What To Watch This Week: Stream Our Top 8 TV and Movie Picks (June 30–July 6)

Lake Placid | Shudder | Horror

Movie, Tuesday, July 1: In this horror comedy from Steve Miner (Friday the 13th Part 2, Friday the 13th Part III, House), an XXXXXL crocodile munches on men (and other mammals) in a remote Maine lake. Now an all-star cast—Bridget Fonda, Bill Pullman, Brendan Gleeson, Oliver Platt, Meredith Salenger, Mariska Hargitay—must stop it. It’s as bad, fun, and gory as it sounds—and there’s an added bonus: International treasure Betty White (RIP) as the delightfully crass and deceptive (but still kinda Betty-sweet) Dolores Bickerman. Her best line? “If I had a [blank], this is where I’d tell you to [blank] it!”

The Old Guard 2 | Netflix | Action

Movie, Wednesday, July 2: Charlize Theron in an action movie is always a good bet, even when they’re bad. The first The Old Guard (based on the Greg Rucka comics) from 2020 is regarded as a pretty solid action flick, with Theron portraying immortal ass-kicker Andromache “Andy” of Scythia. Now Andy’s back to beat more butts, working again with client James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Henry Golding and Uma Thurman join the cast for this sequel.

Heads of State | Prime Video | Action, comedy

Movie, Wednesday, July 2: John Cena as President of the United States? At this point, that sounds pretty good, but I digress. In this action-comedy from Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry, Nobody), Cena plays POTUS Will Derringer, who’s mired in a public rivalry with UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) but—of course—gets into a pickle where the two world leaders must cooperate in order to save the world. Priyanka Chopra-Jonas plays an MI6 agent who assists the pair. Jack Quaid (The Boys), Stephen Root (Barry, Office Space), and Carla Gugino (who’s great in so many things but is most memorable to this writer in the Pauly Shore comedy Son in Law) also star.

The Sandman | Netflix | Drama, fantasy

Season 2 premiere, Thursday, July 3: It’s not unusual, post-pandemic, for there to be three-year gaps between seasons—but it still sucks! At least this second and final season of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman is finally upon us. According to Netflix, it will have 11 episodes and (just like the first season) a 12th bonus ep. Storylines are again derived from the comics, so expect familiar, fan-favorite stories like “Season of Mists” and “The Sandman: Overture,” plus some surprises for die-hard fans. The first six episodes stream today, the remaining five come July 24, and the bonus episode streams July 31.

Suzzanna: The Queen of Black Magic | Shudder | Documentary, horror

Movie, Wednesday, July 3: While I’m sure globally renowned scream queens like Jamie Lee Curtis have their fans in Indonesia, the country has its own homegrown “Queen of Indonesian Horror”: Suzanna Martha Frederika van Osch or, to keep it simple, Suzzanna. Unfortunately, there’s no reciprocity. While she remains a legend in Asia, having made 40+ movies and earning another title (“Asia’s Most Popular Actress”), the late Suzzanna isn’t as famous beyond her home continent. This Severin Films documentary aims to correct that.

Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest | ESPN2 (live), ESPN (re-air) | Sports

Sports, Friday, July 4: To some, hot dog-eating isn’t a sport. To them, I say phooey. These athletes (yup, they are) don’t just belly up to the table and binge dogs. Competitive eating requires stamina—which entails physical training and conditioning—as well as strategy. Contests like Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest honor these competitors who fight fatigue, nausea, and diabetes to earn a fat paycheck and a place in the pantheon of champion dog-gobblers.

Tour de France | NBC, Peacock | Sports, cycling

Sports, Saturday, July 5: To some, cycling isn’t a spor— Just kidding, folks. Imagine what it takes for a cyclist to compete in a 2,000+ mile race. Even split between 21 stages, that’s around 100 miles daily with maybe two rest days. If that’s not the pinnacle of athleticism, what is? What’s more, the 2025 Tour de France runs almost the entire month of July—France’s hottest month of the year. I’m short of breath just thinking about this (not to mention the hot dog-eating contest above, which also happens outdoors in the summer heat).