“Thirty days hath September…”
That’s all you need to know from that particular rhyme, isn’t it? Wednesday marks the end of our second-shortest month (4-way tie), and the actual start of the year’s best season: FALL! Nothing is quite as glorious as fall, with its cool weather and earthy colors and general sense that life isn’t just a stifling sun cauldron designed to extract sweat from your poor body. October represents the rebirth of hope, and it also represents brand new movies and TV shows coming to Netflix!
This month, we’ve got a PTA classic, a Clint Eastwood feature from his pre-talking-to-chairs period, an overlooked modern American western, and Netflix’s filmmaking debut—plus much, much more. Check out our featured recommendations, and read on for the full list of this month’s new offerings.
Boogie Nights
Year: 1997
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Available: Oct. 1
Although this was Paul Thomas Anderson’s first production with an ensemble cast, time and perspective show it’s his closest brush with perfection. The auteur specializes in building up characters to break them down, and no one in his exploration of the pornography business is exempt. Few films are simultaneously so hilarious and harrowing…Boogie Nights is amusing because its characters are hapless, but it’s their ignorance that’s heartbreaking.—Allie Conti
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints
Year: 2013
Director: David Lowery
Available: Oct. 20
At the risk of sounding a bit melodramatic, it must be said that Ain’t Them Bodies Saints is not a movie; it’s a feeling. Director David Lowery took the rugged, Americana feel of a great western, the overwhelming sentimentality of a tragic romance, the thrill of a crime drama, and the sound and tempo of some kind of epic Southern odyssey, and he created a new feeling…Casey Affleck is the standout actor, and this is his saga. Down to his very jawline, Affleck captures the physicality and feeling of a sincerely romantic outlaw.—Shannon M. Houston
Million Dollar Baby
Year: 2004
Director: Clint Eastwood
Available: Oct. 1
This boxing film is graced with a gentle approach to human frailty. When young Maggie Fitzgerald (Swank) stumbles into a boxing gym looking for a trainer, a weathered Frankie Dunn (Eastwood) grumbles at the presence of a woman and attempts to turn her away with his “I don’t train girls” line. She slowly wears him down with her innocence and dream to break free of the lower class. The silent moments between these two allows the film to breathe and to understand the giant emotional holes each character has. Million Dollar Baby would go on to win 4 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. —Gregory Eckert
Beasts of No Nation
Year: 2015
Director: Cary Fukunaga
Available: Oct. 16
Netflix’s debut venture into filmmaking tackles the dark reality of child soldiers. Beasts of No Nation stars Idris Elba as a nameless Commandant recruiting children for war in an unnamed country in Africa. A civil war has left many children without a family, and the Commandant takes full advantage of the young boys’ vulnerabilities, particularly one boy called Agu (Abraham Attah). By the end, the children form a full-fledged army under the Commandant, mercilessly killing and conquering as a group. Cary Fukunaga (True Detective) directs. Watch the trailer here. —Alice Barsky
Available Oct. 1
A Christmas Carol (1938)
About Alex (2014)
Alexander: Theatrical Cut (2004)
American Pie (1999)
Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics Collection: Collection 1
Batman Begins (2005)
Boogie Nights (1997)
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
Curse of Chucky (2013)
Dark Was the Night (2014)
Design on a Dime Collection: Collection 1
The Devil at 4 O’Clock (1961)
El Tiempo Entre Costuras (2013)
Extreme Homes Collection: Collection 1
Fixer Upper: Season 1
Genevieve’s Renovation: Season 1
Glass Chin (2014)
The Great Food Truck Race Collection: Collection 1
House Hunters Renovation Collection: Collection 1
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Million Dollar Rooms Collection: Collection 1
Monkey Thieves: Seasons 1-3
On the Town (1949)
The Navy SEALs: Their Untold Story (2014)
The Nightmare (2015)
Pal Joey (1957)
Pepe (1960)
Pressure (2015)
Property Virgins Collection: Collection 1
Reasonable Doubt (2014)
Richard Pryor: Icon (2014)
Robin Williams Remembered, A Pioneers of Television Special (2014)
Some Came Running (1958)
Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949)
Throwdown with Bobby Flay Collection: Collection 1
Uncle Grandpa: Season 1 (more episodes)
Vanilla Ice Project: Seasons 1-4
Wakfu: Season 1
White Rabbit (2013)
Wild Horses (2015)
Worst Cooks in America Collection: Collection 1
Available Oct. 2
Anjelah Johnson: Not Fancy (2015)
La Leyenda de la Nahuala (2007)
Reign: Season 2
The Vampire Diaries: Season 6
Available Oct. 3
Alpha and Omega 5: Family Vacation (2015)
Available Oct. 5
Team Hot Wheels: Build the Epic Race (2015)
Available Oct. 6
American Horror Story: Freak Show (Season 4)
The Flash: Season 1
iZombie: Season 1
Last Man Standing: Season 4
The Originals: Season 2
Tremors 5: Bloodline (2015)
Available Oct. 7
Arrow: Season 3
Flor Salvaje: Season 1
Legends: Season 1
Supernatural: Season 10
Available Oct. 8
American Heist (2014)
Strangerland (2015)
Available Oct. 9
Mighty Med: Season 2
The Mr. Peabody and Sherman Show: Season 1
Winter on Fire (2015)
Available Oct. 10
Lalaloopsy: Band Together (2015)
Available Oct. 11
Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me (2014)
Jake and the Never Land Pirates: Season 3
Available Oct. 12
Jane the Virgin: Season 1
Available Oct. 14
Lazarus (2015)
Available Oct. 15
Finding Jesus: Faith. Fact. Forgery: Season 1
Isabella Rossellini’s Green Porno Live! (2015)
The Five People You Meet in Heaven: Part 1/Part 2 (2004)
Available Oct.16
All Hail King Julien: Season 2
Anthony Jeselnik: Thoughts and Prayers (2015)
Beasts of No Nation (2015)
Circle (2015)
The Principal: Season 1
Some Assembly Required: Season 2
Available Oct. 18
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (2013)
Available Oct. 20
Lego DC Comics: Batman Be-Leaguered (2014)
Marvel’s Avengers Assemble: Season 2
Available Oct. 22
Results (2015)
Available Oct. 23
Hemlock Grove: Season 3
Available Oct. 24
Jack Strong (2014)
Available Oct. 25
Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection (2015)
Available Oct. 27
August: Osage County (2013)
Manson Family Vacation (2015
Available Oct. 28
Chasing Life: Season 2
The Gunman (2015)
Available Oct. 29
Return to Sender (2015)
Available Oct. 30
Popples: Season 1