July 2026 may not be a month for celebrating America’s sesquicentennial.  The Orange Dementia Patient’s grifting and thievery managed to destroy any celebratory spirit except among his more hardcore cultists.

Fortunately, the better streaming options this month give better reasons for celebration.  Two animated superhero series return with new seasons.  The director of “Train To Busan” updates a famous Toho monster movie.  And a couple of very offbeat Canadian comedies make their streaming debuts.    

Even if the “Heartstopper” final movie or the Shakespeare weepie needs to be given passes for various reasons, there are still streaming pleasures to be found this month. 

The 1957 Transcripts (Ovid)--In 1956, 49 Palestinian adults and children from Kafr Qasim were murdered while returning home from working in the fields.  The perpetrators, Israeli Border Police: killed the villagers for violating curfew.  Yet the victims were never informed that curfew had been suddenly moved up by an hour.  The killings were kept quiet until a journalist reported on them three days later.  This film recreates what happened and the aftermath.    

Are We Good? (Criterion Channel)--Steven Feinartz directs this documentary portrait of comedian and podcaster Marc Maron,  The comedian is looking for a way to go on after losing his partner, talented filmmaker Lynn Shelton, at the height of the pandemic.  But he also needs to put together material for a new hour of comedy.

A Band Called Death (Criterion Channel)--Mark Christopher Cowlett and Jeff Howlett’s documentary recounts the story of the forgotten 1970s Detroit proto-punk band formed by the three Hackney brothers.  Influenced by Parliament and Alice Cooper, the band could have been successful, but radio airplay and record deals were denied them thanks to eldest brother David’s refusal to change the band’s name from Death.    

Black Bag (Peacock)--Who leaked the top-secret software program known as Severus?  Counterintelligence officer George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) has one week to find out.  The trouble is, one of the five suspects happens to be Woodhouse’s wife Kathryn St. Jean (Cate Blanchett).  If Kathryn is innocent, why does she have a Zurich bank account with about $9 million in misdirected funds?  Director Steven Soderbergh keeps viewers guessing.

The Choral (Netflix)--The male population of the Yorkshire town of Ramsden consists mainly of the too old or the too young.  All the fighting age men have gone off to the First World War.  Into this world comes the new choirmaster Dr. Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes), who will direct the music society’s annual production.  Friction between Dr. Guthrie and the townspeople results thanks to the choirmaster’s admiration for German literature and his possible gayness.  Could a performance of Elgar’s “The Dream of Gerontius” bring the town together?

Daemons Of The Shadow Realm Season 1 (Hulu)--Yuru and his twin sister Asa are the prophesied children who sunder day and night.  This means they have the power to rule over and control the powerful supernatural entities known as Daemons.  However, the children were separated at birth and kept in ignorance of their inherited abilities.  Yuru lives a simple life in a village until the place gets attacked by Daemon-wielding invaders.  The attack forces Yuru to awaken his own Daemon power and start on a quest to discover his real destiny

Dark Winds Season 4 (Netflix)--The new season of this series inspired by the Leaphorn and Chee (and later Manuelito) novels of Tony Hillerman takes the Navajo Tribal Police officers to 1970s Los Angeles in search of teenage runaway Billie Tsosie.  The teen’s trying to find her last living relative Leroy Gorman, but she’s being hunted down by a deadly organized crime hitwoman named Irene Vaggan (Franka Potente).   

The Energy War (Criterion Channel)--This documentary mini-series directed by D.A Pennebaker, Chris Hedegus, and Pat Powell captured the details of the legislative battle to pass President Jimmy Carter’s Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978.  The president wanted to use the bill as part of an effort to wean America off foreign oil dependence.  But Congress is deeply divided on the issue, and the effort to reach a compromise also means dealing with senators, lobbyists and others who want to put their two cents in. 

The Ghost In The Shell (Amazon)--This new adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s cyberpunk manga comes from the Science SARU studio (“Dan Da Dan”).  In an alternate 2029 Japan, information networks may have connected the world, however nation-states and ethnic conflict still exists.  Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg, commands “Shell Squad.”  This strike force pre-emptively tackles cybercrimes and international conspiracies.  But their efforts soon bring them into conflict with a mysterious hacker known only as The Puppet Master.     

Hamnet (Netflix)--Chloe Zhao’s acclaimed tearjerker tells how healer and supposed forest witch Agnes (Jessie Buckley) meets impoverished tutor William (Paul Mescal) and eventually builds a family with him.  The family includes twin children Hamnet and Judith.  William eventually becomes the successful playwright William Shakespeare.  But when Hamnet dies from the bubonic plague, how will the devastated parents process their grief? 

The Human Vapor (Netflix)--The live national television murder of a prominent environmental scientist marks the start of a revenge murder campaign by a mysterious man calling himself The Human Vapor.  Recently suspended police detective Kenji Okamoto has been tasked with ending the Vapor’s killing spree.  But how can Okamoto defeat a seemingly unstoppable killer who can turn himself into a gas?   Yeon Sang-ho (“Train To Busan”) helms this remake of a classic Japanese science fiction film directed by Ishiro Honda (“Godzilla”).

