A Social Battery Recharge

I’m not sure if everyone feels this way, but as much as I love going to the theater to watch new movies, my social battery is sometimes completely exhausted by the time Friday rolls around. My heart wants to spend a few hours in a room full of strangers, but my spirit just wants to be left the hell alone. While scrolling through streaming services is nowhere near as satisfying as hunting for gems on the shelves of a local video store, plenty of great options have still managed to slip under the radar. With that said, if you don’t feel like heading to the theater this weekend, here are a few movies and shows that are well worth your time.

“The Last Stop in Yuma County:” From first-time filmmaker Francis Galluppi comes this sun-drenched Neo-noir revisionist Western. The story focuses on a group of stranded travelers who are stuck at a diner and gas station while awaiting a long-overdue fuel truck. As tensions rise between a pair of bank robbers, a kind waitress, an awkward knife salesman, an elderly couple and several other disparate (and desperate) folks, the film becomes a masterclass in escalating intensity. Galluppi is a remarkably assured filmmaker, and the performances are perfectly calibrated—especially from the always wonderful Jim Cummings and Jocelin Donahue. Discovering “The Last Stop in Yuma County” feels like the first time you stumbled upon the Coen Brothers’ “Blood Simple” or found Tarantino’s “Reservoir Dogs” by accident. It’s a real treat for anyone who loves a grimy little crime thriller with a pitch-black sense of humor.

Now streaming on Paramount Plus

“Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie” is truly unlike anything you’ve seen before. Except for “Back to the Future II.” It’s a lot like that. Credit: Neon

“Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie:” Based on the Canadian comedy duo’s television series from a few years back, you need zero prior knowledge of Nirvanna the Band (not to be confused with Nirvana, the grunge band) to be blown away by the film’s audacious brilliance. Imagine if “Flight of the Conchords” remade “Back to the Future II,” but with hidden cameras, improvisation, utter fearlessness and a distinctly Canadian politeness. That puts you in the ballpark of this singular, jaw-dropping comedy. As soon as the credits roll, you’ll immediately want to find out how they made it and whether anyone was arrested during the filming. Watch this one with a big room full of friends if you still have some social battery left in reserve.

Now streaming on Hulu & Disney +

“Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed:” Tatiana Maslany has been one of our most nuanced and fearless actresses since she broke onto the scene playing a dozen or so multifaceted clones in “Orphan Black.” Still, she hasn’t quite exploded into the mainstream stardom she deserves, even after subsequently starring in Marvel’s “She-Hulk” series. I’m hoping “Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed” changes that. Maslany is absolutely incredible once again, conveying every stage of human emotion with an effortlessness that is a wonder to behold. She plays Paula, a divorced fact-checker who gets entangled in an online relationship with a grifting camboy. When he blackmails her right before turning up dead, she is pulled into a massive, Hitchcockian conspiracy that unravels her entire life in unpredictable, intense and hilarious ways. Tonally, there is nothing else like this on “television.” While “Widow’s Bay” is deservedly drawing most of the publicity for new Apple TV programming, “Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed” deserves just as much of that love too.

All ten episodes of the first season are now streaming on Apple TV.

If you want even more variety, you have plenty of fantastic alternatives to choose from instead of going out.

“Exit 8”: A psychological mind-game that follows a man playing a dangerous round of “Spot the Difference,” as he tries to escape an endlessly repeating subway corridor.

“The Boroughs”: Think “Stranger Things” set in a creepy, idyllic retirement community. With a stellar ensemble cast featuring Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Clarke Peters, Bill Pullman and the great Denis O’Hare, it’s unmissable.

“The Dink”: A surprisingly heartfelt sports comedy about pickleball that genuinely made me laugh until I sneezed.

“Stuart Fails to Save the Universe”: A brand new sci-fi comedy series that follows the comic book store guy from “The Big Bang Theory.” He finds himself jumping between dimensions with his friends to try and fix an apocalypse brought about by Sheldon and Leonard. That sounds like something I made up, but it’s actually a big-budget series currently airing on HBO.

Regardless of what you decide to watch or not watch, don’t let anyone be peer-pressured into adulting this weekend. FOMO is only in our heads. Sometimes we just need to stay home and clear the cobwebs of our poor, exhausted brains. I hope this helps!

This article appears in the Source July 30, 2026.