The best of streaming, TV and cinema this month

November 1

Blitz, in cinemas nationwide

Steve McQueen’s Blitz follows the epic journey of George (Elliott Heffernan), a 9-year-old boy in World War II London whose mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) sends him to safety in the English countryside. George, defiant and determined to return home to his mother and his grandfather Gerald (Paul Weller) in East London, embarks on an adventure, only to find himself in immense peril, while a distraught Rita searches for her missing son.

Small Things Like These, in cinemas nationwide

Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy delivers a stunning performance as devoted father Bill Furlong in this film based on the best-selling Claire Keegan novel of the same name. While working as a coal merchant to support his family, he discovers disturbing secrets kept by the local convent—and uncovers truths of his own—forcing him to confront his past and the complicit silence of a small Irish town controlled by the Catholic Church. We caught up with Eileen Walsh and Emily Watson ahead of the film’s release and you can read our full interview here.

November 6

The Old Man Season 2, Disney+

Back for a second season, Jeff Bridges returns as Dan Chase, a former CIA operative who had to leave his cover behind when a nemesis from his time in Afghanistan, the warlord Faraz Hamzad (Navid Negahban), comes back to exact revenge. In season 2, Chase and former FBI Assistant Director Harold Harper (John Lithgow) set off on their most important mission to date – to recover Emily Chase (Alia Shawkat) after she is kidnapped by Hamzad.

November 7

My Old Ass, Prime Video

In this fresh coming-of-age story, an 18th-birthday mushroom trip brings free-spirited Elliott (Maisy Stella) face-to-face with her wisecracking 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). But when Elliott’s “old ass” starts handing out warnings about what her younger self should and shouldn’t do, Elliott realises she has to rethink everything about family, love, and what’s becoming a transformative summer.

The Day of the Jackal, Sky Atlantic/NOW TV

An unrivalled and highly elusive lone assassin, the Jackal (Eddie Redmayne), makes his living carrying out hits for the highest fee. But following his latest kill, he meets his match in a tenacious British intelligence officer who starts to track down the Jackal in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe, leaving destruction in its wake. A fresh twist on Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 classic, the ten-part series also stars Lashana Lynch, Úrsula Corberó, Charles Dance and Richard Dormer.

November 8

Paddington In Peru, in cinemas nationwide

The first Paddington film has a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Paddington 2 has a 99% rating. Where will Paddington in Peru rank? Well, that remains to be seen but I have high hopes. Full of Paddington’s signature blend of wit, charm, and laugh-out-loud humour, film number three finds the beloved marmalade-loving bear lost in the jungle on an exciting, high-stakes adventure. When he discovers his beloved Aunt Lucy has gone missing from the Home for Retired Bears, he and the Brown family head to the wilds of Peru to look for her – the only clue to her whereabouts is a spot marked on an enigmatic map. Determined to solve the mystery, Paddington embarks on a thrilling quest through the rainforests of the Amazon to find his aunt where he might also uncover one of the world’s most legendary treasures.

November 13

Bad Sisters Season 2, Apple TV+

Bad Sisters season two returns to follow the lives of the Garvey sisters played by Sharon Horgan, Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene and Eve Hewson. Two years after the “accidental death” of Grace’s abusive husband, the close-knit family may have moved on, but when past truths resurface, the ladies are thrust back into the spotlight, suspicions are at an all-time high, lies are told, secrets revealed and the sisters are forced to work out who they can trust.

November 14

Cross, Prime Video

Starring Aldis Hodge, Cross is a crime thriller series that follows Alex Cross, a decorated D.C. homicide detective and forensic psychologist who faces a sadistic serial killer leaving a string of bodies strewn around the city. As Alex and his partner, John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa), track this killer, a mysterious threat from Cross’ past appears, aiming to destroy what he’s done to keep his grieving family, career, and life together.

Say Nothing, Disney+

Based on the New York Times best-selling book by Patrick Radden Keefe and starring Lola Petticrew, Hazel Doupe, Anthony Boyle, Josh Finan and Maxine Peake, Say Nothing is a devastating true crime drama set during The Troubles. Spanning four decades, the series opens with the shocking disappearance of Jean McConville, a single mother of ten who was abducted from her home in 1972 and never seen alive again. Telling the story of various Irish Republican Army members, the series explores the extremes some people will go to in the name of their beliefs, the way a deeply divided society can suddenly tip over into armed conflict, the long shadow of radical violence for all affected, and the emotional and psychological costs of a code of silence.

November 15

Gladiator II, in cinemas nationwide

Brought to you by legendary director Ridley Scott, Gladiator II continues the epic saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in ancient Rome. Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honour to return the glory of Rome to its people.

