New Movies Streaming This Weekend: Anora, Wicked, Sing Sing
For new streaming releases, this weekend is jam-packed. Wicked, the critically acclaimed Sing Sing, and Best Picture winner Anora are all accessible on services you probably already pay for.
You can currently stream the following new films
1. Anora:
Genre: Romantic drama
Run time: 2h 19m
Director: Sean Baker
Cast: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov
Where to watch: Available to stream on Hulu
Anora not only won Best Picture, but it also gave 25-year-old breakout star Mikey Madison an Oscar for Best Actress, surprising Demi Moore with her performance in The Substance. Consider the film to be a more contemporary and straightforward version of Pretty Woman or even a traditional fairy tale, such as Cinderella. A young Brooklyn sex worker named Anora meets and impulsively marries the son of a Russian tycoon, but their brief romance ends when his parents travel to New York to have the marriage dissolved.
The film alternates between a variety of moods, becoming a screwball comedy in the middle, and its best moments occur when a group of thugs attempt to subdue Anora, an uncontrollable force. It is a film that is equal parts heartbreaking, endearing, and hilarious, and its hard-R rating gives it the air of an avant-garde Best Picture selection, demonstrating that the Academy can adapt to the times.
2. Wicked:
Genre: Fantasy musical
Run time: 2h 40m
Director: Jon M. Chu
Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande-Butera, Jeff Goldblum
Where to watch: Available to stream on Peacock
Based on the classic Broadway musical (which was based on a book), the movie was a box office success and an awards season favorite, propelling its actresses, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, to unprecedented levels of stardom.
Green-skinned Elphaba, who has been shunned and misinterpreted, is made to live in the same chamber as the well-liked aristocrat Galinda. Their unexpected friendship is put to the test as they start to perform their respective roles as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. “It’s the perfect movie for anybody who’s ever finished watching The Wizard of Oz and thought, ‘Sure, but where did all the minor characters go to college?’” Conan O’Brien joked at the Oscars.
3. Sing Sing:
Genre: Drama
Run time: 1h 47m
Director: Greg Kwedar
Cast: Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin, Sean San José
Where to watch: Available to stream on Max
Sing Sing was nominated for three Oscars. The movie is based on the actual Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison located about 30 miles north of New York City, which has been in place since 1996.
Colman Domingo portrays John “Divine G” Whitfield in the movie, a real-life actor and playwright who spent several years in the RTA program after being unfairly imprisoned. Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, who plays a version of himself, is one of the many performers who play his fellow RTA members and are also alumni. In addition to being a profoundly emotional movie with many innovative and captivating performances, it also serves as a significant reminder of the profound influence that the arts can have on people.
