You came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your night with a movie or TV show, you want the rest of your night to start as soon as possible. Billy Crystal said that one time, I think. Well, here are all the ways you can start your night in as soon as possible this first week of the New Year. It may be a sleepy weekend, but there’s actually a good crop of options to choose from, especially now that Apple TV+’s library is free to everyone for two days only. Enjoy!
Featured Presentations
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Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
It’s been 20 years since the last full-length Wallace & Gromit film, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, but the folks over at Aardman Animations haven’t let even a bit of magic slip from this beloved stop-motion series. Here, Wallace has invented a “smart” gnome to help him in his everyday tasks, but when the gnome starts behaving maliciously, it’s up to trusty dog Gromit (as usual) to save the day. —Tolly Wright
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Cunk on Life
After taking on the whole history of humankind with Cunk on Earth, Britain’s dumbest (fake) investigative reporter, Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan), is searching for answers to the biggest mystery out there: the meaning of life. In this special, she meets with real-life scholars and experts in religion, evolution, and the cosmos, and asks them absurd questions posed in the most serious fashion — when she’s not derailing their conversations with anecdotes about her mate Paul, that is. —T.W.
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RuPaul’s Drag Race season 17
Drag Race spin-offs haven’t been good lately, but the original Drag Race series is the franchise’s Old Faithful. We’ll get a batch of 14 new queens, including one who hand-delivered her audition tape to RuPaul. Plus, the roster of guest judges is stellar this season, from Quinta Brunson to Doechii, Hunter Schafer, Law Roach, and, yeah, Katy Perry too. Here’s to hoping “Woman’s World” isn’t a Lip Sync for Your Life song.
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The Golden Globes
Hosted by Nikki Glaser, this year’s Golden Globes might actually be fun to watch again? There are some fun nominations, from the women of The Substance (Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley) to a trio of pop-girl nominations (Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, and Miley Cyrus). So recover from your week(s) of holiday partying by watching celebs party.
➼ Streaming on CBS and Paramount+ with Showtime on January 5 at 8 p.m. ET
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Selling the City
You know the hit Netflix docuseries Selling Sunset? Imagine that, but instead of glamorous real-estate agents hashing out juicy interpersonal drama while hosting open houses for L.A. mansions, this one’s got a different batch of equally glam (and backstabbing) real-estate agents selling New York City luxury apartments. —T.W.
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Michelle Buteau: A Buteau-ful Mind at Radio City Music Hall
Buteau’s comedy special is a big, lush production; you’ll get the bonus of a big anti–Dave Chappelle callout in the middle to generate some fun conversations once the special is over. —Kathryn VanArendonk
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Missing You
Netflix’s twisty dramas seem to do pretty well — look at The Perfect Couple. Missing You hopes to follow suit. Based on Harlan Coben’s 2014 novel of the same name, this television series stars Rosalind Eleazar as Detective Kat Donovan, who finds her missing fiancé after 11 years … on a dating app.
Back in Theaters
Se7en
After an influx of brand-new releases over Christmas, movie theaters are fairly quiet in the new year; at least that brings us some fun re-releases. Well, maybe you wouldn’t put “fun” and “Se7en” in the same sentence, but David Fincher’s queasy thriller is going to Imax theaters this week for the first time. Now, you can see the horrors of the seven deadly sins killer on the biggest screen possible, you sickos.
Vulture Recommended
For one weekend, Apple TV+ is free. We’ve got some suggestions.
On January 4 and 5, Apple will unlock the gates to its streaming service, allowing anyone to watch any show or movie on Apple TV+ for free. There’s some great television on the streamer that isn’t Ted Lasso, and writer Brian Tallerico has you covered with 20 options over on our Apple TV+ guide, but here are a few to get you started.
➼ Severance (obviously) — “This is a confidently written, stylishly directed first season of television.”
➼ Slow Horses — “A terrific little thriller series.”
➼ Dickinson — One of Apple TV+’s OG shows is “a bleak-as-hell 30-minute comedy.” But trust us, it’s awesome.
Finally Streaming
Wicked
Why not ring in the New Year with Shiz University’s best frenemies, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Galinda (Ariana Grande)? After defying box-office records, Wicked is flying onto digital platforms. Not only can you sing along to “Dancing Through Life” without fear of judgment from theatergoers, there is bonus content available (three full hours!), including behind-the-scenes details and commentaries. —T.W.
➼ Plus, Jesse Eisenberg’s drama (starring himself and Kieran Culkin), A Real Pain, is available to rent on digital.
Starring Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman has been dominating the pop-culture landscape for a long time. The Criterion Channel is debuting a collection dedicated to her that features nine of her earlier films, from Phillip Noyce’s Dead Calm to The Portrait of a Lady and The Paperboy. So, if Babygirl has you wanting more Kidman, Criterion is the place to go. You can even check out another Christmas-adjacent Kidman film, Eyes Wide Shut.
Want more? Read our recommendations from the week of December 25.