The 25 Best New Movies to Stream in July 2023
The dog days of summer are here, and what better way to spend them than chilling out with a great movie? Or better yet, a movie marathon? If you’re looking for new movies to stream, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve carefully curated a list of some of the best films newly streaming throughout the month of July, including a bounty of brand-new documentaries, classics that are fresh on streamers and full franchise binge-watches that’ll fill up long weekends. Our selection ranges from Netflix to Prime Video to Hulu to Max to Paramount+ and beyond, so there’s quite literally something for everyone.
Check out our picks for the best new movies to stream in July 2023 below.
“Titanic”
Netflix – July 1
Unfortunate/fortunate timing, but “Titanic” is back on Netflix this month. This is hands-down one of the best, tightest, most purely entertaining blockbusters ever made. It’s James Cameron in top form as he weaves an epic romantic drama, disaster film and nail-biting thriller all into one. It’s hard to overstate just how significantly this film dominated pop culture in the late 1990s, and that it endures nearly 30 years (!) later is a testament to the craftsmanship on display and pure magnetism of Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. – Adam Chitwood
“Alien,” “Aliens,” “Alien 3” and “Alien: Resurrection”
Hulu – July 1
Ready for all the face-hugging, chest-burning, xenomorph-hunting fun you can stomach? Well, here we are, with the four original “Alien” movies, ready to stream. The original film, released in 1979 and directed by Ridley Scott, set the tone and established the mythology for the titular creature. James Cameron’s “Aliens” in 1986 took the franchise in a wildly different direction, throwing space marines into the mix and reshaping Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), previously an intergalactic trucker, into a fierce tribute to motherhood and feminism. In 1993 the creature (and Ripley) returned for David Fincher’s bleak “Alien 3,” which stranded Ripley on a prison planet. (Fincher has disowned the movie but there’s still a lot to love.) But even Ripley’s death couldn’t slow things down and in 1997 she returned for “Alien Resurrection,” directed by French visionary Jean-Pierre Jeunet, which is genuinely insane in pretty much every way possible. What could be better than a little summertime “Alien” franchise marathon? – Drew Taylor
“Die Hard with a Vengeance”
Hulu – July 1
“Die Hard” was so closely associated with Christmas that its sequel “Die Hard 2: Die Harder” also required a yuletide setting. But with the third film John McTiernan, who had directed the original, decided on a different seasonal approach: this one was going to be set in summer in New York City. That’s right. The sweaty, stinky New York City summer. (The movie memorably opens with a bombing set to The Lovin’ Spoonful’s 1966 single “Summer in the City.”) Objectively the greatest sequel in the franchise, “Die Hard with a Vengeance” sees Bruce Willis’ beleaguered cop teaming up with a brainiac electronics repairman (Samuel L. Jackson) who attempt to solve riddles left by a sadistic bomber (Jeremy Irons). Where the original film was set at night, this is during the day, where that film was defined by its elegant camerawork, this film embraces a more chaotic, handheld approach (pre-dating the aesthetic popularized in “The Bourne Identity” by nearly a decade). One of the great summer movies is also just a great movie, period, with fine performances by Jackson and Willis (re-teaming after “Pulp Fiction”) and a propulsive narrative engine that hardly takes a breath. What a movie! – Drew Taylor
“Father of the Bride” and “Father of the Bride Part II”
Hulu – July 1
If you’re in the mood for a feel-good movie, you can’t go wrong with either “Father of the Bride” or “Father of the Bride: Part II.” The 1991 first film is based on the 1950 classic of the same name and stars Steve Martin as the titular father of the bride, a man going through all the anxiety of a father who’s having trouble letting his daughter go. The sequel treads some of the same territory, this time through the lens of Martin’s character becoming a grandfather. Martin and Diane Keaton are dynamite together as a married couple and Martin Short is a hoot as an eccentric wedding planner. – Adam Chitwood
“Jonah Hex”
Max – July 1
You think the DC universe of interconnected movies is chaotic now? Back in 2010, just two years after the breakthrough success of “The Dark Knight,” they were pumping out stuff like “Jonah Hex.” A full-on supernatural western, it was based around the fringe character first created by John Albano and Tony DeZuniga in 1972 and ruefully brought to the screen here by Josh Brolin (perfect casting). The script by “Crank” creators Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor is nonsense of the highest order, but had they actually directed it, it could have been an energetic lark. Instead, they chose animator Jimmy Hayward, who did such a haphazard job that Warner Bros. installed Francis Lawrence to direct extensive reshoots. The resulting film was a huge bust. But the actual movie is still kind of enjoyable, even if you can clearly tell that the movie was chopped up and put back together in some Frankensteinian pastiche. The supporting cast includes John Malkovich, Megan Fox, Michael Shannon and a young Michael Fassbender with a face tattoo, and even through all the hokum you can feel the kind of movie that they were going for and nearly achieved. Maybe one day Jonah Hex will be resurrected. – Drew Taylor
