With ambitious sci-fi, exciting animation, and even a Patriots cameo or two, this is a week that gives you more than enough options for your streaming choices. Whether you’re in the mood to further indulge in Wes Anderson’s world post-Asteroid City or you want to watch an action-packed series, there’s something for everyone.
What to watch on Netflix
Annihilation
Sci-fi aficionado Alex Garland struck gold with his directorial debut Ex Machina, only to find something just as, if not more, rich in his sophomore feature, Annihilation. Natalie Portman stars as Lena, a biology expert and former soldier who’s the only returning member of an expedition into an anomalous meteorite site. When her husband and fellow explorer (Oscar Isaac) mysteriously returns, she heads back to get to the bottom of things. She’s joined by a team of fellow doctors and scientists (Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, and Tessa Thompson) on a trip that will change her forever. Annihilation streams starting Friday, June 30th.
Nimona
After bouncing around in developmental hell thanks to endless media mergers, the delightful and irreverent Nimona has finally found a home on Netflix. This animated movie follows Nimona (voiced by Chloe Grace Moretz), a shapeshifting teen in a futuristic-slash-medieval world that sees knights compete on reality TV, among other things. One of these knights is Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed), who’s accused of a horrendous crime that can only be forgiven by killing said shapeshifter. But as he gets closer to this odd girl, the two outcasts form an unlikely friendship that’s more powerful than the forces around them. Nimona premieres Friday, June 30th.
What to watch on Hulu
The Grand Budapest Hotel
If Asteroid City put you in the mood for more Wes Anderson flicks, you’re in luck, because The Grand Budapest Hotel is back on streaming. Like the film currently in theaters, Grand Budapest centers on a story within a story, one told by hotel owner Zero (F. Murray Abraham) of his younger years as a bellhop under Monsieur Gustave (Ralph Fiennes). In his time as a bellboy, he sees suspicious death, art theft, and the breakout of war, but that’s not to say that the movie lacks Anderson’s signature charm. The Grand Budapest Hotel streams starting Friday, June 30th.
Whiplash
We’ve all had a crazy teacher or two in our time, but few have gone to as extreme of lengths as J.K. Simmons’ Terence Fletcher in Whiplash. The sleek and psychologically turbulent movie stars Miles Teller as a promising jazz drummer whose own obsessive tendencies mesh a little too well with his abusive instructor. As the musical arrangements get harder and the stakes for performances get higher, the two men grow more intense and antagonistic. It makes for a rare drama that leaves you on the edge of your seat. Whiplash streams starting Saturday, July 1st.
What to watch on Amazon Prime
Jack Ryan
John Krasinski returns as the titular CIA agent in the fourth and final season of Jack Ryan. This time around, the threat isn’t so much a foreign body as it is an inside job. Now the acting Deputy Director of the CIA, Jack Ryan must take on the corruption he finds in his own corner, discovering government secrets ranging from relationships with drug cartels with a suspicious series of black ops. Wendell Pierce and Abbie Cornish return, and Michael Peña co-stars as an interesting new ally. Season 4 of Jack Ryan premieres Friday, June 30th.
80 for Brady
Tom Brady may be in the title, but Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, Sally Field and Lily Tomlin are the true draws of 80 for Brady. Based on a real life group of senior-citizen Patriots fans, the film follows four best friends who are determined to attend Super Bowl LI in person after bonding over the sport during one of the ladies’ chemotherapy sessions. It’s a light, feel-good comedy, complete with big tailgates and bigger cameos (albeit some major leaps in logic for any football fans). 80 for Brady premieres on streaming Tuesday, July 4th.
What to watch on Max
20th Century Women
Filmmaker Mike Mills was nominated for the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay thanks to his work on 20th Century Women, a thoughtful, funny, and heartfelt film that tracks a teen boy’s development alongside that of the three women in his life. Most important is his single mother Dorothea (Annette Bening), followed by his mildly pretentious best friend Julie (Elle Fanning), and the tenant who rents a room from his mother (Greta Gerwig). Though a story told through the lens of a boy, the movie gives the actresses a place to shine and deliver some of their best performances. 20th Century Women will be available to stream starting Saturday, July 1st.
What to Watch is a regular endorsement of movies and TV worth your streaming time.
