What everyone’s watching: The most streamed movies this week (whether they’re good or not)
So, what’s everyone been watching this week?
Each week, the most popular streamed movies come down to a few things — sheer buzz, smart marketing and PR campaigns, star power, critical acclaim, or a slow burn, word-of-mouth phenomenon that leads uninterested people to finally watch it out of spite. Just to get a sense of what everyone’s streaming, we’ve used data from streaming aggregator Reelgood, which gathers those coveted viewership numbers from hundreds of streaming services in the U.S. and UK.
HBO’s highest ever watched film streaming just on the platform is in this week’s list, as well as Chris Hemsworth’s new thriller and of course, you’re all still watching Top Gun.
But just because a lot of people are watching something doesn’t make it…good. Here they are, the 10 most streamed films of the week, where to watch them, and what Mashable critics thought.
1. Spiderhead
Based on George Saunders’ short story “Escape from Spiderhead,” Spiderhead centres around a facility testing mood-changing drugs on prisoners and challenging the idea of free will. The whole thing is run by Chris Hemsworth as scientisti Steve Abnesti, but when two subjects connect, Jeff (Miles Teller) and Lizzy (Jurnee Smollett), things unravel.
What we thought: Simply put, Spiderhead is a totally OK movie to sort of watch. And if that’s all Netflix is aiming for now, they’ve gotten their gold star for mediocrity. — Kristy Puchko, Deputy Entertainment Editor
How to watch: Spiderhead is now streaming on Netflix.
2. Top Gun
If you feel the need for speed enough to go and see the new Top Gun: Maverick, you’re probably revisiting the original at home. Stacked with a Kenny Loggins-fuelled soundtrack and That Volleyball Scene, Tony Scott’s 1986 elite fighter pilot action classic is taking streamers back to the danger zone.
What we thought (of Top Gun: Maverick not the OG): How do you bring an action hero from the ’80s into the 2020s without him feeling like a fossil? Incredibly, the team behind Top Gun: Maverick has managed it. — K.P.
How to watch: Top Gun (the original) is now streaming on Prime Video and Paramount+.
3. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
Directed by Sophie Hyde and written by Katy Brand, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande sees Nancy Stokes (Emma Thompson), retired from teaching, embarking on a new personal adventure when she hires sex worker Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack).
How to watch: Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is now streaming on Hulu.
4. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
With the latest chapter of the Jurassic World trilogy in cinemas, folks are returning to the second, streaming Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom this week. This is the one where the U.S. Senate is debating whether or not to save the dinosaurs from a catastrophic volcanic eruption on Isla Nublar, where Jurassic World closed in the first one after the shit hit the fan. It’s gonna be one hell of a logistics exercise.
What we thought: Moment-to-moment, Jurassic World can be pleasantly odd. Chris Pratt gets to show off his physical comedy chops all too briefly, in a scene that seems inspired by Leonardo DiCaprio’s Wolf of Wall Street crawl. And whatever else you think of the much-ballyhooed Indoraptor, there’s no denying she’s got a flair for drama. I swear she winked in one of her scenes. — Angie Han, former Deputy Entertainment Editor
How to watch: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is now streaming on fuboTV.
5. Hustle
Adam Sandler’s new Netflix movie, Hustle, has gone straight to the top of the queue for a lot of you. Sandler plays Stanley Sugerman, an NBA scout who travels to Spain and discovers Bo Cruz, played by Juancho Hernangómez, a talented player who has some baggage in his past. I’s going to be more complicated than Stanley thought to bring Bo into his NBA team.
How to watch: Hustle is now streaming on Netflix.
6. The Northman
Robert Eggers’ Viking epic has hit streaming, with plenty of folks sitting down to embark upon the bloody Nordic tale of Prince Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) on his fate-determined quest to avenge the murder of his father, King Aurvandil War-Raven (Ethan Hawke) by his uncle Fjölnir (Claes Bang), and be reunited with his mother, Queen Gudrún (Nicole Kidman).
What we thought: With The Northman, Eggers explores the myths of Vikings in a historical epic that is star-stuffed, action-packed, and yet far from the crowd-pleasing likes of Gladiator. — K.P.
How to watch: The Northman is now streaming on Peacock.
7. No Time to Die
The most recent James Bond film and the last to star Daniel Craig as 007, No Time to Die introduces a host of new characters, including Rami Malek as villain Lyutsifer Safin, Lashana Lynch as British 00 agent Nomi, Ana de Armas as Cuban CIA agent Paloma, alongside Dali Benssalah, Billy Magnussen, and David Dencik as Primo, Logan Ash, and Valdo Obruchev respectively.
What we thought: No Time To Die is, first and foremost, a triumphant last lap for Daniel Craig that closes an especially wonderful stretch of Ian Fleming’s long-lasting legacy. It’s not perfect, but it bravely explores its source material in a way that will make you fall in love all over again. The only question: Does Bond deserve it? — Alison Foreman, former Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: No Time to Die is now streaming on Prime Video.
8. Jerry and Marge Go Large
The true story of the Selbees, Jerry and Marge (Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening), who find a loophole in the lottery using maths and use the money to help their town in Michigan.
How to watch: Jerry and Marge Go Large is now streaming on Paramount+.
9. Father of the Bride
Warner Bros. and HBO have rebooted rom-com and family comedy Father of the Bride as centred around a Latino family, and it’s already had the largest audience of any HBO Max movie that’s streamed only on the platform. Directed by Gaz Alazraki and written by Matt Lopez, it’s based on Edward Streeter’s 1949 novel, really, which has now had three film adaptations including this one starring Andy García as Cuban American architect Billy Herrera, who is moving toward divorce with his wife, Ingrid (Gloria Estefan) when their daughter Sofía (Adria Arjona) announces she’s engaged to her boyfriend Adán Castillo (Diego Boneta).
How to watch: Father of the Bride is now streaming on HBO.
10. Cha Cha Real Smooth
Cooper Raiff writes, directs and stars in Apple TV+’s Cha Cha Real Smooth, following Andrew, a man who moves back home to New Jersey after college. He’s figuring out his future when he starts working teaching dancing at a bar and running bat mitzvahs for his younger brother’s school friends. Then he meets Domino (Dakota Johnson) and her daughter, Lola (Vanessa Burghardt).
How to watch: Cha Cha Real Smooth is now streaming on Apple TV+.