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‘V/H/S/Halloween’

The best way to get into the Halloween spirit this year is with a series of horror stories connected to the holiday. That’s exactly what V/H/S/Halloween has to offer. The film features five unique shorts, each told as found footage tapes. In one segment, a group of teenagers learns a lesson when they take more than one piece of candy each from a trick-or-treat bowl. Another segment shows teenagers witnessing a new urban legend called “The Mommy.” You’ll have to watch to find out what the other three segments show. The stories are also interconnected with a sixth broader short about a focus group trying a new soda with dangerous side effects.

An Exciting New Anthology Film

Anthology films are fun, especially because they’re rare. The V/H/S series has done a great job increasing the number of anthology films available, with a new V/H/S movie releasing each year since 2021. Each segment in V/H/S/Halloween is led by a different director, creating some unique differences between the shorts. Directors for this entry include Casper Kelly, known for his viral Adult Swim short “Too Many Cooks,” and Alex Ross Perry, director of the recent music film Pavements. In her review for, Britt Hayes wrote that not every segment lands in this entry, but it’s “a solidly successful addition to the long-running anthology series.”

‘Sew Torn’

Originally a short film later expanded into a feature-length project of the same name, Freddy Macdonald’s Sew Torn is a clever, dark crime thriller that flew under the radar upon release. Here, financially struggling seamstress Barbara (Eve Connolly) finds her life and death being played out under different scenarios connected to a singular event: stumbling upon a large sum of money after a deal gone bad. Throughout each possibility based on her actions, Barbara uses her thread to navigate the moral ambiguity of her situation, save herself, and even set up a trap for a violent gangster.

Threads Tie Together a Series of Unfortunate Fates in This Clever Crime Thriller

With a wicked wit, strong performances, and the gorgeous backdrop of the Swiss Alps, Sew Torn is a strikingly twisted yet beautiful piece of cinema. In particular, its use of thread creates some wild scenarios that play out perfectly, with Eve Connolly’s dance across a restaurant while setting up thread to pull a gun trigger being one of the most gleefully absurd moments ever committed to film. Although the movie has only a small sampling of critic reviews, with 41, the consensus was overwhelmingly positive, earning a 95% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

‘Influencers’

CW (Cassandra Naud) and her girlfriend, Diane (Lisa Delamar), have set southern France as the destination for their anniversary celebration. However, shortly after their arrival, they meet Charlotte (Georgina Campbell), whose charisma and outgoing personality instantly capture Diane’s attention. This friendship makes CW uncomfortable, and she indulges her interest in darker subject matter, becoming a violent threat to those around her.

Hell Hath No Fury

Cassandra Naud’s intense performance as CW is front and center of what makes Influencers such a captivating horror/thriller. Combine the movie’s dark wit that touches on socially relevant subject matter, and Influencers has been touted as a contender for one of the best horror movies of 2025. While a standalone sequel from 2022’s Influencer, horror fans will get a bit more out of Influencers, having watched both – thankfully, the first film is also available to stream on Shudder.

Best Movies Streaming on Apple TV

‘All of You’

All of You takes place in a world where people can take a test to find their soulmate. In the movie, Laura tells Simon, her college friend, that she wants to take the test, despite Simon’s doubts about the test’s technology. When Laura receives her results, she’s matched with a man named Lukas, not Simon. Following the test’s results, Laura starts a family with Lukas while continuing to keep in touch with Simon. She eventually learns how hard it is to let him go and must choose between what the test says and what her heart says.

Ted Lasso star Brett Goldstein co-wrote the film and stars alongside Imogen Poots and Jenna Coleman.

A Romance Set in a Sci-Fi World

All of You has an interesting twist to romance films. The concept of technology that can detect soulmates is futuristic, almost like science fiction, but the movie doesn’t focus too much on that aspect. All of You keeps itself grounded like a traditional romance film, only relying on the science-fiction part to drive the story. It’s much different from the Star Wars films, for example, which take place in space with alien creatures. All of You isn’t nearly as flashy with its science fiction, but it’s still cool to see how it blends the science fiction and romance genres.

