What’s Streaming This Week (9/14 - 9/21)
Welcome to When To Stream’s Weekly Preview! Every week, we take a closer look at the major film streaming releases scheduled to launch in the next 7 days. As always, release dates are subject to change.
One note: We provide links to Amazon pre-orders (when available) and do receive a very small commission for any purchases made from this website. If you’d like to support our work, and you’re looking to buy through Amazon, we’d appreciate it if you’d click through.
Here are this week’s highlights:
Monday, September 15th, 2025
ICE ROAD: VENGEANCE - Netflix
Synopsis: Big rig ice road driver Mike McCann travels to Nepal to scatter his late brother’s ashes on Mt. Everest. While on a packed tour bus traversing the deadly 12,000 ft. terrain of the infamous Road to the Sky, McCann and his mountain guide encounter a group of mercenaries and must fight to save themselves, the busload of innocent travelers, and the local villagers’ homeland.
What we like:
Liam Neeson reprises his role as Mike McCann from 2021’s The Ice Road, this time on a deeply personal mission to scatter his brother Gurty’s ashes on the treacherous "Road to the Sky" near Mount Everest.
The sequel is directed by Die Hard With a Vengeance screenwriter Jonathan Hensleigh.
What we don’t like:
The film was formerly titled Ice Road 2: Road to the Sky before being renamed Ice Road: Vengeance. We definitely prefer Road to the Sky…it has majesty!
Tuesday, September 16th, 2025
AMERICANA - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: When a rare Lakota Ghost Shirt falls into the black market in a small town in South Dakota, the lives of local outsiders and outcasts violently intertwine.
What we like:
The feature directorial debut of Tony Tost, who just served as the showrunner for the second season of the Rian Johnson’s mystery show Poker Face on Peacock.
The film has a stellar cast of talented actors, including Sydney Sweeney, Paul Walter Hauser, Halsey, Eric Dane, and Simon Rex.
What we don’t like:
Though it premiered at SXSW in March 2023, the film sat on the shelf for over two years before reaching theaters. Its release coincided with Sydney Sweeney’s ‘Good Jeans’ controversy, which probably should have raised its profile. Alas, it pretty much tanked.
BAD SHABBOS - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: An engaged interfaith couple are about to have their parents meet for the first time over a Shabbat dinner when an accidental manslaughter gets in the way.
What we like:
This crowd-pleasing comedy world premiered at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.
The film stars Kyra Sedgwick as Ellen, the matriarch of the Jewish family hosting Shabbat dinner. We love Kyra Sedgwick!
David Paymer and Josh Mostel have supporting roles in the film, marking a reunion for the two actors. They previously played brothers in 1991’s City Slickers.
What we don’t like:
We hate constantly complaining about indie films underperforming at the box-office. But guess what? THIS WAS A BIG HIT (by indie standards). After launching in theaters at the end of May, the film slowly expanded nationally, building word-of-mouth. To-date, it has earned nearly $1.5M, which is a massive for a film that was never in more than 42 theaters at once. One of the year’s major success stories.
GRIFFIN IN SUMMER - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: Griffin is the most ambitious playwright of his generation. He's also fourteen years old. When his mom hires a handsome 25-year-old handyman, Griffin's life and his new play take an inspired turn.
What we like:
The film had its world premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Festival, where it won several awards: Best U.S. Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay (U.S. Narrative), and received a Special Jury Mention for director Nicholas Colia.
It stars Everett Blunck as Griffin Nafly, a 14-year-old aspiring playwright living in suburbia who plans a dramatic play during the summer. The title of the play: Regrets of Autumn. Perfect.
Melanie Lynskey plays Griffin’s mother, and let’s be honest, every young queer kid would kill to have Melanie Lynskey as their mother.
What we don’t like:
Vertical released this in the graveyard of late summer, and did not report grosses. It really deserves to find its audience, whether on digital or when it eventually launches on Hulu.
JUST BREATHE - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: Nick Bianco sets out to reunite with the love of his life after serving a year in jail for assault, only to discover that she has a new admirer named Chester... who also happens to be his parole officer.
What we like:
The feature directorial debut of Paul Pompa III (great name!). According to his bio, after working for the family trucking company for years, Pompa decided to change career paths, and soon started his own film production company. Follow your dreams, people!
The film stars Kyle Gallner, who we’re all-in for after last year’s fantastic Strange Darling.
What we don’t like:
With only one review so far on Rotten Tomatoes (it’s negative), we’re not very optimistic about this straight-to-streaming release. But we’re rooting for you, Paul Pompa III!
THE KNIFE - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: All Chris wants is to build a promising future for his wife, Alex, and their two daughters—a young family chasing the American Dream. But one fateful night, their world is upended when a stranger mysteriously appears in their home. As tensions rise and unsettling revelations come to light, they must also face Detective Carlsen, whose relentless pursuit of the truth threatens to unravel everything.
What we like:
The feature directorial debut of Nnamdi Asomugha (he also stars), who co-wrote the screenplay with Mark Duplass.
The film world premiered in competition at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, where it won Best New Narrative Director (for Asomugha) and Best Cinematography (for Alejandro Mejia).
