What to Watch This Weekend

When it comes to streaming video, the content pile is vast, and you’ve got the whole weekend to decide how you want to slice it. There are now too many shows and movies to choose from, spread across too many video-streaming services. We make it easy for you. Each week, we highlight the streaming content we’re excited to watch or think you should binge. Fire up your media-streaming device of choice, and start watching.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Disney+)

The MCU is having an uneven year at best, with some real low points (looking at you, Secret Invasion). But the high point for 2023 is undoubtedly the arrival of volume 3 for the GotG. Placing much of the focus on the backstory for Rocket, the ultra-violent “not a raccoon” is genius (and his history is heartbreaking), but nevertheless all the members of the misfit crew get plenty of time to flex their powers and contribute to what is likely the last outing for them, and definitely the last Marvel appearance for writer/director James Gunn. He’s busy now firing and hiring Supermans.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Peacock)

Did anyone expect the big-screen adventure of Mario and his brother Luigi to become the first box-office hit of 2023? Probably not, but that’s the world we live in now, where adaptions of video games and toy dolls make all the money (sorry, superheroes). It helps that this new film rocks every aspect of the plumbers’ story. In particular, watch for Jack Black’s role as Bowser, King of the Koopas, a villain who just wants someone to love.

Lollapalooza Live Stream (Hulu) 

Now over 30 years old, the Lollapalooza music festival kicked off this year in Chicago on Thursday, Aug. 3. If you can’t attend, you can still see many of the acts—including Billie Eilish—on the live stream available only on Hulu(Opens in a new window) through Aug. 6. Above is Eilish performing at this year’s Lollapalooza Argentina.

Skinamarink (Hulu)

Another future horror classic? Many people think this film—about a house plucked out of time, where two children are trapped inside for the entire movie after their father vanishes—could be.

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures (Disney+)

Younglings are what the Star Wars universe calls kids powerful in the ways of The Force. (You may remember that a certain dark lord of the Sith murdered a whole lot of them(Opens in a new window) in the movies.) Well, forget that happened—this prequel goes back to a time when Master Yoda could safely send out a bunch of Jedis tykes to temples across the Outer Rim of the galaxy for special fun missions. Eventually, some of these lightsaber-wielding tots will become full Jedi Knights…maybe. The first full episode is above. 

Reservation Dogs: Season 3 (Hulu) 

This show about Native American teens will someday be seen as a classic. The third (and final) season arrives with the crew all in California, finally, and realizing it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be.

River Wild (Netflix) 

Decades ago, Meryl Streep did an action film called The River Wild. Now, here’s a film that’s either a sequel, or re-imagining, or maybe both, as a brother, sister, and their friend travel some rapids that are deadly because of a lot more than the water.

Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food (Netflix)

Feeling hungry? Here’s another show that will cure your pangs. Poisoned dives into the regulatory world, to show that those watching over our food and its production are probably not keeping you as safe as you’d think.

(Credit: JustWatch)

If that’s not enough, here’s the week’s line-up of interesting new streaming shows premiering this week, according to JustWatch(Opens in a new window).