We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+.
If you love feral robots: Atlas (Netflix, May 24)
Look, if you thought This is Me…Now: A Love Story was Jennifer Lopez at her most intense, then prepare yourself. Netflix’s new film Atlas sees Lopez play Atlas Shepherd, a “brilliant but misanthropic data analyst with a deep distrust of artificial intelligence”. Atlas meets a renegade robot (with whom she shares “a mysterious past” – the mind boggles) and with humanity’s future resting entirely in her hands (may the robots save us all), JLo has to trust the very technology she’s always been so suspicious of. Based on a true story, I believe.
If you love Selling Sunset: Buying London (Netflix, May 22)
With the huge success of shows like Selling Sunset and Buying Beverly Hills, it was only a matter of time before Netflix’s glitzy real estate reality format travelled across the Atlantic. Buying London is a glossy series that follows the personal lives of a group of high-end London real estate agents, as they try to sell a variety of fancy multi-million dollar properties. Think Made in Chelsea meets Location, Location, Location, but with a lot more snazzy marble bathtubs.
If you love snacks: Snackmasters (TVNZ+, May 23)
Kim Crossman and Tom Sainsbury present Snackmasters NZ. Photo / The Spinoff, TVNZ
It’s the return of the series that pulls back the cheese curtain and reveals the hidden truths about your favourite snacks. Hosts Tom Sainsbury and Kimberly Crossman are back to challenge New Zealand chefs to deconstruct some iconic treats – this season includes Wattie’s Baked Beans, Burger Rings and Arnott’s Iced Animals – and recreate them as close to the original as possible. Guest chefs this season include Peter Gordon, Gareth Stewart and Jess Daniell. FYI: don’t watch this while you’re hungry.
If you love a heartfelt British comedy-drama: Trying (Apple TV+, May 22)
Rafe Spall, Esther Smith and Imelda Staunton star in this warm and charming British comedy about 30-somethings Jason and Nicki and their journey to adoption and parenthood. The fourth season hits Apple TV+ this week, but it’s worth starting at season one to see just how Jason and Nicki tackle the absurdities of the adoption process, which are often complicated by their quirky families and colleagues. There’s plenty of humour here, but also lots of compassion and heart about the challenges of infertility and adoption.
If you love a little bit of country: Call Me Country: Beyonce & Nashville’s Renaissance (Neon, May 15)
Hot on the heels of Beyonce’s record-breaking country album, documentary Call Me Country explores the history of country music in America. Featuring a variety of musicians and experts, the documentary highlights how artists like Beyonce and Lil Nas X are challenging the country music genre, and delves into the long and established history of black musicians in Nashville.
