7 new movies and TV shows on Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max and more this weekend (May 19)
We’ll level with you: this weekend’s crop of streaming launches is not the strongest we’ve ever seen. Basketball drama White Men Can’t Jump leads the charge, but only Apple’s new comedy series, High Desert, seems to have gotten critics excited on the TV front.
In fact, the majority of this week’s streaming picks are documentaries, with Angel City, The Secrets of Hillsong and Working: What We Do All Day all arriving on HBO Max, Hulu and Netflix, respectively.
Still, that’s not to say there’s nothing else worth watching this weekend, and in this article, we’ve rounded up seven new movies and TV shows to stream over the next few days.
White Men Can’t Jump (Hulu, Disney Plus)
We’re not sure anybody asked for it, but 20th Century Studios has seen fit to remake 1992 basketball comedy White Men Can’t Jump anyway.
Now available on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK, this straight-to-streaming movie stars Sinqua Walls and rapper Jack Harlow as a pair of former basketball stars who join forces to hustle their way through various Los Angeles street tournaments. Teyana Taylor, Laura Harrier and the late Lance Reddick count among the film’s supporting cast.
Alas, White Men Can’t Jump has been largely panned by critics, but fans of the Woody Harrelson-starring original will surely find some nostalgic enjoyment here.
Now available to stream on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK.
High Desert (Apple TV Plus)
Apple TV Plus has found a new outlet for Severance star Patricia Arquette (despite the delay to Severance season 2) this weekend with High Desert.
This eight-episode comedy series – from Nurse Jackie writers Nancy Fichman and Jennifer Hoppe – follows Peggy (Arquette), a recovering drug addict who decides to turn her hand to private investigating (because why not?). Rupert Friend, Bernadette Peters, Matt Dillon and Brad Garrett also star in High Desert, which counts Severance director Ben Stiller among its producers.
Reviews for Apple’s latest series have been largely positive, with particular praise bestowed upon Arquette’s turn as Peggy, so this could be one of this year’s best Apple TV Plus series.
Now available to stream on Apple TV Plus.
XO, Kitty (Netflix)
Netflix audiences have continued to lap up the streamer’s To All the Boys franchise across three increasingly schmaltzy movies, so it was only a matter of time before a series spin-off arrived.
Called XO, Kitty, this Seoul-set romcom stars Anna Cathcart as the titular Kitty, a teenage matchmaker who moves halfway across the world to reconnect with her long-distance boyfriend. She quickly finds, however, that dealing with her own feelings isn’t quite so simple as dealing with others’.
If you’ve seen any of the To All the Boys films, you’ll know what to expect from this 10-episode series: charm, cheese and a million jokes a minute.
Now available to stream on Netflix.
Angel City (HBO Max)
The first of this week’s (four) documentary picks is Angel City on HBO Max (which will soon transform into just ‘Max’ on May 23).
Similar in style to Hulu/Disney Plus’ Welcome to Wrexham, this three-part series takes a microscope to Los Angeles’ professional women’s soccer team, Angel City, which was founded in 2020 by actor Natalie Portman, venture capitalist Kara Nortman and gaming entrepreneur Julie Uhrman. But just how difficult is it to build a successful sports franchise from scratch? Very, judging by the series’ trailer.
All three episodes of Angel City are now available to stream on HBO Max, and while no UK release date has been announced for the series just yet, we expect it to premiere on Sky and NOW in the coming months.
Now available to stream on HBO Max in the US.
Working: What We Do All Day (Netflix)
If you’re in the mood for a reality check with some added gravitas this weekend, try docuseries Working: What We Do All Day on Netflix.
This four-episode show follows former US president Barack Obama as he travels America to explore the meaning of work in a time of rapid change. Along the way, he speaks to all manner of US citizens – from hotel staff and store supervisors to political lobbyists and CEOs. All three episodes of Working: What We Do All Day are available to stream now.
Now available to stream on Netflix.
The Secrets of Hillsong (Hulu)
The third of this week’s documentary recommendations is The Secrets of Hillsong on Hulu.
Based on Alex French and Dan Adler’s explosive Vanity Fair reporting on the titular megachurch’s various scandals, this four-part docuseries shines a light on celebrity pastor Carl Lentz – who features extensively throughout – and Hillsong’s alleged attempts to cover up acts of violence and abuse over multiple decades.
The first two episodes of The Secrets of Hillsong are available to stream now on Hulu in the US, with the remaining two dropping on May 26. UK viewers will likely find this one streaming on Disney Plus in the coming months.
Now available to stream on Hulu in the US.
Love to Love You, Donna Summer (HBO Max)
Music fans, this one’s for you: Love to Love You, Donna Summer is now streaming on HBO Max.
Co-produced by the titular singer’s daughter, Brooklyn Sudano, and Oscar-winning documentarian Roger Ross Williams, this feature-length documentary examines the life and legacy of legendary disco-era chart-topper Donna Summer. Could It Be Magic? You’ll have to watch to find out.
Now available to stream on HBO Max.
Check out our guides for more new Netflix movies, new Disney Plus movies, new Prime Video movies and new HBO Max movies.
We’ll level with you: this weekend’s crop of streaming launches is not the strongest we’ve ever seen. Basketball drama White Men Can’t Jump leads the charge, but only Apple’s new comedy series, High Desert, seems to have gotten critics excited on the TV front. In fact, the majority of this…
