New to Streaming: Eephus, Grand Tour, The Woman in the Yard, Youth Trilogy, and More

      Each week, we spotlight the notable titles that have recently become available on streaming services in the United States. Take a look at this week's choices below and past compilations here.

      **Benediction** (Terence Davies)

      In a Terence Davies film, time is crucial. His biopic *Benediction*, which focuses on English poet Siegfried Sassoon (played by Jack Lowden), eventually addresses his marriage to Hester Gatty (Kate Phillips). There's a scene with the couple standing still, looking at the camera for a wedding photo (a moment that frequently appears in the director’s works). The camera flashes, revealing the black-and-white image, then we transition to the future where the photo rests on their bedside as Hester gazes at their newborn. This sequence exemplifies Davies' strength: reflecting on life while facing the past, with the weight of history influencing every present moment. – C.J. P. (full review)

      **Where to Stream:** Hulu

      **Companion** (Drew Hancock)

      Director Drew Hancock effectively emulates the cold, precise styles of David Fincher and Steven Soderbergh, presenting a polished mise-en-scène that reflects a sterile near-future we may already exist in. However, the stakes and excitement feel fairly low. In more detail regarding *Companion*: it’s not poorly made or dull, but it carries an unlikable and overly smug tone, lacking in genuine insight or surprises. Josh's frequent musings on modern male entitlement and abandonment issues highlight that no January New Line Cinema genre film can be just simple art anymore. – Ethan V. (full review)

      **Where to Stream:** Max

      **Dead Mail** (Kyle McConaghy and Joe DeBoer)

      By combining found footage and grainy 16mm elements (the film was shot on an early DV camera), Kyle McConaghy and Joe DeBoer’s *Dead Mail* leans into its eerie concept. Similar to Jane Schoenbrun’s *I Saw the TV Glow* or Kyle Edward Ball’s *Skinamarink*, it evokes subconscious nightmares, although it veers slightly more into slasher territory. The film feels effectively unsettling, reminiscent of Harmony Korine’s *Trash Humpers* with its nostalgic quality. Like Schoenbrun’s work, it hints at a narrative that might have emerged from a *20/20* segment or a late-night documentary that a child shouldn’t have viewed after bedtime but did anyway. – John F. (full review)

      **Where to Stream:** Shudder

      **Eephus** (Carson Lund)

      The ideal sports film captures the essence of why one falls in love with the game, and Carson Lund’s *Eephus* may be the epitome of a baseball movie. Centered entirely around a single round of America's pastime, Lund’s debut feature deftly and humorously explores the nuances, rhythms, and details of an amateur men’s league match. By subverting standard sports movie tropes—which typically showcase peak athletic performance in front of cheering crowds—Lund has created something uniquely engaging. Instead of grand slams and no-hitters, there are plenty of mistakes and an array of beer bellies and rugged physiques amongst this eclectic cast. Lund focuses on the peculiar social dynamics that arise only on the field, where life’s responsibilities fade away and the game’s rules take precedence. – Jordan R. (full review)

      **Where to Stream:** VOD

      **Grand Tour** (Miguel Gomes)

      Portuguese director Miguel Gomes, known for *The Tsugua Diaries*, *Arabian Nights*, and *Tabu*, made his anticipated return at last year’s Cannes with the captivating journey *Grand Tour*. Rory O’Connor noted in his Cannes review, “If Chris Marker and Preston Sturges were to collaborate on a film, it might resemble *Grand Tour*, a sweeping narrative traveling from Rangoon to Manila, passing through Bangkok, Saigon, and Osaka, intertwining the tales of two disparate lovers leading to a significant reunion. The characters are quintessentially Sturgian: he is the sophisticated fugitive, while she is the daring woman pursuing him. Their segments are set in 1917 and shot in a classic studio style, all presented within a modern travel narrative—suggesting we are following not just their epic romance but the director’s own travels as well.”

      **Where to Stream:** MUBI (free for 30 days)

      **The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie** (Peter Browngardt)

      Directed by Peter Browngardt, this charming film is inspired by 1950s sci-fi B-movies and features Looney Tunes icons Porky Pig and Daffy Duck (both voiced by Eric Bauza). *The Day the Earth Blew Up* begins with a UFO landing on the roof of Porky and Daffy’s dilapidated home