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 this week’s highlights:
Tuesday, August 4th, 2026
EVIL DEAD BURN – $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
Cast: Souheila Yacoub, Tandi Wright, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan, Errol Shand, George Pullar, Maude Davey and Greta Van Den Brink
Synopsis: After the loss of her husband, a woman seeks solace with her in-laws in their secluded family home. As one by one they are transformed into Deadites—turning the gathering into a family reunion from hell—she comes to discover that the vows she took in life live on… even in death.
What we like:
- This film is the sixth feature in the long-running Evil Dead franchise and follows 2023’s Evil Dead Rise, while still telling a largely standalone story with a new cast of characters.
- French filmmaker Sébastien Vaniček, whose 2023 creepy spider chiller Infested earned critical acclaim, directed and co-wrote the film. Franchise creator Sam Raimi personally selected him after being impressed by his previous work.
- Critics have generally liked this installment. It currently sits at 72% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
What we don’t like:
- Some critics and audiences noted that unlike the franchise’s traditional gallows humor or slapstick energy, Evil Dead Burn opts for a relentlessly punishing and nasty atmosphere with little comedic relief. The narrative choices put spousal abuse and toxic family denial at the center of the emotional conflict, which some viewers felt overpowered the supernatural horror and made the human drama uncomfortably heavy rather than fun.
THE ISOLATE THIEF – $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Cast: Mackenzie Foy, Odeya Rush, Jack Kesy, Ty Simpkins, Martin Sensmeier with Joe Pantoliano and Sean Bean
Synopsis: One bitter-cold winter during the Civil War, a young woman becomes the lone caretaker of a remote Union Army outpost. When a stash of stolen gold falls into her lap, a gang of vicious outlaws comes looking for it. As they turn her home into a battleground, she must stay one step ahead of them in order to survive.
What we like:
- From the producers of Old Henry (which recently had a resurgence when it popped up on Netflix), this Civil War-era survival Western is a tense, intimate story set during a brutal winter at a remote Union Army outpost.
- Best known for Interstellar and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, Mackenzie Foy takes on one of her most physically and emotionally demanding roles as the film’s resourceful heroine.
- While not overwhelmingly positive, the film did pretty well with critics. It currently sits at 72% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
What we don’t like:
- The film received a small theatrical run via Radial Entertainment, but the distributor declined to report any grosses. Probably a tough sell in the middle of the summer with no big-name stars. But we’re curious to check it out.
LIFEHACK – $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Cast: Georgie Farmer, Yasmin Finney, Roman Hayeck-Green, James Scholz, Jessica Reynolds, Charlie Creed-Miles
Synopsis: Four teenage slackers attempt a multi-million-dollar Bitcoin heist from their bedrooms, only to spiral into the darkest corners of the internet-and a danger beyond their computer screens.
What we like:
- The film is presented in the screenlife format, meaning the entire story unfolds through computer desktops, smartphones, video calls, security cameras, and social media, putting viewers directly into the characters’ digital world.
- Irish filmmaker Ronan Corrigan wrote and directed the film, making his first feature-length movie after previously working in short films and editing.
- Producer Timur Bekmambetov, who helped popularize the format with films like Searching, Missing, and Unfriended, backed the project through his Bazelevs studio.
- The film earned a 95% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers highlighting its suspense, authentic depiction of internet culture, and inventive storytelling.
What we don’t like:
- As inventive as these screenlife format films often are, there’s something that feels very COVID-coded about them. Remember all those Zoom-based sing-alongs and staged readings we had to endure in the early 2020s? Just a terrible time.
LUCKY STRIKE – $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Cast: Scott Eastwood, Colin Hanks, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Taylor John Smith
Synopsis: Inspired by true events, Lucky Strike tells the story of one soldier trapped behind enemy lines during the last major German offensive during WWII, what will become known as The Battle of the Bulge. Armed only with his Motorola SCR-300 radio, a new technology only battle-ready near the end of the war, he must use his wits and spy craft to thwart the advancing Nazi Panzer army and find his way back home.
