What to stream this week: Migration, Conan O’Brien, Big Mood
Here’s a collection of notable movies and series available to stream this week.
Movies
• The cautious father (Kumail Nanjiani) of a family of ducks is coaxed into flying south for the winter in Migration (available to rent on digital platforms), the latest animation from Illumination, the maker of Despicable Me and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Penned by White Lotus creator Mike White, Migration is another, albeit more kid-friendly examination of the pros and cons of an exotic vacation. In my review, I wrote that Migration “is vividly animated with warm cartoon tones that would do Daffy proud. But it never quite spreads its wings.” With Elizabeth Banks, Danny DeVito, Carol Kane, Awkwafina and Keegan-Michael Key.
• People tend to love or hate the films of Zack Snyder, the maker of brawny CGI extravaganzas like Man of Steel, Justice League and Army of the Dead. If you’re the former, the arrival of Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver on Netflix is an event you’ve been waiting for since the December debut of the first instalment. Sofia Boutella and Djimon Hounsou lead the ensemble cast.
• If some films are overstuffed, how about those that pass like a brief encounter? A new series streaming on the Criterion Channel asks: How much can happen in a night? The series collects some of the best films that transpire entirely from dusk ‘til dawn. Evenings may pass in conversation (My Dinner With Andre) or bloodshed (Night of the Living Dead), but in all of them, the sun eventually arrives to break a nocturnal spell. Among the highlights: Elaine May’s Mikey and Nicky, Martin Scorsese’s After
Hours, Jim Jarmusch’s Night on Earth and Agnes Varda’s Cléo from 5 to 7. — Jake Coyle
Series
• Conan O’Brien loves to be the brunt of a joke and that’s on full display in his new travel show Conan O’Brien Must Go on Crave. Cameras follow the comedian as he visits countries like Ireland, Thailand, Argentina and Norway. When the series was announced last May, Max released the following quote from O’Brien: “My fans around the globe never asked me to visit them, so I did.”
• Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan leaves the Regency era and steps into the present starring in the British comedy Big Mood on Tubi. Coughlan plays Maggie, a young playwright with bipolar disorder who has decided to go off her meds to tap into her creativity. Maggie relies on her best friend Eddie (Lydia West) to get her through her daily struggles, but their friendship is tested as Maggie’s mental health deteriorates.
• The popular fantasy children’s book series The Spiderwick Chronicles has been adapted for TV. The story follows teenage twins Simon and Jared and their older sister Mallory after they move to an old, family estate called Spiderwick, which is also inhabited by magical creatuds on Roku Channel on Friday.
• National Geographic’s Secrets Of franchise has a new instalment called Secrets of the Octopus. The three-part series details the surprising characteristics of octopuses. These marine animals may look funny, but they have a level of intelligence where they solve problems, scheme and even communicate with other species. Narrated by Paul Rudd and executive produced by James Cameron, the docuseries is inspired by the book and research of Sy Montgomery.
— Alicia Rancilio