The struggle is real. You’re thumbing through Netflix, scrolling through category after category, and can’t find something to watch. We’ve all been there. But what if you’re looking for something new to watch? Each month, Netflix adds a number of movies to its streaming library – from older titles to brand new releases – and even then it can be hard to find exactly what’s new, and which of the new movies are worth watching. That’s where we come in. Below, we’ve put together a list of seven movies newly added to Netflix in August that we can personally vouch for. All of these movies are great, and they all offer something different. You want a feel-good romp? We’ve got it. How about a comedy so funny you’ll cry laughing? We’ve got that too. And there’s hopefully something on this list you’ve never seen before, that just might become a new favorite.
So buckle up and check out our list of the best new movies on Netflix in August 2021 below.
Catch Me If You Can
Director: Steven Spielberg
Writer: Jeff Nathanson
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Amy Adams, Martin Sheen, and Jennifer Garner
Fun and flighty, Catch Me If You Can marks one of the best films either Steven Spielberg or Leonardo DiCaprio has ever made, and is guaranteed to put you in a good mood. The film is based on the true story of a young man who conned his way into becoming a doctor, a lawyer, and a pilot all before he reached the age of 25. Catch Me If You Can revels in the wide-eyed wonder of the character at its center, but Spielberg never loses sight of the emotional trauma that drove Frank Abagnale to take such wild chances. This movie is terrific.
The Edge of Seventeen
Director/Writer: Kelly Fremon Craig
Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick, and Haley Lu Richardson
Odds are you may not have heard of The Edge of Seventeen, but if you’re a fan of smart coming-of-age stories with an edge, you should check this one out. Not entirely dissimilar from Booksmart or Lady Bird, the film follows a young teenager played by Hailee Steinfeld who faces struggles with friends, family, and school, and whose best friend is a teacher played by Woody Harrelson. The film is extremely funny and doesn’t shy away from R-rated humor, but is anchored by a grounded and true-to-life story of what it’s like to be a 17-year-old girl.
Inception
Director/Writer: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe, Michael Caine, and Cillian Murphy
There’s almost certainly never a bad time to watch Inception. Filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-winning blockbuster wears its James Bond influences on its sleeve, but also serves as a unique and original sci-fi story all its own. Inception is a heist movie where the crew must go inside someone else’s mind in order to plant an idea. Nolan visualizes the film’s confusing logic brilliantly, in a way that makes total sense. The ensemble cast is terrific, but the whole thing is anchored by Leonardo DiCaprio as a mastermind with a tortured past, and Elliot Page gives a swell performance as the one person who can see through his calm and cool demeanor.
The Lincoln Lawyer
Director: Brad Furman
Writer: John Romano
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, Josh Lucas, John Leguizamo, Michael Peña, Bryan Cranston, and William H. Macy
If you’re a fan of legal thrillers and the charisma of Matthew McConaughey, you should check out The Lincoln Lawyer. While the “McConnaissance” that revitalized McConaughey’s career culminated in an Oscar win for Dallas Buyers Club, The Lincoln Lawyer was one of the films that set McConaughey on a path towards more dramatic and interesting roles. Based on the Michael Connelly book of the same name, the film follows a criminal defense attorney who works out of the back of a Lincoln Town Car instead of an office and is hired to defend the son of a wealthy L.A. businesswoman. Similarities to a previous case arise, and McConaughey’s character finds himself in over his head.
Team America: World Police
Director: Trey Parker
Writers: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Pam Brady
Cast: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Kristen Miller, Masasa, Daran Norris, and Phil Hendrie
If you’re looking to watch something that’s going to make you laugh really, really hard, put on Team America: World Police. The 2004 film hails from South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker and is an extremely silly and profane satire starring puppets. The movie takes aim at United States foreign police as it follows the exploits of Team America, a group of terrorist-fighting U.S. agents who cause destruction and chaos everywhere they go. The film really tackles any and everyone, and while it’s steeped in the politics of 2004, it still holds up as an extremely funny and kind of insane comedy — it’s hard to believe this thing actually got made by a major studio.
Pineapple Express
Director: David Gordon Green
Writers: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Cast: Seth Rogen, James Franco, Gary Cole, Rosie Perez, Craig Robinson, and Danny McBride
There’s something a bit timeless about Pineapple Express that makes it a great hangout comedy. The setup of the film is simple – what if you made an 80s-tinged action buddy comedy where the heroes were two stoners? The script hails from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and was their next effort after the smashing success of Superbad. This film feels quite different from Superbad, hitting on a different level of humor that’s still extremely funny. Come for the hilarious stunts, and stay for Danny McBride’s scene-stealing, breakout performance.
Sweet Girl
Available on August 20th
Director: Brian Andrew Mendoza
Writers: Philip Eisner, Gregg Hurwitz, and Will Staples
Cast: Jason Momoa, Isabela Merced, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Raza Jaffrey, Lex Scott Davis, Michael Raymond-James, Justin Bartha, and Amy Brenneman
If you want to watch a new movie that’s actually new, the action-thriller Sweet Girl hits Netflix this month. Jason Momoa produces and stars in the film as a father grieving the death of his wife who takes aim at the pharmaceutical company responsible. He sets out to uncover the truth, only to discover further secrets and a web of intrigue, all while trying to keep his daughter (Isabela Merced) safe.