The Stream: Oscar winner ‘Anora’ debuts on Hulu

“Wicked” landing on Peacock for home sing-alongs and Ellen Pompeo starring in her first big role since stepping back from ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” are some of this week’s new streaming entertainment releases.

Also among the offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Selena Gomez and her fiancé, producer and songwriter Benny Blanco, will release a joint album, Dennis Quaid stars in Paramount+’s true-crime series “Happy Face” about a serial killer and Assassin’s Creed Shadows brings Ubisoft’s globetrotting, time-hopping gaming epic to feudal Japan.

NEW MOVIES TO STREAM

• There’s plenty of Oscar winners and contenders coming to streaming services now that the show is over, starting with best picture winner “Anora,” which debuted Monday on Hulu. Filmmaker Sean Baker’s odyssey of a Brooklyn sex worker, whose whirlwind affair with the wild son of a Russian oligarch goes very wrong also won best director, best editing and best actress for Mikey Madison. Baker devoted most of his Oscars speech to the importance of making movies for and seeing movies on the big screen, but don’t worry, we won’t tell if you decide to watch this one on the small screen first. Just put the phone down: It’s a ride worth taking.
• Another big Oscar player, perhaps “Anora’s” complete opposite as a big, lavishly expensive studio musical, “Wicked” starts streaming on Peacock on Friday. There will also be a singalong version available and some bonus content for the super fans. Filmmaker Jon M. Chu took on the gargantuan task of adapting the Broadway musical for the big screen, and he went all out. In her review for The Associated Press, Jocelyn Noveck wrote, “If it feels like they made the best “Wicked” movie money could buy — well, it’s because they kinda did.” The film won two Oscars, for costume and production design.
• And, finally, a gem which got a little lost in the mix, “Sing Sing” arrives Friday on Max. This inspired-by-real-life film about inmates who find a creative outlet through acting and performance earned three Oscar nominations: For Colman Domingo’s lead role, for the adapted screenplay, and for best original song, but don’t let its 0/3 wins detract you from a watch. “It’s a cinematic high-five to all arts programs behind bars and, in particular, the power of theater,” AP’s Mark Kennedy wrote in his review. “The movie’s most affecting scenes are the ones that follow the inmates doing the craft — tender auditions, reciting their lines while doing chores and working on their characters. Watching them giddy backstage in costume before a show is all of us.”

— AP film writer Lindsey Bahr

• NEW TELEVISION SHOWS
• With “Good American Family” on Hulu, Ellen Pompeo stars in her first big role since stepping back from her series regular status on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.” “Good American Family” fictionalizes the true story of Natalia Grace, a Ukrainian-born orphan with dwarfism, adopted as a child by an American family — who later accused her of lying about her age with sinister intentions. The wild tale became well-known after it was the subject of a docuseries that debuted in 2023 on Investigation Discovery. In “Good American Family,” Pompeo and Mark Duplass play the adoptive parents of Natalia (Imogen Faith Reid). It premiered Wednesday.
• What if your dad was a convicted serial killer? That horrific thought is a reality for TV producer and podcaster Melissa G. Moore, whose father is Keith Jesperson, now serving multiple life sentences in prison for a string of murders in the early 1990s. Melissa had a loving relationship with her father until learning of his crimes as a teen. Jesperson was called the Happy Face Killer because he drew happy faces on confession letters boasting about his killings. Melissa’s story is played out in “Happy Face,” debuting today on Paramount+ and starring Annaleigh Ashford and Dennis Quaid.
• As public interest in women’s sports has surged, a new weekly talk show coming to The Roku Channel is dedicated to female athletes. “Women’s Sports Now” is hosted by former WNBA player Renee Montgomery, comedian Sarah Tiana and sports reporter Suzy Shuster. The show will follow women’s sports teams at the college and professional level. Reese Witherspoon is an executive producer. It debuts today.

— Alicia Rancilio

• NEW MUSIC
• At the end of last year, the Grammy- and Emmy-nominated, multi-hyphenate Selena Gomez announced her engagement to hit producer and songwriter Benny Blanco. Music is their shared language, and Friday, the couple will release a joint album, “I Said I Love You First.” Haters of romance, turn away. This is a celebration of their affection, but not without introspection. That’s evident in the acoustic ballad “Scared of Loving You,” and the pop rock single “Call Me When You Break Up,” featuring Gracie Abrams.
• In the fall, the Grand Ole Opry will celebrate its milestone 100th anniversary. But the festivities are starting much earlier. On Wednesday, the party kicked off with a television special, “Opry 100: A Live Celebration,” which aired live on NBC and simulcast on Peacock. Performers include Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Alan Jackson, Post Malone, Jelly Roll, Eric Church and more. Now that’s stacked.

— AP music writer Maria Sherman

NEW VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

• Assassin’s Creed Shadows brings Ubisoft’s globetrotting, time-hopping epic to feudal Japan. This chapter tells the story of Naoe, a ninja who’s out to avenge her father’s death, and Yasuke, a former slave from Africa who went on to become a renowned samurai. (He’s based on a real historic figure.) The dual protagonists mean you can take a different approach on each mission: Do you want to pick off your foes with stealth or rush in with swords swinging? It all takes place during the late Sengoku period of the 1500s, a turbulent era when various warlords were fighting to control Japan. But the real question for AC fans, as always, is: Where will Naoe and Yasuke come down in the eternal struggle between the freedom fighters of the Assassin Brotherhood and the repressive Templar order? Grab your katana today on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.

— Lou Kesten