This Week's Picks | 70th Edition

Published on 24 December 2025 at 05:00

Welcome to On Screens This Week, your passport to the world’s most compelling stories—playing out in cinemas, living rooms, and streaming queues across the globe.

From pulse-pounding thrillers and epic romances to festive comedies and hard-hitting documentaries, we curate what’s worth watching right now.

As the year winds down and the holiday lights go up, these selections capture the chaos, comfort, and catharsis of stories that connect us—wherever we are.

In Cinemas

US

Comedy | Action | Adventure

Midlife chaos meets rainforest mayhem as old friends chase nostalgia and collide with danger.

A wild, comedic adventure where giant snakes aren’t the only things forcing them to grow up.

Synopsis, Credit & Trailer

Synopsis: A group of friends facing mid-life crises head to the rainforest with the intention of remaking their favourite movie from their youth, only to find themselves in a fight for their lives against natural disasters, giant snakes and violent criminals.

Writer: Kevin Etten & Tom Gormican

Cast: Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, Selton Mello, Daniela Melchior, Ice Cube, Ione Skye, Rui Ricardo Diaz, John Billingsley, Sebastian Sero, Diego Arnary, Dan Silveira, Anna Francesca, Jennifer Lopez, Jarred Blakiston, John Voce, Lisa Kay, Ben Lawson, Paulo Borges, Ben Lawson, Cooper Matthews, Romeo Ellard, Ron Smyck

Cine-grapher: Marc Spicer

Composer: David Fleming

Costume Designer: Alice Babidge

Production Designer: Steven Jones-Evans

Producer: Andrew Form & Brad Fuller

Editor: Craig Alpert & Gregory Plotkin

Director: Tom Gormican

Release Date: 25 December 2025

Screening Territory: Global

Production Location: Queensland, Australia

Production Country: US

Cert: 12A

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFLyvzIZjK4&t=3s

Rating: 0 stars
0 votes

Nigeria

Drama | Thriller | Mystery

A warrior hunts a beast but finds a truth that burns deeper than rivalry.

Love, honour, and destiny clash in a mystery where hearts are as dangerous as blades.

Synopsis, Credit & Trailer

Synopsis: When a warrior is sent out to hunt a beast believed to be unleashed by his clan’s rivals, he uncovers a darker truth and an unexpected connection. Now he must decide to protect his clan’s honour or risk everything for a forbidden love that could unite or doom their worlds.

Writer & Director: Niyi Akinmolayan

Cast: Femi Branch, Gabriel Afolayan, Ibrahim Chatta, Mercy Aigbe, Osas Ighodaro, Uzor Arukwe,

Producer: Osas Ighodaro

Release Date: 24 December 2025

Screening Territory: West Africa (Nigeria)

Production Location: Nigeria

Production Country: Nigeria

Cert: 15

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9oIbTaufKQ

Rating: 0 stars
0 votes

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In Cinemas

US

Thriller | Drama | Mystery 

A fresh start turns seductive and sinister as Millie enters a mansion built on secrets.

Power, desire, and deception spiral into a thriller where no one is who they seem.

Synopsis, Credit & Trailer

Synopsis: Trying to escape her past, Millie Calloway accepts a job as a live-in housemaid for the wealthy Nina and Andrew Winchester. But what begins as a dream job quickly unravels into something far more dangerous—a sexy, seductive game of secrets, scandal, and power.

Writer: Freida McFadden & Rebecca Sonnenshine

Cast: Sydney Sweeney Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar, Elizabeth Perkins, Michele Morrone, Indiana Elle, Arabella Olivia Clark, Megan Ferguson, Ellen Tamaki, Amanda Joy Erickson, Alaina Surgener, Mark Grossman, Hannah Cruz, Matt Walton, Sophia Bunnell, Maury Ginsberg, Einar Haraldsson, Don Dipetta, Ivan Amaro Bullon, Alexandra Seal, Cailen Fu

Cine-grapher: John Schwartzman

Composer: Theodore Shapiro

Costume Designer: Renee Ehrlich Kalfus

Production Designer: Elizabeth Jones

Producer: Todd Lieberman, Laura Allen Fischer, Paul Feig & Carly Kleinbart

Editor: Brent White

Director: Paul Feig

Release Date: 22 December 2025

Screening Territory: Global

Production Location: Saint Elizabeth University, Morristown, New Jersey, US

Production Country: US

Cert: 15

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqWH0KDqm3U&t=2s

Rating: 0 stars
0 votes

India

Romance | Comedy | Adventure

A carefree planner and a stubborn writer spark a summer storm across Croatia’s coast.

