The Film Fix – Streaming
July is the month when streaming earns its keep. Between the heat outside and the endless scroll inside, viewers need more than just another content dump. Fortunately, the major services have assembled a sturdy summer lineup built around literary adaptations, returning favorites, prestige dramas, animation, and a few documentaries that should play well when the air conditioning is doing the heavy lifting.
Netflix:
Netflix relies on a sequel to one of its most consistently reliable movie franchises and an award-winning historical drama to power its July offerings.
Enola Holmes 3 (July 1) — Netflix “it” girl Millie Bobby Brown returns to the role of Sherlock’s younger sister. As Enola prepares to marry Lord Tewkesbury, she must investigate the disappearance of her brother Sherlock (Henry Cavill). While viewers follow the mystery, many will also wonder whether marriage means Enola will retain the Holmes name.
Hamnet (July 6) Fix Rating 8/10 — Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao (see “Nomadland”) directs this take on the origins of the famous Bard William Shakespeare and the personal tragedy that helped shape the classic play “Hamlet.” Jessie Buckley won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Shakespeare’s wife in this riveting exploration of grief. The film is less interested in literary trivia than in the way private pain can become public art. And the film’s transcendent ending rewards viewers for living with the agony of the characters for much of the picture’s running time.
Apple TV+:
This month Apple continues one of its hit series and delivers a high-end crime thriller with an impressive A-list cast.
Silo (July 3) — Apple’s popular apocalyptic adventure starring Rebecca Ferguson as the intrepid and resourceful Juliette Nichols returns with more secrets buried beneath the surface. The series has been one of Apple’s stronger genre plays because it combines world-building with a sturdy mystery engine. Episodes release weekly through early September.
Lucky (July 15) — This handsome-looking thriller series boasts an impressive cast led by Anya Taylor-Joy. It is based on the bestseller by Marissa Stapley. Taylor-Joy plays Luciana “Lucky” Armstrong, a woman looking to leave her criminal past behind until, of course, one last job pulls her back in. The setup sounds familiar, but the presence of Taylor-Joy, Annette Bening, and Timothy Olyphant gives this one a real chance to rise above the usual con-woman formula.
HBO Max:
HBO Max delivers its expected combination of prestige series, theatrical premieres, and engaging documentaries.
The Man Will Burn (June 21) — This four-part HBO documentary traces the origins and continuing endurance of the Burning Man festival. Other films have covered this ground, but HBO’s involvement should ensure prestige handling of the edgy subject, with striking cinematography and focused reporting. The best version of this material should examine not only the spectacle, but also why the event continues to hold such cultural fascination.
The Long Walk (July 10) Fix Rating 7/10 — This effective adaptation of Stephen King’s “Bachman” 1979 novel stays true to the source material almost to a fault. The devastating story is nearly too heavy to be entertaining. However, under director Francis Lawrence’s stewardship, the movie remains faithful to the book while introducing, dare I say, entertaining elements. The narrative follows Ray Garraty (Cooper Hoffman), who participates in a national endurance test controlled by the vicious The Major (Mark Hamill). To win, you must continuously walk until everyone around you dies or is killed. That grim premise gives the film its power, even if it also makes the experience difficult to shake.
Peacock:
Peacock’s July lineup offers insightful women-centered drama.
The Five-Star Weekend (July 9) — This series adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand’s bestseller features an ensemble cast led by Jennifer Garner, along with Regina Hall, Chloë Sevigny, and D’Arcy Carden. Garner plays Hollis Shaw, a celebrity chef whose carefully planned life begins to fall apart during a reunion weekend getaway with four friends from different stages in life. This appears to be is comfort viewing with teeth: pretty locations, complicated relationships, and just enough emotional mess to keep the glossy surface from getting too slick.
Reminders of Him (July 10) — The feature version of Colleen Hoover’s novel lands on the small screen after its successful theatrical release in March. While not the blockbuster hit Hoover saw with “It Ends with Us,” the modestly budgeted production proved that the writer’s material lives on even as the controversy surrounding the first film ground to an unceremonious halt. “Reminders of Him” is an unconventional romance that follows a young mother named Kenna Rowan (Maika Monroe), who attempts to reconnect with her daughter after being released from prison.
Hulu:
King of the Hill (Season 15, July 20) — Hulu drops all ten episodes of the revival of the animated sensation that began in 1997 and restarted last year. Hank and Peggy cope with retirement while their son Bobby continues to advance as an entrepreneur. Hulu has already greenlit seasons 16 and 17, so viewers can be reassured that the Hill story will live on. For fans, the appeal is not just nostalgia; it is the pleasure of returning to characters who somehow feel both frozen in time and oddly current.
Disney+:Animation and sharks lead Disney’s streaming month.
X-Men ‘97 (July 1) — The first three episodes of this popular animated series drop on July 1. This acclaimed show revived the classic series from the 1990s and effectively relaunched the evocative material by expanding the original story. In season 2, the X-Men are forced to confront rising anti-mutant sentiment while combating the villain Apocalypse. Word is strong on this one.
Sharkfest (July 5) — Dropping at the end of the Fourth of July weekend, National Geographic rolled out shark documentaries that include “Hammerhead Sharks Up Close with Bertie Gregory,” “World’s Biggest Mako,” and “Shark vs. Giant Croc.” Our fascination and fear of these hunters of the deep will never end.
Bottom Line: July’s streaming slate is not built around one giant title. Instead, it spreads the wealth. Netflix has the strongest one-two punch with “Enola Holmes 3” and “Hamnet,” Apple TV+ may have the sleekest new series with “Lucky,” Peacock offers smart adult drama, Hulu brings back a beloved animated institution, and Disney+ leans into superheroes and sharks. If viewers are looking for a place to start, “Hamnet,” “The Long Walk,” “The Five-Star Weekend,” and “Lucky” should move to the top of the queue.
