Summer is winding down but it’s still hot hot hot out there, which means it’s the perfect time to kick back with a good movie. August has a bevy of noteworthy new movies streaming on various services, and we’ve put together a curated list of the best ones to watch this month. From Netflix to Prime Video to Hulu we’ve got a selection that offers something for everyone. And we’ve picked a handful of new movies streaming on Peacock so you can put that free trial to good use after the Olympics are over.
Check out our list of the best new movies streaming in August 2024 below.
“Tarot”
Netflix – Aug. 1
First, let’s get this out of the way: this movie was once called “Horrorscope.” “Horrorscope” is a much better name than “Tarot.” In fact, one could argue, it’s one of the best titles in recent horror movie memory. It’s hard to watch “Tarot” and not think, Man, this could have been called “Horrorscope.” All that said, “Tarot” is a fun little horror movie. It follows a group of kids who connect with some very dark forces while doing their tarot. The movie then follows a fun formula that is partially “Final Destination” (with characters being offed in increasingly creative ways that could be mistaken for elaborate accidents) and partially “Nightmare on Elm Street” (as they are stalked by a dark figure known as The Astrologist). It also features a perfectly-placed Howard Jones needle drop (“Things Can Only Get Better”). Recommended. – Drew Taylor
“Godzilla Minus Color”
Netflix – Aug. 1
A few weeks into the unprecedented theatrical run of “Godzilla Minus One,” which would culminate in giant box office and the first Oscar win in the franchise’s 70-year history, an alternate version of the movie was released. This edition, dubbed “Godzilla Minus Color,” was a black-and-white presentation of Takashi Yamazaki’s masterpiece, that even more firmly aligned it to the initial 1954 “Godzilla” movie. “Simply removing the color alone wouldn’t evoke the same type of emotion we were trying to instill in audiences, which is why we went back to the colorist and we actually mask[ed] different portions of each shot and adjust the contrast by hand, as opposed to simply hitting the remove color button,” Yamazaki told TheWrap earlier this year. If you’ve already seen “Godzilla Minus One,” this new version is a real thrill. And if you haven’t seen it at all, this might be a fun way to start. Long live the King of the Monsters. – Drew Taylor
“Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie”
Netflix – Aug. 2
Netflix is making a series of spin-off films based on classic characters from “SpongeBob SquarePants,” the long-running animated series that just celebrated its 25th anniversary. Next year will see the release of “The Plankton Movie” on Netflix. This year? Sandy Cheeks, SpongeBob’s squirrel bestie, gets the spotlight. In “Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie,” she teams up with SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) to stop an evil CEO from exploiting their idyllic undersea community. Carolyn Lawrence returns as Sandy, alongside new characters voiced by Johnny Knoxville and Craig Robinson. Once again the characters are rendered via 3D computer animation and they will interact with human characters and live-action environments. We’re sure it’ll be a hoot. How could it not be? – Drew Taylor
“Rebel Moon: Zack Snyder’s Director’s Cut”
Netflix – Aug. 2
That’s right, baby. “Rebel Moon” is back. And this time it’s extremely adult. Netflix released Zack Snyder’s two-part space opera back in the winter of last year and spring of this year. And they were relatively straightforward, streamlined affairs, a kind of “Seven Samurai” meets “Star Wars” yarn about a young woman (Sofia Boutella) who recruits warriors from across the cosmos to save her peaceful planet against an evil governmental entity. But they definitely felt restrained, especially by Snyder standards, which is why it’s nice that we’re now getting the off-the-leash director’s cuts of both films. (They even have new titles!) And honestly, they are a total blast. The first film clocks in at almost three-and-a-half hours; the second one almost three. But there’s a real expansion of scope, and the more extreme flourishes (including a pair of fairly graphic sex scenes and more exploding heads than you can properly count) contribute a sense of verisimilitude while also distancing itself from more known, family friendly properties. It’s cooler, weirder, sexier and more fun. Set some time aside and go on a journey to a galaxy full of exploding gremlins, sentient engines, sex-bots and more. This is the Snyder-verse we desperately need to continue. – Drew Taylor
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
Hulu – Aug. 2
