Besides enjoying the balmy delights of summer, what are our Netflix USA friends doing this August? Sipping Pina Coladas, frolicking at the beach and sitting down to binge on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: The Seventeenth Year because 17 YEARS??? Really??!!? No wonder Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) feels like family. But perhaps the political climate is all folks can think about. If that’s the case, then a number of new offerings this month should scratch that itch.
You should start with the Netflix Exclusive Funny or Die Presents: Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie. Back in 1987, Trump’s book, The Art of the Deal, became a bestseller, presumably making him a whole lot of money and thank goodness, because how else would he have built a gold-plated tower named after himself? If you, like so many others, were just praying for this book to somehow be brought to life – ideally with Johnny Depp playing Trump - then your prayers have been answered! The good people at Funny or Die have answered the call with this satirical rendition. Prepare to laugh (or apparently die?) from the first of the month.
Still feel like you could laugh more at the political landscape of our American friends? Your next port of call is David Cross: Making America Great Again. This Netflix Original was filmed during the Moontower Comedy Festival and stars David Cross (Arrested Development). Described as insightful and unapologetic, this one-hour stand-up special is bound to incite laughter. But could anything truly be funnier than the never-nude, Tobias Fünke? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you NEED to watch the series, Arrested Development. I have no idea if that currently streams on Netflix USA but I know the Aussie version has it. Go watch it immediately and then come back and we’ll chat about it over a Pina Colada.
If you’re after more sobering viewing then maybe you should check out An Inconvenient Truth. Even if you saw it the first time back in the noughties, it’s probably worth a revisit. I imagine the truths are STILL inconvenient and possibly even scarier when we consider just how much the world HASN’T done to rectify the problem of global warming since then.
Enough with all the downers, you cry! I just want to be entertained! Okay, point taken. No more politics. I hear you. And you should hear me when I tell you that St. Vincent is a film starring Bill Murray (Groundhog Day) and he’s basically amazing in every film he makes. Also starring Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) and Naomi Watts (Birdman), IMDB tells us the storyline goes like this: a young boy whose parents have just divorced finds an unlikely friend and mentor in the misanthropic, bawdy, hedonistic war veteran who lives next door. If that doesn’t immediately grab you, remember: Bill Murray. Good in everything. Streams from August 10.
Maybe you need to switch your brain almost to OFF in which case, The Fast and the Furious and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift may suit your needs. But can anyone watch these films now without remembering the tragic passing of the star of the wildly popular franchise, Paul Walker? He would have turned 43 this September.
The Get Down is Australian director Baz Luhrmann’s first foray into television. Known for brilliantly soundtracking his feature films (Romeo and Juliet, Moulin Rouge), it’s unsurprising that this TV series centres around the early days of hip hop in 1970s New York City. The first 6 episodes premiere from August 12 with the remainder arriving in 2017.
Finally, the first-ever animated feature film adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's iconic masterpiece, The Little Prince, comes to Netflix USA on the 5th of the month. Voiced by a host of luminaries including Jeff Bridges (True Grit) and Rachel McAdams (The Notebook), this film is for anyone who ever read and loved the book.
