September has arrived, and with it comes a whole host of new movies to watch on streaming. Whether you’re looking to kick Spooky Season off early with a fun horror movie, hoping to catch up on a new release you missed in theaters or just want to curl up with a cozy rom-com, there is a litany of choices below. We’ve got picks for Netflix, Max, Hulu, Prime Video, Peacock, Paramount+ and Disney+, curating the very best newly streaming films on each service this month.
Check out our picks for the best new movies to stream in September 2023 below.
“The Monster Squad”
Paramount+ – Sept. 1
Kick off Spooky Season early with an 80s cult classic that should be as popular as “The Goonies.” The 1987 film “The Monster Squad” follows a group of kids whose monster knowledge comes in handy when an ancient curse brings iconic Universal Monsters to life in Los Angeles. Dracula, Wolfman, The Mummy and Frankenstein’s monster all appear and prove to be formidable foes in a creature feature that’s actually quite terrifying in parts. Shane Black (“Lethal Weapon”) and Fred Dekker (“Night of the Creeps”) wrote the screenplay and Dekker directed the film, which was a box office bust upon release but found its audience on home video. This one’s fun. – Adam Chitwood
“Perfume: The Story of a Murderer”
Paramount+ – Sept. 1
Probably the strangest movie on this list, “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer” is an adaptation of Patrick Süskind’s best-selling 1985 novel about a waifish young boy in the 18th century (a mesmerizing Ben Whishaw) with an uncanny sense of smell. His life has largely been tragic but his strange gift sets him apart, first as an apprentice to a great perfumier (Dustin Hoffman, chewing scenery) and then when he sets out to create a smell that is the essence of life. How does he try and concoct his new smell? By killing young women and trying to wring their lifeforce out. Out of this bizarre premise, director Tom Tykwer (“Run Lola Run,” “Cloud Atlas”) creates something beautiful, enchanting, and profound, cresting with one of the wildest climaxes of any movie ever. (You can see why it took so long for anybody to actually adapt the story.) With a ridiculously great supporting cast that includes Alan Rickman, Hoffman and Rachel Hurd-Wood plus narration by John Hurt (which makes the story play out like an overlong episode of Jim Henson’s “The Storyteller”) and one of the all-time greatest scores (co-composed by Tykwer). “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer” is ripe for rediscovery; it’s something of a lost modern classic. – Drew Taylor
“Arrival”
Netflix – Sept. 1
Before Denis Villeneuve conjured a sci-fi universe with “Dune,” he put Amy Adams in front of aliens in his monumentally emotional 2016 sci-fi film “Arrival.” Written by Eric Heisserer (“Shadow and Bone”), the film kicks into gear when 12 alien spacecraft hover over areas all over Earth. A linguist played by Adams is tasked with visiting one of these ships alongside a physicist (played by Jeremy Renner) to make contact and attempt to communicate. This is a smart, atmospheric sci-fi drama about connection, with a top-notch creative team – it boasts one of late composer Jóhann Jóhannsson’s final scores and cinematography by the great Bradford Young. Be prepared, though – its gut-punch ending will sneak up on you. – Adam Chitwood
“Hail, Caesar!”
