These are the best new streaming movies this week: Prom Dates, Broke, and more

This week’s lineup is worth staying indoors for.

From rom-coms that’ll have you swooning to action flicks that’ll make your heart race faster than your Netflix bill, we’ve got a little something for everyone.

Whether you’re in the mood to laugh, cry, or just escape reality for a few blissful hours, sit back, relax, and let the streaming gods work their magic.

The best new streaming movies this week

This week is particularly exciting because there are a lot of forgotten (but not-so-forgotten) movies on the list. From inspiring movies that’ll teach you a little something to favorite rom-coms and legendary action thrillers, here’s what’s been released on platforms like Netflix and Hulu this week. The list includes both brand-new releases as well as older titles that made their way to various streaming services in the last seven days.

• Prom Dates
• The Peanut Butter Falcon
• Mother of the Bride
• The Iron Claw
• War Dogs
• Broke

Prom Dates – May 3, Hulu

• Release date: May 3, 2024
• Genre: Comedy
• Rating: R
• Director: Kim O. Nguyen
• Cast: Antonia Gentry, Julia Lester, Chelsea Handler, John Michael Higgins, Kenny Ridwan, JT Neal, Jordan Buhat

Two best friends agree to make a memorable prom night, but their plans go hilariously wrong after both have to dump their boyfriends the night before the dance. Can they find new prom dates 24 hours before the dance — ones they actually like and make their prom fantasies come true? Watch Jess and Hannah come into their own in this hilarious comedy about friendship and love.

The Peanut Butter Falcon – May 5, Netflix

• Release date: August 9, 2019
• Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
• Rating: PG-13
• Director: Tyler Nilson
• Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Zack Gottsagen, Dakota Johnson, Thomas Haden Church, John Hawkes, Bruce Dern, Jon Bernthal

In this heartwarming adventure, Zak (Zack Gottsagen), a young man with Down syndrome, travels away from his assisted living facility with dreams of becoming a professional wrestler like his role model, The Saltwater Redneck (Thomas Haden Church).

During his journey, he strikes up an unlikely friendship with Tyler (Shia LaBeouf), a small-time outlaw, who becomes his unlikely ally and coach. Together, they flee across North Carolina’s outer banks from the authorities trying to bring him back. It is a modern-day Mark Twain-style adventure about oddballs and outcasts, fighting for your dreams no matter how insurmountable they seem, and why you need to see people as individuals instead of their labels. With stars like Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson, and Duncan Skiles, this uplifting indie story will make you cheer as it redefines heroism.

Mother of the Bride – May 9, Netflix

• Release date: May 9, 2024
• Genre: Romance, Comedy
• Rating: TV-PG
• Director: Mark Waters 
• Cast: Brooke Shields, Miranda Cosgrove, Benjamin Bratt

Mother of the Bride is a hilarious and heartwarming roller coaster ride that you will not want to miss. When Emma (Miranda Cosgrove), a free-spirited individual returns home from London with an unexpected announcement that she is getting married in Phuket, Thailand after one month, her mother Lana (Brooke Shields) is thrown off balance.

Lana works round the clock to organize what might be called “the wedding of the century” while learning a surprising fact — Emma’s husband-to-be is her college boyfriend’s son, a man who had once broken her heart into pieces. As the story intensifies, Lana has to work through past trauma without risking her daughter’s relationship and ensuring the marriage takes place as usual.

Watch as the family reaches boiling points of tension under the sun. Will she reconcile with her past love and find peace? This movie promises lots of fun as it tackles one complicated situation after the next.

The Iron Claw – May 10, Max

• Release date: December 22, 2023
• Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
• Rating: R
• Director: Sean Durkin
• Cast: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Stanley Simons, Holt McCallany, Maura Tierney, Lily James

In this searing biographical sports drama, you witness the triumph and tragedy behind one of wrestling’s most legendary families — the Von Erichs. The Iron Claw follows the rise and fall of the Von Erich dynasty as patriarch Fritz grooms his sons Kevin, David, Kerry, and Mike for superstardom in his World Class Championship Wrestling league.

Though the brothers find fame in the ring with their signature iron claw move, a dark cloud looms over the family, threatening to consume Fritz’s empire.

As Kevin, the lone surviving son fights to carry on the Von Erich legacy, he must confront his father’s obsession, the crushing weight of expectations, and the so-called Von Erich “curse” that has claimed the lives of his brothers.

Featuring breathtaking in-ring action performed by the actors themselves and career-defining turns from Efron, White, and Dickinson, The Iron Claw is a bone-crunching, emotionally bruising powerhouse of a film.

