After filling up on turkey, pumpkin pie, and all of those tasty side dishes, finding a comfy spot on the couch to relax is definitely the move once guests have gone their merry way, or you’ve made your merry way back to your place. As we head into the final few weeks of the year, there are a ton of new TV shows and recent movie releases now available on streaming to catch up on as you dive into all of those leftovers. From sci-fi epics to family-friendly sequels and more, here are 10 movies from 2024 to stream over Thanksgiving break, plus five bingeworthy shows.
2024 movies to stream
1. ‘Alien: Romulus’
Halloween may be in the rearview mirror, but if you’re in need of a good scare with some sci-fi flair, check out the latest installment in the “Alien” franchise. Set in between Ridley Scott’s 1979 “Alien” and James Cameron’s 1986 “Aliens,” director Fede Álvarez takes the helm for “Romulus,” which once again features spacefaring colonists fighting for their lives against the dreaded, face-hugging Xenomorphs. Starring Cailee Spaeny, the new flick earned 3 stars from Globe film critic Odie Henderson, who called it “the best ‘Alien’ movie since Cameron’s first sequel.” Available on Hulu
2. ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence returned this summer for another round as Miami’s gun-slinging detectives Mike and Marcus in “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.” In the franchise’s fourth installment, the dynamic duo is on the run from some shady characters and must clear their names and restore the honor of their late boss, Captain Conrad Howard (Joe Pantoliano). “This by-the-numbers hat tip to ‘The Fugitive’ even gets its own Tommy Lee Jones clone in the guise of FBI agent Judy Howard,” played by “Better Call Saul” star Rhea Seehorn, “who relentlessly pursues our heroes with more than one score to settle,” Henderson writes in his 2½-star review. Available on Netflix
3. ‘Challengers’
One of the steamiest films of 2024, “Challengers” is a tennis drama with a sexy spin, thanks to a love triangle among stars Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist. Directed by Luca Guadagnino and filmed around the Boston area, “Challengers” focuses on a trio of tennis players whose personal lives mingle with their athletic ambitions, leading to a fiery face-off on the court. “It’s tennis match as ménage à trois,” the Globe’s Mark Feeney writes in his 2½-star review. Available on Amazon Prime Video and MGM+
4. ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’
The Marvel Cinematic Universe got a much needed shot in the arm with “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which brought the Merc with a Mouth into the same onscreen, multiversal playground as Captain America and the Hulk. Ryan Reynolds reprised his role as the katana-wielding antihero, this time teaming up with a variant of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine (albeit as a different version that has not yet appeared in the “X-Men” films), along with other superheroic misfits from past Marvel franchises. Feeney writes in his 2½-star review that the fourth-wall-breaking flick “is an extended (and very bloody) live-action Bugs Bunny movie, with Deadpool in the role of Bugs.” Available on Disney+
5. ‘Despicable Me 4′
Acton-raised actor and former “The Office” star Steve Carell just can’t quit Gru, returning to the now-reformed villain for a fourth time in the latest “Despicable Me” entry. As Gru tries to embrace family life with his girls and his wife, Lucy (Kristen Wiig), old nemesis Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) is back in his life to cause trouble. A fan of the franchise’s “Minion madness,” Henderson, who “proudly” declares his love of those yellow menaces in his glowing review, gave the family-friendly sequel 3 stars. Available on Peacock
6. ‘Dune: Part Two’
As one of the year’s highest-grossing box office hits, director Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two” had fans flocking to theaters. Picking up in the aftermath of the first installment, Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides looks to lead the Fremen of Arrakis against House Harkonnen, the forces that killed his father and took control of the planet from his family. Also starring Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, and Josh Brolin, the sci-fi epic now has a prequel series, “Prophecy,” which recently debuted on HBO. Available on Max
7. ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’
In a year of sequels, prequels, and in-between-quels, “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” brought the post-apocalyptic thrills to theaters in 2024. Anya Taylor-Joy plays a younger version of the fierce Imperator previously played by Charlize Theron in 2015’s “Fury Road,” with director George Miller shining the spotlight on the character’s action-packed origin story. Henderson writes in his 2½-star review that “Furiosa” is filled with “exciting action set pieces, all of which show Miller’s unmatched, preternatural skill at staging motor vehicle-inspired chaos.” Available on Max
8. ‘Inside Out 2′