Hulu – Sept. 1
The Coen Brothers are known for their dry sense of humor, but the duo try their hand at screwball comedy with their 2016 film “Hail, Caesar!” The story takes place over the course of one day in the Hollywood film industry in the 1950s, as told through the eyes of a fixer played by Josh Brolin. The film is rooted in historical fact, but as Brolin’s fixer works through his day, various Hollywood-based shenanigans ensue with a robust ensemble cast that includes George Clooney, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes, Alden Ehrenreich, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill and Frances McDormand. – Adam Chitwood
“Seven”
Hulu – Sept. 1
Prepare for the arrival of a brand new David Fincher film (the assassin pic “The Killer” on Netflix in October) by watching one of his very best movies, “Seven.” Written by Andrew Kevin Walker and released in 1995 after Fincher’s contentious feature debut “Alien 3,” this feels like a director with something to prove (and he did, having disowned the cut of “Alien 3” that was released). Brad Pitt stars as a wide-eyed young detective who’s put on a serial killer case with an exhausted cop looking to retire (Morgan Freeman). The case takes them deeper into a world of depravity, and the film’s setting of an unnamed city where it’s almost always raining or wet underlines the metaphorical journey into Hell for these two characters. Evocative, compelling and shocking (it’s got one of the best endings of all time), “Seven” is one of cinema’s best. – Adam Chitwood
“Army of Darkness”
Prime Video – Sept. 1
Earlier this year, “Evil Dead Rises” revived the “Evil Dead” franchise for the first time in 10 years. It was good and gruesome. But what was crucially missing from the latest iteration of the series was a sense of humor. The movies were always gory, for sure, but what the original three movies, all directed and co-written by a visionary Sam Raimi, were also a great time. And “Army of Darkness,” the third film in the original series, is probably the funniest and goofiest of the bunch, following through on the cliffhanger from “Dead by Dawn” by sending Ash (Bruce Campbell) back to the Middle Ages where, wouldn’t you know it, he has to fight off a horde of undead ghouls? This is Raimi at his most playful and visually loony; by the time skeleton warriors show up, some rendered in a stop-motion style that wouldn’t have been out of place in a Ray Harryhausen movie, it reaches a kind of daffy nirvana. You’re either with “Army of Darkness” or you’re fighting against it. – Drew Taylor
“Drag Me to Hell”
Prime Video – Sept. 1
This is a super fun horror movie that flew under many peoples’ radars. After “Evil Dead” filmmaker Sam Raimi wrapped up his “Spider-Man” trilogy, he returned to his roots with this 2009 “gypsy curse” horror film. “Drag Me to Hell” stars Alison Lohman as a bank loan officer who, after denying an elderly Romanian woman’s loan request, is quite literally cursed. She discovers a demon has arrived to torment her for three days before dragging her to Hell, and tries desperately to escape this fate. The film is spooky, yes, but also boasts Raimi’s signature winking humor that keeps things fun. There’s also a terrifically gross gag with the aforementioned gypsy that may have you covering your eyes. – Adam Chitwood
“Four Weddings and a Funeral”
Prime Video – Sept. 1
Sometimes you just want to curl up with a great rom-com, and there are few greater than “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” Written by Richard Curtis (“Love Actually”) and directed by Mike Newell (“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”), this 1994 indie became a worldwide sensation and made a star out of Hugh Grant. As the title suggests, the story takes place over the course of four weddings and one funeral, following the same group of friends through each event as love is found, lost and rekindled. The charming ensemble includes Andie MacDowell, Kristin Scott Thomas and Rowan Atkinson. – Adam Chitwood
“Face/Off”
Prime Video – Sept. 1
John Woo hasn’t made an American movie in 20 years. This is a shame for a number of reasons. But it really sucks when you consider that when he first tried his hand at making Hollywood features in the 1990s, he was responsible for best-in-class action extravaganzas that somehow maintained both the stylistic flourishes that made him a marquee name in Hong Kong and the thematic concerns that made his earlier movies such rich experiences. His best Western film is, undoubtedly, “Face/Off,” a gonzo masterpiece where Nic Cage (as a flamboyant terrorist) and John Travolta (as a dogged agent on his trail) switch faces thanks to some cutting edge technology and wind up living each others lives. This is Woo at his most outrageously over-the-top, staging action set pieces with flair, bursts of spectacular violence and unmatched choreography, but also him at his most earnest and caring. Yes, the finale includes a breathlessly designed speedboat chase but it ends with a grace note that feels completely out of place in American action cinema. It’s so heartfelt, it’s downright shocking, especially during a time when action movies were at their most cynical. – Drew Taylor
“The Black Dahlia”
Prime Video – Sept. 1
