The top 5 films to watch this weekend on Netflix, Hulu, Max, and other services

The top 5 films to watch this weekend.. We’re getting closer to spring and away from the bitterly cold winter months with each passing weekend. A ton of fantastic movie alternatives are also arriving on Netflix, Max, and other top streaming services with every new weekend. Deciding what to watch is a difficult chore when there is so much available.

The top 5 films to watch this weekend

For this reason, we’ve assembled the top recently released films that are available on your preferred streaming providers. Two contenders for Best Picture, “American Fiction” on MGM Plus and “Poor Things” on Hulu, easily lead this weekend’s roster. You can catch up with both just in time to understand why everyone is talking before the Oscars. “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” the eagerly anticipated big-screen adaptation of a beloved horror video game franchise, hits Prime Video, while Timothée Chalamet’s interpretation of the renowned chocolatier, “Wonka,” debuts on Max.

These are the shows we think you should watch this weekend on streaming services.

‘Poor Things’ (Hulu)

I saw “Poor Things” in cinemas, and one word sums it up best: insane. However, you might have already concluded as much from hearing the premise: Willem Dafoe, an eccentric surgeon, combines the brain of Emma Stone’s unborn child with the reanimated corpse of a suicide victim to create a monster akin to Frankenstein’s monster. The story’s central event is the sexual awakening that the reanimated body experiences.

With steampunk fantasy locales, excessive sex and body horror, and the trademark oddity of filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos (“The Favorite,” “The Lobster”), “Poor Things” is a surreal journey that is up for 11 Oscar awards. As Bella Baxter, Stone stands out as the most remarkable actor. She brings a sharp observational sense and a humorous deadpan delivery to the role, which helps Bella lose her innocent baby appearance and embrace the world.

Watch it now on Hulu

‘American Fiction’ (MGM Plus)

The sharp social critique and comedy “American Fiction” highlights the disparities in how modern civilization views Black art. In spite of critical recognition, Jeffrey Wright plays Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a struggling author who is frustrated by his lack of financial success. Upon receiving feedback that his most recent manuscript is not “black enough,” he writes a purposefully corny novel that plays on stereotypes associated with black literature.

He is disappointed to learn that the white liberal elite thinks it is a brilliant work, and the novel becomes extremely popular very quickly. This leaves Monk juggling a moral conundrum as the revenues of the book enable him to pay for his mother’s critical Alzheimer’s treatment. The story gleams with humorous flare and sharp sarcasm, giving a compelling analysis of identity, integrity, and being stuck in your work among themes of creative frustration and loss.

Watch it now on MGM Plus

‘Wonka’ (Max)

“Wonka” is still a major turning point in Timothée Chalamet’s acting career, even though “Dune: Part Two” is probably going to be his most memorable performance from the previous 12 months. This Willy Wonka origin tale is a musical, just like the two “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” films that came before it, despite the fact that this may not be evident from the trailer.

Chalamet plays a younger version of the well-known chocolatier, who travels to Europe with the intention of starting his own business in a chocolate-loving city. He quickly learns that a cartel of avaricious chocolatiers controls the business and wants to force the bright young talent and his bag of tricks out of town.

Though his talents aren’t often highlighted in the writing, Chalamet’s portrayal of the legendary character has received plaudits from critics. The surrealist British comic TV series “The Mighty Boosh” and the big-screen adventures of Paddington Bear are the shows for which “Wonka” director Paul King is most known.

Watch it now on Max

‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ (Prime Video)

There has long been plans to adapt the popular horror video game series Five Nights at Freddy’s onto the big screen. “Five Nights at Freddy’s” finally makes its way onto Prime Video, having debuted on Peacock last year concurrently with its theatrical release.

Josh Hutcherson plays Mike Schmidt in this Blumhouse-produced film, a down-on-his-luck security guard new to the night shift at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a dilapidated family amusement park hiding a horrifying secret. Anybody familiar with the games understands where this is headed. An adorable performance becomes a frantic attempt to survive when the venue’s mechanical mascots, which resemble Chucky Cheese, prowl the grounds at night and trample everyone who gets in their way.

Although video game movies don’t always work out, the fact that Scott Cawthon, the creator of the series, is named as a co-writer and co-producer on the screenplay for Five Nights at Freddy’s is encouraging. Additionally, it’s noteworthy that while reviewers gave the film a dismal 32% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, viewers were much more forgiving, giving it a brand-new 87%.

Buy or rent on Prime Video

‘Damsel’ (Netflix)