Monday 18 June 2018

What to watch on Now TV: your guide to the new TV shows and movies

Despite the fact Now TV can’t compete with Netflix when it comes to sheer volume of movies and TV shows, it’s still a firm favourite in our office. That’s because it brings us all the best bits of Sky TV, but without the big monthly bills.

You’ve also got the freedom to pick from a range of Now TV subscription plans, then you can stream TV shows and movies as much as you like, in the same way you do with Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. 

Although there might not be as much choice on Now TV, you’ll still get the same problems you do with Netflix: what should you watch next? 

With so many good movies and TV series at your fingertips, it’s hard to know where to begin and how to figure out which Now TV shows are worthy of your time and which should be left alone. Or which movies are Spielberg-worth and which are barely good enough for Sunday hangover viewing. 

Don't worry, we’re here to help. This handy list tells you what you should be watching on Now TV this week. We’ve picked this selection of top titles from Now TV’s recently-released TV and film line-up, which means it’s only filled with the best-of-the-best - as well as the odd guilty pleasure too of course. 

So whether you’re on the hunt for a new series to binge watch or a movie to scare you silly or make you laugh your socks off, this guide will ensure you’ll never have to waste time trawling through the hundreds of options when your time could be better spend winding down instead. And be sure to check in every week, we’ll keep this list updated with what’s new and worth watching constantly!

[Update: Westworld's long-awaited second season landed on Now TV just over six weeks ago. The service is drip-feeding episodes so as not to ruin the fun for those who watch the latest shows on Sky Atlantic in the UK or HBO in the US. The latest episode is one of our favourites so far after a slow start to the new season. 

But it's not just Westworld that gets updated every week, there's plenty to choose from including Supergirl, Legion and Billions - all with freshly-baked episodes landing every 7 days.

Movie-wise, you can get stuck into Avengers Assemble or Denis Villeneuve's breath-taking follow up to Blade Runner, Blade Runner 2049.]

New movies on Now TV this week

a still from the movie Avengers Assemble

Avengers Assemble: This fun who's who of Marvel superheroes is the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the first film that brings all of our favourite Avengers together. Avengers Assemble, also known as just The Avengers, follows the story of Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson) bringing all of them together to fight a big bad, which in this particular story is Loki.

Blade Runner 2049: Set 20 years after the original film, 2049 follows the story of K, a replicant played by Ryan Gosling, who uncovers a big secret that might bring about a replicant revolution. It received a mixed response from critics, but with an impeccable performance from Gosling, haunting sound design and some of the most breath-taking dystopian scenes in the history of science-fiction, it's not one you want to miss.

More movies recently added to Now TV

A still from the movie Captain Phillips

Captain Phillips: A heart-stopping thriller based on the true story of the 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking, in which Captain Richard Phillips (played by Tom Hanks) is taken hostage by pirates in the Indian Ocean. It's a great movie with solid acting from Hanks and Barkhad Abdi, who plays the pirate leader Abduwali Muse, that was nominated for six Academy Awards. 

A still from the movie IT based on the story by Stephen King

It: Based on the 1986 Stephen King novel by the same name, It is about seven children who are terrorised by It, a super creepy clown. That's all we'll say for now so as not to ruin the plot, but be warned: it's not for the faint-hearted. It was well received by critics and is the most profitable horror movie of all time. 

A still from the movie the war for the planet of the apes

War for the Planet of the Apes: The third and final instalment in the Planet of the Apes modern reboot series, and is all about the battle for the planet between the apes and the humans. Eagle-eyed fans of the original movies will notice it shares some similarities to the fifth film, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, but isn't a direct remake. You'd have thought they'd have been a bit more creative naming the new title then, right? Still, for the third film in a reboot series it performed exceptionally well at the box office and received a lot of praise, as well as being nominated for lots of awards for its visual effects. 

A still from the movie Zootropolis

Zootropolis: Although it's most definitely a kids movie, Zootropolis has a good story, top computer animation, LOL-worthy jokes and lots of voices you'll recognise, making it totally acceptable to watch if there are absolutely no kids present.

It's about a trainee police officer, who happens to be a rabbit, and a con artist, who happens to be a fox, and how they end up (kinda begrudgingly) working together to solve a mystery. It features the voices of Idris Elba, Jason Bateman, Jenny Slate and Ginnifer Goodwin and tackles some big issues in amongst the animal hijinks. 

Atomic Blonde: Charlize Theron plays a badass assassin in this spy thriller that's based on the graphic novel The Coldest City. She's on a mission to hunt down a list of double agents who are being smuggled into the West on the eve of the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989. 

The movie has received mixed reviews, but generally Theron's performance, James McAvoy's supporting performance, the soundtrack and the action sequences were praised by critics, which is all you can hope for a violent flick about an assassin. 

A still from the movie Dunkirk

Dunkirk: The award-winning blockbuster from Christopher Nolan is all about the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beach and harbour of Dunkirk during World War II. 

As you might expect, it's intense, thrilling and at times utterly tragic. It presents a number of different perspectives of the evacuation from land, air and sea, which makes the lead-up to events even more tense.

There isn't a great deal of dialogue but there's plenty of super intense music and beautifully-shot scenes that'll have you holding your breath for the whole 106 minutes of action.

Alien Covenant: Resurrecting a classic movie series is never easy. Alien Covenant does not take us back to the heights of the first two Alien films, but splices together the mythology of Prometheus and the action of Aliens to decent effect. 

It’s a good old action romp with some philosophical noodling thrown in for good measure. Alien Covenant is directed by Ridley Scott, did you expect anything less?


