Clockwise from top right: "Flow," Robert Pattinson in "Mickey 17," Ralph Fiennes in "Conclave," Mikey Madison and Mark Eydelshteyn in "Anora."
Chicago - If it ever feels like there’s just too much content, there’s a reason for that: dozens of streaming services, big releases available for rental at home, and movie theaters full of blockbusters and independent films alike.
So we’re here to help. In our new column, we’ll make four recommendations for viewing each weekend: one movie for renting at home, one for streaming on a service (or for free!), one for watching with the family, and one to see in theaters.
See it in theaters: "Mickey 17"
The story: On the run from a nefarious loan shark, Mickey (Robert Pattinson) signs up for a job on an expedition to settle a new planet without reading the fine print. Turns out his ticket off Earth is contingent on him becoming an "Expendable" – a person who can be "reprinted" and whose soul is uploaded to a new body after every death. So dying becomes his job.
What we thought: Director Bong Joon Ho ("Parasite") combines his knack for post-apocalyptic storytelling ("Snowpiercer") with his love of big weird imaginary critters ("Okja") for this interplanetary adventure. It’s not as expertly constructed as the Oscar-winning "Parasite," but it’s a funny, surprising and deliciously weird adventure from one of the most exciting directors on the planet.
Why we picked it: Who doesn’t want to watch Robert Pattinson play a bunch of oddball clones? The excellent cast also includes Mark Ruffalo, Toni Colette and Steven Yeun.
Where to watch: "Mickey 17" arrives in theaters this weekend, and if you’re lucky enough to be near an IMAX theater, you can catch it on a very, very big screen.
Does "Mickey 17" have a post-credits scene?
Nope! Once those credits roll, you can safely head out to the lobby.
Rent at home: "Anora"
The story: In Sean Baker’s "screwball dramedy" – the newly-minted winner of the 2025 Oscar for Best Picture, among several others – a young sex worker from Brooklyn meets the goofy son of a Russian oligarch and finds herself in a real-life Cinderella story, only to discover that happy endings are rarely all that final.
What we thought: "Anora" isn’t a feel-good movie, but it’s not a tragedy, either. It’s not a comedy, but it’s very funny; it’s not a drama, but it’s deeply affecting. Ani (Best Actress Oscar winner Mikey Madison) is sometimes exhausting but never stops being someone you root for. It’s a surprising, relentless, deeply human film as full of contradictions and complexity as the young woman on which it centers.
Why we picked it: Because it’s the newest film to win the Oscar for Best Picture, and luckily, it’s also very good.
Where to watch: "Anora" is available for digital rent or purchase. (And if you’d rather see it on a big screen, it has returned to some theaters in the wake of its big wins.)
Stream at home: "Conclave"
The story: After the unexpected death of the Pope, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes, a nominee for the 2025 Best Actor Oscar) must manage the secretive, ritualistic meeting of Cardinals in which a successor is elected. But after the doors are locked, Lawrence discovers that there may be conspirators at work.
What we thought: "Conclave" is a sharp, savvy, and even funny mystery, one that turns what might be considered a limitation – the film, like the Cardinals, is confined to one location until that new Pope is elected – and makes it a strength. It turns out that trapping some of the globe’s best character actors in a small space, dressing them in fancy robes and making them fight each other is a surefire way to entertain.
Why we picked it: Another nominee for the 2025 Best Picture Oscar, "Conclave" picked up a statuette for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Where to watch: "Conclave" is streaming on Peacock.
Watch with the family: "Flow"
The story: In a world without humans, a small black cat finds itself trying to navigate a planet overtaken by floodwaters – but luckily, there are other animals around, and some of them are more than ready to make friends.
What we thought: "Flow" is a delight. Entirely free of dialogue – though rich with meows, barks, chirps, and cute capybara noises – it’s set on a world that might look like ours, were it not for the occasional mystical creature or mysterious happening. But while much about the world goes unexplained, the story is a universal one.
Why we picked it: "Flow" beat out several excellent films (with much bigger budgets) for the 2025 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, a win that earned the country of Latvia its first-ever Oscar.
Where to watch: "Flow" is streaming on Max.
The Source: Allison Shoemaker is a film critic based in Chicago. All opinions are her own. Information on the Academy Award nominations and wins was culled from Oscars.org, the official website of the ceremony. Streaming availability was found on Letterboxd.com, a film-centric app and publication.