What To Stream In September
Netflix
Narcos, Season Two – September 1st
Get ready to witness the most famous manhunt ever: the search for Pablo Escobar. At the end of season one of Narcos, the drug lord escaped from La Catedral prison (which he really did in 1991), a prison especially designed for him as part of a deal between him and the Colombian government. Escobar agreed to serve a little time there and avoid extradition to the United States. (What the hell were they thinking?) Anyway, now the DEA and Colombian government are after him (again), along with his enemies, as Escobar defiantly expands his empire across Medellin. It’s damn good storytelling, interwoven with real news footage, and offers a glimpse into why the legacy he left behind is so complex.
Chef's Table: France - September 1st
David Gelb (the man behind the award-winning documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi) returns with another four episodes of his acclaimed series Chef's Table. In this outing, some of the most revered and influential chefs from one of the world's greatest food cultures are explored. As with his other seasons, Chef's Table explores the stories behind these incredible chefs, what drives and influences them, their culinary journeys, as well as some of their most famous dishes. As always, the cinematography and camera work is incredible, and really captures the remarkable beauty and art in haute cusine. Whether you're a food enthusiast or just interested in great stories, Chefs Table is a can't-miss series.
Top Gun - September 1st
In what was a starmaking performace for Tom Cruise, Top Gun is an all-time classic 80's action movie and gave life to many of movie history's most famous quotes and scenes (negative ghostrider, the pattern is full). If for some weird reason you've never experienced this classic, it follows Cruise's Mavrick, a brilliant but brash fighter pilot as he navigates (puns!) the Navy's elite Top Gun flight academy. Packed with incredibe fighter jet action and hilarious (ok, cheesy) dialogue, this is the perfect Saturday afternoon movie.
The Walking Dead, Season 6 – September 15th
We’re just a month and a few weeks away from finding out who new villain Negan bludgeoned to death on The Walking Dead, so relive season six or watch it for the first time. Once just a ragtag bunch of people trying to survive the end of civilization, Rick’s crew has fully evolved into a ruthless group that is as scary as any of the dangers they faced in previous seasons. While the show definitely isn’t as great as it used to be, you can still count on it for intense fight scenes, brutal death of people probably hated anyway, and excellent zombie kills.
Luke Cage, Season 1 – September 30th
Unfortunately, Netflix is making us wait the whole month for Luke Cage, the highly anticipated next chapter in its Marvel collection. You’ll remember Cage from Jessica Jones as the bulletproof stranger (Mike Colter) whose physical strength rivaled Jones’s and who helped her in her fight to take down the psychotic Kilgrave. This time, he’s the reluctant defender of the people of Harlem (unlike Matt Murdock’s Daredevil, who felt an obligation to protect Hell’s Kitchen). Also, hip-hop is so integrated into the show that it feels like it’s a character.
More to check out: The Jaws collection – September 1st, Saving Private Ryan – September 1st
Amazon Prime
Any Given Sunday – September 1st
Any Given Sunday arrives to Amazon Prime right just in time for football season, and Oliver Stone’s gritty, hyper-realistic take on the NFL is probably closer to the truth than we want to admit. The movie follows the fictional Miami Sharks, a professional team struggling to reclaim its greatness, as the coach (Al Pacino), team owner (Cameron Diaz) and offensive coordinator (Aaron Eckhart) fight for power, and try to control their new star quarterback (Jamie Foxx). Look for great performances from Pacino and Foxx.
The Mechanic – September 1st
This remake of the 1972 film stars Jason Statham from the Transporter movies and most recently Furious 7. If you’re familiar with this sort of vibe, you know he basically gets cast to kick a lot of ass, blow a few things up, and maybe utter a few lines here and there. The Mechanic is no different (he’s not actually working on cars, by the way). In it, Statham plays a hitman who can make his kills look like accidents or random crimes. He takes on an apprentice after the death of his mentor.
Sicario – September 23rd
Dark, violent, and realistic, Sicario is about an FBI agent (Emily Blunt) who joins a Department of Defense-CIA task force out to take down the Sonora Cartel in Juárez, Mexico. While she’s very “by-the-book,” the rest of the task force is not above employing brutal interrogation techniques and not following protocol to further their investigation. As the investigation progresses the lines between legal and illegal get dramatically blurred, proving how the “war on drugs” is a clusterfuck and seemingly has no end. It’s the first movie in a standalone anthology, and the next film Soldado is in the works.
More to check out: Apollo 13 – September 1st, Good Will Hunting – September 1st, Man on Wire (also available on Netflix) – September 1st
Hulu
Buried – September 1st
If Deadpool is Ryan Reynolds’s best film, Buried is a close second. He plays a civilian truck driver in Iraq who wakes up buried alive in a coffin. He has a phone and the objects that were in his pockets, including a pen, lighter and knife. He soon learns from a phone call that he’s being held for ransom, and he contacts the State Department in the U.S. for help. Movies with only one main character in a confined space can be hit-or-miss, but this one has enough intensity to keep you hooked the entire time to see how it ends.
From Dusk Till Dawn – September 1st
The cult classic makes its way to Hulu this month. George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino star as the Gecko brothers, murderous bank robbers on the run from the feds and Texas police. After kidnapping an RV-driving family, they head to Mexico, promising to let the family go once they’re safely across the border. Celebratory drinks at a strip club called the Titty Twister go downhill fast when it turns out the place is full of vampires. The movie features an iconic scene with Salma Hayek, as Santanico Pandemonium, the main attraction, dancing with a snake and making Tarantino drink liquor off her toes. Good times. Interestingly enough, you can catch the TV series remake on Netflix.
American Psycho – September 1st
Speaking of cult followings, the 2000 film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s ultraviolent and controversial novel joins Hulu’s collection. Christian Bale stars as Patrick Bateman, a serial-killing investment banker with a fixation on business cards. After fifteen years, it still influences pop culture, and people still talk about what it reflects about our society’s obsession with materialism. It’s also one of Bale’s most memorable roles to date.
Guns N’ Roses: The Most Dangerous Band in the World – September 16th
Hulu subscribers who have added Showtime can catch this documentary about how legendary band Guns N’ Roses went from gigs on the Sunset Strip in the 80s to selling millions of albums worldwide. It chronicles all the sex, drugs and rock n’ roll you can handle, and features interviews with the band members and the people who were there to witness the exceptional debauchery of 80's hair metal in all its glory.
More to check out: The Ides of March – September 1st, The Talented Mr. Ripley – September 1st