Available on Netflix August 1:
The American Side (2016)
An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
APEX: The Story of the Hypercar (2016)
Beethoven's Christmas Adventure (2011)
Big Daddy (1999)
Black Widow (1987)
Critical Condition (1987)
Deadfall (2012)
Destination: Team USA (2016)
Funny or Die Presents: Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie ¬ NETFLIX EXCLUSIVE
The Family Man (2000)
The Fast and the Furious (2001)
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
Final Destination 3 (2006)
From the Terrace (1960)
Holding the Man (2015) ¬ NETFLIX EXCLUSIVE
How To Win The US Presidency (2016)
In the Shadow of the Moon (2007)
ISIS: Women Unveiled (2016)
Masha and the Bear: Season 2 ¬ NETFLIX EXCLUSIVE
Memoria (2015)
The Naked Prey (1966)
NCIS: Season 13
Pay It Forward (2000)
The Real Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
Roseanne Collection: Collection 3
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Sliding Doors (1998)
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
Teacher's Pet (1958)
The Verdict (1982)
The Wedding Planner (2001)
What Women Want (2000)
Young@Heart (2007)
Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)
August 3
Beat Bugs: Season 1 ¬ NETFLIX ORIGINAL
August 5
David Cross: Making America Great Again (2016) ¬ NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Ever After High: Epic Winter ¬ NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Little Prince (2016) ¬ NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Punk's Dead: SLC Punk 2 (2016)
Slow TV: National Firewood Evening (2016)
Slow TV: National Firewood Morning (2016)
Slow TV: National Firewood Night (2016)
Slow TV: National Knitting Evening (2016)
Slow TV: National Knitting Morning (2016)
Slow TV: National Knitting Night (2016)
Slow TV: Northern Passage (2016)
Slow TV: Northern Railway (2016)
Slow TV: Salmon Fishing (2016)
Slow TV: The Telemark Canal (2016)
Slow TV: Train Ride Bergen to Oslo (2016)
August 6
The Confirmation (2016)
August 9
Real Husbands of Hollywood: Season 4
T¬Rex (2015)
August 10
St. Vincent (2014)
August 11
Flight of the Butterflies (2012)
No Country for Old Men (2007)
August 12
Ask the StoryBots: Season 1 ¬ NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Get Down: Part 1 ¬ NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Project Mc2: Season 2 ¬ NETFLIX ORIGINAL
August 13
13 Cameras (2016)
August 15
Louis CK: Live at the Comedy Store (2015)
August 16
Let's Go to Prison (2006)
Our Last Tango (2015)
August 17
The Curse of Sleeping Beauty (2016)
The Last Heist (2016)
Puffin Rock: Season 2 ¬ NETFLIX ORIGINAL
August 19
Bottersnikes and Gumbles: Season 1 ¬ NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Fearless: Season 1 ¬ NETFLIX ORIGINAL
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead ¬ NETFLIX ORIGINAL
August 21
Maz Jobrani: I'm Not a Terrorist, But I've Played One On TV (2015)
August 22
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: The Seventeenth Year
August 23
Septembers of Shiraz (2015)
August 25
The Road (2009)
August 26
Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013)
Dawn of the Croods: Season 2 ¬ NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Glitter Force: Season 2 ¬ NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy: We’ve Been Thinking... ¬ NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Once Upon a Time: Season 5
XOXO (2016) ¬ NETFLIX ORIGINAL
August 27
Rams (2015)
August 29
The State of Marriage (2015)
August 31
Ku'damm 56: Season 1
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August 1
Addams Family Values (1993)
The Best Man (1999)
Bowfinger (1999)
The Gabby Douglas Story (2014)
Jennifer 8 (1992)
Johnny English (2003)
The Nutty Professor (1996)
The Replacements (2000)
Roseanne Collection: Collection 2 (1996)
Rugrats Go Wild (2003)
The Sandlot (1993)
Suspect Zero (2004)
Teen Witch (1989)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)
Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)
Where the Red Fern Grows (1974)
The Wild Thornberrys Movie (2002)
August 11
Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)
August 14
Clifford the Big Red Dog: Seasons 1-2
Clifford's Puppy Days: Seasons 1-2
August 15
Charlie's Angels (2000)
Wish Upon a Star (1996)
August 16
Inside Man (2006)
August 20
Harry the Bunny (2009)
August 23
Blitz (2011)
August 27
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
August 30
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
August 31
Death Note (2006)
Naruto Shippûden the Movie: Bonds (2008)
Naruto Shippuden: The Movie (2007)
Zathura (2005)
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Angie Maddison is a contributor for Streambly. You can follow Angie on Twitter.
