One of the best movies of 2022 has made its way to the streaming area, as Top Gun: Maverick tops this week’s new movies available online. While it’s not yet on Paramount Plus, those who have been aching to see the film at home (its extended theatrical run was proof that Tom Cruise is still a box office king) finally have a solution.
Elsewhere in the broadcast world, Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg have a road trip movie that looks to test the mettle of these middle-aged men. Speaking of movies that can make you say “He’s still got it,” Sylvester Stallone follows Luke Wilson’s lead as the latest leading man to be a secret superhero. Except this new film looks a lot tougher than Wilson’s familial bounty.
The world of documentaries is also getting an important title to watch. HBO Max is debuting a film about Hurricane Katrina’s lasting impact on the people of New Orleans looks like a somber but important film.
And you can fill your calendar with 13 new movies and shows to watch in August 2022 across all major broadcasters.
Top Gun: Maverick
To be honest, I went into Top Gun: Maverick with a strange mix of expectations. I’m not a huge fan of the original (which was thin on plot if you ask me), but word of mouth convinced me that Maverick was a completely different experience. And, 2 hours and 11 minutes into the movie, I was convinced – ranking Top Gun: Maverick in my personal top four movies of the year. So why does it deserve a place next to RRR and Everything Everywhere at Once?
First and foremost: Top Gun: Maverick brings back the spectacle. The stunts and action in this film stand above anything else out there, serving up a not-so-accidental reminder that some movies were meant to be seen on the big screen. That said, Maverick also brings strong drama, as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) tries to lead the next generation of TOPGUN cadets, who are faced with a particularly impossible mission. This is complicated by the fact that one of these pilots is Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, son of the late Maverick RIO Nick, aka “Goose”.
Buy at Prime Video (opens in new tab) and other services starting Tuesday (August 23)
Katrina Babies (HBO Max)
Our country’s focus often shifts too quickly from our biggest disasters to … well, less consequential ones. That’s the story of Katrina Babies, a new documentary debuting this week on HBO Max. It focuses on the people and communities of New Orleans that were irrevocably changed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. People not only lost loved ones and saw their homes washed away, but they were left with indelible mental trauma . Katrina Babies seeks to ensure that we do not forget their stories.
Stream it HBO Max (opens in new tab) starting Wednesday (August 24)
Samaritan (Prime Video)
We didn’t expect Rocky Balboa himself to run into one of Euphoria’s kids, but here we are. The vigilante superhero known as Samaritan (Sylvester Stallone) is in hiding, essentially working as a garbage man, while the city he lives in is consumed by crime and chaos. But one person may be able to bring the Samaritan out of hiding, as young Sam (Javon “Wanna” Walton, aka Euphoria’s Ash) realizes that his neighbor Mr. Smith bears a striking resemblance to the missing superhero.
Stream it Prime Video (opens in new tab) starting Friday (August 26)
My Time (Netflix)
You may love your family, but a break from their nonsense is always welcome, right? Well, not so for Sonny (Kevin Hart) who would rather take care of his kids than go celebrate his old friend Huck’s (Mark Wahlberg) birthday. Fortunately for Huck, Sonny’s wife (played by Regina Hall) is asking Sonny to take some me time.
Unfortunately for Sonny, Huck is definitely still a chaotic influence. The two enter a strange version of Burning Man, and Sonny sees a lot more of Huck’s body than he expected. And Sonny is even chased by a mountain lion.
Stream it Netflix (opens in new tab) starting Friday (August 26)
The Wolf (HBO Max)
Movies can sometimes teach us new terms, and so we note that the Wolf seems to have been brought to us by “clinical zoonthropy.” That’s because Jacob (George MacKay) is stuck in a mental asylum because he believes he’s a werewolf. And he is not the only one with that suffering. Cecile (Lily-Rose Depp) thinks she is a wild cat and both perceive the head of the asylum Dr. Mann (Paddy Considine) as a zookeeper. Quirky and a bit out there, Wolf is for anyone looking to howl at the moon.
Stream it HBO Max (opens in new tab) starting Friday (August 26)
No Trap: The Lil Baby Story (Prime Video)
Lil Baby (not to be confused with DaBaby) is one of your biggest rappers of recent years. So we’re not surprised that Prime Video is giving Lil Baby (aka Dominique Jones) his own behind-the-scenes documentary. The special – which includes interviews with collaborators such as Drake – features everything from footage of Lil Baby as a toddler to the story of his drug years. Now a father, community philanthropist and racial justice activist, Baby represents the American dream for some.
Stream it Prime Video (opens in new tab) starting Friday (August 26)
Jurassic World: Dominion
Finally, we have a film that we obviously missed in last week’s roundup – as the planned digital release wasn’t as hyped as it should have been.
So for all those who were too careful to pay to see Jurassic World: Dominion in theaters, you can now see how the end of the Jurassic era (well, the cinematic one) ends. Anticipated because it brings Sam Neill and Laura Dern back to the series as Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ellie Sattler, respectively, Dominion seeks to find some kind of closure. Can the combined forces of the series’ remaining humans help find a way for dinosaurs and humans to live in peace? Or is one side doomed?
Buy it at Prime Video (opens in new tab) and other services now.