What’s Streaming This Week (7/20 - 7/27)
Welcome to When To Stream’s Weekly Preview! Every week, we take a closer look at the major film streaming releases scheduled to launch in the next 7 days. As always, release dates are subject to change.
One note: We provide links to Amazon pre-orders (when available) and do receive a very small commission for any purchases made from this website. If you’d like to support our work, and you’re looking to buy through Amazon, we’d appreciate it if you’d click through.
Here are this week’s highlights:
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025
40 ACRES - $16.99 Sale / $6.99 Rental
Synopsis: Hailey Freeman and her family are the last descendants of African American farmers who settled in rural Canada after the Civil War. In a famine-decimated near future, they now struggle to safeguard their farm, as they make one last stand against a vicious militia hell-bent on taking their 40 Acres.
What we like:
This post-apocalyptic thriller is the feature debut of R. T. Thorne, known mostly for television work like The Porter and Utopia Falls.
The film world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, and was later listed in TIFF’s annual Canada’s Top Ten.
Danielle Deadwyler, one of our favorite current actresses, stars as Hailey Freeman, a former U.S. Army soldier turned fiercely protective matriarch. She also served as an executive producer on the film.
What we don’t like:
Despite controversy during production over unpaid crew/vendor invoices, the issues were resolved by fall 2024, with IATSE confirming payments were made.
DANGEROUS ANIMALS - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
Synopsis: A savvy and free-spirited surfer is abducted by a shark-obsessed serial killer. Held captive on his boat, she must figure out how to escape before he carries out a ritualistic feeding to the sharks below.
What we like:
Directed by Australian filmmaker Sean Byrne, this shark thriller world premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival in May, the first Australian feature in that program since 2014.
Director Byrne aimed for classic suspense in the vein of Jaws, favoring real ocean shooting and practical effects over CGI-heavy spectacle.
Jai Courtney’s performance as Tucker was widely praised as his career-best: unhinged, charismatic, and utterly disturbing.
What we don’t like:
Despite pretty good reviews, a wide release, and a decent marketing spend from IFC Films, the film managed only $2.7M at the domestic box-office. We hoped this might catch on in theaters, but it’ll likely do very well on PVOD, and eventually on Shudder.
DANIELA FOREVER - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: A man struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of his girlfriend in an accident six months prior signs up for a sleep trial that allows him to reconstruct his life with her through the use of lucid dreams.
What we like:
Written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo, this blend of science fiction, romance, and psychological drama stars Henry Golding and Beatrice Grannò. Grannò is best known for the second season of The White Lotus, where she played Mia, a local aspiring singer who initially resists her friend Lucia's attempts to introduce her to sex work.
The story, and actual filming, takes place in Madrid, Spain, using iconic city landmarks like Gran Vía and Puerta de Alcalá. If you’re looking for a summer escape, this might be for you.
To distinguish between reality and dream, Vigalondo filmed “real world” scenes on Betamax using a 4:3 aspect ratio with desaturated and grainy aesthetics, while dream sequences are rendered in vibrant widescreen color using modern cameras.
What we don’t like:
Coming out of its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival, the film received mixed reviews. It currently sits at a 49 on Metacritic.
MATERIALISTS - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
Synopsis: A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex.
What we like:
Celine Song’s second feature film, following her acclaimed 2023 debut Past Lives, which was nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.
The film explores how modern dating intertwines emotion, economics, and personal identity, and stars Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans.
Celine Song previously worked briefly as a professional matchmaker in Manhattan, which we imagine greatly helped her shape the screenplay.
What we don’t like:
Likely because A24 (smartly) marketed the film as a traditional rom-com, audiences gave it only a B- CinemaScore.
THIS IS SPINAL TAP - REMASTERED - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: "This Is Spinal Tap" shines a light on the self-contained universe of a metal band struggling to get back on the charts, including everything from its complicated history of ups and downs, gold albums, name changes and undersold concert dates, along with the full host of requisite groupies, promoters, hangers-on and historians, sessions, release events and those special behind-the-scenes moments that keep it all real.
What we like:
This 1984 classic has been remixed, remastered, and restored in 4K, with DTS‑HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound and an alternate stereo track, all supervised and approved by director Rob Reiner.
If you’d rather hold-out for physical media, a special Criterion Collection 3‑disc box set arrives on September 16, 2025, including the 4K UHD disc with Dolby Vision HDR, two Blu‑ray discs with extra features, and an essay by critic Alex Pappademas.
What we don’t like:
The release is timed to build excitement for Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, which hits theaters on September 12, 2025. Though we have faith in all the talent involved, we’re a little nervous, as lega-sequels rarely deliver in any meaningful way. Keeping our fingers crossed.
Thursday, July 24th, 2025
UNTIL DAWN - Netflix
Synopsis: One year after her sister Melanie mysteriously disappeared, Clover and her friends head into the remote valley where she vanished in search of answers. Exploring an abandoned visitor center, they find themselves stalked by a masked killer and horrifically murdered one by one...only to wake up and find themselves back at the beginning of the same evening.
What we like:
David F. Sandberg, best known for helming Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation, tackles this horror adaptation, which is loosely based on the 2015 video game.
Rather than being a direct remake of the game, the film is set in the same Until Dawn universe with original characters and a fresh storyline. Peter Stormare returns from the game, but in a new character role.
