A man looks at a purple creature in IF.
Paramount

It’s been a decidedly cool blockbuster season at the theaters, but our list of the best movies to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max (HBO), and other services keeps getting hotter every week. Throughout the summer, intriguing originals and hits from traditional studios are landing on the streamers, and we’re on top of it all.

This week, Peacock gets horror flick Abigail, Paramount+ streams the hit Ryan Reynolds kids movie IF, Max adds A24’s romantic thriller Love Lies Bleeding, Netflix debuts the Oscar-nominated German drama The Teacher’s Lounge, and more.

We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, and the best movies on Max.

New movies to stream at a glance

The Teachers' Lounge (2023)

82%
pg-13
98m
Genre
Drama, Thriller
Stars
Leonie Benesch, Eva Löbau, Michael Klammer
Directed by
İlker Çatak
Watch on Netflix
This German drama was one of the country’s most acclaimed films of 2023. Carla Nowak (Leonie Benesch) is an idealistic young teacher working her first job at a middle school. She has a relaxed rapport with the students, who all adore her. But that rapport is put under the microscope when a series of thefts occur at the school, and administrators, parents, students, and other teachers all begin flinging accusations against one another. As Carla tries to mediate and be rational, she continues to lose control over the situation.

Land of Bad (2024)

57%
r
113m
Genre
Action, Thriller, War
Stars
Liam Hemsworth, Russell Crowe, Luke Hemsworth
Directed by
William Eubank
Watch on Netflix
Russell Crowe and Liam Hemsworth star in the forgotten 2024 action-packed thriller Land of Bad, which is set in a 48-hour window. Up against the clock, Air Force drone pilot Reaper (Crowe) calls on all of his skills to save a Special Forces team trapped in the South Philippines. He’s joined by extractors Cpt. Sugar (Milo Ventimiglia) and Sgt. Abel (Luke Hemsworth), and Air Force officer Kinney (Liam Hemsworth). But when the team is ambushed, Reaper becomes the only lifeline for Kinney as an eye in the sky.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)

56%
r
115m
Genre
Action, Comedy, Crime
Stars
Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton
Directed by
Mark Molloy
Watch on Netflix
People often complain that Hollywood doesn’t have any original ideas and that everything is just a reboot. Well, might we offer you another reboot? At least this is a fun one as Eddie Murphy returns as Detroit police detective Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. After his daughter’s (Taylour Paige) life is threatened, she and Axel team up with old pals Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton), plus newcomer Bobby Abbott (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), to unravel a criminal conspiracy.

A Family Affair (2024)

pg-13
113m
Genre
Romance, Comedy
Stars
Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, Joey King
Directed by
Richard LaGravenese
Watch on Netflix
Nicole Kidman (Birth) and Zac Efron (The Iron Claw) star in this Netflix Original rom-com directed by Richard LaGravenese (The Bridges of Madison CountyBeautiful Creatures). Zara Ford (Joey King) has a high-profile job as assistant to high-maintenance movie star Chris Cole (Efron). But not only does Cole not take Zara seriously, when he meets Zara’s mom, Brooke (Kidman), he becomes completely smitten, making things unbearably weird for Zara.

Trigger Warning (2024)

r
86m
Genre
Thriller, Action
Stars
Jessica Alba, Anthony Michael Hall, Tone Bell
Directed by
Mouly Surya
Watch on Netflix
Jessica Alba stars as Special Forces commando Parker in this original action thriller. Called back from active duty to her hometown by the news of her father’s death, Parker takes on new challenges in her small town. But as she takes over the family bar and reconnects with her former boyfriend (Mark Webber), she begins to uncover clues that he and his powerful father, Senator Ezekiel Swann (Anthony Michael Hall), may know more about her dad’s death than they’re letting on.

The Animal Kingdom (2023)

69%
r
127m
Genre
Science Fiction, Adventure, Drama
Stars
Romain Duris, Paul Kircher, Adèle Exarchopoulos
Directed by
Thomas Cailley
Watch on Hulu
In the French sci-fi film The Animal Kingdom, mutations in human genetics have caused some people to transform into hybrid creatures. When his wife is affected by this mysterious condition and joins a contingent disappearing into a nearby forest, François (Roman Duris) joins forces with his son, Emile (Paul Kircher), and a local police officer (Adèle Exarchopoulos) to find her.

Origin (2023)

75%
pg-13
141m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash-Betts
Directed by
Ava DuVernay
Watch on Hulu
Inspired by Pulitzer Prize-winner Isabel Wilkerson’s New York Times bestseller, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, Ava DuVernay’s Origin stars The Color Purple actress Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as a woman grappling with personal tragedy. To make sense of it all, Isabel (Ellis-Taylor) sets out on a global journey of investigation and discovery, fully aware of the colossal scope of the book she intends to craft along the way.

