Weekend watchlist: 6 movies and shows that should be taking over your screens

Dubai: If your weekend watchlist needs a reset, this lineup covers everything from sharp comedy and slow-burn thrillers to political power games and full-throttle action.

Think messy friendships, controlled chaos, psychological tension, and high-stakes decisions. Whether you’re in the mood to binge or dip in and out, these picks have enough edge to keep things interesting.

1. The Wizard of the Kremlin

A political thriller set in post-Soviet Russia, The Wizard of the Kremlin dives into the shadowy intersection of power, propaganda, and control at the highest levels of the state. It follows a rising political strategist who helps shape the image of a young Vladimir Putin-like figure as he consolidates authority in a system where truth is flexible and narrative is everything

Release date: May 14

2. Widow's bay

Set in a tight coastal town where everyone seems to know everyone’s business, Widow’s Bay unfolds as a slow-burning mystery. When a sudden death (or disappearance) shakes the community, long-buried truths begin to surface, exposing fractures between neighbours who aren’t as innocent or as connected as they seem.

Where to watch: Apple TV

3. Platonic 

Bringing back Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen, this is a sharp, funny take on adult friendship, Platonic follows two former best friends who reconnect in midlife just as their lives have quietly fallen into very different kinds of chaos. As they drift back into each other’s orbit, what starts as nostalgic catch-ups quickly spirals into impulsive nights out, questionable decisions, and a dynamic that disrupts their marriages and routines.

Where to watch: Apple TV

4. In the Grey

A gritty, high-stakes action thriller from Guy Ritchie, starring Henry Cavil and Jake Gyllenhaal. In the Grey follows a covert extraction specialist team forced into morally blurred territory after a mission goes off-script. When a valuable target becomes both a liability and a bargaining chip, survival turns into a game of shifting loyalties.

Release date: May 14

5. Remarkably Bright Creatures

A emotional and hopeful story about unlikely friendship and second chances, Remarkably Bright Creatures, follows a grieving widow working night shifts at an aquarium who forms an unexpected bond with a remarkably intelligent octopus. As she begins to piece her life back together, the octopus becomes more than just an observer, he turns into an unlikely guide, sensing truths about the people around her in ways no one else can.

Where to watch: Netflix

6. Unchosen

A dark, slow-burn psychological thriller set inside a tightly controlled religious cult, Unchosen follows a young couple whose lives start to fall apart when an outsider suddenly enters their isolated world. What begins as a rigid, faith-bound routine quickly unravels into suspicion, manipulation, and buried desires coming to the surface.

Where to watch: Netflix

Whether you want something fast-paced, messy, psychologically tense, or unsettling, this lineup covers every kind of weekend mood. Some are built for binge-watching, others reward slow attention, which honestly, makes for the best kind of watchlist.