Another long weekend is ahead of us, and I truly could not complain about it. Who cares if we just had one — after the past week, it’s much needed! So for any of you needing a break from the news, even for two hours, this Fourth of July weekend has plenty of offerings. From another mystery at the Arconia to a psychedelic trip through ’60s Soho to a battle in the Upside Down, here are the best movies and television to watch this weekend:
Minions: The Rise of Gru
The Minions franchise and its success are funny to think about. It’s literally a franchise led by Twinkie-shaped yellow goons who speak gibberish (a.k.a. “Minionese”). But just scrolling through TikTok, you get the sense that these minions are really reaching Shrek-level meme status. Now, The Rise of Gru — the villain voiced by Steve Carrell — takes us back to the ’70s as it recounts Gru’s young aspirations of villainy along with his little yellow friends. Plus it has such a stacked soundtrack?! It’ll probably be a dumb movie, but damn, do I need a laugh this week.
Stranger Things 4: Volume 2
I’ll admit, nothing in the past few months has had me excitedly gripping the edge of my seat as much as the latest season of Stranger Things. Maybe Netflix’s two-volume release strategy for the season has worked brilliantly because everyone around me has been talking about what could happen next. (I’ve even heard people blaring “Running Up That Hill” from their cars. As they should!) And as the last two jumbo-size episodes of the season debut this long weekend, we’ve got plenty of time to watch (and possibly mourn) our favorite Hawkins kids as they battle big baddie Vecna.
Baymax!
For a gentle, light-hearted reprieve from the week’s stressors, Baymax! can help soothe you. The medical-health companion from Big Hero 6 gets his own Disney+ series with 12-minute episodes depicting the bouncy bot going from person to person as he helps San Fransokyo citizens with a variety of health needs from back pains to broken ankles; he even supplies pads and tampons to middle schoolers. Wholesome!
Only Murders in the Building, season two
Sure, the mystery of who killed Tim Kono has been wrapped up, but season two of Only Murders starts with an all new tantalizing mystery: the murder of Arconia president Bunny. As someone is attempting to frame Mabel (Selena Gomez), she and our favorite Arconia podcasters need to figure out who did it quick. Season two is as fun as one and even brings guest stars Amy Schumer, Shirley MacLaine, and Cara Delevingne.
House of Gucci
It only took House of Gucci about seven months to hit a streamer, but I guess you could say it was fashionably late. The high drama of the Gucci family and Lady Gaga’s Patrizia was highly anticipated, and while it didn’t quite match those expectations, you can pair Ridley Scott’s film with a glass of wine and have a fun night in with your friends. “Father, Son, and Haus of Gucci.”
Last Night in Soho
No matter your thoughts on Last Night in Soho, at least it gave us multiple tracks of Anya Taylor-Joy singing “Downtown.” Edgar Wright’s neon-lit thriller vacillates between Sandy’s (Taylor-Joy) life in ’60s London and Eloise’s (Thomasin McKenzie) life in modern-day London as Eloise starts to experiences visions of Sandy. Is she real life? Or is she just fantasy?
Feud: Bette and Joan
Why add a show from 2017? Well, Feud: Bette and Joan is making its streaming debut on Hulu this weekend, and as someone who has been meaning to watch it, now is the perfect time. Ryan Murphy’s shows have quite the uneven track record, but he really does trap us by pairing tantalizing Hollywood history with fantastic actors. In Feud alone, there’s Jessica Lange, Susan Sarandon, Alfred Molina, Stanley Tucci, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, and that’s just to name a few.
Also! Read our streaming recommendations from the weekend of June 24. Vulture’s next list of weekend streaming picks go online Friday, July 8.
Related
- The 30 Best TV Shows on Peacock
- The 30 Best Movies to Watch on Every Streaming Service
- The 30 Best TV Shows on Paramount+