Romance, comedy, and tradition collide in a love story that refuses to follow the script.

Synopsis, Credit & Trailer

Synopsis: When a carefree NRI wedding planner and a headstrong novelist collide during a wild summer in Croatia, sparks fly in ways neither expected. What begins as playful clashes soon transforms into something deeper – only to be tested when love, family, and tradition pull them in opposite directions.

Writer: Karan Shrikant Sharma

Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Ananya Panday, Neena Gupta, Jackie Shroff, Arjan Panwar, Lokesh Mittal, Ishita Dutta, Tiku Talsania, Karan Singh Lamba, Afnan Fazli, Chandi Bhabhda, Mohit Nehra, Raghav Binani, Guarav Pandey, Mahima Chaudhry, Nikkhil Advani

Cine-grapher: Anil Mehta

Composer: Shekhar Ravjiani & Vishal Dadlani

Producer: Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Shareen Mantri Kedia & Kishor Arora

Editor: Manan Mehta

Director: Sameer Vidwans

Release Date: 24 December 2025

Screening Territory: Global

Production Location: India

Production Country: India

Language: Hindi (Foreign Language Subtitled)

Cert: 12A

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jStzDYz2ajI&list=RDjStzDYz2ajI&start_radio=1

Rating: 0 stars
0 votes

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Streaming Series

South Africa

Action | Drama | Adventure | Crime | Thriller

A haunted mercenary hiding in Johannesburg’s shadows is pulled back into the fire.

Action and heart collide as Lukas fights for redemption and the people he can’t abandon.

Synopsis, Credit & Trailer

Synopsis: Lukas, a former Special Forces mercenary crippled by PTSD, drifts through Johannesburg's back streets, surviving as a waste picker and crafting metal sculptures to support the shelter he calls home. He avoids attention, preferring a life lived in the margins, where he remains unseen and unnoticed. But one morning, Lukas witnesses a home invasion and has no choice but to get involved. Forced back into the very world he's been trying to escape, Lukas must confront his past or risk losing the people he loves.

Writer: Gareth Crocker

Cast: Bonko Khoza, Nathan Castle, Dineo Rasedile, Naturi Naughton, Andreas Damm, Hlomla Dandala, Peter Andreas Dam, Jacques Hartzenberg, Greg Kriek, Adrian Collins, Langley Kirkwood, Aaron Muchanyu, Tafara Nyatsanza, Farai Chigudu, Anton David Jeftha, Ben Tjibe, Shamilla Miller, Chalatsane Kabelo, Dumani Siphosethu, Llewelyn Cordier

Cine-grapher: Nick Keulemans

Composer: Benjamin Willem

Producer Nick Keulemans & Phillip Wolmarans

Editor: Brett MacDonald & Fred Wolmarans

Director: Gareth Crocker & Fred Wolmarans

Release Date: 27 November 2025

Streaming On: Prime Video

Production Location: South Africa

Production Country: South Africa

Cert: TV-MA

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjltibNoV5g&t=1s

Rating: 0 stars
0 votes

South Korea

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller | Mystery

Two men locked in a deadly rivalry uncover corruption woven into the nation’s power lines.

A sharp, stylish thriller where justice is a battlefield, and loyalty has a price.

Synopsis, Credit & Trailer

Synopsis: As Geon-young starts his probe into Ki-tae's smuggling operations and their links with officials, the two men become embroiled in a perilous rivalry fuelled by political conspiracies, criminal enterprises, and conflicting visions of justice.