“Under the Silver Lake”
Max – July 1
If you’re looking for a summer movie to watch that’s somewhat underrated, offbeat or downright odd, get thee to “Under the Silver Lake.” The 2018 film comes from “It Follows” filmmaker David Robert Mitchell and stars Andrew Garfield as a disenchanted man who, after a seemingly magical night with a young woman (played by Riley Keough), sets out to uncover the truth behind her apparent disappearance. This is a detective movie by way of aimless ennui, with a sharp commentary on toxic masculinity as it follows Garfield’s character down a series of cascading rabbit holes throughout Los Angeles. – Adam Chitwood
“Cowboys & Aliens”
Peacock – July 1
When “Cowboys & Aliens” was released back in 2011, it was seen as something of a goof – from the title to the casting of extremely Englishman Daniel Craig as an amnesiac frontiersman – everything seemed silly (and not necessarily in a good way). The movie, based on an obscure comic book that few had heard of, was savaged by critics and ignored by audiences. But in 2023, when everything is a sequel or a spin-off or based on some towering IP, “Cowboys & Aliens” seems downright quaint – and very enviable. Some things still don’t gel, with some abrupt tonal shifts, crappy creature designs (inspired by a sea turtle director Jon Favreau saw while on vacation) and an incurious approach to the title and subject matter. (Imagine what somebody like Gore Verbinski could have done with a mash-up like this.) Still, Craig is pretty compelling (if woefully miscast), Harrison Ford has some fun in a rare villain role and the supporting cast, which includes Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde and Paul Dano, all do a lot with a little. If you’re looking to clear out of the summer movie season drudgery, you could do worse than to saddle up with “Cowboys & Aliens.” – Drew Taylor
“Do the Right Thing”
Peacock – July 1
Spike Lee’s groundbreaking 1989 film “Do the Right Thing” is sadly still relevant today, but the film also holds up as a stone-cold masterpiece. The story is set on a hot summer day in a Brooklyn neighborhood where racial tensions rise between the Italian-American owners of a pizzeria and the African-American residents of the neighborhood. Comedy is well placed as the film builds to a tragic and violent finale that speaks to racial relations in America. – Adam Chitwood
The “Jaws” Franchise
Peacock – July 1
Is there any movie more closely associated with summer than “Jaws?” Steven Spielberg’s 1975 blockbuster, which firmly established the modern summer blockbuster (only to be outdone two years later by Spielberg compatriot George Lucas’ “Star Wars”), is also a masterpiece – a skillful character study and dazzling technical marvel wrapped up in a compelling monster movie about a killer shark. The other films in the series are varying levels of enjoyable, with “Jaws 2” offering a few thrills (plus one of the great tag lines of all time: “Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water”) and “Jaws 3-D” serving as something of a curio, mainly for its creaky use of 3-D and the fact that it was actually shot at Sea World (which they reference by name). The third movie also features a young Dennis Quaid, dashing as one of Roy Scheider’s grown sons (seriously). The fourth film is a debacle but gave us one of the great lines about movies, courtesy of star Michael Caine, who said: “I haven’t seen the movie. However, I have seen the house that it built and it is terrific.” – Drew Taylor
“Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey”
Prime Video – July 1
Remember during the pandemic when Bill & Ted (Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves) saved us from our dreary lockdown lifestyle with “Bill & Ted Face the Music?” It was glorious. But not as glorious as the middle film in the trilogy – “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey.” Original screenwriters Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon return, along with Winter and Reeves, but the tone is decidedly more outrageous, with Death (William Sadler) a main character and a plot that involves time travel (again), robot doppelgängers and a pair of chubby aliens called Station. This could have been overwhelming, but first-time filmmaker Pete Hewitt (taking over for Stephen Herek) is more than up to the challenge, throwing in flourishes inspired by MTV and classic cinema. The result is an utterly intoxicating mélange that also doubles as one of the finest films of the 1990s. Righteous. – Drew Taylor
“Black Rain”
Prime Video – July 1
