To paraphrase a well-known quote from Brokeback Mountain, “I want I knew the way to stop you, Netflix.”
The streamer makes it tough for me to cancel my ad-free subscription because of the constantly high-quality programming month after month.
September seems like it is going to be the most effective month in 2025 but, with new TV exhibits like Home of Guinness and Wednesday season 2, half 2 vying for my consideration.
There are additionally numerous new films to stream throughout the month, and I’ve highlighted my prime 3 to observe in September: the Paul Thomas Anderson drama Phantom Thread, the coming-of-age story Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and the cult teen comedy 10 Issues I Hate About You.
‘Phantom Thread’ (2017)
When you assume Miranda Priestly is probably the most intimidating fictional character working within the trend business, you then haven’t met Phantom Thread’s Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis). An exacting clothier working in Nineteen Fifties London, he calls for perfection from himself and people round him. That features fresh-faced waitress Alma Elson (Vicky Krieps), who rapidly turns into his mannequin, muse and lover. Reynolds is nearly unimaginable to reside with, however he quickly discovers that Alma isn’t like every girl he’s ever met — she has a will of her personal, and he or she workouts it in ways in which thrill and endanger him.
Probably the most elegant films ever made, Phantom Thread can be one of the crucial misleading. At first a drama about an egotistical man, it slowly morphs right into a twisted love story about two wildly totally different people who find themselves completely excellent for one another. Day-Lewis is usually sensible because the exasperating couture genius, however it’s Krieps’ film all the best way. She’s all the time charming as a seemingly naive lady who can play Reynolds’ sadomasochist recreation of affection and companionship — and win.
‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.’ (2023)
Rising up is difficult, however when you’ve got mother and father like Margaret’s (Abby Ryder Fortson), it’s a bit simpler to navigate. On this excellent adaptation of Judy Blume’s seminal novel of the identical title, Margaret is of an age when she’s studying about mysterious “grownup” issues, like relationship and menstruation. Serving to her alongside in her journey is her grandmother, Sylvia (Kathy Bates), who consoles her when the household strikes from New York Metropolis to a New Jersey suburb. Margaret must navigate being a brand new child in a brand new city whereas additionally coping with the pitfalls of puberty.
“Heartwarming” is a phrase typically used as a veiled insult, however it’s probably the most correct description of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. It’s a drama that’s not too heavy and a comedy that takes its characters and material severely. In different phrases, it’s a grown-up film about rising up, and options an Oscar-worthy efficiency by Rachel McAdams as Margaret’s mom, who has her personal parental points she’s nonetheless coping with.
‘10 Issues I Hate About You’ (1999)
Typically, you simply want to relax out with teen comedy that’s higher than you count on. 10 Issues I Hate About You updates William Shakespeare’s comedic play The Taming of the Shrew for the ‘90s, swapping bodices and corsets for cellphones and cute Vespa scooters. Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) is the designated “shrew,” however she’s actually simply into studying Sylvia Plath and listening to PJ Harvey on her Discman. She’s manipulated into relationship brutish new pupil Cameron James (Heath Ledger), who’s obnoxious, chauvinistic and good-looking AF. Naturally, they fall in love, however will the reality about their meet-cute doom their romance?
10 Issues I Hate About You launched the careers of most of its younger forged, together with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Gabrielle Union, however it additionally gave character actors like Allison Janney and Larry Miller moments to shine as a attractive highschool steering counselor and a paranoid father, respectively. Is the movie a practical depiction of highschool? Hell no, however it’s an enthralling comedy that, very like Cameron himself, wins you over by the point Letters to Cleo sings “I Need You to Need Me” over the closing credit.
