Poor Things, Aquaman 2, Netflix’s Spaceman, and every new movie to watch this weekend

February is coming to a detailed, and with it, extra awards contenders are heading to streaming companies with the Oscars across the nook.

Poor Issues, Yorgos Lanthimos’ newest oddball darkish comedy, is now out to lease or buy digitally (with a Hulu launch across the nook on March 7). Ridley Scott’s epic Napoleon makes its method to Apple TV Plus Saturday (however solely the theatrical reduce — sorry to my fellow nerds who hoped for the four-and-a-half-hour director’s reduce).

Nevertheless it’s not all awards contenders. Aquaman and the Misplaced Kingdom splashes its method onto Max, and Netflix has a pair of thrilling new sci-fi releases within the Adam Sandler drama Spaceman and Code 8 Half II, the sequel to the cult hit movie from 2019. And two extra to regulate within the VOD division: Darkish comedy Lisa Frankenstein and Hirokazu Kore-eda’s masterful thriller Monster additionally make their debuts this week. I can not advocate the latter extra extremely (I haven’t seen the previous, however have heard good issues).

Right here’s all the things new to watch this weekend!

New on Netflix

Spaceman

The place to watch: Accessible to stream on Netflix

Style: Science fiction
Run time: 1h 47m
Director: Johan Renck
Solid: Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, Paul Dano

You’ve seen Dramatic Adam Sandler, however what about Dramatic Adam Sandler… in house?

Tailored from Jaroslav Kalfař’s novel, the movie follows an astronaut on a lonely mission who strikes up an uncommon relationship with an alien spider (voiced by Paul Dano).

We talked to the Sandman about his work within the movie, together with the new ability he picked up in his most severe function but.

Code 8 Half II

The place to watch: Accessible to stream on Netflix

Picture: Netflix

Style: Sci-fi
Run time: 1h 40m
Director: Jeff Chan
Solid: Robbie Amell, Stephen Amell, Sirena Gulamgaus

The primary Code 8 was a shock hit when it dropped on Netflix in 2020, so don’t be shocked if the sequel finally ends up being one of the crucial common films on Netflix this week. Starring real-life cousins Robbie and Stephen Amell, this movie sees them assist a teenage lady hoping to avenge her lifeless brother, who was killed by cops.

New on Max

Aquaman and the Misplaced Kingdom

The place to watch: Accessible to stream on Max

Picture: Warner Bros. Photos/DC Comics

Style: Superhero
Run time: 2h 4m
Director: James Wan
Solid: Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Put in your swim gear and strap in your flippers, as a result of we’re going again to Atlantis. The movie underwent severe reshoots and typically obtained considerably worse critiques than the surprisingly good first entry, and is the ultimate movie of the DCEU earlier than James Gunn’s reboot of the DC Universe.

From our evaluation:

The sequel to Aquaman is a complete bummer for these of us who loved Aquaman. Wan has confirmed himself on every scale, however in attempting to carve out one other journey in this universe, he feels a bit caught. This could be the predicament of an ongoing Aquaman franchise, if DC ever tries once more: When your sequel is caught within the ocean, the one method to go is down.

New on Apple TV Plus

Napoleon

The place to watch: Accessible to stream on Apple TV Plus

Picture: Apple TV Plus

Style: Historic epic
Run time: 2h 37m
Director: Ridley Scott
Solid: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim

Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix reunite with one other historic epic, this time telling the story of Napoleon Bonaparte. Scott’s authentic imaginative and prescient of the movie was over 4 hours lengthy, so the theatrical model now streaming is considerably pared again at about two and a half hours. The movie was nominated for 3 Oscars: Finest Manufacturing Design, Finest Costume Design, and Finest Visible Results.

From our evaluation:

However Napoleon doesn’t spend a lot time belaboring its topic’s energy. Regardless of the broad 32-year scope, Scott and Scarpa hold the movie’s focus slender, its energy performs dispassionate. Treating Bonaparte’s stature in historical past as settled, the movie offers Phoenix room to paint a portrait of the person in dialog with friends, rivals, and his spouse, between visually putting and meticulously rendered battles. These battles are nice: Few filmmakers are afforded the assets to function at this scale, and fewer are so efficient at superbly rendering the violence of males at warfare. However in Napoleon, the fight sequences are additionally romantic overtures, a violent manifestation of the tortured letters Bonaparte writes to Joséphine.

New on AMC Plus

The Disappearance of Shere Hite

The place to watch: Accessible to stream on Apple TV Plus

Photograph: Iris Brosch/IFC Movies

Style: Documentary
Run time: 1h 58m
Director: Nicole Newnham

This documentary tells the story of famed intercourse educator and feminist Shere Hite, and is narrated by Madame Net star Dakota Johnson (her net really does join all of them). It was nominated for documentary awards at quite a few festivals in 2023, together with Sundance.

New to lease/purchase

Poor Issues

The place to watch: Accessible to lease on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu

Photograph: Atsushi Nishijima/Searchlight Photos

Style: Darkish comedy
Run time: 2h 22m
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Solid: Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo

Emma Stone stars as a younger lady introduced to life from a mind transplant in this twist on the Frankenstein method, tailored by Greek darkish comedy filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos from Alasdair Grey’s novel. It’s been an awards darling to this point, profitable 5 BAFTAs and two Golden Globes, and was nominated for 11 Oscars, together with Finest Image.

Monster

The place to watch: Accessible to lease on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu

Picture: Effectively Go USA

Style: Thriller
Run time: 2h 5m
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Solid: Sakura Andō, Eita Nagayama, Sōya Kurokawa

I can’t communicate extra extremely of Hirokazu Kore-eda’s (Shoplifters) Monster. It’s a beguiling thriller a few mom attempting to determine what’s going on together with her son, who has been appearing up not too long ago and obtained right into a battle in school together with his trainer. Kore-eda is an extremely deliberate filmmaker, with every element deeply thought-about, and makes use of the movie’s difficult narrative to unspool the most effective mysteries in years. It’s an absolute gem.

Lisa Frankenstein

The place to watch: Accessible to lease on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu

Photograph: Michele Ok. Quick/Focus Options

Style: Horror comedy
Run time: 1h 41m
Director: Zelda Williams
Solid: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Carla Gugino

Love tales about reanimated corpses are all the trend this week. This time, it’s a teenage goth lady (Kathryn Newton) who falls in love with a Nineteenth-century man (Cole Sprouse) who comes again to life after a lightning strike. The movie is directed by Zelda Williams, Robin’s daughter, and written by Diablo Cody, who has stated the movie takes place in the identical universe as her earlier teen horror basic Jennifer’s Body.

From our evaluation:

Despite the fact that this movie is typically haphazardly stitched collectively, like a dismembered hand added onto a corpse, Lisa Frankenstein is shocked again to life by magnetic visuals, partaking chemistry, and deliciously escalating motives.