Old Henry (Netflix)--Widower Henry McCarty (Tim Blake Nelson) lives with his teenage son Wyatt on an Oklahoma farm in the middle of nowhere.  When he discovers the injured Curry and the fortune in cash he’s carrying, the farmer brings the injured man home to recuperate.  But Curry’s being pursued by the sociopathic Ketchum (Stephen Dorff) and his men.  The killers demand Henry surrender Curry to them, but Henry’s much more than a boring farmer.

People’s Hero (Criterion Channel)--A pair of dorks (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai is one of them) decide to rob a bank.  However, things go wrong and the two would-be robbers are barricaded inside the bank with a bunch of hostages.  How can they get past an army of policemen surrounding the bank’s exterior?   And what happens when the ruthless murderer (Ti Lung) among the hostages takes over the situation for his own purposes?  An underrated classic directed by Derek Yee.

Rebirth Of Mothra (Netflix)--Millions of years ago, the tiny humanoids known as Elias defeated and sealed underground the three-headed space dragon Desghidorah.  They were aided by the enormous advanced moths serving as their protectors.  In the present day, when a logging company accidentally breaks the seal to the prison, it’s a race by Elians Moll and Lara to prevent the dragon’s escape.  But Mothra, the last remaining giant moth, is in no condition to fight Desghidorah….  (If you like this film, Netflix is also showing the sequels.)

Sparks Of Tomorrow Season 1 (Netflix)--Advanced steam power is what makes an alternate Meiji-era Japan function.  Young inventor Kihachi Sakamoto wanted to usher in the age of electricity with his brother Seiroku by using the famed 20th Century Electrical Catalog, until both Seiroku and the Catalog disappeared.  Inako Momokawa wants to become a sake brewer like her mother.  When these two meet and eventually uncover the Catalog’s secret, will they realize the dreams they once had?

Summer ‘36 (Netflix)--In 1936 Nice, elite vacationers on the Cote d’Azur now find themselves sharing the French Riviera’s beaches with workers and their families enjoying the new government perk of paid holidays.  In the midst of class friction, four women from different backgrounds will find themselves embroiled in a murder mystery at the luxurious Riviera Hotel.

Talk To Me (2007) (Netflix)--When convict Ralph “Petey” Greene (Don Cheadle) meets radio executive Dewey Hughes (Chiwetel Ejiofor) in prison, the encounter inspires Greene to try getting a job at Hughes’ Washington D.C. radio station.  After some mishaps, Greene becomes a radio personality popular for telling it like it is.  In the unrest following Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, this ex-convict will use his radio pulpit to truly come into his own.    

X-Men ‘97 Season 2 (Disney)--It’s the long-awaited return of this acclaimed animated adaptation of the X-Men comics.  The X-Men have succeeded in preventing Asteroid M from hitting Earth and wiping out all life on the planet.  However, doing so caused one group of X-Men to land in 3000 BC Egypt and the other to wind up in the 40th century wasteland known as the Atlantic Basin.  The X-Men in ancient Egypt are about to witness a mutant named En Sabah Nur evolve into the powerful villain Apocalypse.  The X-Men in the future have seen Apocalypse’s success in remaking the world, but does one Nathan Summers offer hope to defeat Apocalypse? 

Daniel Isn’t Real (Hulu)--College freshman Luke Nightengale is freaked out by college life, and fears he’s becoming as delusional as his mother Claire (Mary Stuart Masterson).  Luke’s therapist Dr. Braun suggests he combats his anxieties by releasing his imagination.  For the college student, that means releasing his imaginary friend Daniel from his dollhouse prison.  But Daniel had been imprisoned for nearly killing Claire, and time hasn’t changed him.

Faces Of Death (Shudder)--When content moderator Margot Romero (Barbie Ferreira) starts seeing videos of incredibly violent murders being uploaded, she’s the only one who suspects the killings are the real thing.  The homicidal acts may be similar to ones performed in the notorious film “Faces Of Death.”  But how far will Margot go to find out the truth?  

The March To War (Ovid)--Was the current war with Iran truly inevitable?  Could conflict have been avoided?  Ilan Ziv’s documentary mini-series looks at the roots of the “infinite roller-coaster” of clashes among Iran, Israel, and the United States by interviews with the people involved.  Topics include how Israel and the U.S. built up pre-Revolution Iran, Iran’s strategy with Hezbollah, and a history of diplomatic sabotage of attempts to normalize relations.

Redux Redux (Hulu)--Irene Kelly has been hopping through alternate universes to kill the other selves of a restaurant cook named Neville.  Why?  Because in Kelly’s original universe, Neville succeeded in kidnapping and killing her daughter Anna.  When Kelly saves a teenage runaway named Mia, the two form a pact to kill Neville.  But has Kelly become addicted to killing?

