

Words: Aobh O'Brien-Moody
The surfeit of streaming options today can often overwhelm those looking to settle in front of the TV for an evening, from the casual viewer to the aficionado of the arthouse. So, with time being precious, after all, especially in an age in which attention spans are being buffeted by the day, we’ve done the bulk of the research for you by focusing specifically on Netflix and creating a tightly considered selection of the best films, series and documentaries that will be added to the platform in the month ahead…
Wednesday, Season 2, Part 2 (3 September)
Part 1 of Wednesday’s second season ended with a cliffhanger that left fans hungry for more. Thankfully, Part 2 has just dropped, meaning Wednesday obsessives can get stuck back in and hopefully get the answers they’re looking for. Look out for cameos from the likes of Lady Gaga, Joanna Lumley, Billie Piper and Steve Buscemi.
Hard Truths (5 September)
Mike Leigh’s 2024 indie drama stars the legendary Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Pansy, a depressed, anxious and volatile woman who refuses any help from her beleaguered yet well-meaning family. It’s a tough watch, but peppered amid the pain are moments of levity, hope and humour.
aka Charlie Sheen (10 September)
This two-part documentary series charts actor Charlie Sheen’s meteoric rise and dramatic fall under the bright spotlights of Hollywood in the 2000s. Now seven years sober, Sheen candidly opens up for the cameras, discussing the rumours, scandals and self-destruction that tormented him throughout his tumultuous career and personal life.
Black Rabbit (18 September)
Starring Jude Law and Jason Bateman as brothers who run Black Rabbit, a trendy New York restaurant, this new Netflix drama centres around the trials and tribulations of the high-pressure NYC nightlife scene. The brothers, who share a loving yet volatile relationship, must face old traumas and new dangers that threaten to upend everything they’ve built.
House of Guinness (25 September)
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight swaps the streets of 20th century Birmingham for 19th century Dublin, with House of Guinness, a historical drama inspired by one of Europe’s most renowned and enduring dynasties. The story follows the four Guinness children in the wake of their father’s death, as they grapple with the fate of the iconic brewery.
August's arrivals...
Wednesday, Season 2, Part 1 (6 August)
This August, Jenna Ortega returns to our screens as Wednesday Addams – and she’s as deadpan and darkly witty as ever. As she begins her second year at Nevermore Academy, she’s not alone – unfortunately for Wednesday, her family – brother Pugsley and parents Morticia and Gomez – are in tow, making for some particularly prickly dynamics. The second part of Season 2 will arrive a month later on 3 September, giving you plenty of time to binge it all before Halloween.
Songs from the Hole (13 August)
At 15, James “JJ’88” Jacobs took a life – only to lose his brother three days later. As the perpetrator and victim of violence, the incarcerated rapper uses music as a path to redemption and healing in this poetic visual album, conceived from behind bars and directed by Contessa Gayles.
The Iron Claw (13 August)
Starring Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White and Harris Dickinson, The Iron Claw tells the true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers as they make history in the fiercely competitive world of 1980s professional wrestling.
Hostage (21 August)
This new political thriller centres around a state visit that doesn’t exactly go to plan. When the British prime minister’s husband is kidnapped and the visiting French president is blackmailed, the two political leaders face an impossible choice. There’s not much else that we know at this point so keep an eye out for more!
The Thursday Murder Club (28 August)
The Thursday Murder Club is a Netflix film adaptation of Richard Osman’s wildly popular novel of the same name. It features a star-studded cast including Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie, who portray the elderly members of the Thursday Murder Club. The film follows the members, who get together to solve cold case murders, as they become embroiled in a real-life murder investigation.
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