What we don’t like:
Melissa Leo has a supporting role in the film, and we don’t think the culture does enough to celebrate her absolutely bonkers, self-funded Oscar campaign ad from 2011. She won Best Supporting Actress for The Fighter, but this was really what cemented her in history:
NE ZHA II - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
Synopsis: After a catastrophic event leaves their bodies destroyed, Ne Zha and Ao Bing are granted a fragile second chance at life. As tensions rise between the dragon clans and celestial forces, the two must undergo a series of perilous trials that will test their bond, challenge their identities, and decide the fate of both mortals and immortals.
What we like:
Ne Zha II became the highest-grossing film ever in a single market (China), surpassing Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ domestic North American record. It’s also the first non-English-language film to cross both US$1 billion and US$2 billion in global box office (with the vast majority from China).
The story draws heavily from Investiture of the Gods (“Fengshen Yanyi”), a well-known 16th-century Chinese novel full of myth, folklore, gods, and demons.
What we don’t like:
The website China Digital Times claims that negative articles and reporting toward Ne Zha 2 have been heavily censored in mainland China.
RELAY - $19.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: Tom, a world class "fixer", specializes in brokering lucrative payoffs between corrupt corporations and the individuals who threaten their ruin. He keeps his identity a secret through meticulous planning and always follows an exacting set of rules. But when a message arrives one day from potential client Sarah, needing Tom's protection just to stay alive, the rules quickly start to change.
What we like:
Relay is directed by David Mackenzie, best known for helming 2016 Best Picture Oscar nominee Hell or High Water.
Justin Piasecki's screenplay, originally titled The Broker, was featured on the 2019 "Black List" of most-liked unproduced screenplays.
Ash, the character played by Riz Ahmed, doesn't speak until the 30-minute mark of the film.
What we don’t like:
Despite Bleecker Street’s best efforts, and stellar reviews, the film earned only $3.1M at the domestic box-office. It should clean up on VOD. Well worth your time and money.
SECRET MALL APARTMENT - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: In 2003, eight Rhode Islanders created a secret apartment inside a busy mall and lived there for four years, filming everything along the way. Far more than a prank, the secret apartment became a deeply meaningful place for all involved.
What we like:
The second collaboration between director Jeremy Workman and actor Jesse Eisenberg, who serves as one of the film's producers. Eisenberg previously produced Workman's 2018 documentary The World Before Your Feet.
This doc has been a slow-burn success story at the arthouse box-office. Despite receiving interest from numerous film distributors, Workman decided to self-release the film himself. It earned more than $850K, making it one of the highest grossing docs of the year.
What we don’t like:
The ringleader, Michael Townsend, was charged (reduced to misdemeanor trespassing), got six months probation, and was banned for life from Providence Place Mall. BUT! That ban was later lifted in anticipation of screenings of the documentary at that same mall.
SOULEYMANE’S STORY - $12.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: As he pedals through the streets of Paris to deliver meals, Souleymane repeats his story. In two days, he has to go through his asylum application interview, the key to obtaining papers, but Souleymane is not ready.
What we like:
Many of the actors (including lead Abou Sangaré) are non-professional. The director, Boris Lojkine, spent time with real delivery workers, and with Guinean immigrant communities in Paris, to bring authenticity to the film.
The film had its world premiere at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize and the Performance Prize for Sangaré.
What we don’t like:
Sangaré’s own background echoes parts of the role he plays: he came from Guinea, had lived in France without permanent legal status, and was refused a residence permit multiple times.
WITCHBOARD - $19.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: From horror master Chuck Russell, a cursed Witchboard awakens dark forces, dragging a young couple into a deadly game of possession, deception, and supernatural terror in New Orleans.
What we like:
Hope springs eternal that filmmaker Chuck Russell brings some of the same horror energy he brought to 1987’s A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, one of the best of the Elm Street sequels.
Unlike the 1986 original film (which was entirely set in modern‐day California), the remake shifts most of the action to New Orleans, with flashbacks / sequences in 17th-century France tied to historical witch trials.
What we don’t like:
Critics gave the film mixed reviews, and audiences didn’t show up at theaters. The film has grossed less than $200K, which won’t make much of a dent in its reported $15M budget. But this was always going to be a title that made its money on VOD and streaming.
Wednesday, September 17th, 2025
ELIO - Disney+
Synopsis: Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.
What we like:
Pixar’s latest has a strong, imaginative alien designs and a richly detailed intergalactic setting.
The film talented voice cast includes Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Young Dylan, Matthias Schweighöfer, Brandon Moon, Brad Garrett, and Jameela Jamil.
Despite all the negative buzz around the film, critics were actually quite positive. It currently sits at 83% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
What we don’t like:
In June 2025, multiple insiders, who worked at Pixar, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the film. They noted that characterizations of Elio as a "queer-coded character" were removed as the film moved through the production process, with a push by Pixar executives to make Elio "more masculine," removing examples of his love of fashion and environmentalism.
