The end is nigh. Labor Day weekend is coming up, and with it the return of children to school, color to the leaves, and a chill to the air that means only one thing: time to retreat from the outside world and head back to the comfort of Netflix for another long winter of hibernation. If you're one of the proactive few looking to get the jump on winter and just dive straight into the numbing embrace of streaming entertainment, here are a few things that are new on Netflix this month that will help replace your normal fall activities.
Going to Work -- Up in the Air (2009)
Let George Clooney experience the listlessness of your work life for you, in this underrated dramedy about a rootless guy who spends his entire existence on the road (and in the air), with excellent supporting performances from Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick. You might not be George Clooney, but at least your primary goal in life isn't reaching a ridiculous high frequent flyer miles threshold.
Visiting Family -- Philomena (2013)
If your parents, siblings, etc. feel like a big drag as Thanksgiving starts to loom, Philomena is a good way to remind yourself that you're fortunate to have them in your life. Judi Dench plays the title character, a woman forced to give her son up for adoption and looking for him after 50 years. Based on a true story, prepare for a tale just as harrowing as the ones your uncle tells about his skeevy undergrad days.
Camping -- Rambo: First Blood (1982)
Don't go outside. Don't go camping. Watch Sylvester Stallone in the first Rambo movie racing through the woods, trying to avoid capture by a bunch of cops, instead. It looks hard, doesn't it? It looks psychologically taxing, right? Yeah, we thought so.
Hay Rides and Mazes -- Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Low-key the best Tim Burton movie (and one of the best Johnny Depp performances), this oddball version of the Headless Horseman story features excellent storybook visuals, a not-too-quirky Depp playing the scientifically inclined Ichabod Crane, and Christopher Walken as the Headless Horseman himself. Curl up with a blanket, turn down the lights, and forget everything about the Dark Shadows movie.
Sending Your Kids to School -- Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Vol. 1
Forget to put your kids (or the kids you're baby-sitting) on the bus to school? It's fine, really. There's no better person to learn from about life and being a good person than Fred Rogers. And honestly, you could probably use a little make-believe in your life, right? It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. (If by "neighborhood" you mean "Netflix.")