War Dogs – May 8, Netflix

• Release date: August 19, 2016
• Genre: Biography, Comedy, Crime
• Rating: R
• Director: Todd Phillips
• Cast: Miles Teller, Jonah Hill, Ana de Armas, Bradley Cooper, Kevin Pollak, Patrick St. Esprit, Shaun Toub

Released on Netflix the day after it was removed from Hulu, this satirical crime film is based on an incredible true story. Two twenty-something stoners got themselves a $300 million deal with the American government for supplying arms during the Afghan war. It’s incredibly smart and highly entertaining (albeit because of a few creative liberties taken from the truth) — this is a lurid tale of greed, intrigue, and ambition.

Broke – May 6, Netflix

• Release date: October 2, 2012
• Genre: Documentary, Biography, History
• Rating: TV-G
• Director: Connor Schell, Bill Simmons, John Dahl
• Cast: Bill Walton, Morgan Freeman, Wayne Gretzky, Walter Gretzky, Janet Jones, Jim Matheson, Bruce McNall

They earned tens of millions in their playing careers, but shockingly, many pro athletes end up financially broke shortly after retiring. In this fascinating documentary, director Billy Corben explores the complex factors that cause 78% of NFL players and 60% of NBA players to face bankruptcy or serious financial stress within just a few years of hanging up their cleats.

More than just reckless spending on mansions and bling, Broke reveals a perfect storm that includes a lack of financial knowledge, dishonest business managers, high-risk investments gone bad, and other pitfalls that drain even the biggest fortunes.

Through candid interviews with the athletes themselves, this eye-opening film unpacks the surprising, multifaceted truth behind the all-too-common stories of stars going from riches to rags.

What was new and worth watching over the last month

Looking for more recommendations? Here are other great movies that debuted in the last 30 days or so:

Down the Rabbit Hole – May 1, Netflix

Tochtli leads a charmed and cultured life with access to exotic animals, samurai weaponry, and so much more. This life stands in stark contrast to the reality of his situation: he’s the son of a powerful criminal lord. Not a whole lot is revealed in the trailer, if we’re being honest, but if you’re looking for something different, this could be it. 

Beautiful Rebel – May 2, Netflix

Beautiful Rebel tells the story of Gianna Nannini, one of the most famous Italian rock stars in history. The film stars Letizia Toni as the famous rock star and has great casting throughout as it takes us through the star’s early life and eventual rise to fame. If you’re a fan of Nannini or just rock in general, this film could be worth the watch. 

Secrets of the Neanderthals – May 2, Netflix

I’ve personally been fascinated by Neanderthals since childhood, but in the last few years, we’ve learned so much more about them. Once portrayed as brutish beasts, the reality is that these early humans had their own culture, including art and burial rituals, and there are signs that had their own language as well. So what went wrong for the Neanderthals, and why aren’t they here today? That’s what this new documentary series from Netflix aims to explore. I’ve yet to check this one out myself, but I know it’s at the top of my playlist this weekend. 

Turtles All the Way Down – May 2, Max 

Turtles All the Way Down is a romantic drama about a 16-year-old girl with major OCD who reunites with an old friend from camp and immediately finds herself falling for him. Of course, struggling with a mental health condition can make everything a bit harder, including romance. As someone with my own mental health conditions, including anxiety and ADHD, I’m thrilled that there are more films like this hitting the scenes. If this sounds like something you or a loved one could relate to, you’ll be able to catch it on Max starting May 2nd. 

Unfrosted – May 3, Netflix

Based loosely on the invention of the Poptart, this film takes a lot of creative liberties, including making a fake Poptart creator named Bob Cabana (played by Seinfeld). But can you expect a completely by-the-books story about a breakfast pastry? I didn’t think so. This fun flick is set back in the 1960s during the war between Kellog and Post, the two biggest giants in cereal. If you’re looking for something playful and fun to watch this weekend, you might want to give this one a look. 

The Holdovers – April 29, Amazon Prime

Set at a boarding school in the 1970s, this Christmas film centers around a boy who is left alone for the holidays after his father’s death, and a sour, bitter teacher who gets stuck watching him over the break. At first, the two don’t see eye to eye in any way, but over time, their relationship changes as they get to know each other. I haven’t seen this one yet, but I’m excited to watch it on April 29 when it hits Amazon Prime, as I’m a big Paul Giamatti fan.

Arthur the King – April 23, VOD

Arthur the King features Mark Wahlberg as Mikael Lindnord, a man who has one final chance to win the Adventure Racing World Championship in the Dominican Republic before he decides to quit for good. Along the way, his team crosses paths with a dog that follows them across the country on their adventure and even helps them stay safe. This film is inspired by a true story, although the real events are a bit more complicated, involving claims that Mikael knew the dog had an owner but took it home anyway due to his concerns about animal abuse. Of course, these kinds of small changes are pretty common in “true story” films, for better or worse.

