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With a new month here and plenty to stream, we understand that things can get a little overwhelming when it comes to deciding what to watch. That’s where we come in. You deserve the best of the best, but sometimes, it can be difficult to know where to even find the top titles out there – and that’s why we’ve taken the time to hand-pick some of the best movies and shows hitting Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO this month.
This July, your favorite platforms are adding a TON of great movies and shows. From old favorite franchises like Jurassic Park, Jaws, and more to brand new seasons of your favorite original series like Orange is the New Black, Harlots, and Casual, there’s plenty to get you through Independence Day and beyond. Excited about new series like Castle Rock on Hulu and Sharp Objects on HBO? Get ready for a seriously spooky summer. No matter what you’re in the mood for, there are more than enough titles for your streaming pleasure. Here’s what’s new on your favorite platforms this July.
NETFLIX
Jurassic Park
This action-adventure thrill ride depicts the horrors that ensue when you throw a bunch of people into a theme park full of live dinosaurs and Murphy’s law runs rampant. Starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and a lot of human-hungry prehistoric creatures, this adventurous, frightening classic packs its own kind of punch – and lucky for you, the entire trilogy is now streaming on Netflix.
[Stream Jurassic Park on Netflix]
The Sinner: Season 1
USA’s totally tense thriller swept us up last summer, and now you can binge it before Season 2 comes out without any commercial interruptions. The refreshing whydunit tells the story of Cora (Jessica Biel), a seemingly normal wife and mother who snaps one beach day and stabs a stranger to death. Why did she do it? What’s real? What’s in her head? Watch The Sinner: Season 1 to find out.
[Stream The Sinner on Netflix]
Blue Valentine
Derek Cianfrance’s moving, melancholy film tells the story of Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy’s (Michelle Williams) romance, from its rocky start to where they are now. Told in nonlinear format, we are shown the couple’s meeting, courtship, and eventual marriage, and the couple gradually becomes hateful towards each other. Can they reconcile and work towards a more harmonious union for their young daughter, or will it all fall apart?
[Stream Blue Valentine on Netflix July 5]
Orange is the New Black: Season 6
After a riotous fifth season, Netflix’s prison-based original is back for its sixth season, which will apparently see the ladies leave Litchfield and explore “a whole new world”. The critically-acclaimed dark comedy is sure to surprise us with a few more twists and turns this season, and we can’t wait to see what the ladies have hidden up their sleeves.
[Stream Orange is the New Black: Season 6 on Netflix July 27]
Shameless: Season 8
You’ve waited long enough, and the eighth season of Showtime’s original dramedy is finally coming to Netflix. The Gallaghers are back, baby, and might just be messier than ever. In Season 8, Frank (William H. Macy) decides it may finally be time to get his life together, while Fiona (Emmy Rossum) realizes that being a landlord might not be as simple as she anticipated. Debbie, meanwhile, tries to balance being a single mom and working her way through welding school, while Lip tries to get sober and Ian tries to get back with Trevor. There’s bound to be a nonstop slew of shenanigans this season – it wouldn’t be Shameless without them.
[Stream Shameless: Season 8 on Netflix July 28]
HULU
Election
Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick star in this brilliant dark comedy chronicling a high school election and the suburban life surrounding it. Broderick plays Jim McAllister, a popular (but pathetic) high school social studies teacher who makes it his life’s goal to prevent overachiever Tracy Flick (Witherspoon) from becoming student body president. Chaos ensues as both adult and teenager utilize any means possible to ensure that the election goes their way.
This Is Spinal Tap
Spinal Tap, a “legendary” British heavy metal band, is the subject of this 1984 rock music mockumentary. The band attempts to embark on an American comeback tour and enlists a filmmaker/fan to accompany them on the tour. Inevitably, complete hilarity ensues. Perhaps the best (and truly uproarious) mockumentary ever made, This Is Spinal Tap is eternally entertaining and rewatchable.
[Stream This Is Spinal Tap on Amazon Prime Video]
Borg vs. McEnroe
Shia LaBeouf stars as infamously volatile tennis player John McEnroe in this sports drama, and he’s every bit as great as you’d imagine. True to its name, Borg vs. McEnroe tells the story of the 1980s tennis rivalry between McEnroe and Björn Borg and the way it all went down at the Wimbledon men’s final of 1980.
[Stream Borg vs. McEnroe on Hulu July 3]
Harlots: Season 2 *Hulu Original
The Handmaid’s Tale may be all the rage on Hulu, but their Georgian London-set series Harlots is just as entertaining. Now back for its second season, the witty, female-fronted series depicts sex work and the struggles of making a living in the 1760s. With fresh social commentary and brilliant performances, Harlots‘ second season is bound to be just as marvelous as the first.
