Netflix is continuing its quest to try and destroy the domination of TV Networks over the entertainment industry. In this regard, they are kind of like a rebellion and the old fashioned networks are similar to an empire.
We are thinking in these terms because of a certain Rogue One that is being added to the service this month, which will overshadow everything else that is unlucky enough to also debut in July. This doesn't mean that you should only watch the one film, however, as a lot of great content will be coming to Netflix over the next few weeks.
We are here today to give our recommendations for the best new movies and TV shows that are being added to Netflix this month.
From the return of the Belmont family to nostalgic favorites to the rebellion that started it all, here are the 15 Best New Shows And Movies Coming To Netflix This July.
15. Castlevania
Konami has been ignoring the Castlevania series of late after the last game in the series (Lords of Shadow 2) was a commercial and critical letdown. The franchise isn't quite dead, however, as the animation studio behind Adventure Time has created a four episode Castlevania series for Netflix, which is written by Warren Ellis (best known for his work at Marvel Comics) and is based on the third game in the series.
Castlevania promises to be dark and violent, with the producers listing Game of Thrones as one of the chief inspirations behind the series. The fact that the series is inspired by the third Castlevania game also means we will be seeing the other awesome characters from that game, such as Alucard, Sypha, and Grant the Thief.
This means that there should be a lot more to the series than just the Belmont family of vampire hunters and their war against Dracula, though this alone is going to be awesome to see on the screen.
Castlevania will be debuting on Netflix on July 7th.
14. Ozark
Jason Bateman is the first person who directors go to when they want a "nice guy" actor, who preferably needs to have nice hair and be completely unthreatening. He is basically the American version of Martin Freeman. It seems that Jason Bateman wants to escape from all of this typecasting, however, and play a bad guy on the screen for once.
Ozark is a show about a financial planner, named Marty Byrde (played by Bateman) who relocates to a summer resort near the Ozarks in Missouri. He was previously involved in a money laundering scheme that went wrong, which left him millions of dollars in debt to a drug cartel. Byrde has to relocate his family to a region that is as remote as possible, in order to keep them safe while he deals with his debts.
It's going to be interesting to see Jason Bateman outside of his comfort zone and taking on more of an action role for once. Ozark looks like it is going to be a far more interesting take on the subject matter that was squandered in Lilyhammer.
Ozark will debut on Netflix on July 21st.
13. Police Academy
The first Police Academy movie is one of the best comedy films of the '80s. We have to stress that only the first Police Academy movie was great, as the series declined in quality with each new entry. The seventh movie in the franchise, Mission to Moscow, killed the series, and it has yet to be rebooted.
Police Academy is one of the best ensemble comedies of the '80s. The real reason to watch Police Academy is Michael Winslow's performance as Larvelle Jones, aka "the guy who does the noises."
His appearance in Police Academy is what helped to propel his career, and he still gets regular talk show & radio interviews where he spends all of his time doing noises. That's not to say that the rest of the cast aren't great, however, as Police Academy's strength lies in the amazing comedic performances across the board.
Police Academy debuted on Netflix on the 1st of July and can be watched right now.
12. To The Bone
Netflix acquired the distribution rights to a film called To the Bone, which has already been causing controversy due to its touchy subject matter. To the Bone is a movie about a girl who suffers from anorexia and is sent to live in a group home. The movie has already come under fire for supposedly glorifying anorexia by having a glamorous celebrity as its lead.
To the Bone is supposed to be an inspirational movie about overcoming eating disorders and talking frankly about the reasons why people develop them in the first place. Lily Collins plays the lead, where she is treated by a doctor, who is played by Keanu Reeves.
While To the Bone has been accused by some for glamorising anorexia, it has also been praised by others for its honest depiction of people with eating orders, and its ability to give hope to those who may be suffering from them.
To The Bone will debut on Netflix on July 14th.
11. The Incredible Jessica James
There are some roles that were written with specific actors in mind, as was the case with Bill Murray in Lost In Translation. The Incredible Jessica James is another case where a movie was created specifically to showcase someone's talent to Hollywood, and your enjoyment of the film will depend on how much you like the leading lady.
