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We’re barreling towards the end of the year. Who can believe it’s already November? On the bright side, with a new month comes a new batch of films landing on Netflix, and I’ve picked out four that are genuinely worth watching this week.
Don’t take my word for it? All of these are certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, so put away the fruit and grab some popcorn.
4 True Grit
It’s difficult to pick a favorite Coen brothers movie; some might say No Country for Old Men or Fargo. For me, nothing beats True Grit. I…
Credit: Lucas Gouveia/How-To Geek | Bilbo Baggins/Shutterstock
Sign in to your How-To Geek account
We’re barreling towards the end of the year. Who can believe it’s already November? On the bright side, with a new month comes a new batch of films landing on Netflix, and I’ve picked out four that are genuinely worth watching this week.
Don’t take my word for it? All of these are certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, so put away the fruit and grab some popcorn.
4 True Grit
It’s difficult to pick a favorite Coen brothers movie; some might say No Country for Old Men or Fargo. For me, nothing beats True Grit. I’m fond of the 1968 novel by Charles Portis, which this movie adapts (rather than remaking the less faithful 1969 John Wayne version), and I’m always a sucker for modern and classic Westerns alike. But even if you aren’t predisposed to the genre or aware of the source material, True Grit is simply a gripping watch: masterful performances, wonderful cinematography from the legendary Roger Deakins, and rich dialogue.
The story is about a no-nonsense 14-year-old named Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) who hires the tough Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to capture Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), the outlaw who murdered her father. Joining the duo is Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), who is in pursuit of Chaney for a separate murder. You would expect the established actors to be great, and indeed they are, but it’s then-newcomer Steinfeld who steals the show, portraying her character with steely determination and more than holding her own. Amazingly, this was her first professional feature-length acting credit, for which she received an Academy Award nomination.
True Grit
Release Date December 22, 2010
Cast Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Barry Pepper, Dakin Matthews, Jarlath Conroy, Paul Rae, Domhnall Gleeson, Elizabeth Marvel, Roy Lee Jones, Ed Corbin, Leon Russom, Bruce Green, Candyce Hinkle, Peter Leung, Don Pirl, Joe Stevens, David Lipman, Jake Walker, Orlando Storm Smart, Ty Mitchell, Nicholas Sadler, Scott Sowers, Jonathan Joss
Runtime 110 minutes
Director Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Writers Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Charles Portis
Producers Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Main Genre Western
Budget $38 million
Studio(s) Paramount Pictures
Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures
Executive Producer(s) David Ellison, Megan Ellison, Paul Schwake, Robert Graf, Steven Spielberg
3 Back to the Future
“Are you telling me you built a time machine... out of a DeLorean?” If you’re talking about iconic movies, it’s impossible not to mention Back to the Future. Having recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, this Robert Zemeckis-directed film never gets old and stands up to repeated rewatches. If you’ve somehow never seen Back to the Future, what are you waiting for? It’s about teenager Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) who accidentally goes back in time from 1985 to 1955, traveling in a souped-up automobile created by his friend Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd). Marty not only needs to figure out how to get back to the present day but also must protect his future existence by ensuring his parents fall in love.
Part of what makes Back to the Future so good is because of how accessible it is. Sure, it’s technically a sci-fi, but it’s not as heavy as that genre label might suggest. It’s charming and funny, with a perfectly-paced plot that lets the characters shine. Those characters are great on the page, but the actors elevate them to another level. For starters, Michael J. Fox’s charisma could carry anything, and Christopher Lloyd is hilarious as the eccentric scientist. Alongside them you have Lea Thompson as Marty’s flirty mother Lorraine, Crispin Glover as his mega-awkward father George, and Thomas F. Wilson as the dim bully Biff. It’s a recipe for success. Thankfully, Hollywood has yet to tarnish its legacy with a remake.
