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The best new movies you can watch at home right now
There's plenty to watch at home these days, and we're rounding up the best (and worst) movies you can stream
Streaming services have taken over as one of the best ways to catch the latest movies. Whether they're making a stop in theaters before rolling out digital rentals or they launch as first-run originals from the likes of Netflix, Apple TV, or HBO; we're rounding up the best titles so you're not left in the dark — until it's time to start the film, that is. Check back each week (usually on Friday) to see the latest additions for movies that are now available to stream, the latest theatrical releases, and movies coming next week.
The 8 best LGBTQ+ documentaries to stream online
Learn more about the queer movement and its fight for equality for all people
Representation of the LGBTQIA+ community in media has made some strides over the past few years, but it's still not perfect. Whether it's Pride Month and you want to learn more or if you want to become a better ally, it's worth learning what has been done and how we've gotten to where we are today. The documentaries are available on various streaming platforms, and you can use a streaming device to watch them with friends. We collected some excellent documentaries that showcase both the struggles and successes of the LGBTQ community.
Our 15 favorite films by Asian filmmakers that every cinephile has to watch
Catch up on the best films from Korea to Iran — and all parts in between
There's a multitude of streaming services that drown us in mainstream television shows and movies. This cacophony is so enthralling that we don't often get to discover some of the greatest filmmakers from the other side of the planet. While Asian filmmakers like Bong Joon-ho have made it into the limelight, there are scores of talented directors from the Far East, Southern Asia, and the Middle East whose films have yet to get their fair due in the West.
Enjoy a night in with these 8 gorgeous films from queer filmmakers
Stream a classic from the best and brightest in queer cinema
The 1990s saw an unprecedented surge in the number of films created, written, and directed by queer filmmakers who brought a refreshing and often sobering perspective to a medium dominated by a stale, conspicuously male viewpoint. Over the past two decades, queer filmmakers have created a canon of films that are as diverse as LGBTQ communities around the world. And while many films would definitely be at home on this list, we chose eight films that we believe really stand apart from the competition.
While you're eagerly waiting for Amazon Prime Video to release its Lord of the Rings series, the streaming giant has a lot to offer in the meantime. Its release schedule for July is packed with dozens of movies and TV shows, including many of its originals that are or will presumably be massive hits. Here are some of the best movies and TV series coming to Amazon Prime Video in July 2022.
Google's latest Easter egg lets loose the caped crusader
He's the hero your search experience deserves
The premiere of "The Batman" starring Robert Pattinson is just days away. Because we've been missing tales of rogue billionaires exacting vengeance in the night, fans of the superhero are likely itching to hit the theater. Google clearly doesn't want to be left out of the fun, and has just put together a new Dark Knight Easter egg for its Search page.
Going to the movies? Bring an extra friend with a free ticket from Google Pay
Make sure you've got a showtime at Regal Cinemas
A ticket for one? Why not make it two? For many parts of America, theaters are back open and ready for your company. One chain is ready to commit with free tickets.
Google throws devs a bone and lowers the Play Store's cut of subscription fees across the board
Commissions stand at 15% for all subscriptions
Tensions between app developers and the platforms they serve have never been at a higher pitch with the ongoing disputes Epic Games has with Apple and Google. But these explosive distractions and the government legislation being signed into law in their wake have motivated the sleeping giants into catering for the publishing masses.
Beloved app TV Show Favs is dead — this is what you should use instead
Lots of trakt.tv clients, but SeriesGuide takes the cake
The Venn diagram of people who watch TV series across various networks and services and people who obsess over tracking every little thing in their lives mustn't be all that big, but for those of us who fall squarely in the middle of these two categories, there's a real need for apps that track which episodes of any series you've seen, which ones you wanna watch, and what shows you've collected on DVDs or Blu-Rays. Fan-favorite app TV Show Favs does this perfectly, but its developer just announced that the app will be shut down on June 26. If you're looking for a replacement, we've got a recommendation for you.
Play Movies & TV app will disappear from Roku and other smart TVs soon
Roku, LG, Samsung and Vizio TVs will lose the app in June, replaced with access to purchases YouTube
The transition from Google Play Music to YouTube Music has been a rocky and contentious one. But Google isn't finished axing its media apps just yet. According to updated support documentation, the Google Play Movies & TV app on smart televisions is the next one to get the chop. The phone app was replaced with the newer "Google TV" app in October, but the app will disappear from smart TV platforms as well starting in June.