Brats (2024)

65%
92m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Andrew McCarthy, Rob Lowe, Demi Moore
Directed by
Andrew McCarthy
Watch on Hulu
Andrew McCarthy’s documentary examines the Brat Pack, the group of teen actors who began to take over Hollywood in the 1980s. But when a New York Magazine cover story dubs them the Brat Pack in 1985, Emilio Estevez, Jon Cryer, Lea Thompson, Rob Lowe, Ally Sheedy, and Demi Moore soon find themselves losing control over their careers and their lives. Nearly 40 years later, McCarthy reconnects the various members of the Brat Pack to reflect on their legacies together.

The Promised Land (2023)

77%
r
127m
Genre
History, Drama
Stars
Mads Mikkelsen, Amanda Collin, Simon Bennebjerg
Directed by
Nikolaj Arcel
Watch on Hulu
Mads Mikkelsen stars in the Danish film The Promised Land, which is about an impoverished military officer who sets out on a desperate mission in 1755. The near-destitute Captain Ludvig Kahlen (Mikkelsen) ventures into what’s considered uninhabitable land to cultivate valuable crops and build a colony for the King in exchange for a royal name for himself. The merciless Frederik de Schinkel (Simon Bennebjerg), however, believes the territory belongs solely to him. So when he learns that a couple formerly in his employ has escaped and taken refuge with Kahlen, de Schinkel swears vengeance, setting off a battle between two desperate, headstrong men.

The First Omen (2024)

65%
r
119m
Genre
Horror
Stars
Nell Tiger Free, Ralph Ineson, Sônia Braga
Directed by
Arkasha Stevenson
Watch on Hulu
The sixth film in The Omen franchise, The First Omen is a prequel to the 1976 original film starring Nell Tiger Free as Margaret, a young American woman sent to Rome to live a life in service of the church. There, she encounters a horrifying evil that forces her to question her own faith and discovers a conspiracy to bring about the birth of evil incarnate. While it may sound like a cheesy horror prequel, The First Omen received great reviews when it was released this past spring, and is due for rediscovery on streaming.

Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black (2024)

r
143m
Genre
Drama, Thriller
Stars
Meagan Good, Debbi Morgan, Cory Hardrict
Directed by
Tyler Perry
Watch on Amazon
Meagan Good and Cory Hardrict star in this steamy Amazon Original thriller from Tyler Perry. When her husband, Dallas (Hardrict), abandons their marriage, Ava (Good) refuses to relent. But the more she presses and examines the marriage, the more she discovers Dallas’ bad behavior has long sabotaged their ability to connect.

Space Cadet (2024)

pg-13
110m
Genre
Comedy, Romance
Stars
Emma Roberts, Tom Hopper, Poppy Liu
Directed by
Liz W. Garcia
Watch on Amazon
Madame Web‘s  Emma Roberts stars in this rom-com as Tiffany “Rex” Simpson, a Florida girl who has always dreamed of going to space. So when a doctored application gets her into NASA’s ultracompetitive astronaut training program, she’s determined to make the cut. Unfortunately, she’s in way over her head and it will take everything she can muster to make it to space before her cover is blown.

The Idea of You (2024)

77%
r
116m
Genre
Romance, Comedy, Music
Stars
Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin
Directed by
Michael Showalter
Watch on Amazon
The hot new romantic comedy on the streamers, The Idea of You stars Anne Hathaway (Eileen) as Solène, a 40-year-old single mother chaperoning her teenage daughter’s trip to Coachella. But when she meets 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the leader singer of the planet’s hottest boy band, an unexpected and very real semi-intergenerational relationship emerges.

Música (2024)

pg-13
91m
Genre
Comedy, Romance, Music
Stars
Camila Mendes, Rudy Mancuso, J.B. Smoove
Directed by
Rudy Mancuso
Watch on Amazon
Rudy (Rudy Mancuso) is continually plagued by the music in his head and the uncertainty of his future. As a Brazilian man in Newark, New Jersey, he’s trying to balance love, family, and culture — sometimes more successfully than others. Camila Mendes and JB Smoove also star in this Amazon Original.

Road House (2024)

58%
r
121m
Genre
Action, Thriller
Stars
Jake Gyllenhaal, Daniela Melchior, Billy Magnussen
Directed by
Doug Liman
Watch on Amazon
Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor square off in the Prime Original remake of the Patrick Swayze cult classic, Road House. Gyllenhaal plays Dalton, an ex-UFC fighter trying to escape his dark past and violent reputation. When he’s spotted by Frankie (Jessica Williams), the owner of a notoriously dangerous and rowdy roadhouse in the Florida Keys, she brings him in to help defend her business from a violent gang set on destroying her bar at the command of crime boss Brandt (Billy Magnussen). Dalton makes quick work of Brandy’s five-man crew, but when Brandt calls in a gun-for-hire, Knox (McGregor), the stakes and bloodshed ratchet up.

