What’s Streaming This Week (1/19 - 1/26)
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, January 21st, 2025
BLINK TWICE - Prime Video
Synopsis: When tech billionaire Slater King meets cocktail waitress Frida at his fundraising gala, he invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. But despite the epic setting, beautiful people, ever-flowing champagne, and late-night dance parties, Frida can sense that there’s something sinister hiding beneath the island’s lush façade.
What we like:
Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut (she also co-wrote with E.T. Feigenbaum) features a fantastic cast: Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Kyle MacLachlan, Geena Davis, and Alia Shawkat. Amazing!
Kravitz started writing Blink Twice under the original working title Pussy Island and intended on keeping this title for the film. But a negative reception from the MPA, women, and theaters lead to her changing it. We’re with you Zoë, Pussy Island is a better title.
What we don’t like:
This was the second summer flop for leading man Channing Tatum. July’s Fly Me To the Moon grossed only $20M domestic, and Blink Twice ultimately finished around that number. Tatum is such a likable actor, we hope he rebounds with his next project.
THE DAMNED - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: A 19th-century widow is tasked with making an impossible choice when, during an especially cruel winter, a ship sinks off the coast of her impoverished Icelandic fishing village. Any attempt to rescue survivors risks further depleting the starving villagers’ supplies.
What we like:
This folk horror chiller comes from director Thordur Palsson, who makes his feature directorial debut.
Australian actress Odessa Young leads the cast ably. She’s also featured in another Vertical Entertainment release, Justin Kurzel’s The Order.
What we don’t like:
Despite having the first weekend of the new year all to itself as the sole new release, the film didn’t do much business at the box-office, earning less than $1M. Still, reviews were decent, and it should do well on streaming.
GLADIATOR II - Paramount+, MGM+
Synopsis: Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.
What we like:
Paul Mescal slips in to the sandals of Russell Crowe and acquits himself well, even if the film doesn’t give him much of a character to inhabit.
Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger and even Denzel Washington are all bringing ‘Roman House of Gucci’ to their roles, and we are grateful. Gladiator movies need camp.
Sharks in the Colosseum? Hell yes! Ridley Scott should add sharks to all of his movies going forward. The man loves to tinker, let’s add them to some of his director cuts.
What we don’t like:
We have definitely hit peak CGI monkeys at the movies. They’re here in Gladiator II. They’re in Wicked. They’re in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (of course). They’re in Mufasa: The Lion King. They’re in Better Man. All of these film are on the visual effects Oscar short list. Can you imagine if they all get nominated? An all-CGI monkey category.
NOSFERATU - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
Synopsis: A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.
What we like:
Robert Eggers’s adaptation of the classic vampire tale has become a smash hit for Focus Features. It’s poised to become the studio’s highest grossing film of all time.
The talented cast absolutely crushes it here: Bill Skarsgård is a fantastic Count Orlok, Lily Rose Depp is a ferocious (almost feral) Ellen Hutter, and Nicholas Hoult is an appropriately cuck-ish Thomas Hutter. Plus it features our favorite ultra-deep-voiced actor Ralph Ineson!
The castle scenes were filmed in the Pernstejn Castle in the Czech Republic, the same location that was used for Werner Herzog's 1979 film Nosferatu the Vampyre.
What we don’t like:
Eggers has teased a director’s cut, which is both exciting and frustrating. We want it now!
OH, CANADA - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: Famed Canadian-American leftist documentary filmmaker Leonard Fife was one of sixty thousand draft evaders and deserters who fled to Canada to avoid serving in Vietnam. Now in his late seventies, Fife is dying of cancer in Montreal and has agreed to a final interview in which he is determined to bare all his secrets at last, to demythologize his mythologized life.
What we like:
Iconoclastic director Paul Schrader writes and directs this adaptation of Russell Banks’s 2021 novel Foregone. Film versions of two of Banks’s previous novels, The Sweet Hereafter (directed by Atom Egoyan) and Affliction (directed by Schrader), were both Oscar nominated back in 1997.
A reunion of sorts for actor Richard Gere and Schrader, who collaborated on the unforgettable 1980 film American Gigolo.
The film received middling reviews after its premiere at last May’s Cannes Film Festival, but every Schrader film is an event, so we’ll definitely be catching up with this one.
What we don’t like:
Shrinkage! Jacob Elordi, who is 6’5, plays the younger version of Richard Gere, who is 5’10.
SLEEP - Hulu
Synopsis: Hyun-su and Soo-jin have just gotten married. Seemingly out of nowhere, he starts talking in his sleep. 'Someone’s inside.' From that night forward, whenever he falls asleep, he transforms into someone else with no recollection of the night before. Soo-jin is overwhelmed with anxiety that he’d hurt her family while she sleeps and can barely sleep a wink because of this irrational fear. Despite sleep treatment, Hyun-su’s sleepwalking only intensifies, and she begins to feel that her unborn child may be in danger...
What we like:
This South Korean black comedy/horror mystery world premiered at last year’s Cannes Film Festival in the Critics’ Week section. And the critics sure did like it!
Director Jason Yu was Bong Joon-ho’s assistant director on 2017’s Okja, and director Bong was mighty impressed with his protege’s work, calling it: "the most unique horror film and the smartest debut film I've seen in 10 years". High praise!
What we don’t like:
This is the final film role of Lee Sun-kyun before his passing in December 2023. The actor shot to fame in Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning Parasite, and was investigated for possible use of recreational drugs in late 2023. The onslaught of media attention and social media commentary are said to have driven the actor to commit suicide. It’s a terribly sad and frustrating story, and director Bong himself lead protests in light of the incident.
