It’s throwback season on streamers this weekend. Jungle Cruise arrives on Disney Plus to whisk audiences back to the old-timey adventure flicks of the 80s (that themselves were evoking serials from decades before that), while Amazon Prime’s The Pursuit of Love switches up the period drama formula by merging the electric rock of the 90s with a conventional 20s setting.
There’s some contemporary drama, too, in the shape of The Grand Tour’s four-wheeled hijinks, but a pair of documentaries on John DeLorean and the Harlem Cultural Festival keep proceedings firmly in the rear view mirror.
That’s not to say this week’s arrivals are any less interesting, of course, and below we’ve rounded up the best movies and TV shows coming to the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBO Max over the next few days.
Jungle Cruise (Disney Plus via Premier Access)
Ever been to Disneyland? If so, you’re probably familiar with the Jungle Cruise, a riverboat ride that sends punters down a stream full of animatronic animals and lost explorers. Well, Disney decided to turn that ride into a feature film – as it did with the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise – and the result is the imaginatively-named Jungle Cruise.
Starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, the movie follows a doctor and boat captain on their search for an ancient tree with healing powers. If that doesn’t sound like the most engaging premise, that’s because it isn’t – but a great cast and high production values mean Jungle Cruise is still a fun adventure.
You’ll have to fork out to watch it, though. As with Black Widow before it, Jungle Cruise will cost $29.99 / £19.99 / AU$34.99 via Disney Plus’ Premier Access service.
Now available to stream on Disney Plus via Premier Access
The Pursuit of Love (Amazon Prime Video)
What is it with Britain and its obsession with period dramas? Well, if they’re all as good as The Pursuit of Love, long may that obsession continue.
A three-part miniseries originally commissioned for the BBC, this adaptation of Nancy Mitford's 1945 novel tells the tale of two cousins who take very different paths in search of their ideal husbands. Actress Emily Mortimer directs for the first time, while Lily James, Dominic West, Emily Beecham, Dolly Well and Andrew Scott all star in what has been described as a scathing satire of the British upper class.
Scott’s performance, in particular, has been praised for its humor and a scene-stealing dance sequence – so Fleabag fans, take note.
UK viewers can already watch this one on BBC iPlayer, rather than Amazon Prime Video.
Now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video US
The Prince (HBO Max)
Speaking of satirizing the upper class, The Prince arrives on HBO Max as an animated lampooning of the British Royal Family. In this show, seven-year-old Prince George spills the beans on his parents, grandparents and Buckingham Palace’s residents and staff.
Family Guy’s Gary Janetti leads the voice cast as George, alongside an oddly stellar lineup which includes Orlando Bloom, Alan Cumming, Sophie Turner, Tom Hollander and Dan Stevens.
Interestingly, this one has come rather out of the blue – HBO didn’t announce it would begin streaming today until… yesterday, and given some of the backlash the show has received so far (check out some of the YouTube comments on the trailer above, we don't need to litigate them here), that was probably a wise executive decision.
Now available to stream on HBO Max in the US
The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown (Amazon Prime Video)
The latest episode of The Grand Tour Presents has arrived, and follows the customary vehicular antics of trusty trio of Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond as they embark on an adventure through the Scottish Highlands.
Called Lochdown, the special was filmed in 2020 amid the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, which limited the show’s ability to shoot abroad. It therefore replaced original plans to film in Russia, and marks the third episode in The Grand Tour’s fourth season, after the release of A Massive Hunt in December 2020.
Don’t expect a dampened experience, though. Lochdown sees the hosts drive classic American cars from Edinburgh to the Hebrides on a Route 66-style road trip, which May has described as “the most beautiful drive [they’ve] ever done.”
Now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video
Myth & Mogul: John DeLorean (Netflix)
Thanks to the Back to the Future franchise, everyone knows the cultural impact of the DMC DeLorean – but what about the man behind the name?
This new Netflix docuseries charts the rise and fall of automaker John DeLorean, combining interviews and exclusive footage to paint a dark portrait of a man who made it all the way to the top, before it all came crashing down.
Netflix rarely misses with its exposé documentaries, so expect the usual helping of jaw-dropping moments from this one.
Now available to stream on Netflix
FBoy Island (HBO Max)
You’ve heard of Love Island. You’ve heard of Too Hot to Handle. And now, as if we were short on shows matchmaking photoshopped singles, FBoy Island arrives to reinvent the formula.
Basically, this show mixes up The Bachelor format by letting three women decide whether their suitor is a nice guy or a f*** boy. We haven’t seen it, we probably won’t see it, so that’s about all we can tell you in good faith.
Oh, and Nikki Glaser hosts? Whether that’s a push or a pull, we’ll leave to you...
Now available to stream on HBO Max in the US
Summer of Soul (Disney Plus)
Now, we included this one in a similar round-up last month, but music documentary Summer of Soul has since arrived on Disney Plus in the UK as well as Hulu in the US, so we thought it was worth another mention.
Directed by American musician Questlove, Summer of Soul charts the impact of 1969’s Harlem Cultural Festival, which saw the likes of Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone and B.B. King grace the stage in – you guessed it – a summer of soul.
Reception has been overwhelmingly positive for this one, especially after it scooped both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Expect heaps of previously unseen footage and a healthy dose of feel-good nostalgia.
Now available to stream on Disney Plus UK via Star
- Check out our list of the best Apple TV Plus shows
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