The Queue

The best new movies to watch on Netflix, plus recommendations on other streaming platforms to wrap up the Halloween season.

By Kevin Slane

October 31, 2025 | 11:57 AM

4 minutes to read

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A typical edition of The Queue starts with me going in-depth on a single topic — whether it’s the best music biopics, the Ayo Edebiri canon, or Amy Poehler’s most memorable “SNL” moments  — before offering some quick streaming recommendations.

Once a month, however, I’ll be sending you an all-recommendations edition of the newsletter, because the struggle of deciding what to watch is eternal.

For this month’s edition, I’d suggest starting with the Halloween fare first  — whether it’s a Massachusetts-based movie or just a scary movie in general — before circling back to the new movies coming to Netflix on Saturday, Nov. 1.

3 Massachusetts Halloween movies to watch this weekend

“Hocus Pocus” (1993): Approximately 300 years after the Salem Witch Trials, “Hocus Pocus” brought a renewed interest to the Massachusetts city where they were held. The charming Disney film is about a group of kids who must stop three ancient witches (Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker) from wreaking havoc on 1990s Salem. If you head to Salem these days, you can visit a number of the spots that served as important locations in the movie. (Disney+)

“The Witch” (2015): Set 30 years before the Salem Witch Trials in an unnamed New England village, Robert Eggers’ “The Witch” captures the same atmosphere of Puritanical hysteria that surrounds a young girl (Anya Taylor-Joy) and her family after they are exiled during a religious dispute. (Turns out maybe the villagers were right in that case.) “The Witch” doesn’t have as many jump-scares as your average horror movie, but Eggers nevertheless conjures a terrifying, atmospheric film that introduced the world to a star in the making in Taylor-Joy. (HBO Max)

“Thanksgiving” (2023): OK, this isn’t really a Halloween movie. But if you’re getting to this newsletter after October 31, Newton native Eli Roth toes the line between silly and scary with this gory Plymouth-set film. After greedy Black Friday shoppers trample someone to death, a killer known as John Carver (dressed as a pilgrim) begins punishing the greedy consumerists, killing them with Thanksgiving accoutrements like corn holders and potato mashers. (Hulu)

3 new movies to watch on Netflix starting November 1

“Back to the Future” (1985): What more is there to say about “Back to the Future,” 40 years after its release? Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale’s screenplay is as finely calibrated as a Swiss watch, closing every loophole and foreshadowing every time-jumping twist that ’80s teen Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) will face as he ventures back to 1955 in Doc Brown’s (Christopher Lloyd) modified DeLorean. (Netflix)

“Frances Ha” (2012): Whether you’re currently a city-dwelling twentysomething or simply remember the terrifyingly infinite possibilities of that period of your life, Noah Baumbach’s comedy-drama will resonate. Frances (Baumbach’s wife, director Greta Gerwig) is eking out an existence in New York City as an aspiring dancer. When her roommate (Mickey Sumner) announces she’s moving in with her boyfriend, 27-year-old Frances loses her best friend, her apartment, and her sense of self in one fell swoop. (Netflix)

“Game Night” (2018): Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams are charming as Max and Annie, a couple who initially bond over their love of trivia, and then begin to host weekly game nights for their less competitive (and slightly bemused) friends. When what’s supposed to be a murder mystery party hosted by Max’s brother (Kyle Chandler) turns a bit too real, the friends must work together to win the game of life. (Netflix)

Play or Skip: Staff Edition

You’ve heard enough of my streaming picks already, so here’s what the rest of Boston.com’s staff is watching.

Have a show you can’t stop watching? Email me about it at [email protected], and your recommendation may appear in a future edition of The Queue.

“Nobody Wants This” (Season 2): Boston.com senior producer Heather Alterisio didn’t love Season 1 of this hit Netflix rom-com starring Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, but was back on board in Season 2: “With season two, I feel like the show is finally finding its footing. Esther (Jackie Tohn) is a standout this time around. I’ll be sticking around for a third season, if even just to find out what’s next for her.” (Netflix)

“Hereditary” (2018): Boston.com reporter Ross Cristantiello called Ari Aster’s debut  “feel-bad movie of the century (complimentary),” and shouted out the performance of Mass. native Ann Dowd: “Just a methodical, incredibly well-acted, surprising, and truly horrifying descent into hell. The movie itself resembles the meticulously detailed miniatures its characters create, inviting viewers to examine everything closely. Once you know where the plot is going, there are clues everywhere. A rewarding rewatch.” (HBO Max)

“Sabrina the Teenage Witch” (1996-2003): Boston.com community writer Annie Jonas has been enjoying some guilty pleasure binging by revisiting this Melissa Joan Hart sitcom set in Salem: “It’s a low-stakes, easy watch with Halloween vibes. Perfect for this time of year.” (Hulu, Paramount+, Tubi, Pluto TV) 

End Credits

That’s a wrap on this edition of The Queue. If you’re a fan, please consider recommending this newsletter to your friends.

Until next time, good stream hunting, everyone!

— Kevin

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