Location, location, location! This week’s new streaming films transport us to a variety of vivid settings, each playing a crucial role in the story. From the bustling streets of New York to the treacherous shores of a remote beach, let’s explore the places these movies will take us.
Our first location is the gritty, energetic metropolis of New York City in Karate Kid: Legends (Netflix, Saturday). The city serves as a modern dojo for a new student, a place where the challenges of urban life mirror the tests inside the karate tournament. It’s a story of finding peace and discipline amidst the chaos.
Next, we travel to the fictional Luna Bay in The Surfer (Hulu, today). This setting is a paradox: a visually stunning beach paradise that becomes a claustrophobic psychological prison. The crashing waves and endless horizon mock the protagonist’s confinement, making the beautiful location a key source of the film’s tension.
We then enter the Clandestine World of Assassins in Ballerina (Starz, today). This is a globe-spanning “city” of its own, with hidden societies, secret rules, and luxurious safe houses. It’s a hyper-real setting where violence has its own etiquette, and every corner holds a potential threat.
Our journey continues to the High-Tech Labs of Tomorrow in M3GAN 2.0 (Peacock). This sterile, futuristic environment is where artificial life is created and, ultimately, escapes. The clean, orderly setting provides a stark, ironic contrast to the chaos and destruction the androids unleash.
Finally, we visit the unique, futuristic setting of All of You (Apple TV+, tomorrow). While details are scarce, this world will be the backdrop for a deeply intimate love story, proving that even in the most fantastical of places, the landscape of the human heart is the most compelling destination.