Best new movies and TV series on Amazon Prime Video NZ: December 2024

Each month, new films and TV shows are added to Amazon Prime Video’s New Zealand library. Eliza Janssen presents her picks for titles worth watching. For the full list of everything arriving on the platform, scroll down.

Top picks: TV

Pop Culture Jeopardy! (December 4)

I love watching quiz shows. I love going to pub trivia. I do not love when the questions are about geography, science, maths, politics, history, and yeah okay I only love pop-culture questions, I’m a low-culture simpleton, okay? This iteration of the iconic format, hosted by SNL comic Colin Jost, focuses on tidbits from the worlds of TV, film, music and memery, perhaps making it easier for those playing at home to score big (and entirely imaginary) points than the brainier original version. If you’re hanging out with family over the holidays, this could be a fun way to gather ’round the TV and put those generational knowledge gaps to good use?

The Sticky: Limited Series (December 6)

Ever heard of the “Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist”? No, probably not…but I’m sure you’re now desperate to learn everything about it. The brilliant Margo Martindale stars as a maple syrup farmer caught up in a criminal plot when authorities try to ruin her: she’ll have to team up with a Bostonian mobster and a French-Canadian security guard to take on Quebec’s multi-million-dollar syrup supply. The show promises a cameo from executive producer Jamie Lee Curtis, as well as a perfect mix of salty crime-comedy and sweet characters.

Secret Level: Season 1 (December 10)

The creators behind Netflix’s Love, Death + Robots have made a traitorous, cross-platform move that is nonetheless extremely beneficial for us sci-fi fans! In another adult, animated anthology, video game stories unspool into standalone episodes, with characters voiced by the likes of Keanu Reeves, Arnold Schwarzenegger (and his kid Patrick??), Kevin Hart, and New Zealand’s own Temuera Morrison. Can it capture the absorbing escapism we get from playing games, or will it just feel like a montage of extra-long cutscenes? I’m sure the sage, cool-headed online gaming communities that love each title to death will let us know their thoughts either way.

Top picks: Movies

Absolution (December 3)

Liam Neeson does about three of these movies per year, in which he must reconcile his weathered criminal background with his family man values. But look! He’s got a sick stache in this one! Co-starring the ever-awesome Ron Perlman, the crime-thriller takes place in Boston, where Neeson’s ageing gangster tries desperately to reconnect with his fam. Will the city’s brutal criminal underworld let that happen? Chances are slim, and the battle between Neeson and a bunch of Masshole goons will probably go down exactly as you expect.

Christmas in the Spotlight (December 14)

Imagine if a country-pop star—arguably the most famous person on the surface of the planet—began dating a rising NFL star. Imagine! It’s inconceivable! This trashy, splashy romance is clearly ripping its subject matter straight from celeb tabloid headlines, without actually uttering the names T*yl*r Sw*ft or Tr&v*s K*lc*. It’ll be a must-watch for Swiftie superfans, and probably a great option for everyone else to chuck on in the background this month while they’re baking Christmas treats. Also the name of the pop star character is Bowyn. Bowyn? Bowyn…