Here’s what’s new and ready to stream now on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, video-on-demand, and other streaming services …
“Colin in Black & White“ (TV-14) dramatizes football legend Colin Kaepernick’s high school years and the experiences that inspired him to become an activist in a six-episode limited series he created with Ava DuVernay. Kaepernick narrates and Jaden Michael, Nick Offerman, and Mary-Louise Parker star. (Netflix)
Shifting fields, the basketball drama “Swagger: Season 1“ (TV-MA) starring O’Shea Jackson, Jr. and Isaiah Hill is inspired by NBA superstar Kevin Durant’s experiences as a young ballplayer on and off the court. It’s created by Reggie Rock Bythewood with Durant. Three episodes available, new episodes on Fridays. (Apple TV+)
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony-winning stage musical is brought to the screen by director Jon M. Chu in “In The Heights“ (2021, PG-13), with Anthony Ramos taking the lead as the first generation Dominican-American torn between his two cultures (the role created by Miranda). Miranda costars along with a mix of newcomers and original Broadway cast members reprising their roles. It’s back on HBO Max.
“The Sparks Brothers“ (2021, R) is Edgar Wright’s documentary on the rock band Sparks and its founders, brothers and creative partners Ron and Russell Mael, who over five decades have amassed devoted fans and influenced bands without ever breaking into the mainstream. Wright’s unabashed enthusiasm for the cult rock duo drives this colorful, playful portrait. (Netflix)
Kid stuff: A crew of intergalactic teenagers head into space in a derelict Starfleet ship in the animated “Star Trek: Prodigy: Season1“ (TV-Y7), the first original “Star Trek” series created for young viewers. Kate Mulgrew reprises her role as Captain Janeway. (Paramount+)
Halloween Highlights
A young woman (Kate Siegel) undergoes self-improvement therapy with a renowned hypnotist (Jason O’Mara) and discovers deadly consequences to the intense sessions in “Hypnotic“ (TV-14). Dulé Hill costars. (Netflix)
“Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin“ (2021, R), the seventh film in the found footage horror series, skips theaters and debuts on Paramount+.
The horror anthology “Horror Noire“ (2021, not rated) presents short films showcasing stories of Black horror from Black directors and screenwriters (Shudder and AMC+) and the documentary series “Behind the Monsters: Season 1“ (not rated) explores such modern horror icons as Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, Candyman, Chucky, and Pinhead (Shudder and AMC+).
International passport: “Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight Part 2“ (Poland, 2021, TV-MA, with subtitles) is a sequel to the first Polish slasher film (which is also streaming). (Netflix)
Pay-Per-View / Video-On-Demand
Matt Damon is an American roughneck who travels to Marseilles, France to help his daughter, who is in prison for a murder she didn’t commit, in “Stillwater“ (2021, R). Camille Cottin (“Call My Agent”) and Abigail Breslin costar and Oscar-winner Tom McCarthy (“Spotlight”) cowrites and directs. Also on DVD and at Redbox.
The supervillains are back in anti-hero mode in “The Suicide Squad“ (2021, R), James Gunn’s very violent, blackly comic sequel to the 2016 movie of almost the same name. Joel Kinnaman and Margot Robbie return and Idris Elba, John Cena, and Sylvester Stallone join the cast. Also on DVD and at Redbox.
Stephen Lang as back as the blind vet repelling a new group of home invaders in the horror sequel “Don’t Breathe 2“ (2021, R).
Available same day as select theaters nationwide is the romantic drama “Language Lessons“ (2021, not rated), written by and starring Mark Duplass and Natalie Morales and directed by Morales.
Netflix
Matthias Schweighofer directs and stars in “Army of Thieves“ (2021, TV-MA), a heist thriller costarring Nathalie Emmanuel. Produced by Zach Snyder, it’s a prequel to “Army of the Dead” without zombies.
Guy Ritchie adds monsters to the great British myth in “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword“ (2017, PG-13) starring Charlie Hunnam and Jude Law.
