With summer now a faint memory, everyone’s sights are set on fall. In the film world, fall marks the start of awards season, meaning many movies with plans to compete at the Oscars will premiere over the next several months. Netflix is one streamer hoping to have several movies in contention this year, including The Piano Lesson and Emilia Pérez.
If you’re not into prestige movies, no problem. Netflix offers thousands of films in multiple genres, including horror, drama, comedy, thriller, and sci-fi. Below, we curated a list of five movies to save in your queue and stream this fall. Our picks include a gory horror film, a sensational action thriller, and an inspiring baseball story.
Evil Dead Rise (2023)
Now that it’s fall, Halloween is not too far away, meaning horror movies will be the genre of choice for the upcoming weeks. Evil Dead Rise is more than just a spooky movie; it’s bloody, vicious, and downright scary. The fifth installment in Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead franchise pits Lee Cronin into the director’s chair.
Estranged sisters Beth (Lily Sullivan) and Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) reunite at the latter’s Los Angeles apartment. One of Ellie’s kids discovers a Necronomicon buried underneath their apartment. Once the book opens, an evil spirit possesses Ellie, leading her to turn on her children. Evil Dead Rise is everything an Evil Dead movie should be — sadistic, gory, and frightening, with a little bit of humor mixed in.
Stream Evil Dead Rise on Netflix.
Set It Up (2018)
Not every movie watched during the fall has to be scary. For instance, take Set It Up, a delightful rom-com that plays well during all four seasons. Harper Moore (Zoey Deutch) is an aspiring sports journalist and assistant to Kirsten Stevens (Lucy Liu). Charlie Young (Glen Powell) is hopeful for a business career but first must pay his dues as an assistant for venture capitalist Rick Otis (Taye Diggs).
While working late one night, Harper and Charlie meet and bond over how they are both overworked and underpaid. If their bosses started dating, they would be easier to work for and receive more time in their personal lives. Knowing this, Harper and Charlie romantically set up Kirsten with Rick. The scheme works as Kirsten and Rick start dating, giving Harper and Charlie more free time. What Harper and Charlie realize is that by spending more time with each other, they develop feelings for one another.
Stream Set It Up on Netflix.
Rebel Ridge (2024)
Although there are still a few months left in 2024, the competition for best movie on Netflix might be over thanks to Rebel Ridge, Jeremy Saulnier’s excellent action thriller. Aaron Pierre stars as Terry Richmond, a former Marine heading to Shelby Springs to post bail for his cousin. While riding into town, Terry is detained by two cops, who seize the money he was going to use for bail.
When Terry attempts to retrieve his money from the police station, he’s turned away by Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson). Thanks to the help of local court clerk Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb), Terry learns that corruption runs deep in the town. After exhausting all legal options, Terry takes matters into his own hands and seeks justice via his elite combat skills. Rebel Ridge is a throwback 1980s/1990s action movie in all the best ways, with a star-making performance by Pierre.
Stream Rebel Ridge on Netflix.
The Hill (2023)
While football remains king in the fall, baseball is not far behind. The World Series even carries the nickname “The Fall Classic.” Get in the mood for baseball with this inspiring sports biopic, The Hill. The film is based on the true story of Rickey Hill (Colin Ford), a boy who dreams of playing professional baseball. Rickey was born with degenerative spinal disease, forcing him to wear leg braces. Despite his physical condition, Rickey becomes a baseball savant, showcasing real talent at the plate.
However, Rickey’s father, Pastor James (The Substance‘s Dennis Quaid), dissuades his son from playing baseball. As Rickey gets older, he becomes one of the top prospects in the nation and secures an MLB tryout. Rickey wants to make it to the pros, but he’ll need the approval of his father first. The Hill is your typical sports underdog story, but it’s packed with enough warmth and heart to make it a worthy biopic.
Stream The Hill on Netflix.
River Wild (2023)
Fall is a time for outdoor activities. Whitewater rafting isn’t your typical fall adventure, but the activity is the basis for River Wild, the underrated standalone sequel to 1994’s The River Wild. Joey Reese (Leighton Meester) agrees to go on a whitewater rafting trip with her estranged brother Gray (Taran Killam). The siblings are joined by their childhood friend Trevor (Adam Brody) and a few tourists.
The trip starts out swimmingly, as the group experiences a good day of rafting. The thrills become horrors when one of the group’s members begins sabotaging the trip. The conflict eventually becomes deadly, with not everyone surviving. At 91 minutes, River Wild is the perfect Netflix thriller to throw on if you’re looking for a solid B movie.
Stream River Wild on Netflix.
