If my Twitter feed is any indication of the world at large, the whole planet is chomping at the bit to see Luca Guadagnino’s Zendaya-starring sexy tennis movie. That’s probably not the case, but Challengers has been getting great buzz anyway. Why wouldn’t it? Most mainstream movies lately have felt so much more sterile than hot — pretty people passionately making out is exactly what we need this season! Speaking of which: There’s also that Sydney Sweeney–Glen Powell rom-com hitting Netflix this weekend, if you need double the oomph. But what if you, for some weird reason, want to watch something that doesn’t have young people kissing on the lips? Well then, here’s a handful of other offerings (some of which are even PG) that’s streaming this weekend.
Featured Presentations
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Challengers
Springtime is for Zendaya. Hot off of Dune: Part Two, she’s leading director Luca Guadagnino and writer Justin Kuritzkes’s sexy tennis drama as Tashi Donaldson, a rising star who burns out after sustaining a career-ending injury. Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor join her to create the film’s unofficial throuple (Faist plays her husband-pupil and O’Connor is her rugged ex-boyfriend). It’s fun, it’s sweaty, it’s sexy — and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s score just slays. It’s an awesome time at the movies.
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We’re Here season 4
A reality show with a bit of Queer Eye’s sensibilities, We’re Here brings RuPaul’s Drag Race drag queens to mostly rural and more conservative cities across America to uplift their queer communities. After three seasons with Bob the Drag Queen, Shangela, and Eureka, the new season of We’re Here is adding new hosts Sasha Velour, Jaida Essence Hall, Priyanka, and Latrice Royale as they visit Tennessee and Oklahoma.
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Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story
Split into four episodes, The Bon Jovi Story is exactly that: a Bon Jovi documentary. All the band members, past and present, including front man Jon Bon Jovi, come together to discuss their journey. It seems like typical nostalgia fodder with a few extra treats for fans from unreleased demos and personal footage.
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Dead Boy Detectives
Dead Boy Detectives has that unmistakable Netflix sheen that lets it perfectly sit next to shows like The Umbrella Academy and The Sandman. (As it happens, this new series is adapted from a Neil Gaiman comic and set in The Sandman universe, so that also helps explain it.) Our titular detectives are a pair of ghosts (George Rexstrew and Jayden Revri) who, instead of going to the afterlife, stay behind on earth and solve paranormal mysteries with the help of a living medium (Kassius Nelson).
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Knuckles
With the Sonic films doing pretty well, Paramount is naturally expanding the Sonic cinematic universe. Next on the docket is Knuckles (Idris Elba), the tough-as-nails echidna who we last met in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Now he’s getting his own television show as he teams up with Adam Pally’s sheriff, Wade Whipple.
Lights, Camera
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ACTION
A surprise drop from Peacock, ACTION is a new docuseries from The Fall Guy director David Leitch and producer Kelly McCormick as it chronicles the incredible stunts and performers behind The Fall Guy. Be sure to check out Bilge Ebiri’s piece on the film’s stunt team. Read more here.
Back in Theaters
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Alien
That’s right, we can see Sigourney Weaver kick alien ass on the big screen again! Ridley Scott’s influential sci-fi flick is celebrating its 45th anniversary in theaters this weekend. Now if only we can get Weaver’s Ripley and Alien back at Disney World …
Finally Streaming
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Tótem
From director Lila Avilés comes a lovely and bittersweet story of a young girl as she and her family celebrate her ill father’s last birthday. After a brief run in theaters, Tótem will exclusively be on the Criterion Channel, so you can dive into Avilés’s beautiful little drama at home.
The One-Sentence Review
Anyone But You
“That is perhaps the most refreshing thing about Anyone But You: Everybody gets to be horny.†(Read More.)
Double Feature
7 Days in Hell
If you’re looking for another tennis movie with two hot guys fighting it out on the court this weekend, then look no further. In the mockumentary 7 Days in Hell, Andy Samberg and Kit Harington (in probably his best role ever) hilariously duke it out during the longest tennis match in history. Samberg plays the golden-haired bad boy (and adopted son of the Williams family), and Harington becomes his foil, an uptight and stressed-out British boy. Look out for talking-head cameos from Serena Williams, Fred Armisen, Lena Dunham, Jon Hamm, David Copperfield, and more.
Want more? Read our recommendations from the weekend of April 19.