What’s Streaming This Week (5/31 – 6/7)

DREAMS – Starz

Cast: Jessica Chastain, Isaác Hernández, Rupert Friend, Marshall Bell, Eligio Meléndez, Mercedes Hernández

Synopsis: A powerful socialite (Academy Award® winner Jessica Chastain) and a promising ballet dancer (Isaac Hernández) begin a dangerous affair. When he secretly crosses the US-Mexico border, she takes desperate measures to protect their future together. A tense, erotic drama from acclaimed director Michel Franco (Memory, New Order).

What we like:

• Director Michel Franco reunites with his Memory star Jessica Chastain for this provocative drama, which world premiered at last year’s Venice Film Festival.
• Franco discovered co-star Isaac Hernández at a ballet performance, to which he had been invited by Jessica Chastain’s sister. Hernández went on stage to thank the audience, and Franco was immediately struck by his sincerity and his charisma.
• The film makes terrific use of its San Francisco and Mexico City locations.

What we don’t like:

• The film received mixed review, with a current Rotten Tomatoes score of only 53% Fresh. Box-office was also low, earning less than $400k domestically. And don’t get us started on the generic title! It’s bland and forgettable.

AMRUM – $12.99 Sale / TBD Rental

Cast: Jasper Billerbeck, Kian Köppke, Laura Tonke, Diane Kruger, Detlev Buck and Matthias Schweighöfer

Synopsis: On Amrum Island in spring 1945, twelve-year-old Nanning hunts seals, fishes at night, and works the fields to help feed his family. When the war ends, his mother sinks into depression, and he must navigate new conflicts while struggling to find his own path.

What we like:

• This drama is based on the real childhood memories of German filmmaker Hark Bohm, who grew up on the North Sea island of Amrum during the final months of World War II. Although Bohm originally planned to direct the film himself, he eventually handed the project over to his longtime friend and collaborator Fatih Akin because of his age. 
• The movie premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the Cannes Première section, marking Akin’s return to Cannes after an eight-year absence.
• Diane Kruger reunited with Akin after their acclaimed 2017 film In the Fade. In Amrum, she plays a farmer critical of Hitler who faces persecution.

What we don’t like:

• Bohm died two months after the film’s theatrical release in Germany. He was 86.

ERUPCJA – $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental

Cast: Charli XCX, Lena Góra, Will Madden, Agata Trzebuchowska, and Jeremy O. Harris

Synopsis: A romantic vacation goes awry when a volcanic eruption strands Bethany (Charli xcx) and her soon-to-be fiancé, Rob (Will Madden) in Warsaw, Poland. Bethany takes the explosive event as a sign to ditch her baggage, reunite with childhood friend Nel (Lena Góra) and traipse across lofts, clubs and back alleys, all the while becoming entangled in an emotional web that challenges her sense of self.

What we like:

• The movie stars pop musician Charli XCX in one of her first major dramatic acting roles, and she also co-wrote and produced the film.
• The title “Erupcja” literally means “eruption” in Polish, fitting because the story uses a volcanic eruption as both a plot device and a metaphor for emotional chaos and attraction.
• The screenplay was unusually collaborative. Besides director Peter Ohs and Charli XCX, the credited writers include several of the movie’s stars, including Lena Góra, Jeremy O. Harris, and Will Madden.

What we don’t like:

• Despite strong festival buzz and positive reviews (it currently sits at 85% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), the film failed to attract much business at the arthouse. It grossed only about $229K at the domestic box-office.

DAVID – Netflix

Cast: Phil Wickham, Brandon Engman, Asim Chaudhry, Mick Wingert, Will de Renzy-Martin, and Lauren Daigle

Synopsis: From the songs of his mother’s heart to the whispers of a faithful God, David’s story begins in quiet devotion. When the giant Goliath rises to terrorize a nation, a young shepherd armed with only a sling, a few stones, and unshakable faith steps forward. Pursued by power and driven by purpose, his journey tests the limits of loyalty, love, and courage—culminating in a battle not just for a crown, but for the soul of a kingdom.

What we like:

• A musical adaptation of the biblical story of King David, focusing especially on his youth and the battle with Goliath. The film was inspired by the Book of Samuel and acts as a follow-up to the earlier miniseries Young David.
• Christian music stars were heavily involved in the cast and soundtrack. Singer Phil Wickham voiced David, while Lauren Daigle is also in the voice cast (full disclosure: we’ve never heard of any of these people).
• The film reportedly had a budget of about $60.9 million, which is unusually large for an independent animated biblical movie. It eventually grossed around $87.5 million worldwide.

What we don’t like:

• An online debate formed around whether the movie used AI-generated animation. Some viewers thought certain trailers looked AI-made, but many animators and fans defended the production, saying it was traditional CGI animation created by human artists. 

HOPPERS – Disney+

Cast: Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Meryl Streep, Dave Franco, Kathy Najimy, Eduardo Franco, Melissa Villaseñor, Ego Nwodim, Vanessa Bayer, Sam Richardson, Aparna Nancherla, Nichole Sakura, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Steve Purcell, Karen Huie, Tom Law

Synopsis: Scientists have discovered how to “hop” human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals. Animal lover Mabel seizes an opportunity to use the technology, uncovering mysteries within the animal world that are beyond anything she could have imagined.