‘The Family Plan 2’

In The Family Plan 2, Dan Morgan (Mark Wahlberg) has left his life as an assassin to work as an advisor at a private security firm, seeking a more peaceful life with his wife, Jessica (Michelle Monaghan), and their children. When his daughter, Nina (Zoe Colletti), ends up unable to make it home for the holidays, Dan decides to turn a security-assessment job into a European vacation with his family. However, after meeting a man who claims to be Dan’s half-brother, Finn Clarke (Kit Harington), he finds himself coerced into doing a heist.

Bringing Action Home For the Holidays

The dad-turned-assassin may be a bit of a tired trope at this point, but it keeps on working, particularly when you have an action favorite like Mark Wahlberg in the lead. Here, fans can expect a cozy, festive-themed action movie that builds off the success of the first Family Plan with the same cast and creative team. In addition, The Family Plan 2 offers a bigger budget and more thrills to ensure it scratches that action itch during the winter months.

‘F1: The Movie’

After tearing through the box office and grossing $631.5 million, F1: The Movie is one of the hottest new additions to streaming. The story follows Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), a once-famed F1 racer whose career ended in the ’90s after a crash. Yet, when an old friend reaches out to him and asks for his help to save his failing team, Sonny strives for glory once again. His old-style approach puts him at odds with up-and-comer Joshua “Noah” Pearce (Damson Idris), but the two soon become determined teammates.

Pulse-Pounding Action on the Race Track

Joseph Kosinski is one of the most exciting action directors working today, having previously proven himself a heavy-hitter in the genre and at the box office with Top Gun: Maverick (2022). F1 successfully builds off of his previous work, with the film notable for its immersive high-speed races, which offer the closest experience many will ever get to racing themselves. The camerawork, editing, and framing of the races are all pure perfection, and fans will find themselves coming back to them again and again.

Best Movies Streaming on Paramount+

‘The Cut’

Orlando Bloom is generally known for playing roles where he’s cool-headed. His portrayal of Legolas in The Lord of the Rings was quite calm compared to other characters, and Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean is certainly less rash than Jack Sparrow. The Cut is a change in pace for the actor, requiring Bloom to show rage and intensity in his performance. In the film, Bloom plays a boxer who’s past his prime. Bloom’s boxer isn’t given a name, further underscoring how down on his luck he is, but he slowly works his way back to fighting condition with the help of a few trainers.

An Intense Boxing Thriller

With films like Rocky, Raging Bull, and Million Dollar Baby, boxing has always looked great on screen. There’s something so thrilling about how a camera captures a punch or how training scenes can be conveyed through montages. The Cut follows in the lineage of many boxing films with the same type of underdog story that captures the intensity of the sport. In fact, The Cut has even more intensity than most boxing films, with Bloom’s boxer confronting his psychological obstacles under the guidance of John Turturro’s mentor, Boz. With a score that includes music from Mission: Impossible — Fallout composer Lorne Balfe, The Cut is sure to get viewers’ blood pumping.

‘Fight or Flight’

In Fight or Flight, Josh Hartnett plays a former Secret Service operative named Lucas Reyes who went into hiding after a mission placed him in danger. The American government has just identified the location of a hacker known as the Ghost, but none of the government’s agents will be able to catch the hacker in time. Lucas is close enough to intercept the hacker, and the government promises to clear his name if he can stop the Ghost. Lucas boards the Ghost’s plane and quickly learns the task won’t be as easy as he thought. Many other agencies have hired their own assassins to kill the Ghost, and Lucas must fight them while also trying to find his target.

Overdone or Just Simple Fun?

It’s hard to treat Fight or Flight as an original movie when it shares so many concepts with other films. A skilled main character who has to fight other assassins? That’s just John Wick. The main character is on a plane filled with dangerous criminals? That’s Con Air. Josh Hartnett playing a wanted man with little chance of escaping his dangerous situation? That’s Trap. Somehow, Fight or Flight doesn’t feel weighed down by these obvious comparisons. It might be inspired by these films, but it’s certainly not a rip-off of them. Fight or Flight is exactly what it needs to be: a fun action-comedy for fans of the genre.

‘Vicious’

In Vicious, Dakota Fanning plays Polly, who’s startled one night by a mysterious visitor. The visitor gives Polly a box and instructs her to fill it with something she needs, something she hates, and something she loves. It’s a strange task, but Polly follows, not knowing how dark her night will get. The events spark a series of moments that terrify Polly as she tries to figure out where reality starts and ends while confronting some of the darkness of her past.

