We continue to inch ever nearer to movie theaters opening up their doors again in the U.S. Yet, some of us may not be ready to return to theaters even when that does happen and, even so, we’ve still got several weeks to kill before it’s even an option. With that, we’re left to stream movies at home. Fortunately, there is no shortage of options heading into the holiday weekend.
This week sees not one but two new Netflix original movies arrive. We also have a couple of war movies for those who are feeling patriotic over the Fourth of July weekend. Additionally, a classic comic book movie trilogy is now available to stream and one of the most successful musicals in recent memory has made the jump from Broadway to Disney+. Here are this week’s streaming selections.
Hamilton – Disney+
It is hard to think of a bigger release imaginable this weekend, or perhaps during the entirety of quarantine. Hamilton became a downright pop culture phenomenon a handful of years ago, but those who wanted to see it had to do so by heading to the theater. No longer. Staring on July 3, a recorded version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s acclaimed musical will be streaming on Disney+, with the original cast. Disney paid big money to get the rights to the movie and originally intended to give it a robust theatrical release. Instead, they’ve made it into a high-profile streaming play. Thomas Kail directs.
The Outpost – Digital
Available on digital platforms starting July 3, The Outpost is one of the more acclaimed movies for viewers to stream this weekend. The wartime drama stars Orlando Bloom and currently holds an 89 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Directed by Rod Lurie, the movie centers on a group of badly outnumbered U.S. soldiers who must band together to battle a force of Taliban fighters at a remote outpost in Afghanistan. Scott Eastwood, Milo Gibson, Caleb Landry Jones and Bobby Lockwood also star.
Four Kids and It – Digital
On a seaside holiday, four kids from a mixed family visit the beach, where they discover a floppy-eared creature that grants their wishes. But there’s a catch: the kid’s adventures in rock-climbing, pop stardom, and flying end promptly at sunset — leaving them in danger each time. Can they learn to control the magic before something dreadful happens?
Desperados – Netflix
Streaming starting July 3, Desperados is Netflix’s latest original movie. Directed by LP, it centers on a panicked young woman and her two best friends who fly to Mexico to delete a ranting email she sent to her new boyfriend. Upon arrival, they run into her ex-boyfriend, who soon gets caught up in their frantic scheme. Robbie Amell, Heather Graham, Nasim Pedrad, Anna Camp, Sarah Burns and Lamorne Morris star.
The Whistlers – Hulu
The Whistlers, which is available to stream on Hulu starting July 2. Of note, it was nominated for the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The movie centers on Cristi, a Romanian police officer who is a whistleblower for the mafia and is heading to La Gomera Island to learn an ancestral whistling language. In Romania, he is under police surveillance and by using this coded language he will continue to communicate with the mobsters to get Zsolt, is the only one who knows where 30 millions of euros are hidden, out of prison. It was written and directed by Corneliu Porumboiu.
Vienna and the Fantomes – Digital
Vienna and the Fantomes, which is available digitally now, is the latest featuring Dakota Fanning. The movie comes from writer/director Gerardo Naranjo. It centers on a roadie who travels across North America with a punk band in the 1980s. The cast also includes Caleb Landry Jones, Jeremy Allen White, Evan Rachel Wood and Zoe Kravitz.
Under the Riccione Sun – Netflix
Available on Netflix now, Under the Riccione Sun is a new Italian comedy produced for the streaming service. It comes from director Younuts and centers on a group of teens who get to know each other and help each other get through summer loves’ heartache whilst vacationing at Riccione beach. The cast includes Isabella Ferrari, Lorenzo Zurzolo, Ludovica Martino, Cristiano Caccamo, Saul Nanni and Luca Ward.
To the Stars – Hulu
Not all that many movies, relatively speaking, have been released in 2020, compared to most years at the halfway point. But To the Stars has managed to earn a lot of acclaim in an under-the-radar sort of way. For those who might have missed it, the movie will be streaming on Hulu starting on July 3. Directed by Martha Stephens, the movie takes place in a small town in Oklahoma during the 1960s. A reclusive teen named Iris finds solace from her chaotic life in Maggie, the charismatic and enigmatic new girl at school. Maggie manages to coax Iris out of her shell. Maggie’s mysterious past makes itself known and the community is thrown into a state of panic. Malin Akerman, Shea Whigham, Liana Liberato, Jordana Spiro and Kara Howard star.
Game of Death – Digital
Game of Death hits digital platforms on July 3. It centers on a simple yet deadly game of “kill or be killed.” Seven millennials who decide to play and soon realize that if they don’t murder people, their heads will literally explode. So, they go on a killing spree, taking the lives of anyone they meet in their town in the middle of nowhere. The killer-instinct in each of them bubbles to the surface as the search for victims. It devolves into chaos as they become divided and terrified. Sam Earle, Victoria Diamond, and Emelia Hellman star. Sebastien Landry and Laurence Morais-Lagace co-directed.
Midway – HBO
The latest from director Roland Emmerich, Midway arguably didn’t get a totally fair shake during its theatrical run last year. The movie centers on the famed Battle of Midway. The important clash between the American fleet and the Imperial Japanese Navy marked a pivotal turning point in World War II. While critics weren’t terribly kind to the war flick, boasting a 42 percent critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences felt differently, as it holds an impressive 92 percent audience rating. It is streaming on HBO starting July 4.
The Blade Trilogy – HBO Max
For those looking for a little nostalgia boost, the Blade trilogy has made its way to HBO Max. The Marvel Comics adaptations, which kicked off with Stephen Norrington’s Blade in 1998, helped to save Marvel. More than that, it helped tee up the ball for X-Men, which could go on to usher in the modern era of superhero movies as we know them. Wesley Snipes stars as the Daywalker in the movies. Director Guillermo del Toro’s Blade II and David S. Goyer’s Blade: Trinity are also available to stream now. With Disney and Marvel Studios planning a Blade reboot with Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali, now may be the time to revisit the original trilogy.