“Inside Out 2″ was by far the biggest winner at this year’s box office, becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all-time and the highest-grossing film overall of 2024 so far. Once again Amy Poehler stars as the emotion Joy. The Burlington-raised actress is joined this time around by a few new faces like Dorchester native Ayo Edebiri, as Envy, as they look to help the now hockey-playing Riley (Kensington Tallman) adjust to high school. Henderson writes in his 3-star review that “all the voice talent is good here, including the returning Poehler.” Available on Disney+
9. ‘Thelma’
Writer-director Josh Margolin gave audiences one the year’s biggest surprise hits with “Thelma” this summer. June Squibb, the 94-year-old actress, gets her first leading role in this hilarious action-comedy about a senior citizen who seeks revenge against a phone scammer. Also starring the legendary Richard Roundtree, “Thelma” earned 4 stars from Henderson, who called it “one of the year’s best films.” Available on Hulu
10. ‘Twisters’
This past summer of sequels found another surprise hit in “Twisters,” from director Lee Isaac Chung, a follow-up to Jan de Bont’s 1996 cult classic action flick. While the latest weather disaster film doesn’t feature any returning cast members, the new crop of storm chasers played by Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos shine as they face down tornados in the name of science (and YouTube views). Henderson gave “Twisters” 2½ stars in his review, writing that it “lives up to the sequel maxim of being louder, larger, and busier.” Available on Peacock
2024 TV shows to stream
1. ‘The Bear’
Not caught up on “The Bear” yet? Now’s the perfect time. Find that spark of culinary creativity with your leftovers courtesy of Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), and the Beef gang, who have transformed their Chicago joint into a fine-dining destination entering season three, which premiered this summer. While the latest installment doesn’t boast any chaotic holiday hoopla like season two’s unforgettable “Fishes” episode with Jamie Lee Curtis, the Berzatto matriarch does return for a more heartwarming appearance this season. “It’s a very good TV show, still, with first-rate portraiture,” former Globe TV critic Matthew Gilbert lauded in his review. Available on Hulu
2. ‘Hacks’
No one’s been able to catch Jean Smart yet at the Emmys, as the acclaimed actress has won the award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for all three seasons of “Hacks” so far, including this year. For those who haven’t tuned in yet, the series centers around Smart’s Deborah Vance, a stand-up comic legend, and the budding bond with Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), a young writer, as they help each other with their comedy careers. “Their evolved dynamic has helped to make season 3 a joy,” Glibert wrote in his review of the latest season. “The show has a new warmth, and something to root for.” Available on Max
3. ‘Only Murders in the Building’
Hulu’s comedy murder mystery continues to bring the laughs and the big-name stars, with the likes of Zach Galifianakis, Eugene Levy, and Eva Longoria all joining the fun this season. Meanwhile, Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short are back as the unlikely trio of true crime podcasters turned sleuths who must embark on a new investigation. Ahead of season four’s debut this past summer, the Globe’s Don Aucoin wrote that the show “deserves the fervent following it has attracted since its debut in 2021.” Available on Hulu
4. ‘Shogun’
No show earned as much acclaim in 2024 as FX’s “Shogun,” which set an Emmys record by taking home 18 awards this year, including the nod for outstanding drama series — a first for a Japanese-language show. Based on the James Clavell novel of the same name, “Shogun” follows Lord Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada), a powerful leader at odds with his rivals in 17th-century Japan, finding an unlikely ally (and pawn) in English sailor John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), who becomes entangled in Japanese politics and palace intrigue. “The visuals are stunning, the storytelling is tight, the clashing and coinciding of agendas is brutal and engaging, and the performances are consistently strong,” Gilbert wrote of “Shogun” in his look at some of 2024’s top shows. Available on Hulu
5. ‘Slow Horses’
In addition to all the great outfits, acclaimed actor Gary Oldman also continues to shine as the curmudgeonly Jackson Lamb in Apple TV+’s “Slow Horses.” The British spy series, which has already been renewed for a fifth and sixth season, just wrapped its fourth season in October, continuing the odyssey of Oldman’s Lamb as he leads Slough House, a purgatory for wayward agents looking to get back into the espionage saddle. The show’s third season scored nine Emmy nominations in 2024, earning the win in the outstanding writing for a drama series category for the episode “Negotiating With Tigers” penned by Will Smith. Available on Apple TV+
Matt Juul can be reached at [email protected].
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