Not a Generational Horror Film

Paramount+ isn’t letting Halloween pass without one original horror film. With a 42% from critics and an even harsher 30% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, that’s about all Vicious is: an original horror film. It’s the kind of quality viewers might expect from a streaming original, with one main setting, a small cast, and scares that mostly come from an unsettling vibe. Watch it for its originality or Dakota Fanning’s performance, but don’t expect it to be the next horror classic.

‘Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape from Now’

Ozzy Osbourne’s death from a heart attack on July 22 shocked fans around the world. Osbourne was a legend in the rock genre. He was an influential musician, having led the band Black Sabbath and having his own career. Osbourne’s family was also quite well-known through the MTV reality series The Osbournes. His deep pop culture presence made his passing especially impactful. The documentary Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape from Now offers audiences one more chance to connect with the famous singer.

A Comforting Grieving Process

Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape from Now might be the perfect way for viewers to reconcile with the singer’s death. The documentary was filmed in the final stages of Ozzy Osbourne’s life. He’s seen facing health concerns, and he even confronts his own mortality through interviews. The documentary features interviews with his family and fellow musicians, who reflect on how he wanted to say goodbye to his fans. Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape from Now reveals how he did that as the film builds to his final performance, which took place the same month as his death.

‘The Naked Gun’

The Naked Gun brings audiences back to the outlandish style of comedy from the 1988 film of the same name and its sequels. Liam Neeson plays Frank Drebin Jr., the son of the dimwitted detective played by Leslie Nielsen in Police Squad! and the other Naked Gun films. Neeson’s version is just as bad at his police work as his father was. His boss isn’t happy with his work, but he has one more chance to prove himself as he investigates a billionaire’s plan to control the world. During his case, he also falls in love with Beth Davenport (played by Pamela Anderson), an author who’s investigating her brother’s death.

The Funniest Comedy This Year

Comedy films with the sole purpose of being comedies feel too rare these days. They’re typically attached to another genre, like action or horror. The Naked Gun is dedicated to being nothing more than a silly comedy, and its execution is perfect. Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, and Danny Huston (who plays the evil billionaire) are surprisingly good in their rare comedic roles. Jokes are over the top, in a good way, like when the wreckage of a car is lifted with a giant arcade claw machine. The film is directed by The Lonely Island member Akiva Schaffer and produced by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, both of whom have been pioneers of original comedies in the past. The team behind The Naked Gun even put together a fake PSA asking Hollywood to bring back these kinds of comedies.

‘The Wedding Banquet’

Many of the best romantic comedies have been centered on weddings: The Wedding Singer, Wedding Crashers, and Bridesmaids (to name a few). The Wedding Banquet throws itself into the mix with a plot that has two same-sex couples teaming up to get what they want. In the movie, Angela and her partner, Lee, live together, while Angela’s friend, Chris, lives with his partner, Min, in their garage. Both couples have big problems. Angela and Lee want to have a baby, but can’t afford IVF treatments. Chris and Min won’t get married at the risk of Min’s grandfather disowning him, but Min’s visa has also expired. They hatch a plan for Min to marry Angela in exchange for Min and Chris paying for Lee’s treatments.

A Remake That Actually Expands on the Original

The Wedding Banquet is actually a remake of a 1993 film of the same name, directed by Ang Lee, who is also known for Brokeback Mountain. The original film focused on one same-sex couple with a similar problem to Min and Chris. In the 1993 version, Gao Wai-Tung is hiding a relationship with Simon from his parents. He decides to marry a woman living in his apartment complex to help her get a visa and to appease his parents. The new remake actually adds another couple to the mix, showcasing another layer of problems for couples in modern America. With actors like Lily Gladstone, Bowen Yang, and Kelly Marie Tran in the film, the 2025 version is worth a watch.

