The sun is setting on another spooky season, which means the holidays are right around the corner. Why not cozy up to the fire with our monthly column, the Nerd’s Watch? Watch? It’s the place to find out all the best genre titles coming to the biggest streaming services. Plus, it’s not a complete list. It’s just the titles we think you’d care about.
What follows is a list of the best stuff streaming on all the big streaming services. We look at all those long, annoying lists and whittle them down to a few dozen titles that we think are noteworthy this month. Some are new, some are old, but either way, we’ll tell you why you should care. Or at least joke about it.
So sit back, grab your remote, and get ready for the updated and streamlined Nerd’s Watch, highlighting the best movies and shows coming to streamers this month.
Back to the Future is back in theaters and on Netflix. – Universal
The Back to the Future trilogy (November 1 on Netflix)
With the original perfect masterpiece celebrating its 40th anniversary with a theatrical rerelease this weekend, Netflix has not just that film, but also Parts II and III so you can finish the incredible series.
Doctor Sleep (November 1 on Netflix)
Mike Flanagan’s highly underrated adaptation of Stephen King’s sequel to The Shining is super creepy and a love letter to King as well as the Stanley Kubrick adaptation. Ewan McGregor stars, and if you haven’t seen it, fix that.
Paddington 2 (November 1 on Netflix)
In the realm of all-time great sequels like The Godfather Part II, The Empire Strikes Back, and Aliens, surely Paddington 2 is climbing up that chart. Just a delightful, wonderful film. Plus, the first film will also be on Peacock on November 1.
Ready Player One (November 1 on Netflix)
No, it’s not Steven Spielberg’s best work, but I still find it incredible that Spielberg adapted this impossibly nerdy book that was so inspired by his own work into a movie. It would be like if George Lucas remade the Star Wars sequel trilogy. “You realize this movie exists because of you, right?” Anyway, it holds a special place in my heart, flaws and all, and I’ll be rewatching it on Netflix.
Tenet (November 1 on Netflix)
Christopher Nolan clearly makes his movies for the big screen, but Tenet, with its mind-boggling (mostly in a good way) plot, feels made for streaming. This way, you can pause, rewind, rewatch, and more to get your head around the calculated madness.
Frankenstein © Netflix
This Is the End (November 1 on Netflix)
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s hilarious, meta, post-apocalyptic disaster comedy starring basically all of their friends as themselves is just so damn good. Infinitely rewatchable.
Frankenstein (November 7 on Netflix)
The day is finally here. Guillermo del Toro’s incredible new take on the classic monster story is coming to Netflix. And, if you missed it in a theater, do not miss your chance to see one of the best films of the year.
Labyrinth (November 7 on Netflix, also November 10 on Hulu)
Jim Henson’s big, bold, beautiful puppet hybrid film starring David Bowie continues to age like fine wine. Plus, it’s on two streamers this month, so there’s no excuse not to go on the adventure.
In Your Dreams (November 14 on Netflix)
The latest film from Netflix Animation is this story of a brother and sister who find a way to enter each other’s dreams in order to save their family. We’ve seen it and it’s really quite lovely. A perfect family to watch this holiday season.
Blue Beetle (November 17 on Netflix)
Blue Beetle is the little DC movie that, unfortunately, came out at just the wrong time. It’s not tied to anything else yet but it’s a fantastic, fun superhero movie that, if you missed it, you’ve got to check out.
Stranger Things © Netflix
Stranger Things 5: Volume 1 (November 26 on Netflix)
The biggest thing streaming this month, and maybe ever, is the fifth and final season of Stranger Things. It’s coming in three parts, and the first of those three parts is coming this month (the others are on Christmas and New Year’s Eve). It’ll drop specifically at 8 p.m. ET.
Fire and Water: Making the Avatar Films (November 7 on Disney+)
Zoe Saldana asks, and she shall receive. A documentary series about the making of the Avatar films is coming to Disney+ and we are so excited to check it out. The perfect bridge to the third film, which hits theaters in December.
Madame Web (November 14 on Disney+)
If you missed it in theaters (which is likely) or you missed it on Netflix (less likely), you can now watch arguably one of the most hilariously bad superhero movies in recent memory. It’s truly breathtaking, but not in a good way.
A Knight’s Tale (November 1 on Hulu)
Breathtaking in a very good way, however, is this 2001 film starring Heath Ledger, Paul Bettany, and Alan Tudyk about a young man rising through the ranks of the jousting community, set to all sorts of kickassclassic rock music. Just an awesome movie.
The Princess Bride (November 1 on Hulu)
One of the all-time great fantasy films from director Rob Reiner is coming to Hulu, and I’m smiling just thinking about how perfect it is. Perfect cast, perfect music, perfect everything.
Raiders of the Lost Ark is coming to Paramount+ – Paramount
Elf (November 1 on HBO Max)
If it’s November, you know that all the holiday classics are going to show back up on streamers. And so, we feel it’s our duty to let you know Jon Favreau’s modern classic starring Will Ferrell is coming to HBO Max.
The Bride of Frankenstein (November 1 on HBO Max)
With del Toro’s Frankenstein coming to streaming this month, it’s only right that the film universally considered the best Frankenstein film also does that. It’s this 1935 classic.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (November 2 on HBO Max)
The film that started a whole new timeline in the Planet of the Apes universe comes to streaming and, in addition, the latest film in the series is coming too. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will be out on HBO Max on November 13.
Four Indiana Jones films (November 1 on Paramount+)
The Indiana Jones movies swing from streamer to streamer like the famous archeologist himself. Now, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, Last Crusade, and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull have all landed back on Paramount.
Starship Troopers (November 1 on Paramount+)
Paul Verhoeven’s subversive, sci-fi action masterpiece comes to streaming, and yes, I would like to know more.
The original Ninja Turtles movie. – New Line
The original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles trilogy (November 1 on Paramount+)
The gloriously cheesy, massively nostalgic three original live-action Turtles movies are coming back to streaming. Grab some pizza and enjoy.
Jurassic World Rebirth (Now on Peacock)
If you missed this year’s new and surprisingly fun Jurassic Park film, it’s now on Peacock. Scarlett Johansson stars in a movie with an undeniable reverence for the original. Totally worth checking out.
The Men in Black franchise (November 1 on Peacock)
The fourth one with Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson is bad, but the first three films starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are actually really, really fantastic. And all four are coming to Peacock, so beam us up.
Now You See Me and Now You See Me 2 (November 1 on Peacock)
The third film is coming to theaters in November, so now is the perfect time to brush up on your Four Horsemen, magic heists, and all that good stuff.
The Rundown (November 1 on Peacock)
When the Rock was still a wrestler and just getting his start on the big screen, he made what still might be one of his best movies to date, this fantastic action-adventure film co-starring Rosario Dawson and Christopher Walken.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