[Stream Harlots: Season 2 on Hulu starting July 11]
Castle Rock: Season 1 *Hulu Original
Stephen King’s on-screen streak continues with Castle Rock, a series that intertwines characters and themes from King’s other stories, ensuring that his fans are bound to love picking out the Easter eggs each week. Starring André Holland, Bill Skarsgård, Melanie Lynskey, Sissy Spacek, and more, the truly terrifying series will please King and horror fans alike.
[Stream Castle Rock: Season 1 on Hulu starting July 25]
AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
American Psycho
This disturbing take on the Bret Easton Ellis novel of the same name gifts us with Christian Bale at his most terrifying. Directed by Mary Harron, this sleek take on a serial killer flick changed the social standing of horror flicks. Bale’s performance as wealthy, sex-fueled New York investment banker Patrick Bateman is one that’s still bound to send shivers down your spine. (Not to mention, he’s pretty easy on the eyes.)
[Stream American Psycho on Amazon Prime Video]
Twilight (2008)
Don’t pretend like you’re not mildly intrigued that Twilight is now available to stream. It’s been ten long years since the YA-novel-based vampire romance arrived in theaters, and it’s every bit as absurd as you remember. Robert Pattinson being broody? Check. Kristen Stewart’s talents being criminally underutilized? Check. Stalker behavior disguised as romance? Check check check. Don’t think. Just watch. You can thank (or yell at us) later.
[Stream Twilight on Amazon Prime Video]
Zodiac
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey, Jr., this slow-burn thriller documents the gruesome murder spree of the still uncaught Zodiac Killer and the men who gave up everything to chase him. Haunting and patient, Zodiac is Fincher at his finest and most disciplined. The steady construction of tension and perfect performances lend themselves to an unmatched look at one of the most-terrifying murder cases in American history.
[Stream Zodiac on Amazon Prime Video]
Jaws
Steven Spielberg’s iconic 1975 thriller takes us to Amity Island, a quaint New England tourist town that sees its summer traditions turned upside down after a bloodthirsty shark goes on a killing spree. To prevent the loss of more lives and save Amity as they know it, a dysfunctional trio including Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw must team up to take down this beast from the deep. Stream the entire toothy franchise on Prime Video this month!
[Stream Jaws on Amazon Prime Video July 9]
The Americans: Season 6
FX’s hit spy thriller comes to a close with its sixth season, and it might just be some of the best – and most underrated – television of the past year. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys star as the Jennings, a pair of undercover Soviet spies living in America as the end of the Cold War approaches. We’ve spent five long seasons watching them kick ass, get sexy, and harbor some serious trust issues, and the final season takes things to truly enthralling new heights.
[Stream The Americans: Season 6 on Amazon Prime Video July 29]
HBO
The Princess Bride (1987)
Some of us may not have seen this iconic fantasy/romance/comedy until last year, but that doesn’t mean it’s not every bit as wonderful as everyone’s made it out to be. Starring Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, Mandy Pantinkin, and more, the hilarious, heartwarming tale of Princess Buttercup and her one true love (and what they’re both willing to do to be together) is the rare kind that resonates with audiences of all ages.
[Stream The Princess Bride on HBO]
Justice League (2017)
It might not be The Avengers, but if you’re looking for a short, silly superhero team-up movie featuring the likes of the dazzling Gal Gadot and the entertaining Ezra Miller, indulge in Justice League. It may be a little bit of a hate-watch, but we can hardly blame you for it.
[Stream Justice League on HBO July 7]
Sharp Objects *HBO Original
If you have a Big Little Lies-shaped hole in your heart, get ready for Sharp Objects. It may be darker fare than you’re accustomed to, but you won’t be able to stop watching. Starring Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, and a star-studded ensemble cast, the series chronicles the journey of reporter Camille Preaker (Adams) after she is sent back to her hometown to write a story about the violent murders of two young girls. Things are not quite as they seem, and with a few demons of her own to face, this might be the hardest story Camille has ever chased.
[Stream Sharp Objects on HBO starting July 8]
Battle of the Sexes (2017)
If you’re in the mood for tennis flicks this summer, you’re in luck, because Battle of the Sexes is also hitting streaming this month. Emma Stone and Steve Carrell star as Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, two respective tennis icons who come up against one another in an iconic match in 1973. With standout performances from the two leads and some seriously crowd-pleasing moments, Battle of the Sexes is a winner all around.
[Stream Battle of the Sexes on HBO July 14]
The Boy Downstairs (2018)
Girls’ Zosia Mamet stars in The Boy Downstairs, a truly charming indie dramedy that sees a young woman forced to reevaluate her last serious relationship after she unknowingly moves into the apartment above her ex-boyfriend. Thanks to sparky chemistry between our two leads and some really resonant moments, The Boy Downstairs transcends genre cliches to become something truly special.
