The 8 best new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend.

A new start to the year means new TV shows and movies to sink your teeth into.

While 2023 was certainly the year that made going to the cinemas cool again (and we thank Barbenheimer for that every day), it's undeniable that curling up on the couch to binge-watch a fun new series or a dark and twisted film does something good for the soul. 

With that in mind, here is a list of the best new TV shows and movies you can sneak off and check out in your spare time.

From mind-bending sci-fi films to laugh-out-loud comedies, here are eight of the best new releases you need to watch this weekend.

Foe — Prime Video.

Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal in Foe. Image: Prime Video.

Paul Mescal. Saoirse Ronan. What more is there to say? 

The pair take chemistry to a whole other level in the new spooky Prime Video film Foe, based on the novel of the same name by Ian Reid. 

Directed by our very own Australian Garth Davis, Foe tells the story of a young couple named Henrietta (Ronan) and Junior (Mescal) whose lives are turned upside down when a strange man (Aaron Pierre) appears at their door and tells the husband he is about to be sent to space. 

Watch the trailer for Foe. Post continues after video. 

To keep his wife company, a robot who resembles his likeness will take his place. Yup. We told you it was spooky. 

This sci-fi thriller is gaining attention for its star-studded cast who have both delivered an impeccable performance. Even if you're not a fan of the science fiction genre, you're most definitely a fan of Mescal... so what's the harm in watching, really?

Foe is now streaming on Prime Video.

Boy Swallows Universe — Netflix.

Travis Fimmel and Phoebe Tonkin in Boy Swallows Universe. Image: Netflix.

Based on the best-selling book by Trent Dalton, Boy Swallows Universe tells the story of a young boy growing up in the suburbs around Brisbane in the 1980s. The world he lives in is harsh and unrelenting and it's a world we get to be part of ourselves in the new eight-part limited series.

Boy Swallows Universe stars plenty of Aussie talent including Travis Fimmel, Simon Baker, Phoebe Tonkin and Anthony LaPaglia.

Boy Swallows Universe is now streaming on Netflix. 

Role Play — Prime Video.

Kaley Cuoco and David Oyelowo in Role Play. Image: Prime Video.

In Role Play, Emma (Cuoco) and Dave (Oyelowo) are on a mission to spice up their wedding anniversary with a night of role-playing in New York City. 

But things turn dangerous when Emma's secret life as an international assassin, unknown to Dave, is exposed. To protect her family, she must rely on her lethal skills. 

Looking for something funny, fast-paced and easy to watch? Well, look no further. 

Role Play premieres January 11, 2024, on Prime Video.

Lift — Netflix.

Kevin Hart in Lift Image: Netflix.

Kevin Hart is one of those comedians who is good at acting too and boy are we lucky for that. His latest project is Netflix's Lift which might just seem like a standard heist from a professional thief... until you realise they are stealing $500 million in gold from a vault on a plane.

Whilst they are 40,000 feet in the air. 

Talk about being on the edge of your seat. 

Lift premieres on January 12, 2024, on Netflix.

The Brothers Sun — Netflix.

Michelle Yeoh in The Brothers Sun. Image: Netflix.

The Brothers Sun might just be the best new show of the year. 

The series, starring Michelle Yeoh, Justin Chien and Sam Song Li, starts when a mysterious enemy targets a family. As such, a Taipei triad member heads to Los Angeles to protect his strong-willed mother and oblivious younger brother.

Except, things don't really go to plan. Because the mother is smarter than all of 'em — sons and enemies included (obviously).

The Brothers Sun has everything: perfect casting, spectacular acting, a bit of comedy, a bit of action and some pretty impressive fight scenes that leave you gripping your pillow in anticipation. 

Season 1 of The Brother's Sun is now streaming on Netflix.

John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial — Apple TV+.

John Lennon in 1977. Image: Getty.

Directed and narrated by actor Keifer Sutherland, John Lennon: Murder Without A Trailer is Apple TV+'s latest true crime docuseries. 

It follows moments after the murder of Lennon, who rose to fame as part of The Beatles, on December 8, 1980. 

John Lennon: Murder Without A Trial isn't just an examination of the musician's life but rather a look into the lives of those who knew him, loved him and were forced to pick up the pieces following the icon's tragic death. 

John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial is now streaming on Apple TV+.

RuPaul's Drag Race — Stan.

RuPaul's Drag Race, season 16. Image: Stan.

Every year, we get to watch talented drag queens battle it out against each other to become the ultimate winner of the reality series RuPaul's Drag Race. As the competition program goes into its 16th season, the game has only become more and more fierce... making for a particularly juicy watch. 

Watching it feels like a drag brunch with bottomless mimosas except you're lying on your couch with a Zooper Dooper in one hand and a can of soft drink in the other. 

The 16th season of RuPaul's Drag Race is now streaming, with episodes dropping weekly, only on Stan. 

Daughters Of The Cult — Disney+.

Still from Daughters Of The Cult. Image: Disney+.

Disney's new docuseries, Daughters Of The Cult, explores the violent, polygamist cult led by fanatical prophet, Ervil LeBaron.

LeBaron had thirteen wives, over fifty children and was dubbed the "Mormon Manson" for his religious views. 

In the documentaries, we get to hear interviews with his daughters, Anna LeBaron and Celia LeBaron, who both fled the cult when Anna ran away at thirteen and Celia escaped at nineteen. 

The new show is certainly not easy to watch by any means, but it's definitely worth watching. 

Daughters Of The Cult will premiere on January 11, 2024, on Disney+.

Feature Image: Netflix.