5 Movies and TV Shows You Must Watch Right Now

Transmission

The best of what’s new streaming on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney Plus and more.

Welcome to Boston.com weekly streaming guide. Every week, we recommend five must-see movies and TV shows available on streaming platforms like Netflix, hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+, hbo max, Peacock, Paramount+and more.

Many recommendations are for new shows, while others are for hidden releases you might have missed or classics that are about to leave a streaming service at the end of the month.

Do you have a new favorite movie or show that you think we should check out? Let us know in the comments, or email streaming options? Check out previous editions of our Must-have list here.

Films

“Cocaine Bear”

Everything there is to say about Elizabeth Banks’ “Cocaine Bear” is said in the title. It’s a movie about a lot of crazy things that happen after a bear does cocaine. If that sounds like your bag, you’ll enjoy the ride. If not, keep it off your tail. But to offer a bit more detail for those on the fence: “Cocaine Bear” is surprisingly dark at times, shaking off the shackles of campy comedy to delve into gore and horror that surprises rather than amuses. But most of the time, you’ll be laughing out loud thanks to above-average performances from artists like Keri Russell (“The Americans”), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (“Modern Family”), and the late Ray Liotta. (“Good boys”).

How to watch: “Cocaine Bear” is peacock streaming.

“The Spanish Prisoner”

Director and playwright David Mamet is known for the pace of his dialogue: trailing sentences, broken sentences, and an onslaught of four-letter words. Watching “The Spanish Prisoner,” his first PG movie, is a bit like watching Joe Pesci in “Home Alone”: the “Mamet language” sounds the same, but it’s all kid-clean. That’s not to say that “The Spanish Prisoner” (which celebrated the 25th anniversary of its grand release last week) is mere child’s play: It’s a twisted Hitchcockian thriller about a vacationing engineer (Campbell Scott) who, at meeting a seemingly wealthy businessman (Steve Martin) becomes embroiled in a scheme he doesn’t fully understand. Running at a tense 91 minutes, it’s a joy to watch the ensemble cast go head-to-head with one another and try to discern who’s ripping off whom.

How to watch: “The Spanish Prisoner” is peacock streaming and amazon freevee.

“Ticket to Paradise”

At the time of its release in October 2022, “Ticket to Paradise” was seen as a litmus test to determine if adult audiences were ready to return to theaters in full force. Around $172 million later, it’s safe to say many bought tickets for “Ticket,” but in case you were waiting for it to hit your streamer of choice, the rom-com debuted on Prime Video this week. Julia Roberts and George Clooney play divorcees whose mutual hatred is momentarily put on hold as they team up to convince her daughter (Kaitlyn Dever, “Booksmart”) not to marry her fiancé. There’s nothing groundbreaking about the movie, but why tweak the formula when you have such an attractive pair of stars at your disposal?

How to watch: “Ticket to Paradise” is streaming on Prime Video.

TELEVISION

“American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing”

April 15, 2023 marks the tenth anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings, one of the most shocking and unforgettable tragedies in the city’s history. In the lead up to the anniversary, Netflix has launched “American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing”, a three-part docuseries directed by Floyd Russ (“Malice at the Palace”) that is both exhaustive and relentless. Even those intimately familiar with the bombings will likely hear a new perspective from the documentary: Interviewing more than a dozen subjects, the series examines everything from the city’s unity after Dzhokhar’s capture to days of wild speculation by detectives online All of this makes “American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing” worth watching, but it’s a recommendation that comes with reservations for Boston viewers. Seeing images of the bombings is difficult, but expected. Seeing footage of a plane crashing into the World Trade Center on September 11 to help illustrate Islamophobia is unexpected and unnecessary. Also unnecessary are the witty scenes in which the actors playing the Tsarnaev brothers dramatize moments from that week, with the performers’ faces scrambled like TV static. Given the glut of documentaries, podcasts, and true crime specials populating streaming services today, it was probably inevitable that a documentary would be made about the Boston Marathon bombings, and “American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing.” “It’s a reasonably strong effort. But if you have no interest in revisiting that painful period in our city’s history, there’s certainly nothing wrong with skipping it.

How to watch: “American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing” is streaming on Netflix.

“Single Drunken Woman”

Don’t let the name (and the network) fool you: “Single Drunk Female” is not your typical Freeform drama or raunchy reality show. It is the story of one woman’s journey to get sober (and stay sober) after hitting rock bottom. Back for a second season on Freeform (although the entire second season is also available now on Hulu), we find Sam (Sofia Black-D’Elia) in a better place than season 1. She’s two years sober and still alive. in Boston. with her mom, and she has another job as a writer. But there’s trouble on the horizon when Sam loses her sponsor, stumbles into romantic complications and has a big fight with her mom (Ally Sheedy of “The Breakfast Club” fame). Based on series creator Simone Finch’s own experiences growing up (and later returning) to Melrose, “Single Drunk Female” had a fun and moving freshman season. With all 10 episodes of season 2 now on Hulu, it’s clear that Finch has a lot more to share.

How to watch: “Single Drunk Female” is streaming on hulu.