Whether you're looking forward to a three-day President's Day weekend or not, the question of what to watch still remains. With so many great movie options coming to Max, Prime Video and more of the best streaming services, narrowing down which ones are worth your time proves to be quite the challenge.
At Tom's Guide, we're here to help you shake off that decision paralysis with our round-up of the best movies to kick off your weekend. Leading the pack is "Oppenheimer," Christopher Nolan's epic biopic about the father of the atomic bomb. Meanwhile, Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg's movie musical adaptation of "The Color Purple" finally lands on Max, while Prime Video gets the chaotic and critically acclaimed teen comedy "Bottoms."
So without further ado, here are our top picks for what to watch on streaming this weekend. And be sure to check out the best Prime miniseries to watch this weekend and see the 5 best shows like 'La Brea' to watch now that it's ended.
‘Oppenheimer’ (Peacock)
Christopher Nolan's colossal "Oppenheimer," a sprawling biographical thriller about the man behind the creation of the first nuclear weapons, has finally landed on Peacock. So if you missed out on the theatrical Barbenheimer sensation last summer, you can now watch the doubleheader from home.
Cillian Murphy stars as J. Robert Oppenheimer, an American theoretical physicist widely considered to be the father of the atomic bomb. The story follows the young Oppenheimer from his college days studying quantum physics to spearheading America's development of an atomic bomb during World War II.
After Matt Damon's character recruits him to the war effort, Oppenheimer sets up the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, New Mexico. But once the fighting ends and the smoke clears, Oppenheimer is haunted by his part in all the bloodshed.
Watch it now on Peacock
‘The Color Purple’ (Max)
The latest evolution of Alice Walker's seminal novel is a new musical movie adaptation led by Hollywood powerhouses Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg as well as the producer behind its Tony-winning stage musical, Scott Sanders.
They're joined by a star-studded cast including Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks and Halle Bailey. The story remains the same one audiences know and love already. Set in the 20th-century South, it follows Celie (Barrino) on a journey of self-discovery throughout her life as she overcomes hardships, faces abuse from men, and finds her voice. A friendship with the vivacious jazz singer Shug Avery (Henson) draws Celie out of her meek shell and it changes the trajectory of her life forever.
Watch it now on Max
'Bottoms' (Prime Video)
If you're looking to see more of Ayo Edebiri after her Golden Globe and Emmy wins for "The Bear," look no further. Emma Seligman‘s R-rated queer teen comedy “Bottoms” finally made its way to streaming this week on Prime Video.
Edebiri and Rachel Sennott (“Bodies, Bodies, Bodies”) star as a pair of unpopular teenage best friends who come up with a fool-proof plan to convince the hottest cheerleaders in school to sleep with them: girls' fight club. Well, technically it's a self-defense club billed as empowering women, but you get the gist. The group gains traction, and soon the most popular girls in school are beating each other up in the name of self-defense. An unhinged and irreverent satire, critics have likened it to this generation's "Superbad."
Watch it now on Prime Video
'Judas and the Black Messiah' (Hulu)
"Judas and the Black Messiah" racked up five Academy Award nominations in 2021, including Best Picture and two Best Supporting Actor nominations, with Daniel Kaluuya ("Get Out," "Nope") taking home an Oscar for his portrayal of civil rights leader Fred Hampton.
The film, featuring Kaluuya as Hampton and LaKeith Stanfield as Bill O'Neal (also a nominee), recounts the true story of the FBI's infiltration of the Black Panther Party of Illinois, culminating in Hampton's assassination during a raid that claimed the life of another party member and left several others injured after the FBI fired 100 rounds inside Hampton's apartment. Even if you know how the story ends, it doesn't make the betrayal and brutal response from authorities sting any less.
Watch it now on Hulu
'The Cabin in the Woods' (Hulu)
"The Cabin in the Woods" by Joss Whedon is quite possibly one of the most chaotic and unexpected horror films out there — and that’s why I love it so much. It's a satirical take on the slasher genre with a healthy dose of "Black Mirror" that culminates in one of the most memorable twists of all time.
Starring a young Chris Hemsworth along with Kristen Connolly, Anna Hutchinson, Jesse Williams, and Fran Kranz, it follows a gaggle of college kids who set out on what they think will be a fun weekend getaway in the woods. They have no way of knowing something more sinister is afoot until people start getting killed. Without spoiling anything, let's just say they soon discover that there is more to the cabin than it seems.
Watch it now on Hulu