What we like:

• Daniel Chong, best known as the creator of Cartoon Network’s television series We Bare Bears, helms his first Pixar feature film. He previously worked as a storyboard artist on the animated films Bolt (2008), Cars 2 (2011), Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax (2012), Free Birds (2013), and Inside Out (2015).
• A side character known as “Tom the Lizard” unexpectedly blew up online, becoming one of the film’s biggest marketing boosts through memes.
• While not exactly a blockbuster in classic Disney/Pixar terms, this original film did mark a bit of a comeback for the beleaguered studio. Debuting with a $45-46M domestic and $88M global, it was the studio’s best opening for an original film since 2017’s Coco.

What we don’t like:

• A MAGA influencer complained the film was ‘non-biblical’ and that “None of the main human characters are likable.” She went on to say, negatively, that the movie promoted ideas that “all people are good inside” and that “animals should be elevated to the same level as humans.” She sounds like a fun hang!

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY – TBD Sale / TBD Rental

Cast: Willem Dafoe, Vic Carmen Sonne, Joe Cole, Emma Suárez

Synopsis: The late 1970s, somewhere in the Mediterranean: Marcos Timoleon, a tycoon, is throwing a lavish, extravagant birthday party for Sofia on his exclusive private island. The party is a perfect excuse for various people in his life to approach him with their own agendas.

What we like:

• The film stars Willem Dafoe as a powerful Greek tycoon named Marcos Timoleon, a character heavily inspired by real-life shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.
• Its story takes place almost entirely during one extravagant birthday celebration on a private island in the late 1970s. That “single-event tension” structure makes the film feel almost theatrical, with secrets and rivalries slowly exploding over one night.
• Director Miguel Ángel Jiménez shot much of the movie in Corfu and Athens, so again…jet fuel prices are through the roof…if you want a little virtual trip to Greece…

What we don’t like:

• After world premiering at the 2025 Locarno Film Festival, critics were mixed on the film. Most praised Dafoe’s performance, but one said it ” plays like a faded derivative of… The White Lotus.”

CHUM – $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental

Cast: Alice Eve, Eric Michael Cole, Elle Haymond, Sarah Siadat, Johnny Gaffney, Lisa Yaro, Jim Klock

Synopsis: A dream destination wedding in Malta explodes into chaos when a bloodthirsty shark attacks and a sinister fisherman with a hidden agenda turns the celebration into a deadly trap. Forced between open water and a relentless human predator, the wedding party must fight for survival as secrets surface and loyalties shatter. As the newlyweds are pushed to their limits, they’re forced to confront the cracks in their relationship to determine who lives, who dies and who stays married.

What we like:

• It’s summer, so it’s time for the parade of deadly shark thrillers. No complaints from us! Last year, IFC brought us the satisfying Dangerous Animals. Let’s hope this one (which isn’t getting a theatrical release) hits the sweet spot as well.
• Much like Dangerous Animals, this one combines two survival-horror subgenres at once: a shark attack film and a human-slasher thriller. Instead of the shark being the only danger, the characters are also hunted by a psychopathic fisherman.
• The film was shot on location in Malta…so again…jet fuel prices are through the roof…if you want a little virtual trip to Malta…

What we don’t like:

• So Chum is a terrific title for a shark film, no complaints here. But as 30 Rock obsessives, we can’t help but be reminded of the Michael Sheen bit about the English version of Friends:

KEEPER – Hulu

Cast: Tatiana Maslany, Rossif Sutherland, Tess Degenstein, Birkett Turton, Erin Boyes, Claire Friesen, Logan Pierce

Synopsis: Liz and Malcolm escape for a romantic anniversary weekend at a secluded cabin. When Malcolm suddenly returns to the city, Liz finds herself isolated and in the presence of an unspeakable evil that reveals the cabin’s horrifying secrets.

What we like:

• The latest psychological horror film from NEON’s in-house auteur Osgood Perkins, who follows up his 2024 hit Longlegs and 2025 Stephen King adaptation The Monkey with this cabin-in-the-woods chiller.
• Tatiana Maslany, so memorable in her Emmy-winning role in the series Orphan Black, gets a meaty lead film role to show off her talent.

What we don’t like:

• We love NEON. The distributor has fantastic taste, and these genre horror thrillers hopefully help support their less commercial foreign and art films. But the marketing campaign for Keeper was so abstract and a little baffling. Instead of pulling us in, it put us off. The D+ CinemaScore the film received doesn’t indicate much audience satisfaction either.

LORNE – Peacock

Cast: Lorne Michaels, Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, John Mulaney, Andy Samberg, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock

Synopsis: From Morgan Neville, Academy Award-winning filmmaker of 20 Feet from Stardom and Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, comes Lorne, an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the man who built the inimitable empire of comedy, shaping television and culture for generations. The documentary features exclusive footage, archival treasures, and candid interviews with the show’s most iconic cast members and writers including Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, John Mulaney, Andy Samberg, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock and many more.