The thing about Ridley Scott and his vast, incredibly varied filmography, is that even the titles that weren’t critical darlings or box office smashes are still pretty amazing. And “Black Rain” is one of those films. Michael Douglas and a very young Andy Garcia play New York City cops who travel to Japan to hunt down a yakuza killer. The story is patently ludicrous (Kate Capshaw plays an American woman abroad who helps them navigate the Tokyo underworld) and more than a little cultural insensitive, but Scott slathers on the style, working with cinematographer Jan de Bont to create a sleazy, neon-soaked Japan as exotic as it is alluring. (It also has one of the all-time great death scenes in a movie.) Come for the kitschy-fun plot and stay for the movie star swagger of Douglas and the exceptional filmmaking of Scott and crew. – Drew Taylor
“Dressed to Kill”
Prime Video – July 1
In the 1980s Brian De Palma became known as the new master of suspense, ostensibly taking over the title from Alfred Hitchcock. And it all started with “Dressed to Kill,” his riff on “Psycho” (on the poster De Palma is described as the “master of macabre”). At the time of the film’s release, it was deemed controversial due to its mixture of extreme violence and sexuality. (The opening shower sequence alone was enough to threaten the movie with an X rating.) If you’ve never seen it, it concerns a woman (Angie Dickinson) who has a brief affair and is then brutally murdered by an unseen killer; her tech wiz son (Keith Gordon) teams up with an inquisitive call girl (Nancy Allen) to solve the crime. If you’re curious about De Palma and want to know where to start, “Dressed to Kill” is a great place, full of the director’s visual hallmarks (including long tracking shots and wordless montages) and a typically lush score by his frequent collaborator Pino Donaggio. It would kick off a nearly flawless decade for the director that would also include “Blow Out,” “Scarface,” “Body Double” and “The Untouchables” and establish him as one of America’s most adventurous and technically skilled filmmakers. – Drew Taylor
The “Men in Black” Trilogy
Prime Video – July 1
Once upon a time, Will Smith owned the July 4th weekend at the box office. “Men in Black” was one such time, and the entire trilogy is now streaming on Prime Video. The original is still far and away the best of the bunch, a kooky sci-fi mismatch grounded in humor, with an all-timer performance from Tommy Lee Jones as a veteran agent of a secret group that monitors alien activity on Earth. A young Smith is excellent as the wide-eyed recruit paired up with Jones, and this odd couple’s chemistry plays like gangbusters. And “Men in Black III” is surprisingly solid, bringing a time-travel element into play that offers some added emotional stakes. – Adam Chitwood
“The Iron Giant”
Prime Video – July 1
Brad Bird’s “The Iron Giant” was made under nearly impossible conditions – a big traditionally animated feature that was being produced while the tide was turning towards computer animation. (The division producing the movie was literally shutting down as they struggled to finish the movie.) When it was released into theaters it wasn’t promoted properly and lost Warner Bros. money. But in the years since it has established itself as one of the greatest animated features of all time – a moving and gorgeous tale (based loosely on the Ted Hughes story, meant to explain to his children the death of their mother, Sylvia Plath) that asks the question “What if a gun had a soul?” The answer is a surprising, incredible experience that, if you haven’t seen yet, you should probably just watch now. (Why are you even reading this still? Go!) Bird would go on to much greater commercial success with the two “Incredibles” movies, as well as the live-action “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.” But it’s hard not to think that his first film is also his best. What a triumph. – Drew Taylor
“No Country for Old Men”
Paramount+ – July 1
American author Cormac McCarthy recently passed away at the age of 89. He only left behind a dozen novels and the best adaptation of those novels is undoubtedly Joel and Ethan Coen’s “No Country for Old Men.” (His sole original screenplay for “The Counselor,” directed by Ridley Scott, is also aces.) Somehow the Coens were able to translate McCarthy’s stark prose (which often shrugged at literary conventions) and vivid landscapes, in this case a desolate 1980 Texas, where a rampaging psychopath (Javier Bardem), a stoic lawman (Tommy Lee Jones) and an amiable everyman (Josh Brolin) are on a violent collision course with one another. With minimal music and jaw-dropping cinematography (courtesy of the legendary Roger Deakins), it’s a modern western, a treatise on American greed and a white-knuckle thrill ride, all at once. This was the movie that finally won the Coens the Best Director and Best Picture Oscars (Bardem also won for his singularly menacing performance) and remains one of the most potent, towering achievements in recent American filmmaking. And now it also stands as a testament to McCarthy’s singular storytelling genius. – Drew Taylor
“Wham!”
