There's no denying that, in spending more time and money on more original content, Netflix's reputation as the new Blockbuster of renting options took a hard hit. But at the beginning of the summer, Netflix ran a short ad that quite literally said, "We've heard your complaints about our movie selection and we're working on it."
The following said months, the streaming entertainment company loaded up on some actually buzz-worthy movies, ranging from new Oscar-winning triumphs ("The Big Short," "Spotlight") to animated hits ("Hotel Transylvania 2," "Minions") to indie darlings ("The Invitation," "Mustang") and all-time classics ("Back to the Future"). It was a good sign that Netflix would have months and months of movie picks worth staying in on the couch for.
August is not one of those months.
However, while the list of stuff coming to the streaming behemoth isn't particularly packed, that doesn't mean there isn't quality stuff to find. There's the original "Fast and the Furious" movie, as well as "Tokyo Drift" – arguably the best of the bunch. The award-winning "No Country for Old Men" and "Blue Is the Warmest Color" are both headed to Netflix too, as well as "The Wedding Planner" and "What Women Want" on the less heavy, more swoon-worthy side of things.
As you'd hope considering its lack of flashy outside names, Netflix has some noteworthy originals coming to a TV near you next month too, including the rather ravishing-looking animated adaptation of "The Little Prince" and Baz Luhrmann's much-balleyhooed –not to mention very expensive – first season of "The Get Down," a musical series about teens getting by, and getting down, in '70s New York City. And speaking of getting down ...
That's right, everybody. Soak in your last look at those sweet moves, as "Teen Witch" is leaving in August. Oh, and so is "The Sandlot" and Spike Lee's exceptional heist movie "Inside Man." But how can you even think about those bailing Netflix when the seminal '80s movie "Teen Witch" will be no more?!
Dry those "Teen Witch"-soaked eyes, however, and take a look at what you'll be streaming next month.
Coming to Netflix
Aug. 1
"The American Side" (2016)
"An Inconvenient Truth" (2006)
"APEX: The Story of the Hypercar" (2016)
"Beethoven's Christmas Adventure" (2011)
"Big Daddy" (1999)
"Black Widow" (1987)
"Critical Condition" (1987)
"Deadfall" (2012)
"Destination: Team USA" (2016)
"Funny or Die Presents: Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie" (2016)
"The Family Man" (2000)
"The Fast and the Furious" (2001)
"The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" (2006)
"Final Destination 3" (2006)
"From the Terrace" (1960)
"Holding the Man" (2015)
"How to Win the U.S. Presidency" (2016)
"In the Shadow of the Moon" (2007)
"ISIS: Women Unveiled" (2016)
"Masha and the Bear" season 2
"Memoria" (2015)
"The Naked Prey" (1966)
"NCIS" season 3
"Pay It Forward" (2000)
"The Real Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (2003)
"Roseanne" collection 3
"Sleepy Hollow" (1999)
"Sliding Doors" (1998)
"Star Trek: Nemesis" (2002)
"Teacher's Pet" (1958)
"The Verdict" (1982)
"The Wedding Planner" (2001)
"What Women Want" (2000)
"Young @ Heart" (2007)
"Zack and Miri Make a Porno" (2008)
Aug. 3
NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Beat Bugs" season 1
Aug. 5
NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "David Cross: Making America Great Again" (2016)
NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Ever After High: Epic Winter"
NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "The Little Prince" (2016)
"Punk's Dead: SLC Punk 2" (2016)
"Slow TV: National Firewood Evening" (2016)
"Slow TV: National Firewood Morning" (2016)
"Slow TV: National Firewood Night" (2016)
"Slow TV: National Knitting Evening" (2016)
"Slow TV: National Knitting Morning" (2016)
"Slow TV: National Knitting Night" (2016)
"Slow TV: Northern Passage" (2016)
"Slow TV: Northern Railway" (2016)
"Slow TV: Salmon Fishing" (2016)
"Slow TV: The Telemark Canal" (2016)
"Slow TV: Train Ride Bergen to Oslo" (2016)
Aug. 6
"The Confirmation" (2016)
Aug. 9
"Real Husbands of Hollywood" season 4
"TRex" (2015)
Aug. 10
"St. Vincent"
Aug. 11
"Flight of the Butterflies"
"No Country for Old Men"
Aug. 12
NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Ask the StoryBots" season 1
NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "The Get Down" part 1
NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Project Mc2" season 2
Aug. 13
"13 Cameras"
Aug. 15
"Louis C.K.: Live at the Comedy Store"
Aug. 16
"Let's Go to Prison"
"Our Last Tango"
Aug. 17
"The Curse of Sleeping Beauty"
"The Last Heist"
NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Puffin Rock" season 2
Aug. 19
NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Bottersnikes and Gumbles" season 1
NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Fearless" season 1
NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead"
Aug. 21
"Maz Jobrani: I'm Not a Terrorist, But I've Played One on TV"
Aug. 22
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" season 17
Aug. 23
"Septembers of Shiraz"
Aug. 25
"The Road"
Aug. 26
"Blue Is the Warmest Color"
NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Dawn of the Croods" season 2
NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Glitter Force" season 2
NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy: We've Been Thinking ... "
"Once Upon a Time" season 5
NETFLIX ORIGINAL: "XOXO"
Aug. 27
"Rams"
Aug. 29
"The State of Marriage"
Aug. 31
"Ku'damm 56" season 1
Leaving Netflix
Aug. 1
"Addams Family Values"
"The Best Man"
"Bowfinger"
"The Gabby Douglas Story"
"Jennifer 8"
"Johnny English"
"The Nutty Professor"
"The Replacements"
"Roseanne" collection 2
"Rugrats Go Wild"
"The Sandlot"
"Suspect Zero"
"Teen Witch"
"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III"
"Vampire in Brooklyn"
"Where the Red Fern Grows"
"The Wild Thornberrys Movie"
Aug. 11
"Mr. Peabody & Sherman"
Aug. 14
"Clifford the Big Red Dog" season 12
"Clifford's Puppy Days" season 12
Aug. 15
"Charlie's Angels"
"Wish Upon a Star"
Aug. 16
"Inside Man"
Aug. 20
"Harry the Bunny"
Aug. 23
"Blitz"
Aug. 27
"The Pursuit of Happyness"
Aug. 30
"A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge"
Aug. 31
"Death Note"
"Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Bonds"
"Naruto Shippuen: The Movie"
"Zathura"
As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.
When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.