Stream, Skip, Buy: April 2019 Movie Releases
If you're like us, you will undoubtedly consume this month's new episodes of Game of Thrones so fast, you'll need something else to binge-watch, stat. If you're like us, you're waiting for the next To All the Boys I've Loved Before, or the next flick available on Hulu, or the next oldie-but-goodie from Amazon Prime's robust collection of movies. And, if you're like us, you also don't have the time to watch it all because, you know, work, school...life.
Luckily for you, we watched all of April's streaming film releases anyway — so you don't have to. To really expedite things, we've rejigged the game "Hump, Marry, Kill" into our own version, so you know exactly which flick to actually watch, which you can forgo without missing out on small talk or feeling FOMO, and which you should actually buy or rent because it's so darn good.
Out: April 1 on Amazon Prime
If you loved the tale of Tilikum told in Blackfish, the documentary that followed SeaWorld's troubled Shamu, you'll be enthralled by filmmaker Rob Stewart's 2018 project, Sharkwater Extinction. The film sheds light on the corrupt and violent world of the pirate fishing trade and what really goes on behind the multi-billion-dollar industry. Beautiful cinematography stands in stark contrast to horrific truths and a seemingly unfinished mission. If you're a shark lover, your heart will bleed. If you're scared of sharks, you'll probably still be scared...but also outraged for our oceans, too.
Out: April 2 on Hulu and Amazon Prime
Is Jim Halpert still as charming without his sense of humor? Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes. John Krasinski sheds the sarcastic wit he's come to be known for a far more serious character, a father trying to keep his family alive and away from noise-sensitive monsters. It's a suspenseful horror flick, written, directed, and starring Krasinski — but, to be honest, the real praise goes to Emily Blunt's portrayal of her real-life husband's fictional counterpart. It's riveting, moving, and, quite frankly, impressive considering the actors barely talk.
Out: April 5 on Netflix
We bet you thought Captain Marvel was the first time Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson met on screen. Nope! In 2017, an indie flick directed by Larson herself was shot, and it featured not only Jackson but Joan Cusack too. The story follows a woman (Larson) who just can't seem to grow up. All the sudden, a strange man (Jackson) shows up and offers to fulfill her childhood dreams. It's widely theorized that the Netflix release was timed to ride the coattails for the box-office success that was and will be Captain Marvel and the upcoming Avengers movie. But given how disjointed the film feels at times and how much it's trying to capture the charming quirk that other indie films like Garden State does so well, it fails short. Welp, there's always Endgame!
Out: April 8 on Amazon Prime
It's a coming-of-age tale at a later-in-life stage. In this 2018 flick, directed by Richard Loncraine and starring Imelda Staunton (yes, she of Dolores Umbridge fame), we follow a recent divorcée as she tries to, well, find her footing while living the single life — and with a less refined social circle. It's as charming as any comedy featuring Morgan Freeman or Robert De Niro these days...except this flick stars a British cast, which makes it inherently more classy.
Out: April 12 on Netflix
Two words: Noah Centineo. Yes, the golden child of Netflix’s rom-com films (remember To All The Boys I've Loved Before and Sierra Burgess Is a Loser?) reprises his dream-boat role. This time, Centineo plays a college kid who develops an app where anyone can pay him to pretend to be their perfect date. Okay, not entirely a new concept and not a huge departure from his previous roles, but at least this time, he's in college. That's worth a watch, right?
Out: April 12 on Netflix
If you're going to watch A Quiet Place, you might as well watch The Silence too, because both post-apocalyptic films are very similar. The latter stars Stanley Tucci and Kiernan Shipka, an odd pair in comparison to the Krasinski-Blunt duo, but we'll take it. Directed by horror filmmaker John R. Leonetti, the movie follows a teenager (Shipka) who lost her hearing, and who, along with her family, must try to survive monsters with ultra-powerful hearing. Sound familiar? We think so, but you might as well watch to compare.
Out: April 17 on Amazon Prime
A 2018 reboot of the 1987 classic starring dynamic duo Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, Overboard pretty much has the same storyline. This time, roles are reversed as Anna Faris plays a struggling mom hired to work on a yacht of a rich, selfish Mexican playboy (Eugenio Derbez). He hits his head; she convinces him that she's his wife; let the hijinks commence. Too bad none of it is actually funny.
Out: April 18 on Netflix
This may be the modern-day rom-com that overshadows all other rom-coms this month or, heck, season. There's diversity, millennial angst that's actually not annoying, and a female-led cast you will love. Gina Rodriguez plays a woman who breaks up with her longtime boyfriend. For one last hurrah, which includes a lot of dancing, vape pens, and alcohol (obviously), before her big move to San Francisco, she corrals her two besties (DeWanda Wise and Brittany Snow) together in NYC. Whether it's the same relatable quirk that Rodriguez channeled in Jane the Virgin or the same executive producers who oversaw Bridesmaids, this comedy is a must-stream.
Out: April 18 on Amazon Prime
Written and directed by Jonah Hill (who calls Martin Scorsese his mentor), Mid90s unfolds like a time capsule to that era and its skateboard culture. The film follows a 13-year-old boy at a crossroads between a troubled home life and new friends. The writing may be the film's biggest strength, creating dialogue that is both casually whip-smart and relatable.
Out: April 21 on Hulu
It's a film about four friends (Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen, Jane Fonda, and Mary Steenburgen), whose worlds get turned upside down — for the better — after reading the infamous Fifty Shades of Grey in their book club. The women are as charismatic and endearing as ever in their respective roles. However, the source material just lacks substance, bordering the cheesiness of the aforementioned novel. The film's saving grace? The leading ladies, of course.