Anyone but You – April 23, Netflix

While Anyone but You actually came out last year, the romantic comedy has now arrived on Netflix for the first time. In your typical romantic comedy fashion, two people meet and immediately have a natural disdain for one another, but over time, this disdain turns into affection. Adding a bit extra to the typical formula, the two would-be lovers must also pretend to be a couple, though both of them have their own reasons for doing it. 

Dune: Part Two – April 16, VOD

There have been multiple attempts to bring Dune to the big screen over the years, but all these efforts have fallen significantly short of the source material — at least until Legendary Films brought us Dune Part 1 in 2021. While other attempts had tried to cram the whole six-book story into a single film, the first movie focused on just half of the first book. The newest film has now hit VOD, bringing us the events of the rest of the book. As for the rest of the books, director Denis Villeneuve says his intention is to focus primarily on Paul Atreides, adapting Dune up until at least the second novel, Dune Messiah.

Rebel Moon: Part Two – April 19, Netflix

Last year, Netflix brought us Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon, an interesting space opera with strong parallels to Star Wars. In fact, the film reportedly began its life before Disney bought LucasFilm and had been intended to be pitched to LucasFilm as a spin-off set in the same universe. The story takes place on the edge of the galaxy, where the tyrannical Regent Ballisarius is using his armies to control the planets against their will. A mysterious young woman with past ties to the tyrant soon rises up and starts recruiting warriors from neighboring planets to help bring back freedom to the fringes of the galaxy. A year later, Rebel Moon: Part Two has arrived to tell the rest of the story. Rebel Moon: Part Two arrives on April 19, but if you’ve yet to check out the first film, you can find it now on Netflix.

Migration – April 19, Netflix

A family of ducks has never left their pond, largely thanks to the family’s father, who is deathly afraid of the world outside the pond. After a group of ducks stop by their pond on their way south, the children (and mom) all become inspired by the idea of taking a vacation. After a bit of convincing, the father (played by Kumail Nanjiani) agrees to head south, and the family takes off together. Only one problem: they end up lost along the way and head north… to New York City. This is a fun film with a lot of talented actors and actresses, including Awkwafina, who has quickly become a staple in modern animated films (Raya, Kung Fu Panda 4, etc.).

Late Night with the Devil – April 19, Shudder

Late Night with the Devil is a unique found footage film that feels almost like a real documentary from the trailer, despite its entirely fictional storyline around a night show host named Jack Delroy. With increasing competition in the late-night show business, Delroy decides to pull off a controversial séance on live TV.  As you might have guessed, things take a sudden and horrible turn when they attempt to communicate with the devil using a young girl named Lily. 

Freud’s Last Session – April 20, Netflix 

Freud’s Last Session centers around the end of the famous psychoanalyst’s life just two days before the start of World War II, although the actual premise is a fictional meeting between himself and the well-known writer C.S. Lewis. In the meeting, the two go back and forth on whether God truly exists. Based on this alone, you might think this is a faith-based film, but it’s not necessarily set up as such if that’s not your thing. Ultimately, the film is about taking two individuals with very different views, putting them in a room together, and finding out what happens.

Strange Way of Life – April 19, Netflix

Pedro Pascal stars as Silvia, a man who rides a horse halfway across the country and into the desert to visit his old friend Sherrif Jake (Ethan Hawke). While the Sherrif is happy to see his old friend, there’s another reason for the visit, and it’s not just about taking a trip down memory lane. 

The Greatest Hits – April 12, Hulu

After discovering the power to time travel through the use of certain songs, Harriet reconnects with her dead former boyfriend in the past. As she relives the love of her life, she also starts to plan out a way to save him. Unfortunately, she soon finds her actions may just jeopardize her present in ways she can’t realize just yet. 

• Years active: April 5, 2024
• Genre: Romantic fanstasy
• Rating: PG-13
• Director: Ned Benson
  
• Cast: Lucy Boynton, David Corenswet, Just H. Min

Drive-Away Dolls – April 12, Peacock

Argylle – April 12, Apple TV Plus

An introverted spy novelist is about to finish her fifth book about Agent Aubrey Argylle but finds herself running into some major writer’s block. Shortly after she finds herself on a journey to visit her father but along the way crosses paths with a real life spy. Even worse, he warns her a secret organization is after her, as they believe her stories have inside information about their plans. If you like fast-paced, fun over-the-top films, you’ll love this one.