New on Netflix and more: Top streaming picks for August 2025

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A typical edition of The Queue starts with me going in-depth on a single topic — whether it’s the best golf movies, Emmys snubs, or whether “Jaws” is a Massachusetts movie — before offering some quick streaming recommendations.

Once a month, however, I’ll be sending you an all-recommendations edition of the newsletter, because the struggle of deciding what to watch is eternal.

With the start of a new month heralding a slew of new movies and shows being added to streaming libraries, we’ve got plenty of recommendations to help you make the most of your time on the couch.

New movies to watch on Netflix

“The Departed” (2006): Not only can you watch Matt Damon win $1 million for charity over on Hulu, you can watch him and Leonardo DiCaprio play a game of cat and mouse. There’s also Mark Wahlberg in the role he was born to play and Jack Nicholson (as Whitey Bulger stand-in Frank Costello) watching it all unfold. (Netflix)

“Clueless” (1995): One of two coming-of-age classics directed by Amy Heckerling debuting on Netflix this month (the other being “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”), “Clueless” is both distinctly of its era and reliably evergreen. Alicia Silverstone’s Cher Horowitz may be a prototypical ’90s kid, but her character arc — based on Jane Austen’s “Emma” — is relatable for any generation. (Netflix)

“Dazed and Confused” (1993): Richard Linklater’s coming-of-age classic could easily stand the test of time based solely on how many careers it launched, including that of a 20-year-old Ben Affleck. But what makes “Dazed” worth revisiting is its authentic, humanistic approach to the milieu of high school. (Netflix)

More to watch this weekend

“Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues” (2025): Tom Brady is following in the footsteps of “Welcome to Wrexham” producers Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney (now legally Rob Mac) with his own docuseries about Birmingham City F.C., the lower-level English football club he became a minority owner of in 2023. Brady may lack the comic timing of Mac and Reynolds, but he isn’t afraid to call out legend Wayne Rooney, which should make for interesting viewing. (Prime Video)

“The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!” (1988): I’m happy to report that the 2025 legacyquel to “The Naked Gun” is the funniest movie of the year, and is definitely worth seeing in theaters. Even so, Liam Neeson can’t match the inimitable Leslie Nielsen as Det. Frank Drebin, and nothing beats this 1988 spoof from Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker. (Paramount+)

“30 Rock” (2006-2013): Staying on the theme of comedies that deliver an astounding rate of jokes per minute, how about settling in for an episode or 20 of Tina Fey’s showbiz satire? There ain’t no party like a Liz Lemon party, and thanks to Prime Video, a Liz Lemon party is now available on three major streaming platforms. (Hulu, Peacock, Prime Video)

Play or Skip: Staff edition

You’ve heard enough of my streaming picks already, so here’s what the rest of Boston.com’s staff is watching.

Have a show you can’t stop watching? Email me about it at kevin.slane@boston.com, and your recommendation may appear in a future edition of The Queue.

“The Summer I Turned Pretty,” Season 3: Not every show we watch is an award-winner, and that’s definitely the case for staffers who have been hate-watching the third season of this Prime Video romance. Boston.com’s Kelly Chan (who produces this newsletter!) gets “enraged every Wednesday like clockwork,” while Abby Patkin “legit wanted to throttle my computer” during one particular scene. Apparently “the memes are too good,” though, so this still counts as an endorsement. (Prime Video)

“9-1-1”: Speaking of corny shows that inspire memes and set group chats aflame, Abby Patkin is also a fan of Ryan Murphy’s oddball police procedural: “Like other Ryan Murphy/Brad Falchuk collabs, it’s quirky, cheesy, and insanely bingeable at 8 seasons and 120+ episodes. Is it a realistic first responder procedural? No. But it’ll have you texting your friends, “NOT THE BEENADO!!’” (Hulu)

“Final Destination 5” (2011): In honor of 2025’s horror hit “Final Destination: Bloodlines” streaming on HBO Max this weekend, Boston.com producer (and “Final Destination” superfan) Heather Alterisio recommended her favorite film of the franchise: “‘Final Destination 5’ is perhaps the most satisfying in terms of the creativity of deaths and the full circle moment of connecting all the films in the franchise. All of the movies are definitely corny and filled with bad acting, but I think that’s part of the allure of that type of concept.” (HBO Max)

End Credits

That’s a wrap on this edition of The Queue. If you’re a fan, please consider recommending this newsletter to your friends.

Until next time, good stream hunting, everyone!

— Kevin

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