11 Best New Movies on Netflix: September 2021’s Freshest Films to Watch

School’s back in session with School of Rock, which follows Jack Black as Dewey Finn, a new substitute teacher who has no idea how to actually teach. Nabbing the job from his roommate, Dewey begins work with a real handful of snobby kids who raise hell. Luckily, he discovers a way to keep them engaged and learning — by making a band with them. Although it may not be as tangible as math or science, with organizational skills and teamwork to be learned, they still grow (and hilariously, of course). Fun fact: fans of The White Lotus may recognize Ned Schneebly, played by creator Mike White!

Watch School of Rock on Netflix

Spike Lee’s 1989 epic Do the Right Thing is a must-watch, especially as summer winds down. Try to sneak in a screening before the days turn chilly, because this flick is a real hot one. Tensions rise in a Brooklyn neighborhood just as the temperature does, creating sweaty disputes and meditations on race in the city. Lee stars in the movie as Mookie, an employee at Sal’s pizzeria who begins to realize he may not be working for the best employer out there. Because it’s New York, the film also treks around the neighborhood, introducing us to other folks in the area who face similar qualms.

Watch Do the Right Thing on Netflix

What better way to welcome in fall than with a swoon-worthy high school rom-com? That’s where A Cinderella Story has got you covered. The 2004 film follows Sam (Hilary Duff), a high school girl who begins flirtatious banter with an anonymous stranger online. When she discovers it’s actually the most popular boy in her school, she begins to panic, sending her life and dreams of college into a real tizzy. More White Lotus action going on here too, with Jennifer Coolidge starring as Sam’s infamous stepmother (with an iconic line about cookies).

Stream A Cinderella Story on Netflix

Victorious star Victoria Justice is taking her glamorous career to the next level with her new release Afterlife of the Party. She stars as Cassie, a social butterfly who experiences the biggest party foul of all: dying during her long-awaited birthday week. What a bummer! But to her surprise, she earns a Good Place-Esque second chance to fix herself on Earth by reconnecting with loved ones, and most importantly, proving that she’s worthy to be allowed entrance to the VIP room in the sky. Will she be rejected, or is she willing to pay the cover?

Watch Afterlife of the Party on Netflix

Worth brings a star-studded cast together to recreate one of the most important congressional sessions of all time. Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci, Amy Ryan, Tate Donovan, Talia Balsam, and Laura Benanti star in this film following the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. These government officials come together to leave a lasting legacy for the survivors of the event, creating the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and determining the worth of lives that were lost to the tragedy.

Watch Worth on Netflix

Want an informative doc to expand your knowledge this September? Look no further than Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali, Netflix’s upcoming movie that unfolds the storied past behind the two American icons. For three years, both Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali shared a friendship as complex like any other, but that made waves in pop culture history. Kenya Barris produced this doc, with Marcus A. Clarke directing a series of insider interviews, never-before-seen footage, and other clips that offer a peek into their relationship.

Watch Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali on Netflix

Birds of Prey fans, rejoice! Mary Elizabeth Winstead is back for more action with Kate, a crime thriller set to follow a poisoned criminal operative who has less than 24 hours to get her entire life back on track. If anyone can do it, it’s Winstead, whose stellar acting chops have shone through in killer films like 10 Cloverfield Lane, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Death Proof, and more. Taking place in Tokyo, Kate must form a bond with a teenager who will help her exact revenge on her assailants and save herself from the poison.

Where to watch Kate

It may not be October yet, but Netflix has some spooky titles to get you ready for one of the best holidays of the year. Get ready for Nightbooks, which features Krysten Ritter as an evil witch who tortures young children. Yikes! The fantasy film is one for all ages, though, as her form of torture is still pretty tame: if they want to stay alive, the kiddos must tell her scary stories every night. The movie is based on a novel of the same name, so if you want to be really well-prepared, get reading now.

Watch Nightbooks on Netflix

We may be heading out of summer, but that doesn’t make Jaws entirely unwatchable. No, Steven Spielberg’s shark thriller is a year-round delight! Roy Scheider stars as the only sane person in town in Jaws, which is set on the beachy coast of Amity Island. Sure, why not open the beaches when there’s a record-setting huge shark on the loose attacking and eating people? If nothing else, it makes for great thrills. Better yet: we’re getting Jaws 2, Jaws 3, and Jaws: The Revenge also on Sept 15. Get ready for a shark-themed marathon.

Watch Jaws on Netflix

Freida Pinto stars as a new house-owner who can’t catch a break in Intrusion, a thriller that follows a small town couple in Boston.  Meera moves into a fresh, isolated home designed by her architect husband, Henry (Logan Marshall-Green). Not long after the couple moves in, their home is broken into, leaving Meera traumatized and suspicious of the neighborhood around her. We don’t want to spoil too much about this thriller, but if you loved Netflix’s Aftermath last month, you’re sure to enjoy Intrusion just as well.

Where to watch Intrusion

Melissa McCarthy dips into dramedy with The Starling, which follows a woman who forms a strange relationship with a bird. (Hence the title: “The Starling”) After Lilly suffers a major loss, she battles with this territorial little bird to take control over her garden. Trying to compute her grief and have the courage to heal her relationships, Lilly’s capacity for love is challenged. If you were a fan of seeing McCarthy’s more dramatic turns in hits like Can You Ever Forgive Me? and Nine Perfect Strangers, you’ll likely enjoy The Starling too.

Watch The Starling on Netflix