11 Best New Movies on Netflix: June 2021’s Freshest Films to Watch

A Coen Brothers cult favorite is landing on Netflix this month. The streamer is kicking off June with The Big Lebowski, the 1998 comedy starring Jeff Bridges as “The Dude,” Jeff Lebowski. When he’s mistaken for a billionaire with the same name, The Dude finds himself on a mission to track down the billionaire’s kidnapped wife and bring her back — but when his accomplice (John Goodman) schemes to keep the ransom money intended to free the captured wife, their plan goes off the rails.

Where to watch The Big Lebowski 

Spike Lee’s The Best Man went on to spawn a sequel and an upcoming Peacock spin-off series, but now the 1999 original that started it all is available to stream on Netflix. The hit rom-com stars Taye Diggs as bachelor Harper Stewart, an author whose latest work was inspired by his own friends. Even though Harper tries to hide the truth behind the book, his ex, Jordan (Nia Long), gets an advance copy and connects the dots to real life. It all goes down just as Harper is set to join his close friend’s wedding as his best man, complicating the celebration and his relationships.

Where to watch The Best Man 

If you’re in the mood for an emotional sports drama, Million Dollar Baby delivers. The 2004 hit stars Hilary Swank as Maggie Fitzgerald, an aspiring boxer who enlists in the help of pro trainer Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) to hone her skills in the ring. While Frankie is cold and reluctant at first, he begrudgingly agrees to help Maggie, and the two form a strong bond. Million Dollar Baby burst into awards season in 2004, earning a Best Picture win at the Oscars  — and now you can see why when you stream the hit on Netflix.

Where to watch Million Dollar Baby 

Rob Reiner’s 1986 classic — which is inspired by the Stephen King novel “The Body” — tells the story of four boys who venture through their Oregon town to see the body of a man who died there. The coming-of-age story shows how that single day impacted Gordie (Wil Wheaton), Vern (Jerry O’Connell), Chris (River Phoenix) and Teddy (Corey Feldman) in lasting ways. After returning to theaters in late May, the film is hitting Netflix this month, so get ready for a dose of nostalgia.

Where to watch Stand by Me

David Attenborough returns to Netflix with Breaking Boundaries, a new science documentary about humans’ impact on the Earth and what steps can be taken to save humanity and the planet. Renowned scientist Professor Johan Rockström and Attenborough take viewers along for an exploration into how we’ve altered the Earth, why the environment is changing so rapidly and most importantly, what we can do in the next decade to get back on track.

Where to watch Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet

Looking for a summer thriller? Awake is the one to watch, with former soldier Jill (Gina Rodriguez) fighting off a mysterious wave of insomnia that’s swept over the human race. With everyone rapidly deteriorating from lack of sleep and deprived from electronics, the only hope lies in Jill’s daughter (Arianna Greenblatt), who hasn’t been affected by the strange phenomenon. Faced with the decision between fleeing with her family or revealing her daughter’s secret in hopes of saving humanity, Jill is faced with one of the toughest choices of her life.

Where to watch Awake

Part comedy, part drama, and part romance, Silver Linings Playbook is a crowd-pleaser. The David O. Russell film, which premiered in 2012, follows Pat (Bradley Cooper), a man who has moved back in with his parents after being released from a psychiatric hospital. Determined to win back his estranged wife, Pat finds an unlikely ally in Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), who agrees to help him if he’ll enter a dance competition with her. Silver Linings Playbook was a hit when it first premiered in theaters, earning eight Academy Award nominations, and now you can stream it as many times as you’d like on Netflix.

Where to watch Silver Linings Playbook

Kevin Hart fans will see a new side of the comedian in Fatherhood, a Netflix original drama about a single dad struggling to raise his daughter after his wife dies. While Channing Tatum was originally set to lead the film, Hart took over in 2019, with About A Boy‘s Paul Weitz directing. The film, which is based on a memoir by Matthew Logelin, also stars Melody Hurd, Alfre Woodard, Anthony Carrigan, Lil Rel Howery, Paul Reiser and Deborah Ayorinde. And if you’re looking for a Father’s Day watch, Netflix timed it right — Fatherhood premieres just two days before the holiday on June 18.

Where to watch Fatherhood

Netflix is cooking up a fresh summer rom-com with Good on Paper, an original movie starring comedian Iliza Shlesinger, Ryan Hansen, and Margaret Cho. Shlesinger plays Andrea, a work-focused stand-up comic who takes a chance on Dennis (Hansen), a too-good-to-be-true stranger she meets on a plane. After the two begin dating, Andrea’s best friend Margot (Cho) suggests something has to be up with her seemingly perfect new boyfriend. Determined to find out what he’s hiding, Margot and Andrea hatch a wild plan to uncover the real Dennis.

Where to watch Good on Paper 

Murder mystery fanatics, this one’s for you. Netflix is quickly becoming the go-to streamer for true crime docs; between The Sons of Sam, American Murder, and more, the genre has only grown in the past year, and Murder by the Coast is the latest addition. The Spanish doc explores the 1999 death of teen Rocío Wanninkhof, who was murdered in Mijas, Málaga, Spain. While her mother’s former lover was suspected of carrying out the crime at the time, Murder by the Coast takes a second, deeper look at the truth behind the infamous case two decades later.

Where to watch Murder by the Coast

Liam Neeson delivers an icy action flick to kick off summer with The Ice Road, a thriller about a trucker who embarks on a rescue mission. After a diamond mine unexpectedly collapses in Canada, a big-rig ice road driver (Neeson) must traverse a frozen ocean to find the trapped miners and save them in time. With the water below thawing out and the weather turning increasingly dangerous, the rescue effort quickly turns more perilous than anyone could have imagined.

Where to watch The Ice Road