Netflix has confirmed its slate of new movies for November 2024, and as expected, the streaming service is adding a large handful of new flicks. While every new addition isn’t a winner (yes, I’m looking at you, “The Scorpion King”) there are still several new to Netflix movies that warrant a place in your watchlist.
My pick of the bunch is easily “Whiplash.” This masterful drama is among the most celebrated movies of the 21st century, and it deserves every ounce of praise received. Directed by Damien Chazelle, and starring Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons (who won an Oscar for now iconic supporting performance), it’s a must-watch, even for those who’ve seen it before.
Other picks you won’t want to miss include a Darren Aronofsky tearjerker and a new crime musical that could be a big player during the upcoming awards season. These are the new to Netflix movies that you simply can’t miss in November 2024.
‘Whiplash’ (2014)
“Whiplash” is one of the very best movies of the past decade, and I don’t say that lightly. This engrossing drama is set in the world of jazz orchestra and yet manages to raise the stakes beyond even many action movies. Director Damien Chazelle crafts an electrifying movie that is gripping in every sense of the word. Thanks to a towering performance from J.K. Simmons, and a strong leading turn from Miles Teller, “Whiplash” holds you like a vice.
Andrew Neiman (Teller) is a young jazz drummer at the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory in New York. When he’s invited to join the school’s top studio band, he quickly finds himself locked in a battle with the group’s ruthless instructor, Terence Fletcher (Simmons). As Andrew becomes fixated on earning Terence’s approval (a task that may just be impossible), he crosses dangerous lines into obsession and is pushed to the brink of his sanity.
Watch on Netflix now
‘Fast Five’ (2011)
Say what you will about the “Fast & Furious” franchise, but it’s pretty darn impressive that it managed to hit its stride in its fifth entry. Most series that make it that far are running on fumes, but “Fast Five” was the nitro-fuel boost this action saga needed. And while its following sequels would desperately try to capture the magic of “Fast Five,” none have succeeded. While it’s over-the-top in almost every aspect, there’s a real purity to this action flick, and director Justin Lin managed to craft the series’ best-ever stunts too.
Picking up where the lacklustre “Fast & Furious” left off, Dom (Vin Diesel), Brian (Paul Walker) and Mia (Jordana Brewster) on still on the run. Now in Rio de Janeiro, they are given a shot at freedom if they can complete one seemingly impossible job. Assembling an elite team of thieves, hackers and drivers, they plan an audacious heist to steal $100 million from a corrupt businessman, but a federal agent (Dwayne Johnson) is hot on their tails.
Watch on Netflix now
‘The Whale’ (2022)
I’d heard a lot of good things about Brendan Fraser’s performance in “The Whale” before I had the chance to see it myself. I’m always wary of going into a movie with too much pre-release hype as it can lead to disappointment, but even with everything I’d heard, I was not prepared for Fraser’s soulful portrayal of a morbidly obese man who has locked himself away from society. By the end of the movie, I bought into his transformation unequivocally.
This reclusive online teacher named Charlie (Fraser) suffers from various mental health issues, but what really draws you into the drama is his relationship with his daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink). Ellie is furious with her father for abandoning her as a child, and their dynamic gives the movie not only a dose of conflict but a beating heart. Just be warned, I watched this movie with some friends and by the end there wasn’t a single dry eye in the house.
Watch on Netflix now
‘Superbad’ (2007)
The quintessential raunchy comedy of the 2000s, “Superbad” may not represent the teen experience anymore (or at least I think it doesn’t as a very out-touch almost 30-year-old), but it remains one of the most hilarious movies ever made. Thanks to a killer cast of extremely funny performances including Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Seth Rogan (also a co-writer) and Bill Hader, “Superbad” is the type of movie that you’ll need to watch twice as the jokes come so thick and fast that you can’t catch them all the first time.
Like many coming-of-age comedies, “Superbad” is about a pair of loveable losers trying their very best to survive high school. Set in the days before graduation, Seth (Hill) and Evan (Cera) are determined to end their school days on a high. They hatch a master plan to score some alcohol before a huge party, but in typical fashion just about everything goes wrong with hilarious results. Watch out for a supporting turn from Emma Stone in her film debut.
Watch on Netflix now
‘Emilia Pérez’ (2024)
“Emilia Pérez” is described as a “crime musical,” which invokes comparisons with the likes of “Chicago,” and I expect that fans of the latter will get a real kick out of this Jacques Audiard movie. I have to confess that I didn’t find the musical numbers all that compelling — apart from a second-act tune laced with the type of rage only a scorned lover can produce — but the three key performances from Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascó and Selena Gomez were more than compelling enough to keep me invested in the events on screen.
Telling quite an unexpected tale, “Emilia Pérez” sees a lawyer named Rita (Saldaña) enlisted by a feared cartel kingpin (Gascón) for a very secretive job. Rita must help the criminal leader fake their death so they can transition into living as a woman, and live their authentic life. Years later, Rita comes back into their orbit, and while the former gangster is now living as Emilia Pérez, the past proves hard to shake, especially when her ex-wife (Gomez) is in the picture.
Watch on Netflix from November 13
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