Friday, September 19th, 2025
AZTEC BATMAN: CLASH OF EMPIRES - $19.99 Sale Only
Synopsis: In the time of the Aztec empire, tragedy strikes Yohualli Coatl when his father is murdered by Spanish conquistadors. To warn King Moctezuma and his high priest, Yoka, of imminent danger, Yohualli escapes to Tenochtitlán. There, he trains in the temple of the bat god Tzinacan with his mentor, developing equipment and weaponry to confront the Spanish invasion and avenge his father’s death. Along the way, he encounters key figures like the fierce Jaguar Woman and the conquistador Hernán Cortés.
What we like:
This version of Batman is set in 16th-century Mesoamerica, during the Aztec Empire, rather than in Gotham.
The narrative weaves in real elements of Aztec culture: use of temples, mythology, and gods; Aztec architecture, symbolism, society. A cultural consultant (Dr. Alejandro Díaz Barriga) was brought on to help ensure a respectful and accurate depiction.
What we don’t like:
The trailer of the film produced a debate in the Spanish-speaking world regarding the possible perpetuation of the anti-Spanish "Black Legend", in which the Spanish Empire is portrayed as uniquely atrocious.
EDEN - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
Synopsis: A group of disillusioned outsiders abandon modern society in search of a new beginning. Settling on a remote, uninhabited island, their utopian dream quickly unravels as they discover that the greatest threat isn’t the brutal climate or deadly wildlife, but each other.
What we like:
Ron Howard’s survival thriller tells the story of German settlers in the late 1920s / early 1930s who chose to leave Germany for Floreana Island, in the Galápagos Islands, hoping for a life of philosophical solitude, utopia, or escape from Weimar-era turmoil.
The film’s cast is stellar: Jude Law, Ana De Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney, and Daniel Brühl.
The score is by Hans Zimmer!
What we don’t like:
Sure, it got mixed reviews, but it’s so depressing that an Oscar-winning director, a bevy of talented, buzzy actors, and an intriguing premise couldn’t get any butts in seats. It isn’t for everyone, but the film has its passionate defenders. Give it a chance on PVOD (or on Hulu, when it eventually launches there).
NIGHT OF THE REAPER - Shudder
Synopsis: In the wake of the brutal murder of a teenaged babysitter, college student Deena returns home for the weekend and is roped into a babysitting gig of her own. When the local sheriff is mailed a piece of evidence that proves the murder may not have been an isolated incident, he is led on a scavenger hunt to reveal the killer may be planning a sequel.
What we like:
This 80s-style slasher is directed by Brandon Christensen, who co-wrote it with his brother Ryan Christensen.
The film stars Jessica Clement, who was just featured in the Bryan Cranston/Allison Janney comedy Everything’s Going to be Great.
Shudder released the opening scene from the film, and it looks stylish and fun.
What we don’t like:
Some reviews say that while the atmosphere is strong, the actual kill scenes aren’t as intense or graphic as might be expected for a slasher. That may disappoint fans looking for over-the-top horror.
SWIPED - Hulu
Synopsis: Whitney Wolfe uses extraordinary grit and ingenuity to break into the male-dominated tech industry.
What we like:
Lily James plays Whitney Wolfe Herd, who navigates a male-dominated tech culture (especially at Tinder, which she co-founded) and the kinds of challenges, including sexual harassment and discrimination, that she faced in her road to creating the dating app Bumble.
Dan Stevens portrays tech entrepreneur Andrey Andreev, reuniting him with his Downton Abbey co-star James.
For our Brazilian readers, Pierson Fodé has a supporting role!
What we don’t like:
The film world premiered at this year’s Toronto Film Festival, and reviews were pretty dismal. We’re still curious and will check it out, but definitely with diminished expectations.
TRUST - $19.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Synopsis: A Hollywood starlet seeks refuge in a secluded Airbnb following a high-profile scandal, only to find herself at the mercy of hardened criminals on the hunt for a score.
What we like:
Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner gets her very own thriller. Also in the cast are two actors we’re always happy to see: Billy Campbell (The Rocketeer!) and Katey Sagal (Peg Bundy!)
The film’s screenplay is by Gigi Levangie, who’s best known for writing the 1998 Julia Roberts - Susan Sarandon weepie Stepmom.
What we don’t like:
The reviews for this one are pretty tepid, it currently sits at only 25% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Even the Fresh reviews seem very muted in their praise.
Saturday, September 20th, 2025
28 YEARS LATER - Netflix
Synopsis: Twenty-eight years since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one member departs on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.
What we like:
The film reunites original director Danny Boyle, writer Alex Garland, and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, marking a full-circle return to the style of the original 2002 classic.
Shot primarily using iPhone 15 Pro Max devices (plus action cameras and drones), the film echoes the original’s digital aesthetic but in an even wider 2.76:1 aspect ratio.
The film features some powerhouse actors, including Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer, Jack O’Connell and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, but the real breakout is young newcomer Alfie Williams, who anchors the movie with emotional depth and maturity.
What we don’t like:
Though a sequel was shot and is scheduled to arrive in early 2026 (directed by Nia DaCosta), Boyle and Garland have envisioned a trilogy for this phase of the franchise. The third film has not been announced, which is a little worrying.
Happy Streaming Everyone!
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Here’s what’s coming up this week…