Netflix – July 5
Wham was, of course, the band that launched the career of George Michael. But they were also a potent force in the 1980’s, with Michael and Andrew Ridgeley churning out some of the most ear-worm-y pop ditties of the decade. (Try listening to “Everything She Wants” and not sing it for the rest of the day. It’s impossible.) Under the capable direction of documentary filmmaker Chris Smith, who made “American Movie,” “Fyre” and “Bad Vegans,” the progressiveness of Wham (and the demons that Michael battled so intensely) will undoubtedly be explored alongside all of the high camp. Just get ready to have “Club Tropicana” on repeat for weeks afterward. – Drew Taylor
“The Out-Laws”
Netflix – July 7
In the 1980s and 1990s the cinematic landscape was littered with high-concept R-rated action comedies – think “48 Hrs.,” “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Lethal Weapon” and the like. These days they are few and far between. Anytime one comes along, we must celebrate. And so we will celebrate “The Out-Laws,” which stars Adam Devine as a nerdy bank manager who finds out that his fiancé’s (Nina Dobrev) parents (played by Pierce Brosnan and Ellen Barkin) are notorious bank robbers. Honestly, the trailer is pretty fun and it looks like everybody is having a grand time (including Michael Rooker as the cop in pursuit and Lil Rel Howery as the bank security guard). Is it going to change your life? Probably not. But it looks like a ridiculously entertaining way to spend a Friday night on the couch. – Drew Taylor
“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”
Netflix – July 12
First, to answer your question, yes it has been a long time since the last “Puss in Boots” movie. (The first “Puss in Boots” was released in 2011; the last “Shrek” movie opened a year earlier.) But the character (voiced by Antonio Banderas) is still super entertaining, and for the sequel they’ve saddled him with some actual pathos. After running through his first seven lives, Puss is now on his last, leading him on a desperate mission to wish on a wishing star for more time. As far as set-ups for animated films go, that one is pretty good. But what makes “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” so special is both its expressive, painterly art style (which the filmmakers refer to as a “fairy tale look”) and its willingness to plumb the deeper, darker aspects of the character and his situation (as exemplified by an early meeting with a shadowy wolf character who is literally death). The movie, since its release in December, has taken on a life of its own, racking up an impressive box office tally and becoming widely talked about online, including because of its frank depiction of a panic attack and, of course, those eye-popping visuals. After its streaming debut on Peacock, it comes to Netflix this month. — Drew Taylor
“The Deepest Breath”
Netflix – July 19
“The Deepest Breath,” the first of two new A24-produced documentaries released this month, this heart-stopping tale is all about the world of free-diving. According to the official synopsis, this new documentary “tells the story of two divers united by their love of the sport: champion free diver Alessia Zecchini and safety diver Stephen Keenan. As Zecchini trains to break a world record, the pair form a powerful connection while chasing their dreams in the darkest depths of the ocean.” Love, danger, extreme sports. Could you ask for anything more? – Drew Taylor
“The Cloned Tyrone”
Netflix – July 21
One of the best new movies of the summer isn’t on the big screen, it’s at home. And it’s called “They Cloned Tyrone.” The directorial debut of Juel Taylor (who also co-wrote the script) is an intoxicating hodgepodge of references and ideas – it is a Jordan Peele-style social thriller, a conspiracy fable and a Blaxploitation homage (complete with a heavy layer of completely artificial film grain and even occasional “cigarette burns” in the top right corner). And while it occasionally feels like it has bitten off more than it can chew, it works remarkably well, with all of the pieces adding up to a satisfying whole. John Boyega stars as a smalltime gangbanger who is shot and then seemingly resurrected, sending him on a quest along with a motormouthed pimp (Jamie Foxx) and an inquisitive prostitute (Teyonah Parris) to expose a vast coverup that has been dominating the inner city. Inventively staged and with fine, knowing performances from the entire cast (including as sinister Kiefer Sutherland as one of the head goons and David Alan Grier as a questionable priest), “They Cloned Tyrone” feels like it could be the next Netflix sensation. Or at the very least its latest cult hit. – Drew Taylor
