Not only has the weekend arrived, but it's also a long weekend if you're lucky enough to have Labor Day off. That means you have one extra day to sit in front of your TV, kick your feet up, and watch movies. And because it's also the beginning of the month, Netflix has just added a plethora of brand-new movies to its catalog and some more that are new to the streaming service as of this week. We took at a look at all of those offerings to bring you this list of recommendations to fill up your holiday weekend. Read on to see what you should start streaming!
1 | Worth
Monika Lek/NetflixAhead of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Netflix is premiering Worth, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020. Michael Keaton stars as Kenneth Feinberg, the real lawyer who was tasked with creating the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, thereby figuring out how to monetize the lives lost in the tragedy and give families some relief. The Hollywood Reporter's review notes that the movie, despite its loaded subject matter, doesn't "sentimentalize, pander for audience sympathy or go for easy shots."
2 | Afterlife of the Party
Graham Bartholomew/NetflixFormer teen star Victoria Justice headlines this fantasy comedy about a spoiled party girl who dies in a freak accident at her 25th birthday soiree. A guardian angel (Robyn Scott) shows up in her individualized purgatory to tell her that she has to mend her ways and fix some relationships in order to find out what's next.
3 | Blade Runner: The Final Cut
Warner Bros.Netflix scored the 25th anniversary digitally remastered edition of 1982's sci-fi classic Blade Runner, which is the only one in the franchise that was completely controlled by director Ridley Scott. The movie, considered a milestone in the genre, is an adaptation of Philip K. Dick's 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? starring Harrison Ford.
4 | Labyrinth
Tri-Star PicturesJim Henson puppetry magic, David Bowie as the seductive Goblin King, and some seriously catchy songs... The 1986 fantasy Labyrinth is a cult classic for a reason. The film, co-starring Jennifer Connelly as a teenage girl out to save her baby brother, is officially on Netflix starting this month.
5 | Cold Mountain
Miramax FilmsRenée Zellweger won her first Oscar for 2003's Cold Mountain, an adaptation of the Charles Frazier novel from late director Anthony Minghella of The English Patient fame. The story takes place amid the Civil War and follows a Confederate soldier (Jude Law) who deserts the army to travel home and be reunited with the woman he loves (Nicole Kidman). Zellweger plays the friend who helps Kidman's Ada survive and run her farm after the death of her father.
6 | School of Rock
Paramount PicturesJack Black is peak Jack Black in School of Rock, the 2003 comedy about a down-on-his-luck guitar player who lies his way into a substitute teaching job and then recruits his fifth grade class to help him win a Battle of the Bands for the prize money. Of course, in playing music together, the kids are also able to express their individuality, learn skills, and step into their confidence, so everybody comes out on top.
7 | Mars Attacks!
Warner Bros.It's impossible to accurately describe Mars Attacks!, the 1996 sci-fi comedy by Tim Burton, so if you haven't had the pleasure, you're better off just pressing play without really knowing what you're in for. Suffice it to say that you'll be getting B-movie special effects, a cast with everyone from Glenn Close to Tom Jones, and a great score by Burton's frequent collaborator Danny Elfman.
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8 | A Cinderella Story
Warner Bros.Fresh off of her Lizzie McGuire fame, Hilary Duff stars as Sam Montgomery in 2004's A Cinderella Story, a modern take on the fairytale set during a Southern California drought. Chad Michael Murray is Sam's jock Prince Charming, Regina King is her earthly "fairy godmother," and—most memorably—Jennifer Coolidge steals scenes as a Real Housewives-inspired evil stepmother.
9 | House Party
New Line CinemaThe music-fueled 1990 comedy starring rappers Kid 'n Play was so popular, it launched a franchise. LeBron James and his production company are in the process of developing a reboot, so be sure to catch the original now.
10 | He's All That
NetflixSpeaking of reboots, the Netflix Original He's All That is a gender-swapped remake of the 1999 teen rom-com She's All That, which starred Rachael Leigh Cook and Freddie Prinze Jr.as high school seniors of polar opposite social status. This new version marks TikTok star Addison Rae's first movie role, as she assumes the position of the popular kid giving the school loser (Tanner Buchanan) a makeover to win a bet. Plus, as a throwback, Cook plays her mom.
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11 | Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed
NetflixIf you're of a certain age and grew up in a PBS household, you likely have fond memories of watching gentle artist Bob Rosspaint his "happy little trees" on his educational show The Joy of Painting. For those folks, this new Netflix documentary may be difficult to sit through, as it shows how Ross' business partners allegedly took advantage of him as he was being weakened by cancer before his 1995 death. Fans are already boycotting products made by Bob Ross Inc. in protest after seeing the film.
12 | The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf
NetflixThe hit live-action The Witcher series starring Henry Cavill as the monster hunter Geralt of Rivia gets a spin-off animated movie with Nightmare of the Wolf. Rather than adding to Geralt's adventures, the film follows his mentor, Vesemir (voiced by Theo James), as he steps into his destiny as a witcher.
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