Many recommendations are for new shows, while others are for under-the-radar releases you might have missed or classics that are about to depart a streaming service at the end of the month.
Have a new favorite movie or show you think we should know about? Let us know in the comments, or email[email protected]. Looking for even more greatstreaming options? Check out previous editions of ourmust-watch list here.
New Movies Streaming
“The Nightmare Before Christmas”
Stop-motion maestro Henry Selick will happily correct anyone who mistakenly says that Tim Burton directed the 1993 hit “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” with Selick recently telling The A.V. Club that Burton was directing two other films at the time and was almost never on set. Nevertheless, much like Halloween and Christmas in the film, Selick’s animation and Burton’s story blend together perfectly, telling the tale of Halloween Town king Jack Skellington, who discovers a portal to Christmas Town and decides to take over Santa’s duties for the holidays. “Nightmare” is the rare film that bridges the gap from October 31 to November 1, doing the job of retailers everywhere who swap out the candy corn and jack-o’-lanterns for candy canes and mistletoe while we sleep.
In somewhat surprising news from earlier this year, Warner Bros. announced that it would produce a legacy sequel to the 1998 witchy comedy “Practical Magic,” a film that wasn’t a hit upon release but has built up a cult (or perhaps occult) following over the last 25 years.
“Practical Magic” tells the tale of two Massachusetts sisters (Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman) whose romantic interests always suffer untimely deaths because of a long-ago spell cast by their own ancestor. Luckily, the duo has learned a bit of magic themselves over the years and begin a quest to rid themselves of their family curse.
Actress Anna Kendrick (“Pitch Perfect”) makes her directorial debut with this harrowing true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala, who made a 1978 appearance on “The Dating Game” (and even won his episode) in between raping and killing at least eight women. Kendrick plays the struggling actress sitting in the bachelorette seat, trying to parse which of the three men behind the curtain will be her Prince Charming.
“Woman of the Hour” doesn’t confine itself to the show set, telling the story of Alcala’s numerous victims in a series of vignettes. All the while, Kendrick asks the question of why these women — after decades of second wave feminism changing the conversation around the female role in American society — are still seen as disposable.
An unfortunate reality of the streaming wars is that beloved holiday specials once widely available on network television are now sitting behind locked, subscription-only gates. Apple, which owns the rights to all of the Charlie Brown holiday specials, is at least magnanimous enough to provide a short window for non-subscribers to watch the holiday classics for free, including a 48-hour period this Saturday and Sunday to watch “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!”
You don’t even have to sign up for a free trial to access the story of Linus and his undying belief in the Santa Claus of the gourds, saving everyone some grief.
How to watch: “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” is streaming on Apple TV+, and is free to watch for non-subscribers on Oct. 19 and Oct. 20.
“Shrinking”
After singlehandedly driving countless Apple TV+ subscriptions with “Ted Lasso,” showrunner Bill Lawrence (“Scrubs”) gets a big enough budget to hire both Jason Segel and Harrison Ford for “Shrinking,” which is back for a second season. Segel plays Jimmy, a therapist who is going through a life crisis following the death of his wife. When he begins treating clients with radical candor instead of simply asking, “How does that make you feel?” ad nauseam, it begins to change both Jimmy’s life and those around him, including Ford, who is brilliant as a fellow psychiatrist dealing with a recent Parkinson’s diagnosis.
In Season 2, “Shrinking” finds a nice balance between the comedic and the tragic, pushing more emotional buttons as the characters delve deeper into their own psyche. Helping this process is “Ted Lasso” star Brett Goldstein, a figure from Jimmy’s past who exemplifies the show’s realistic portrayal of forgiveness and reconciliation. There are no Hallmark moments here, and that’s what makes it so compelling.
How to watch: “Shrinking” Season 2 is streaming on Apple TV+, with new episodes debuting Wednesdays.
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