Back to the Future
Release Date July 3, 1985
Cast Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Crispin Glover, Lea Thompson, Claudia Wells, Thomas F. Wilson, Marc McClure, Wendie Jo Sperber, George DiCenzo, Frances Lee McCain, Billy Zane, J.J. Cohen, Casey Siemaszko, James Tolkan, Harry Waters, Jr., Donald Fullilove, Lisa Freeman, Cristen Kauffman, Elsa Raven, Will Hare, Ivy Bethune, Jason Marin, Katherine Britton, Jason Hervey, Maia Brewton
Runtime 116 minutes
Director Robert Zemeckis
Writers Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale
Producers Bob Gale, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, Neil Canton
Sequel(s) Back to the Future Part II, Back to the Future Part III
Franchise(s) Back to the Future
Main Genre Sci-Fi
Budget $19 million
Studio(s) Universal Pictures
Distributor(s) Universal Pictures
Executive Producer(s) Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall
2 Doctor Sleep
If you want to get into horror movies, the unsettling classic The Shining is a must-see. It’s directed by Stanley Kubrick and adapted from the Stephen King novel of the same name. While the film is great, King dislikes it because he feels it didn’t capture the spirit of his book. He wrote a sequel novel in 2013, which director Mike Flanagan adapted in 2019 with Doctor Sleep, a film more respectful to the source material. Set around 30 years after the events of the Overlook Hotel, Doctor Sleep sees a now-adult Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) dealing with his past and battling a cult that kills and feeds on people who possess the same supernatural ability he does.
While you could technically watch Doctor Sleep as a standalone, it doesn’t disregard Kubrick’s production. This is why I recommend you check out The Shining first, if you haven’t already, so that you can really appreciate the sequel. You’ll have a deeper understanding of the central character, and some scenes will be more effective. Whatever the case, Doctor Sleep is creepy, stylish, and boasts some great performances from McGregor and Rebecca Ferguson.
Doctor Sleep
Release Date November 8, 2019
Cast Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, Cliff Curtis, Zahn McClarnon, Emily Alyn Lind, Selena Anduze, Robert Longstreet, Carel Struycken, Katie Parker, Jamie Flanagan, Met Clark, Zackary Momoh, Jocelin Donahue, Dakota Hickman, Carl Lumbly, Henry Thomas, Bruce Greenwood, Sallye Hooks, Alex Essoe, Roger Dale Floyd, George Mengert, Jacob Tremblay, Chelsea Talmadge, Violet McGraw
Runtime 152 minutes
Director Mike Flanagan
Writers Mike Flanagan
Producers Trevor Macy
Prequel(s) The Shining
Main Genre Horror
Story By Stephen King
Budget $45 million
Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures
Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures
Executive Producer(s) Akiva Goldsman, D. Scott Lumpkin, Kevin McCormick, Roy Lee, Stephen King
1 Game Night
When I first saw Game Night, I went in with no expectations and was blown away by how hilarious, inventive, and action-packed it was. The 2018 movie, directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, stars Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams as Max and Anne Davis, a competitive couple who host a regular game night with their friends. When Max’s brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) invites everyone to his murder mystery party, things quickly get out of control when someone is kidnapped, and it’s unclear what’s part of the game and what’s reality.
Bateman and McAdams are outstanding, with some great physical performances, and they completely commit to the increasingly ludicrous situations. However, it’s perhaps Jesse Plemons who is the real highlight. As Gary Kingsbury, the odd police officer who feels excluded from the games, his deadpan delivery of some golden dialogue is a treat. Game Night is only streaming on Netflix for a limited time, so I strongly urge you to watch it this week—you won’t regret it.
Game Night
Release Date February 15, 2018
Cast Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Kyle Chandler, Sharon Horgan, Billy Magnussen, Lamorne Morris, Kylie Bunbury, Jesse Plemons, Michael C. Hall, Danny Huston, Chelsea Peretti, Camille Chen, Zerrick Williams, Joshua Mikel, R.F. Daley, John Francis Daley, Michael Cyril Creighton, Brooke Jaye Taylor, Jonathan Goldstein, Charlotte Haynes Hazzard, Chad Lail, Natasha Hall, Loren Schaffer, Kabby Borders, Kelly Johns
Runtime 100 minutes
Director John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Writers Mark Perez, John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Producers Jason Bateman, John Davis, James Garavente, John Fox
Budget $37 million
Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures
Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures
Executive Producer(s) Dave Neustadter, Michael Disco, Richard Brener, Toby Emmerich, Marc S. Fischer
If you whiz through these and want more entertainment, you’ll be pleased to hear that there are plenty of new movies arriving on Netflix this month. I’ve got my eye on Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, debuting on November 7 after a limited theatrical release.
Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month
Simultaneous streams Two or four
Stream all of these great movies, along with plenty more original and licensed programming, with a Netflix subscription.
Live TV No
Price Starting at $8/month