Here’s What’s Streaming This Week (2/9 - 2/16)
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.
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Here are next week’s highlights:
Tuesday, February 11th, 2025
BETTER MAN - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
Synopsis: Follow Robbie Williams' journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.
What we like:
You can’t say this unconventional music biopic played it safe. Brit pop star Robbie Williams is portrayed as an anthropomorphic chimpanzee, with Jonno Davies giving an energetic motion-captured performance.
The film was nominated for the Best Visual Effects Oscar, where it will compete with fellow simian-adjacent nominees Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Wicked.
What we don’t like:
Director Michael Gracey hit the jackpot with 2017’s The Greatest Showman, which was a slow-burn smash hit in theaters (and beyond). This one was probably doomed from the start in the US, as Robbie Williams doesn’t have much of a footprint over here. It flopped.
We’re conflicted when we watch this clip. It has energy and style, but we just can’t get over the floppy hair on the Robbie Williams/chimpanzee. Not needed.
HARD TRUTHS - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: Pansy, angry and depressed, lashes out at family and strangers. Her constant criticism isolates her, except from her cheerful sister Chantal, who remains sympathetic despite their differences.
What we like:
We still have a number of 2024 releases to catch up with, but this Mike Leigh comedy-drama currently sits as our favorite of the year. An absolute masterpiece.
Marianne Jean-Baptiste gives a towering performance that’s hilarious, heartbreaking and infuriating all at once. She finds the humanity in an extremely unlikable character, and though you’d probably cross the room to avoid her in real life, you can’t take your eyes off of her here.
The entire supporting cast is excellent, with Michele Austin particularly strong. She previously had a small role in Leigh’s 2010 film Another Year (also a masterpiece).
What we don’t like:
The fact that Hard Truths was shut out at the Oscars is terrible, though not surprising. It isn’t particularly flashy, and it doesn’t have any tidy resolutions. The fact that Jean-Baptiste won Best Actress from the New York and LA Film Critics, plus the National Society of Film Critics, but was not nominated puts her in rare company. The last actress to be snubbed after winning those precursors? Sally Hawkins in Mike Leigh’s Happy Go Lucky.
OMNI LOOP - Hulu
Synopsis: Diagnosed with a black hole growing inside her chest and stuck in a loop reliving the last five days of her life, a 55-year-old wife and mother from Miami, Florida decides to solve time travel in order to go back and be the person she always intended to be.
What we like:
Well…did you read the synopsis? It had us at ‘Diagnosed with a black hole growing in her chest…’
Mary-Louise Parker and Ayo Edibiri are two actresses we’ll watch in anything, and they both continue to make fascinating choices.
The film got very positive reviews out of last year’s SXSW Festival. We’re pumped for it.
What we don’t like:
The film received a day-and-date streaming/theatrical release, which was a disappointment. This is why we fear mid-budget, brainy sci-fi is going to go extinct. Hopefully more people will catch up with it now that it’s hitting Hulu.
ONE OF THEM DAYS - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
Synopsis: Best friends and roommates Dreux and Alyssa are about to have One of Them Days. When they discover Alyssa’s boyfriend has blown their rent money, the duo finds themselves going to extremes in a comical race against the clock to avoid eviction and keep their friendship intact.
What we like:
A comedy with a proper theatrical release! And it’s a good-sized hit, grossing nearly $40M so far at the domestic box-office.
Keke Palmer and SZA lead a talented cast, and critics and audiences both loved the film. It sits at 95% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and received an A- CinemaScore.
What we don’t like:
The film's Los Angeles premiere on January 13th was cancelled due to the Palisades Fire.
Thursday, February 13th, 2025
BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY - Peacock
Synopsis: Now a widowed mother of two in her fifties, Bridget Jones feels lost in the world of app-based dating. However, romance unexpectedly sparks with her son’s science teacher… and a much younger man.
What we like:
Renee Zellweger returns for the fourth installment of the Bridget Jones series. And while the sequels have been mostly middling, there’s still plenty of good will left over from the original to give it a shot.
Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and Emma Thompson are all back, though reportedly don’t have much screen time. Bridget’s got some new suitors: Chiwetel Ejiofor plays a teacher in her children’s school, and Leo Woodhall is the younger man she meets on a dating app.
What we don’t like:
A straight-to-Peacock release doesn’t project much confidence on Universal’s part, though the film is getting a theatrical release in the UK.
BROKEN RAGE - Prime Video
Synopsis: A hitman named Nezumi fights for his survival when he's caught between the police and yakuza.
What we like:
Legendary filmmaker Takeshi Kitano’s hour-long film is divided into two parts. The first half depicts a hard-boiled crime action where a hitman, caught between the police and the yakuza, struggles to survive. The second half ingeniously retells the same story using self-parody techniques, presenting it in a comedic style.
Tadanobu Asano, who starred in Kitano's Zatōichi (2003) and Kubi (2023) and won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for the FX series Shogun (2023), plays the lead detective.
What we don’t like:
Clocking in at 62 minutes, this isn’t quite feature length. But we’re excited to see what Kitano can do when exploring comedy within a violent film.
LA DOLCE VILLA - Netflix
Synopsis: Successful businessman Eric travels to Italy to stop his daydreaming daughter Olivia from blowing her life savings on restoring a crumbling villa she purchased for €1. Italy, however, has different plans for him as it delivers on its legendary promise of beauty, magic, and romance.
What we like:
Director Mark Waters knows how to deliver a comedy that can satisfy an audience. He directed both the original Mean Girls (2004), and the remake of Freaky Friday (2003).
The film was shot on location in Italy, shooting in Rome, eastern Lazio, and Tuscany, with the interiors of the villa built at Cinecittá Studios in Rome. We’re always happy when a Netflix original isn’t shot in an Atlanta parking lot!
What we don’t like:
The ‘Restoring a crumbling villa in Tuscany’ narrative was perfected by Diane Lane in the 2003 film Under the Tuscan Sun. We might just re-watch that one instead.
SLY LIVES! (AKA THE BURDEN OF BLACK GENIUS) - Hulu
Synopsis: An examination of the life and legacy of Sly & The Family Stone - the groundbreaking band led by the charismatic Sly Stone - that captures the band's reign while shedding light on the burden that comes with success for Black artists in America.
What we like:
Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson’s documentary features interviews with notable musicians such as André 3000, D'Angelo, Chaka Khan, Q-Tip, Nile Rodgers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, George Clinton, Ruth Copeland, and Clive Davis, providing insights into Sly Stone's impact on the music industry.
The film premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where it received positive reviews, currently sitting at 90% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
What we don’t like:
Questlove has set a high bar for himself. His previous music documentary, 2021’s Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), won the Best Documentary Feature Oscar.
Friday, February 14th, 2025
FLIGHT RISK - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
Synopsis: A U.S. Marshal escorts a government witness to trial after he's accused of getting involved with a mob boss, only to discover that the pilot who is transporting them is also a hitman sent to assassinate the informant. After they subdue him, they're forced to fly together after discovering that there are others attempting to eliminate them.
What we like:
We love a tense plane thriller. We’re kind of shocked this doesn’t star Liam Neeson.
Michelle Dockery and Topher Grace are appealing actors who we hope quickly move on to better things.
What we don’t like:
Sorry…we’re just not on board with any Mel Gibson movies. We can separate the art from the artist, but when it’s this kind of junky cash in….nah. Also, it’s apparently terrible.
FLOW - Max
Synopsis: A solitary cat, displaced by a great flood, finds refuge on a boat with various species and must navigate the challenges of adapting to a transformed world together.
What we like:
This animated fantasy adventure from Latvian filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis contains no dialogue, relying entirely on visual storytelling and authentic animal behaviors to tell its story.
It premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, and has been lauded for its ecological parable, emphasizing themes of cooperation and survival among different species in the face of environmental catastrophe.
The film received two Oscar nominations: Best Animated Feature and Best International Feature.
What we don’t like:
We’re keeping our hopes up that this will pull out the win in the Best Animated Feature category at the Oscars. It still feels like The Wild Robot is the front runner, as the studio films tend to overshadow the independent, and foreign, productions. Hopefully its availability on Max will up its profile even more.
