FILM

The 7 Best Movies On Netflix October 1st

Stream these before you start your horror marathon.

It's officially October, which means it's time for a new roundup of films hitting Netflix this month.

Before you get your spooky movie marathons on, there are plenty of evergreen films on Netflix today that are worth your watch. Below, we've rounded up our seven favorites that you can queue up for your weekend.


The Dukes of Hazzard

The Dukes of Hazzard, loosely based on the television series of the same name, follows brothers Bo (Seann William Scott) and Luke Duke (Johnny Knoxville) as they deliver moonshine in dusty, rural Hazzard County, Georgia. They recruit their cousin Daisy (Jessica Simpson) to help fight back at local government when they discover their land is at risk of being sold to evil coal farmers. The slapstick comedy marks Simpson's acting debut and also stars Willie Nelson as Bo and Luke's Uncle.

Fargo

In 1980s Minnesota, Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) has accrued so much debt that he's willing to do whatever it takes to pay it off. He comes up with an elaborate scheme and decides to hire two men (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to "kidnap" his wife, with the intention of collecting ransom from his wealthy father-in-law to pay off his debt. Frances McDormand won an Academy Award for Best Actress for portraying Marge Gunderson, the police chief who investigates the mysterious road homicides that ensue.

Her

In Spike Jonze's solo screenwriting debut, Joaquin Phoenix plays a lonely man named Theodore Twombly whose day job consists of writing heartfelt letters on behalf of those who are unable to do it themselves. After a terrible divorce, Theodore seeks to heal his depression with an artificially intelligent virtual assistant, personified through a female voice (Scarlett Johansson). Her was met with high critical acclaim, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture and winning the award for Best Original Screenplay.

Stranger Than Fiction

Stranger Than Fiction was a surprise to audiences, as it marked the first time go-to funnyman Will Ferrell portrayed a more restrained, dramatic role. In the 2006 film, he stars as Harold Crick, a man who lives a mundane life as an IRS worker until he begins hearing an omniscient voice (Emma Thompson) narrating his life as if it were a novel. When the voice implies that Harold will soon die, he frantically tries to stop his own death, finding a new sense of meaning to life in the process.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

Based on Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past stars Matthew McConaughey as Connor Mead, a handsome bachelor attending his brother's wedding. During the two-day festivities between the rehearsal and ceremony days, Connor finds himself haunted by ghosts of his previous girlfriends, allowing himself to reflect on his serial womanizer habits. While this film might not have scored the best reviews, it's a solid choice for your next wine-and-corny-rom-com night.

Superman Returns

In one of the most popular Superman adaptations, Brandon Routh stars as the Man of Steel, returning to Earth after five years exploring his home in Krypton. With Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane and Kevin Spacey as Lex Luther, Superman Returns packs a stacked cast in this thoroughly enjoyable adaptation of the famed comic book series.

Gran Torino

Clint Eastwood directed, produced, and stars in this drama about a Korean War veteran named Walt Kowalski. Walt is recently widowed and disgruntled at the world; to make matters worse, he finds that his teenage neighbor, Thao, has attempted to steal his prized possession—a 1972 Ford Gran Torino—for a gang initiation. Walt subsequently begins developing a relationship with Thao and his family, making Gran Torino a touching story about post-Vietnam America. It also marked the first mainstream film in the U.S. to prominently feature the Hmong people; the film was generally well-received by Hmong communities and the film's Hmong stars.