Best new movies and TV series on Netflix Australia: July 2020

Each month, loads of new films and TV shows are added to Netflix Australia‘s library. Critic Craig Mathieson presents his picks for titles worth watching. For the full list of everything arriving on the platform, scroll down. Also check out our top 50 movies on Netflix list.

Top picks: TV

Cursed season one (July 17)

Netflix’s follow-up to its fantasy hit Witcher changes the perspective on Arthurian legend by making the focus Nimue (13 Reasons Why’s Katherine Langford), a young woman with a mysterious gift who will in time (and subsequent seasons) become the iconic enchantress The Lady of the Lake. This show’s Arthur (Devon Terrell) is a young mercenary, who Nimue works with to undermine a repressive regime, while the role of Merlin falls to a Skarsgard (not Stellan, not Alexander, but his brother Gustaf). Expect a great deal of swords and sorcery, and hopefully a more comprehensible plot than Witcher.

Norsemen season three (July 22)

This satirical comedy about a Viking village muddling their way through a ransack-ready life in AD 790 is one Netflix’s hidden gems; almost as bloody as the better known historic drama Vikings, but much funnier. It’s a Norwegian production that shoots every scene twice, once in Norwegian and again in English, to make it extremely easy to appreciate the humour of a place where the blades are sometimes sharper than the minds. The contrast between life and death matters of survival and sharply reflected everyday modern concerns gives the show its one-two punch.

Good Girls season three (July 26)

It begins with a Breaking Bad-like proposition: three suburban Detroit wives and mothers whose financial circumstances are tenuous and on the way to untenable, tell themselves that they can rob the cash room of their local supermarket. It’s a fantasy, then a fiction, then a fact, and that progression from inconceivable to most conceivable underpins this drama. Now adding a third season, the trio are played by Christina Hendricks, Retta, and Mae Whitman. The storytelling lets them give earthy, lived-in performances that speak to long-standing struggles while adding a rogue’s gallery of trouble-laden new associates.

The Umbrella Academy season two (July 31)

The first season of this deeply idiosyncratic superhero series, adapted from the graphic novel written by My Chemical Romance vocalist Gerard Way and illustrated by Gabriel Ba, was a make-or-break proposition for most who watched it in 2019. The grown—in ways either fantastical or sorrowful—children of the billionaire who collected them as gifted children reunite to investigate his death and, possibly, avert the end of the world. It’s eccentric at most turns and given to whimsical production design—The Royal Tenenbaums via X-Men is a handy description—and there’s little reason to think the second season won’t be the same.

Top Picks: movies + specials

Top End Wedding (July 1)

A good Australian romantic-comedy—one that recognises the genre’s format and works to provide what’s expected, while playfully finding new connections in the old outline—is a rare thing. But after a solid run in cinemas in the middle of 2019, Wayne Blair’s movie reaches Netflix and hopefully a second wave of attention. Miranda Tapsell, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joshua Tyler, plays a young lawyer whose quest to marry her boyfriend (Gwilym Lee) in her hometown of Darwin swiftly becomes a road movie revolving around her Indigenous family and their own lingering regrets.

The Old Guard (July 10)

Charlize Theron flexes her impeccable action film credentials in this Netflix original film, adapted from the graphic novel of the same. She plays the leader of an immortal group of mercenaries—their wounds swiftly heal instead of killing them—who’ve spent centuries fighting wrong but are now being pursued for their unique powers. Unstoppable protagonists can make low stakes, but the cast is first-rate, with the likes of Matthias Schoenaerts as one of the eternal soldiers and KiKi Layne as their newest client. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood has been an on the cusp filmmaker since the exceptional Love & Basketball and Beyond the Lights dropped, so hopefully she can elevate this body-bag blowout.

The Hater (July 29)

Scooped up by Netflix after it won Best International Narrative Feature at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, this Polish drama has a hot-button foundation as it charts the fall into online culpability of a young law student (Maciej Musiałowski) who goes to work at an amoral PR firm and soon masters the dark arts of troll farms, online smears, and astroturfed campaigns on behalf of wealthy clients. Director Jan Komasa is one of the leading filmmakers in Europe following the release of 2019’s Corpus Christi, and this should be another string to his bow and a welcome antidote to blockbuster lethargy.