THE GORGE - Apple TV+
Synopsis: Two highly trained operatives are appointed to posts across a vast and very secret gorge.
What we like:
Director Scott Derrickson has delivered some solid genre hits over the years: 2005’s The Exorcism Of Emily Rose, 2012’s Sinister, and 2021’s The Black Phone.
An intriguing premise paired with a talented cast, lead by Anya Taylor-Joy, Miles Teller and Sigourney Weaver, has us optimistic this might be a cut above Apple TV+’s usually straight-to-streaming dreck (Ghosted, Wolfs, Argylle).
What we don’t like:
We hate that Apple has given up on theatrical runs for many of their films. It’s not like there’s a glut of quality films in theaters (and they certainly can afford it). Putting a film in theaters gives a title more value, and ultimately, a larger cultural footprint.
INHERITANCE - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: When Maya learns her father Sam was once a spy, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an international conspiracy. As she seeks answers, Maya herself becomes a target and must quickly learn the skills of her father.
What we like:
Phoebe Dynevor leads this spy thriller, following up her memorable turn in 2023’s Fair Play. That movie was uneven, but proved Dynevor was capable of carrying a film.
Always great to see Rhys Ifans pop up. If you catch Hard Truths this week and want to immerse yourself in all things Mike Leigh, be sure to check out Ifans in Naked, which is streaming on the Criterion Channel.
What we don’t like:
The film was shot entirely on an iPhone. We know iPhones are incredible, but there’s something about the aesthetic that just doesn’t feel elevated. Probably our issue, not the film’s.
LONGLEGS - Hulu
Synopsis: FBI Agent Lee Harker is a gifted new recruit assigned to the unsolved case of an elusive serial killer. As the case takes complex turns, unearthing evidence of the occult, Harker discovers a personal connection to the merciless killer and must race against time to stop him before he claims the lives of another innocent family.
What we like:
Osgood Perkins’s summer thriller became NEON’s highest grossing film ever, grossing an eye-popping $125M worldwide.
The film also gave Nicolas Cage his first smash hit since his National Treasure days, and he was able to deliver an absolute bonkers (and creepy) performance.
We’re looking forward to seeing whether Perkins and NEON can strike gold again in the upcoming The Monkey!
What we don’t like:
What took so long to get this one on Hulu? A 7-month window between the theatrical and SVOD release feels like an eternity these days.
TERRIFIER 3 - Screambox
Synopsis: Five years after surviving Art the Clown's Halloween massacre, Sienna and Jonathan are still struggling to rebuild their shattered lives. As the holiday season approaches, they try to embrace the Christmas spirit and leave the horrors of the past behind. But just when they think they're safe, Art returns, determined to turn their holiday cheer into a new nightmare. The festive season quickly unravels as Art unleashes his twisted brand of terror, proving that no holiday is safe.
What we like:
A triumph of independent cinema! We love that upstart distributor Cineverse hit it big with this horror sequel. A healthy indie marketplace is good for theaters and filmmakers. Let’s hope they can build on the film’s massive success.
With a worldwide box-office gross of $76M, it is officially the highest grossing unrated film of all time.
Hello Jason Patric! The iconic Lost Boys actor plays a supporting role in the film.
What we don’t like:
We LOVE horror. But we’re gonna fess up. We’re too squeamish to sit through these films. We’re ecstatic that they exist and serve an audience. But we just can’t do it.
WAITRESS: THE MUSICAL - Max
Synopsis: A waitress and expert pie-maker dreams of a way out of her small town and rocky marriage.
What we like:
Bleecker Street’s biggest hit of 2023 is another example of a non-traditional release hitting a bullseye with its target audience. Originally planned as a one-week theatrical release through Fathom Events, the film extended its run after sell-outs across the country.
The film is a live stage recording of Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson's 2015 musical of the same name, based on the 2007 film written by Adrienne Shelly.
What we don’t like:
Shelly was an actress/director who was tragically murdered in 2006, before the release of Waitress. Her story was told in the 2021 documentary Adrienne, which can be streamed on Max.
Happy Streaming Everyone!
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