Best Movies Streaming on Peacock

‘How to Train Your Dragon’

Though just 15 years old, the original How to Train Your Dragon has become one of animation’s most essential films. It makes sense that DreamWorks would follow Disney’s lead with a live-action remake of its animated classic. The new film follows the same events of the original, almost beat-for-beat. Hiccup, who lives with the other Vikings in Berk, has been taught to hate dragons all his life. One day, he meets a rare dragon and discovers that they aren’t so bad after all. He befriends the dragon, which he names Toothless, and teaches the other vikings to embrace the dragons. The movie stars Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler, and Nick Frost, and is directed by Dean DeBlois, who co-directed the original film.

Why a Classic Was Remade, Explained

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World offered a fitting conclusion to the animated trilogy, so a fourth film in the series wouldn’t make sense. The Hidden World was released back in 2019, so the films were dormant for six years, despite still being popular with children as well as adults. Concluding the series isn’t a great look for Universal Studios, financially speaking, as an Isle of Berk area recently opened at the studio’s theme park. That provides more insight as to why DreamWorks, which operates under Universal, would make a live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon that doesn’t stray too far from the original. It’s a chance to bring audiences back to Berk without ruining the legacy of the trilogy that started it all. Expect to see even more dragons as a live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon 2 has already been greenlit.

‘Honey Don’t!’

Honey Don’t! is a modern take on noir detective films with a hint of comedy. Margaret Qualley plays Honey O’Donahue, a private investigator who believes there’s something deeper to a recent car crash. In her investigation, she comes across Reverend Drew Devlin (played by Chris Evans), who leads a local church as a front for his drug trafficking business. Honey must uncover all the nefarious dealings and crimes connected to Drew while also navigating a relationship with fellow police officer MG Falcone, played by Aubrey Plaza.

Honey Don’t! also stars Charlie Day and Billy Eichner.

A Different Kind of Coen Film

Honey, Don’t! is directed by Ethan Coen, the younger brother of Joel Coen. Joel and Ethan Coen are known for directing incredible black comedies like The Big Lebowski and No Country for Old Men. Recently, they’ve been working on more solo projects, with Joel Coen directing The Tragedy of Macbeth and Ethan Coen directing Honey Don’t! and its predecessor, Drive-Away Dolls. Ethan Coen wrote Drive-Away Dolls and Honey Don’t! with his wife, Tricia Cooke, which is why these projects feel different from those he made with his brother. The movies fill a very specific niche for Hollywood, as they’re part of the couple’s planned “lesbian B-movie trilogy,” as reported by Deadline. Honey Don’t! isn’t for everyone, but it will definitely make some viewers happy.

‘Screamboat’

For years, Disney has fought to protect its characters from entering the public domain. Unfortunately for the studio, it couldn’t stop the 1928 cartoon Steamboat Willie from falling into the public’s hands. In Screamboat, Steamboat Willie is a murder-loving mouse on the Staten Island Ferry. One night, he decides to terrorize the boat’s passengers, killing them one by one. The passengers must try to survive, but when they’re trapped in the confines of the boat, the tiny mouse just might win.

Perfect for Your Horror Night

Peacock is quickly establishing itself as a streaming service for horror movies, which is perfect with Halloween coming right around the corner. Just a few weeks ago, the streamer brought Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare to the service (see below), which falls in the same category of public domain horror films as Screamboat. However, Screamboat twists an even more popular character for this concept with Steamboat Willie, who would later evolve into Mickey Mouse. The cartoon character is brought to life by horror icon David Howard Thornton, who plays Art the Clown in the Terrifier franchise.

‘Night of the Zoopocalypse’

Night of the Zoopocalypse follows in a long tradition of zombie movies, including Night of the Living Dead and Shaun of the Dead. The big twist for this film is that the zombies are zoo animals. The movie follows a wolf named Gracie, who lives with her pack in an enclosure at the zoo. One night, a meteor lands in the zoo and infects a rabbit with a virus. The rabbit runs around the zoo, causing havoc and infecting other animals. Gracie must work with other animals to survive the night and try to reverse the infection. The cast includes Gabbi Kosmidis, David Harbour, Scott Thompson, and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee.

For the Adventurous Kids

As an animated film with talking animals, Night of the Zoopocalypse seems like a perfect film for families. However, it’s best for families that are most adventurous with their movie tastes. Night of the Zoopocalypse can get a little dark with its apocalyptic plot, especially when depicting some of the zombified creatures. It’s almost as if a horror movie had been put through a filter that gave it cartoonish animation and bright colors. The film is based on a book called Zoombies, which was written by Hellraiser creator Clive Barker.

