The 10 best movies to watch on Netflix in October
As the season changes with the breeze of all things new and the air gets warm with the smell of pumpkin pie, the festive feels also grow palpable on Netflix. The streaming mogul usually tends to deliver the festive packages wrapped in cinematic gold. And what’s a better time than in October to capitalise on the movie slate?
Well, none. So, if you were busy reeling from the selections of our top five picks, it’s time to add a few more to the watchlist with the ten best movies to watch on Netflix this October.
Netflix has already travelled the extra mile to curate a gripping movie catalogue, easing the selection process halfway. But if you still feel a little lost, we have your streaming compass. Just kick back and relax.
The list is a mix of movies you’re equally familiar with and unfamiliar with. Hence, consider this a cinematic treasure trove of the new but mostly old, where surprises await at every dramatic turn.
The 10 best movies to binge on Netflix this October
Steve (Tim Mielants, 2025)
Watching Cillian Murphy on the cinematic screen never disappoints. So, if you plan to start the October movie marathon on a high note, do so with the critically acclaimed Netflix film, Steve. Set in the mid ‘80s, the Oscar-winner stars as a desperate headmaster, Steve, who’s determined to prevent the impending closure of a last-chance reform school amidst struggles with his own mental health.
Although a recent release from the Netflix catalogue, Steve has earned the reputation of a must-watch from critics and viewers worldwide. In case you still haven’t caught up with it, don’t think twice.
The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow, 2008)
If you crave an action thriller to take your breath away this month, Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker has landed on Netflix US to give you just what you want. The Academy Award-winning film is set during the Iraq War of 2004, centring on the experiences of a US Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal squad tasked with the defusion of improvised explosive devices.
Steeped in high-octane conflict and tension, the film unfolds through a series of high-stakes missions, offering a never-before-seen glance at the extreme psychological toll it exerts on the men at the front line. The nine-time Oscar-nominated film earned Bigelow her first Oscar, also making history with its ‘Best Picture’ win as the first movie to earn the honour directed by a woman.
Mr & Mrs Smith (Doug Liman, 2005)
Certain films have dictated the cinematic taste from the beginning of time and, in turn, have lived rent-free in the heads. Mr & Mrs Smith is undoubtedly one among them, and thanks to Netflix’s October offering, you can watch the genre-defying movie on the streamer without having to pull the stack of dusty VHS tapes. Once upon a time, the film was the go-to weekend staple. So, why not ensure a bit of nostalgia during this cinematic run?
Starring the ever-charismatic Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, the romantic action-comedy movie stars the former couple as a seemingly normal, but secretly eccentric, suburban married pair, bored out of their minds with their marriage. But unbeknownst to each other, they are highly skilled clandestine assassins who are tied to two highly competitive agencies, always at each other’s throats.
Scarface (Brian De Palma, 1983)
No one likes to read the pages backwards. But when Netflix brings a cult classic as gripping as Scarface, not many can resist the traction. The platform unleashed a torrent of streaming content with many blasts from the past. However, the sensational Al Pacino starrer is absolutely unmissable if you wish to make the binge marathon count.
While Scarface doesn’t exactly need an introduction as one of the best gangster films in the history of Hollywood, for those still out of the loop, it revolves around Cuban refugee Tony Montana and his rise as the drug kingpin following his arrival in Miami.
Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976)
Speaking of movies that stand the test of time, Martin Scorsese’s dark neo-noir psychological drama, Taxi Driver, should also be on your October watchlist. Credited as one of the most memorable pieces from his credits, the 1976 crime thriller captures New York City in its neon-lit glory of the ‘70s and follows the declining mental state of an isolated Vietnam War veteran who works as a night-shift taxi driver.
Starring Robert de Niro as Travis Bickle, Taxi Driver offers a scathing social commentary on the state of the morally decaying city that adds to his profound loneliness, leaving him to reel with paranoid fantasies to eliminate the corrupt elite.
The Lincoln Lawyer (Brad Furman, 2011)
By now, you must have gotten a hunch that when it comes to classic curation, Netflix loves a good thriller. But since the selection also relies on the audience’s love for content, the bias doesn’t disappoint. The 2011 legal thriller, The Lincoln Lawyer, stars Matthew McConaughey as Los Angeles defence lawyer, Mickey Haller, who practices law and primarily operates from the backseat of his Lincoln Town Car.
Although he usually fights the cases of petty criminals, he is unexpectedly hired to defend a wealthy Beverly Hills real estate heir, who is mysteriously connected to a case he took up in the past. In the case of The Lincoln Lawyer, whatever we spill might end up as a spoiler. So, don’t waste time and get to that rewatch before Netflix says time’s up.
Training Day (Antoine Fuqua, 2001)
When you get started with the weekend marathon, one thing’s for sure: you’ll not run out of crime thrillers since they never run out of style. Yet, if you’re still unconvinced, check in with Antoine Fuqua’s Training Day. The crime thriller takes place over a period of 24 hours in the gang-ridden neighbourhoods of Los Angeles, starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke.
Training Day centres on an ambitious rookie cop who’s evaluated by a completely corrupt and ruthless narcotics detective. The cop dynamic is tremendously captivating, as is the exceptional performance delivered by the leads. Although it’s considered one of the rather underrated films in the crime thriller catalogue, it remains a timeless piece of work.
When a Stranger Calls (Fred Walton, 1979)
Finally, for those craving the chills this Halloween, Netflix has dropped a haunting classic that made babysitter jobs a nightmare on its own, Fred Walton’s When a Stranger Calls. The 1979 psychological thriller remains the most unsettling movie of all time, which convinces you to look for the threat inside the house instead of getting distracted by the surroundings.
It all starts with Jill Johnson, who takes up a babysitting job, only to receive constant threats on the call. Although she dismisses them as a prank, the consequences are bloody. While she manages to escape the killer in the nick of time, the horror, unfortunately, doesn’t stop chasing her just then. Credited for the most frightening opening in the history of Hollywood, When a Stranger Calls is the perfect pick for the pumpkin season. Just in this case, the terror isn’t otherworldly; it’s mortal and still enough to leave you scarred.
The Goonies (Richard Donner, 1985)
In case you’re tired of movie marathons that always get you on your toes, take a break with The Goonies this October. The adventure comedy film follows a group of kids trying their best to prevent the impending foreclosure of their homes in the Goon Docks neighbourhood, who unexpectedly stumble upon an extremely old treasure map hidden by a popular 17th-century pirate. But as it turns out, it’s not just them who are on the treasure hunt with a family of criminals eyeing the same prize as them.
The Goonies has remained the perfect action/adventure classic for family nights for ages. And it’s officially time to revive the film’s reputation in the contemporary landscape, starting with a rewatch that feels like a one-way ticket to the good old days.
Casper (Brad Siberling, 1995)
To end the October marathon, we have the ultimate feel-good pick that will fit in your Halloween slate as smoothly as butter, the supernatural cult classic comedy Casper. The film is based on the Harvey Comics cartoon character, centring on Casper, the friendly ghost who haunts Whipstaff Manor in Friendship, Maine, befriending a young girl, Kat Harvey, who is the daughter of a paranormal therapist on a mission to get rid of the ghosts inhabiting that very mansion.
Casper is the perfect movie to fit into a family movie night this month, as is The Goonies. And if you were on the lookout for some Halloween inspiration for your kids, the film’s always worth returning to as it remains a major fan-favourite through the decades.