For years various directors had been flirting with an adaptation of “The Black Dahlia,” writer James Ellroy’s 1987 novel that presented a fictionalized account of the infamous murder of Elizabeth Short’s 1947 murder. Ellroy’s “L.A. Confidential” inspired the Oscar-nominated film noir epic of the same name (early versions of “The Black Dahlia” script included cameos by Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce, reprising their roles from “L.A. Confidential”) and the “Black Dahlia” was initially envisioned as a lengthy, expensive miniseries. The eventual film, directed by Brian De Palma, isn’t a home run, but it’s much better than most give it credit for. It’s ambitious, almost to a fault (especially when incorporating elements from real-life history like the Zoot Suit Riots), although it also contains some moments that only De Palma, one of his generation’s most talented filmmakers, could pull off, including an unforgettable camera move that accompanies the discovery of Short’s body. The performances, from Josh Hartnett, Arron Eckhart, Scarlett Johansson and many more, are knowing and arc – this movie is both a celebration of film noir as much as it is a deconstruction of it, which is asking a lot from an audience that probably just came to watch a true crime murder mystery. Those who are willing to go along for the ride will be richly rewarded. This is one of De Palma’s more underrated gems and one ripe for rediscovery. – Drew Taylor
“The Mask of Zorro”
Prime Video – Sept. 1
Before “The Mummy” or “The Pirates of the Caribbean,” there was “The Mask of Zorro.” The 1998 film is based on the classic TV series of the same name, but director Martin Campbell injects this 19th century-set tale with enough intrigue, adventure and swashbuckling to keep a grin on your face from beginning to end. Anthony Hopkins stars as the original Zorro, who has been in prison for 20 years. When a hapless bandit played by Antonio Banderas breaks him out, he sets about training him in the ways of Zorro to help rescue his daughter, played by Catherine Zeta-Jones, from the clutches of the man who first put him in prison. – Adam Chitwood
“The Ring”
Prime Video – Sept. 1
There was a rash of early-aughts remakes of recent horror movies from overseas. Some of them were quite interesting (Walter Salles’ “Dark Water,” we’re looking at you) but none matched the elemental power of Gore Verbinski’s “The Ring,” a movie that – dare we say it? – is even better than the Japanese original. Naomi Watts plays a journalist who is struck by an improbable mystery involving a seemingly cursed videotape that kills those who view it seven days after they watch. Verbinski soaks every image in an almost uncomfortable amount of dread, setting the movie in the dreary Pacific Northwest and giving everything a damp, lived-in sensation. You can practically smell the mildew. The movie went down a couple of dead-ends during the production (including filming and then deleting an entire subplot that featured Chris Cooper as a child murderer) but the final film is a nearly perfect horror favorite. It’s as scary as it is beautiful. Talk about haunting. – Drew Taylor
“Dawn of the Dead (2004)”
Peacock – Sept. 1
If you’ve ever wondered what a team-up between Zack Snyder and James Gunn would look like, see 2004’s “Dawn of the Dead” remake. Gunn wrote the script and Snyder made his feature directorial debut with the film, which is based on the George A. Romero classic horror film of the same name. It’s got Snyder’s visual flair and Gunn’s signature tone, with some truly terrifying zombies to boot. Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Ty Burrell, Michael Kelly, Mekhi Pfifer and Jake Weber round out the ensemble, and it’s got one heck of a cold open. – Adam Chitwood
“Ghostbusters” and “Ghostbusters II”
Peacock – Sept. 1
A Spooky Season must, “Ghostbusters” is an unmitigated classic and “Ghostbusters II” is… well it’s OK! The 1984 original, written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and directed by Ivan Reitman, pulled together “SNL” stars Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd alongside Ramis and Ernie Hudson to combine comedy with horror in a blast of a blockbuster. The titular Ghostbusters are called into action when an apartment building ends up becoming the epicenter of supernatural activity in New York City. Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis and Annie Potts co-star in the first film, while the sequel brings in Peter Nichols and a plot about a baby snatching ghost and a river of ooze. – Adam Chitwood
“Saw,” “Saw II,” “Saw III,” “Saw IV,” “Saw VI,” “Saw: The Final Chapter”
Peacock – Sept. 1
OK so maybe “best” is stretching it, but if you’re a “Saw” fan and looking to rewatch the franchise before “Saw X” hits theaters, Peacock has the first seven available to stream this month. Director James Wan’s original is still the best, although it ushered in an era of “torture porn” horror that many would come to despise. That twist though! Ooh that twist. – Adam Chitwood
“Annabelle,” “Annabelle: Creation” and “Annabelle Comes Home”
Max – Sept. 1
Honestly, you can skip the first “Annabelle,” but the second two films in this “Conjuring” spinoff franchise are genuinely good. 2017’s “Annabelle: Creation” hails from “Lights Out” and eventual “Shazam!” and “Shazam! 2” filmmaker David F. Sandberg and tells the origin story of the titular cursed doll with a tale set in the mid-20th century. 2019’s “Annabelle Comes Home” was written and directed by Gary Dauberman and is a funhouse-style horror film as it brings the action up to the main “Conjuring” timeline and follows the daughter of the Warrens (played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) and her babysitter as the Warrens’ room full of haunted objects is unlocked and they all start wreaking havoc on one fateful night. Neither film is quite as scary as “The Conjuring” but “Creation” has some great mythology and “Annabelle Comes Home” has a number of fun scares. – Adam Chitwood
