Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
5 must-watch movies & TV shows streaming right now
The best of what's new streaming on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and more.
Welcome to Boston.com’s weekly streaming guide. Each week, we recommend five must-watch movies and TV shows available on streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+, HBO Max, Peacock, Paramount+, and more.
Want more streaming goodness? Sign up for The Queue, our streaming newsletter featuring the latest industry news, movie and TV recommendations, and more in your inbox every week.
For even more great streaming options, check out previous editions of our must-watch list here.
WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND
New Movies Streaming
“Ghostlight”
There were two excellent movies released in 2024 about the healing power of theater. The first, A24’s “Sing Sing,” landed multiple Oscar nominations. The second, IFC Films’ “Ghostlight,” snuck in and out of theaters with less fanfare, but is equally moving.
Advertisement:
A favorite at both Sundance and IFFBoston, “Ghostlight” follows a middle-aged construction worker named Dan (Keith Kupferer) who surprises everyone by joining a local theater’s production of “Romeo and Juliet.” Amidst family strife, Dan discovers that the centuries-old tragedy unexpectedly resonates on a personal level.
How to watch: “Ghostlight” is streaming on Hulu and AMC+.
“Thelma”
Between “Thelma” and “The Beekeeper,” 2024 was a fantastic year for phone scammers getting their comeuppance on the big screen. “The Beekeeper” involves Jason Statham pummeling grifters into submission while following the money straight to the top. “Thelma,” which stars 95-year-old June Squibb as a grandmother who loses $10,000 to a phone scam, features significantly less bloodshed, but is no less satisfying.
Advertisement:
Rather than take the loss lying down, Thelma enlists her grandson (who the scammers impersonated on the phone) and an old friend in assisted living (the late Richard Roundtree) to track the criminals down. Other than a brief appearance by Squibb as a presenter at the 2025 Oscars, “Thelma” came and went without a peep during awards season. That’s a shame, because a decade ago, the film could have had a “Little Miss Sunshine”-esque run to a Best Picture nod.
How to watch: “Thelma” is streaming on Hulu.
New TV Shows Streaming
“Bill Burr: Drop Dead Years”
It’s been almost 15 years since Bill Burr first teamed up with Netflix for his 2010 special “Let it Go,” becoming one of the first comedians to embrace the streaming revolution. Now, seven specials later, the Canton native has changed platforms, joining forces with Hulu for his latest one-hour set.
Burr is still his cantankerous self in this Seattle-filmed special, but “Drop Dead Years” comes with a sense of perspective. Burr is now 56, which, as he says in a joke that gives the special its name, means he’s “too young to die of natural causes, but not too young to drop dead.”
How to watch: “Bill Burr: Drop Dead Years” is streaming on Hulu.
“Dope Thief”
Director Ridley Scott (“Alien,” “Gladiator”) lends his expertise to this 8-episode Philadelphia-set thriller, in which two small-time criminals and lifelong friends (Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura) are running together on an economic hamster wheel, making a living one job at a time.
Advertisement:
The pair’s latest scheme involves posing as DEA agents in order to rob small-time drug dealers. It seems like a solid grift until they stick up the wrong meth lab, which puts them in the crosshairs of a biker gang, a Mexican cartel, a Vietnamese mob, and the actual DEA. “Dope Thief” sags a bit between its action sequences, but those setpieces are compelling enough to keep watching.
How to watch: “Dope Thief” is streaming on Apple TV+.
“Long Bright River”
Another Philadelphia-set crime thriller, albeit a much darker one, “Long Bright River” stars Amanda Seyfried (“Mean Girls”) as a cop who becomes deeply invested when women living on the streets of Philadelphia begin disappearing.
As it turns out, Mickey’s estranged sister (Ashleigh Cummings) is one of those women, an addict who has burned every bridge and left her family in tatters. Based on the novel by Liz Moore, “Long Bright River” is an unflinching look at the perils of addiction, the lack of help from law enforcement (whether due to inability or indifference), and the structural forces that keep the destructive cycle spinning.
How to watch: “Long Bright River” is streaming on Peacock.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com