Silo Season 2, Apple TV+

Silo is the story of the last ten thousand people on Earth, their mile-deep home protecting them from the toxic and deadly world outside. However, no one knows when or why the silo was built and any who try to find out face fatal consequences. Rebecca Ferguson stars as Juliette, an engineer, who seeks answers about a loved one’s murder and tumbles into a mystery that goes far deeper than she could have ever imagined, leading her to discover that if the lies don’t kill you, the truth will.

An Almost Christmas Story, Disney+

Inspired by the true events of a tiny owl rescued from New York City’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in 2020, An Almost Christmas Story is the perfect pre-festive season watch. The trailer reveals Moon, a curious young owl who unexpectedly finds himself stuck in a Christmas tree destined for Rockefeller Plaza. In his attempts to escape the bustling city, Moon befriends a lost little girl named Luna. Together, they embark on a heartwarming adventure, discovering the magic of the holiday season and forming an unlikely bond as they journey back home to their parents.

November 18

Dune: Prophecy, Sky Atlantic/NOW TV

Set 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides, Dune: Prophecy follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit. It serves as a prequel series to the 2021 film Dune, which starred Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet.

November 19

Interior Chinatown, Disney+

Based on Charles Yu’s award-winning book of the same name, the series follows the story of Willis Wu, a background character trapped in a police procedural called Black & White. Relegated to the background, Willis goes through the motions of his on-screen job, waiting tables and dreaming about a whole world beyond Chinatown. When he inadvertently becomes a witness to a crime, Willis begins to unravel a criminal web in Chinatown, his family’s buried history, and what it feels like to be in the spotlight.

November 21

A Man on the Inside, Netflix

Retired professor Charles (Ted Danson) feels life has nothing new in store for him. A year after his wife’s passing, he’s become stuck in his routine and has grown distant from his daughter. But when he spies a classified ad from a private investigator, he’s inspired to roll the dice on a new adventure, going undercover to solve the mystery of a stolen family heirloom. Brought to you by Mike Schur (creator of The Good Place and co-creator of Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine), A Man on the Inside is based on the documentary The Mole Agent, a 2021 Oscar nominee for Best Documentary feature.

Wicked, in cinemas nationwide

After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen. Emmy, Grammy and Tony-winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo stars as Elphaba – a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power – while Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande takes on the role of Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart. The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths.

Cruel Intentions Season 1, Prime Video

In this new adaptation, Cruel Intentions takes place at an elite Washington, D.C. college, where two ruthless step-siblings will do anything to stay on top of the cutthroat social hierarchy. After a brutal hazing incident threatens the entire Panhellenic system at their school, they’re hellbent on preserving their power and reputation, and will even go so far as seducing the daughter of the vice president of the United States.

November 22

Joy, Netflix

Joy tells the remarkable true story behind the ground-breaking birth of Louise Joy Brown in 1978, the world’s first ‘test tube baby’, and the tireless 10-year journey to make it possible. Told through the perspective of Jean Purdy, a young nurse and embryologist, who joined forces with scientist Robert Edwards and surgeon Patrick Steptoe to unlock the puzzle of infertility by pioneering in vitro fertilisation. The film celebrates the power of perseverance and the wonders of science as it follows this maverick trio of visionaries who overcame tremendous odds and opposition to realise their dream, and in doing so allowed millions of people to dream with them.

The Piano Lesson, Netflix

A battle is brewing in the Charles Household. At the center stands a prized heirloom piano tearing two siblings apart. On one side, a brother (John David Washington) plans to build the family fortune by selling it. On the other, a sister (Danielle Deadwyler) will go to any lengths to hold onto the sole vestige of the family’s heritage. Their uncle (Samuel L. Jackson) tries to mediate, but even he can’t hold back the ghosts of the past. Adapted from August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork, The Piano Lesson explores the intergenerational dynamics of identity, resilience and transcendence – revealing startling truths about how we perceive the past and who gets to define our legacy.

Conclave, in cinemas nationwide

From director Edward Berger, Conclave follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting the new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence uncovers a trail of deep secrets left in the dead Pope’s wake – secrets which could shake the foundations of the Church.

November 27

Our Little Secret, Netflix

The Lindsay Lohanaissance continues with another festive flick – this one about two resentful exes, forced to spend Christmas under the same roof after discovering that their current partners are siblings.

November 28

The Madness, Netflix

Colman Domingo stars as Muncie Daniels, a political consultant-turned-TV pundit who may have lost his way in life. While on a work sabbatical in the Poconos to write the great American novel, Muncie finds himself the only witness to the murder of a well-known white supremacist, and now he’s being framed for the crime. Muncie is forced to go on the run in a desperate fight to clear his name and unravel a global conspiracy before time runs out. Along the way, he’ll reconnect with his family, find unlikely allies, and fight against disinformation in a post-truth age.

November 29

Moana 2, in cinemas nationwide

Eight years after the original hit screens, Dwayne Johnson and Auli’i Cravalho are back for Moana 2. This time, after receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.