The best movies and shows coming to Neon this September

Neon continues to bring in a convoy of quality shows and films this September. See our handpicked highlights below followed by the full release schedule.

Top picks: TV

American Gigolo: Season 1 (September 12)

Jon Bernthal showed us his ugly, corrupt side in gritty Baltimore crime series We Own This City, and now he’s getting to flaunt his more romantic, seductive qualities. A present-day take on the 80s Paul Schrader film which starred mancandy of the era Richard Gere, this new series sees former escort Julian (Bernthal) released from prison, and seeking the truth about his wrongful murder conviction, under the scrutiny of cop Rosie O’Donnell.

The Handmaid’s Tale: Season 5 (September 15)

The telly adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s feminist dystopia has lost a bit of momentum over the years, partially due to star Elisabeth Moss’s commitment to other big projects. But it’s dutifully returning to our screens and bringing poor June (Moss) to account for her destructive actions, all while she’s still fighting to save her daughter Hannah. Perhaps every new episode won’t end with June glaring into the camera as some wryly deployed pop song plays us out…

Atlanta: Season 4 (September 17)

Star and creator Donald Glover has made some big promises about the final season of his surreal rap dramedy, Tweeting that the only comparable show will be mighty HBO hit The Sopranos. Those are huge boots to fill, but after a scintillating season three, perhaps Paper Boi, Darius, and lost soul Earn can actually bring it all home. Home is, of course, Atlanta, where the rapper and his entourage must reckon with their true selves after all that European tour craziness.

Top Picks: Film

Dune (September 2)

Christopher Walken will star as The Emperor, and Austin Butler will take over the shredded Sting role in the upcoming Dune sequel: we simply couldn’t be more hyped. A way to tamp down those feelings of nerdy desperation is by rewatching the sandy majesty of Denis Villeneuve’s first chapter, available to stream on NEON pretty soon. If you haven’t seen it already, get set for a colonial tale of conquest, destiny, and sexy bearded bros, too big for your home streaming screen but still plenty enjoyable.

Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story (September 3)

After the hugely influential, iconically gross second season of animated series The Ren & Stimpy Show, creator John Kricfalusi was fired by Nickelodeon. The reason lied in his abusive treatment of coworkers, and in his alleged grooming and assault of minors. Not very happy happy or joy-filled, this complex doco attempts to both exalt the show and its auteur, whilst including challenging talking-head interviews with the man himself, confronting the control-freak persona behind a deliriously out-of-control cultural touchstone.

The Matrix Resurrections (September 18)

A divisive return to the Wachowski’s simulation theory blockbuster world (albeit with only one of the sisters back behind the lens), Resurrections was enthralling to some fans and offensive to others, showing us a clinically depressed and re-Matrixed Neo. Here at Flicks, our reviewer found the film “outrageously bananas”, generally enjoying all the strange diversions and laughable moments—even if the action doesn’t quite measure up to that blistering original trilogy.