Spooky season is over, which means it’s officially Mariah Carey season. It also means streaming services are already loading up on Christmas movies. On pure principle, they’ll be omitted here — Santa doesn’t need a full two months of our attention. Also, while not a movie, worth noting that season two of The Vince Staples Show premieres on November 6th. The first season is funny, surreal, and just an absolute blast. I’ve got high hopes for season two. Here’s the best movies coming to streaming this week.
Eddington — Ari Aster’s latest just further proves that he is a master at making people squirm. It’s tense, awkward, and laugh-out-loud funny. RIYL: No Country for Old Men, the British Office, on-the-nose political satire.
Hellboy — Guillermo del Toro’s comic book romp is well worth a watch. It’s a little slower-paced than other comic movies of the time, but that’s part of why it holds up 20 years later.
Beasts of the Southern Wild — A visually wild tear-jerker that looks like it cost at least 10 times as much to make as it did. That a movie that looks this good could be made for just $1.8 million should make most of Hollywood feel ashamed.
Baby Driver — The story isn’t particularly complicated, but the soundtrack crushes, and the stunt work is second to none. Baby Driver has, perhaps, the highest concentration of high-quality car chases per-minute in all of cinema.
Judas and the Black Messiah — The betrayal of Black Panther chairman Fred Hampton isn’t an easy subject to tackle on film. But the incredible cast featuring Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, and Jesse Plemons delivers pitch-perfect performances.
Paddington 2 — There’s nothing to say about Paddington 2 that hasn’t already been said. It’s pure joy. If it doesn’t make you smile, then it’s time for some serious self-reflection.
Casino — This isn’t Scorsese’s best movie. Not by a long shot. But even his lesser films would rank pretty highly in any other director’s filmography.
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead — Another lesser film from an iconic director, but one worth watching. Sidney Lumet’s Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead never rises to the majestic highs of Dog Day Afternoon, Network, 12 Angry Men, Serpico, or even The Wiz. But it’s a fantastically tense watch featuring incredible performances from Philip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, Ethan Hawke, Michael Shannon, Amy Ryan, and Brían F. O’Byrne.
The Princess Bride — Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.
Don’t Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood — I will admit that I haven’t seen this movie in a long time, and I might be letting nostalgia cloud my judgment. But this is the Wayans brothers at the height of their powers, fresh off of In Living Color. Plus, they just don’t make many comedies of this ilk anymore.
Matilda – This is basically the platonic ideal of a children’s movie. Based on the excellent Roald Dahl book of the same name, deftly directed by Danny DeVito, and featuring one of the finest comedic performances by a child actor ever from Mara Wilson.
Bones and All — A 2022 cannibal romance road trip movie from the director of Call Me by Your Name, starring Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet with a score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. If that doesn’t spark your interest, I don’t know what will.
The Social Network — Directed by David Fincher, written by Aaron Sorkin, but perhaps best known for introducing us to Trent Reznor, the film composer. Watching this is a reminder of a simpler time when we thought Mark Zuckerberg was just kind of a jerk, instead of some sort of techno-fascist.
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