As the world conjointly melts in the cancerous sun, and people take refuge inside in more tolerable conditions, climate change deniers remain out in full force. Blistering in the red-hot heat, burning to a crisp as they protest the supposed conspiracy of climate change. Their protestations are as ironic as they are unfounded, and while they may enjoy the rapidly increasing heat as sweat pours from their un-deodorized armpits, they will be missing out on the fruits that Netflix has to offer subscribers in August…

Like the conspiracy theorists, schools are out for Summer, meaning there is an abundance of new movies set to be added to the streaming platform in order to meet increased demand for new and original content. For those of us seeking some shade indoors, here are some of the standout movies coming to Netflix this August…

Benediction (3rd August)

Netflix has acted swiftly in attaining the highly-rated Benediction for its UK service, which details the true story of a soldier and wartime poet, Siegfried Sassoon, who returns from France and protests the government’s pro-war stance. Admired by aristocrats and royalty, Sassoon begins writing poetry documenting the horrific and bloody nature of what unfolded across the channel. Featuring excellent performances from Jack Lowden and especially Peter Capaldi (iconic for The Thick of It and Doctor Who) as Sassoon in different stages of his life, this Terence Davis film is a quiet stunner.

Related: Benediction: Why You Shouldn’t Miss This Peter Capaldi-Starring WWI Film

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (5th August)

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie witnesses the return of our favorite Renaissance painter-named turtle characters, Raphael, Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Donatello. Due to debut on Netflix in early August, the latest installment follows the tale of the mutant brothers who are tasked with saving the planet from a deadly alien force - the Krang.

Carter (5th August)

South Korean filmmakers have earned themselves the title as pioneers of the film industry over the past two decades, something solidified as recently as the 2020 Academy Awards, where Bong Joon Ho raided the Oscar trophy cabinet for his movie, Parasite. Brought to you by Netflix and directed by Jung Byung-gil (who only makes one film every five years, but guarantees each is thrilling), the South Korean movie Carter revolves around an agent suffering from amnesia after a biological attack from North Korea, who is launched into a mission that is clouded by a great mystery. It promises to be a relentlessly exciting action flick.

The Nice Guys (9th August)

Ryan Gosling and Russel Crowe partner up in this 1970s-set action comedy, as two detectives who uncover a murder of a well-known porn star and the disappearance of a Senator's daughter, both of which are subsequently enshrouded in mystery. Gosling and Croew are surprisingly magnetic together in The Nice Guys, playing off each other perfectly in arguably one of the best buddy cop movies ever made. With ridiculous slapstick moments and surprising burst of violence, it's a truly fun film.

Day Shift (12th August)

Academy Award-winner Jamie Foxx is set to star alongside Snoop Dogg and Dave Franco in J.J Perry’s Netflix original, Day Shift. An exuberant cast is all that is required to bring the unique story of a vampire hunter disguised as a pool maintenance man to life. Day Shift is neatly poised to be one of the funniest, most action-packed movies of the Summer.

13: The Musical (August 12th)

Based on the Broadway musical that gave Ariana Grande her professional debut, and that subsequently ceased production back in 2009, 13: The Musical promises a cheesy singalong for kids to enjoy. It documents young adolescent, Evan Goldman, and his parents’ turbulent divorce, as he is uprooted from his cushy New Yorker life to a small town in unknown, Indiana where he must settle into new surroundings, school, and prepare for his upcoming bar mitzvah.

Look Both Ways (August 17th)

Look Both Ways is directed by the immensely talented Kenyan, Wanuri Kahiu, a true trailblazer for Black female directors, bringing African culture to mainstream film with masterpieces like Rafiki. The movie details a turbulent period in the life of college graduate Natalie (played by Lili Reinhart), and how it subdivides into two parallel lives with drastically different circumstances. One variation has her life pursuing her dream in LA, the other becoming a young mother forced to navigate parenthood while remaining in her hometown. The interesting story also includes Luke Wilson and Andrea Savage and promises to be emotional, subtle, and meaningful.

Me Time (August 26th)

Mere months after starring alongside Woody Harrelson in The Man From Toronto, Kevin Hart teams up with Mark Wahlberg for a Hangover-esque Summer blockbuster, Me Time. With his family out of town, a devoted father lets loose with an old friend as he unintentionally turns his life on its head. Wahlberg and Hart are as seasoned as they come when it comes to comic acting, and you can expect wholehearted performances delivered with gusto, stacks of charisma, and cheap laughs aplenty.

I Came By (31st August)

The first of Netflix’s new UK-based slate of films, I Came By tells the story of two graffitists, aptly set in Banksy’s England, who frequently target the properties of the mega-rich, and elitist, upper-class. The pair unwittingly stumble across a frightful secret when breaking into a corrupt high-court judge’s house, placing the pair in deep jeopardy.

Featuring the highly-esteemed George Mackay (1917, Captain Fantastic, and the underrated Munich: The Edge of War), Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), and Kelly Macdonald (Trainspotting, Operation Mincemeat), I Came By certainly has the UK cast and crew to be representative of the country, and is directed by Babak Anvari (who made the great Iranian horror film Under the Shadow, also on Netflix), so this has all the makings of an enthralling crime thriller that's bound to be full of surprises.