The opening weeks of 2026 have delivered a strong lineup of streaming content, shaking off the typical January slowdown. Among the standout releases stands the HBO Max series Heated Rivalry, which has generated significant buzz across social platforms. This drama exceeds expectations, blending intense sports action with deeper emotional layers. Alongside new arrivals, several timeless films and series deserve attention for their compelling narratives and performances.
Heated Rivalry (2025)
Creator: Jacob Tierney
Age rating: TV-MA
Runtime: ~43 minutes per episode
Where to stream: HBO Max (US); Now TV (UK); HBO Max (AU)
In the competitive world of Major League Hockey, rivals Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) rise to stardom while navigating a secret romance. What begins as a physical attraction deepens into a profound connection, hidden from public view. This series ignites winter viewing with its mix of athletic drama and heartfelt storytelling.
Bones and All (2022)
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Age rating: R
Runtime: 130 minutes
Where to stream: Netflix (US); Prime Video (UK & AU)
Luca Guadagnino’s films often defy conventions, and Bones and All fuses drama, romance, and horror into a gripping tale. Set in the late 1980s, teenager Maren (Taylor Russell) hides her cannibalistic urges while constantly relocating. After a tragic incident leaves her alone, she hits the road and encounters Lee (Timothée Chalamet), another outcast with the same secret. Their journey explores love and survival on society’s fringes.
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
Director: Peter Jackson
Age rating: PG-13
Runtime: 178 minutes (extended edition total)
Where to stream: Prime Video, HBO Max (US); Now TV (UK); HBO Max, Prime Video, Stan (AU)
Peter Jackson’s adaptation brings J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy to vivid life. The story centers on the One Ring, forged by the Dark Lord Sauron to dominate Middle-earth. When it lands with hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) urges him to destroy it in Mordor. Frodo’s perilous quest, joined by allies, determines the fate of their world.
Train Dreams (2025)
Director: Drew Hancock
Age rating: R
Runtime: 107 minutes
Where to stream: Prime Video, HBO Max (US); Now TV (UK); Prime Video (AU)
A contender in this year’s Oscar race, Train Dreams secures nominations for Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay. Adapted from Denis Johnson’s novella, it follows logger Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton) through eight decades in the early 20th-century American Northwest. Orphaned young, Grainier builds a life with wife Gladys (Felicity Jones), only to face profound losses that reshape his path.
Euphoria (2019-2026)
Creator: Sam Levinson
Age rating: R
Runtime: ~60 minutes per episode
Where to stream: Prime Video, HBO Max (US); Now TV (UK); Prime Video (AU)
Despite production challenges, the upcoming third season of Euphoria builds anticipation with its recent trailer, set for release on April 12. This A24 series tracks California high schoolers grappling with identity amid social media pressures. At its core is Rue (Zendaya), a 17-year-old battling addiction and its perilous consequences.
Manchester by the Sea (2016)
Director: Kenneth Lonergan
Age rating: R
Runtime: 137 minutes
Where to stream: Prime Video (US); Prime Video, Netflix (UK)
Kenneth Lonergan’s drama delivers raw emotional depth. Handyman Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) returns to his hometown after his brother’s death, inheriting guardianship of nephew Patrick (Lucas Hedges). Thrust back into painful memories, Lee confronts the tragedies that drove him away years earlier.
About Time (2013)
Director: Richard Curtis
Age rating: R
Runtime: 123 minutes
Where to stream: Paramount+, Fubo (US); Now TV (UK); Paramount+, Foxtel Now, Binge (AU)
Richard Curtis blends romance with time-travel fantasy in About Time. On his 21st birthday, Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) learns he can time travel like the men in his family. He uses this gift to refine his life, including pursuing lawyer trainee Mary (Rachel McAdams) in London. As challenges arise, Tim discovers the limits of altering fate.
Interstellar (2014)
Director: Christopher Nolan
Age rating: PG-13
Runtime: 169 minutes
Where to stream: Paramount+ (US); Prime Video (UK)
Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi epic features stunning visuals, a haunting score, and powerhouse performances. In a drought-ravaged future, farmer and ex-NASA pilot Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) joins a mission through a wormhole to find a new home for humanity. Leaving his family behind, he leads astronauts into the unknown to avert global catastrophe.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Director: Gil Junger
Age rating: PG-13
Runtime: 97 minutes
Where to stream: Disney+ (US, UK & AU)
A modern twist on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, this ’90s rom-com captures teen romance with wit. Newcomer Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) crushes on Bianca (Larisa Oleynik), but her father requires her prickly sister Kat (Julia Stiles) to date first. Cameron enlists bad boy Patrick (Heath Ledger) in a scheme that sparks unexpected sparks.
