Netflix: Best new shows and films to watch this July

Take a break and stream some top-class comedy, crime drama - and Dracula cartoons

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(Image credit: Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images)

The summer holidays are fast approaching and even if the weather is unreliable, Netflix has a great crop of new titles to keep you entertained this July.

From thrillers to dramas, animation to documentaries, here are the ten best:

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This new series aims to spotlight emerging comedy talent in Los Angeles. Adopting a similar format to last year's anthology The Characters, The Standups gives six jokers a half-hour slot to showcase their skills. Acts include Deon Cole (Blackish), Nikki Glaser (Not Safe With Nikki Glaser) and Dan Soder (Billions). From 4 July.

Castlevania season 1

After the success of Bojack Horseman and F is for Family, Netflix is making a third adult animation with this adaptation of the classic vampire video game series. Castlevania follows the adventures of Trevor Belmont, the last surviving member of a disgraced family fighting to save eastern Europe from the clutches of Dracula. The first season features four half-hour episodes, but Netflix has already commissioned a second outing. From 7 July.

Before I Fall

Another Netflix original, this Groundhog Day-style YA drama is based on Lauren Oliver's 2010 novel about a teenager forced to constantly re-live the day she dies. As Sam (Zoe Deutch from Why Him?) untangles the mystery surrounding her death, she discovers everything that is at stake. From 7 July.

To the Bone

A Netflix original film starring Lily Collins as Ellen, a young anorexic who goes on a harrowing and often funny journey of self-discovery after checking into a residential health programme run by the unconventional Dr Beckham (Keanu Reeves). From 14 July.

Friends from College

Ever wondered what your college friends are up to? This Netflix comedy sees a group of Harvard friends reunite to see how their lives have worked out. It features an all-star cast of comedy talent including Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother), Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele) and Fred Savage (The Wonder Years). From 14 July.

Chasing Coral

This acclaimed documentary follows a team of marine biologists as they track the devastating impact of global warming on the world's coral reefs. It caused a buzz at its Sundance premiere earlier this year for its spectacular cinematography and emotional impact. From 14 July.

Handsome Devil

Wry smiles are on off in this gentle comedy drama, which tells the story of a shy geek who develops an unlikely friendship with his school's rugby star. Nicholas Galitzine and Fionn O'Shea play the unlikely duo with Sherlock's Andrew Scott as their inspirational English teacher. A charming gem of a film that explores themes of homophobia, tribalism and masculinity with warmth and wise humour. From 20 July.

Ozark season 1

There are plenty of cautionary tales about the blighted lives of drug dealers, but this one adds a gripping new twist to the genre. Jason Bateman stars as a man who tries to hide his family in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri after a drug deal goes wrong. Imagine if Breaking Bad's Walter White had survived and taken his family into hiding somewhere cold. From 21 July.

The Incredible Jessica James

This sparky rom-com buddy movie stars former Daily Show presenter Jessica Williams as a hapless New York playwright who befriends an awkward app designer (Chris O'Dowd) after a difficult break-up. Also features Noel Wells (Master of None). From 28 July.

Daughters of Destiny season 1

In this inspiring and at times heartbreaking documentary, Oscar-winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth follows a group of children from India's most disadvantaged rural community to discover the course of their lives and whether destinies can be changed. From 28 July.

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