7 new movies and TV shows on Netflix, Max, Prime Video and more this weekend (August 18)
We’ve been spoiled for choice when it comes to new movies and TV shows to enjoy over the last few weeks, with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Asteroid City and Heart of Stone all arriving on different streaming platforms within days of each other.
Unfortunately, that hot streak comes to an end this weekend. There are still plenty of new movies and TV shows to pick from, mind, but when the headline act is Harlan Coben’s Shelter on Prime Video, the drop-off in quality is abundantly clear.
In any case, we’ve rounded up the biggest of the lot below, with options for Netflix, Max, Prime Video and more.
Harlan Coben’s Shelter (Prime Video)
Attention, Dads everywhere: the latest Harlan Coben novel adaptation, Harlan Coben’s Shelter, is now streaming on Prime Video.
This eight-episode thriller series – which is actually based on the first of Coben’s young adult novels – follows Mickey, a disgruntled teenager with a dead father, an annoying aunt and a mother in rehab. But when a strange old woman tells Mickey that his father is not, in fact, dead, things take a turn for the mysterious.
Critics have described Harlan Coben’s Shelter as a “twisty thriller [that’s as] charming as The Goonies,” which suggests it goes against the usual Coben mold. The show’s first three episodes are available to stream now, with the remaining five installments arriving weekly every Friday.
Now available to stream on Prime Video.
Depp v. Heard (Netflix)
If (somehow) you managed to miss the hysteria surrounding last year’s defamation case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, Netflix is here to enlighten you.
Depp v. Heard recounts the infamous trial from its beginning to end, paying particular attention to the ways in which social media – and TikTok, in particular – warped the public’s perception of events and the individuals involved.
Now available to stream on Netflix.
The Winter King (MGM Plus)
If you’re keen to get your Game of Thrones fix before House of the Dragon returns… at some point, then The Winter King on MGM Plus could be for you.
This 10-episode series – adapted from Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles book series – retells the legendary story of King Arthur (played here by Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star Iain De Caestecke), whose rise from warrior to royalty in Post-Roman Dark Age Britain was fraught with intrigue and betrayal.
Eddie Marsan, Ellie James, Stuart Campbell and Jordan Alexandra also star in The Winter King, which is coming to ITVX in the UK towards the end of 2023.
Now available to stream on MGM Plus.
Babylon 5: The Road Home (Apple TV Plus, Prime Video)
Technically, Babylon 5: The Road Home isn’t free to stream this weekend – rather it’s available to purchase on video-on-demand (VOD) services like Apple TV Plus and Prime Video – but we thought it was worth mentioning in this week’s roundup nonetheless.
A straight-to-video animated sequel to the cult 1990s sci-fi series, Babylon 5: The Road Home comes from original showrunner J. Michael Straczynski, features much of the original cast, and charts fan-favorite character John Sheridan’s journey through multiple timelines and alternate realities. Basically, it’s Spider-Man: No Way Home for Babylon 5.
Critics have described Babylon 5: The Road Home as “unabashedly sentimental, romantic, and a bit corny at times,” which is all you can ask for from a film like this one.
Now available to stream on VOD services.
Puppy Love (Amazon Freevee)
Okay, folks – this is where the quality starts to dip. Puppy Love (cringe!) is now streaming on Amazon Freevee.
We’ll just take Amazon’s own synopsis for this one: “After a disastrous first date, wild child Nicole (Lucy Hale) and socially anxious Max (Grant Gustin) vow to lose each other’s numbers, until they learn that their dogs found a love match, and now puppies are on the way! The hilariously mismatched Nicole and Max are forced to become responsible co-parents, but may end up finding love themselves.”
Admittedly, if you’re after an easy watch this weekend, Puppy Love may be the perfect tonic – but don’t expect The Godfather-level storytelling here.
Now available to stream on Amazon Freevee.
At Home With the Furys (Netflix)
Another less-than-compelling streaming option this weekend is At Home With the Furys on Netflix.
This nine-episode docuseries follows heavyweight champion of the world Tyson Fury as he attempts to navigate retirement, his mental health and hectic family life alongside wife Paris, brother Tommy and soon-to-be daughter-in-law Molly Mae Hague.
Fury himself allegedly wanted to cancel At Home With the Furys just weeks into filming, which bodes well for its quality (not). Still, longtime Fury fans may still find tidbits to enjoy here.
Now available to stream on Netflix.
Tracy Morgan: Takin’ It Too Far (Max)
Max has been turning out a steady stream of stand-up specials in recent months, and the latest US comedian to enter the streamer’s library is Tracy Morgan.
Taped live in front of an audience at the Wilbur Theater in Boston, Tracy Morgan: Takin’ It Too Far finds the two-time Emmy-nominated actor tackling subjects including his dysfunctional family, dating in his fifties, and his less-than-successful attempts to reverse gentrification in Brooklyn.
Now available to stream on Max.
Didn’t see anything you like? Take a look at our guides to new Netflix movies, new Disney Plus movies, new Prime Video movies and new HBO Max movies.
We’ve been spoiled for choice when it comes to new movies and TV shows to enjoy over the last few weeks, with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Asteroid City and Heart of Stone all arriving on different streaming platforms within days of each other. Unfortunately, that hot streak comes…
