The 10 best movies new to streaming on Netflix, Max, and more in August

Greetings, Polygon readers!

August is lastly right here, which implies the autumn season of recent motion pictures and tv is simply beginning to ramp up. Earlier than we are able to partake in all of the fantastic new releases this month has in retailer for us, let’s run by our month-to-month roundup of the most effective motion pictures arriving on streaming.

Our roundup consists of Miloš Forman’s masterful interval biopic Amadeus (which was a heavy affect on Christopher Nolan’s personal blockbuster biopic, Oppenheimer), Robert Aldrich’s traditional conflict drama The Soiled Dozen, and Jim Jarmusch’s fantasy vampire romance Solely Lovers Left Alive. Plus, the primary 5 Quick and Livid motion pictures can be found to stream on Netflix!

Let’s dive in and see what this month has in retailer.

New on Netflix

Coming to America

Picture: Paramount Photos

Yr: 1988
Style: Comedy
Run time: 1h 56m
Director: John Landis
Forged: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Corridor, James Earl Jones

Eddie Murphy stars as Akeem Joffer, the crown prince of the fictional African nation of Zamunda who, uninterested in his mom and father’s meddling in his love life, journeys to New York together with his private aide Semmi (Arsenio Corridor) to seek for a spouse. Directed by John Landis and based mostly on a narrative by Murphy, Coming to America is filled with endlessly quotable performances by Samuel L. Jackson, James Earl Jones, Louie Anderson, John Amos, and Murphy and Arsenio in a number of roles. The film is an absolute riot entrance to again and a permanent traditional for good motive: It’s one in all Murphy’s best and funniest movies. —Toussaint Egan

Coming to America is streaming on Netflix.

The Quick and Livid motion pictures

Picture: Common Photos

Yr: 2001 (The Quick and the Livid); 2003 (2 Quick 2 Livid); 2006 (The Quick and the Livid: Tokyo Drift); 2009 (Quick & Livid); 2011 (Quick 5)
Style: Household motion
Run time: 1h 46m (The Quick and the Livid); 1h 47m (2 Quick 2 Livid); 1h 44m (The Quick and the Livid: Tokyo Drift); 1h 47m (Quick & Livid); 2h 10m (Quick 5)
Director: Rob Cohen (The Quick and the Livid); John Singleton (2 Quick 2 Livid); Justin Lin (The Quick and the Livid: Tokyo Drift, Quick & Livid, Quick 5)
Forged: Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Michelle Rodriguez, Ludacris

Neglect 1 / 4 mile at a time: The Quick and Livid franchise is coming to Netflix almost all of sudden. The primary 5 motion pictures within the franchise at the moment are on Netflix, simply in time so that you can do an entire franchise rewatch with the current launch of Quick X.

We now have a number of completely different Quick and Livid watch orders for you when you embark on that individual journey, full with a shock addition — the origin of Sung Kang’s Han, first present in Justin Lin’s coming-of-age traditional Higher Luck Tomorrow.

That one’s not on Netflix, however The Quick and The Livid by Quick 5 are. Which means arguably the 2 greatest motion pictures within the franchise — Tokyo Drift and Quick 5, naturally — at the moment are on Netflix. Wave the flags and begin your engines. —Pete Volk

The primary 5 Quick and Livid motion pictures are streaming on Netflix.

New on Max

The Soiled Dozen

Picture: Warner House Video

Yr: 1967
Style: Conflict film
Run time: 2h 30m
Director: Robert Aldrich
Forged: Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Ernest Borgnine

There are such a lot of nice issues to say about The Soiled Dozen — the improbable ensemble solid, the gripping set-pieces, the usage of humor to defuse the stress — however for a contemporary viewers, I’ll say this. What if The Suicide Squad, however an all-time nice film?