Writer: Woo Min-ho, Park Eungyo & Park Jun-seok

Cast: Roh Jae-won, Hyun Bin, Jung Woo-sung, Seo Eun-su, Cho Yeo-jeong, Won Ji-an, Jung Sung-il, Kang Gil-woo, Lee Ju-yeon, Woo Do-Hwan, Jordon Shinn, Park Yong-woo, Mitch Craig, Cha Hee

Producer: Joshua Dixon

Director: Woo Min-ho

Release Date: 24 December 2025

Streaming On: Disney+/Hulu

Production Location: South Korea

Production Country: South Korea

Language: Korean (Foreign Language Subtitled)

Cert: 15

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRlEArXazfM&t=3s

Rating: 0 stars
0 votes

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Streaming Series

Italy

Holiday | Comedy | Drama

Two lovable fools discover a magical dumpster that teleports them home for Christmas.

A festive, chaotic joyride celebrating family, mishaps, and holiday miracles.

Synopsis, Credit & Trailer

Synopsis: With Christmas around the corner, two blundering Sicilian friends working in Milan discover a dumpster that transports them to their families in seconds.

Writer: Fabrizio Cestaro, Salvatore Ficarra, Nicola Guaglianone, Valentino Picone & Fabrizio Testini

Cast: Salvatore Ficarra, Valentino Picone, Katia Follesa, Barbara Tabita, Max Tortora, Sergio Vastano, Jerry Cala, Giorgio Tirabassi, Enrico Bertolino, Angelo Tosto, Anna Melato, Alessandro Idonea, Vincenzo Ficarra, Luigi Maria Rausa, Massimiliano Tortora, Adelaide Massari, Giovanni Federico, Ambra Aparo, Giuseppe Carlo Tomaselli, Miriam Galanti

Cine-grapher: Maurizio Calvesi

Composer: Paolo Buonvino & Vittorio Giannelli

Costume Designer: Cristina Francioni

Producer Attilio De Razza & Nicola Picone

Editor: Claudio Di Mauro

Director: Salvatore Ficarra & Valentino Picone

Release Date: 5 December 2025

Streaming On: Netflix

Production Location: Rome, Lazio, Noto, Sicily, Aola, Sicily & Milan, Lombardy, Italy

Production Country: Italy

Language: Italian (Foreign Language Subtitled)

Cert: PG 13

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOP8lyKCV8U&t=57s

Rating: 0 stars
0 votes

Germany

Comedy | Romance | Crime | Thriller

Murder, matrimony, and manners collide before dinner is served.
A witty, romantic crime caper with cult-classic charm.

Synopsis, Credit & Trailer

Synopsis: At last, the long-awaited prequel to the cult sketch Dinner for One—England, early 20th century - a country estate near Eastbourne. Faced with financial hardship, young Miss Sophie decides to get married and invites marriage candidates to her castle. Before she can make her choice, one of the gentlemen is murdered. Miss Sophie challenges the bachelors to witty competitions for her heart and tries to find the murderer secretly. Always at her side is her butler James - and a tender but seemingly impossible romance develops ...

Writer: Tommy Wosch & Dominik Moser

Cast: Alicia von Rittberg, Kostja Ullmann, Moritz Bleibtreu, Frederick Lau, Jacob Matschenz, Christoph Schechinger, Vladimir Korneev, Ulrich Noethen, Lilly Vogler, Elisabeth Jessen, Max Befort, Michael Kessler, Sonke Mohring, Wotan Wilke Mohring, Denis Moschitto, Fran Streffing, Dietrich Hollinderbaumer, Simon Domer, Nikola Kastner

Cine-grapher: Rene Richter

Composer: Michael Regner

Costume Designer: Wiebke Kratz

Producer: Julia Franke & Tommy Wosch

Editor: Stefen Rocker & David Wieching

Director: Markus Sehr & Daniel Rakete Siegel

Release Date: 22 December 2025

Streaming On: Prime Video

Production Location: Berlin, Germany

Production Country: Germany

Language: German (Foreign Language Subtitled)

Cert: 16

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kssY7Da9luw

Rating: 0 stars
0 votes

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Streaming Movies

UK & US

Holiday | Drama

Family fractures and fierce love meet at Christmas.
A sharp, tender goodbye told with laughter through tears.

Synopsis, Credit & Trailer

Synopsis: This story takes place just before Christmas, when an unexpected turn in their mother's health thrusts four adult siblings and their exasperating father into chaos as they navigate messy family dynamics in the face of potential loss. But their quick-witted mother, June, orchestrates her decline on her own terms -- with biting humour, blunt honesty, and a lot of love.