All titles arriving on Netflix Australia in July

July 1

Deadwind: Season 2: Corruption and murder collide as Helsinki detectives Sofia Karppi and Sakari Nurmi scour the city for the rumored connection.

Say I Do: Dream weddings really do come true as experts Jeremiah Brent, Thai Nguyen and Gabriele Bertaccini help couples pull off their perfect celebration.

Under the Riccione Sun: While vacationing on the beaches of Riccione, a group of teens become friends and help each other manage romantic relationships and summer crushes.

Unsolved Mysteries: The iconic series UNSOLVED MYSTERIES is back! Fusing signature elements from the original series with contemporary immersive, character-driven storytelling, the 12 new episodes are rooted in the experiences of ordinary people who have lived the unthinkable — from the trauma of a loved one’s unexplained disappearance or horrific death, to the shock of a bizarre paranormal encounter. Alongside detectives and journalists, family members offer clues, present theories, and identify suspects, hoping one viewer holds the key to solving the mystery. From the creators of the original docuseries, Cosgrove/Meurer Productions, and 21 Laps Entertainment, the producers of Stranger Things.

Chico Bon Bon: Monkey with a Tool Belt: Season 2: Chico Bon Bon and his Fix-It Force crew are on call to solve any problem, from heating up a cold cup of cocoa to rescuing a sandwich from a safe.

Eat Pray Love: Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) thought she had everything she wanted in life: a home, a husband and a successful career. Now newly divorced and facing a turning point, she finds that she is confused about what is important to her. Daring to step out of her comfort zone, Liz embarks on a quest of self-discovery that takes her to Italy, India and Bali.

Top End Wedding: Lauren and Ned have 10 days to find Lauren’s mother who has gone AWOL in the remote far north of Australia so that they can reunite her parents and pull off their dream wedding.

Gladiator: Set in Roman times, the story of a once-powerful general forced to become a common gladiator. The emperor’s son is enraged when he is passed over as heir in favour of his father’s favourite general. He kills his father and arranges the murder of the general’s family, and the general is sold into slavery to be trained as a gladiator – but his subsequent popularity in the arena threatens the throne.

Grease: Experience the friendships, romances and adventures of a group of high school kids in the 1950s. Welcome to the singing and dancing world of “Grease,” the most successful movie musical of all time. A wholesome exchange student (Olivia Newton-John) and a leather-clad Danny (John Travolta) have a summer romance, but will it cross clique lines?

A Knight’s Tale: Peasant-born William Thatcher (Heath Ledger) begins a quest to change his stars, win the heart of an exceedingly fair maiden (Shanynn Sossamon) and rock his medieval world. With the help of friends (Mark Addy, Paul Bettany, Alan Tudyk), he faces the ultimate test of medieval gallantry — tournament jousting — and tries to discover if he has the mettle to become a legend.

Pitch Perfect: College student Beca (Anna Kendrick) knows she does not want to be part of a clique, but that’s exactly where she finds herself after arriving at her new school. Thrust in among mean gals, nice gals and just plain weird gals, Beca finds that the only thing they have in common is how well they sing together. She takes the women of the group out of their comfort zone of traditional arrangements and into a world of amazing harmonic combinations in a fight to the top of college music competitions.

Billy Madison: Man-child Billy Madison (Adam Sandler) has been a spoiled rich kid all his life, and spends his days drinking and partying. When his father, hotel magnate Brian (Darren McGavin), becomes fed up with his son’s irresponsible ways, he issues an ultimatum. Since Billy passed all his schooling thanks to his father’s influence and bribes, he must retake and pass every grade in 24 weeks. Otherwise, the business will be turned over to Brian’s conniving associate, Eric (Bradley Whitford).

The 40-Year-Old Virgin: Andy Stitzer (Steve Carell) is an amiable single guy who works at a big-box store. Living alone, 40-year-old Andy spends his free time playing video games and curating his action-figure collection. Despite his age, Andy has never had sex, so his friends, including the laid-back David (Paul Rudd), push Andy towards losing his virginity. While attempting to get over his awkwardness around female customers, Andy meets local shop owner Trish (Catherine Keener), and they begin a tentative romance.

