5 excellent new movies to watch this week across Netflix, Paramount+, and more (October 26-November 1)

Published Oct 26, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT After graduating from Marist University with a degree in communications and journalism, Dan Girolamo has over 10 years of experience writing about entertainment and sports. Dan's work can be seen in various publications, including Digital Trends, SportsCasting, and Tom's Guide. Throughout his career, Dan has interviewed several high-profile filmmakers and creatives, including Brendan Fraser, Jamie Lee Curtis, Caitriona Balfe, Frank Grillo, Miranda Cosgrove, Jai Courtney, Chris Columbus and James Cameron. Dan joins How-To Geek as a Senior Editor. When he's not writing about entertainment, Dan is either watching a movie or praying for the New York Knicks to win a championship. It's the final week of October, which means spooky season is coming to an end. There are plenty of horror movies to watch on Netflix, including Friday the 13th and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. This week's list of movies heading to streaming is not made up entirely of horror movies, but there are some tense thrillers, including a wild documentary on Paramount+. On Peacock, the lovable yellow creatures are back with a new adventure. At Paramount+, the first Jack Ryan movie arrives at the start of November. Finally, Netflix provides subscribers with a new documentary about a Canadian comedy and an Oscar-winning psychological drama, the latter being my top selection of the week. All five movies will be available to stream in the U.S. 5 Hanging by a Wire Hold on If you are afraid of heights, I wouldn't hold it against you if you skip this entry. For those who handle the elevation, prepare for some queasiness while watching Hanging by a Wire, an excellent documentary that premiered to positive reviews at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. In August 2023, a cable car carrying eight people, including six children, became stuck high above the ground in a Pakistani ravine. Stranded over 900 feet in the air, the group could do nothing but sit and hope to be rescued. The documentary chronicles that fateful day and the rescue mission to save those trapped individuals. The drone footage will make your stomach churn. It's one of those documentaries that makes you immediately question what you would do in that situation. Hanging by a Wire streams on Paramount+ on Oct. 28. Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month Simultaneous streams 3 4 Minions & Monsters The Minions take Hollywood ​​​​​​​ How can you not love the Minions? If you're in an area where kids go trick-or-treating for Halloween, I can almost guarantee that you'll run into a couple of kids dressed as Minions. The timing is fitting, as the third Minions movie is hitting Peacock. In Minions & Monsters, the yellow creatures head to the 1920s to experience Old Hollywood. In this adventure, the Minions become silent movie stars thanks to their comedic natures. However, the introduction of movies with sound ("talkies") throws a wrench in the Minions' plans due to their inability to speak English. To make it in Hollywood, the Minions set out to create their own monster movie. The Minions are still as lovable as ever and will make your kids laugh. However, Minions & Monsters was made for cinephiles, as it's packed with iconic movie references. Once again, the Minions prove they can do it all. Minions & Monsters streams on Peacock on Oct. 28. Minions & Monsters Release Date June 24, 2026 3 SCTV: The Greatest Show You've Never Heard Of Canada's hidden treasure ​​​​​​​ Saturday Night Live used to be a launching pad for performers looking to become stars. While the cast didn't know it at the time, SCTV became a similar launching pad for Canadian comedy stars. However, SCTV did not have the scale or budget of SNL. SCTV was a Canadian sketch comedy show that aired from 1976 to 1984. Despite being a relatively small show, SCTV became a cultural sensation and helped launch the careers of several comedy legends. Notable alumni of the show include John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Harold Ramis, Andrea Martin, Joe Flaherty, Rick Moranis, and Martin Short. SCTV: The Greatest Show You've Never Heard Of examines how this little Canadian show went on to have an enormous impact on comedy for decades to come. SCTV: The Greatest Show You've Never Heard Of streams on Netflix on Oct. 30. SCTV: The Greatest Show You've Never Heard Of Release Date October 30, 2026 Director Jason Hehir Producers Chapman Downes, Andrew Hafnor, Whitney Johnson, Kelly Meinhardt, Molly Montgomery 2 ​​​​​​​The Hunt for Red October Submarine warfare ​​​​​​​ Since 1990, Jack Ryan, Tom Clancy's most famous character, has appeared in several movies and TV shows. John Krasinski is the latest actor to portray the brilliant CIA analyst turned field operative, most recently in Jack Ryan: Ghost War. While I enjoyed Krasinski's Jack Ryan series and movie, the best Jack Ryan movie is the first one in the series, The Hunt for Red October. In 1984, the U.S. and the Soviet Union remained embroiled in the Cold War. The U.S. prepares for a potential attack from Soviet captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) and his elite submarine, the Red October. However, Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin) believes Ramius has defected from the Soviet Union in hopes of coming to the United States. It becomes a race against time as Ryan must prove his theory or risk a nuclear war. The Hunt for Red October is a superb political thriller with an ideal combination of action and suspense. Baldwin is such a good Jack Ryan that I wish he didn't walk away after one movie. The Hunt for Red October streams on Paramount+ on Nov. 1. 1 ​​​​​​​Whiplash How bad do you want it? ​​​​​​​ Is Whiplash a sports movie? It's a popular take that I wholeheartedly agree with. It has all the elements of a sports movie: an underdog fighting to become great, a coach who pushes his student to the limit, a series of challenges he must overcome, a roadblock that forces him to reassess his journey, and a climactic performance that feels like a big game. Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, Whiplash stars Miles Teller as Andrew Neiman, an aspiring jazz drummer at New York City's Shaffer Conservatory. Andrew wins a spot in the top ensemble conducted by Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons). Fletcher is a tyrant who physically and emotionally abuses Andrew under the guise of motivation. Despite the constant mistreatment, Andrew practices even harder in an attempt to impress Fletcher. Simmons delivers an incredible performance as a villain, earning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Whiplash explores the cost of success and asks how much you're willing to sacrifice to achieve greatness. Whiplash streams on Netflix on Nov. 1. More movies to check out On Netflix, the two 28 Years Later movies are available to stream. I consider them great movies that are impossible to stop watching after the first scene. On Paramount+, sci-fi lovers will appreciate the streamer's wide selection of genre-focused movies, including Interstellar and Edge of Tomorrow.