Writer: Joe Anders

Cast: Helen Mirren, Timothy Spall, Johnny Flynn, Kate Winslet, Benjamin Shortland, James Trevelyan Buckle, Andrea Riseborough, Flora Jacoby Richardson, Stephen Merchant, Dexter Saville, Nancy Hannan, Fisayo Akinade, Michelle Parker, Dan Li, Raza Jaffery, Elias Whittaker, Jeremy Swift, Lace Akpojaro, Blake Rowden, Georgia Landers, James Dryden, Casey Rowden

Cine-grapher: Alwin H. Kuchler

Composer: Ben Harlan

Costume Designer: Grace Clark

Production Designer: Alison Harvey

Producer: Kate Solomon & Kate Winslet

Editor: Lucia Zuccetti

Director: Kate Winslet

Release Date: 24 December 2025

Streaming On: Netflix

Production Location: Teddington, Middlesex, UK

Production Country: UK & US

Cert: 15

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIDoYSWCuzQ&t=3s

Rating: 0 stars
0 votes

Vietnam

Period Drama | War | Family 

A boy’s perilous journey through a war‑torn Vietnam becomes a tapestry of heroes, tricksters, and ghosts.

A sweeping period epic where family, rebellion, and destiny collide under a rising storm.

Synopsis, Credit & Trailer

Synopsis: As French colonial rule reaches a violent end in Vietnam, An, a 12-year-old boy, makes a treacherous journey in search of his estranged father. The journey is highlighted by different characters that An meets who come from many shapes and forms, such as the undercover Teacher Bay, the thief Ut Luc Lam, the hero Vo Tong, the Sino Master Tieu, the storyteller Uncle Ba Phi, the snake catcher kid Co, and the stage performance girl Xinh, etc. Patching An's stories together, General Durie finally finds out An is the only son of his most wanted rebellion figure, and with his mistress's help, Tu Mam, he set An up as a great bait to turn his father in and potentially the village's blood bath on Mid-Autumn festival.

Writer: Doan Gioi & Tran Khanh Hoang

Cast: Huynh Hao Khang, Do Ky Phong, Bui Ly Bao Ngoc, Tuan Tran, Tien Luat, Hong Anh, Bang Di, Hua Vi Van, Huynh Dong, Cong Ninh, Tuyen Map, Mai Tai Phen, Bich Ngoc, Faugere Guillaume

Composer: Duc Tri

Cine-grapher: Diep The Vinh

Costume Designer: Pham Minh Anh

Production Designer: Dang Ngoc Thanh Tu & Bui Bao Quoc

Producer: Nguyen Tri Vien

Editor: Ngo Quyen & Tran Thanh

Director: Nguyen Quang Dung

Release Date: 20 January 2024

Streaming On: Netflix

Production Location: Vietnam

Production Country: Vietnam

Language: Vietnamese (Foreign Language Subtitled)

Cert: 12

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNajdWUkXlM&t=3s

Rating: 0 stars
0 votes

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Documentaries

US

Crime | Investigative

When guidance becomes control, truth turns terrifying.
A chilling exposé of power, faith, and abuse behind the screen.

Synopsis, Credit & Trailer

Synopsis: Unravel the case of Utah therapist Jodi Hildebrandt, whose child abuse arrest with parenting YouTuber Ruby Franke exposed a twisted tale of manipulation.

Composer: Ian Hultquist

Producer: Leslie Mattingly

Editor: Victoria Toth

Director: Skye Borgman

Release Date: 30 December 2025

Streaming Platform: Netflix

Production Country: US

Cert: 18

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMjsVQIepZw&t=2s

Rating: 0 stars
0 votes

As 2025 draws to a close, On Screens This Week celebrates storytelling without borders—films and series that thrill, challenge, and warm the heart during the festive season.

Whether you’re escaping into adventure, reflecting with family dramas, or diving into mysteries both intimate and explosive, there’s something here for every mood and moment.

Wherever you press play, may your screens be bright, your stories unforgettable, and your year end on a powerful note.

*Posters, Synopses and Trailers are copyrights of the original owners.

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