Including a Seth Rogen comedy, a twisted romance and one of the scariest movies ever made
The summer movie season is officially over, and the fall movie slate has yet to arrive. In the meantime, there are plenty of new movies streaming on Netflix. September brings a set of excellent films able to fill your horror and romance watchlist at the start of the fall.
Here are the seven best movies new on Netflix this September.
“About Time”
The beginning of autumn may be a time for horror, but it’s also a time to get cozy. And what’s cozier than a good romance? In that regard, “About Time” has you covered. This love story from Richard Curtis has a big premise, following a man (Domhnall Gleeson) who discovers that members of his family have the ability to travel back in time just as he’s striking up a serious relationship with a new woman (Rachel McAdams). But “About Time” is far less interested in the mechanics or grandeur of this time travel premise than it is in quiet moments and big emotions. It’s a beautiful film, and a perfect watch for the cozier months.
“Aliens”
With sequels, bigger isn’t always better. That may still be the case with “Aliens,” James Cameron’s follow-up to Ridley Scott’s iconic 1979 horror classic. But if “Aliens” isn’t quite at the level of its incredible predecessor, it sure comes close. In this sequel, Cameron swaps the suffocating fear of a single deadly organism in a closed ship for the overwhelming dread of a sea of Xenomorphs laying siege to a small group of combatants. Sigourney Weaver once again delivers a terrific performance in the central role, while a supporting cast, including Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser and Lance Henriksen, steps in wonderfully to replace the lost Nostromo crew.
“Liar Liar”
“Liar Liar” features a simple premise: What if a lawyer couldn’t lie? When in the hands of Jim Carrey, this idea gives way to a great cinematic comedy: one that sees one of film’s finest over-actors fully commit to a delightfully absurd performance. It’s some of Carrey’s best work as a comic performer.
“Neighbors”
It’s been a good few years for Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne. As the two continue to star in Apple TV’s “Platonic,” Rogen has come off of massive Emmys success with “The Studio” and festival love with “The Invite” before heading to TIFF with “Babies” and “Tangles.” Byrne, meanwhile, scored her first Oscar nomination this year with “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” On Netflix, you can go back to these friends and close collaborators’ first team-up: “Neighbors.” Both deliver great comedic performances in this film about a couple with a newborn that gains new obnoxious neighbors: a frat house, led by Zac Efron in an equally great comic turn.
“Phantom Thread”
Remember when I said autumn is a time for romance? Well, what’s more romantic than deliberately poisoning your partner (or allowing your partner to poison you) so they can be taken care of? Paul Thomas Anderson poses this question in “Phantom Thread,” a movie that feels both completely at home and totally unique within his filmography. It may not be the best collaboration between the filmmaker and Daniel Day-Lewis, but it’s still one of the best movies from PTA and DDL both.
“Ready or Not”
Maybe you want to ring in the spooky season without braving the scariest movies on streaming. If so, “Ready or Not” is a great option. This movie from the Radio Silence duo of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (written by Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy) has a perfect mix of immaculate vibes, big laughs, a handful of good scares and a great final girl performance from Samara Weaving. It’s a strong entry-level horror flick — and now it even has a sequel for you to have a double feature.
“The Texas Chain Saw Massacre”
If you’re looking for something more hardcore than “Ready or Not,” you can also check out one of the scariest movies ever made: “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.” Tobe Hooper’s 1974 slasher is terrifying in its simplicity, a film about the danger that can befall you if you stop in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s an all-timer of the slasher genre, one that remains absolutely terrifying to this day.
