It's time for another round of new movies and TV shows coming to streaming and theaters, and this week's roster is full of gems for all ages. Whether you're amped for the superhero antics of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, craving a slice of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' freshest adventure, or ready to fall in love with Heartstopper, here's everything new to watch in theaters and at home this week.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Credit: MarvelOur favorite rag-tag group of heroes return for a third installment that rockets into an adventure that's well, all about Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper). As Peter (Chris Pratt), Nebula (Karen Gillan), Drax (Dave Bautista), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Rocket, and Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) nestle into their newly settled life in Knowhere, their calm everyday is brutally bulldozed when a stranger, Adam Warlock (Will Poulter), comes crashing in with the intent to kidnap Rocket. To save their beloved friend, the Guardians need to dig into Rocket's tragic past and confront a terrifying enemy who's had his eyes set on him since day one. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 also sees the return of Zoe Saldana as Gamora, as well as performances from Chukwudi Iwuji, Maria Bakalova, and Elizabeth Debicki.
What we thought: "I regret to inform you that the Guardians of the Galaxy as you know them are dead. What remains in Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 are flickering remnants of fun times, but mostly maudlin bullshit." — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor
How to watch: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is now streaming on Disney+.
Heartstopper Season 2
Credit: Teddy Cavendish/NetflixBased on Alice Oseman's adorable web comic and graphic novel of the same name, Heartstoppper is a romantic coming-of-age story that follows two queer high school students, Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick (Kit Connor), as they navigate their newfound romance, sexuality, and everything that comes with being a teenager. If you haven't yet watched Season 1 of Heartstopper, this is your sign to binge it ASAP, because Season 2 promises even more giddy moments and swoon-worthy romance that we all deserve. Nick and Charlie 4eva.
What we thought: "Hearstopper's second season is a triumphant, joyful, and nuanced evolution of the series, further developing its beloved characters, creating a safe, supportive, but realistic space to consider the complexities of coming out and exploring your identity, and importantly, reminding viewers that you don't have to have everything figured out for your feelings to be valid." — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor
How to watch: Season 2 of Heartstopper is now streaming on Netflix.
Passages
Credit: MUBIFollowing its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, Ira Sachs's Passages is now hitting select theaters and is a must-watch for any avid movie fan. Set in Paris, the drama follows Tomas (Franz Rogowski) and Martin (Ben Whishaw), a gay couple whose marriage goes awry when Tomas begins an affair with a younger woman, Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos). Grounded by incredible performances from its cast, Passages untangles the complexities of sexuality and love in a stunning portrait of queerness and adulthood.
What we thought: "Major event releases like Barbie and Oppenheimer may have brought audiences back to cinemas, but it's films like Passages that will no doubt keep them there during the oncoming, strike-centric studio drought." — Siddhant Adlakha, Freelance Contributor
How to watch: Passages is now playing in select theaters.
Shortcomings
Credit: Sony Pictures ClassicsBased on Adrian Tomine's graphic novel of the same name, Randall Park's feature-length directorial debut, Shortcomings, is a heartfelt slice-of-life comedy that follows three friends, Ben (Justin H. Min), Miko (Ally Maki), and Alice (Joy Ride's Sherry Cola), as they venture off on a journey of self-discovery. The film untangles the trio's navigation of relationships, Asian American identity, and adulthood with stellar performances from the entire cast. which also includes Debby Ryan and Spiderman's Jacob Batalon.
What we thought: "Shortcomings takes several scenes to solidify its rhythm and tone, but once it does, you're in for a slice-of-life comedy that prefers understated, wince-worthy jokes to out-there laugh riots." — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Shortcomings is now playing in theaters.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Credit: Paramount PicturesDonatello (voiced by Micah Abbey), Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu), Michelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.), and Raphael (Brady Noon) are back for another hilarious and action-packed adventure that audiences of all ages will absolutely adore. In Mutant Mayhem, the four reptilian brothers are forced to confront a hostile New York that isn't accepting of them and take on an entire army of mutants on their own — a pretty casual day for pizza-loving ninja turtles. But with the help of their new friend April (voiced by Ayo Edebiri), there isn't anything the fantastic foursome can't do. Mutant Mayhem co-stars Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, John Cena, Rose Byrne, Paul Rudd, Maya Rudolph, Post Malone, and Ice Cube as voice actors.
What we thought: "A jubilant celebration of the comic book characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, this latest reboot reimagines the titular turtles in an animated coming-of-age action-comedy that pays tribute to their heyday while carving out fresh fun by looping in a wide array of wild characters. That means if you've got a kiddo who's into [Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles], they'll eat this up like the boys do pizza." — K.P.
How to watch: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is now playing in theaters.
Meg 2: The Trench
Credit: Warner Bros.Although Meg 2: The Trench may be a sequel, it follows a familiar premise: Jason Statham vs. giant shark. In The Meg-averse, Statham plays a rescue diver whose greatest opponent is a 75-foot-long prehistoric shark, long thought to be extinct, that's hellbent on chomping its way through the ocean, and at this point, the world at large. Meg 2 sees Statham returning to defeat another giant megalodon with even more action-packed twists under its gills.
What we thought: "This creature feature gets off to a superb start, 65 million years ago. On a beach, we watch the food chain play out, with one little lizard preyed upon by a pack of larger lizards with razor-sharp teeth. Next, out stomps the poster-predator of Jurassic Park, a T-Rex, roaring, rampaging, and glorious. And then, as teased in the trailer, comes the megalodon, with jaws so big it makes that massive dinosaur into a snack.This is why we go to movies like The Meg." — K.P.
How to watch: Meg 2: The Trench is now playing in theaters.
Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child
Credit: NetflixThe YouTuber-to-"pro-boxer" pipeline is by far one of the strangest, yet weirdly intriguing, phenomenon to take over the internet, and now we all get to watch a documentary about it. Netflix's Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child follows famed former YouTuber Jake Paul as he explains his journey from online sensation to self-proclaimed professional boxer, including his various online controversies. Jake Paul has also faced multiple sexual assault allegations.
What we thought: "Through interviews with coaches, challengers, supporters, and Paul's own family, the doc paints a flattering portrait of Paul as a scrappy newcomer reviving the sport while challenging its old guard. Those interviews also reveal new information about Paul's struggle to mediate his father's mental and physical abuse and, instead of confronting them, dangerously frames Paul's boxing obsession as a healthy way to channel his repressed trauma into a kind of productive — and lucrative — violence." — Elizabeth de Luna, Culture Reporter
How to watch: Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child is now streaming on Netflix.