Michael Fassbender returns as the creepy David, an synthetic humanoid survivor of the Prometheus expedition. Alien Covenant helps stitch together 2012’s Prometheus and the Alien franchise to mostly satisfying effect. 

Kick Ass: Memories of Kick Ass may have been tainted by 2013’s rather rubbish Kick Ass 2, but this superhero comedy is worth a revisit. Particularly in the year of Avengers Infinity War, a film with so many characters you wonder how they all fit into 2hr30 run time. Kick Ass is far leaner.

A teenager and 11-year-old girl decide to become superheroes, despite not having any X-Men-like powers. Two hours of intense comic violence follows, drenched with style.

Roger Ebert called Kick Ass “morally reprehensible”, so we can’t guarantee all of you will get on with this movie. However, if you can take a lighter view on a pre-teen dishing out "real" violence, you’ll likely find it a lot of fun. 

Wonder Woman: Testament to the great, recent movies you get on Now TV, this week we have Wonder Woman. It was only released in 2017 and is one of the highest-rated DC Comics movies to date. 

Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman, an amazon warrior goddess who lives on a hidden island paradise with her fellow women warriors. Chris Pine is a World War I pilot who manages to gatecrash her home, and tells her of the conflict in the world outside. Superhero capers ensue.

Wonder Woman arrived on Now TV on International Women’s Day. The timing couldn’t be better. 

Also try…

Clash: Ready for a tough watch and some subtitles? Mohamed Diab's Clash is worth 97 minutes of your time. It’s set entirely in a police van in Egypt, as the characters are arrested and thrown in the back. The city is in chaos, following 2013 riots caused by President Morsi’s ousting from office.

The Mummy: The 2017 Tom Cruise reboot of The Mummy may not be a great film. OK, it’s not even a good film. But sometimes after a hard day’s work a tub of melted Hollywood cheese is just what you need. 

New TV shows on Now TV this week

A promo shot for the TV show Supergirl

Supergirl (New Episodes): The third season of Supergirl is currently unfolding on Now TV. It's not been a massive hit, but has plenty of dedicated fans who enjoy watching Kara Zor-El's story. For those not in the know Kara, AKA Supergirl, is Superman's cousin and one of the last surviving Kryptonians. She was sent to Earth in a spaceship just like Superman, but hers was thrown off course. So by the time she does arrive Superman is all grown up and she's in her mid-twenties. This is where the Supergirl TV show begins.

A promo shot for season 2 of Westworld

Westworld Season 2 (New Episodes): The highly-anticipated second season of HBO's sci-fi western series has landed on Now TV, and it doesn't disappoint. We're 5 episodes in and it's already providing answers to some of the biggest, most baffling twists of the first season. But unfortunately, it asks plenty more new questions. Sigh. It's like Lost all over again. 

For those not in the know, Westworld mixes the best bits of a sci-fi story within a western setting. That's right, think amazing tech, robots and super futuristic interfaces alongside cowboys, train robberies and lots of violence. 

Westworld the “place” is a quasi-theme park of the future, a virtual reality world that could be the locale for a classic Clint Eastwood film. The series is filled with uncanny valley moments and the kind of mysteries that made Lost such a compelling watch.

Also, just in case you're interested but impatient: if you're new to the series you definitely need to give the first season a watch first.

More TV shows recently added to Now TV

A promo shot for the TV show House of the cast

House: The TV series that follows the personal and professional life of Dr. Gregory House, a misanthropic and eccentric doctor and medical genius, may not be new. But this week all 8 seasons of the show have landed on Now TV, allowing you to re-watch all of the fascinating, gory and downright worrying medical diagnoses all over again. 

Sure the show can get a little repetitive a few seasons in, but if you're interested in biology and you're a fan of Hugh Laurie's portrayal of a brilliant doctor in a lot of physical and emotional pain, it's worth a watch. 

A promo shot for the TV show Here and Now

Here and Now: Fans of Six Feet Under should be excited about Here and Now. It comes from Alan Ball, that show’s creator.  It’s a multi-threaded tale of current-day multicultural America starring Tim Robbins and Holly Hunter. 

Early reviews have been mixed, criticising the unrealistic dialogue and aimless feel. But we’re going to stick this one out. 

Save Me: Save Me is a Sky Original production. It’s the story of Nelly, played by Lennie James, who is accused of abducting his daughter. He hasn’t seen her since she was three years old, but is arrested under suspicion of the crime. 

The six-episode arc sees him try to discover her real captor and prove his innocence. It’s gripping stuff.

Silicon Valley: The first four seasons of Silicon Valley have returned to Now TV as a box set, ahead of the release of Silicon Valley Season five. 

It’s a critically acclaimed comedy about nerdy programmers looking to make millions in a tech start-up. Silicon Valley is the creation of Mike Judge, of Beavis and Butthead, King of the Hill and Office Space fame. Judge worked as a real Silicon Valley engineer back in the 80s, but the show’s sharp writing and timeliness makes it seem one of the freshest shows around. 

To take a look at our full rundown of the best TV shows on Now TV, both old and new, check out our guide: The Best Now TV shows

Also try…

Britannia: It’s dividing the critics, but if you can’t wait for a new fix of Game of Thrones, Britannia may fill that Westeros-shaped hole in your viewing calendar.

Atlanta: Donald Glover’s amazing comedy set in the eponymous city was overlooked by many in the UK, and is well worth a watch. It centres around two cousins navigating the Atlanta music scene trying to make ends meet, and is as astute as it is hilarious.

Haven’t found what you’re looking for, and want to check some Netflix recommendations instead? Try these in-depth run downs of the best of the best Netflix content:



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news http://www.techradar.com/news/what-to-watch-on-now-tv-your-guide-to-the-new-tv-shows-and-movies

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