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” takes place roughly 300 years after “War for the Planet of the Apes,” with apes the dominant species on earth. (They still aren’t wearing sweaters yet.) We follow a young ape named Noa (Owen Teague), whose clan is devastated by outsiders. He teams up with a “smart human” named Mae (Freya Allen) to track down his missing clan and discovers an ape warlord Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), who is trying to break into a military stronghold. (Apes with nukes – what could go wrong?) Director Wes Ball has the unenviable task of taking over the franchise from Matt Reeves, who made the last two “Apes” movies, but makes the movie his own – it’s got a great vibe, with sterling visual effects and some really great, emotional moments. And more than that, it points to the future of the “Planet of the Apes” franchise which, honestly, has never been brighter. – Drew Taylor
“The Bikeriders”
Peacock – Aug. 9
One of last year’s very best movies is now one of this year’s very best movies. After playing the fall festivals and getting a primo, made-for-awards-season slot at the end of the year, New Regency and Disney decided to table the movie, with Focus Features agreeing to distribute, with a juicier summer date. It wound up a sleeper hit. “The Bikeriders,” written and directed by Jeff Nichols and based on the photography book of the same name by Danny Lyon, follows the Vandals Motorcycle Club, a fictitious biker gang in the 1960s. The movie glides along, as we watch a young member (Austin Butler), deal with the interpersonal dynamics of the group (led by Tom Hardy) and his affection for a young hothead (Jodie Comer). Part hangout movie, part lament for a bygone era (we watch as the clubs get seedier and more dangerous), “The Bikeriders” is extremely entertaining and extremely satisfying, concluding with arguably the best final shot of any movie this year. If you missed its brief theatrical run, we suggest you catch-up now. Go ahead. Rev those engines. – Drew Taylor
“The Instigators”
Apple TV+ – Aug. 9
Doug Liman’s second direct-to-streaming movie of the year is just as entertaining as his first (Prime Video’s “Road House” remake). In “The Instigators,” Matt Damon and Casey Affleck play lovable lowlifes who are recruited for a job that they are already ill-equipped to handle – they’re going to rob the mayor (Ron Perlman) on election night. Of course, things go sideways, secrets are revealed, and one thing leads to another in an increasingly dangerous series of escalations. It’s a ton of fun, the kind of light, frothy caper that Hollywood used to churn out fairly regularly but are now few and far between. The entire cast knows what kind of movie they are in and acts appropriately, from Michael Stuhlbarg and Alfred Molina as mid-level hoods to Ving Rhames as the dogged detective out to solve the case. But Hong Chao really steals the movie as Damon’s psychiatrist, who winds up being the duo’s inadvertent hostage. The action sequences are briskly staged, the Boston location photography adds a lot of texture and life, and Damon and Affleck are a hugely enjoyable mismatched pairing. This one is a delight. – Drew Taylor
“Jackpot!”
Prime Video – Aug. 15
Filmmaker Paul Feig is behind some of the funniest comedies of the 21st century, from “Bridesmaids” to the supremely rewatchable “Spy,” so that already puts “Jackpot!” on the radar. This one has an elevated premise — Awkwafina stars as a woman who wins the Los Angeles Grand Lottery, only to discover the rules state that anyone who kills her before sundown can snatch the prize. John Cena co-stars in this action-heavy romp. – Adam Chitwood
“The Union”
Netflix – Aug. 16
Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry team up in this Netflix action comedy two-hander. “The Union” finds a construction worker getting roped into the espionage world by his former high school girlfriend. J.K. Simmons, Mike Colter and Lorraine Braco costar in this spy actioner. – Adam Chitwood
“Immaculate”
Hulu – Aug. 16
Incredibly, there were two young nun possession movies released in 2024. And even more incredible – they were both great. They are also both on Hulu right now. Joining “The First Omen” is “Immaculate,” which reteams Sydney Sweeney with her “Voyeurs” filmmaker Michael Mohan. The film, just like “The First Omen,” follows a young novitiate (Sweeney) as she travels to Italy to attend a convent that treats dying nuns. There she starts to notice that there are some strange things going on, which climaxes (pun intended) with the revelation that she is pregnant, despite being a virgin. This is seen as a miracle but also something far more sinister. Mohan knows how to pile on the dread, creating an atmosphere of almost unbearable creepiness, and the movie ends with one of the best final shots of the year. Your jaw will be on the floor. While a solid little hit when it was released earlier this year, it could become a sleepover favorite, the kind of movie young girls will put on to creep out their friends. And more than that, it makes for a killer double feature with “The First Omen.” – Drew Taylor
“Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1”
Max – Aug. 23
