I’ve heard it said that film recs come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must watch … I don’t know if I believe that’s true, but I know you’re here today because you have no clueeeee. Okay, here’s some weekend-watch suggestions so you can put down that remote for good (or, you know, for now).
A Man on the Inside season two
Netflix is making sure you’ve got stuff to watch with your parents this Thanksgiving, and they’re going to be particularly tickled to see Ted Danson’s private-investigator character fall in love with his real-life wife, Mary Steenburgen. — Kathryn VanArendonk
The One-Sentence Review
Train Dreams
“Please, for the love of God, don’t watch this magnificent movie on your phone.”
Rental Family
Brendan Fraser stars as an American expat working as an actor in Japan who gets a gig with a rental-family service, meaning he stars in real people’s lives. Would you believe that playing pretend leads to some real feelings in this sweet crowd-pleaser? —James Grebey
Sisu: Road to Revenge
In the first Sisu, a rugged old Finnish man revealed he was actually a legendary commando as he brutally obliterated a bunch of Nazis in a Waffen-SS platoon. In the sequel, he’s tearing apart the Soviet Red Army officer who killed his family. What more could you possibly want from the cinema? —J.G.
What’s Up, Docs?
Selena y Los Dinos: A Family’s Legacy
Selena Quintanilla’s legacy is a lasting one bolstered by her sheer talent and charisma and, unfortunately, tragedy. Her story has been told many times, most notably in the Jennifer Lopez–led biopic, but filmmaker Isabel Castro’s documentary gains insight into Selena’s life from old family footage. It’s a really lovely watch for any Selena fans.
The American Revolution
Ken Burns’s new six-part, 12-hour doc, co-directed with Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, takes his lifelong project of probing America’s soul straight to its roots, arriving at a fraught moment for both the country and PBS itself amid the defunding of public media. It will feature narration from Tom Hanks, Claire Danes, Matthew Rhys, and Josh Brolin, among others. — Nicholas Quah
Season’s Streamings
The Great British Baking Show: Holidays
The annual wintertime special is the lowest-stakes this show can get, since Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith are on their best judging behavior and the contestants are just there to have a fun yuletide. Even still, the challenges are probably more difficult than anything you’ll bake this year. —Roxana Hadadi
Finally Streaming
The Roses
Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman star in this remake of the 1989 divorce-comedy classic The War of the Roses as a couple whose seemingly perfect marriage comes completely undone. Darkly satirical shenanigans ensue as these two crazy kids fail to work it out. —J.G.
Conjuring: Last Rites
Bolstered by the undeniable chemistry between Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, the Conjuring films are one of the more successful horror franchises. Last Rites loosely tackles the story of the Smurls, a family haunted by a vengeful demon. It was also marketed as the last film with Farmiga and Wilson as the Warrens, which is such a bummer, especially since there’s no sign of The Conjuring universe slowing down.