‘The Phoenician Scheme’

The Phoenician Scheme is like a strange child between an indie film and an Indiana Jones movie. It’s a Wes Anderson film, so of course it’s filled with symmetry, practical sets, and pastel colors. However, the plot is a little different from most Wes Anderson films, as it sends the characters on a classic adventure in the director’s beloved style. The main character, Zsa-Zsa Korda, has had his life threatened by assassination attempts and realizes he must prepare his legacy. He starts by reconnecting with his daughter, Liesl, and involves her in a scheme to control slave labor in Phoenicia. Governments are conspiring to raise the prices of building materials to stop Korda, so he must travel across the world to meet with his investors while also avoiding his many enemies.

One of Wes Anderson’s Best

The Phoenician Scheme is one of Wes Anderson’s best films, taking him to new territory while also keeping what fans love about him. The movie includes many of his frequent collaborators, including Bill Murray and Willem Dafoe, as well as Benicio del Toro, Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Jeffrey Wright, and more. It’s also the Wes Anderson debut for Michael Cera, who feels like he should have been in one of the director’s movies a long time ago. Wes Anderson brings his trademark satire and themes of family relationships, redemption, and more to The Phoenician Scheme, combining them with staples of the espionage and thriller genres. It’s a great film for audiences who love Wes Anderson, as well as those who think all his movies are the same.

‘Mad Max’

The first film in George Miller’s Franchise, 1979’s Mad Max, takes place during the period of social unrest and lawlessness that would lead to the more apocalyptic events that unfold in subsequent entries. Here, Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) is a patrol officer tasked with his partner to keep order during the gas shortage and the rise of gangs. A series of shocking events ultimately led to Max’s tragic backstory that would frame the rest of the films.

The Movie that Started One of the Most Memorable Action Franchises

While integral in changing the landscape of post-apocalyptic cinema, 1979’s Mad Max has, unjustly, flown under the radar compared to later entries. In part, this is due to its exploitative veneer, but those who can look past its grittier aesthetic and sensational violence will find a highly engrossing character study that feels apt for the societal decline on display. Those who love Road Warrior or Fury Road owe it to themselves to check out the original film on Peacock. While stylistically different, it adds an undeniable layer of depth to the franchise.

Best Movies Streaming on Netflix

‘The Woman in Cabin 10’

In The Woman in Cabin 10, which is based on Ruth Ware’s book by the same name, Laura Blacklock is an investigative journalist taking on an assignment on board a wealthy couple’s yacht. Billionaires Richard and Anne Bullmer own the boat, with the latter having been diagnosed with leukemia. Anne and Richard throw a fundraiser on the yacht to raise money for Anne’s charity foundation. While on the boat, Laura sees one of her ex-boyfriends, and to avoid him, she hides in Cabin 10. There, she finds a mysterious woman, and over the course of her investigation, she starts to uncover something sinister happening on the yacht.

A Trio of Terrific Actors

The Woman in Cabin 10 features quite a few great actors. Keira Knightley, most famous for playing Elizabeth Swann in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, returns to the high seas for The Woman in Cabin 10 with her role as Laura Blacklock. Her role here is much more dramatic than her role as Elizabeth Swann, as Laura Blacklock has had some dark experiences as a journalist. Guy Pearce plays billionaire Richard Bullmer, a role that fits perfectly into his career renaissance, which began when he received a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Academy Awards for his part in The Brutalist. The cast also features Hannah Waddingham, who’s been widening her film resume between seasons of Ted Lasso with this, Lilo & Stitch, and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.

‘Karate Kid: Legends’

In Karate Kids: Legends, Li Fong (played by Ben Wang) has just moved to New York with his mother. Before New York, Li was a student learning kung fu from Mr. Han (played by Jackie Chan), but Li’s mother asked him to stop practicing kung fu in the city. Li befriends a local girl, Mia Lipani (played by Sadie Stanley), whose father, Victor (played by Joshua Jackson), owns a pizza store. Li starts working at the pizza store and soon learns that Victor has repeatedly been attacked by karate fighters sent by a loan shark named O’Shea (played by Tim Rozon). Victor asks Li to teach him kung fu, which requires Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso (played by Ralph Macchio) to fly to the big city for some extra help.

