’s plenty of lore in the One Piece pantheon, but this show should serve as a great start for anyone up for an adventurous new fantasy series. One Piece premieres Thursday, August 31st.
What to watch on Hulu
Archer
The genre of adult animated comedy sure has produced some gems, and among them is Archer, which enters its fourteenth and final season later this week. For the unfamiliar, the show centers around a group of vaguely functional secret agents, making for a series that mixes thrilling spy stuff with workplace comedy. This season, in a fitting allegory for the rampant acquisitions seen across the media landscape, Archer and the rest of the agents have been bought out by a global spy conglomerate and struggle to maintain their individuality. The first two episodes of Archer Season 14 premiere Thursday, August 31st.
What to watch on Amazon Prime
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
A fun and fantastical romp through a world only limited by one’s imagination, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is the perfect popcorn movie. Chris Pine stars as Edgin Darvis, a bard and thief who’s still suffering the consequences of a particularly risky heist. Together, he and his partner in crime Holga (Michelle Rodriguez) plot to rectify the mistake that led to their former accomplice (Hugh Grant, in full Paddington 2 villain mode) unfairly seizing political power. Along the way, they encounter sorcerers (Justice Smith), a shapeshifter (Sophia Lillis) and a grand paladin (Regé-Jean Page). Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves streams Friday, August 25th.
Women Talking
One of last year’s most stirring, impactful dramas, Women Talking is finally coming to a small screen near you. Filmmaker Sarah Polley won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film’s exquisite writing, which tells the story of a group of women who decide to stand up against rampant sexual assaults perpetrated by the men of their Mennonite colony. The ensemble cast of Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Rooney Mara and Ben Whishaw make the contained story feel massive, as each woman’s plight is explored and examined in excruciating detail. Women Talking premieres on streaming Tuesday, August 29th.
What to watch on Max
The Flash
Summer’s almost over, and one of this summer’s first blockbusters knows it—that’s why The Flash is headed to streaming this week. Despite an embattled production and release, The Flash does still offer some good fun, as Barry Allen engages in a Back to the Future-esque plot to save his family (and inevitably screw up a timeline or two). The movie is a “comedic time travel adventure,” making it a refreshing output from the ever-growing superhero genre. There are plenty of cameos for eagle-eyed fans too, and Michael Keaton (reprising his role from 1989’s Batman) steals the show. The Flash premieres on streaming Friday, August 25th.
The Card Counter
Oscar Isaac leads this harrowing drama written and directed by Paul Schrader. The Card Counter stars Isaac as William Tell, a loner who makes use of his gambling skills to keep himself afloat—but only just. He learned to count cards during his stint in military prison, serving time for his role in the torture of prisoners during the Iraq War, but he’s hardly the only one who’s culpable for such a massive abuse of power. So when William crosses paths with an indirect victim of the crimes, he’s inspired to go after the primary perpetrator. The Card Counter streams until the end of the month. Read our review here.
What to Watch is a regular endorsement of movies and TV worth your streaming time.
