The beginning of the end for summer 2024 starts now. With only a few weeks left in August, now’s the time to stream those summer blockbusters and sequels you’ve always wanted to watch. Two Jack Reacher films starring Tom Cruise are rising on the Netflix charts. Other films in the top 10 include Land of Bad, Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, and Rebel Moon.
Most of those movies are currently advertised on Netflix’s homepage. However, there are thousands more films to choose from. If you need help making a choice, that’s where we come in. Here are five underrated movies to watch in August. Our picks include a stylish spy adventure and two inspiring sports biopics.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Guy Ritchie injects his quippy dialogue and charismatic characters into the spy genre with The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Based on the TV series from the 1960s, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is a spy thriller set during the height of the Cold War. With the U.S. and the Soviet Union at odds, CIA agent Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) and KGB agent Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer) reluctantly form an uneasy alliance.
The duo must work together to find Dr. Udo Teller (Christian Berkel), a nuclear scientist kidnapped by Nazi terrorists who plan to use him to build a powerful weapon. Napoleon and Illya’s only lead is Gaby Teller (Alicia Vikander), Udo’s daughter. Together, the trio must get to Udo before the terrorists unleash the weapon on the world.
Stream The Man from U.N.C.L.E. on Netflix.
My All American (2015)
Underdog stories are a familiar dramatic device in sports dramas. Sports are inherently cinematic, thanks to the tension within a game and the challenges off the field. One of the more slept-on sports movies of the last decade is My All American. In the 1960s, Freddie Steinmark (Finn Wittrock) only had one dream: to play college football. However, Freddie’s size and talent make him an undesired recruit coming out of college.
When he’s about to give up, Freddie gets a chance to play for the Texas Longhorns under coach Darrell Royal (Aaron Eckhart). Freddie capitalizes on the opportunity and makes his way into the lineup. However, a knee injury threatens to derail Freddie’s career. When the team needed Freddie most, the selfless player delivered, becoming one of the team’s emotional leaders as it faces a showdown in the “Game of the Century.”
Stream My All American on Netflix.
The Spectacular Now (2013)
Before it became an Oscar-winning juggernaut, A24 was an upstart independent film company in the early 2010s. One of its first success stories was in 2013 with The Spectacular Now, a beautiful coming-of-age story about the fears of leaving high school for college. Sutter Keely (Miles Teller) is a popular high school senior who lives in the “now,” refusing to think about the future. Sutter would rather get drunk and party, leading his girlfriend (Brie Larson) to end their relationship.
After an all-night bender, Sutter wakes up on the lawn of Aimee Finecky (Shailene Woodley), a quiet, hard-working girl in Sutter’s grade. Sutter and Aimee start hanging out, which eventually blossoms into a romance. While Sutter deals with his personal problems, Aimee becomes more confident and plans for life after high school. Together, the two come into their own in this refreshing look at a critical time in a young person’s life.
Stream The Spectacular Now on Netflix.
To Leslie (2022)
Unfortunately, for those involved in To Leslie, the film’s defining legacy will be the controversial campaign that led to star Andrea Riseborough receiving a nomination for Best Actress at the 2023 Oscars. Controversy aside, it’s still an effectively moving performance from the veteran Riseborough, who successfully conveys the struggle addicts face in their daily lives.
Leslie (Riseborough) secures the score of her lifetime, winning $190,000 in the local West Texas lottery. However, Leslie’s drug and alcohol addictions kick in, leading her to spend all of her money. Six years later, Leslie is broke, with nowhere to go. Desperate, she visits her estranged 19-year-old son, James (Owen Teague), who allows his mother to live with him. This could be Leslie’s last chance at a better life. Can she overcome her addictions?
Stream To Leslie on Netflix.
Nyad (2023)
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin are a husband-and-wife directing duo best known for their work in documentaries. Their groundbreaking documentary, Free Solo, won the 2019 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Using that extreme sports background, Vasarhelyi and Chin made their narrative feature debuts in 2023 with Nyad.
It’s 2020 and 62-year-old marathon swimmer Diana Nyad (Annette Bening) wants to achieve the impossible: become the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida. Diana once tried the 110-mile swim 30 years prior and failed. To prepare for the swim, Diana gets her former partner, Bonnie Stoll (Jodie Foster), to train her. Thanks to two dynamic performances from Bening and Foster, Nyad is a solid biopic with an inspirational message.
Stream Nyad on Netflix.
