The third season of Stranger Things, the Netflix Original tribute to eighties movies and pop culture, ushers the kids of Hawkins, Indiana, into a summer adventure with a new monster unleashed from the Upside Down and a new challenge: growing up. It’s also nice to see the girls getting a bigger role in the series. It all kicks off, appropriately enough, on the Fourth of July. All eight episodes now streaming on Netflix.
Russell Crowe is Roger Ailes in The Loudest Voice, a Showtime Original limited series about the rise and fall of the Fox News creator costarring Naomi Watts as Gretchen Carlson. New episodes Sunday nights.
The new Netflix Original limited series The Last Czars mixes documentary and dramatic recreation to the story of Tsar Nicholas II and the ruling Romanov family killed in 1918 following the Russian Revolution. Six episodes on Netflix.
Veronica Mars: Complete Original Series (2004-2007), the offbeat young adult mystery starring Kristen Bell as a high school detective, is now on Hulu weeks before the series revival kicks off with new episodes.
Mike Leigh’s historical drama Peterloo (2019, PG-13) retells the true story of 1819 Peterloo Massacre at a peaceful pro-democracy rally in Manchester. Rory Kinnear and Maxine Peake headline the ensemble cast. On Amazon Prime Video.
Classic picks: Netflix present four early features by Martin Scorsese, from his feature debut Who’s That Knocking at My Door? (1967, R) and his breakthrough film Mean Streets (1973, R) starring Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro to the comic drama Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974, R) with Ellen Burstein to his incendiary masterpiece Taxi Driver (1976, R) with De Niro and Jodie Foster. These films established Scorsese as one of the most talented filmmakers of his era and influenced the next generation of young directors.
Pay-Per-View / Video-On-Demand
Daisy Ridley is Ophelia (2018, PG-13) in this feminist take on Hamlet, costarring Naomi Watts and Clive Owen. Available days after it debuts in select theaters.
Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell are The Best of Enemies (2019, PG-13) in this Civil Rights drama inspired by a true story. Also on DVD and at Redbox.
Also new: action thriller Escape Plan: The Extractors (2019, R) with Sylvester Stallone and Dave Bautista;
- The Public (2018, PG-13) with Emilio Estevez (who also directs), Taylor Schilling, and Alec Baldwin;
- Teen Spirit (2018, PG-13) with Elle Fanning;
- family dramas Storm Boy (2019, PG) with Geoffrey Rush and Mia and the White Lion (France, 2018, PG, with subtitles);
- drama The Heiresses (Paraguay, 2018, not rated, with subtitles) from Ana Brun and Margarita Irun.
Available same day as select theaters nationwide is dark comedy Phil (2019, R), with Greg Kinnear (making his directorial debut), Emily Mortimer, Jay Duplass, and Taylor Schilling.
Netflix
Kelly Reichardt’s low-key thriller Night Moves (2013, R) stars Jesse Eisenberg as an idealistic eco-terrorist in Southern Oregon who actions have unexpected consequences.
Streaming TV: Perry Mattfield is a disaffected, hard drinking blind woman who turns detective to solve the murder of a friend in In the Dark: Season 1, which arrives on Netflix a week after ending on CW. Also new:
- the original Tales of the City (1993) limited series that first showed on PBS;
- Madam Secretary: Season 5 with Téa Leoni and Tim Daly;
- Good Witch: Season 4 with Catherine Bell;
- more highlights from Jeopardy! including the 2011 tournament pitting champions Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter against the IBM computer Watson.
Foreign language TV: the new Netflix Original series Designated Survivor: 60 Days (South Korea, with subtitles), a remake of the American show reworked for the Korean political and cultural setting, stars Ji Jin-hee as a scientist-turned-cabinet member thrust in the role president after a terrorist attack. New episodes each Tuesday. Also new:
- limited series Bangkok Love Stories: Objects of Affection (Thailand, with subtitles) and Bangkok Love Stories: Plead (Thailand, with subtitles);
- animated gambling drama Kakegurui: Season 2.