What we like:
- Rod Lurie, a graduate of West Point and director of dramas like The Contender, The Last Castle, and The Outpost, wrote and directed the film. Lurie started out as an entertainment reporter and film critic, including stints at News12 in Norwalk, Connecticut, the New York Daily News, Premiere, Movieline, Entertainment Weekly
- The cast includes two iconic nepo babies (we kid!) Scott Eastwood and Colin Hanks, the sons of Clint Eastwood and Tom Hanks. Neither Clint nor Tom visited the set during filming, something Scott later said actually helped reduce the pressure.
- Military advisor Jariko Denman, a former U.S. Army Ranger with multiple combat deployments, helped recreate realistic WWII tactics, engineering, and battlefield behavior using both historical research and firsthand combat experience.
- We’ll watch Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor in anything.
What we don’t like:
- The film received mixed reviews from critics. It currently has a score of 49 on Metacritic, with some reviewers criticizing the film for feeling like a dated, formulaic propaganda picture rather than a gritty modern war drama. Others also noted that the set designs and costumes looked too clean and artificial for a brutal winter combat setting during the Battle of the Bulge.
Thursday, August 6th, 2026
BILLIE EILISH – HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR – Paramount+
Cast: Billie Eilish
Synopsis: This immersive concert film is a VIP all-access pass to Billie Eilish’s electrifying sold-out Hit Me Hard and Soft tour. Co-directed by Billie Eilish with Academy Award winner James Cameron, it brings their shared vision to life—the rush, the pressure, and the closeness she shares with the crowd, everything you don’t see and everything you feel, through her eyes.
What we like:
- Big Jim Cameron directs the Billie Eilish concert film, and its a must-see (or own) for fans of the singer/songwriter. The film captures both the intimacy of quieter songs and the explosive energy of arena moments.
- This marks Eilish’s first feature co-directing effort. With two Best Original Song Oscars already on her mantle, she’s chasing Big Jim (who has three).
- At 114 minutes, the film delivers a full concert experience without overstaying its welcome.
What we don’t like:
- The 3D experience will be lost with the film’s streaming release…not that Eilish fans will mind that much.
Friday, August 7th, 2026
THE LAST HOUSE – Netflix
Cast: Greta Lee, Wagner Moura, Gabriel Barbosa, Emma Ho, Noah Alexander Sosnowski, Riley Chung
Synopsis: A family of four are suddenly sealed inside their home with no way out and must work together to survive against both their dwindling resources and the mysterious, looming threat that is keeping them trapped.
What we like:
- Director Louis Leterrier, known for sprawling action films like The Transporter and the original Now You See Me, takes a very different approach here, creating a suspense-driven, contained thriller centered on a single location.
- Fresh off acclaimed performances in recent years, Greta Lee (shoulda been Oscar-nominated for Past Lives) and Wagner Moura (Oscar-nominee for The Secret Agent) play the parents fighting to protect their children as their home transforms into a prison.
- Rather than taking place over a single night, the story spans years, showing how the family adapts to life inside the house by rationing supplies, growing food, and coping with the psychological strain of isolation.
What we don’t like:
- During development, the project went by the mysterious working title 11817 before Netflix renamed it The Last House ahead of its release. That’s a title upgrade…but only by a little. Still a terribly generic title.
A POET – MUBI
Cast: Ubeimar Rios, Rebeca Andrade, Guillermo Cardona, Allison Correa, Margarita Soto and Humberto Restrepo
Synopsis: Middle-aged and erratic, Oscar is a failed writer who has given up on life. Unemployed and living with family, he wanders the streets of Medellín in a drunken stupor, lamenting the state of literature in his home country, where he has succumbed to the cliché of the tortured artist. However, the opportunity to mentor a young student offers a chance at redemption, if he doesn’t screw it up first.
What we like:
- This Colombian comedy had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the section’s Jury Prize.
