6 top new movies to stream this week on Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu and more (July 15-21)
Netflix is offering a new Korean thriller, while HBO Max has a 'subverse' rom-com and Hulu premieres a sci-fi movie set in a dystopian future.
Meanwhile, in the premium streaming space, the live-action 'How to Train Your Dragon' remake and sequel 'M3GAN 2.0' make the switch from theatres to home streaming. However, only one of them is worth the premium video-on-demand rental fee, in my opinion. Cue: It's not the one with a number in its title.
It may not be the most packed week of new streaming releases, but there's still a handful of movies you'll want to consider. So, these are the biggest new movies arriving on streaming this week. Plus, check out our guide to the top new TV shows this week for even more viewing options.
The latest live-action remake of an animated flick doesn't come from Disney. Instead, it's rival DreamWorks reimagining its 2010 family-favorite 'How to Train Your Dragon.'
Like several similar projects, 'How to Train Your Dragon' loses some of its charm in the transition, but the heart of the story is largely the same. The extra 20 minutes bolted onto the runtime feel unnecessary and create a movie that drags in spots. Still, the relationship between cowardly Viking Hiccup and dragon Toothless is as heartwarming as it's ever been.
Set in a whimsical fantasy universe, 'How to Train Your Dragon' opens with the Vikings of Berk at war with fearsome dragons, but when the timid son of the village's chieftain, Hiccup (Mason Thames), stumbles on a wounded Night Fury, he discovers that these winged monsters might not be so scary after all.
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Nursing the dragon, whom he names Toothless, back to health, the two team up to fight a new threat that could endanger both dragons and Vikings. And in the process, Hiccup might just prove that dragons can be friends, not foes.
Buy or rent on Amazon from July 15
Back in 2022, a creepy life-like doll called 'M3GAN' took social media by storm, so a sequel was inevitable. However, it appears that Blumhouse Productions may have overestimated M3GAN's appeal with the average viewer because this sequel flopped at the box office.
Now "M3GAN 2.0" arrives on PVOD in the hopes of clawing back some interest, and perhaps maybe even going viral again (there's an extended dance scene that screams 'post this on TikTok, please'). But, unfortunately, this movie has all the hallmarks of a lackluster follow-up.
The movie's biggest sin is switching genres, while the first 'M3GAN' was an intentionally silly horror, 'M3GAN 2.0' opts for a more action-oriented route, which feels like a real downgrade. Plus, the bizarrely convoluted plot and mismatched tone don't exactly help matters either.
This movie sees 'M3GAN' resurrected to help defeat a military-grade robot known as AMELIA, who is unleashing cyber havoc. Rebuilt to be more lethal than ever, it all leads to a M3GAN vs. AMELIA showdown. This is very much one for the M3GAN superfans only, but considering the box office returns, it would appear that group is a lot smaller than initially believed.
Buy or rent on Amazon from July 15
A spy movie that is perfect for fans of the 'Jason Bourne' franchise, 'The Amateur' is a slightly more grounded take on the world of espionage (though only slightly, it's still pretty unrealistic), and sees Rami Malek prove himself capable of leading an exciting and very engaging globe-trotting thriller.
Based on the Robert Littell novel, Malek plays a CIA analyst whose world is shattered when his wife is killed in a terrorist attack while on a trip to London. Using his skills, he identifies those responsible for his wife's murder and blackmails his superiors into giving him a license to hunt them down and get cold-blooded revenge.
A novice in the field, Charlie (Malek) is shown the ropes by a gruff mentor, Hendo (Laurence Fishburne). However, even with some training, he's still a fish out of water. Quickly realizing he can't outshoot his enemies, he focuses on outthinking them using his superior intellect.
The flick also contains one of my favorite action sequences of the year (so far) involving a glass swimming pool suspended between two skyscrapers. It's just a shame the movie's trailers thoroughly spoil 'The Amateur's' best moment. So perhaps skip them before streaming.
Watch on Hulu from July 17
Getting on the property ladder is hard enough for most people, but what if you finally managed to save up enough to buy a place of your own, only for it to turn into a nightmare?
That's the compelling pitch for 'Wall to Wall,' Netflix's new South Korean thriller. Woo-sung (played by 'Squid Game' star Kang Ha-neul) moves into his new 84-square-meter apartment and is full of excitement to be a homeowner at long last. But that joy doesn't last very long.
The home becomes a waking nightmare of strange noises and oddball neighbors, who are just unnerving enough to be creepy. As tensions within the apartment block bubble over, Woo-sung finds himself caught in the middle of an increasingly heated neighborhood stand-off as he's blamed for being the source of the mysterious disturbances.
Netflix has been on a roll lately with loads of fantastic Korean content — not least of which is 'Squid Game' itself — and 'Wall to Wall' looks like it could be another winner from the country.
Watch on Netflix from July 18
The romantic-comedy genre is often comforting, but also pretty formulaic, with many entries falling into predictable patterns and leaning on classic tropes. In steps, 'I Love You Forever,' which aims to be a 'subversive' take on a 'girl meets boy' story.
The movie premiered in theatres earlier this year and was largely well-received by critics. It currently holds an 80% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising it for tonal shifts and the balance of comedic moments and dramatic beats. It looks well worth streaming now that it's arriving on HBO Max.
At the heart of this (anti-)love story is Mackenzie (Sofia Black-D'Elia), a 25-year-old law student whose love life is a blur of hookups without any real commitment. But when she meets a handsome journalist named Finn (Ray Nicholson), she is ready to give proper love a shot.
However, the honeymoon phase can't last forever, and as their relationship becomes increasingly tumultuous, Mackenzie must confront Finn's darker side and consider whether 'love true' can actually exist, or if it's just the stuff of fairy tales and sappy rom-coms.
Watch on HBO Max from July 18
'The Assessment' earned my interest based on its leading stars alone.
Elizabeth Olsen, Alicia Vikander and Himesh Patel is quite the trio, and factor in its strong reception with a 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 'Certifed Fresh' rating from critics, it looks like Hulu might just have a hit on its hand with this sci-fi thriller set in a dystopian future.
The feature film debut of director Fleur Fortuné, it focuses on Mia (Olsen) and Aaryan (Patel), a couple hoping to have a child, but in this alternative reality, having kids requires approval from the government. Resources are limited, so reproduction is state-controlled rather than a matter of personal choice.
In steps Virginia (Vikander), a government assessor, who moves into Mia and Aaryan's home for seven days, during which she will judge their suitability to be parents. What they hope will be a simple process becomes increasingly nightmarish as they're forced to question the society around them, and even the very fundamentals of what it means to be human.
It sounds like an intriguing sci-fi yarn, and I can't wait to stream it when it arrives on Hulu this weekend.
Watch on Hulu from July 19
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