Cruel Intentions is one of several classics that were just added to the streaming service.
Photo: Columbia Pictures

Netflix is about to unleash three months of Oscar contenders with the forthcoming drops of original films like La Bola Negra, Possible Love, and The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth. But what does that mean for September? Old movies! Netflix’s September 1 refresh is one of its most classics-heavy of the year, filled with beloved hits, some from long before the year 2000. Get nostalgic with us and watch one of these action, comedy, and family films; there’s even a great new doc that you almost certainly haven’t seen.

Year: 1979
Run time: 1h 57m
Director: Ridley Scott

This one changed everything. Alien didn’t just launch a mega-franchise or create an iconic character in Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley, it shifted the entire sci-fi/horror landscape. And what’s even more stunning about it almost a half-century later is how much it still rips. From beginning to end, this is one of the rare movies that could be called perfect. (Note: The James Cameron sequel Aliens returned to Netflix this month as well. Watch both and fight over which one is better.) ➽ Streaming now.

Year: 1980
Run time: 2h 12m
Director: John Landis

One of the most beloved comedies of all time, this 1980 musical classic stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as Jake and Elwood Blues, characters they developed together on Saturday Night Live. The humor in this John Landis classic has held up, but the music really holds it together, including appearances from James Brown, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, and Chaka Khan. ➽ Streaming now.

Year: 1999
Run time: 1h 37m
Director: Roger Kumble

We knew this was a future cult classic the minute it dropped. It was a film that capitalized on the rising fame of three stars — Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Reese Witherspoon — in its updating of Les Liaisons Dangereuses for Gen X. This sexy thriller got mixed reviews on its release but became a pretty big hit anyway, propelling its stars higher and even launching a franchise. It’s not commonly on streaming services, so check it out while you can. ➽ Streaming now.

Year: 2006
Run time: 1h 25m
Directors: David Bowers, Sam Fell

One of the best Aardman Animation films that doesn’t star Wallace, Gromit, or Shaun the Sheep is this 2006 animated film that left behind its stop-motion style for computer animation. Hugh Jackman voices a pet rat named Roddy St. James who gets flushed down the toilet and meets the “city rats” who live in the sewers, including characters voiced by Kate Winslet, Jean Reno, and Ian McKellen. ➽ Streaming now.

Year: 2025
Run time: 1h 46m
Directors: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady

This is such a lovely documentary, and it’s never been available on a streaming service until this month. It’s the verité telling of teenage life at a high school in Norway, a place where young people are taught alongside training sled dogs. Directors Ewing and Grady give their troubled teens space to express themselves comfortably, revealing how important it can be to not just have an unusual responsibility like animal training but be present in nature. It can help you find yourself. Don’t miss this one. ➽ Streaming now.

Year: 1975
Run time: 2h 4m
Director: Steven Spielberg

The movie that ushered in the blockbuster era is often viewed more in terms of how it changed the industry than the fact that it’s, well, perfect. Seriously, you don’t need to change a single frame, line reading, or edit in Jaws, a film that works to raise tension from its very first scene. There’s a reason people are still writing books about Jaws. (Note: All four of the films in this franchise are now on Netflix. Shark-athon!) ➽ Streaming now.

Year: 2007
Run time: 2h 8m
Director: Judd Apatow

Its gender politics seem shakier than when it came out, but Judd Apatow’s biggest hit still works because of the intelligence of its screenplay and commitment of its cast, especially Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl. The story of a man forced to grow up when his one-night stand gets pregnant errs a bit too much on the side of the male view, but one can’t deny the pure laughs-per-minute ratio and a truly underrated Rogen performance. ➽ Streaming now.

Year: 2017
Run time: 2h 10m
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Daniel Day-Lewis stars in this period piece from one of the most popular working American directors. The Oscar winner plays a dressmaker in 1950s London who becomes attached to a waitress, played by Vicky Krieps. First, she’s his muse, inspiring him to create, but their relationship becomes warped by his manipulation until she ends up turning the tables. A character study of codependence with PTA’s unmatched craftsmanship, it’s one of the best films of the 2010s. ➽ Streaming now.

Year: 2024
Run time: 2h 7m
Director: Parker Finn

It’s very rare for a sequel to be better than the original, but that’s the case here as writer-director Parker Finn builds on the ideas of the first Smile in a manner that’s ambitious and accomplished. Naomi Scott gives one of the best performances of 2024 as a pop star who becomes attached to the smile demon, sending her down a terrifying roller coaster to one of the most memorable horror-movie endings in years. Finn has said he’s working on a third film, but the bar is now remarkably high. ➽ Streaming now.

Year: 1974
Run time: 1h 23m
Director: Tobe Hooper

What’s so stunning about this horror masterpiece is what it doesn’t show. So many people remember this flick as a gore-filled nightmare, but Hooper actually lets your mind do most of the work, rarely showing as much as the film’s reputation. It’s still an unforgettable film, one that changed the indie horror landscape forever. ➽ Streaming now.

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