What we like:

• From filmmaker Morgan Neville, who won an Oscar for his 2014 documentary 20 Feet From Stardom, and whose filmography also includes Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Best of Enemies: Buckley vs. Vidal, and Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain.
• Because of all the classic SNL sketches and comedians involved, the film plays almost like a comedy, with some reviewers even saying it’s funnier than many scripted comedies.
• For SNL die-hards, this is a must-see…even if we just went through the whole ‘SNL at 50’ cavalcade of programming last year.

What we don’t like:

• Some critics noted the film feels like a retrospective of SNL itself, using the show’s history and sketches to explain Michaels’ legacy rather than fully dissecting his personality. Even after decades in the spotlight, Michaels comes across as enigmatic and hard to read, with many collaborators admitting they still don’t fully understand him.

OFFICE ROMANCE – Netflix

Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Brett Goldstein, Betty Gilpin, Amy Sedaris, Tony Hale, Bradley Whitford, Edward James Olmos

Synopsis: Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein lead a raunchy romantic comedy about a secret office romance and the trouble two workaholics get in when they start thinking with their hearts.

What we like:

• This rom-com pairs Jennifer Lopez with Brett Goldstein, best known for playing Roy Kent on Ted Lasso. Goldstein also co-wrote and produced the film
• The supporting cast is packed with comedy veterans, including Betty Gilpin, (living legend) Amy Sedaris, Tony Hale, and Bradley Whitford.
• One of the most nostalgic casting details is the reunion between Jennifer Lopez and Edward James Olmos. Nearly 30 years after 1997’s Selena, Olmos once again plays her father onscreen. Lopez said the reunion felt like they had “come full circle.”

What we don’t like:

• Will anything in this rom-com be as funny as the recent footage of Lopez cat-walking her way out of a NYC hotel? Unlikely:

PILLION – HBO Max

Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Harry Melling, Lesley Sharp, Douglas Hodge, Anthony Welsh, and Jake Shears

Synopsis: A timid man is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive.

What we like:

• Harry Lighton’s adaptation of the 2020 novel Box Hill by Adam Mars-Jones is a sort of BDSM rom-com (dom-com?), with Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling giving unforgettable performances.
• The film world premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, where it won the section’s Best Screenplay prize. At the 28th British Independent Film Awards, the film earned ten nominations and won in four categories, including Best British Independent Film. It was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Outstanding British Film, and Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer (for Lighton) at the 79th British Academy Film Awards. Lighton also won Best Adapted Screenplay at the 35th Gotham Independent Film Awards.
• Singer Jake Shears, from the band Scissor Sisters, makes his film acting debut.

What we don’t like:

• If you’re looking to stream the theatrical cut of the film, make sure to check the rating (HBO Max will have both versions). The MPA rated a new cut of the film, with the following explanation:

SCARLET – Netflix

Cast: Mana Ashida, Masaki Okada, Kôji Yakusho

Synopsis: After failing to avenge her father’s murder, Princess Scarlet, wakes up in the “Land of the Dead.” In this world filled with madness, if she does not achieve her revenge against her nemesis and reach the “No End Place,” she will become “Void” and cease to exist. Can Scarlet find a way to live at the end of her endless journey?

What we like:

• This animated film was written and directed by Mamoru Hosoda, the acclaimed filmmaker behind Belle, Wolf Children, and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.
• The story is heavily inspired by Hamlet, but with a major twist: Hamlet’s role is reimagined as a sword-wielding princess named Scarlet seeking revenge for her father’s murder.
• Hosoda specifically said he did not want the film to look like traditional 2D anime or “Hollywood-style CG.” Instead, Studio Chizu developed a hybrid digital style with unusually detailed facial animation and painterly environments. Production reportedly took about four and a half years.

What we don’t like:

• Critics were a little mild on this, it currently only has a 56 Metacritic score. Still, the film did earn Annie Award nominations for Best Independent Feature, Best Direction, and Best Writing.

THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 3 – Starz

Cast: Madelaine Petsch, Gabe Basso, Ema Horvath, and Richard Brake

Synopsis: Tethered by a frightening conclusion, Maya and the Strangers are locked on an unavoidable, unforgiving collision course — a showdown that proves they’re far from strangers now.

What we like:

• Guys, we made it. The fifth film in The Strangers franchise and the concluding chapter of the new Renny Harlin-directed trilogy that began with Chapter 1 (2024) and continued in Chapter 2 (2025) is coming to digital. We thought we’d never get through it…but we have.
• The movie stars Madelaine Petsch as Maya, the recurring survivor who continues to battle the masked killers. She’s a very appealing actress who we hope gets more work.

What we don’t like:

• Unlike the original standalone films, this trilogy was shot back-to-back in 2022, a production strategy more akin to high-budget fantasy franchises than slasher movies, and underwent additional reshoots to tweak the final chapter. And we know reshoots always fix everything! 18% of Rotten Tomatoes critics agree!

Happy Streaming Everyone!