Also new: action thriller The American (2010, R) with George Clooney;
- Oscar-nominated indie drama Frozen River (2008, R) with Melissa Leo;
- science fiction invasion thriller Cloverfield (2008, PG-13);
- M. Night Shyamalan’s modern fantasy Lady in the Water (2006, PG-13) with Paul Giamatti and Bryce Dallas Howard;
- Oscar-winning drama Philadelphia (1993, PG-13) with Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington;
- Oscar-winning drama Rain Man (1988, R) with Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise.
New comedies this month include the bad behavior hit The Hangover (2009, R) with Bradley Cooper;
- Starsky & Hutch (2004, PG-13) with Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson;
- The In-Laws (2003, PG-13) with Michael Douglas and Albert Brooks;
- the original slobs vs. snobs comedy Caddyshack (1980, R) with Chevy Chase and Bill Murray.
Kid stuff: the animated short Room on the Broom (2012, not rated), based on a popular children’s book, was nominated for an Oscar. Also new:
- animated superhero spoof Megamind (2010, PG) with the voices of Will Ferrell and Tina Fey;
- family fantasy Shorts (2009, PG) from Robert Rodriguez;
- Kung Fu Panda Awesome Secrets Collection (2008, TV-PG) with three short animated spin-offs from the hit movie.
Stand-up: Katherine Ryan: Glitter Room (2019, TV-MA)
Amazon Prime Video
Andrew Garfield and Riley Keough star in the surreal thriller Under the Silver Lake (2019, R), the new film by “It Follows” director David Robert Mitchell.
The Oscar-nominated documentary Hale County This Morning, This Evening (2018, not rated) offers a poetic, kaleidoscopic look at the African-American community in a poor Alabama county.
Catherine Deneuve and John Malkovich star in Time Regained (France, 1999, not rated, with subtitles), Raul Ruiz’s sprawling adaptation of Marcel Proust novel.
Kid stuff: Kung Fu Panda – The Paws of Destiny: Season 1, Pt 2 continues the animated adventures.
Also new this month: the updated Romeo and Juliet (2013, PG-13) with Douglas Booth and Hailee Steinfeld;
- offbeat comic drama Stranger Than Fiction (2006, PG-13) with Will Ferrell and Emma Thompson;
- easy-going character drama Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont (2005, not rated) with Joan Plowright and Rupert Friend;
- historical drama The Last Samurai (2003, R) with Tom Cruise;
- action comedies Rush Hour (1998, PG-13) and Rush Hour 3 (2007, PG-13) with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker;
- Oscar-winning thriller The Silence of the Lambs (1991, R) with Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins;
- romantic drama Lovin’ Molly (1974, R) with Anthony Hopkins and Beau Bridges.
New comedies available this month include NASCAR spoof Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006, PG-13) with Will Ferrell and groovy James Bond goof Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997, PG-13) with Mike Meyers.
Streaming TV: MTV reality show The Hills: Complete Series (2006-2010) and Emmy-winning competition show RuPaul’s Drag Race: Seasons 1-5 (2009-2013).
Prime Video / Hulu
Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon play best friends caught up in international intrigue in The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018, R) (Prime Video and Hulu).
Also new this month is the Coen Bros. remake of True Grit (2010, PG-13) with Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon (Prime Video and Hulu);
- Mission: Impossible III (2006, PG-13) with Tom Cruise and Philip Seymour Hoffman (Prime Video and Hulu);
- Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report (2002, PG-13) with Tom Cruise (Prime Video and Hulu);
- survival horror drama Open Water (2004, R) (Prime Video and Hulu);
- Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow (1999, R) with Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci (Prime Video and Hulu);
- Desperately Seeking Susan (1985, PG-13) with Rosanna Arquette and Madonna (Prime Video and Hulu);
- horror comedy An American Werewolf in London (1981, R) (Prime Video and Hulu).
