What’s New on Netflix? 5 Netflix Originals to Spice Up Your Summer

Why waste time getting sunburns when you can just Netflix and chill? Literally. Indoors.

The television and film platform has just added over 50 throwback movies and shows to the site. If you don’t know where to start, we got you covered.

Here is a list of what’s new on Netflix for you to binge this summer. Oh, and did we mention many of these new releases have strong female leads? Hallelujah!

1 “Okja”

Photo via Instagram/@okjamovie

This film is a tale of friendship between 10-year-old Mija, played by Ahn Seo-hyun, and her massive bestie, Okja. Their simple life in South Korea is turned upside down when the dynamic duo is sent to bustling New York City.

Mija must go on a mission to rescue Okja and bring him home. Protestors, consumers and capitalists all have sinister plans for her partner in crime. Mija’s fighting spirit is infectious and proves that sometimes heroes come in small packages.

Main cast:

• Ahn Seo-hyun stars as the courageous young farm girl, Mija, who comes to Okja’s rescue.
• Tilda Swinton plays the cold and calculated CEO Lucy Mirando who wants to capture and sell Mija’s friend, Okja.
• Paul Dano is the animal rights leader, Jay, who runs the activist group, the Animal Liberation Front (ALF).
• Jake Gyllenhaal plays the quirky TV personality and zoologist, Johnny Wilcox.

2 “GLOW”

This Netflix series is based on the “Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling” television series, which aired from 1986 to 1990. In the film, TV producer Sam Sylvia (Marc Maron) writes an ad in the newspaper to recruit female wrestlers for a whole new kind of showdown.

Out of everything new on Netflix, this show takes the cake for representing female badassery. It demonstrates how women can completely flip a male-dominated sport on its head. These ladies don’t take the backseat to any male lead. Instead, they are warriors. Also, it doesn’t hurt that they’re freaking hysterical.

Main cast:

• Alison Brie plays “GLOW’s” head villain, Ruth “Zoya the Destroya” Wilder. Ruth is a struggling actress in Los Angeles who surprisingly finds her big break in televised wrestling.
• Betty Gilpin stars as Debbie “Liberty Bell” Eagan. Debbie starts off the series as Ruth’s best friend who is a former soap opera star who falls into a coma. She ultimately joins GLOW to fight Ruth after Debbie realizes that she had an affair with her husband. (Yikes.) We can’t wait to see that throw down, Betty!
• Sydelle Noel plays the former Blaxploitation films’ stunt woman, Cherry “Junkchain” Bang. She has lost momentum since her heyday on the movie scene, so she is forced to fight with GLOW.
• Britney Young stars as Carmen “Machu Picchu” Wade, who comes from a bloodline of legendary wrestlers. Though her family discourages her from exploring the wrestling world, she ultimately changes her mind when GLOW comes along.
• Marc Maron plays former B-list director and current casting director of GLOW, Sam Sylvia. He ultimately brings the vision of elaborate female characters battling it out in the ring.

3 “To the Bone”

“To the Bone” follows Ellen’s (Lilly Collins) road to recovery from anorexia. Dr. William Beckham, played by Keanu Rives, urges her to fully come to terms with her condition and live life fully.

Director Marti Noxon framed the story of Ellen around her own struggles with anorexia during her youth. She wanted to portray a multi-dimensional female character that is confronting her inner demons, but still has a personality that shines through.

Main cast:

• Lily Collins plays Ellen who goes in and out of treatment programs to fight her battle with anorexia.
• Keanu Reeves stars as Dr. William Beckham who pushes Ellen to join an inpatient program that could possibly turn her life around.
• Carrie Preston is Ellen’s stepmother, Susan, who steps up and finds treatment for her stepdaughter when her parents have given up on her.

4 “The Incredible Jessica James”

In this clever quirky comedy, Jessica James is in New York City pursuing her dream to be a playwright. After a painful breakup, she meets an unlikely male friend while serial dating. From there, it’s endless shenanigans.

Jessica Jones’s unapologetic and filterless sense of humor is what gives the show life. Her cleverness is showcased with killer lines such as, “I’m pretty, I’m smart and I’m a cocoa queen. Obviously, I will have many great loves in my life.” It seems that her run on “The Daily Show” definitely helped Jessica Jones in developing her skills as an actress and comedian.

Keep the laughs coming, sis!

Main cast:

• Jessica Jones stars as the romantically frustrated protagonist, Jessica James. She is tad off of center and has a razor-sharp wit that doesn’t quit.
• Chris O’Dowd plays Jessica James’s new friend and tentative love interest, Boone. He is caught off guard by Jessica’s brutal honesty in a blind date and continues to be enamored with her since then.

We can’t wait to see this dynamic duo in action!

5 “Daughters of Destiny”

If you’re looking for a real life example of women empowering each other, look no further than “Daughters of Destiny.” This documentary series may be new on Netflix, but the message is timeless.

Five girls born into some of India’s poorest families are hauled off to boarding school. Through education, their futures begin to look brighter than they ever have before. Education is essential to the liberation of women and this series addresses this directly by showing how school impacts the lives of real girls.

If you want to watch something that’s action-packed, educational or just plain funny, Netflix is the place to go. There are also increasingly more options for viewers who love seeing dynamic female characters front and center. Can we get an amen?