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 next week’s highlights:

Tuesday, November 5th, 2024

A DIFFERENT MAN - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental

What we like:

• Aaron Schimberg’s psychological thriller stars Sebastian Stan as Edward, an aspiring actor who undergoes a radical facial surgery to transform his appearance. Edward's journey turns dark as he faces unforeseen consequences, losing out on a dream role and grappling with an unsettling obsession over his new identity.

• The film just received two Gotham Awards nominations, including Best Feature and Outstanding Supporting Performance for Adam Pearson.

What we don’t like:

• The Gotham Awards passed over Sebastian Stan for Outstanding Lead Actor, which is a shame. While he might be a longshot for an Oscar nomination, we hope he at least gets some love from the Independent Spirit Awards.

IN THE SUMMERS - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental

What we like:

• Alessandra Lacorazza’s film follows two sisters, Violeta and Eva, as they spend four pivotal summers with their father Vicente in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The film captures their journey from adolescence to early adulthood as they explore the nuances of family and personal identity, impacted by their Mexican-American heritage and a changing sense of "home."

• The film debuted at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it won multiple awards, including the Grand Jury Prize for U.S. Dramatic and recognition for Lacorazza's directing, screenwriting, and editing.

What we don’t like:

• Despite the Sundance prizes and critical acclaim, the film failed to reach $100k at the domestic box-office. Lacorazza did just receive a Breakthrough Director nomination at the Gotham Awards, so hopefully more people will discover it on streaming.

THE OUTRUN - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental

What we like:

• Saiorse Ronan delivers another powerhouse performance, here playing Rona, who returns to her native Orkney after years of battling alcoholism in London, seeking solace and healing in her rural island home. She grapples with her personal demons while rediscovering herself through Orkney's stark landscapes and mystical folklore.

• The film, directed and co-written by Nora Fingscheidt, is based on the 2016 memoir of the same name by Amy Liptrot, who also co-wrote the screenplay.

• Ronan is widely tipped to be an Oscar contender, and she did just nab a Gotham Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Performance.

What we don’t like:

• While the praise for Ronan’s performance was widespread, the enthusiasm for the film was more muted. Arthouse audiences failed to show up in theaters, with the film earning less than $1M at the domestic box-office. The Oscar field for Best Actress is crowded, so we’ll see if Ronan can stay in the conversation.

Wednesday, November 6th, 2024

MEET ME NEXT CHRISTMAS - Netflix

What we like:

• Netflix kicks off their big holiday film push with this romantic comedy, which follows Layla (Christina Milian), a romantic optimist who embarks on a frantic adventure through New York City to secure a ticket to a sold-out Pentatonix Christmas Eve concert.

• Milian is a charming performer, and she also serves as an executive producer on the film.

What we don’t like:

• We’re not looking to yuck anyone’s yum, but Pentatonix is just not our thing.

• Christmas in New York is magic, but unfortunately…New York in this film is played by Toronto. Filmmakers: Just set your film in Toronto and own it! Pentatonix surely plays concerts there as well.

Thursday, November 7th, 2024

LOOK BACK - Prime Video

What we like:

• A theatrical adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga published in 2021, Look Back narrates the intertwined story of two young girls, Fujino and Kyomoto, connected by their earnest desire for manga and the unfortunate incident that upends their lives.

• The visual style of the film varies, with shifts between realistic depictions and styles that reflect each character's artistic voice, underscoring the story's themes of individual and collaborative expression​.

What we don’t like:

• At 58 mins, this is not quite feature length. But who cares! We can’t wait to check it out.

MY OLD ASS - Prime Video

What we like:

• Megan Park’s quirky coming-of-age comedy stars Maisy Stella as Elliott, a spirited young woman who, on her 18th birthday, encounters her 39-year-old future self, played by Aubrey Plaza, during a hallucinogenic experience.

• The film was a bit hit with audiences (and critics) at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where Amazon MGM snapped up the rights for a reported $15M.

• Maisy Stella received a Breakthrough Performer nomination from the Gotham Awards earlier this week. Well deserved!

What we don’t like:

• At $5.3M domestic, the film did decent business at the US box-office. But it’s another comedy that underperformed in theaters. Why don’t audiences want to see comedies in theaters anymore?? It’s a fantastic communal experience!

Friday, November 8th, 2024

BLACK CAB - Shudder, AMC+

What we like:

• Bruce Goodison’s film follows a couple, Anne and Patrick (Synnøve Karlsen and Luke Norris) who find themselves trapped in a black cab after a night out. Initially, their driver (Nick Frost) seems friendly and chatty, but the atmosphere quickly shifts when it becomes clear he has no intention of taking them home. Instead, he drives them to a remote, reportedly haunted road, leaving them in a chilling struggle to escape his grasp and understand his true intentions. Cool premise!

• We love Nick Frost, who’s so memorably funny in Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, The World’s End, and Paul. We’re intrigued by him playing against type here.

What we don’t like:

• The film was produced by Sony Pictures Television UK, so we imagine it has a bit of a TV feel to it. It’s going straight to streaming on Shudder, so we suppose that’s appropriate. We trust Shudder’s taste.

POOLMAN - Hulu

What we like:

• Chris Pine, getting his shot behind the camera. This is his feature directorial debut.

• What a cast! Annette Bening, DeWanda Wise, Stephen Tobolowsky, Clancy Brown, John Ortiz, Ray Wise, Juliet Mills, Ariana DeBose, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Danny DeVito.

What we don’t like:

• We haven’t seen it, but it’s supposedly a misfire. A shame. We’re always rooting for Pine.

Happy Streaming Everyone!

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