Love Lies Bleeding (2024)

77%
r
104m
Genre
Crime, Romance, Thriller
Stars
Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, Ed Harris
Directed by
Rose Glass
Watch on max
Kristen Stewart and Twisters actress Katy O’Brian star in the steamy romantic thriller Love Lies Bleeding, which follows reclusive gym manager, Lou (Stewart), who falls hard for bodybuilder Jackie (O’Brian) when she stops in town on the way to a major show in Las Vegas. When Lou follows Jackie, though, violence tags along her as both women are dragged into the web of Lou’s criminal family.

Faye (2024)

pg-13
94m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Faye Dunaway, Liam Dunaway O'Neill, Mark Harris
Directed by
Laurent Bouzereau
Watch on max
This Max Original documentary goes one-on-one with legendary actress Faye Dunaway as she discusses the ups and downs of her storied career. Reflecting on classic (and not-so-classic) roles in Bonnie & ClydeChinatownNetwork, and more, Dunaway examines her struggles with bipolar disorder and how the intensity of the characters she played has had a lasting impact on the real her.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

47%
pg-13
115m
Genre
Science Fiction, Action, Adventure
Stars
Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens
Directed by
Adam Wingard
Watch on max
One of 2024’s biggest blockbusters to date, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire furthers the epic Titan warfare as Kong and Godzilla are forced to team up to challenge a newly discovered threat hidden within our world. Further revealing the mysteries of Skull Island and Titan history, The New Empire sees Kong and Godzilla enter into an existential battle that once again ties humanity’s fate with their own.

Problemista (2024)

71%
r
104m
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Julio Torres, Tilda Swinton, RZA
Directed by
Julio Torres
Watch on max
Julio Torres wrote, directed, and stars in Problemista, an A24 release about Alejandro (Torres), an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador who relocates to New York City. Struggling to bring attention to his unusual ideas and his work visa close to expiring, a job assisting art world outcast Elizabeth (The Killer‘s Tilda Swinton) becomes his only hope to stay in the country and chase his dream.

Am I OK? (2024)

74%
r
86m
Genre
Drama, Comedy, Romance
Stars
Dakota Johnson, Sonoya Mizuno, Jermaine Fowler
Directed by
Tig Notaro, Stephanie Allynne
Watch on max

Dakota Johnson and Sonoya Mizuno star in this romantic dramedy about best friends. Lucy (Johnson) and Jane (Mizuno) know pretty much everything about one another and spend almost all of their free time together. But when Jane is promoted and asked to move to London, Lucy finally confesses her most closely held secret that she’s only now coming to terms with: She’s a lesbian. Both women are suddenly at a severe crossroads and need the support of the other. Will they both be OK?

Young Woman and the Sea (2024)

62%
pg
129m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Daisy Ridley, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham
Directed by
Joachim Rønning
Watch on Disney+
Born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1905, Trudy Ederle (Star Wars: The Last Jedi‘s Daisey Ridley) became one of the most decorated woman swimmers of her time. Through the steadfast support of her sister and trainers, Ederle fought against the patriarchy to win Olympic gold on her way to the ultimate feat: Becoming the first woman to swim the 21-mile gauntlet of the English Channel.

Jim Henson Idea Man (2024)

65%
pg
108m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz
Directed by
Ron Howard
Watch on Disney+
Jim Henson is history’s most renowned and beloved puppeteer, and this Ron Howard-directed documentary delves deep into the mind of the creative visionary. From Henson’s early days of puppeteering on local TV to Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and beyond, Jim Henson Idea Man uses Henson’s personal archives for an insightful look into the mind of a complex, deeply imaginative man.

The Beach Boys (2024)

pg-13
113m
Genre
Documentary, Music
Stars
Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine
Directed by
Frank Marshall, Thom Zimny
Watch on Disney+
Frank Marshall directs this Disney+ original documentary about the legendary band and their iconic sound. From humble family beginnings to superstardom, The Beach Boys uses never-before-seen archival footage and new interviews with Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks, Bruce Johnston, and other music business luminaries to tell the story of this band that continues to captivate listeners to this day. God only knows why you’d pass up watching this entertaining docuseries about one of America’s greatest bands.

