Not a lot of new streaming releases this week, but we get the VOD debut of recent Oscar winner Hamnet, Charlize Theron action thriller Apex, and comedy/horror series Widow’s Bay.
SERIES
Straight to Hell S1
27 April 2026 – Netflix
If you’re not reading this from Japan right now, chances are that you’ve probably never heard of Kazuko Hosoki. A fortune teller who gained national celebrity status, she changed the course of thousands of lives with her Six-Star Divination practice and its blunt, forthright predictions. She was a regular in influential circles, penned over 100 books, and she even became a regular judge on the original Iron Chef, where she was known for her outspoken opinions,. But who was this massively popular, influential, and sometimes controversial public figure, and how did she attain this status with fortune telling? Spanning 60 years, Straight to Hell is a new Japanese-language series that tells the life story of Kazuko Hosoki, depicting how she went from post-WWII poverty to eventually owning a string of nightclubs and becoming the “Queen of Ginza,” all while being continuously dogged by accusations of ties to the criminal underworld. And it will depict how her conservative faith, in which she believed that ancestor worship was key to Japanese society, shaped her life and the lives of so many around her… sometimes not for the better.
Widow’s Bay S1
29 April 2026 – Apple TV+
The promo campaign for Widow’s Bay has been pretty enigmatic, and even the official synopsis doesn’t give us a lot to go on: “A skeptical mayor of a New England town refuses to bow to the superstitions of the residents who claim that the place is cursed.” The trailer above, introducing Emmy winner Matthew Rhys as Mayor Tom Loftis doesn’t tell us much more except establishing a very creepy vibe. What is drawing all the attention to this upcoming ten-part comedy-horror series though is that it was created/written by Katie Dippold and is being directed entirely by Hiro Murai. A frequent collaborator with Paul Feig, Dippold is famously the writer of his two films The Heat and Ghostbusters. Meanwhile, Murai is a Japanese born filmmaker who shot to fame as a music video director, most notably winning a Grammy for Childish Gambino’s iconic “This is America”. On top of that, he also picked up an Emmy Award and more for his work directing/producing The Bear, Station Eleven, Barry, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and others. The combo of talent involved here could be very interesting.
MOVIES
Apex
24 April 2026 – Netflix
Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur is one of those directors who nobody will ever consider A-list, but he consistently delivers on crowd pleasing thrills. With his work on Contraband, 2 Guns, Everest, Beast, and more, I’ve become a fan of his work. It’s never perfect and there’s always room for improvement, but you’re never bored and the man knows how to ratchet up tension like few others out there. And that is pretty much what I’m expecting from Apex, his new action thriller that stars Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton. Theron stars as Sasha, a rock climber who still reeling from a recent loss. Looking to work out some of her grief, she sets out on a solo trip into the Australian wilderness. While she is prepared for all sorts of natural dangers, she didn’t reckon on a chance encounter with a young man named Ben (Egerton) turning in a deadly game of cat and mouse, as it turns out that Ben is a ruthless psychopath who wants to hunt her like prey.
RENTALS/PURCHASES
The following movies have recently become available for digital purchase/rental:
Hamnet
Purchase: Apple TV – R150
Rental: Apple TV – R40
Just last week saw the VOD debut of The Bride! starring Jessie Buckley, but if I had to choose one of the actress’ recent movies to actually rent/buy, it would instead be Hamnet. A stunning historical drama directed by Chloe Zhao, it is based on Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel of the same name that dramatizes the family life of a young William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes Hathaway, and how the personal tragedies they experience became the inspiration for some of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays. The film earned numerous critical accolades, including Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama at the Golden Globes, while earning eight nominations at the Oscars winning one. And that one – Best Actress for Buckley – could not be more deserved, as she is absolutely transcendental in this film, with her performance being one of the most moving showings I’ve ever seen. Prepare to feel all the emotions watching this!
Honey Don’t!
Purchase: Apple TV – R150
Rental: Apple TV – R40
In 2024, Ethan Coen (one half of the famed Coen Bros.) and his wife/co-writer Tricia Cooke kicked off what has since become known as their “lesbian B-movie trilogy” with Drive-Away Dolls. And now the pair is back for the second installment (not a direct sequel, just spiritual successor) with Honey Don’t! Once again starring Drive-Away Dolls’ Margaret Qualley, this neo-noir black comedy follows Private investigator Honey O’Donahue (Qualley) as she delves into a string of strange deaths connected to a secretive cult-like church in Bakersfield. As she unearths more and more aspects of this bizarre mystery, she runs into a string of eccentric characters and absurd discoveries. Aubrey Plaza, Chris Evans, and Charlie Day co-star.