Techniquely With Lan Lam (Netflix)--In this cooking reality series, Lan Lam teams up with the American Test Kitchen staff to investigate everyday kitchen problems and their solutions.  

A Real Pain (Hulu)---Benji Kaplan (Kieran Culkin) and cousin David Kaplan (Jesse Eisenberg) are taking together a Jewish heritage tour through Poland to see the childhood home of their late grandmother and to reconnect with their family history.  But that’s assuming the two cousins don’t kill each other first.  Benji’s an outspoken drifter while David’s a pragmatic and reserved family man.

23,000 Lives (Netflix)--A group of young people are appalled at seeing refugees dying attempting to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe.  They form Jugend Rettet despite lacking any experience in sea rescue.  Their hopeful crowdfunding campaign raises enough money for the group to buy an old fishing vessel and to go on to save the lives of 23,000 refugees.  But what Jugend Rettet considers humanitarian actions isn’t an attitude necessarily shared by legal authorities.  Based on a true story.

The East Palace (Netflix)--Why is the East Palace haunted?  The king recruits ghost-slayer Gu-cheon and court lady Saeng-gang to find the origins of these spectral visits.  Both bring special skills to the task: the ghost slayer can transform into a ghost himself thus making it possible for him to slay spirits with his sword whale the court lady can hear and communicate with the dead.  Can they uncover the secrets behind the hauntings?

Exit 8 (Shudder)--In this video game adaptation, protagonist Lost Man is trying to exit a subway station.  But to reach Exit 8, he must navigate an apparently endless corridor and remember to turn back when he encounters an anomaly, otherwise all his progress is lost.  But he soon finds that not all anomalies are as obvious as blood raining from the ceiling, and succumbing to the wrong anomaly exacts a price worse than starting over.

Young Farts Trailer Parts (Amazon Prime)---Canadian brothers Jagger and Dawson Glowatsky own the wildly successful Vegreville, Alberta-based business known as Young Farts Trailer Parts.  They reclaim and sell RV parts across North America and have become a viral sensation.  Key to their success are the TikTok DIY videos showing them turning old RVs into cash while kicking back beers and smoking darts.  If you’re in the mood for unscripted comedy featuring chaotic stunts and wild ideas, look no further. 

King Of The Hill Season 15 (Hulu)--It’s the new season of this revival of Mike Judge’s animated classic.  Hank and Peggy Hill are settling into retirement in the Texas suburb of Arlen.  While holding on to the common sense values that defined them, the Hills try to adapt to everything from shifting social norms to using modern technology.  Meanwhile, son Bobby Hill makes his romance with Connie official.

Snowpiercer (The Complete Series) (Hulu)--Seven years ago, Earth became a frozen wasteland after chemical CW-7 was deployed to stop global warming.  Humanity’s remnants have found shelter on the Snowpiercer.  Built by eccentric billionaire Joseph Wilford, this 1001-car long luxury train constantly circles the globe.  However, the rigid social hierarchy and the uneven division of scarce resources has spurred an ongoing revolutionary struggle on the train.

Pompeii: Out Of Time (Hulu)--Tom Hiddleston hosts this docudrama that transports viewers back to ancient Rome in the hours before and during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.   The miniseries uses cutting edge archeological discoveries, analysis by disaster experts, and a trio of fictional stories involving a teenage apprentice, a powerful businesswoman, and a Praetorian Guard to look at what choices led some people to survive and others to perish.

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (Hulu)-- Matt and Jay are two fortysomething slacker losers who are the members of a terrible band called Nirvanna.  They try various stupid stunts to get booked to play the hip music venue the Tivoli.  But their newest stupid stunt (install a fake time machine in their RV and claim to be from the year 2008) spectacularly backfires.  The duo actually wind up in the year 2008…and Jay’s thinking of breaking up the band and going solo.  Based on the Canadian cult comedy “Nirvanna the Band the Show.”

Saturday Night (Hulu)--Jason Reitman directs this fictionalized retelling of the night of the first broadcast of “Saturday Night Live.”  Novice producer Lorne Michaels faces intense pressure to make this broadcast a success.  But an NBC executive has little faith in the show.  Michael O’Donoghue and the other show’s writers are clashing with the network censor.  John Belushi has been provoking fights.  How can Michaels succeed?

Wrath (Netflix)--This Brazilian series begins when an MMA coach rescues a young man from the brink of death.  However, whatever trauma the young man suffered left him with amnesia.  The amnesiac is given the name Marcelo and is trained to enter the world of MMA fighting.  This brutal world may offer clues to Marcelo’s own past, but it’s also a world riven by crimes, secrets,  and various rivalries.

Batman: Caped Crusader Season 2 (Amazon)--It’s the return of this animated series which imagines a Batman operating out of a retro film noir Gotham City.  The new season will bring such villains as the Joker, the Scarecrow, a gender-swapped Mad Hatter, and Roxy Rocket.