Netflix has confirmed its slate for July 2025, and I’m picking out the top new additions that scored highly on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes.
This month’s newcomers include a stirring romantic drama starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga; you can probably guess it from that vague description. Plus, there’s also a pair of “Mission: Impossible” movies that see Tom Cruise in full flow performing death-defying stunts and saving the world even when the odds are seriously stacked against him.
If you’re planning a Netflix movie marathon this weekend, these movies all make for excellent choices. So, here’s the best new to Netflix movies according to Rotten Tomatoes.
‘A Star is Born’ (2018)
“A Star is Born” became a major cultural phenomenon in 2018, and even all these years later, you’re never far from hearing its enduring original song “Shallow” played in a bar or grocery store.
Starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, it’s the third remake of the 1937 original, but it certainly doesn’t feel derivative, with a fantastic cast, smart direction from Cooper and a soundtrack that you’ll be playing on repeat for weeks after watching.
Ally (Gaga) is a waitress and hopeful musician who meets Jackson Maine (Cooper), an alcoholic country rockstar whose star is fading fast. Their chance encounter in a dive bar leads to an intense romance, but as Ally’s fame rapidly rises, Jackson struggles to battle his own demons.
Triumphant in parts, but also deeply tragic, “A Star is Born” is a mesmerizing romantic drama with award-caliber performances from Gaga, Cooper and Sam Elliott.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%
Watch on Netflix now
‘Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol’ (2011)
Netflix has added the first five “Mission: Impossible” movies this month, and it won’t come as a surprise to franchise fans that “Ghost Protocol” has made this list.
The fourth installment, “Ghost Protocol,” took the series to a new level and set the standard that subsequent sequels would look to match. Even if follow-ups “Rogue Nation” and “Fallout” surpassed it, in my opinion at least, this entry still offers some jaw-dropping set pieces, including a sequence that sees superspy Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) scale the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai.
In “Ghost Protocol,” the IMF (Impossible Missions Force) is blamed for a devastating terrorist attack on the Kremlin. Disavowed by the U.S. government, and with the eponymous protocol activated, it’s up to Hunt and his team (Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg and Paula Patton) to discover the true culprits, clear their names, and save the world from a nuclear threat.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
Watch on Netflix now
‘Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation' (2015)
Successfully following up a rip-roaring action blockbuster like “Ghost Protocol” seemed a tall order, but credit to the creatives behind “Mission: Impossible” because they did just that in “Rogue Nation.”
This sequel offers up more thrilling spy set pieces, and the section set in a Viennese opera house is among my favorite moments in the whole franchise. Plus, “Rogue Nation” adds Rebecca Ferguson to the cast, which is always a win.
“Rogue Nation” sees the IMF disbanded, with the team’s unconventional methods questioned by CIA director Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin). But in the shadows, a clandestine organization known only as the Syndicate is working to install a new world order, and Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) must reunite with this team to locate this sinister new threat.
In short, “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation” is one of the best action blockbusters of the past decade.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
Watch on Netflix now
‘Captain Philips’ (2013)
Tom Hanks gives one of his most powerful performances in this intense thriller from director Paul Greengrass. Inspired by true events, it sees Hanks play the titular Richard Philips, a merchant mariner who is at the helm of a container vessel when it’s hijacked by Somali pirates, led by the desperate Abduwali Muse (Barkhad Abdi). Philips' priority is keeping his crew safe from harm, but as the situation escalates, the pirates become more desperate.
Even if you’ve never seen “Captain Phillips,” you’ve probably encountered the “I’m the captain now” meme, but this gritty thrill ride is so much more than a frequently shared online clip; it’s gripping from the get-go, and Hanks’ performance will have you enthralled. Gritty, grounded, and surprisingly multi-layered, “Captain Phillips” is a masterclass in building tension. As the hostage situation develops, things reach a dramatic climax that you won’t soon forget.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%
Watch on Netflix now
‘Tangerine’ (2015)
Before Sean Baker became the toast of Hollywood, winning Best Picture and Best Director at the 2024 Oscars for his latest project, “Anora,” he helmed an equally unflinching portrayal of the sex work industry, “Tangerine.”
In fact, this 2015 movie is an even more uncompromising exploration of the sex work industry. It focuses on a side of Los Angeles that strips away the glitz and glamour and instead presents something that feels undeniably real and raw.
Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez), is a transgender sex worker who’s just got out of jail and learns from a close friend, Alexandra (Mya Taylor), that her boyfriend/pimp has been cheating her on while she was locked up.
Determined to locate her boyfriend Chester (James Ransone), Sin-Dee and Alexandra search the city on Christmas Eve on a mission to settle the score.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%
Watch on Netflix now
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