Back to the Future Part II: In this zany sequel, time-traveling duo Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) return from saving Marty’s future son from disaster, only to discover their own time transformed. In this nightmarish version of Hill Valley, Marty’s father has been murdered and Biff Tannen, Marty’s nemesis, has profited. After uncovering the secret to Biff’s success — a sports almanac from the future — Marty and the Doc embark on a quest to repair the space-time continuum.

Men in Black: They are the best-kept secret in the universe. Working for a highly funded yet unofficial government agency, Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) and Jay (Will Smith) are the Men in Black, providers of immigration services and regulators of all things alien on Earth. While investigating a series of unregistered close encounters, the MIB agents uncover the deadly plot of an intergalactic terrorist who is on a mission to assassinate two ambassadors from opposing galaxies currently in residence in New York City.

Men in Black II: Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) and Jay (Will Smith) reunite to provide our best line of defense against a seductress who levels the toughest challenge yet to the MIBs mission statement: protecting the earth from the scum of the universe. While investigating a routine crime, Jay uncovers a plot masterminded by Serleena (Boyle), a Kylothian monster who disguises herself as a lingerie model. When Serleena takes the MIB building hostage, there is only one person Jay can turn to — his former MIB partner.

Identity Thief: Florida resident Diana (Melissa McCarthy) has a luxurious lifestyle as the queen of retail, buying whatever strikes her fancy — and it’s all free, thanks to Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman), a guy from Denver whose identity she stole. With just one week to track down Diana before his world implodes, the real Sandy heads south to confront the unapologetic con artist and bring her back to Denver so that he can clear his name and restore his shattered credit rating.

The Last Airbender: The four nations of Air, Water, Earth and Fire lived in harmony until the Fire Nation declared war. A century later, there is still no end in sight to the destruction, then, an Avatar named Aang (Noah Ringer) discovers that he has the power to control the four elements. He joins forces with Katara (Nicola Peltz), a Waterbender, and her brother, Sokka, to restore balance and harmony to their world.

Wrecked: In the wake of an apparent accident, a bewildered man (Adrien Brody) finds himself pinned to the seat of a mangled car in the wilderness, his traveling companions both dead. Suffering from memory loss and badly injured, the man is forced to remain in the car. As the days pass, he struggles to distinguish between reality and paranoid fantasy as he pieces together the events leading up to his current predicament — and in doing so makes a shocking discovery about his own dark capabilities.

Berlin Syndrome: A disturbed teacher holds a young photographer captive in his Berlin apartment after bringing her home for a night of romance.

The Zookeeper’s Wife: The time is 1939 and the place is Poland, homeland of Antonina Zabinski and her husband, Dr. Jan Zabinski. The Warsaw Zoo flourishes under Jan’s stewardship and Antonina’s care. When their country is invaded by the Nazis, Jan and Antonina are forced to report to the Reich’s newly appointed chief zoologist, Lutz Heck. The Zabinskis covertly begin working with the Resistance and put into action plans to save the lives of hundreds from what has become the Warsaw Ghetto.

July 2

Warrior Nun: After waking up in a morgue, an orphaned teen discovers she now possesses superpowers as the chosen Halo-Bearer for a secret sect of demon-hunting nuns.

Thiago Ventura: POKAS: In a rollicking special, Thiago Ventura jokes about life in the hood, politics and more, explaining how actions speak louder than words.

The F**k-It List: Brett Blackmore is a high school senior whose exemplary GPA and college resume hides the fact that he’s unintentionally sold his childhood for a future he’s not even sure he wants. When his high-school senior prank goes wrong, his life crumbles before his eyes.

July 3

Cable Girls: Final Season: Part 2: When Lidia’s biggest rival uses a prison camp to enact revenge, Lidia and her friends become even more defiant in their fight against Franco’s regime.

JU-ON: Origins: A paranormal researcher searches obsessively for a cursed home where something terrible happened to a mother and her child long ago.

