Find this story in your account’s ‘Saved for Later’ section.
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: 1979Run time: 1h 57mDirector: 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: 1980Run time: 2h 12mDirector: 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: 1999Run time: 1h 37mDirector: 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: 2006Run time: 1h 25mDirectors: 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: 2025Run time: 1h 46mDirectors: 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: 1975Run time: 2h 4mDirector: 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: 2007Run time: 2h 8mDirector: Judd Apatow