Abigail (2024)

62%
r
109m
Genre
Horror, Thriller
Stars
Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Alisha Weir
Directed by
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Watch on Peacock
Craving a little horror this weekend? Then Abigail will fit the bill. When a group of criminals kidnap the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of an underworld kingpin, they attempt to ransom her for $50 million. Planning to hold her overnight in an isolated mansion, the group thinks their payday is near. But as they start to turn up brutally murdered one by one, the remaining survivors realize Abigail (Alisha Weir) is no ordinary little girl.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

68%
r
107m
Genre
Action, Comedy, Crime
Stars
Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Sharon Horgan
Directed by
Tom Gormican
Watch on Peacock
One of the odder comedies of recent years stars Longlegs‘ Nicolas Cage as … Nicolas Cage. This bizarre real-life-adjacent comedy stars Cage as a (presumably hyperbolic) version of himself who’s on the verge of financial ruin and feeling creatively unfulfilled. Desperate, he’s forced to accept a $1 million offer to attend superfan Javi’s (Pedro Pascal) birthday party. What he doesn’t know is that Javi is an arms dealer under investigation by the CIA, and they need someone on the inside. Enter Nic Cage.

Back to Black (2024)

43%
r
122m
Genre
History, Drama, Music
Stars
Marisa Abela, Jack O'Connell, Eddie Marsan
Directed by
Sam Taylor-Johnson
Watch on Peacock
It hasn’t been as well-received as the documentary Amy, but Back to Black is an entertaining depiction of Amy Winehouse’s (Marisa Abela) extraordinary early rise to fame and the making of her seminal album, Back to Black. Inspired by her lyrics and told from Winehouse’s perspective, the film tells the story of the brutally tumultuous relationship at the center of this beloved album.

IF (2024)

46%
pg
104m
Genre
Comedy, Fantasy, Family
Stars
Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski
Directed by
John Krasinski
Watch on Paramount+
John Krasinski wrote, directed, and stars (sort of) in this family-friendly fantasy about a little girl who discovers she can see everyone’s imaginary friends. Bea (Cailey Fleming) is not one to take this newfound responsibility lightly, and with the help of Cal (Deadpool & Wolverine‘s Ryan Reynolds), she embarks on a journey to reconnect all the forgotten imaginary friends with their kids — some of whom are now grown-up.

Bob Marley: One Love (2024)

43%
pg-13
104m
Genre
Music, History, Drama
Stars
Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, James Norton
Directed by
Reinaldo Marcus Green
Watch on Paramount+
Celebrate the music of reggae icon and social justice activist Bob Marley! The story of Marley (Secret Invasion‘s Kingsley Ben-Adir) from underground aspiring artist on the island nation of Jamaica to captivating the entire world with his revolutionary sound and protest music, Bob Marley: One Love is a biopic for all music lovers.

Arcadian (2024)

57%
r
92m
Genre
Science Fiction, Thriller, Horror
Stars
Nicolas Cage, Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins
Directed by
Benjamin Brewer
Watch on Shudder
Arcadian takes place in a not-so-distant postapocalyptic future. In this decimated world, Paul (Nicolas Cage) and his sons, Joseph and Thomas (Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins), are free to live peacefully by die. But when the sun goes down, nightmarish creatures awaken to terrorize the family and threaten their survival. When Thomas doesn’t return home one day, Paul and Joseph are forced to venture beyond the safety of their fortified farm to find him.

The Devil's Bath (2024)

80%
r
120m
Genre
Horror, Mystery, History
Stars
Anja Plaschg, Maria Hofstätter, David Scheid
Directed by
Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala
Watch on Shudder
This recent horror hit out of Austria takes place deep in the Austrian forest in the 18th century. Agnes (Anja Plaschg) prepares herself to marry a husband and become a spouse. But soon after being wed, she begins feeling progressively more trapped and lonely, leading her down a dark, potentially evil path.

Fancy Dance (2024)

71%
r
91m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Lily Gladstone, Isabel Deroy-Olson, Ryan Begay
Directed by
Erica Tremblay
Watch on Apple TV+
Lily Gladstone stars in this Apple TV+ original as Jax, who has cared for her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) since her sister’s disappearance. Scraping by on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma, every spare minute of Jax’s time goes into finding her sister and fighting Roki’s grandfather, Frank (Shea Whigham), for custody. When Jax finds a lead, she and Roki hit the road to scour the backcountry and still make it back in time for Roki’s upcoming powwow. But what starts as a search soon grows much deeper.

Argylle (2024)

35%
pg-13
139m
Genre
Action, Adventure, Comedy
Stars
Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston
Directed by
Matthew Vaughn
Watch on Apple TV+
Firmly embedded in the stylistic vein of Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman franchise, Argylle feels almost like a spinoff. However, it features all new characters as we meet Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard), the reclusive author of a bestselling series of spy novels starring secret agent Argylle (The Witcher‘s Henry Cavill). Conway leads the exact opposite life of Argylle, but when the plots of her fictional books begin to mirror the covert actions of a real-world spy organization, Conway is roped into the center of the action to help take down an evil spy syndicate.