The Incredible Jessica James is a comedy movie, starring Jessica Williams, who is best known for being a Daily Show correspondent. This film was made to show off her comedic chops and the enthusiastic energy that she brings to her performance.
The premise of the movie is hardly anything new, as it is about a woman trying to make it as a writer in New York City while also trying to juggle her love life. It is Williams' performance that sells the movie, and her screen presence will ultimately determine whether this film is for you.
The Incredible Jessica James is coming to Netflix on the 28th of July.
10. Titanic
Does the Titanic even need an introduction? It is the second-highest grossing movie of all time (though this number was boosted by a 3D re-release of the film) and won eleven academy awards. There is a strong chance that you have seen this movie already... and now you can watch it again on Netflix.
Titanic is often considered to be one of the best romantic movies of all time. It is the story of love that has to cross the boundaries of class warfare... while the biggest ship ever made sinks in the background.
Titanic was the most expensive movie ever made when it was released and it shows, as it has some of the best action scenes of its era. Just try not to dwell too much on the whole "why didn't Jack get on the raft with Rose, there was plenty of room" argument.
Titanic debuted on Netflix on July 1st and can be watched right now.
9. The Worst Witch
The Harry Potter series has been accused of plagiarism on several occasions, to the point where J.K. Rowling has been taken to court. The truth is that the premise of a school for wizards and witches had been done numerous times before-- Harry Potter just did it the best.
The Worst Witch is based on a series of books that were first released in the '70s and have had other TV and movie adaptations in the past. This version of The Worst Witch is a co-production between CBBC and Netflix.
The show follows a witch named Mildred Hubble, who is played by Bella Ramsey. You might recognize this actress from Game of Thrones, where she played the fearsome Lyanna Mormont. If you have kids who love the Harry Potter franchise and need a new fix of British wizarding schools, then they will love this show. The only downside is that it doesn't feature the incredible Tim Curry cameo and song from the 1986 The Worst Witch movie.
The Worst Witch will debut on Netflix on July 21st.
8. The Land Before Time
Disney has slowly been gobbling up all of the biggest properties in the entertainment industry for a while now. However, there was once a time when a single man opposed the company and it seemed as if he had the creativity to topple the kingdom of the mouse. His name was Don Bluth and he made some of the greatest animated films of all time. The Land Before Time is one of them.
The Land Before Time is a story about a group of young dinosaurs who band together in search of The Great Valley, which is a place in their world which has an unlimited source of food and water, and remains untouched while the rest of the world begins to deteriorate.
It is a powerful film that deals with issues related to prejudice and the loss of loved ones. The death of Littlefoot's mother might be the most heart-wrenching scene in movie history, and only the most heartless of people will not get choked up during it.
The Land Before Time debuted on Netflix on the 1st of July and can be watched right now.
7. Chasing Coral
The people at Netflix have the ability to fund projects that a lot of studios and networks won't touch. Chasing Coral is one such movie that would have had trouble being made outside of Netflix's influence. The film is a documentary that chronicles the destruction of coral around the world and the devastating effect that it is having on our eco-system.
Jeff Orlowski had previously made a similar movie called Chasing Ice, which documents the growing problem of climate change. This movie follows on from his previous work, as it shows irrefutable evidence of climate change's existence.
The other movies and TV shows on this list are entertaining, but none of them are as important as Chasing Coral in helping to inspire action about the destruction of our planet. Chasing Coral will make you love the beauty and wonder that coral brings to the world. You will then witness the natural entity being devastated by the rising temperature of our atmosphere, and perhaps learn a thing or two.
Chasing Coral will debut on Netflix on July 14th.
6. The Standups
The one aspect in which Netflix is underappreciated is in its library of stand-up shows. There have been many comedians who have performed exclusive stand-up shows for Netflix, which have been praised for their lack of censorship or editing of objectionable material. This has led to the creation of a new series called The Standups, which allows six comedians to say anything they want.
Netflix is eschewing the standard hour-long format for their stand-ups specials in exchange for a single series of half-hour long episodes. This means that the comedian has to use all of their best material up front, as there isn't time to dally or use jokes that have a long set up.