YouTube TV adds your Google movie collection to its library
No more switching between streaming apps
YouTube TV aims to be a one-stop-shop for all of your entertainment needs, bundling streaming add-ons like HBO Max and Showtime into its collection of live channels. Not everyone wants to subscribe to a million different services, of course. If you prefer buying or renting new releases over signing up for a new subscription, YouTube TV has you covered. Any movie you've purchased or rented from YouTube or Google Play will now appear within the Library tab across all of your devices.
Struum will bring à la carte access to lesser-known TV and movie streaming services
One subscription fee for access to dozens of small providers
Get ready for a new streaming service, but unlike Netflix and Amazon, this one won't have any content of its own. The company is called Struum (pronounced "stroom") and it aims to bring together TV series and movies from dozens of lesser-known streaming services that struggle to compete in a saturated market.
LG wants you to believe people will still be using the Wing in three years
It's on billboards in the trailer for pandemic thriller "Songbird" and we couldn't think of a worse product placement strategy
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We didn't ask for a film exploring the idea of a society split apart by their immunity (or lack thereof) to a disease undergoing pandemic spread, but hey, we're getting one from Adam Mason and Michael Bay next year called "Songbird." It imagines a Los Angeles of the near future with mass quarantine camps, the privileged few with immunity bracelets, and a mutated SARS-CoV-2 dominating the storyline. It also has quite a bit of product placement for the very old (at least by that point) LG Wing.
The Google TV watchlist is integrated with Google Search and your Play Store wishlist
Keeping track of shows and movies you want to see just got a whole lot easier
Google TV is the biggest change to Android TV we've seen in years, and although it may well have its drawbacks, it sounds like it's pretty good at serving you the content you actually want. It also has an easily accessible watchlist that you can add movies and shows from various services. We now know that this list is also integrated with the watchlist feature in Google Search, as well as the wishlist in the Play Store.
Movies Anywhere officially adds Screen Pass feature to let friends watch your movies
You'll be able to share three per month
Movies Anywhere's Screen Pass functionality has finally become official following a lengthy beta. Screen Pass is a pretty clever feature, allowing movie owners to "lend" up to three movies per month to friends and family. It's certainly helpful in today's social distancing-centric environment.
YouTube Kids will release over 100 movies to keep your little ones entertained for free
Full quality content for your kids at no cost, that's a treat!
The pandemic has forced many of us to stay at home, and in a lot of cases, this also meant working from our abodes. This has been a particularly tough situation for parents, who need to look after their kids while on lockdown. YouTube wants to offer a solution to make things easier for families by adding more than a hundred movies to its Kids collection.
How to rip your movie collection to watch anywhere
Stuck in quarantine? Now's a great time to digitize those DVD and Blu-Ray discs
Physical media has its time and its place, but in the era of ultra-fast home Wi-Fi and high-res smartphones and tablets, a Blu-Ray or DVD basically makes no sense for a lot of the ways we now consume content. While ripping your collection of discs to digital can be time-consuming and comes with a real cost (disk space), going through the trouble can get you something Netflix can't: permanent, go-anywhere access to your complete media collection that no one can take away.In this guide, we'll show you how to get started ripping your DVDs and Blu-Rays, stripping the DRM protection, and converting them into more space-friendly and watchable formats for all of your devices. As a bonus, we'll show you how to get a media server up and running so you can stream those movies from any device, anywhere.
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Google has announced a couple of significant changes to Play Movies & TV that will have a considerable impact on owners of 4K televisions. Starting today, some previously-purchased movies will automatically be upgraded to 4K quality once it's available. The price of newly-purchased 4K content on the platform is also going down.
Google Maps can show you what movies you saw in theaters, as if you needed a reminder right now
It'll probably come useful after quarantine, though
Google Maps has a creepy handy timeline feature that allows you to review where you've been. The latter is already integrated with Photos, allowing you to see pictures you've taken at a specific location. It's now gaining extra functionality, which can remind you what movie you've seen when you've visited a theater.
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Google Search was once merely a place that listed relevant websites depending on your queries, but these days, the engine provides many details right within the results, saving you a few taps and clicks. Google is constantly improving these so-called Knowledge Graph cards, and has now expanded movie and TV show cards with a watchlist feature.