So Many Controversial Movies Are Hitting Streaming This Week, But There’s One 2024 Release I’m Most Excited To Dig Into

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As a seasoned movie enthusiast with over two decades of film-watching under my belt and a particular fondness for holiday films, I find myself intrigued by this trio of 2024 releases that have hit the streaming platforms this week. The critics and audiences may be divided on these movies, but as far as I’m concerned, they’ve added some exciting new titles to my watchlist!

As a movie enthusiast, I’m thrilled about the upcoming clash in the streaming world! While “Wicked,” “Gladiator II,” and “Moana 2” are still reigning at the box office, the streaming battles are heating up with the release of three highly anticipated movies in 2024. Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans’ holiday film “Red One,” Blake Lively’s thought-provoking “It Ends With Us,” and Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga’s musical sequel “Joker: Folie à Deux” will all be streaming this week, right in the comfort of our homes. I can’t wait to hit ‘play’ on the first one!

These three movies share two key traits: they’ve received mixed feedback from both critics and viewers, and their releases have sparked some debate. If you fancy a movie marathon and happen to have subscriptions to Netflix, Prime Video, and Max, then get ready for an exciting trip to the cinematic world – whether the end result is enjoyable or not still hangs in the balance.

Critics And Audiences Can’t Seem To Agree About These 2024 Releases, Except For Their Opinions Of Joker: Folie à Deux

It’s not unexpected that these three films are premiering on streaming platforms during the holidays, but what caught me off guard is how quickly Red One will be accessible to Prime Video subscribers. This movie was only released a short while ago and I can still see it playing in local cinemas. Yet, the contrast between its mixed critical reception and audience responses could potentially provide an explanation for this early streaming release.

Regardless of the impressive lineup featuring Johnson, Evans, J.K. Simmons, and Lucy Liu in “Red One”, it underperformed at the box office. Interestingly, although viewers on Rotten Tomatoes rated it 90%, critics were quite harsh, labeling it a “lump of coal” with a score of just 30%. Now that it’s available on Prime Video this week, you have the chance to decide if this festive film deserves a place among the greatest Christmas movies ever made.

On the other end of the movie genre scale, Lively’s screen adaptation of “It Ends With Us” is now available on Netflix following its theater release in August. Given the large fan base of Colleen Hoover’s novel, it’s not unexpected that the film was successful at the box office and with viewers. Yet, critics haven’t been entirely clear about Lily Bloom’s tale.

The contentious press tour, along with reported disagreements among cast members leading to a speculated reshoot of the movie, made the launch of “It Ends With Us” nearly as chaotic as the plotline itself.

Wrapping up this week’s streaming film releases is “Joker: Madness Duet“, the musical sequel to the 2019 blockbuster hit, “Joker”, starring Phoenix. However, unlike its predecessor, this film has failed to win over both audiences and critics, earning it a less-than-favorable reputation. Currently, it has a dismal 32% rating from both critics and viewers on Rotten Tomatoes. Unfortunately, I fear that the movie’s audience score might take an even bigger hit now that more people can access it with their Max subscription.

To put it simply, after considering all options, a single movie catches my attention for my streaming plans this weekend.

With Christmas Less Than Two Weeks Away, I’ll Be Watching Red One ASAP

To be honest, none of these films initially sparked enough curiosity in me to head out to the cinema. But now that I can enjoy them from the comfort of my home, I’m definitely considering giving them a try, particularly Red One.

Being a self-confessed aficionado of Christmas films, I feel compelled to give the movie starring Johnson and Evans a try. Firstly, what intrigues me is its unique premise, devoid of any adaptation or follow-up, which is quite rare in today’s film industry. Although the notion of Santa being kidnapped doesn’t exactly appeal to me, I must admit that I wasn’t initially drawn to the idea of a Santa figure as a ruthless vigilante killer in last year’s Violent Night, yet I ended up really enjoying it. Therefore, I remain open-minded.

Hopefully, Red One will be just as enjoyable, even though action movies aren’t my usual cup of tea.

If you’re searching for methods to postpone your holiday shopping and prefer avoiding theater crowds, consider using your streaming subscriptions instead. Settle in at home and explore some of this year’s most debated film releases that have stirred up controversy!

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2024-12-13 00:07