New movies now available to stream
‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’
In a media landscape increasingly dominated by CGI, green-screen sets, and AI-powered fare, there’s something special about watching Tom Cruise actually put his body on the line for all those wild “Mission: Impossible” stunts. For the franchise’s eighth installment, now streaming on Paramount+, Cruise earned himself a Guinness World Record for most jumps while a parachute is on fire, as the actor leapt from a helicopter more than a dozen times for the film’s fiery stunt. Available on Paramount+
‘Music Box: It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley’
Created by Bill Simmons, HBO’s “Music Box” documentary film series returned this week with its latest entry, this time focusing on the legacy of late singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley. “It’s Never Over,” directed by Oscar nominee Amy Berg, tackles Buckley’s musical ascension in the ’90s and shocking 1997 death, featuring interviews with family, friends, and former bandmates. Available on HBO Max
Shaquille O’Neal arrives at Ebony’s 2025 Power list and gala on Nov. 4 at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. Richard Shotwell/Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
New TV show now available to stream
‘Dunkman’
NBA Hall of Fame member and one-time Celtic Shaquille O’Neal steps back on the court, this time to help crown the world’s best dunker in the new reality competition series “Dunkman.” Streaming on HBO Max, the show features 40 high-flying athletes competing for a $200,000 prize, with O’Neal serving as a judge along with a rotating panel of former dunk contest kings, including Vince Carter, Dwight Howard, and Nate Robinson. Available on HBO Max
“Mad Men” is now streaming on HBO Max.Michael Yarish/AMC
Binge-worthy weekend TV pick
‘Mad Men’
“Mad Men” leaving the Netflix library several years ago was a pretty devastating move for longtime fans of the hit AMC drama, so it should be a welcome sight to see the show now streaming over on HBO Max this week (it also continues to stream on AMC+). While the transfer to the platform has been a little bumpy (see if you can spot the visible puke hose in the season 1 episode “Red in the Face”), it’s still great seeing Jon Hamm’s Don Draper and the rest of the gang in glorious 4K resolution. Available on AMC+ and HBO Max
From left: Adam Sandler and George Clooney in “Jay Kelly.”Peter Mountain/Netflix
‘Jay Kelly’
After debuting in theaters last month, the comedy-drama “Jay Kelly” streams on Netflix beginning Friday. Directed by Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, the film stars George Clooney, appropriately, as a big Hollywood actor who goes on a journey to find himself, with help from his manager, played by Adam Sandler. “I’m inclined to believe that Baumbach is the rare director who can get career-best work from Sandler,” wrote Globe film critic Odie Henderson in his 3½-star review. Available on Netflix
Matt Juul is the assistant digital editor for the Living Arts team at The Boston Globe, with over a decade of experience covering arts and entertainment.
Matt Juul can be reached at matthew.juul@globe.com.
