It's officially the end of the year, and throughout the second-to-last month of 2020, Netflix will be shedding a bunch of its current film offerings and welcoming many more to its library. Nothing too major is leaving the ubiquitous streaming service this November, as most of the movies being dropped are lesser-known flicks and older films, but there are still some on the list subscribers might want to check out before they're gone. These movies may be back on Netflix in the future, but there's no guarantee.
Most significantly, there are a couple of really good Christmas movies leaving this month, along with some fun family films kids may want to watch before they disappear from Netflix. Beyond that, we're looking at some decent action movies and dramas — starring the likes of Matthew McConaughey and Jake Gyllenhaal — that may be worth a watch for anyone looking for a quality film to curl up in front of on a chilly fall night.
It's definitely the perfect time of year to grab a cozy blanket and a mug of hot cocoa — maybe even spiked with some bourbon or red wine — for some post-work chill time or a weekend movie watching marathon. What else is there to do on a cold night during a global health crisis? Check these flicks leaving Netflix this month for some safe-at-home entertainment.
'Burlesque'
Leaves Netflix: November 1
Burlesque, starring music icons Christina Aguilera and Cher, has exited stage right from Netflix. The film is about a small-town girl who heads to Los Angeles to find fame as a performer and winds up working at a burlesque club run by a retired dancer struggling to keep her business afloat. It's a great girls' night flick.
'Sleepless in Seattle'
Leaves Netflix: November 1
This classic romantic comedy, starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, is about a recently widowed man whose young son calls a radio station in an attempt to find a companion for his dad. The man winds up divulging his story on the radio on Christmas Eve — so yes, it's kind of a Christmas movie — which leads to an epic romance with a discontent engaged newspaper writer.
'The NeverEnding Story'
Leaves Netflix: November 1
In the classic 1980s children's adventure film, The NeverEnding Story, an unhappy young boy — who's being bullied by his schoolmates — discovers an ancient storybook in a local book store. He sneaks off to read it during his school days, so he can escape into a fantasy world that desperately needs a hero willing to save it from destruction.
'Olympus Has Fallen'
Leaves Netflix: November 2
Olympus Has Fallen is a big-budget, political thriller starring some of Hollywood's biggest names — including Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett, and Aaron Eckhart. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, it's about a former secret service agent who is trapped in the White House during a terrorist attack that culminates with the president being kidnapped. His experience and intel become the only hope of saving the president and avoiding a national crisis.
'Death House'
Leaves Netflix: November 5
Folks with a penchant for B-rated horror movies may want to check out 2017's Death House before it's dropped from Netflix. It's an action-packed film about two guards managing a prison known as the "death house." They find themselves trapped during a power outage one night and must battle both real-life and supernatural evil in order to survive.
'Into the Forest'
Leaves Netflix: November 7
In 2015's Into the Forest, starring Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood, it's a fight for survival when a family experiences an extended power outage. Without any way to get information, they don't know whether the outage is just in their immediate area or widespread, and they are faced with figuring out how to survive in their isolated woodland home indefinitely.
'Hit & Run' (2019)
Leaves Netflix: November 8
This action comedy out of Indonesia is a martial arts film that any fan of the genre is sure to get a kick out of. It follows a police officer who becomes famous, thanks to a starring role in a reality show. Tasked with tracking down a drug kingpin who escaped from prison, he's teamed up with a conman with an inside track, and hilarious hijinks ensue.
'The Sea of Trees'
Leaves Netflix: November 8
The Sea of Trees, starring Matthew McConaughey, is the intense story of a suicidal man who travels to Japan's Mount Fuji to take his own life. His goal is to reach "the Sea of Trees," a densely wooded area at the base of the mountain that's known throughout the country as a place where people go to die by suicide. During his trek, he comes across a man lost in the forest, and he decides to help him find the way out.
'Sleepless'
Leaves Netflix: November 8
In Sleepless, Jamie Foxx stars as a Las Vegas police officer whose teenage son is kidnapped. He must not only cover up the fact that he and his partner stole a cocaine shipment from internal affairs, but must also find his son — who he thinks is being held at a bustling nightclub — before he's killed by the mob boss the drugs were intended for.
'Green Room'
Leaves Netflix: November 12
Released in 2015, Green Room is an offbeat horror flick about a punk rock band that witnesses a murder at a neo-Nazi skinhead bar in the rural Pacific Northwest. As the only witnesses, the murderers want to eliminate them, and the band must fight for its survival. This lesser-known horror is highly rated and definitely worth a watch.
'Abominable Christmas'
Leaves Netflix: November 16
Abominable Christmas is a cute option for families that don't mind watching Christmas movies before Thanksgiving. It's an animated film about an abominable dad and his two abominable kids who are chased out of their hideaway by a scientist wanting to capture them. They wind up in the mountains of a tiny town in Colorado that is an adventure in and of itself.
'The Addams Family' (2019)
Leaves Netflix: November 16
On the other side of the coin is the 2019 animated reboot of The Addams Family, which is considered strictly a Halloween movie by many people. The film is, of course, about the Addams family, and how their home in a former asylum is unearthed by a community developer intent on creating the "perfect" community.
'Drive'
Leaves Netflix: November 16
Starring Ryan Gosling, Drive is an action flick about a Hollywood stuntman who works as a getaway driver in his spare time. He ends up in deep water after helping out a neighbor he's fallen for while simultaneously trying to avoid trouble with the law that could result from his involvement in gang-related underground car races. There's a lot going on, so this film is perfect for viewers who like fast-paced movies.
'Santa Claws'
Leaves Netflix: November 17
Santa Claws is a must-see movie for kids who love talking animals and the Christmas season. Despite falling into the low-budget Christmas movie category, it's a fun watch for young kids who like a little adventure. It's about a young boy who leaves kittens out on Christmas Eve in the hopes Santa will take them back to the North Pole … only he doesn't know Santa is allergic to cats.
'Soul Surfer'
Leaves Netflix: November 17
Soul Surfer is the inspiring film about the true story of surfer Bethany Hamilton, a girl who lost her arm in a shark attack. Despite losing her arm at just 13, and having to relearn how to do everything, Bethany exemplified a spirit of hope and faith, and her story (depicted by actress AnnaSophia Robb) is definitely an uplifting one.
'End of Watch'
Leaves Netflix: November 23
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña, End of Watch is an intense police drama — due in part to the fact that it was shot documentary style — about two young cops working in south central Los Angeles. After their success with a few drug and human traffic busts, a Mexican cartel puts a target on their backs, leaving them desperate to protect themselves and their families.
'The Lincoln Lawyer'
Leaves Netflix: November 27
In 2011's The Lincoln Lawyer, Matthew McConaughey stars alongside Bryan Cranston in a film about an unassuming lawyer who comes to believe that the client he's defending isn't just guilty of the crime he hired him to represent him for but of far more than he's admitted. When he links his new client to an old case, he's forced to decide whether to complete the job he was hired to do.
'The Nutcracker and the Four Realms'
Leaves Netflix: November 28
Disney's live-action version of the classic Christmas ballet The Nutcracker, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, won't drop off of Netflix until the end of the month, so it's the perfect family film to watch to kick off the holiday season. It's a beautiful — albeit somewhat spooky — film, starring a slew of Hollywood A-listers — including Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman, and Mackenzie Foy as Clara.