New comedies available this month include Mel Brooks’ Star Wars spoof Spaceballs (1987, PG) (Prime Video and Hulu) and the gag-laden Airplane! (1980, PG) (Prime Video and Hulu).
Hulu
The documentary The Brink (2019, not rated) profiles Stephen Bannon, the self-described American Nationalist and former Trump advisor, in the wake the 2016 election,
The comedy The Last Word (2017, R) stars Shirley MacLaine as a retired business legend and Amanda Seyfried as the young journalist hired to tell her story.
More streaming TV: Into the Dark: Culture Shock is the new feature-length installment in the horror anthology series;
- FX sitcom It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 13;
- animated adventure comedy The Venture Bros.: Season 7 from Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.
Also new this month: mystery thriller Arbitrage (2012, R) with Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon;
- satirical mock-documentary CSA: Confederate States of America (2005, PG-13) from the cowriter of “BlacKkKlansman”;
- family friendly animated fantasy The Polar Express (2004, G) with Tom Hanks;
- definitely NOT family friendly holiday movie comedy Bad Santa (2003, R) with Billy Bob Thornton;
- Tim Burton’s Big Fish (2003, PG-13) with Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney;
- The Quiet American (2002, R) with Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser;
- indie comedy Swingers (1996, R) with Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn;
- Abel Ferrara’s extreme Bad Lieutenant (1992, R) with Harvey Keitel;
- Quentin Tarantino’s debut Reservoir Dogs (1992, R) with Harvey Keitel;
- addiction drama The Panic in Needle Park (1971, PG) with Al Pacino.
Foreign affairs: Lucile Hadzihalilovic’s Evolution (France, 2015, not rated, with subtitles) takes on the mysteries of sexuality with a surreal dark fantasy. Also new:
- horror film We Are What We Are (Mexico, 2011, not rated, with subtitles);
- domestic thriller The Housemaid (South Korea, 2010, not rated, with subtitles);
- The Time that Remains (Israel, 2009, not rated, with subtitles), a drama following the creation of the state of Israel;
- biographical drama The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (France, 2007, PG-13, with subtitles) with Mathieu Amalric;
- Oscar-nominated action epic Hero(China, 2002, PG-13, with subtitles) with Jet Li and Maggie Cheung;
- dark-humored mystery thriller With a Friend Like Harry (France, 2000, R, with subtitles).
HBO Now
Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy play best friends with a sinister plan in the slyly satirical teen killer thriller Thoroughbreds (2017, R).
Hackerville (Romania/Germany, with subtitles), a limited series action thriller from the creator of “Deutschland 83” made for HBO Europe, is available exclusively on HBO Now, HBO Go, and HBO On Demand.
Also new: the latest big screen version of Robin Hood (2018, PG-13) with Taron Egerton and Jamie Foxx;
- Oliver Stone’s Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010, PG-13) with Michael Douglas;
- based-on-a-true story drama The Hoax (2006, R) with Richard Gere;
animated adventure Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005, G); - science fiction thriller I, Robot (2004, PG-13) with Will Smith;
- Oscar-winning documentary When We Were Kings (1996, PG) about the 1974 heavyweight championship boxing match between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali;
- the original The Manchurian Candidate (1962, PG-13) with Frank Sinatra and Laurence Harvey.
Stand-up: Ramy Youssef: Feelings (2019, TV-MA)
Available Saturday night is Bohemian Rhapsody (2018, PG-13) starring Rami Malek in an Oscar-winning performance as Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.
The Criterion Channel
The Criterion Channel puts a spotlight on 1969 American cinema with Oscar winner Midnight Cowboy (1969), cult classic Easy Rider, and sexual revolution comedy Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, and celebrates the wildly melodramatic cinema of Spain’s Raffaello Matarazzo with six films, including his epic Nobody’s Children (1952) and its sequel The White Angel (1955), two Catholic soap operas on steroids with tormented heroines.
Starz
Paranormal thriller The Rook with Emma Greenwell, Adrian Lester, and Joely Richardson begins on all Starz Platforms. New episodes each Sunday.
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