Stream on Demand: George Clooney directs Ben Affleck in ‘Tender Bar’
What’s new for home viewing on Video on Demand, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max and other streaming services.
Top streams for the week
George Clooney directs “The Tender Bar” (2021), a coming-of-age drama starring Tye Sheridan as a boy raised by a struggling single mother (Lily Rabe) who is forced to move back into her family home. Ben Affleck gives a standout performance as his uncle, a bartender and surrogate father who offers life lessons and inspires the boy’s love of literature. (Amazon Prime Video)
An American fund manager in London (Danielle Macdonald) quits her job to follow her dream of becoming an opera singer in the romantic comedy “Falling for Figaro” (2021, not rated).
Her journey takes her to an opera diva (Joanna Lumley) in the Scottish Highlands, where she clashes with a rival pupil (Hugh Skinner) and meets a whole village full of eccentrics. Ben Lewin directs. (Hulu)
The anthology film “The Year of the Everlasting Storm” (2021, not rated, with subtitles) looks at life in the pandemic through short films from seven international directors, among them David Lowery, Jafar Panahi, Laura Poitras and Apichatpong Weerasethakul. (Hulu)
A number of broadcast TV shows debut this week. You can stream the historical drama “Women of the Movement” (TV-MA), about key women in the Civil Rights movement and the action drama “The Cleaning Lady” (TV-14) with Elodie Yung on Hulu, along with the unscripted comedy “Judge Steve Harvey” (not rated) and the reality-TV show reboot “Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer” (not rated). Episodes available a day after their respective network showings. (Hulu)
You can also catch the new seasons of “This Is Us” (TV-14, Hulu and Peacock), “Kenan” (TV-PG, Hulu and Peacock), “9-1-1: Lone Star” (TV-14, Hulu), “Black-ish” (TV-PG, Hulu) and the competition show “I Can See Your Voice” (TV-PG, Hulu).
Kid stuff: The animated family series “El Deafo” (TV-G) follows a young girl who relies on her inner superhero to navigate elementary school after she loses her hearing. All episodes streaming. (Apple TV+)
Classic picks: Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman will always have Paris in “Casablanca” (1942), one of the most beloved romantic dramas of all time. It returns to the HBO Max catalog this month along with dozens of classics, among them the original “King Kong” (1933) and the musical “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952). (HBO Max)
Pay-Per-View / Video on Demand
Kristin Stewart is Princess Diana in “Spencer” (2021, R), Pablo Larrain’s intimate drama set over a troubled Christmas weekend. Also on DVD and at Redbox.
Netflix
The reality-TV show “Hype House” (TV-14) brings viewers into the lavish home shared by some of the world’s biggest social media stars.
Kid stuff: “Action Pack” (TV-Y) is an animated superhero series for young kids.
HBO Max
Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson team up again in the action comedy “Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” (2021, R) with Salma Hayek.
Streaming TV: The fifth season of the mystery comedy “Search Party” (TV-MA) begins with new episodes on Fridays, and the complete “Snowpiercer: Season 2” (TV-MA) is now streaming.
New on disc and at Redbox
“Spencer,” “Zeroes and Ones”
Sean Axmaker is a Seattle film critic and writer. His reviews of streaming movies and television can be found at streamondemandathome.com.