Alex Gibney’s “We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks“ (2013, R) looks how Julian Assange and WikiLeaks have changed the way we deal with privacy, secrecy and the right to information.
True crime: “The Motive“ (Israel, PG, with subtitles) revisits the 1986 murder of a family in Jerusalem by a 14-year-old boy.
Streaming TV: Saweetie and a cast of sex positive puppets present “Sex: Unzipped: Season 1“ (TV-MA), using humor to explore human sexuality. Also new is the third season of the CW series “Roswell, New Mexico“ (TV-14).
International TV: “An Astrological Guide for Broken Hearts: Season 1“ (Italy, TV-MA, with subtitles) is a surreal romantic comedy based on the best-selling novel by Silvia Zucca. Also new:
- “Call My Agent: Bollywood“ (India, TV-MA, with subtitles), a remake of the French comedy set at a Mumbai talent agency;
- “The Time It Takes: Season 1“ (Spain, TV-MA, with subtitles), romantic drama about a woman (Nadia de Santiago) trying to move on from her first love.
Amazon Prime Video
“Fairfax: Season 1“ (TV-MA) is an adult animated comedy about four middle school boys in Los Angeles trying to establish their cool credentials.
“Maradona: Blessed Dream: Season 1“ (TV-MA, with subtitles) dramatizes the life story of soccer superstar Diego Maradona from his beginnings in an impoverished village in Argentina.
Classics: Bette Davis stars in “The Little Foxes“ (1941), William Wyler’s Oscar-nominated film of Lillian Hellman’s play, and John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara star in “Rio Grande“ (1950), the final film in John Ford’s “Cavalry Trilogy.”
Hulu
True stories: “For Madmen Only“ (2021, not rated) profiles Del Close, who mentored some of the greatest comedians and comic actors of the past 50 years.
HBO Max
In “Women is Losers“ (2021, TV-MA), a bright and talented Catholic school girl (Lorenza Izzo) in 1960’s San Francisco overcomes obstacles to chart her own future.
Issa Rae returns for the fifth and final season of her award winning series “Insecure“ (TV-MA) and William Jackson Harper stars in the second series of the romantic comedy anthology series “Love Life“ (TV-MA).
International TV: the young adult thriller “Paradise: Season 1“ (Spain, not rated, with subtitles) is a supernatural mystery set in coastal town in 1990s Spain and the award-winning drama “Para – We Are King: Season 1“ (Germany, with subtitles) follows four young women on the mean streets of Berlin.
Disney+
Kevin Costner is a football coach in an impoverished California desert town who builds a champion cross country team of Mexican-American students in the inspirational family drama “McFarland, USA“ (2015, PG).
Peacock
“The Kids Tonight Show: Season 1“ (TV-G) features 12 and under hosts on the set of the iconic talk show.
BritBox
“Vera” creator Ann Cleeves writes the limited series mystery “The Long Call“ (not rated), starring Ben Aldridge as police detective whose first murder case takes him to his hometown.
Topic
The limited series “Nox“ (France, 2018, TV-MA, with subtitles) is a crime thriller that plunges bank robber and the police into the sewers and tunnels beneath Paris. Nathalie Baye, Maiwenn, and Malik Zidi star.
The Criterion Channel
The 19-film “Home Invasion” collection spans from the American crime dramas “Blind Alley“ (1939) and “The Desperate Hours“ (1955) with Humphrey Bogart to transgressive European horrors “Them“ (France, 2006, not rated, with subtitles) and “Inside“ (France, 2007, not rated, with subtitles), with a rich variety in between including cult rarities “Private Property“ (1960) with Corey Allen and Warren Oates and Roman Polanski’s offbeat “Cul-de-sac“ (1966). Also new:
- documentary memoir “Porto of My Childhood“ (Portugal, 2001, not rated, with subtitles) from Manoel de Oliveira (who was 93 when he made it);
- “Office Killer“ (1997, R), the sole feature film directed by celebrated photographer Cindy Sherman.
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