4 New Movies You Should Rent This Month

Soderbergh! Perkins! Paddington! All the auteurs are blossoming in April 2025 for your PVOD needs, as the speed with which movies shoot from theaters to the home market gets a little faster every month. Fortunately, this year has quietly produced some pretty strong films already, which means there’s just too much to see in theaters. Catch up on some recent critical darlings on demand from the comfort of your couch, available through services like Apple TV, Amazon, or Fandango at Home.

April 1

Black Bag

Steven Soderbergh, 94 minutes

We don’t deserve Steven Soderbergh. The prolific director delivered his second excellent film of 2025 (after January’s Presence, and he’s got another in the works) with this sleek, sexy thriller starring Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Naomie Harris, and Pierce Brosnan. This story of a spy who discovers his next target may be his wife did very well for this kind of mid-budget film, but it seems more likely to really find its audience at home. Jump on the bandwagon now.

Opus

Mark Anthony Green, 104 minutes

From Sundance in January to theaters in March to your TV in April — it’s a crazy world. Ayo Edebiri stars in this thriller-comedy about a reclusive rock star (a memorable John Malkovich) who invites a select group of journalists to an exclusive listening party for his new album and, well, things get weird. Co-starring Juliette Lewis, Murray Bartlett, and Young Mazino, this film attempts to interrogate the thin line between fandom and cults. It’s really thin sometimes.

Paddington in Peru

Dougal Wilson, 106 minutes

It’s a better world because Paddington is in it. Everyone’s favorite marmalade addict returned in 2025 with a film that was mostly ignored in the U.S. but has been a massive hit in the rest of the world. Ben Whishaw returns to voice the timeless Paddington, a character who values empathy and kindness — two things we could really use in 2025. It may not live up to the high standard of the first two films, but it’s still totally worth a look on VOD, especially if you’ve got kids.

April 4

The Monkey

Osgood Perkins, 98 minutes

The writer-director of Longlegs returned less than a year later to direct another smash hit for Neon. This very different film is a dark comedy about a toy monkey that foretells and causes brutal deaths. Theo James rocks in a dual role as twin brothers who have been tormented by the monkey in this adaptation of the 1980 short story of the same name by Stephen King. It’s vicious and hysterical and will prove to be one of the best horror films of 2025.