Kevin Costner’s Western opus “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” hits streaming this month, but if Costner gets his way this is the first of four planned films in the “Horizon” franchise. The entire series takes place during the Civil War and explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won—and lost—through the blood, sweat and tears of many. Costner stars, directs, co-writes, produces and partially self-finances the film, which runs a hefty 180 minutes. “Chapter 2” is already completed and “Chapter 3” is being shot so there’s more where this comes from. – Adam Chitwood
“Incoming”
Netflix – Aug. 23
The premise for “Incoming” isn’t unique — it follows four incoming freshmen who attend their first-ever high school party — but the pedigree behind the film is exciting. While onscreen it’s packed with newcomers, the film is produced by “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Neighbors” filmmaker Nicholas Stoller and directed by “The Mick” creator Dave Chernin. If it’s half as good as high school comedy classics like “Superbad,” “Clueless” and “Can’t Hardly Wait,” we’re in for a fun time. – Adam Chitwood
“The Killer”
Peacock – Aug. 23
John Woo remakes one of his immortal classics. And you know what? It’s pretty great. An Americanized version of “The Killer” has been in the works since at least 1992, when Walter Hill and David Giler, co-architects of the “Alien” franchise, set out to adapt Woo’s Hong Kong-set original. Various iterations churned throughout the years, with Woo eventually joining the project, with a script co-written by Oscar winner Brian Helgeland. In the titular role, originally earmarked for Lupita Nyong’o, is Nathalie Emmanuel from “Game of Thrones.” Omar Sy plays the good detective on her trail. And Sam Worthington and Saïd Taghmaoui play members of the criminal underworld. (Diana Silvers plays the girl that Emmanuel accidentally blinds.) This is Woo back in “heroic bloodshed” mode. And while you wish he had a slightly bigger budget, the movie’s European setting and committed, international cast, help balance the scales. The action sequences really are dazzling, with enough familiar elements from the original along with brand-new bits to impress even the most jaded viewer. (It does help, somewhat, that the original movie is so hard to watch these days. It alleviates a level of micro-scrutiny that would have been insufferable.) More than anything else, Woo’s new “Killer” is just a ton of fun – a super-entertaining romp by one of the most talented filmmakers of his generation. He’s covering his own hit. But man what a cover. – Drew Taylor
“The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat”
Hulu – Aug. 23
Filmmaker Tina Mabry’s film “The Supremes at Earl’s All You Can Eat” follows three best friends who’ve been through thick and thin, but now find their relationship tested. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Sanaa Lathan and Uzo Aduba star as the titular Supremes, while the film also flashes back to their childhood friendship “Now and Then”-style. Mekhi Phifer, Russell Hornsby and Julian McMahon also star. – Adam Chitwood
“Sasquatch Sunset”
Paramount+ – Aug. 26
This is, no joke, one of the weirdest movies you’re ever going to watch. But it’s still very much worth it. “Sasquatch Sunset,” which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, follows a family of sasquatch (bigfeet?) living their life somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. They get into trouble, squabble, attempt to survive. And it should be noted that there is no dialogue in “Sasquatch Sunset.” It’s just a bunch of grunts and snarls. This makes everything both funnier and more absurd, especially when you realize that Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg are two of the sasquatches, completely unidentifiable under tons of make-up and prosthetics. There’s a gentleness to “Sasquatch Sunset” and a sly undercurrent of environmentalism, gorgeously photographed by cinematographer Mike Gioulakis, clearly indebted to the work of Terrence Malick. Listen. This isn’t going to be for everybody. There were a few walk-outs during the Sundance screening. But the adventurous viewer will be rewarded. And then you’ll talk about this movie at the next cocktail party you go to and nobody will believe you. Think about that. – Drew Taylor
“The Fall Guy” Extended Cut
Peacock – Aug. 30
“The Fall Guy,” based on the 1980s TV series created by Glen A. Larson, has been a property that Hollywood has been trying to turn into a big screen spectacle for years. But it took someone like David Leitch, a filmmaker who began his career in the stunt community, to finally get it done. The result is the ultimate David Leitch movie – a love letter to stunts that never feels to alienating or inside-baseball. Ryan Gosling plays a stuntman who, after a stunt goes horribly wrong, retires from the business, only to be lured back when his one-time love (Emily Blunt) is having issues on the set of her first movie. The movie is loaded with action, of course, but the real pyrotechnics are between Gosling and Blunt, who create an endearing romantic comedy core for all of that stunt work. A game supporting cast (that includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Winston Duke, Stephanie Hsu and Hannah Waddingham, enriches the material further. The extended cut adds another 20 minutes to the runtime (take that, Zack Snyder!) and includes entire sequences, like a post-nightclub chase and more character moments. If you’re watching “The Fall Guy” for the first time, we’d probably steer you towards the theatrical cut. But if you’ve already fallen for “The Fall Guy,” why not give the extended edition a whirl? – Drew Taylor
