With so many shows and movies to choose from on Australia's major streaming services, it can often be difficult to find the best new stuff to entertain yourself with each end of week.
In an effort to make things easier, we've hand-picked the best new shows and movies to watch on Aussie streaming platforms this weekend, covering the likes of Netflix, Disney Plus, Binge, Foxtel Now, Stan, Apple TV Plus and Amazon Prime Video.
Below, you'll find a list of new highlights, with binge-worthy TV shows sitting alongside some great big-budget movie arrivals – and a couple of oddball left-of-field entries, just for some variety.
The weekend brings a streaming lineup that's nothing short of Marvel-ous, with the long-awaited arrival of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher and The Defenders on Disney Plus.
Additionally, we also have cool-looking original movies and shows, including the erotic thriller Deep Water on Amazon Prime Video, the post-apocalyptic war movie Black Crab on Netflix, and the tech-centric WeCrashed on Apple TV Plus. Here are our streaming picks for the weekend of March 18-20, 2022.
Marvel's Daredevil
(TV series – available now)
Daredevil is a genuine fan favourite. And if you ask us, 'The Man Without Fear' has always been better suited to being the star of a series rather than another movie, and now Disney Plus subscribers will get to see him team up with other Marvel heroes such as Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage and The Punisher. For those who haven't seen it before, the Daredevil series kicked off with a bang in the first season, and was matched with its second season, which also included The Punisher and Elektra. Season 3 saw Matt Murdock go back to basics, returning to his old black costume and devoting himself entirely to being Daredevil. Though it did receive a decent ending, we're hoping Daredevil's move to Disney Plus will inspire the service to bring the character back for more seasons.
Stream Daredevil on Disney Plus
Marvel's Jessica Jones
(TV series – available now)
Though the show doesn't quite reach the action heights of Daredevil, Jessica Jones manages to be even more compelling in terms of story and character. Based on the comic Alias by Brian Michael Bendis, the first season of the show sees private investigator Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), bar owner Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and celebrity Trish Walker (Rachael Taylor) do battle with a mind-controlling creep named Kilgrave (David Tennant), whose incredible obsession with Jessica is causing everyone around her to die. The second season follows on from the events of Marvel's The Defenders, and finds Jones delving into her past in order to make sense of her latest case. Dark, violent and quite sexual for a Marvel show, Jessica Jones is required viewing for fans of the MCU.
Stream Jessica Jones on Disney Plus
Marvel's Luke Cage
(TV series – available now)
With Luke Cage, we got a new kind of hero — one who's proud to use to his powers in an effort to represent and protect his community. If you've watched Jessica Jones, you'll already be familiar with this literally unbreakable character, as he played a pivotal role in that show's first season. HIs own series, however, picks up some time after that, with Cage relocating from Hell's Kitchen to Harlem, and finding himself coming to blows with local gangsters. Expect plenty of intense action with a real hip-hop flair – how many other Marvel shows have seen their characters on the receiving end of a stunning freestyle rap by none other than Method Man?
Stream Luke Cage on Disney Plus
Marvel's Iron Fist
(TV series – available now)
While many Marvel fans found the first season of Iron Fist underwhelming, steps were taken to address the show's issues (the fight scenes, the lead character's dim personality), leading to a vastly superior second season overall. Danny Rand (Finn Jones), heir to the Rand Industries fortune, returns to New York City after being presumed dead for 15 years. During that time, Danny was being trained by monks, earning himself the title of the Immortal Iron Fist – protector of the mystical (and eternal) hidden city of K'un-Lun. Upon his return, Danny discovers that his company is secretly being controlled by The Hand, an order that has been at war with K'un-Lun for centuries. With the help of martial arts teacher Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick), Danny must use his extremely powerful glowing fist to take down The Hand once and for all. In season 2, Iron Fist must face an old compatriot from K'un-Lun who embarks on a murderous rampage across New York.
Stream Iron Fist on Disney Plus
Marvel's The Punisher
(TV series – available now)
Having already killed everyone involved in his family's death, Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) a.k.a. The Punisher is dragged into a military conspiracy that he may or may not have been involved in. Though it can be slow-paced at times, The Punisher is nonetheless a powerful and violent show that isn't afraid to deal with some heavy topics. As a study on the effects of PTSD, the show is surprisingly poignant. It may not hit the heights of Daredevil or Jessica Jones, but The Punisher still makes for a welcome addition to Marvel's television landscape. Be warned, this show is far more violent than any other Marvel series to date.
Stream The Punisher on Disney Plus
Marvel's The Defenders
In The Defenders, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist, all the lead heroes of their own respective shows, came together to stop a threat that aimed to bring down New York City. As a team-up event, it was some of the TV equivalent of The Avengers, only more street-level. Will they be able to put aside their differences to fight as a team? Or will The Hand, the shadowy, ancient criminal organisation that featured in both Daredevil and Iron Fist, take one more step towards global domination? You'll have to binge-through this 8-episode special event to find out!
Stream The Defenders on Disney Plus
Deep Water
(Movie – available 18/3/2022)
Deep Water is a brand new '90s-style erotic thriller starring former real life couple Ben Affleck (Gone Girl) and Ana de Armas (Knives Out). Do you really need more convincing than that in order to watch it? Okay, fine – the film tells the story of a husband (Affleck) who allows his wife (de Armas) to indulge in extra-marital affairs, much to the shock of everyone around him. But when one of her lovers turns up dead in their pool, the spotlight is thrown on hubby as a potential suspect. The film also sees Adrian Lyne (Fatal Attraction, Indecent Proposal) return to the directing chair after decades to show everyone that he's still the master of the erotic thriller.
Stream Deep Water on Amazon Prime Video
Black Crab
(Movie – available 18/3/2022)
All-round bad-ass Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) stars in this Swedish-language post-apocalyptic war movie as a soldier who undertakes a harrowing mission to cross a frozen wasteland in order to stop the war and save her daughter. Ever seen machine gun-toting soldiers on ice skates? You will if you watch Black Crab!
WeCrashed
(Movie – available 11/3/2022)
Jared Leto (House of Gucci) slaps on the prosthetics once again for WeCrashed, which tells the true story of how emerging tech startup WeWork fell from a $47 billion evaluation to just $2.9 billion in the space of a year, and the love story at the centre of it all. Also stars Anne Hathaway.
Stream WeCrashed on Apple TV Plus
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty
(TV series – episode 2 available now)
Writer/director Adam McKay (Don't Look Up, Anchorman) returns with a fantastic new series which details how basketball became one of the most glamorous and successful sports of all time. Set in the late '70s, Winning Time follows Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly), a man who saw the potential of basketball as not just a sport, but as entertainment. His first call of business: putting every dollar he has into buying the Los Angeles Lakers. His second? Drafting a star like Earvin 'Magic' Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) to make the NBA explode in popularity. Episode 2 sees Coach West (Jason Clarke) given carte blanche to reorganise the Lakers roster, while Dr. Buss (Reilly) attempts to charm Celtics owner Red Auerbach (Michael Chiklis).
Stream Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty on Binge
Source: TechRadar