A new era of streaming selections is here. For the past several years, our monthly column, the Nerd’s Watch, has been the place to find out all the best genre titles coming to the biggest streaming services. It wasn’t a complete list. We just posted the titles we think you’d care about, but it was still long, and frankly, hard to pick out the best of the best.
Well, over the past few months, that changed. What follows isn’t a list of all the best stuff streaming on all the big streaming services. We’ve looked at all those lists and come up with a few dozen titles that we think are noteworthy this month. Some are new, some are old, but either way, we’ll tell you why you should care. Or at least joke about it. So sit back, grab your remote, and get ready for the new and improved Nerd’s Watch, highlighting the best movies and shows coming to streamers this month.
17 Again (July 1 on Netflix)
The late, great Matthew Perry gets to relive his high school days in the body of Zac Efron in this adorable, hilarious body-swap sports comedy. Highly underrated in our opinion.
Pacific Rim (July 1 on Netflix)
It’s still wild to think we live in a world where Guillermo del Toro got to make a massive, kick-ass movie about giant robots fighting one another. But he did, and it’s coming back to Netflix.
V for Vendetta (July 1 on Netflix)
Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving star in, easily, one of the best comic book adaptations of all time. One that maybe doesn’t get the love it should because it’s so surprisingly dark. But very, very much worth your time.
Zathura: A Space Adventure (July 1 on Netflix)
Before he became a master of Star Wars and Marvel, Jon Favreau used those instincts for this delightful family space adventure co-starring Dax Shepard, Kristen Stewart, and Josh Hutchinson.
Mr. Robot: Seasons 1-4 (July 3 on Netflix)
Before he was an Oscar winner, Rami Malek starred in this very smart, very slick show about a hacker who uses his skills to fight corporate injustice. Christian Slater is in it too. It rules.
Mad Max: Fury Road (July 9 on Netflix)
Quite simply one of the best action movies ever made. And, we imagine, every time it ends up on a major streamer like Netflix, new fans find and fall in love with it.
Happy Gilmore 2 (July 25 on Netflix)
It’s wild that Netflix makes movies like this, movies that seemingly anyone and everyone is looking forward to, but then just dumps them on the site without much fanfare. This return of Adam Sandler’s near-superhuman golfer is a story decades in the making, and we can’t wait.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 (July 1 on Prime)
If for some reason you saw the new How to Train Your Dragon but hadn’t seen its original, animated sequel, you’re in luck. It’s real, it’s on Prime, and it’s incredible.
RoboCop (1987), RoboCop 2, RoboCop 3, RoboCop (2014) (July 1 on Prime)
With Prime reportedly working on a new series based on RoboCop, it makes sense that the whole RoboCop suite is coming to the service. That means it’s the perfect time to acquaint, or reacquaint, yourself with the franchise. Only one of the movies is actually good, but it’s just a fun character either way.
Teen Wolf (July 1 on Prime)
Before it became a brooding MTV series, Teen Wolf was just Michael J. Fox, at the peak of his powers, as a high school student who turned into a werewolf and played basketball. And all was right with the world.
Game Night (July 4 on Prime)
This is one of those cases of “It’s not really sci-fi but I don’t care.” Because Game Night, starring Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, is quite simply one of the most original and hilarious comedies in recent memory. A must-watch whether you’ve seen it before or not.
Alita: Battle Angel (July 1 on Hulu)
Robert Rodriguez directs and James Cameron produces this flawed but fun sci-fi spectacle. It follows a killer robot who wakes up without a memory but soon realizes she’s an incredibly important and capable warrior.
I Origins (July 1 on Hulu)
Here’s one you maybe have never heard of, but you should 100% check out. It stars Michael Pitt and Brit Marling and is about a scientific study that, through the eyes, may prove the existence of an afterlife. Truly a fascinating, cool movie.
Real Steel (July 1 on Hulu)
Before Stranger Things, before Deadpool & Wolverine, before Star Wars: Starfighter, director Shawn Levy made one of the best sci-fi sports movies ever. Hugh Jackman stars as a washed-up fighter who, along with his son, turns his attention to robot boxing. It’s so much fun.
