Blue Eye Samurai, The Crown, More

Each week, our TV and movie experts will list the ten most important streaming picks for you to add to your queues. We don’t operate strictly on accumulated streaming reviews or clicks (although yes, we’ve scoured streaming site charts), but rather on which selections are actually worth noticing amidst the choppy sea of content. After all, there are a lot of things to do and your time is valuable.

TIE: 10. Your lucky day (Well, the GO USA Entertainment movie on VOD and Amazon Prime)

Euphoria Star Angus Cloud deceased earlier this year, and he left behind a few films including this thriller that might stress you out a lot. This movie is about a $156 million lottery ticket, which leads to an attempted robbery, a hostage situation, and other parties who somehow find out what’s going on and add to chaos. The film’s message about getting rich in America isn’t subtle, and Cloud is, as always, magnetic and electric.

TIE: 10. Black cake (Hulu series)

This series is based on the bestselling novel by Charmaine Wilkerson which features a worldwide murder mystery with a wide cast of characters. Creator Melissa Jo Cerar teamed up with Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo films for this decades-spanning saga that begins in the 1960s, when a wife disappears in Jamaica. Or is she, you know, actually involved in her husband’s murder? The story moves forward in time and a family origin story takes a turn probably linked to the death of a widow, who left demons from the past on a USB stick. You can guess some of the direction this is going, but not all of it, by a long shot.

9. Stupid money (Sony Pictures film streaming on VOD and Amazon Prime)

More financial shenanigans happening here, this time of the online tech bro variety, featured in this film about the GameStop short-squeeze and the Robin Hood debacle of 2021. Paul Dano plays Keith Gill, who invests everything his money in a particular stock, and social media began to follow suit. The billionaires soon start to lose their shit while realizing they’re not the only ones gaming the system now. Many lives are turned upside down and the film stars Pete Davidson, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen and Shailene Woodley.

8. Invincible (Amazon series)

Steven Yeun’s Mark is heading to college, which isn’t Godolkin University. Debbie doesn’t handle this well, which is understandable given what she’s been through with Omni-Man’s bullshit. She tries to pick up the pieces with a support group, but worlds soon collide, and there’s no escaping what Mark’s father did to her and many others. Speaking of the Devil, Omni-Man is clearly alive and well at the end of this episode. Man, Cecil is not going to be happy with Mark, but we already knew that. This series doesn’t have the spice of The boys shows, but between the two universes, Amazon is currently doing better than any other studio when it comes to superheroes.

7. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (Apple TV+ series)

It’s one of three Godzilla projects coming to the screen before the end of the yearand in this Apple TV+ series, Kurt Russell ends up joining forces with the prehistoric monster awakened by radiation. It happens! Kurt is joined by his son, Wyatt, with both Russells portraying army officer Lee Shaw at different stages of life. Seeing legendary actors joined by their offspring to great effect is always a good time, and here you’ll forget the whole baby nepo thing while witnessing secrets revealed with devastation.

6. Five Nights at Freddy’s (Blumhouse film streaming on Peacock)

This movie was scary at the same time box office and streaming success the same weekend. The timing was perfect, considering this film not only suited the spooky time of year, but also flourished as another successful video game adaptation to the screen. Josh Hutcherson didn’t have the quiet evening at work that his character imagined, since this isn’t an ordinary pizzeria. Animatronic horror villains are no less scary than gruesome, murderous dolls like M3GAN and those who wear ski masks and carry chainsaws, ultimately. And now the wait for the green light for a sequel will begin.

5. Lawmen: Bass Reeves (Paramount+ series)

Hell, Taylor Sheridan can’t be stopped. Is the man sleeping? Nobody knows the truth, but he’s in between releases Yellow stone shows with three other spinoffs (including 6666) in preparation, so why not launch the first season of Lawmen series? David Oyelowo plays the legendary black deputy U.S. marshal of the Wild West, long before Kevin Costner led a cowboy soap opera. Bass Reeves is the real deal, and this series follows his frontier hero as he captures thousands of the world’s scariest criminals.

4. A murder at the end of the world (FX series streaming on Hulu)

The configuration will remind you of a Glass onion-a thriller in style but one that moves towards an exploration of technology could strike a chord in our current times. Emma Corrin transforms into a Gen Z amateur sleuth as Darby, who is one of the unlucky attendees at a gathering hosted by a lonely billionaire played by Clive Owen. The series also stars Harris Dickinson from the upcoming The iron clawso get ready to see a lot more of it soon.

3. The killer (Netflix movie)

Michael Fassbender loves an intense concert, and here he’s an assassin whose story is peppered with more than a dozen Smiths songs. However, this killer not only does yoga for a David Fincher movie, but also ends up getting too involved in one of his projects. Could this be a fatal flaw? This simple, nasty film has been making the rounds at festivals and has now quickly landed in your living room to watch at home. Also enjoy all the Fassbender aliases, which include Archibald Bunker. Hmm.

2. The crown (Netflix series)

Unsurprisingly, British critics are not enthusiastic about the four new episodes that follow Princess Diana’s final months as the prestige series finally confronts the royal elephant in the room. Yes, it’s a controversial season, but the show carefully balances impressive grace, even with the Ghost Diana phenomenon. So much could have gone wrong with the retelling and dramatization of the tragic events that shook the world, but Diana’s strength prevails even beyond the end of her life.

1. Blue Eyed Samurai (Netflix series)

This animated series will appeal to fans of Quentin Tarantino, not only for the revenge story but also for several other touches, including the choreographed violence. The story is set in 16th century Edo period Japan, where a young warrior is driven to seek revenge. Mizo is a mixed-race swordmaster, and she hides herself, including her blue eyes – which would make those wary of outsiders notice her – and her gender, while undertaking her mission. You’re in good hands with creators Amber Noizumi and Michael Green (Blade Runner 2049, Logan), and you might even have trouble deciding whether you enjoy the sensual aspects or the fight scenes more. This is a good problem to have while watching TV.