A Franchise-Blending Legacy Sequel

Legacy sequels are having a cultural moment right now with the successes of films like Top Gun: Maverick and The Naked Gun. Karate Kids: Legends is one of the latest, introducing audiences to a new Karate Kid more than 40 years after the original film was released in theaters. Like most legacy sequels, Karate Kid: Legends features a star from the original films as a mentor for the next generation. Ralph Macchio returns from The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai to play Daniel LaRusso, but he’s not the only mentor. Jackie Chan also reprises his role as Mr. Han from the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid. It’s rare for a movie to feature characters from an original film and its remake, but it’s a move that pays off, as it’s fun to see LaRusso and Chan together.

‘Ruth & Boaz’

Ruth & Boaz is Tyler Perry’s modern retelling of a famous biblical story. In the story, Ruth is a Moabite who moves to Judah following the death of her husband. While there, she lives with her mother-in-law, named Naomi. She eventually marries Boaz, who is wealthy and brings her happiness. In the film, Ruth lives in Atlanta and works in the music industry. She decides to leave when she needs to take care of her surrogate mother, Naomi. As she watches over Naomi, she meets Boaz and quickly falls for him.

An Instant Chart-Topper on Netflix

Tyler Perry has already had two big hits with Netflix this year, and he’s on his way to a third. The Perry-directed films Straw and Madea’s Destination Wedding both landed in the streaming service’s top 10 movies after they debuted on the service this year. In its release week, Ruth & Boaz quickly became one of the most popular films on the service.

‘Steve’

In Steve, Cillian Murphy plays Steve, the head instructor at a reform college. Steve is close with the school’s students, and he needs to be, as he often has to stop fights and resolve conflicts. Although the school helps change its students’ lives, it’s also at risk of being shut down. Steve has to navigate the problems with the reform college while also struggling with its toll on his own mental health. However, he’s not the only one with problems, as Steve also focuses on a student named Shy, who struggles with anger issues.

Cillian Murphy’s Second Role Since Winning an Oscar

Cillian Murphy hasn’t rushed into new roles since winning an Oscar for portraying J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. He starred in the 2024 Irish historical drama Small Things Like These, but the film premiered before he won the Oscar. Steve is Murphy’s first project filmed after he won the Oscar, and it’s a good choice for his follow-up to his award-winning role. It’s an emotional role, allowing Murphy to act with a younger generation while also giving him some dramatic scenes alone. Steve currently holds a 76% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

‘The Thursday Murder Club’

The Thursday Murder Club takes place in a retirement home, where a group of four residents gather once a week to discuss mysterious old murders. The residents include former MI6 agent Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), former psychiatrist Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley), former union leader Ron (Pierce Brosnan), and former nurse Joyce (Celia Imrie). People in the retirement home are blindsided when one of the home’s owners, Tony, is murdered. Tony and his partner had been planning to turn the retirement home into flats, which makes Tony’s murder look suspicious. The club, along with police officer Donna De Freitas (Naomi Ackie), agrees to solve the case.

From America’s Most Charming Director

The Thursday Murder Club is directed by Chris Columbus, who’s become one of America’s coziest filmmakers. In the 1980s, he wrote classics including The Goonies and Gremlins. He went on to direct some unconventional Christmas films like Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. He also directed Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Mrs. Doubtfire. Most of his films can be quite comforting, whisking viewers back to their childhoods. The Thursday Murder Club is a bit different, as the main characters are much older, but Columbus captures the same sense of adventure that made films like The Goonies work so well.

‘Frankenstein’

A master of dark fantasy, Guillermo del Toro breathes new life into Mary Shelley’s immortal tale in his second original film for Netflix, coming after his phenomenal retelling of Pinocchio in 2022. Del Toro’s version of Frankenstein follows a familiar path: Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), a scientist consumed by his pursuit to defy death, brings a creature into existence (Jacob Elordi), whose struggles to find a place in the world due to his monstrous appearance. For del Toro, it is not always just about the story, as the director’s mastery of dark, gothic visuals and world-building adds a great deal of intrigue to the familiar tale.