Sunshine (July 1 on Hulu)
Danny Boyle’s star-studded sci-fi adventure story about a team heading out into space to recharge the sun is one of those films that either you’ve seen and love or you’ve not seen it, and will fall in love with. Either way, now’s the time to watch it.
Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story (July 11 on Disney+)
We love a good, definitive documentary about film history, and this new documentary seems like it’s just that. Plus, after you watch it, you can pop over to Netflix where, on July 15, the streamer will get Jaws, Jaws 2, Jaws 3, and Jaws: The Revenge.
Mortal Kombat (1995), Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Mortal Kombat (2021) (July 1 on Max)
As we gear up for October’s Mortal Kombat II, all the other Mortal Kombat movies are coming to Max. Plus, the animated film series too, which includes Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms, Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge, and Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind.
Sinners (2025) (July 4 on Max)
Here’s the part of this column called “In Case You Missed It.” Several films you may have missed from earlier this year are all coming to streaming in July, and the highlight, of course, is Ryan Coogler’s awesome period vampire piece, Sinners. Though, this one was a smash hit, so maybe you did see it. But…
Opus (July 11 on Max)
…did you see Opus? The Bear‘s Ayo Adeberi stars as a journalist who gets access to a reclusive rock star (John Malkovich) who has started a cult. Reviews were mixed, but we’re still very excited to see it. Also…
Death of a Unicorn (July 25 on Max)
…did you see Death of a Unicorn? Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd lead a star-studded cast in the story of a family who is hunted by a killer unicorn. It’s supposed to be really entertaining. Oh, and finally…
Drop (July 11 on Peacock)
…did you see Drop? The new film from Happy Death Day‘s Christopher Landon follows a woman who has to kill her blind date; otherwise, her son will be killed. Again, it’s apparently really fun. Now back to our regularly scheduled streamers.
Waterworld (July 1 on Peacock)
In terms of “being offensive,” Waterworld doesn’t hold up that well. But, as a practical effects-driven, big-budget Hollywood sci-fi spectacle? It more than holds up. You’ve just got to get past some of its more questionable takes. The music is incredible too.
Twisted Metal—Season 2 (July 31 on Peacock)
The first season of the video game adaptation Twisted Metal, starring Anthony Mackie, had no right being as good as it was. But it was, and now in season two we finally get to the car battle royale that made the game so popular. We’re very excited about it.
Jackass: The Movie, Jackass Number 2, Jackass 2.5, Jackass 3, Jackass 3.5, Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa, Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa.5 Unrated (July 1 on Paramount+)
This July 4th weekend, what better way to celebrate America than with the unforgettable four-film sight of the Jackass crew just totally ruining their bodies for our amusement?
Looper (July 1 on Paramount+)
Rian Johnson has been spending a lot of time in murder mysteries of late (Knives Out, Poker Face), but don’t forget he made one of the best time travel movies of recent memory with Looper. It stars Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the same character, and Emily Blunt too. So, so good.
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (July 1 on Paramount+)
One of the most unforgettable film experiences in my life was seeing this movie on opening night in 1999. It started, it’s funny, then the kids sit down to watch the Terence and Philip movie where they sing a song. If you’ve seen it, you know it. And I’ve never heard a room explode in delight like that. I still get the same rush every time I see the movie and hope, if you haven’t seen it, you’ll check it out too. A perfect musical comedy. Perfect.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (July 1 on Vizio Watchfree+)
Still flying on that high-art, Nosferatu kick? Well, don’t forget, decades ago the one and only Francis Ford Coppola did something similar with this incredible, lush, star-studded production.
Reign of Fire (July 1 on Vizio Watchfree+)
Reign of Fire is not as good as it should be, but it should be SO good that it’s still PRETTY good. That’s because it’s a movie starring Christian Bale, Gerard Butler, and Matthew McConaughey where they fight dragons. Read more about it here.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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