11 Best New Movies on Netflix: August 2021’s Freshest Films to Watch

Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? Ferris Bueller’s Day Off kicks off Netflix’s August line-up, the perfect summertime stream for you and your closest friends to enjoy with a hot dog after the Cub’s game. This Chicago classic follows the charming Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) rebelling against his parents and high school to have the best day of his young life with dopey BFF Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck) and sweet girlfriend Sloane Peterson (Mia Sara). Catch up with Ferris on he becomes the Sausage King of Chicago, enjoys some stained glass at the Art Institute, and performs the best rendition of “Danke Schoen” ever.

Where to Watch Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Tom Hanks sets off on a quest to find Leonardo DiCaprio in Catch Me If You Can, Steven Spielberg’s globe-trotting crime drama film. The movie is about the somewhat true, wildly chaotic tale of Frank Abagnale (DiCaprio), a con artist who had scammed millions of dollars from the young age of 19. Posing as a Pan Am pilot, a Georgia doctor, a Louisiana parish prosecutor, and more, Frank soars all over the world to get his checks and run from the law. That is, until FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Hanks) makes it his life mission to take Abagnale down.

Where to watch Catch Me If You Can 

Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia sprawls over three hours long, each second growing more epic than the last. Seriously — that may sound like an incredibly long film to watch, but with brilliant performances and a soothing soundtrack by Aimee Mann, the Oscar-nominated film feels like a normal 90-minute flick. It’s hard to say what, exactly, Magnolia is about, so let’s just say the plot is full of little anthology stories that somehow intertwine. And check out that stacked cast list: Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Patton Oswalt, John C. Reilly, William H. Macy and more lead this legendary film.

Where to watch Magnolia

This Ryan Murphy and Jason Blum-produced doc follows several leaders and survivors of the so-called “conversion therapy” movement. Pray Away invites these folks to speak out against the issue, explaining all the harm it’s done to the LGBTQ+ community and its horrible persistence. The film begins when five evangelicals in the 1970s form Exodus International, a group that claims that gay people can become straight if they pray away their feelings and innermost thoughts.

Where to watch Pray Away

Lin-Manuel Miranda strikes yet again with Vivo, an animated family film following a stunning Capuchin monkey. Miranda voices Vivo the monkey, as well as writing original songs for the movie. The film also marks Sony Picture Animation’s first-ever musical film, venturing into new locations never before seen in the animated world. In the film, Vivo sets off from Cuba to Miami to become the star of the stage. Along with Miranda, Vivo also stars Zoe Saldana, Brian Tyree Henry, Nicole Byer, and Michael Rooker.

Where to watch Vivo

The Swarm is a wild French film headed to Netflix this August — get ready to be creeped out. If you don’t like insects, you might want to skip this one. The thriller follows a single mother who breeds locusts in her spare time, making money off her hive. But one day, they begin having trouble reproducing, and the woman is left to her own devices. She doesn’t think her locusts will make it, but quickly discovers a mend that’ll fix them: they’re hungry for blood.

Where to watch The Swarm

It all started with a fateful kissing booth exchange — now, the stakes are raised even more. What college will Elle Evans (Joey King) choose: Harvard with her BF or UC Berkeley with her BFF? The Kissing Booth 3 picks up after that iconic Dance Dance Revolution battle and is set to conclude the rom-com series based on Beth Reekles’s Wattpad story and book on the same name. Whether you watch The Kissing Booth movies for romance, for Jacob Elordi, or for a little bit of goofy summer fun, get ready for the conclusion of Netflix’s iconic romance saga.

Where to watch The Kissing Booth 3

After his leading role in Tenet, John David Washington returns to the action-thriller game with Netflix’s Beckett. The crime drama is set to follow Beckett (Washington) as he uncovers a massive political conspiracy while visiting Greece with his girlfriend (Alicia Vikander). When she goes missing, he sets off on a journey to locate her whereabouts and reach the U.S. Embassy to clear his own name. But as the authorities close in on him and unrest begins to break out across the country, Beckett’s truly in for a wild ride.

Where to watch Beckett

Jason Momoa leads Sweet Girl, a terrifying-looking action film following one man’s quest for justice against the American healthcare system. After Cooper loses his wife due to the greed of the Pharmaceutical industry, he sets out for revenge against her killers. With his daughter (Isabela Merced) in the wings, Cooper vows to bring justice to his late wife and protect his remaining family. This new flick promises high-stakes action from Momoa, who we know can deliver on that front.

Where to watch Sweet Girl

Famous TV personalities like Mr. Rogers and Anthony Bourdain have already gotten the doc treatment, and now it’s time for another endearing legacy to jump on board. Bob Ross, host of the iconic Joy of Painting, will be profiled in Netflix’s upcoming Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal, & Greed. Clearly, with a title like that, there were quite a few details we didn’t know about the artist! The doc will follow the “never-before-seen story” behind Ross, which is enthralling (and still promises a bevy of happy little accidents).

Where to watch Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal, & Greed

Netflix is remaking the 90s classic She’s All That — with a few twists. Most notably, He’s All That will swap the genders, meaning it’ll be the popular girl who has to remake and date a schmuck of a teenage boy (which, let’s be honest, makes more sense when it comes to high school dynamics). TikTok’s Addison Rae and Cobra Kai‘s Tanner Buchanan will play opposite one another. With any luck, we’ll also get another stunning red dress sequence paired with “Kiss Me” — or maybe we’ll get an Addison Rae original like “Obsessed” instead. Who knows!

Where to watch He's All That