New to Streaming: No Other Land, Havoc, The Room Next Door, Conclave, Tendaberry, and more.

      Each week, we spotlight significant titles that have recently become available on streaming platforms in the United States. Explore this week’s picks below and past compilations here.

      **Babygirl (Halina Reijn)**

      Making a notable debut at the Venice Film Festival, Halina Reijn's follow-up to *Bodies Bodies Bodies*, *Babygirl*, features Nicole Kidman as a powerful CEO who jeopardizes her career and family by engaging in a passionate affair with her much younger intern (Harris Dickinson), a role that earned her the Best Actress award at the festival. Savina Petkova remarked in her review, “It's not premature in the festival to declare that Reijn has crafted one of the most engaging films in this year’s Venice lineup, meriting full acclaim for handling such a high-caliber project while delivering a third feature that comes remarkably close to perfection. *Babygirl* is labeled an erotic thriller and wastes no time in establishing this; the very opening scene shows Romy (Kidman) reaching climax, her face captured in a tight close-up until she collapses onto her husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas).”

      **Where to Stream:** Max

      **Conclave (Edward Berger)**

      Quick to dive in, the intricate political thriller *Conclave* presents a world where the Pope is deceased, prompting a three-week jump into the future as the world's most influential cardinals convene in Vatican City to select a new leader. Our guide in this insular environment is Cardinal Lawrence, played steadfastly by Ralph Fiennes. As the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Lawrence leads this conclave and must navigate his serious responsibilities, complicated by a recent plea to the late Pope to resign and relocate, aimed at rekindling his faith. The request was declined—likely because the previous pope understood he needed Lawrence to oversee the upcoming conclave—placing Lawrence in a position of great influence. As a hesitant leader with strong beliefs (yet prone to mistakes), he serves as a relatable perspective into this unfamiliar realm. – Caleb H. (full review)

      **Where to Stream:** Prime Video

      **Freaky Tales (Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck)**

      What can you expect from *Freaky Tales*? Regrettably, it offers something that is clever, overly self-satisfied, and considerably less exhilarating than its intended adrenaline rush. The filmmakers gained initial recognition at Sundance with *Half Nelson* in 2006 and have built their indie reputation through insightful works (*It’s Kind of a Funny Story*) and intelligent films (*Mississippi Grind*) that highlight their talents in writing and casting. Their mainstream deviation, *Captain Marvel*, probably sparked their return to more agile filmmaking; however, *Freaky Tales* comes across as an underdeveloped misstep. This collection of four interconnected narratives sees Boden and Fleck throwing numerous ideas against the wall, hoping some stick together coherently. Blending sci-fi elements and animation with a soundtrack inspired by hip-hop, punk, and classic rock, *Freaky Tales* aspires to the dynamism of *Pulp Fiction* but feels like it was reverse-engineered from its structure. – Jake K. (full review)

      **Where to Stream:** VOD

      **Gladiator II (Ridley Scott)**

      According to a recent meme, many men ponder the Roman Empire several times weekly. With *Gladiator II*, Ridley Scott resurrects the era as only an imaginative teenager could envision. For the director, historical accuracy remains largely irrelevant, and who can fault him? Why adhere to facts when it’s much more entertaining to imagine your eccentric action hero defeating hordes of CGI monkeys or engaging in a sea battle within the inundated Colosseum? If this long-awaited sequel feels superior to the original, it’s because it lacks any prestige ambitions—Scott adheres to the original formula strictly, amplifying the scale to ensure that each set piece is grander and more absurd than before. Unlike the first film, there’s no critique of the senseless violence on display; if Scott were to pause after Lucius (Paul Mescal) bites off a monkey’s arm during battle to again ask "are you not entertained," it would likely come across as genuine rather than ironic. – Alistair R. (full review)

      **Where to Stream:** Prime Video

      **Havoc (Gareth Evans)**

      Tom Hardy battling corrupt police and the Triad under the direction of the creator of *The Raid* sounds like an impressive concept. Hardy’s return to genre films after his time in the *Venom* wilderness, combined with Evans’ knack for capturing thrilling action sequences, makes *Havoc* stand out from Netflix's typical offerings. However, following his bold venture into folk horror with 2018’s *Apostle*—which many consider his best work for Netflix—*Havoc* implies a step backward for the talented