Along with a crime drama from the heaviest of Hollywood heavyweights, we’ve got a musical comedy based on an off-Broadway show, season 3 of a Prime sci-fi comedy, a dramedy about an Iranian-American and her family, and an unheard of seventh season of a Netflix original series.
93%
Killers of the Flower Moon
(2023)
Hitting theaters is the Western crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon. This film was directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, not to mention people like Jesse Plemmons, John Lithgow, and Brendan Fraser in supporting roles. It’s Scorsese’s sixth collaboration with DiCaprio and 10th with De Niro, so if you like his work with either of them, that would be the first reason this one is probably already on your list.
Reason two is that it’s based on the popular 2017 nonfiction book of the same name by David Grann and tells the story of a series of murders in the Osage Nation of Oklahoma in the 1920s after oil was found on tribal land.
And because the film premiered at Cannes back in May, Killers of the Flower Moon is already Certified Fresh at 94% on the Tomatometer and is generating plenty of Oscar buzz to go with it. Good luck against Barbenheimer!
Where to Watch: In theaters
74%
Dicks: The Musical
(2023)
Singing its way into theaters is the comedy film Dicks: The Musical.
This one is based on an off-Broadway musical with a NSFW title — F—ing Identical Twins, if you must know — and comes from director Larry Charles. If his name sounds familiar, it’s because he was a writer on Seinfeld and he directed a bunch of Sasha Baron Cohen mockumentaries like Borat. Pretty solid reason and a half to check this one out.
Another would be the stellar cast with Megan Mullally, Nathan Lane, Megan Thee Stallion, and Bowen Yang, among others, in this story about two business adversaries who realize they’re identical twins and switch places to reunite their divorced parents. In other words, it’s basically The Parent Trap with a very adult twist.
Plus this is the first musical film from the studio A24, which just keeps giving us banger after banger, it seems, and after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, it’s sitting Fresh at 75% on the Tomatometer, with about 70 reviews and counting.
Where to Watch: In theaters
88%
Upload: Season 3
(2023)
Processing and checking the startup disk for season 3 is the sci-fi comedy series Upload. Starring Robbie Amell and Andy Allo, this Prime Video show is set in a technologically advanced future where humans can choose to be uploaded into a virtual afterlife. It’s a very interesting premise and a great reason to give this one try.
Secondly, it was created by none other than Greg Daniels, whose resume includes adapting The Office for the U.S., co-creating Parks and Rec, and writing for SNL and The Simpsons. On top of all that, the first two seasons of Upload are Fresh on the Tomatometer, with critics praising it for “witty writing and a winsome cast that make it an afterlife worth living.”
Where to Watch: Prime Video
85%
The Persian Version
(2023)
Getting a limited theatrical release this week is the indie film The Persian Version. This dramedy follows the ups and downs of a young Iranian-American woman, played by Layla Mohammadi, who clashes with her mother and learns a big family secret while her father recovers from a heart transplant. Intrigued, yes? That’s reason number one to see this.
Another reason is that it was directed by Maryam Keshavarz, known for her 2011 Certified Fresh film Circumstance, which won the Audience Award at Sundance — just like The Persian Version did earlier this year. Gotta love that consistency.
And speaking of which, after travelling the festival circuit the movie is Fresh at 86% on the Tomatometer with about 35 reviews and counting. That’s reason three to head to theaters for this one, and reason 3A is that it’s just good to get out sometimes.
Where to Watch: In theaters
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Big Mouth: Season 7
(2023)
And finally, returning for a seventh season on Netflix is the adult animated sitcom Big Mouth. And if you feel like it’s too late to hop into a show after six seasons, you’re dead wrong, because this one has been renewed for an eighth and final season — making it Netflix’s longest-running original scripted series ever — which gives you plenty of time to get caught up before the end. It’s perfect planning, and you’re welcome.
Another reason to consider Big Mouth is the relatable coming-of-age storyline, which focuses on a group of students at an awkward time — aka puberty — as they form relationships and learn tough lessons along the way.
And thirdly, along with the usual voice cast that includes co-creator Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Maya Rudolph, and Ayo Edbiri, the confirmed list of guest stars for season 7 is too long to list… but it does feature Megan Thee Stallion, Lupita Nyong’o, Zazie Beetz, Rosie Perez, Zach Galifanakis, and many more.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Hopefully our recommendations helped you fill up your entertainment calendar this weekend. Be sure to let us know in the comments what you watched, whether it was on this list or not!
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