Southern Survival: The BattlBox crew tests out a variety of products designed to help people survive dangerous situations, including fires, explosions and intruders.

Desperados: After drunkenly sending a cringeworthy email, hopeless romantic Wes heads to Mexico with her best friends to erase the note before her new love reads it.

The Baby-Sitters Club: Netflix’s new series THE BABY-SITTERS CLUB is based on the best-selling book series, that follows the friendship and adventures of Kristy Thomas (Sophie Grace), Mary Anne Spier (Malia Baker), Claudia Kishi (Momona Tamada), Stacey McGill (Shay Rudolph), and Dawn Schafer (Xochitl Gomez) as the middle-schoolers start their babysitting business in the town of Stoneybrook, Connecticut. Rounding out the cast, Alicia Silverstone plays Elizabeth Thomas-Brewer, the selfless single-mother of Kristy Thomas and love interest of all around good guy Watson Brewer, played by Mark Feuerstein. Ann M. Martin, the beloved series author and producer on the new series, was the first to conceive the idea of these inspiring young girls with different backgrounds, personalities and opinions that were brought together by a business venture they conceived and bonded through the friendships they forged. The adaptation of the contemporary dramedy that continues to champion friendship, female empowerment and entrepreneurship was led by Rachel Shukert (Glow) as showrunner and Lucia Aniello (Broad City) as executive producer.

July 6

The Blacklist: Season 7: The Blacklist is an American crime thriller television series that premiered on NBC on September 23, 2013. The show follows Raymond “Red” Reddington (James Spader), a former U.S. Navy officer turned high-profile criminal, who voluntarily surrenders to the FBI after eluding capture for decades.

July 8

Was It Love?: When four very different men appear in her life, a single mother who hasn’t dated in years begins to rediscover love — and herself.

Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado: Astrologer Walter Mercado, with 120 million viewers at his peak, was sui generis: a peacock in macho culture, a naive biz whiz, a courier of hope.

July 9

The Protector: Season 4: Vizier and the Immortals rule over modern Istanbul, Hakan travels to the past to stop a war, and Zeynep undergoes a powerful transformation.

Japan Sinks: 2020: After catastrophic earthquakes devastate Japan, one family’s resolve is tested on a journey of survival through the sinking archipelago.

July 10

O Crush Perfeito: In this reality show, six singles meet five different blind dates at trendy hot spots in São Paulo. Who will they choose for a second date?

The Claudia Kishi Club: Asian American creatives pay passionate tribute to the iconic, stereotype-busting “Baby-Sitters Club” character in this heartfelt documentary short.

The Twelve: Twelve ordinary citizens on jury duty must decide the fate of a respected headmistress accused of two murders.

Dark Desire: Married Alma spends a fateful weekend away from home that ignites passion, ends in tragedy and leads her to question the truth about those close to her.

Skin Decision: Before and After: Plastic surgeon Dr. Sheila Nazarian and skin-care expert Nurse Jamie use the latest procedures to transform clients and bring out their best selves.

The Old Guard: Led by a warrior named Andy (Charlize Theron), a covert group of tight-knit mercenaries with a mysterious inability to die have fought to protect the mortal world for centuries. But when the team is recruited to take on an emergency mission and their extraordinary abilities are suddenly exposed, it’s up to Andy and Nile (Kiki Layne), the newest soldier to join their ranks, to help the group eliminate the threat of those who seek to replicate and monetize their power by any means necessary. Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Greg Rucka and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (LOVE & BASKETBALL, BEYOND THE LIGHTS), THE OLD GUARD is a gritty, grounded, action-packed story that shows living forever is harder than it looks.

Hello Ninja: Season 3: In their third season, the adventure-loving ninjas learn new katas, meet Wesley’s cousin, Gen, and visit Baa-chan’s hometown of Osaka, Japan.

The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants in Space: Best friends George and Harold — along with their classmates and tyrannical principal — are recruited for a mysterious mission in outer space.

July 11

The Hurricane Heist: The rural town of New Hope, Ala., has a pair of super-sized problems heading its way: There’s a hurricane bearing down on the Gulf coastline, and there’s a team of 30 well-armed mercenaries intent on looting the local treasury facility.

