5 Must-See Movies and TV Shows to Stream Right Now

Welcome to Boston.com weekly streaming guide. Every week, we recommend five must-see movies and TV shows available on streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+, HBO MaxPeacock, Paramount+ and more.

Want more streaming quality? Sign up for The Queue, our streaming newsletter featuring the latest industry news, movie and TV recommendations, and more delivered to your inbox every week.

For even more great streaming options, check out previous editions of our list of essentials here.

New movies streaming

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”

Director Tim Burton brought his signature macabre style to towns in Massachusetts and Vermont last summer when he filmed scenes for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” the long-awaited sequel to 1988’s “Beetlejuice.” Michael Keaton, nominee at the Oscars, is back in the role of the malevolent poltergeist, this time oscillating between friend and enemy of three generations of Deetz women: Delia (Catherine O’Hara, “Home Alone”), daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder, “Stranger Things”), and granddaughter/newcomer Astrid (Jenna Ortega, “Wednesday”).

Astrid is convinced that Lydia, who has become a television psychic, has never seen ghosts and is playing the game for profit and to please her simpering and controlling boyfriend (a very funny Justin Theroux). Astrid’s doubts are quickly dispelled when they return to Winter River, Connecticut, for the funeral of Delia’s husband (played by Jeffrey Jones in the original).

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” plays more like a long-running sketch comedy than a movie, with plots picked up and abandoned at furious speed. But it’s infinitely more fun to watch a slightly disjointed, completely demented pastiche than a low-key legacy robotically hitting fan service references.

How to watch: “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is streaming on Max.

“Ghost Light”

Two excellent films were released in 2024 about the healing power of theater. The first, A24’s “Sing Sing,” was released in July and is about to begin another theatrical run before awards season, so it may be a while before it’s on a streaming service. The second, IFC Films’ “Ghostlight,” entered and exited theaters with less fanfare, but is just as moving.

A favorite at Sundance and IFFBoston, “Ghostlight” follows a middle-aged construction worker named Dan (Keith Kupferer) who surprises everyone by joining a local theater’s production of “Romeo and Juliet.” . Amid family strife, Dan discovers that this centuries-old tragedy resonates unexpectedly on a personal level.

How to watch: “Ghostlight” airs on AMC+.

New TV streaming

“Black doves”

After the runaway success of Keri Russell’s spy thriller “The Diplomat,” Netflix has doubled down on the genre with “Black Doves.” A Christmas adventure set in London, Helen (Keira Knightley) is a spy who passed on her unwitting husband’s political secrets to the Black Doves.

When a member of their organization is killed, Helen teams up with Sam (Ben Whishaw, “Skyfall”) to solve the mystery that, surprise, surprise, reveals a vast global conspiracy. Starring Sarah Lancashire (“Julia”) and Andrew Koji (“Bullet Train”), “Black Doves” is light entertainment with a patina of holiday spirit.

How to watch: “Black Doves” is streaming on Netflix.

“Pop culture peril!” »

Since Michael Davies took over as executive producer of “Jeopardy!” , the TV veteran has worked on producing brand extensions of the long-running quiz show, including this pop culture-focused competition hosted by Colin Jost on Prime Video.

Teams of three (rather than individuals) show off their pop culture knowledge in a knockout-style tournament that will run for 40 episodes through the spring. It’s essentially a reimagining of “The World Series of Pop Culture,” a 2006-07 VH1 show also produced by Davies.

With Jost on hand, there are more laugh lines than the syndicated show, as well as other stylistic changes like a “Triple Play”, in which all three team members are given the opportunity to respond to a three-part index. But the essential gameplay elements of “Jeopardy!” ” remains intact, and if your knowledge base skews toward reality TV and Internet memes instead of ancient history and opera, you’ll feel like a genius.

How to watch: “Pop culture peril!” » airs on Prime Video, with new episodes debuting on Wednesdays.

“Star Wars: The Skeleton Crew”

Jon Watts, who made Tom Holland a star in the recent MCU “Spider-Man” films, pitched this spinoff as “Star Wars” meets “The Goonies,” which is exactly how it plays out . Four children (three humanoids and an elephantine alien) find themselves lost in space after playing with an old spaceship abandoned on their home planet. With the help of a Force-sensitive man (Jude Law) and a droid on the ship (Nick Frost), the kids try to avoid the space pirates and return home.

Beyond Watts’ pedigree, “Skeleton Crew” also features individual episodes directed by David Lowery (“A Ghost Story”), Lee Isaac Chung (“Twisters”) and the Daniels (“Everything Everywhere All At Once”).

How to watch: “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” streams on Disney+, with new episodes debuting Tuesdays.