5 new to Netflix movies I'm adding to my watchlist in August 2025
Among the newcomers this month are some cinematic classics, and for action-obsessives, a slew of 'Fast & Furious' films will arrive midway through the month.
There will be plenty of new Netflix originals over the next several weeks as well, but in this article, I'm looking at the new library titles, which include the legendary 'Jurassic Park' (and it's much less impressive sequels), alongside a quintessential teen comedy that remains just as hilarious, and painfully relatable, even if the High School experience has changed.
Let's dive into the five new to Netflix movies that I believe are most worthy of your attention this month.
It's pretty much impossible to properly summarize the legacy of 'Jurassic Park.' The highest-grossing film ever made at the time of its release in 1993, and spawning half a dozen sequels (the latest is still playing in theatres), its reputation is as legendary as the T Rex that adorns its iconic poster.
This sci-fi action-adventure broke new ground upon release and hasn't aged a bit. Decades later, it remains among the most beloved blockbusters ever.
If you somehow don't know the basic plot of 'Jurassic Park' (have you been fossilized in amber since the '90s?), It's set within a vast theme park full of cloned dinosaurs. When a small group, including Alan Grant (Sam Neil), Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), is given the chance to tour the park before its grand opening to the public.
This dream experience becomes a prehistoric nightmare when the dinosaurs break free and go on a rampage. Oh, and goosebumps are guaranteed when the classic theme kicks in.
Watch "Jurassic Park" on Netflix now
'The Departed' is quite the rarity in Hollywood. It's an American remake of 2002's 'Infernal Affairs,' but it's no cheap rehash. Instead, it's a multi-Oscar winner helmed by one of the greatest filmmakers in history, Martin Scorsese, and packing a truly star-stuffed cast with Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg and more in top form.
'The Departed' centers on the war between the South Boston police and an Irish-American crime syndicate. To get the upper hand, rookie cop Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) goes undercover to get closer to gang leader Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson).
At the same time, a young criminal (Matt Damon) has infiltrated the police unit and is informing for Costello. To protect their true allegiance, these two men must race against time to discover the other's identity and expose their opposite before they can be unmasked themselves.
Watch "The Departed" on Netflix now
Released in 1999, 'American Pie' is the definitive teen comedy for a whole generation of people. Some of its attitudes to sex (and frankly, women) are undoubtedly outdated, but there is still plenty of cringeworthy comedy that is worryingly relatable for a whole lot of us.
It made household names of its cast of young upcomers, and spawned a franchise that ran through the 2000s and into the 2010s. But the original has always been the best slice of this pie.
The coming-of-age story focuses on Jim (Jason Biggs), who makes a pact with his closest friends to all lose their virginity before their impending graduation. Naturally, this leads to many awkward moments and even a few life lessons.
Also starring Tara Reid, Natasha Lyonne, Chris Klein and Sean William Scott (in his most iconic role), 'American Pie' remains a (mostly) delicious treat. Netflix also added the first sequel, and it's almost as much fun.
Watch "American Pie" on Netflix now
This month, Netflix is adding the first six 'Fast and Furious' movies (and spin-off 'Hobbs and Shaw'), while 2011's 'Fast Five' tends to get the most plaudits, and I have praised it many times in the past myself, this time I'm highlighting 'Furious 7.'
Arguably, the series' blockbuster peak, by this point, the franchise's street race origins are gone, and Dom (Vin Diesel) and his crew are basically superheroes performing death-defying stunts with ease.
In this seventh installment, Dom's team is recruited to prevent a global terrorist from obtaining a McGuffin of extreme power, but the plot trappings are unimportant. Viewers are here for the outrageous set pieces, and in this area, 'Furious 7' is unrivalled.
The movie is also known for being Paul Walker's final appearance in the series before his tragic death, and this aspect is handled with remarkable grace that might just bring a tear to your eye.
Watch "Furious 7" on Netflix from August 16
'Groundhog Day' is often ranked as among Billy Murray's very best comedies, and that's quite some achievement considering his filmography is bursting with very funny films.
Directed by his 'Ghostbusters' co-star Harold Ramis, 'Groundhog Day' is seriously funny, but beyond the many laughs, it's also got a sweet romantic plot and a worthwhile message about seizing the day.
Murray plays Phil Connors, a jaded TV weatherman, who travels to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, for the town's annual Groundhog Day celebration. But once there, he finds himself trapped in a time loop, forced to relive the same day over and over.
As he repeats the same day dozens of times, he eventually starts to fall for his producer, Rita (Andie MacDowell), and becomes increasingly desperate to break free from his purgatory.
Watch "Groundhog Day" on Netflix now
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