The last time we polled our social media fans about the films they were most looking forward to, it was back in February, when we weren’t entirely sure how things were going to pan out after widespread stay-at-home orders went into effect. Well, here we are, halfway through 2020, and the traditional Summer Movie Season hasn’t really happened yet.
At one time, even as recently as a week or two ago, we all thought we might see the theaters spring back to life this month with the debut of Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, followed quickly by Disney’s live-action adaptation of Mulan, but both of those films ultimately got pushed back, so what are we left with? A smattering of streaming-exclusive movies and VOD premieres. With that in mind, we asked our fans on social media to find out which titles on streaming and VOD they were most looking forward to seeing, so read on for the full list!
#1 pick by our Facebook, and Twitter fans; #4 pick by our Instagram fans
Premieres on Netflix on July 10
The runaway winner on two of our social media platforms (folks on the ‘Gram weren’t as impressed, apparently) was this action flick based on a comic book and starring Charlize Theron. The story revolves around a group of immortal soldiers who make up a sort of covert ops unit that has operated in the shadows for centuries, and they’re led by Theron’s “Andy.” This Netflix original movie is director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s first film since 2014’s Certified Fresh Beyond the Lights, and it’s gotten pretty decent reviews, so it’s an easy call for anyone looking for some blockbuster action.
#2 pick by our Facebook and Twitter fans, #5 pick by our Instagram fans
Premieres on Apple TV+ on July 10
There was actually a three-way tie for second place this month between three vastly different movies, so let’s start with the Tom Hanks-powered World War II naval thriller. Inspired by true events, the film chronicles the efforts of a newly appointed Commander of a U.S. destroyer warship, Ernest Krause (Hanks), who leads a convoy of 37 Allied ships to safety while being pursued by a fleet of German U-boats in the early days of World War II. The film co-stars Stephen Graham, Rob Morgan, and Elisabeth Shue, among others, and it’s gotten praise for its propulsive storytelling. This was set to debut in theaters on June 12 before the coronavirus shutdowns occurred, and now it’ll debut on Apple TV+.
#3 pick by our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter fans
Premiering on Hulu on July 10
Next up in our three-way tie is this romantic comedy starring Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti that takes the idea behind Groundhog Day to absurd extremes. Samberg plays Nyles, a regular dude who is dragged to a wedding in Palm Springs, only to get caught in a time loop that forces him to relive the same day over and over again. The twist? One of the other guests at the wedding, Milioti’s Sarah, inadvertently gets caught in the loop with him, and together they try to make the most of their infinite — or is it? — time. The film is already Certified Fresh at 98%, and it set the record for the highest sale at Sundance by a very intentional 69 cents. The company who shelled out that money was Neon, who has a special relationship with Hulu, and that’s where the film will premiere on July 10.
#1 pick by our Instagram fans, #4 pick by our Facebook and Twitter fans
Premiering on Disney+ on July 3
If you’ve paid any attention to pop culture over the past five years or so, you’re already well familiar with Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s wildly popular and successful stage musical based on the life of United States founding father Alexander Hamilton and delivered in a combination of soulful ballads and rap lyrics. And if you’ve heard of Hamilton, you’re likely also aware that tickets to the production are exorbitantly expensive and exceedingly difficult to score. Thankfully, the folks at Disney, who originally thought to release a feature-film version of the musical in theaters, have decided to release the thing on Disney+ instead, so now everyone can watch it with the best seats in the house, literally.
#2 pick by our Instagram fans, #5 pick by our Facebook and Twitter fans
Premiering on Peacock on July 15
Lastly, we have something of a cult favorite in Psych 2: Lassie Come Home, the second feature-length film based on the popular TV series starring James Roday as pretend psychic Shawn Spencer and Dulé Hill as his partner Gus. The new film, which will air on NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock, sees Shawn and Gus return to Santa Barbara after Lassie (Timothy Omundson) suffers a brutal attack on the job, hoping to unravel a new, twisted mystery. Longtime fans of the series should be pleased to see a lot of familiar faces and wacky antics again.
Thumnail image by Aimee Spinks/NETFLIX
