What to watch on Netflix in November 2021

There is a lot of Christmas content hitting Netflix this November. From originals including A Boy Called Christmas, A Castle For Christmas and Single All the Way, the streaming service is decking halls, jingling bells and roasting chestnuts from the get-go. But, as any self-respecting, restrained gentleman knows, November is far too early to be indulging in the festive spirit.

That’s why, despite the excess of Xmas on Netflix’s November schedule, we’ve cut anything Christmassy from our must-watch list this month. Instead, ahead of December, we’ve rounded up the best of the rest; from new small-screen blockbusters and foreign-language fare to documentary series sequels. Take a look…

We’re kicking off our November picks with a trio of exceptional existing dramas. The first, 1996’s A Time to Kill, stars two former Gentleman’s Journal cover stars; Samuel L. Jackson and Matthew McConaughey. Excitingly, the gripping courtroom drama (based on a John Grisham novel) is soon getting the sequel treatment — with McConaughey returning to his role of lawyer Jake Brigance for an HBO limited series.

Ridley Scott’s latest historical epic, The Last Duel, may currently be receiving rave reviews — with the Gladiator director’s much-anticipated House of Gucci also hitting cinemas later this month. But we’d recommend checking out American Gangster first. Another period crime drama, it’ll be a great primer for House of Gucci especially; telling the well-tailored tale of career criminal Frank Lucas.

Rounding out our opening trio, Argo was the ‘Best Picture’-winning darling of the 2013 awards season. Directed, produced and starring a beardy Ben Affleck, the film follows Tony Mendez, a U.S. Central Intelligence Agency exfiltration specialist, as he attempts to rescue six U.S. diplomats from Tehran during the 1979–1981 Iran hostage crisis. How? By pretending to film a sci-fi blockbuster.

The first Netflix original worth watching in November promises to reinvent the western. Written and directed by Jeymes Samuel (also know by his aptly shot-calling singer-songwriter stage name, The Bullitts), the drama stars Jonathan Majors, Regina King, Idris Elba and Lakeith Stanfield. It’s a sharp-shooting, fiercely talented roster of performers; acting out a story that sees Majors reassemble his former gang to seek revenge against the man who murdered his parents.

The fast-paced, fan-favourite Narcos first premiered over six years ago. One of Netflix’s first successful originals, the show ran for three seasons before reinventing itself as Narcos: Mexico. The third season of this spin-off will also be its last. Picking up directly after the events of the season two finale, war has broken out and Guadalajara Cartel leader Felix’s empire is splintering. Catch up on previous seasons now to enjoy the action.

Possibly the biggest film ever produced by Netflix — the budget was reportedly almost $200 million — Red Notice brings Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds together for a globe-trotting, wise-cracking action comedy. Johnson plays the FBI’s top profiler, and Reynolds and Gadot are the world’s most accomplished art thieves. Expect lines like: “If we catch her together, I can clear my name and help you become the number one thief in the world again!”.

Lockdown’s original obsession is back for another snarling, scandal-laden season. Details are still a little thin on the ground, but footage has been released of Joe Exotic, the characterful main focus of the first season of Tiger King, being interviewed in prison — and the streaming service has promised ‘just as much mayhem and madness’ in the new episodes as we enjoyed in the show’s first run.

The visual style of Cowboy Bebop looks like a comic book come to life. And that’s no coincidence — the new Netflix original is based on the prominent Japanese anime title of the same name. Half sci-fi, half neo-noir, the show stars John Cho (in natty futuristic threads) as a bounty hunter born on Mars. He’s joined by Mustafa Shakir as a cyborg ex-cop and Daniella Pineda as a con artist as they chase down criminals across the solar system.

Hankering for more dystopian action after barreling through Squid Game? Netflix has you covered. The platform’s new original series, Hellbound, is set to be its latest Korean-language hit. Taking place on a fantastical version of Earth, supernatural creatures known as ‘angels’ begin materialising and dragging humans to hell — leading to the rise of a zealous religious group called ‘The New Truth Society’.

Like Ben Affleck’s Argo above, Netflix original Bruised sees one actor take on multiple producing responsibilities. Directed by and starring Halle Berry, Bruised is the story of retired MMA fighter Jackie Justice who fights her sport’s current champion in an unsanctioned bout. And, if that didn’t offer drama enough, Justice must also deal with the return of the child she gave up for adoption six years prior.

Want more block-busting, action-packed cinema? Here are 8 films to watch now you’ve seen No Time To Die…

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