Add To Queue Now: Women-Led Netflix Shows & Films Coming This August

Looking for new things to watch on Netflix this August? A new month means a fresh batch of shows and films arriving on the streaming platform. We already browsed through the queue and noticed that there were a lot of women-led titles. Curious to see which ones we’re hitting the play button on? Scroll on to find out.

Out Of My League

Awkward yet charming Marta (Ludovica Francesconi) has a rare genetic illness. In the hopes of putting a little bit of excitement in her life, she decides to try her luck on a dating app with the encouragement of her best friends. She takes her chance with Gabriele (Giancarlo Commare), a rich and handsome bachelor. Marta says that being rejected by someone “out of her league” would be less painful. After she asks him out, Gabriele agrees to date Marta. The two eventually fall in love with Gabriele having no clue about Marta’s condition. When Marta’s illness worsens, she’s stuck between letting Gabriele know the truth or letting him go. The movie drops on Netflix on 18 August.

Why you should watch it: Unlike other romance tropes following the same treatment, Out Of My League opens its trailer with Marta saying that she’s not your typical “pretty but sick” heroine. The story banks on its relatability without making Marta wallow in self-pity or self-deprecation, but rather champions her uniqueness despite not being ‘conventionally beautiful’. It also doesn’t give us the already exhausted ‘ugly duckling transformation’ moment. Instead, it embraces the realness of Marta’s character.

Cooking With Paris

After her explosive tell-all YouTube documentary, Paris Hilton’s latest project is kind of… surprising. The original ‘it’ girl brings everyone to her kitchen where she whips up meals wearing bedazzled gloves and high-fashion ‘fits. Totally befitting of the glitzy and glam image she’s known for — we can’t wait to see it. Some of the confirmed guests include Kim Kardashian-West, Demi Lovato, Nikkie Glaser, and more. The series streams on Netflix this 4 August.

Why you should watch it: Everyone loves a good cooking show. But a cooking show mixed with flair and fashion courtesy of Paris Hilton? That’s hot!

The Swarm

To save her farm from bankruptcy, widowed mother Virginie (Suliane Brahim) started to breed edible grasshoppers. Pouring all of her resources in transforming these locusts to flour, Virginie entered a roadblock when she couldn’t find buyers who would purchase her product for fair trade. In the midst of her crisis, she discovers that her grasshoppers started to mutate, growing bigger and now hungry for human blood. Watch it on 6 August.

Why you should watch it: If you’re looking for a change of pace from emotionally taxing melodramas or cute but cliche rom-coms, this thrilling movie is the one to click on. It’s not something you haven’t seen before, but it does pack a punch when delivering its most mind-blowing moments. Warning though: it’s not for people who are squeamish!

The Kissing Booth 3

Whether you love it, hate it, or are simply curious about how it would end, Netflix’s The Kissing Booth is undeniably a hit. But good news — viewers who find this teen movie cringey might actually see it in a reformed light in this final instalment. Elle (Joey King) wants to make the most of her last summer before entering college. However, she finds herself caught between choosing University of California, Berkley where her best friend Lee (Joel Courtney) is going or across the country with her ‘epic love’ Noah (Jacob Elordi). Add it on your Netflix queue this 11 August.

Why you should watch it: If you need a lighthearted film to watch this month, you shouldn’t miss out on this one. The trailer suggests that it has a lot more meat compared to the first two films, finally giving the characters the growth they needed. We also see Elle getting sensible advice to choose herself first instead of compromising things for Noah and Lee. Wear your crown, queen.

The Chair

Sandra Oh adds another empowered role to her already impressive filmography. In this dark comedy mini-series, Sandra plays Dr. Kim Ji-Yoon, the new chairperson of the English department at Pembroke University. As the first woman and person of colour to take on the position, Dr. Kim has to navigate racism, sexism, and politics in the workplace. Catch it on Netflix this 20 August.

Why you should watch it: Who would ever want to miss the opportunity to see Sandra Oh in yet another groundbreaking role? Plus, it’s always interesting to see a socio-political series mixed with humour.

(Cover photo from: @parishilton)

Speaking of the hottest Netflix drops, read this before you binge the Rurouni Kenshin films.