James Gunn listed the traditional conflict film as a key inspiration for his adaptation of the comics, however it’s all around the supply materials as nicely. Cease me if this sounds acquainted: The U.S. authorities forces a bunch of convicts, a lot of whom are sentenced to demise, to hold out a suicide mission for them. In the event that they refuse or try to flee, they may all be executed.

One of many nice issues about The Soiled Dozen is regardless of the very severe setup, it’s a breezy time full of probably the greatest casts ever assembled (along with the principals, we now have Donald Sutherland, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Telly Savalas… the record goes on). One of many key motion scenes is a delightfully playful coaching train the place the Soiled Dozen are put up towards a pompous colonel’s regiment. It’s one of many highlights of the film, solely to be surpassed by the showstopping finale. —PV

The Soiled Dozen is streaming on Prime.

A Nightmare on Elm Road

Picture: New Line House Video

Yr: 1984
Style: Supernatural horror
Run time: 1h 31m
Director: Wes Craven
Forged: Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, Robert Englund

The feeling that launched a franchise, Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Road lives on as a horror masterpiece many years later. Teenager Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) and her pals change into the targets of Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a deceased serial killer now haunting (and searching) folks of their desires. As Nancy’s pals begin dying of their sleep one after the other, she tries desperately to remain awake to outlive. A timeless slasher that may additionally maintain you from sleeping, Elm Road and Krueger have endurance for a motive. —PV

A Nightmare on Elm Road is streaming on Prime.

New on Hulu

Solely Lovers Left Alive

Picture: Sony Photos House Leisure

Yr: 2013
Style: Fantasy comedy-drama
Run time: 2h 3m
Director: Jim Jarmusch
Forged: Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska

One of many few non-Marvel initiatives Tom Hiddleston’s made time for since rising to fame within the Thor sequence (Loki season 2 is just some months away), Jim Jarmusch’s vampire flick is one other film that defines cool. Adam (Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton) are two bloodsucking ex-lovers who reconnect after years aside. Adam is in Detroit. Eve is Tangier, Morocco. As they draw nearer collectively, Jarmusch sinks his tooth into each type of tradition, from lavish garments to pristine soundtrack curation. It’s fashion as substance, by the worldview of two supernatural beings who’ve been round for hundreds of years. Don’t count on an excessive amount of plot — that is all about luxuriating within the image, and sucking down each ounce of blood Jarmusch has drawn from his obsessions. —Matt Patches

Solely Lovers Left Alive is streaming on Hulu.

New on Prime Video

Amadeus

Picture: Warner House Video

Yr: 1984
Style: Biographical drama
Run time: 2h 40m
Director: Miloš Forman
Forged: F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge

Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer has seen a whirlwind of business and important success because it opened in theaters final month. Nolan’s biopic on the life and profession of the daddy of the atomic bomb was influenced not solely by Kai Chicken and Martin J. Sherwin’s 2005 biography American Prometheus, but in addition, surprisingly sufficient, by this 1984 drama based mostly on the lifetime of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Robert Downey Jr., who performs Lewis Strauss, has mentioned his portrayal of Oppenheimer’s political nemesis was impressed by none aside from F. Murray Abraham’s flip because the devious Antonio Salieri in Miloš Forman’s movie.

Amadeus is nothing in need of a masterpiece, an enthralling drama of creative jealousy, thwarted religion, {and professional} aspiration on the peak of classical musical composition. Informed by the testimony of Salieri, the movie depicts Mozart as a buffoonish, womanizing reprobate who’s in any other case an exceptionally gifted composer. Forman’s movie brilliantly dispels the aura of faux-sophistication that usually envelops classical music whereas dropping none of its attraction and vitality, juxtaposing Mozart’s most iconic compositions with the bottom and conniving plots of his hateful rival. As exquisitely carried out as it’s edited, it’s no surprise Amadeus would encourage Christopher Nolan in crafting his personal masterpiece. —TE

Amadeus is streaming on Prime. Oppenheimer just isn’t, however is perhaps finally.