- Even though it’s a Colombian story, the movie is a co-production between Colombia, Germany, and Sweden, proving how global indie filmmaking can be.
- Critics agree it’s terrific: The film has a perfect 100% Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score.
What we don’t like:
- A Poet was selected as the Colombian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated. It did manage to get a Film Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best International Film, but it lost to The Secret Agent.
YOU, ME & TUSCANY – Peacock
Cast: Halle Bailey, Regé-Jean Page, Marco Calvani, Aziza Scott, Lorenzo de Moor, Nia Vardalos, Isabella Ferrari
Synopsis: Free-spirited Italian chef and reserved British lawyer embark on a whirlwind romance during a destination wedding in coastal Italy.
What we like:
- Filmmaker Kat Coiro follows up her 2022 Jennifer Lopez – Owen Wilson romantic comedy Marry Me with this sweet (if innocuous) rom com. The stakes are low, and the chemistry is easygoing…and that’s sometimes all we need.
- Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page headline the cast, and they both have a likeable and appealing screen presence. Do they pop in a way that makes this a classic? No…but that’s fine.
- Critics gave the film a solid but mixed reception, while audiences embraced it much more enthusiastically. It holds a 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and received a CinemaScore of A-.
What we don’t like:
- Filmmaker Nina Lee revealed on social media that a major studio told her they were withholding approval for her completed rom-com to see how You, Me & Tuscany performed financially. Critics and black creatives pointed out the unfair burden placed on a single diverse film, noting that mainstream rom-coms with white leads frequently underperform without threatening the viability of the entire genre.
THE YETI – Shudder
Cast: Brittany Allen, Eric Nelsen, Jim Cummings, William Sadler, Corbin Bernsen
Synopsis: When an oil tycoon and a famous adventurer vanish into the harsh winter of remote northern Alaska, a hand-picked rescue team endeavors to bring them home. What they don’t know is that they are trespassing on The Yeti’s territory, and the elements are the least of their worries.
What we like:
- Gene Gallerano and William Pisciotta co-wrote and co-directed the film, marking their feature directorial debut after spending years developing the project.
- Instead of relying primarily on CGI, the production built a nine-foot-tall Yeti suit operated by a team of performers and technicians. The filmmakers said they wanted the creature to feel tangible and pay tribute to classic monster cinema.
- Although the story is set in the frozen Alaskan wilderness, the filmmakers constructed forests, caves, cabins, and snowy landscapes on soundstages in Buffalo, New York, with only a small amount of location shooting.
What we don’t like:
- Critics were divided on the screenplay and characters (it currently is only 44% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), but many singled out the practical creature effects, snowy atmosphere, and throwback monster-movie style as highlights.
Also Streaming Friday:
Saturday, August 8th, 2026
BEAST (Starz)
Cast: Daniel MacPherson, Luke Hemsworth, Bren Foster, Amy Shark, Mojean Aria, Kelly Gale, and Russell Crowe
Synopsis: After years away from the cage, a once-feared MMA champion is pulled back in for the fight of his life when his younger brother is put in danger. Reuniting with the trainer who once made him a legend, he commits to one final showdown against the reigning title-holder — a brutal fighter determined to dismantle the ex-champ’s legacy in front of the world. Pushed to his breaking point, the contender’s stakes are simple: win, or lose everything he’s built.
What we like:
- Unlike many fight movies that invent leagues, Beast is tied directly to ONE Championship, a real global MMA organization. Some scenes were filmed during an actual live MMA event (ONE 170 in Bangkok), blending in real crowd energy.
- Russell Crowe co-wrote the script with David Frigerio, and he also co-stars in the film.
- Despite being a familiar sports story, it earned strong critic scores (currently 86% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), with praise for its straightforward, entertaining style.
What we don’t like:
- Despite the strong reviews and a semi-wide release (~1160 theaters) from Lionsgate Films, Beast was no beauty at the box-office (don’t worry…we hate ourselves for writing that). It earned only $1.2M domestically.
Happy Streaming Everyone!
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