“Steph Curry: Underrated”
Apple TV+ – July 24
Ready for some hoops? This documentary feature, charting the rise of NBA superstar Stephen Curry, was directed by Peter Nicks and produced by indie movie powerhouse A24. If you don’t know Curry, he a key player in the Golden State Warriors’ NBA Championship bid and was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in the NBA finals. One aspect of Curry’s career they probably won’t touch on but is still worth mentioning: he’s a producer and co-star on ABC’s gonzo mini-golf game show “Holey Moley.” That show is great and Curry’s natural charisma shines through whenever he appears. Chances are, the documentary will highlight even more of what makes him such a superstar. Bring it on. – Drew Taylor
“Knock at the Cabin”
Prime Video – July 25
After first streaming on Peacock, M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller “Knock at the Cabin” comes to Prime Video this month. The story follows a married couple (played by Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge) and their daughter as they vacation at a cabin in the woods, only to be confronted by people who believe the only way to stop a coming apocalypse is to murder a member of their family. Tension ensues. – Adam Chitwood
“Smoking Causes Coughing”
Hulu – July 27
“Smoking Causes Coughing” is the latest absurdist comedy triumph from French filmmaker and electronic musician Quentin Dupieux. What starts off as a riff on Power Rangers-style superheroes (albeit with an incredibly violent bent) soon turns into an anthology film, with the members of the group forced to go on a retreat where they tell each other stories. There are all sorts of lovely, bonkers flourishes like the leader of the team being a womanizing rat who drools a weird ooze, and while not all of the stories will leave you holding your side, enough of them do to call this one a winner. Dupieux isn’t for everybody but if you get on his very specific wavelength you will be greatly rewarded. – Drew Taylor
“The Beanie Bubble”
Apple TV+ – July 28
You probably already watched the very nutty Beanie Baby documentary on Max, but that was mostly focused on the collectors of the adorable plush animals. “The Beanie Bubble,” a dramatic retelling of the craze (based on the nonfiction book “The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute” by Zac Bissonnette) stars Zach Galifianakis as Ty Warner, the CEO and founder of Ty Inc., creator of the Beanie Baby. Elizabeth Banks, Geraldine Viswanathan and Sarah Snook co-star, with husband-and-wife duo of OK Go lead singer Damian Kulash and Kristin Gore serving as directors (Gore wrote the script). The trailer suggests a heightened based-on-a-true-story romp. It looks fun, especially if you’ve ever collected the cutesy, bean-bag-style toy (if you had the Princess Diana variant, you get extra points). – Drew Taylor
“Bones and All”
Paramount+ – July 31
One of last year’s very best movies, “Bones and All” is the latest provocation from Luda Guadagnino (“Call Me By Your Name,” 2018’s “Suspiria” remake) – and it might be his best movie yet. Taylor Russell plays a young girl abandoned by her father (André Holland) and forced to make a perilous cross-country journey to try and reconnect with her birth mother (Chloë Sevigny). Oh and she’s a cannibal, who in this story (David Kajganich’s script is based on the novel of the same name by Camille DeAngelis) are almost supernatural creatures – fringe characters that creep around in the shadows of Reagan’s America. Soon enough she encounters another fine young cannibal (Timothée Chalamet) and together they attempt to make a life for themselves. “Bones and All” is both bonkers and also deeply affecting emotionally, as two damage characters, set adrift in a changing cultural landscape, try to make a connection with each other and those around them, while feeding a dark desire that could get them outcast forever. Accentuated by a tender score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross and a constellation of wonderful supporting performances by everyone from Michael Stuhlbarg as a redneck cannibal straight out of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” to Mark Rylance as a menacing drifter, “Bones and All” is probably the best movie you’ve never seen. It also solidified Guadagnino as one of the most exciting, fearless filmmakers working today. Eat up! – Drew Taylor
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