The Top New Movies to Watch at Home This Week (January 1-7)

Staying in and watching a great new movie is one of life’s simple pleasures. With so many new releases coming to streaming services and digital rental platforms every week, it can be tough to keep up with what’s available. To help out, I’ve put together this guide to the best new movies you can watch at home right now in the first week of January 2024.

Key Takeaways:

• Good Grief, starring Dan Levy and Ruth Negga, is a bittersweet romcom about love and loss now on Netflix.
• The Bricklayer, with Aaron Eckhart as a rogue CIA agent, is an action-packed espionage thriller available to rent.
• Eileen, based on the Ottessa Moshfegh novel, is a dark character study led by Thomasin McKenzie and Anne Hathaway.
• Society of the Snow dramatizes the harrowing 1972 plane crash in the Andes now streaming on Netflix.
• Healed is a well-acted psychological thriller about a dangerous wellness retreat.

Now let’s get into the full list of great new movies you can watch at home this week!

Good Grief (Now on Netflix)

Released on January 5th, this original Netflix film is a dramedy starring Dan Levy as a man struggling with the sudden death of his husband. With help from his eccentric best friends, played by Ruth Negga and Himesh Patel, he takes a trip to Paris for some self-discovery. This bittersweet romantic tale about grief and moving forward is garnering positive reviews for its strong cast and mix of pathos and humor. With its balance of emotion and levity, Good Grief is shaping up to be a solid Netflix release to kick off the new year.

Netflix | TMDb

The Bricklayer (Available to Rent)

For thriller fans, check out The Bricklayer starring Aaron Eckhart, available to rent on January 5th. Eckhart plays a rogue former CIA operative who gets dragged back into the dangerous world of international espionage when someone starts blackmailing the agency. This action flick co-starring Nina Dobrev has Eckhart using his particular skills to uncover the sinister conspiracy. Reviews suggest that while the plot is familiar, Eckhart’s strong performance coupled with some gripping set pieces make this a fun watch for those who enjoy the spy genre.

• IMDb | Rotten Tomatoes | The Movie DB | Letterboxd
• Amazon | Amazon Prime Video | Vudu | YouTube | Apple TV

Eileen (Available to Rent)

Released in theaters on December 8th and available to rent this week is the gothic thriller Eileen, based on the Ottessa Moshfegh novel of the same name. The moody period piece is set in 1964 and stars Thomasin McKenzie as the troubled title character who works at a prison and becomes fascinated with a glamorous new counselor played by Anne Hathaway. When dark secrets are revealed, Eileen finds herself going down a disturbing path. Carried by strong performances, particularly McKenzie’s unsettling lead turn, this brooding slow-burn earns comparisons to the works of Alfred Hitchcock.

Society of the Snow (Now on Netflix)

This Spanish-language drama tells the harrowing true story of a plane crash in the Andes mountains in 1972. Society of the Snow dramatizes the famous event where Uruguayan rugby players struggled to survive for months in freezing conditions after their plane went down. Released globally on Netflix on January 4th, this survival film shot in the mountains of Argentina and Spain highlights the resilience of the human spirit. While a grim watch, it provides a respectful depiction of the real-life disaster that inspired the famous 1993 film Alive.

• NETFLIX | TMDb

Healed (Available to Rent)

Healed offers a psychological thriller fix, following a celebrity couple who attend a remote wellness retreat that turns out to be a twisted experiment. Out since December 31st, this indie horror flick is carried by its committed performances, including turns from Virginia Madsen and Candyman’s Tony Todd. With themes touching on toxic positivity and morality, this bottle episode set in one creepy location provides chills even on a low budget. For less than $10, Healed brings decent scares and suspense straight to your home.

• IMDb | Rotten Tomatoes | The Movie DB | Letterboxd
• Amazon

More Notable New Releases

• The Bastard Sons: Gritty crime thriller about a crew seeking revenge on their father’s murderers, featuring character actor Al Sapienza.
• Roadkill: A young woman faces off against a sinister drifter who begins to stalk her on a remote highway.
• The Mummy Murders: Mixing true crime with horror, this fictional story is framed around an interview with a serial killer.
• Holiday Twist: A by-the-numbers but sweet romance led by Kelly Stables and Neal McDonough.
• How to Have Sex: Coming-of-age indie drama following British teenage girls on a summer holiday.
• The Monkey King: The Legend Begins: Hong Kong fantasy epic starring Donnie Yen as the legendary Monkey King.

Highly Anticipated Upcoming Releases

Along with this week’s new releases, there are some major movies on the horizon that cinephiles should have on their radar.

The Painter

• Release Date: January 9
• Cast: Charlie Weber, Madison Bailey, Jon Voight
• The Painter has Weber starring as an ex-CIA agent forced back into action when a woman from his past reemerges, putting him in the crosshairs. This thriller boasting an impressive cast promises pulpy action and intrigue.

War Blade

• Release Date: January 9
• Cast: Joseph Millson, Ronan Summers
• Set during WWII, this war film follows a British agent sent to rescue a resistance fighter from a Nazi bunker. War Blade looks to offer suspense and gritty battle action.

They Turned Us Into Killers

• Release Date: January 9
• Cast: Scout Taylor-Compton, Taryn Manning, Michael Berryman
• This revenge horror has a woman torturing the men responsible for her best friend’s assault and suicide. With a B-movie cast including Halloween’s Scout Taylor-Compton, They Turned Us Into Killers brings brutal vengeance.

The Disappearance of Shere Hite

• Release Date: January 9
• Featuring interviews with Dakota Johnson, this documentary examines the life of feminist icon Shere Hite, who revolutionized attitudes about female sexuality in the 1970s before mysteriously vanishing from public life.

Wrap Up

January may be a slower month for big blockbuster releases, but as this preview shows, there are still plenty of great new movies coming to streaming and VOD services. Whether you’re looking for a touching dramedy like Good Grief, a chilling thriller like Eileen, or just some solid B-movie style entertainment like Healed, there’s a good variety to choose from this week. And with intriguing titles like The Painter and They Turned Us Into Killers coming soon, there’s lots get excited about as 2024 kicks into gear!

So grab your popcorn, get cozy on the couch, and check out the top new movies you can watch at home right now. Happy viewing!