Reviews were mixed, but box office-wise it was profitable, earning over three times its $15M budget.
What we don’t like:
Many long-time fans on Reddit voiced frustration that the film diverges significantly from the original game, including new characters, no classic single-choice stakes, and less immediate connection to key fan-favorite lore.
Friday, July 25th, 2025
DEATH OF A UNICORN - HBO Max
Synopsis: A father and daughter accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where his billionaire boss seeks to exploit the creature’s miraculous curative properties.
What we like:
The directorial debut of Alex Scharfman, who assembled a killer cast for his first feature, including Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Tea Leoni, Will Poulter, Anthony Carrigan, and Richard E. Grant.
Writer-director Scharfman extensively studied unicorn mythology and folklore, revealing that he went back to Roman historians and the Old Testament Bible while researching the film.
Nice to see them together again: Paul Rudd and Tea Leoni both guest-starred on season 4 of Only Murders in the Building.
What we don’t like:
Despite the killer premise, reviews out of the SXSW Film Festival were lukewarm. The film received a B- CinemaScore grade, which isn’t too bad. We’re excited to check it out.
HAPPY GILMORE 2 - Netflix
Synopsis: Revisit Happy Gilmore's golf career after his win in the Tour Championship.
What we like:
Adam Sandler reprises his iconic role as Happy Gilmore, returning to golf to support his daughter Vienna’s ballet school.
Christopher McDonald (Shooter McGavin), Julie Bowen (Virginia Venit), and Ben Stiller (Hal L) all return in their original roles. Kyle Newacheck, director of Murder Mystery and Workaholics, directs this sequel. Original creator Tim Herlihy co-wrote with Sandler, and Dennis Dugan (who helmed the original) serves as executive producer.
The sequel is packed with high-profile cameos, including pro golfers Jack Nicklaus, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas, and John Daly. Celebrity cameos include Travis Kelce, Bad Bunny, Eminem, Post Malone, Cam’ron, Becky Lynch, Dan Patrick, Kevin Nealon, Kym Whitley, Benny Safdie, and Nick Swardson.
What we don’t like:
Sadly there will be no return appearance for our favorite cameo from the first film. The legendary Bob Barker can never be topped:
OSIRIS - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: Special Forces commandos on a mission are abducted mid-operation by a mysterious spacecraft. Upon waking aboard, they find themselves prey to a relentless alien race in a fight for survival.
What we like:
This big selling point for us is Linda Hamilton’s return to sci-fi. It’s her first feature film since 2019’s Terminator: Dark Fate.
Creature designer Todd Masters (Sinister, Slither) and director William Kaufman used physical, on‑set alien suits, practical sets, and real stunt work. We love when filmmakers understand CGI is not always the best option.
What we don’t like:
We’re keeping our expectations low on this one, but we hope to be pleasantly surprised. We wish that drive-in theaters were still thriving (none around our HQ within an hour), because this would be a great drive-in movie.
THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME - Peacock
Synopsis: Wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda appoints his only daughter, a nun, as sole heir to his estate. As Korda embarks on a new enterprise, they soon become the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists, and determined assassins.
What we like:
Wes Anderson is back with another meticulously crafted, star-studded comedy. And while he’s not everyone’s flavor, we appreciate him immensely. Second-tier Wes Anderson is still a notch above most of what’s hitting theaters these days.
Benicio Del Toro and Mia Threapleton (daughter of Kate Winslet!) are the leads here, but the real revelation is Michael Cera. He should become a Wes Anderson mainstay.
For the first time in a long while, Wes Anderson shot live-action without his longtime cinematographer Robert Yeoman. Instead, he collaborated with French cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel, using 35 mm film and an unusual 1.5:1 aspect ratio.
What we don’t like:
We’ll always stick up for our beloved Focus Features, but we’re baffled that they’re shuttling this to Peacock so quickly. It arrived on PVOD last week, and it’s already coming to SVOD 17 days later?? Universal has been consistently aggressive with short windows, but this one seems rushed even by their standards.
Saturday, July 26th, 2025
THE PENGUIN LESSONS - Netflix
Synopsis: In 1976, as Argentina descends into violence and chaos, a world-weary English teacher regains his compassion for others thanks to an unlikely friendship with a penguin.
What we like:
Directed by Peter Cattaneo of The Full Monty fame, and written by Jeff Pope, who was Oscar-nominated with Steve Coogan for writing Philomena.
The team opted for real penguins, mostly two birds named Richard and Baba, with handlers consulting early on to ensure scenes matched natural penguin behavior rather than forcing unrealistic actions.
What we don’t like:
Critics have pointed out a contrasting tone, with some calling it “feelgood” fare juxtaposed against hints of Argentina's brutal 1970s coup and disappearances, making for a peculiar emotional mix. We’re excited to catch up with it.
*You’ll notice there’s a certain Billion Dollar Grosser un-Stitch-ed from this week’s preview. The studio asked us to remove our listing pending an embargoed announcement. We complied.
Happy Streaming Everyone!
*We are an Amazon affiliate, and do receive a very small commission for any purchases made from this website. If you’d like to support our work, and you’re looking to buy through Amazon, we’d appreciate it if you’d click through.
Directed by Osgood Perkins…