Vehicular Viewing: New on Streaming for September 2021
If you’re seeking something new to watch — preferably something that involves cars — you’ve arrived at the right article. Each month, major streaming services like Netflix and HBO Max add dozens of new titles to their libraries, and Vehicular Viewing is here to keep track of the highlights. From low-key indie films to big-budget action blowouts, these are September’s most interesting movies for car lovers.
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Crazy Heart (2009)
This gritty drama features a memorable lead performance by Jeff Bridges, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of a hard-drinking country singer who travels from show to show in his ’70s Chevy Suburban. (Hulu, 9/1)
Cry Macho (2021)
Speaking of ’70s Chevy Suburbans, that’s what Clint Eastwood’s character appears to be driving in the trailer for this tough-looking modern Western. Cry Macho is slated to arrive on HBO Max the same day it hits theater screens. (HBO Max, 9/17)
Detour (2017)
In this twisty thriller, an angry young man hires a professional killer, then joins him on a road trip (in an early ’70s Ford Mustang Mach 1 coupe) to take revenge on his stepfather. (HBO Max, 9/1)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
The Weasley family’s flying blue Ford Anglia car features prominently in this second installment in the beloved Harry Potter saga. The rest of the series returns to HBO Max in September, too. (HBO Max, 9/1)
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Mystery Men (1999)
A cult comedy about misfit superheroes, Mystery Men piles hapless characters like the Shoveler, Mr. Furious, and the Spleen into a fitting vehicle for their dubious powers — a rusty old Nash Rambler station wagon. (Netflix, 9/1)
Prince Avalanche (2013)
This quirky mix of comedy and drama follows a pair of friends as they toil away at their summer job: repainting a highway’s center lines with an old Ford Mutt (a military vehicle that replaced the Jeep in the 1950s). (HBO Max, 9/1)
Raising Arizona (1987)
One of the all-time comedy classics, Raising Arizona boasts some incredible vehicular action — including a wacky car chase/diaper robbery and a climactic showdown with an evil biker. (Hulu, 9/1)
Transformers (2007)
The first of a (so far) six-movie franchise, Transformers turned childhood cartoons and toys into a massive live-action spectacle. Vehicular highlights include Optimus Prime (a Peterbilt semi), Bumblebee (old and new Chevy Camaros), and Ironhide (a GMC TopKick truck). (HBO Max, 9/1)
A longtime editor/writer and recently transplanted Hoosier, Caleb Cook lives in Xenia, Ohio. His favorite activities are reading and listening to music, although he occasionally emerges from the heap of books and vinyl records in his basement to stand blinking in the sunlight. Once fully acclimated to the outside world again, he can be observed hanging out with his wife, attempting a new recipe in the kitchen, attending movies, walking the dog, or wandering into a local brewery to inquire about what’s on tap. See more articles by Caleb.