If you’re looking for something new to watch on Netflix, you’ve come to the right place. June offers a slew of terrific new library additions to the streaming service – including movies made before the year 2000! – as well as a trio of intriguing brand-new Netflix original films that are sure to make it to the top of your queue. Whether you’re in the mood for a comedy, superhero movie, classic 80s teen film or a no-holds-barred actioner there’s a little something for everyone in this proverbial grab-bag, so take your pick, sit back and enjoy.
Check out our picks for some of the best new movies on Netflix in June below.
“Groundhog Day”
Quite simply one of the best films ever made, 1993’s “Groundhog Day” is a hilarious, heartfelt and thought-provoking time loop comedy. Bill Murray plays a jerk of a weatherman who’s forced to cover Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney. After a miserable day of coverage, he wakes up only to find he’s forced to relive the same day over and over again. The push and pull between the film’s comedy antics and more introspective philosophical questions offer the perfect balance of something that’s supremely entertaining and stunningly impactful all at once. – Adam Chitwood
“Spider-Man” Trilogy
With the animated “Spider-Verse” all the rage, now’s a good time to revisit Tobey Maguire and director Sam Raimi’s original “Spider-Man” trilogy. The 2002 film is one of the most influential comic book adaptations of all time, as Raimi’s colorful yet grounded approach to Peter Parker’s journey laid the foundation for innumerable superhero movies to come. “Spider-Man 2” is one of the best sequels ever made, as the stakes increase on both a physical and emotional level for Peter. And “Spider-Man 3”… well… that one’s an optional watch, but it does have its moments. – Adam Chitwood
“The Breakfast Club”
Oh hey look, a movie made before 1990! Netflix doesn’t have a ton of these, but John Hughes’ “The Breakfast Club” is a classic for a reason. The 1985 film chronicles a single day of Saturday detention for five high school students, all from different backgrounds/cliques, and finds them bonding in surprising ways. The level at which this film gets the teenage struggle remains a stunning feat, and there’s something magical about the chemistry of Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy and Anthony Michael Hall altogether. – Adam Chitwood
“Extraction 2”
Coming June 16 is “Extraction 2,” the Chris Hemsworth-fronted sequel. In 2020, in the early days of lockdown, we gathered around the hardened hero Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) and thrilled at the direction of Sam Hargrave, a stunt performer and second unit director that worked on huge projects like “Atomic Blonde,” “Avengers: Infinity War” and “The Mandalorian.” While the first “Extraction” was exemplified by its lengthy action sequences punctuated by “unbroken” shots of extreme mayhem, the sequel ups the ante considerably. The centerpiece of the film is a 21-minute “unbroken” shot, which is even more elaborate and brutal. If you’re wondering how Hemsworth is back considering the end of the the first movie, well, that is explained away in the opening moments. His injuries were life-threatening but not life-ending.
And this time his gig is personal. We don’t want to spoil anything about the new movie’s storyline, except to say that you will be on the edge of your seat for the entire runtime. If you’re worried about Rake this time around, put your fears aside – this feels like the beginning of an entirely new franchise. Bring it on. We can’t wait for more “Extraction” goodness. – Drew Taylor
“Run Rabbit Run”
Streaming on June 28 is a new horror movie starring “Succession” actress Sarah Snook. The actress formerly known as Shiv Roy stars in this horror movie made in her native Australia, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The official Netflix synopsis reads: “A single mother grows increasingly unsettled by her young daughter’s claims to have memories of another life, stirring up their family’s painful past.” That is a pretty intriguing premise and the notices out of Sundance single out the script by Australian novelist Hannah Kent and the direction by Daina Reid for its knowing mixture of genre tropes, freshened up for modern audiences. We’re just excited to see Snook in front of the camera. And the 100-minute running time means it’s only a few minutes longer than that epic “Succession” finale. Ready to get freaky? – Drew Taylor
“Nimona”
Streaming on June 30 (and in select theaters on June 23), if the name “Nimona” rings a bell, it’s probably because you’ve read about the tortured production history of the movie. The movie was originally a production of Blue Sky Studios, the Greenwich, Connecticut-based animation studio behind the “Ice Age” and “Rio” movies, based on the web comic by ND Stevenson. But when Disney acquired Blue Sky’s parent company, 20th Century, shut down the animation studio and discarded the finished “Nimona” material. (Apparently, Disney balked at the movie’s LGBTQ+ themes.) It was later improbably resurrected by Annapurna Pictures and Netflix.
And here it is! Original stars Chloë Grace Moretz, as a wily shape-shifting creature, and Riz Ahmed, as a disgraced, one-armed night framed for a royal murder, return for this new version of the movie. And the world the movie conjures, a futuristic medieval society known as the Kingdom, is memorable and unique, as fully realized and intricate as any fantastic Pixar utopia. It’s a story about outsiders who join forces and wind up finding understanding in their surroundings and in each other. And the movie’s queer themes, which made Disney so nervous, are touching and deeply felt. In short: “Nimona” was worth the wait. And all the heartache. – Drew Taylor
