We've all been there: staring at the screen as we try to decide among hundreds of movie titles on what to watch on Netflix, Prime Video, Paramount Plus, Peacock, Max.com or any of the other popular streaming services. It can be daunting, which is why it's always nice to have a little help from someone else. So allow me to humbly offer my services in suggesting movies to stream in July.
While there are plenty of new movies to watch in movie theaters this month (both of the blockbuster and indie variety), July's slate of streaming offerings includes both new and classic films for viewers to enjoy.
Here are my personal recommendations for movies launching on streaming services this month that you should watch, in alphabetical order for ease of reference:
1. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Prime Video)
There probably isn't a more beautifully looking movie on this list than The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, as the cinematographer by Roger Deakins in this movie is often at or near the top of the list for the best we've seen so far in the 21st century. But aside from that, the movie is fantastically acted (Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck and Sam Rockwell in particular), meditative story of a passing era symbolized by the outlaw James, who achieved almost mythic status, and the man who killed him.
2. The Descendants (Hulu)
George Clooney arguably gives his best performance ever in Alexander Payne's The Descendants. While the movie is set in Hawai'i and a key plot point revolves around what Clooney's character is going to do with a track of land that his family inherited, the idyllic setting is used kind of as a counter to the story that Clooney is going through as he mourns the loss of his wife, who he also learns was cheating on him, while trying to figure out how to be a single father to his two daughters. With Clooney, Shailene Woodley and an Oscar-winning script, The Descendants effectively hits the balance of heart, humor and emotion that makes it a joy to watch.
3. Do the Right Thing (Peacock)
Spike Lee thankfully won his first Oscar for 2018's BlackKklansman, but the influential writer/director should have been handed a statue years ago, primarily for his masterpiece, Do the Right Thing. Set on the hottest day of the year in Brooklyn, the movie looks at the boiling tension between the neighborhood's residents, particularly around the issue of race. It's climatic moments are stunning to watch in their intensity, but also because they sadly are still all too familiar today.
4. The Iron Giant (Prime Video)
Pixar and Disney seem to have a monopoly on animated movies that can be more than just for kids, but let us not forget the brilliance that is The Iron Giant. Telling the story of a lonely boy who meets and befriends a giant alien robot features incredible animation, some great voice acting and a touching story that shows we can be more than what we seem if shown a different way and given the chance.
5. Jaws (Peacock)
The original summer blockbuster, Jaws is the first truly great Steven Spielberg movie and shows how little accidents can turn out for the best. Famously, the animatronic shark in Jaws was going to be featured more, but the thing rarely worked, so they had to find a new way to create a sense of dread without actually seeing it. With the help of John Williams, mission accomplished, as Jaws is a fantastically frightening piece of entertainment.
6. King Kong (1933) (Max)
The story of King Kong has been duplicated (including most recently with the crossover Godzilla vs Kong), but it has never been better than the original 1933 movie; and I say this as someone who does enjoy Peter Jackson's version. The original King Kong is a true magic trick, as the filmmakers were able to create action and thrills using claymation, not to mention a surprising amount of emotion. Technology may have advanced, but we'll never have a more iconic King Kong than the one here.
7. No Country for Old Men (Paramount Plus)
The Coen brothers are typically known more for their oddball comedies/dramedies, but they went cold-blooded thriller with No Country for Old Men, which resulted in them making their first, and so far only, Best Picture-winning movie. Based on the late Cormac McCarthy's book, the whole movie is a cat-and-mouse game between Josh Brolin's Llewelyn Moss and Javier Bardem's Anton Chigurh. You can cut the tension with a knife, and that ending will leave you haunted.
8. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Paramount Plus)
Despite it not being the actor's birthday, it is Jack Nicholson month on Paramount Plus, as a number of his classic movies have made their way onto the streaming. This includes Chinatown, Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces (all great by the way) and more. But my pick out of the bunch if One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Nicholson is astounding as R.P. McMuprhy, a convict who thinks he's conning the system by being transferred to a mental institution to serve out the rest of his sentence, only to find an imposing force in the head nurse, brilliantly played by Louise Fletcher.
9. Paths of Glory (Prime Video)
A sometimes overlooked classic from Stanley Kubrick, Paths of Glory is a magnificent story of three World War I soldiers put on trial for cowardice when they refused to follow orders and take part in a suicide mission. Shot in gorgeous black and white, it is a more traditional anti-war movie than Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, which he would release exactly 30 years later.
10. Pride & Prejudice (2005) (Netflix)
There is probably a passionate debate over which version of Pride & Prejudice is the best. Sorry to all the fans of the Colin Firth-led version, but I have to go with Keira Knightley and Joe Wright's take on the classic novel. Knightley has never been better than she was in this movie as Lizzie Bennett, shining above a very impressive supporting cast led by Matthew Macfayden, Rosamund Pike, Donald Sutherland and Judi Dench. Then there's Wright, who infused a modern visual touch to this period story that is just a visual treat.
11. Rush Hour (Netflix)
Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan are a comedic pairing made in heaven. While all three of the Rush Hour movies are available to watch on Netflix this month, if we're watching one we are flipping on the original. Rush Hour 2 is probably the funnier of the two, but 1998's Rush Hour is the perfect blend of comedy, action and a crime thriller, like an updated version of Lethal Weapon.
12. They Cloned Tyrone (Netflix)
There's definitely a sentimental component to any excitement around the new Netflix original movie They Cloned Tyrone, as this is the first movie to come out since Jamie Foxx suffered a medical incident (thankfully the actor is recovering). But also the movie just looks like it could be a lot of fun, with Fox, John Boyega and Teyonah Parris have to deal with a government conspiracy taking infiltrating their neighborhood. The movie is also notable for being the directing debut of Juel Taylor, who wrote Creed II and Space Jam: A New Legacy.
13. The Truman Show (Prime Video)
We're all used to reality TV at this point, but in 1998 it was still in its nascent form and The Truman Show was a look down the rabbit hole of what it could become. Thankfully, at least to this point, we haven't taken a baby and then created a false world around them that they believe to be the real one for the sake of other's entertainment. Even so, The Truman Show remains a thoughtful look at viewing culture, but also an individual fighting to make his own choices, with one of the best performances of Jim Carrey's career.
