Deathstalker
Credit: Shout! Studios
Politically charged action flicks. Remakes of sword-and-sorcery classics. Brooding indie character studies. As November races past and Thanksgiving draws closer, new movies keep dropping on Netflix and the multitude of other streaming services we all subscribe to these days. We have some fun action popcorn movies, goofy family films, classic murder mysteries and underrated superheroes in this week’s batch of movies.
Some of these came out last week but didn’t make my list. Others are only available on Video On Demand (VOD) but most of these are available to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, Prime Video and elsewhere. I’m not including theatrical releases in this list, but if you are headed to theaters, you might run into me at Wicked: For Good, which I’m really excited to see. There’s also the sequel to the WWII revenge movie Sisu, Sisu: Road To Revenge, and a handful of other new theatrical releases to check out. The Running Man looks fun, though it’s not getting stellar reviews.
Alright, onto the list!
See last week’s Top 5 Movie Releases right here.
10 New Movies To Watch This Week
One Battle After Another – (VOD)
Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest crime thriller, One Battle After Another, stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn. DiCaprio plays Bob, a washed up revolutionary whose daughter goes missing. Penn plays Colonel Lockjaw, Bob’s old nemesis. Anderson was inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s novel Vineland.
Sovereign (Hulu)
Another politically charged movie, Christian Swegal’s Sovereign follows Jerry Kane (Nick Offerman) and his son, Joe (Jacob Tremblay) who are members of the sovereign citizen movement who come into conflict with a local police chief, John Bouchart (Dennis Quaid). This actually has a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Freakier Friday (Disney+)
The long-awaited sequel to Freaky Friday sees the return of Lindsay Lohan as Anna Coleman and Jamie Lee Curtis as her mother, Tess Coleman. The body-swapping gets a bit more complicated – and freakier – with a new generation of young women to trade places with.
Blue Beetle (Netflix)
I missed Blue Beetle in theaters and haven’t gotten around to watching it since, but I’ve been a big fan of Xolo Maridueña after his stellar performance in Cobra Kai (I’d probably rank his character, Miguel, as my second favorite after William Zabka’s Johnny Lawrence). Blue Beetle didn’t get a lot of buzz, but it did get solid reviews, so if you’re not too burnt out on superhero movies give it a shot.
Zodiac – (Netflix)
David Fincher has made many great movies. Seven and Fight Club are still among my favorites. Zodiac isn’t on the same level as those films, but it’s still pretty fascinating especially since it’s based on a true story. The terrific cast, including soon-to-be MCU stars Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo and Jake Gyllenhaal, helps elevate the somewhat messy investigation film.
Nobody 2 (Peacock)
At last, Nobody 2 is out on streaming (alas, it’s Peacock). It’s good timing: Bob Odenkirk’s Better Call Saul co-star, Rhea Seehorn, is starring in her own show – from Better Call Saul creator, Vince Gilligan – Pluribus, on Apple TV at the moment. I thought the first Nobody was pretty good, but the sequel looks like it leans into all the fun, violent over-the-top action even more.
Deathstalker (VOD)
Weirdly, I think Deathstalker is the movie I’m most excited for on this list. It just looks so ridiculous and fun and like it’s been plucked out of the ‘80s and plopped down into 2025 with no apologies whatsoever. Just classic B-movie fantasy, fully embracing what it is, and with a metal soundtrack from Slash. It looks absolutely cheesy and awesome in the best way.
One Shot With Ed Sheeran – Friday, November 21 (Netflix)
I’m not really an Ed Sheeran fan. I recognize his talent and he seems like a genuinely nice guy, but his music is very poppy and mostly outside my usual taste zone. But many people love him and this Netflix special will give you a chance to see him perform live in the streets of NYC.
Train Dreams – Friday, November 21 (Netflix)
Based on the Denis Johnson novella of the same name, Train Dreams looks absolutely gorgeous, though also probably a bit on the slower side. Joel Edgerton stars as logger Robert Grainier who spends months away from his wife (Felicity Jones) and family. A meditation on loneliness and the American dream.
Mr. K (VOD)
Is it just me or has Crispin Glover barely aged since he played George Mcfly in Back To The Future way back in 1985. Seriously, how is this man 61-years-old? In any case, Glover takes the lead in the absurdist Mr. K about a man who checks into a hotel and then can’t find a way out, delving deeper into madness as he tries to find an escape. It looks very strange, which pretty much tracks with Glover’s past work.
What other movies are on your radar these days? Any recommendations or tips? Will you be heading to the theater for any of the new releases? Let me know on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. Also be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me here on this blog. Sign up for my newsletter for more reviews and commentary on entertainment and culture.