July 13

Little Italy: Leo Campo and Nikki Angioli are the respective son and daughter of rival New York pizzeria owners. Their parents’ feud escalates even further when Leo and Nikki’s longtime friendship blossoms into romance.

July 14

Urzila Carlson: Overqualified Loser: Urzila Carlson keeps the laughs coming with thoughts on “The Biggest Loser,” sex tapes and boxed wine in a stand-up special from Melbourne, Australia.

On est ensemble: Activists around the world fight injustice and drive social change in this documentary that follows their participation in the music video “Solidarité.”

The Business of Drugs: Limited Series: To detail how drugs push people into risky — even deadly — behaviors, a former CIA analyst investigates the economics of six illicit substances.

Mrs. Lowry & Son: A portrait of the artist LS Lowry and the relationship with his mother, who tries to dissuade him from pursuing his passion.

July 15

Gli Infedeli: From campy lies to sexy surprises, this collection of vignettes captures the follies of several men as they fumble with fidelity and relationships.

The Beach Bum: Moondog is a fun-loving, pot-smoking, beer-drinking writer who lives life on his own terms in Florida. Luckily, his wife Minnie loves him for exactly those qualities. A tragic accident brings unexpected changes to Moondog’s relaxed lifestyle. Suddenly, putting his literary talent to good use and finishing the next great American novel is a more pressing matter than he would have liked it to be.

Executive Decision: When terrorists hijack a plane traveling from Greece to Washington, D.C., U.S. Army specialist David Grant (Kurt Russell) and Lt. Colonel Austin Travis (Steven Seagal) join forces to bring the plane to safety. While terrorists on board the plane claim they hijacked the plane to force the U.S. government to release their leader, who was captured by military forces, David and Austin discover that the plane is carrying a bomb full of nerve gas to be released on Washington, D.C.

Passenger 57: John Cutter (Wesley Snipes) is a former policeman flying to Los Angeles to start his new job working for the anti-terrorism unit of a major airline. However, apprehended terrorist Charles Rane (Bruce Payne) is on the flight, too, being transported by the FBI. After Rane’s accomplices kill the FBI agents and free him, Cutter realizes the entire flight is in danger. With the help of flight attendant Marti Slayton (Alex Datcher), Cutter tries to capture Rane and free the passengers.

July 16

Indian Matchmaking: Matchmaker Sima Taparia guides clients in the U.S. and India in the arranged marriage process, offering an inside look at the custom in a modern era.

Fatal Affair: Ellie (Nia Long) tries to mend her marriage with her husband Marcus (Stephen Bishop) after a brief encounter with an old friend, David (Omar Epps), only to find that David is more dangerous and unstable than she’d realized. FATAL AFFAIR is directed by Peter Sullivan.

MILF: Three best friends in their 40s start relationships with younger men while on vacation.

July 17

Boca a Boca: In a Brazilian cattle-ranching town, adolescents panic when they’re threatened by the outbreak of a contagious infection transmitted by kissing.

How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast): Season 2: As Moritz and the MyDrugs crew ramp up their hustle, the online drug shop grows more successful — and even more dangerous.

Cursed: Based on the New York Times bestselling book, Cursed is a re-imagination of the Arthurian legend, told through the eyes of Nimue, a young woman with a mysterious gift who is destined to become the powerful (and tragic) Lady of the Lake. After her mother’s death, she finds an unexpected partner in Arthur, a humble mercenary, in a quest to find Merlin and deliver an ancient sword. Over the course of her journey, Nimue will become a symbol of courage and rebellion against the terrifying Red Paladins, and their complicit King Uther. Cursed is a coming-of-age story whose themes are familiar to our own time: the obliteration of the natural world, religious terror, senseless war, and finding the courage to lead in the face of the impossible.

July 20

Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love: On the heels of the Fall Ball, Ashley continues her California adventure — and explores the thrills and spills of teen romance.

Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch: The Grinch and his loyal dog, Max, live a solitary existence inside a cave on Mount Crumpet. His main source of aggravation comes during Christmastime when his neighbours in Whoville celebrate the holidays with a bang. When the Whos decide to make Christmas bigger and brighter, the disgruntled Grinch realises there is one way to gain peace and quiet. With help from Max, the green grump hatches a scheme to pose as Santa Claus, steal Christmas and silence the Whos’ holiday cheer once and for all.

July 21

Jack Whitehall: I’m Only Joking: Award-winning actor, comedian, and presenter Jack Whitehall is back with more hilarious quips and shocking stories in his second Netflix original comedy special, Jack Whitehall: I’m Only Joking. The hour-long set features a disastrous audience interaction, absurd tales of Jack’s [in]famous father, and an uncomfortable story from the Berlin airport. Filmed at Wembley Stadium in January of this year, Jack Whitehall: I’m Only Joking premieres globally on Netflix on July 21, 2020.

Street Food: Latin America: Travel to six countries and explore vibrant food scenes in places like Oaxaca, Mexico, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, in this docuseries.

July 22

Signs: When a young woman’s murder shows similarities to a decade-old cold case, a new police commander must break the silence permeating an Owl Mountain town.

Norsemen: Season 3: This season of the Norwegian Viking comedy goes back in time to tell the story that led to Season 1. Don’t worry, there is still plenty of pillaging and plundering.

¡A cantar!: In this new singing contest, players face off on some of the biggest hits, and the jackpot of up to 30,000 euros grows every time they hit the right note.

Good Girls: Season 3: Suburban mothers-turned-criminals Beth, Ruby and Annie return to face the consequences of last season’s hijinks.

Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons: Season 4: Journalist Raphael Rowe lives like an inmate while investigating dangerous prisons in Paraguay, Germany, Mauritius and Lesotho.

Fear City: New York vs The Mafia: This docuseries chronicles how the feds took down the five mafia empires of New York City at the height of their powers during the 1980s.

July 23

The Larva Island Movie: The island adventures of silly larva buddies Yellow and Red get a feature-length treatment, taking their slapstick fun to the next level.

July 24

Animal Crackers: A family inherits a neglected circus … along with a magical box of animal crackers that turn whoever eats one into a real, live animal.

Ofrenda a la tormenta: Amaia investigates several suspicious infant deaths and horrific rituals. Meanwhile, people around her risk grave danger. Part 3 in the Baztan Trilogy.

The Kissing Booth 2: In this sequel, high school senior Elle juggles a long-distance relationship, college apps and a new friendship that could change everything.

Dragons: Rescue Riders: Secrets of the Songwing: When a musical dragon with a beautiful voice hypnotizes the dragons and people of Huttsgalor, the Rescue Riders have to find a way to break the spell.

July 28

Last Chance U: Laney: The junior college football docuseries heads West to Oakland, California, to feature the Laney College Eagles, led by coach John Beam.

July 29

The Hater: A duplicitous young man finds success in the dark world of social media smear tactics — but his virtual vitriol soon has violent real-life consequences.

The Speed Cubers: Discover the special bond — and uncommon competitive spirit — shared by the world’s Rubik’s Cube-solving record breakers in this documentary.

July 30

Transformers: War For Cybertron Trilogy: On their dying planet, the Autobots and Decepticons battle fiercely for control of the AllSpark in the Transformers universe’s origin story.

July 31

Get Even: Four teen enemies band together to exact revenge on their bullies until they get blamed for a crime they didn’t commit. Will they get mad — or get even?

The Umbrella Academy: Season 2: The super-powered Hargreeves siblings return for Season 2.

Vis a vis: El Oasis: After years of stealing jewelry, Zulema and Macarena recruit four other women for a final heist worth millions, to take place at a narco family wedding.

Seriously Single: Two besties with polar opposite views of men, sex and love navigate the complicated singles scene together in this romantic comedy.

Latte and the Magic Waterstone: In this animated adventure, brave hedgehog Latte sets out to retrieve a magic stone from a greedy bear king and restore water flow to the forest.

Undated

ARASHI’s Diary -Voyage- ep 10: Japanese boy band ARASHI will go on hiatus but continue moving forward and challenging until the last moment with five members – visit America and meet with producers in New York, L.A. and more.