“The Deliverance”
Netflix – Aug. 30
Filmmaker Lee Daniels is back with “The Deliverance,” a supernatural horror thriller starring Andra Day as the mother of a Pennsylvania family whose children become possessed. Glenn Close, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Mo’Nique, Caleb McLaughlin and Omar Epps costar in the film, which marks something of a departure from the director of “Precious.” – Adam Chitwood
“Jack Reacher”
Netflix – Aug. 1
Before Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie made four “Mission: Impossible” movies together, their first collaboration as star and director was on the 2012 Lee Child adaptation “Jack Reacher.” This is a thrilling take on the Child book with Cruise nailing the intensity and moral compass of the title character as he navigates a mystery involving a mass shooting. A subpar sequel was made without McQuarrie as the director and the franchise was eventually rebooted on television with the very good Alan Ritchson, but this film remains a great one and a peek into an alternate reality in which Cruise and McQuarrie made four “Jack Reacher” movies instead. – Adam Chitwood
“Beetlejuice”
Max – Aug. 1
Tim Burton’s comedy classic is a great watch pretty much anytime, but now especially as Burton’s long-awaited sequel “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” arrives in theaters in September. “Beetlejuice” revolves around a couple who die in a car accident (played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) and become ghosts trapped inside their home where they’re forced to witness its sale and renovation by a gauche family from the city. They enlist the help of a “bio-exorcist” named Beetlejuice (played by Michael Keaton), and all hell breaks loose. The film is a colorful and inventive twist on the afterlife, offering up a darkly comic spin on the living dead. – Adam Chitwood
“How to Train Your Dragon”
Max – Aug. 1
One of the sweetest and most compassionate animated movies of the century, 2010’s “How to Train Your Dragon” is a sweet delight. Set in a Viking village, the film follows a boy named Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel), the son of the gruff village chieftain (voiced by Gerard Butler), who befriends an injured dragon against everyone’s wishes. In this world, dragons are seen as the enemy, but Hiccup’s relationship with his new pal – who he names Toothless – provides a path to greater empathy. – Adam Chitwood
“The Heat”
Peacock – Aug. 1
After director Paul Feig made “Bridesmaids,” he put Melissa McCarthy front and center with Sandra Bullock in a buddy cop movie called “The Heat.” The chemistry between Bullock and McCarthy is delightful — Bullock is the uptight FBI agent sent in to help with a case, and McCarthy is the wild card cop who’ll do anything to catch the bad guy. Neither one has a fruitful personal life, and while they begin as antagonistic opposites, their bond grows as they work the central case together. This is a fun one. – Adam Chitwood
“Zodiac”
Peacock – Aug. 1
David Fincher’s 2007 masterpiece “Zodiac” is ostensibly about the hunt for the Zodiac Killer in the Bay Area in the 1960s/70s, but it’s actually a movie about obsession. Jake Gyllenhaal plays cartoonist Robert Graysmith who closely follows the Zodiac case and becomes convinced he can crack it. Fincher keeps a master’s handle on tone and pacing as the film has some truly terrifying moments and delivers on the “hunt for a serial killer” aspect while also serving up a thematic meal. Gyllenhaal is terrific, and he’s flanked by a phenomenal ensemble cast that includes Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Edwards, Chloe Sevigny and Brian Cox. – Adam Chitwood
“Clueless”
Peacock – Aug. 1
One of the best Jane Austen adaptations ever made and a 90s classic all wrapped up in one film. “Clueless” is loosely inspired by Austen’s “Emma,” except transported to a 1990s high school. Alicia Silverstone is popular (and rich) matchmaker Cher, while Brittany Murphy plays new student Tai who Cher takes under her wing as her “project.” Written and directed by Amy Heckerling, “Clueless” spawned a bevy of buzzwords and catchphrases that are still in the lexicon today, but the film also endures thanks to its winning cast (a young Paul Rudd is aces) and timeless themes – despite the very time capsule-y aesthetic and soundtrack. – Adam Chitwood