Divine Visions of Horror and Beauty

Blending horror, fantasy, and romance, del Toro’s take on Frankenstein is a highly emotional journey that also acts as a meditation on grander themes such as death and what it means to be human. Quickly becoming one of the most-watched film debuts on Netflix, there is a good chance those reading this have already experienced the masterfully envisioned remake of the Gothic classic themselves. Need more convincing? The fans have spoken, and the film currently holds a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics being slightly more reserved in their praise, yet still achieving an impressive 86% score.

‘Nouvelle Vague’

Emerging from the smoky jazz nightclubs where tales of love are spun as much as philosophical quandaries, acclaimed director Richard Linklater delivers a love letter to the French New Wave, focusing on Jean-Luc Godard. Nouvelle Vague offers a fictionalized account of the making of Godard’s Breathless, with Guillaume Marbeck as the rebellious filmmaker, Zoey Deutch as Jean Seberg, an American actress navigating the excitement and pressures of her breakout role, and Aubry Dullin as Jean-Paul Belmondo, the charismatic leading man.

A Sleek Love Letter to the French New Wave

Embedded with a youthful passion, Nouvelle Vague taps into a particular nostalgia around a celebrated era of cinema. Indeed, this movie will likely resonate more with the arthouse crowd familiar with Godard and the French New Wave, but its strong performances and sleek visual style will appeal to film fans as a whole. Having previously had a limited theatrical run, the film has already garnered critical praise, earning a fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an 89% score.

‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’ (2025)

Master sleuth Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) returns to solve another case in the newest entry in the Knives Out franchise, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Here he is drawn into a dark and twisted mystery at a New York parish where its leader, Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), has been stabbed to death. While the guilty eye falls on an ex-boxer turned young priest, Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor), Benoit must navigate through past secrets and a closed-off community to find the culprit.

A Delectably Dark Murder Mystery

Director/writer of the franchise, Rian Johnson, shows not only that there is still plenty to explore in the sleuth-driven drama, but also that he can adapt and bring something new and exciting to the franchise. Fans still get the twists and turns, eccentric characters, and deeply engaging mystery, but Wake Up Dead Man offers a darker, gothic tone that tackles heavier themes. If you loved the previous films in the franchise, you will enjoy Wake Up Dead Man. If you found the previous entries a bit too glitzy, this darker-in-tone entry could be an ideal stand-alone dive into mystery.

‘The Great Flood’

Set in the near future, The Great Flood depicts the beginnings of a world overwhelmed by a catastrophic flood. Here, An-na (Kim Da-mi), is an AI research scientist and single mother who finds herself in a desperate race to get to the top of her high-rise along with other desperate residents. Yet, there is a ray of hope when Son Hee-jo (Park Hae-soo), a security officer, joins her in her plight, instructed to bring her to safety, armed with her research key to stop the incoming flood.

A Desperate Struggle Against Nature

Like many other Korean productions, The Great Flood excels at crafting a highly emotional journey, as An-na’s struggle to save her son takes center stage in the large-scale survival film. Digging a bit deeper, the movie also touches on some poignant issues, integrating philosophical discussions of AI. Of course, there is also the spectacle of the entire world awash in water, which should be enough to draw people in to check out this stunning sci-fi-themed drama/thriller.

‘Goodbye June’

A personal project, Goodbye June, marks Kate Winslet’s directorial debut, based on a screenplay by her son, Joe Anders. Here, a family faces a turning point when, a few weeks before Christmas, the matriarch, June Cheshire (played by Helen Mirren), collapses, which leads to her learning she has terminal cancer. Her four adult children — Connor (Johnny Flynn), Julia (Kate Winslet), Helen (Toni Collette), and Molly (Andrea Riseborough) — along with their father, Bernie (Timothy Spall), are forced to come together after years of estrangement. June, with her endearing wit, becomes the focal point for the family to explore past grievances so they can come together to spend the last moments together.

Facing A Loss in the Family

While taking place around Christmas, Goodbye June’s message of family connection is not strictly tied to the holiday. Fans who appreciate the emotionally poignant exploration of family will find the script and ensemble cast here to complement Winslet’s direction and Anders’s script perfectly. The series does tread some familiar territory and leans a bit too heavily into tropes, but this does not downplay how rewarding a watch Goodbye June is for the right crowd; those who can draw inspiration and comparisons to

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