There are some gems among the TV shows and movies new on Netflix this week.
Admittedly, one of those gems isn’t exactly hidden. The series Emily in Paris was a huge hit for Netflix, garnering tons of viewers and even a few award nominations, despite receiving mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. Now it’s back for a fourth season, and the first five episodes drop this Thursday.
In addition to the hit Netflix original series, there are two other films to keep an eye on. The Union is a new action comedy from Netflix starring Mark Wahlberg, Halle Berry and JK Simmons as a spy team that could be fun. There’s also Daughters, a Netflix original documentary about four girls who are reunited with their fathers for a special dance in a Washington, DC prison. The film won at Sundance this year, so don’t miss it.
Want more? There’s plenty more to choose from. Here’s a complete rundown of all the new Netflix releases this week.
New on Netflix this week: Top picks
“Matt Rife: Lucid – A Crowd Work Special”
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Crowd work is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of telling pre-written jokes, the comedian interacts with the audience and makes up jokes on the fly. Some comedians excel at this, but since the comedian can’t always control what happens, you rarely see it for more than brief moments in a stand-up comedy special.
But in “Matt Rife: Lucid – A Crowd Work Special,” sometimes controversial stand-up comedian Matt Rife turns this risky comedic skill into a very special special. Will he be able to get his Charlotte, North Carolina audience to focus on the topic of dreams? Or will it all quickly turn into a nightmare? You’ll have to watch the show to find out.
Watch on Netflix from 13 August
‘Daughters’
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“Daughters” tells the story of four daughters trying to connect with their incarcerated fathers. The film follows their journey as they bring a special father-daughter dance to the Washington, D.C., prison where their fathers are incarcerated, and explores the complicated but loving relationships between these girls and their fathers.
This could be the best documentary of the year. It already won the Audience Award for US Documentary at Sundance this year and currently has a perfect 100% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s a must-watch on Netflix this week.
Watch on Netflix from 14 August
“Emily in Paris” Season 4: Part 1
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In Emily in Paris, Lily Collins plays the titular Emily Cooper. Created by Sex and the City creator Darren Star, the series follows Emily as she moves to Paris to start a new life and navigate the challenges that come with it. The series offers plenty of drama, from mishaps at work to scandalous love triangles.
The series is polarizing, however. Critics’ reactions are consistently mixed, and the show is often disparaged by viewers on review sites like Rotten Tomatoes, where it has an average audience rating of just 48%. Despite this, it is also one of Netflix’s most popular shows, and is now in its fourth season. Two of the previous three seasons were even nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards, so it’s clear that someone likes this show.
Watch on Netflix from 15 August
“The Union”
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In “The Union,” Mark Wahlberg plays Mike, a relatively happy construction worker who never wants to leave New Jersey. One night, however, his high school sweetheart Roxanne (Halle Berry) walks into a bar and the next morning Mike wakes up in London. It turns out that Roxanne is a spy for the secret organization called The Union, and she and her boss (JK Simmons) need a regular guy to carry out the most dangerous mission they’ve ever undertaken.
Based on the trailer, this film looks like it will be an entertaining movie, although I did raise my eyebrows at the two-hour-plus runtime. Hopefully The Union takes full advantage of that time and packs it with action. But if not, you can just press pause and grab a snack.
Watch on Netflix from 16 August
‘Pearl’
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Although “Pearl” is technically the middle chapter of Ti West’s “X” trilogy, it is the prequel to both 2022’s “X” and this year’s “MaXXXine.” In the trilogy of slasher films, Mia Goth plays both adult actress Maxine Minx and the older Pearl, who we first meet in “X.”
In Pearl, however, Goth plays exclusively the titular Pearl, a young woman obsessed with the fantasy of becoming a Hollywood movie star. She lives on her parents’ ranch in Texas while her husband is serving in World War I, and while he’s away, she gets the chance to audition for a touring dance company and pursue her dream.
Unfortunately for Pearl, her parents (Tandi Wright and Matthew Sunderland) aren’t supportive of her ambitions, to say the least. So Pearl decides to take matters into her own hands in her quest for fame. Horror fans have probably already seen this film, but pretty much everyone (adults only) should check it out on Netflix this week.
Watch on Netflix from 16 August
Everything new on Netflix: August 12-18
13 AUGUST
“Matt Rife: Lucid – A Crowd Work Special” (Netflix comedy special)
In Netflix’s first-ever crowd-work special, Matt Rife gets up close and personal with Charlotte’s unpredictable audience to chat about all things dreams.
14 AUGUST
“Daughters” (Netflix documentary)
In this moving documentary about the healing power of love, four girls prepare to be reunited with their fathers during a special dance in a Washington, DC prison.
“The Worst Ex Ever” (Netflix documentary)
From gruesome betrayals to murder plots, this true crime documentary series uses eyewitness accounts to analyze the dark side of love.
15 AUGUST
“Emily in Paris” Season 4: Part 1 (Netflix series)
Emily’s life in Paris may be full of drama, but she’s willing to make bold decisions to get everything she wants from the city – and the man – of her dreams.
- “The Average Joe” Season 1
- “Backyard Wilderness”
16 AUGUST
“I Can’t Live Without You” (AR) (Netflix film)
When a workaholic ruins a family celebration, his wife gives him an ultimatum. Now he must choose between his two loves: his phone or his 20-year marriage.
“The Union” (Netflix film)
Mike (Mark Wahlberg) is happy and leads a simple life as a construction worker in his native New Jersey – until his long-lost high school sweetheart Roxanne (Halle Berry) shows up with more on her mind than just romance. Knowing he’s the right man for the job, she recruits Mike for a dangerous intelligence mission in Europe that catapults them back together into a world of spies and high-speed chases where sparks always fly. Directed by Julian Farino (Giri/Haji, Entourage), The Union also stars Mike Colter, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jessica De Gouw, Alice Lee, Jackie Earle Haley and JK Simmons.
17 AUGUST
“Love Next Door” (KR) (Netflix series)
A woman trying to start her life over again returns to Korea and gets caught up in the troubles of her childhood friend with whom she shares a complicated past.
Leaving Netflix this week
Departure on 12.08.24
“The Women King”
Departure on 13.08.24
“Paddington”
Departure on 15.08.24
“Dumb and Dumber Than”
“Path of Shame”
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