The six comedians on the show are Nate Bargatze, Fortune Feimster, Dean Cole, Nikki Glaser, Beth Stolling, and Dan Soder. It is up to them to make the most of their time and to impress you, as this may be their best shot at the big time.
The Standups debuted on Netflix on July 4th and is available to watch now.
5. Daughters Of Destiny
India is home to one of the biggest class struggles on the planet. This has become important over the past decade, as India has an ever-growing middle class that will one day decide the fate of the country. Daughters of Destiny is a story about the changes within India, which takes place at a school that offers education to those who would normally be denied it.
Daughters of Destiny is about the Shanti Bhavan school and the struggle of the people who work there. The Shanti Bhavan school offers free education to the poorest of India's society, who would normally not be allowed to attend state-funded schools.
It is a four-part series about five girls who attend the school and the harsh journey they undertook to complete their education. This series was filmed over the course of several years, and maps the growing changes and divides within Indian society, which exist on both class and gender lines.
Daughters of Destiny will debut on Netflix on July 28th.
4. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
This is the third movie that Netflix is adding this month that has a scene that is totally okay to cry to when in public. We had Jack sinking into the water in Titanic, the death of Littlefoot's mother in The Land Before Time, and now the ending of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial when he says "I'll be right here."
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is one of the best kids movies of all time, and shame on you if you haven't seen it already. It was the highest-grossing film of all time for eleven years until Jurassic Park usurped its place.
It is a timeless piece about a boy who befriends an alien and has to keep him out of the hands of the government. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is an all-time classic and it is one of the best movies to ever be added to Netflix.
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial debuted on July 1st and can be watched right now.
3. iZombie
In July of 2016, Netflix cut a deal with The CW which allowed them to stream their shows only a week after their finale had aired. This means that the third season of iZombie will be added to Netflix soon. This ruling mainly exists for The CW's numerous DC superhero shows, like Supergirl, but it also applies to some of their other programs, such as iZombie.
iZombie is a show about Olivia Moore, who is turned into a zombie and must eat brains on a regular basis in order to stave off her condition. Eating a human's brain gives her access to the memories and personalities of the deceased, which is an ability that Olivia uses to solve crimes.
The third season of the show is coming to Netflix this month, which means that, if you haven't started the series yet, you have a lot of binge-watching material at your disposal.
iZombie Season 3 debuted on Netflix today, July 5th.
2. Jackass Number Two
Those who had never watched Jackass on MTV likely looked down their nose at the idea of a movie being made of the series. Jackass: The Movie smashed everyone's expectations by being an incredibly funny movie on its own merits. It was also a hit at the box office, though this was helped by the fact that the movie didn't cost much to make.
Jackass Number Two raised the stakes with even more dangerous stunts and grosser humor than we had ever seen before. The movie is carried by the infectious enthusiasm of its cast, who gladly offer up their bodies-- and the contents of their stomachs-- for the sake of comedy. The Jackass movies were some of the funniest movies of the 2000s, and this one might be the best of the three.
Jackass Number Two debuted on Netflix on July 1st and can be enjoyed right now.
1. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Netflix has been promoting Star Wars a lot, particularly the newest movies, which will be added to their library shortly. This makes sense, as Rogue One was one of the biggest movies of last year and is likely to be of interest to every Star Wars fan out there.
Have you ever wondered how the Rebel Alliance acquired the plans for the Death Star? If your answer was "no," then tough, as that's what the movie is about. Rogue One follows Jyn Erso, the daughter of the man who designed the Death Star.
It is up to her and other members of the rebellion to try and find the design plans for the Death Star, which contains a weakness that her father had developed into the system so that it could be destroyed. We know that they succeed in their mission, because how else would they have had the plans in A New Hope?
You can still enjoy all of the exciting Star Wars action that the film has to offer, which includes some of the best space battles in the entire series. Just try not to be too scared by the horrific CGI version of Grand Moff Tarkin.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will debut on Netflix on July 18th.
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Which of these shows or movies are you most looking forward to seeing? Are there any others that you think Netflix should add? Let us know in the comment section!