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
Synopsis: Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow, a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. With their abilities outmatched in every way, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet.
What we like:
The third installment in the Sonic franchise keeps chugging along. It’s a reliable money-maker for Paramount and shows no sign of slowing down.
Idris Elba provides the voice of Knuckles, and we would listen to Idris Elba read the phone book.
A fourth installment in the series is in development, and is projected to be released in 2027.
What we don’t like:
There’s certainly no shame in Jim Carrey being an integral part of a big franchise, but we wish the actor would dip his toes back in to drama. He deserves a McConaissance of his own.
YOU GOTTA BELIEVE - Netflix
Synopsis: After dedicating the season to a teammate’s ailing father, a group of underestimated Ft. Worth youth baseball players takes its Cinderella run all the way to the 2002 Little League World Series—culminating in a record-breaking showdown that became an instant ESPN classic.
What we like:
An inspirational sports story with appealing stars that’s also a tearjerker? Bring it on! We used to get 3 or 4 of these kinds of movies a year. Not anymore.
The ballpark used in the movie is Labatt Memorial Park in London, Ontario, Canada. It is the oldest continually-operating baseball ground in the world, with a history dating back to 1877.
Patrick Renna, famed for his role as Hamilton "Ham" Porter in the classic The Sandlot, returns to the baseball genre, portraying a Little League official who challenges Coach Jon Kelly to lead the team to victory.
What we don’t like:
Despite a semi-wide release in theaters, the film failed to pull in much box-office, grossing about $1.4M. Its profile should get a major boost when it hits Netflix.
Friday, January 24th, 2025
CITY OF DREAMS - Hulu
Synopsis: A Mexican teenager whose dreams of becoming a soccer star are disrupted when his mother dies. He's smuggled across the border with the promise of a better life but is instead sold to a sweatshop in downtown LA.
What we like:
The directorial debut of Mohit Ramchandani, this human trafficking drama features a talented cast, including Ari Lopez, Renata Vaca, Alfredo Castro, Paulina Gaitán, Jason Patric, and Babylon’s Diego Calva.
Roma Oscar nominee Yalitza Aparicio is an executive producer on the film.
What we don’t like:
Following its release, AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron addressed and refuted conspiracy theories suggesting that AMC Theaters and other exhibitors were intentionally suppressing ticket sales for City of Dreams. Aron emphasized that AMC profits from ticket sales and would not suppress them, comparing these false claims to similar ones that circulated around the film Sound of Freedom the previous year.
THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE - MUBI, $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: Struggling to survive in post-WWI Copenhagen, a newly unemployed and pregnant young woman is taken in by a charismatic elder to help run an underground adoption agency. The two form an unexpected bond, until a sudden discovery changes everything.
What we like:
Magnus von Horn’s acclaimed drama was named one of the top five international films of 2024 by the National Board of Review, was selected as Denmark's entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards, and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards.
The film is inspired by the true story of Dagmar Overbye, Denmark's most prolific serial killer. Von Horn described the film as a "fairy tale for grownups," aiming to explore the story through a unique lens.
MUBI is hoping this one makes the Oscar cut, and it’s got a shot.
What we don’t like:
Hoo boy, this looks grim. But we’ve heard great things, so we’ll definitely be checking it out.
THE WILD ROBOT - Peacock
Synopsis: After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot called Roz is stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island's animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose.
What we like:
Director Chris Sanders brings to life the 2016 novel of the same name by Peter Brown, and it’s a visual and storytelling triumph.
The voice cast is superb: Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Catherine O'Hara, Matt Berry, and Ving Rhames.
The film uses a hand-painted aesthetic, inspired by classic Disney animated films and the works of Hayao Miyazaki.
What we don’t like:
The rightly celebrated Flow has taken some of the awards wind out of The Wild Robot’s sails. This Dreamworks Animation production was once the clear frontrunner for the Best Animated Feature Oscar, and now feels like the underdog.
YOUR MONSTER - Max
Synopsis: After her life falls apart, soft-spoken actress Laura Franco finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming, monster living in her closet.
What we like:
Director Caroline Lindy adapts her own 2019 short in to a feature, which follows Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera), a struggling actress whose life spirals after her boyfriend Jacob (Edmund Donovan) leaves her during cancer recovery. Moving back to her childhood home, Laura discovers a monstrous yet oddly charming creature (Tommy Dewey) living in her closet.
The film won the Audience Favorite Award at the Sundance London Film Festival in June, and Barrera got an honorable mention for Best Performance at the Sun Valley Film Festival.
What we don’t like:
Despite a modestly wide release (~650 theaters), the film failed to reach $1M at the box-office. Still, the theatrical release is great promotion for the film’s streaming afterlife. It’s likely to find its audience and thrive.
Happy Streaming Everyone!
Saturday, January 25th, 2025
SATURDAY NIGHT - Netflix
Synopsis: At 11:30pm on October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. This is the story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live.
What we like:
Jason Reitman’s film dramatizes the behind-the-scenes chaos leading up to the first episode of Saturday Night Live in 1975. Set within a frantic hour and a half before the show goes live, the film follows SNL creator Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) as he wrangles a young cast of comedy talent, including Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith), John Belushi (Matt Wood), Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O'Brien), Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), and more.
The film hit the festival circuit earlier this year, playing like gangbusters at the Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals. Critics were a little more mixed on the film, but the screenings seemed to indicate audiences loved it.
What we don’t like:
There’s no way to sugarcoat it…audiences just did not show up to see it in theaters. With a domestic box-office gross under $10M, the film is unlikely to make its money back. Is this the definitive nail in the coffin of behind-the-scenes showbiz films? It seems like audiences just aren’t interested.
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