Poor Things, Aquaman 2, Netflix’s Spaceman and every new movie to watch

February is coming to an end and with it more and more award contenders are flocking to streaming services as the Oscars are just around the corner.

Poor things, Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest strange dark comedy, is available to rent or purchase digitally now (with a Hulu release on March 7). Ridley Scott’s epic Napoleon arrives on Apple TV Plus on Saturday (but only in the theatrical version – apologies to my fellow nerds who were hoping for the four-and-a-half-hour director’s cut).

But not all of them are award contenders. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom splashes on Max and Netflix has two exciting new sci-fi releases in the Adam Sandler drama Spaceman And Code 8 Part IIthe sequel to the 2019 cult film. And two more to keep an eye on in the VOD department: Dark Comedy Lisa Frankenstein and Hirokazu Kore-eda’s masterful mystery Monster are also making their debut this week. I highly recommend the latter (I haven’t seen the former, but I’ve heard good things).

Here’s everything new to see this weekend!

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New on Netflix

Spaceman

Where to see: Available to stream Netflix

Image: Netflix

Genre: Science fiction
Duration: 1h 47m
Director: Johan Renck
Pour: Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, Paul Dano

You’ve seen Dramatic Adam Sandler, but what about Dramatic Adam Sandler…in space?

Adapted from Jaroslav Kalfař’s novel, the film follows an astronaut on a lonely mission who forms an unusual relationship with an alien spider (voiced by Paul Dano).

We spoke to the Sandman about his work in the film, including the new skills he’s acquired in his most serious role yet.

Code 8 Part II

Where to see: Available to stream Netflix

Image: Netflix

Genre: Science fiction
Duration: 1h 40m
Director: Jeff Chan
Pour: Robbie Amell, Stephen Amell, Sirena Gulamgaus

The first Code 8 was a surprise hit when it debuted on Netflix in 2020. So don’t be shocked if the sequel becomes one of the most popular movies on Netflix this week. In this film starring real-life cousins ​​Robbie and Stephen Amell, they help a teenage girl in hopes of avenging her dead brother who was killed by police officers.

New at Max

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Where to see: Available to stream Max

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Comics

Genre: superhero
Duration: 2h 4m
Director: James Wan
Pour: Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Put on your swimming gear and strap on your flippers because we are returning to Atlantis. The film was remade several times and generally received significantly worse reviews than the surprisingly good first film. It is the last DCEU film before James Gunn’s reboot of the DC Universe.

From our review:

The sequel to Aquaman is a total disappointment for those of us who enjoyed it Aquaman. Wan has proven himself in every way, but he feels a bit stuck trying to create another adventure in this universe. This could be the dilemma of an ongoing Aquaman series should DC ever try again: if your sequel is stuck in the sea, the only way out is descent.

New on Apple TV Plus

Napoleon

Where to see: Available to stream Apple TV Plus

Image: Apple TV Plus

Genre: Historical epic
Duration: 2h 37m
Director: Ridley Scott
Pour: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim

Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix team up with another historical epic, this time telling the story of Napoleon Bonaparte. Scott’s original vision of the film was over four hours long, so the theatrical cut now streaming is significantly shortened at around two and a half hours. The film was nominated for three Oscars: Best Production Design, Best Costume Design and Best Visual Effects.

From our review:

But Napoleon doesn’t spend much time explaining the power of its subject. Despite the broad scope of 32 years, Scott and Scarpa keep the film’s focus narrow, its power dispassionate. The film treats Bonaparte’s place in history as established, giving Phoenix space to paint a portrait of the man in conversation with peers, rivals and his wife, among visually striking and carefully depicted battles. These battles are magnificent: few filmmakers have the resources to operate on this scale, and even fewer are so successful at depicting the violence of men in war so beautifully. But in NapoleonThe fight sequences are also romantic overtures, a violent manifestation of the tortured letters that Bonaparte writes to Joséphine.

New to AMC Plus

The disappearance of Shere Hite

Where to see: Available to stream Apple TV Plus

Photo: Iris Brosch/IFC Films

Genre: documentary
Duration: 1h 58m
Director: Nicole Newnham

This documentary tells the story of and is narrated by famed sex educator and feminist Shere Hite Madam Web Star Dakota Johnson (her web really connects them all). The film was nominated for documentary awards at numerous festivals in 2023, including Sundance.

To rent/buy new

Poor things

Where to see: Available for rent Amazon, Appleand Vudu

Photo: Atsushi Nishijima/Searchlight Pictures

Genre: Dark comedy
Duration: 2h 22m
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Pour: Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo

In this twist on the Frankenstein formula, adapted by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos from Alasdair Gray’s novel, Emma Stone plays a young woman brought back to life through a brain transplant. So far it has been an awards winner, winning five BAFTAs and two Golden Globes and being nominated for eleven Oscars, including Best Picture.

Monster

Where to see: Available for rent Amazon, Appleand Vudu

Image: Well Go USA

Genre: Secret
Duration: 2h 5m
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Pour: Sakura Andō, Eita Nagayama, Sōya Kurokawa

I can’t praise Hirokazu Kore-eda’s work better (Shoplifters) Monster. It’s a gripping thriller about a mother trying to figure out what’s going on with her son, who has been acting up lately and getting into conflict with his teacher at school. Kore-eda is an incredibly conscious filmmaker who has carefully considered every detail and uses the film’s intricate narrative to unravel one of the biggest mysteries in years. It is an absolute gem.

Lisa Frankenstein

Where to see: Available for rent Amazon, Appleand Vudu

Photo: Michele K. Short/Focus Features

Genre: horror comedy
Duration: 1h 41m
Director: Zelda Williams
Pour: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Carla Gugino

Love stories about reanimated corpses are all the rage this week. This time it’s a teenage gothic girl (Kathryn Newton) who falls in love with a 19th century man (Cole Sprouse) who comes back to life after being struck by lightning. The film is directed by Zelda Williams, Robin’s daughter, and the screenplay is written by Diablo Cody, who said the film is set in the same universe as her previous teen horror classic Jennifer’s body.

From our review:

Although this film is sometimes put together haphazardly, like a dismembered hand added to a corpse, Lisa Frankenstein is brought back to life through magnetic imagery, captivating chemistry and deliciously escalating motifs.