We’re starting out the new year strong with a slew of new movies across the best streaming services to fill your weekend. Before you make yourself a plate of holiday leftovers and hunker down, though, here are a few picks for what to watch.
Leading the pack this week is the highly anticipated sequel to last year’s “Wicked” on paid video-on-demand platforms. One of my favorite movies of 2025 (second only to “Sinners”) just landed on Hulu, “Together,” and it’s a fascinating body horror nightmare that will make your skin crawl. For something a little lighter, Prime Video just got the hilarious “Naked Gun” revival starring Liam Neeson. Elsewhere, a neo-Western crime thriller led by Sydney Sweeney, “Americana,” made its debut on Starz, and Netflix got director Neill Blomkamp’s crunchy sci-fi flick “District 9,” a must-watch if you haven’t seen it yet.
‘Wicked: For Good’ (PVOD)
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If you didn’t catch this highly anticipated sequel to last year’s musical smash hit in theaters, you can sing-along from the comfort of your own couch with “Wicked: For Good” via PVOD. Which is good, because I’ve had that bit of magical chanting at the start of “No Good Deed” stuck in my head for weeks now. I didn’t expect “For Good” to soar to anywhere near the same heights as the original (“Wicked’s” first act is more iconic for a reason), but it was still a satisfying conclusion for the story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) with plenty of earworms and big-budget set pieces to dazzle you into a stupor.
“For Good” picks up right after “Wicked’s” dramatic conclusion, with Elphaba now in her Wicked Witch of the West era on the run from the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). Her old pals from Shiz either join the mobs calling for her head or help lead the search to find her before they do. Glinda and Elphaba clash over what’s best for Oz, and when a mysterious storm sends a young girl from Kansas crashing into their world, their friendship faces the ultimate test.
Buy or rent “Wicked: For Good” now on Amazon or Apple
‘Together’ (Hulu)
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“Together” is one of the most visceral and disturbing horror movies I’ve seen in a while. This is one of those movies where the less you know before watching, the better. Just fair warning: If you’re squeamish, maybe skip this one. Or just watch through your fingers like I did to make watching two people congeal into one easier to stomach.
Real-life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie star as Tim and Millie, two people who are the absolute worst for each other. When Millie’s job takes them from the big city to the countryside, the seams in their relationships start to split as long-simmering resentments bubble over. Their fresh start spirals into a nightmare when they stumble upon a cave with a strange magnetism that worms its way into their bodies, relentlessly forcing them closer, in both mind and body, like a little kid mashing their Barbie dolls together.
Watch “Together” on Hulu now
‘Americana’ (Starz)
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2025 wasn’t Sydney Sweeney’s best year. While a frequent fixture in the headlines, that notoriety wasn’t enough to keep her crime thriller “Americana” from bombing in theaters, but who knows, maybe it’ll find new life now that it’s on streaming. Also starring Paul Walter Hauser, Halsey and Eric Dane, “Americana” is part modern western and part old-school crime caper, with plenty of sepia-tinged, vintage Hollywood charm.
When a shy waitress (Sweeney) teams up with a lovesick military vet (Hauser) to get their hands on a valuable Native American artifact, it puts them in the crosshairs of some very dangerous people with eyes on their big score. “Americana” has a solid enough premise and colorful characters to keep things interesting, even if it’s not all that memorable in hindsight. It’s a fun, pulpy watch to throw in over some popcorn.
Watch “Americana” on Starz now
‘The Naked Gun’ (Prime Video)
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Most Hollywood reboots feel like little more than a cash grab, but “The Naked Gun” is a rare exception that actually earns its revival. As a fan of the original, I wasn’t entirely convinced that Liam Neeson could fill Leslie Nielsen’s shoes. The movie’s 87% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes finally pushed me to give it a shot. I’m happy to admit I was wrong — it’s easily one of the funniest movies of 2025.
Neeson puts his own deadpan spin on Frank Drebin Jr., the son of Nielsen’s iconic detective. When a suspicious car crash lands him in the middle of a high-stakes case, Drebin Jr. barrels ahead with his usual reckless confidence. Oh, and femme fatale Pamela Anderson is along for the ride because of course she is. Staying true to the original trilogy’s spirit, director Akiva Schaffer’s revival is a full-throttle gag machine packed with nonstop visual jokes and so much rapid-fire wordplay you’ll probably need to watch it again to catch all the zingers.
Watch “The Naked Gun” on Prime Video now
‘District 9’ (Netflix)
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For a movie about aliens coming to Earth, “District 9” is a surprisingly grounded sci-fi adventure. Starring Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James, it centers on the fallout of a spaceship landing over Johannesburg filled with buglike aliens, refugees of a dying planet. The government relegates them to what’s known as District 9, an area of the city that’s become a slum in the decades since. With unrest between locals and aliens growing, the government employs Multinational United (MNU) to evict and move them to a new camp outside the city.
South African Director Neill Blomkamp (check out his phenomenal “Chappie” for more crunchy sci-fi flair) draws clear inspiration from real events in Cape Town’s District Six during the apartheid era. “District 9” shines as a pointed examination of xenophobia and social segregation, making it difficult to watch at times but powerful stuff nonetheless.
Watch “District 9” on Netflix now
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