“Gangs of New York”
Max – Sept. 1
Before Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio’s latest collaboration hits theaters in the form of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” why not revisit their first? 2002’s “Gangs of New York” was a passion project for Scorsese and a truly epic undertaking – he had the entire 1860s Five Points of New York City reconstructed in Italy, and the massive set served as the backdrop for this massive tale of immigrants in 1860s New York. DiCaprio plays Amsterdam, son of an Irish Catholic immigrant (played by Liam Neeson) who was murdered in front of his eyes by protestant Bill the Butcher (played by Daniel Day-Lewis). Seeking revenge, he ingratiates himself in Bill’s gang, hiding his true identity. A tapestry of American storytelling unfolds with a streak of violence running through it. Cameron Diaz, Jim Broadbent, John C. Reilly, Henry Thomas and Brendan Gleeson co-star. – Adam Chitwood
“The Venture Bros: Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart”
Max – Sept 2
“The Venture Bros.,” which began life as a jokey “Johnny Quest” parody but soon gave way to one of the deepest, most sophisticated animated series in the modern age. After the show was canceled (it ran for seven seasons, with four specials), creators Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer were given a reprieve – they could wrap up their story via a direct-to-video movie. The movie concerns the search for a missing Hank Venture (Chris McCulloch) and serves to bring closure to many of the longstanding, labyrinthine arcs from the series. When the movie was released on home video earlier this summer, it was warmly received by critics (including the New York Times) and will undoubtedly find a much wider audience with its streaming debut on Max. If you’ve never seen “The Venture Bros.,” “Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart” might be hard to follow. Or maybe you’ll get lost in its woozy intricacies. – Drew Taylor
“The Little Mermaid (2023)”
Disney+ – Sept. 6
Ready to go back “Under the Sea?” Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” is the latest film in their long line of live-action remakes of beloved animated classics. Rob Marshall, who directed the Oscar-winning big screen adaptation of “Chicago” (and is a Disney favorite for “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” “Into the Woods” and “Mary Poppins Returns”), helms this new take on the 1989 animated masterpiece, which now stars Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy and Javier Bardem, with Awkwafina, Daveed Diggs and Jacob Tremblay voicing Ariel’s undersea pals. The results are about what you’d expect – overly long, for sure, but exhibiting a visual playfulness and a heartfelt earnestness that are oftentimes missing from these exercises. You can feel that Marshall and his collaborators were really trying to make something grand and great. And whether or not they wholly succeed is almost beside the point. The fact that it works as well as it does is miraculous enough. – Drew Taylor
“Mad Max: Fury Road”
Hulu – Sept. 9
Quite possibly the best action film ever made, 2015’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” is a true sight to behold. Ostensibly a sequel in the “Mad Max” franchise, the film doesn’t actually necessitate any prior knowledge of the series or characters. Tom Hardy plays Max, a survivor in a desolate dystopian wasteland who’s captured by the warlord Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) and then escapes with Joe’s several wives and one of Joe’s lieutenants, Furiosa (Charlize Theron). George Miller directs the absolute hell out of the film, which is a visual feast that pushes the boundaries of what cinema can do. The movie is one long chase sequence – a masterclass in visual storytelling. – Adam Chitwood
“Elemental”
Disney+ – Sept. 13
Initially, at least, “Elemental,” felt like a Pixar disappointment, opening to the second-lowest opening weekend box office in the animation studio’s history. But slowly something happened – the audience for “Elemental” didn’t just stick around; it grew. Thanks to great international earnings (particularly in South Korea) and an anemic slate of summer family films, “Elemental” turned out to be a sleeper hit, making more than $400 million globally. And there’s a reason for that – “Elemental” is really great. It has arguably the most Pixar set-up of any recent Pixar movie, as it takes place in a world where the elements (earth, fire, wind, water) are anthropomorphic characters and where w fiery young woman named Ember (Leah Lewis) falls in love with a blubbery water man named Wade (Mamoudou Athie). That’s pretty much the long and short of it; there isn’t a villain plotting world domination or an inscrutable politician looking to destroy the city. Instead, it’s just a lovely little love story, featuring stunning, subtly breathtaking animation and built on the foundation of a surprisingly emotional immigrant story. If you missed “Elemental,” time to remedy that now. – Drew Taylor
“El Conde”
Netflix – Sept. 15
The latest biographical film from director Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín is a little different from his previous movies like “Jackie” and “Spencer” – “El Conde” images U.S.-backed dictator Augusto Pinochet as an immortal vampire whose quest for power is only matched by his literal hunger for blood. The film, which just premiered on the fall festival circuit, is already receiving rave reviews – it’s supposed to be a violent, hilarious horror comedy with a timely political bent. If this isn’t already on your most anticipated movies list, then it probably should be. – Drew Taylor
“Fast X”
Peacock – Sept. 15
Ten movies in and “The Fast and the Furious” franchise is still crazy as hell. This time around Dom (Vin Diesel) and the gang, er, the family, are going up against the evil Dante (Jason Momoa, clearly having a ball), a phantom from Dom’s past. French filmmaker Louis Letterier took over from franchise stalwart Justin Lin midway through production (Lin still maintains a screenplay and producer credit) and the results aren’t as awkward as you’d probably imagine. Somehow, the cast gets even bigger, with new additions that include Brie Larson, Daniela Melchior, Alan Ritchson and Rita Moreno, and the plotting gets even more ridiculous and overstuffed (the globe-trotting going adventure pings from Rome to Portugal to Antarctica, with various points in between). Critics hammered on the movie when it was released earlier this summer, but it’s a ton of fun, especially since now, as it’s streaming, you can look at Tik Tok or fold your clothes while watching. Also, while they didn’t make this very clear in the marketing materials (or indeed the film itself), but this is the first part of a two-part finale for the series (at least for now). The fact that the movie ends almost mid-scene was with the intended two-part structure in mind. Also there’s a mid-credits scene you won’t want to miss. Buckle up. – Drew Taylor
“Love at First Sight”
Netflix – Sept. 15
Based on “The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight” by Jennifer E. Smith, the Netflix romance “Love at First Sight” stars Haley Lu Richardson as Hadley Sullivan and Ben Hardy as Oliver Jones. Hadley’s habit of running late usually doesn’t improve her life, but when she misses her flight by four minutes, it might be the one time that fate dealt her a good hand. And of course, she happens to align with Oliver Jones at the airport, a boy who never gets taken by surprise and is prepared for every situation. Directed by Vanessa Caswill with an adapted script by Katie Lovejoy (“To All the Boys: Always and Forever”), this touching love story will win over even hardened skeptics. – Dessi Gomez
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”
Paramount+ – Sept. 19
For the latest big screen iteration of the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” beloved characters dreamed up by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird in the early 1980s before becoming a ubiquitous pop culture force (thanks largely to a Saturday morning cartoon and a robust action figure line), the characters have returned to the realm of animation. But not just any animation. The animation in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” recalls the scratchy, lopsided artwork of actual teenagers, which is perfect because that’s the element of the title that director Jeff Rowe and producer Seth Rogen (among others) have chosen to emphasize. Rowe once said that he wanted to make the “Lady Bird” of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” movies and he basically does it. There’s deep emotion underneath all of that dazzling animation and lovely strains of melancholy to go along with all the LOLz. Plus, it has one of the year’s greatest scores, courtesy of Nine Inch Nails principals Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, channeling some garage band version of their famous rock group. What a blast. – Drew Taylor
“Spy Kids: Armageddon”
Netflix – Sept. 22
The Spy Kids are back. “Spy Kids: Armageddon” is the first film in the popular “Spy Kids” franchise in over a decade (the last one was “Spy Kids: All the Time in the World”) and a reboot for the series. This time the spy parents are played by Gina Rodriguez and Zachary Levi, who once again are detained, which leads to their children (Everly Carganilla and Connor Esterson) to spring into action. They battle Billy Magnussen, who plays The King, a game designer who is threatening to unleash a deadly computer virus on the world. (“Spy Kids” movies also have weird, super specific bad guy plots like this.) Rodriguez has always been a fearless and inventive filmmaker, often pushing the limits of technology before they’re completely ready. His returning to such a beloved franchise, with everything that he’s learned in the ten years+ since the previous movie, is very exciting indeed. The fact that this is following Rodriguez’s bizarro Ben Affleck thriller “Hypnotic” (also streaming this month) in the year of our lord 2023 makes it even better. – Drew Taylor
“No One Will Save You”
Hulu – Sept. 22
At the time of this article going live, we know precious little about “No One Will Save You.” A trailer hasn’t even been released yet. But here’s what we do know: it was written and directed by Brian Duffield, the sharp, funny writer behind “Love and Monsters” and the writer/director of “Spontaneous.” The movie stars Kaitlyn Dever, who is one of the most exciting young actresses of her generation. And the lot of the movie concerns a shut-in (Dever) and an alien invasion. And honestly, if that’s not enough to get you excited, we don’t know what else will, with or without a snazzy trailer. – Drew Taylor
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