Club Benefits
Netflix's latest original movie is "Remarkably Bright Creatures," a moving mystery drama about Tova (Sally Field), a widow who forges two unlikely friendships with a couple of unique characters. One is Cameron ("Thunderbolts" star Lewis Pullman), a wayward young man who rolls into town in search of family. The other is Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus (voiced by Alfred Molina) who lives at the aquarium Tova works at.
Clearly, this simple, charming watch has struck a chord with viewers, as within days of its release on the streaming service, "Remarkably Bright Creatures" has become Netflix's most popular movie.
'My Octopus Teacher'
If you didn't happen to watch this moving, Oscar-winning Netflix Original documentary back in 2020, then "My Octopus Teacher" feels like the most obvious recommendation after "Remarkably Bright Creatures." Sure, this on-screen octopus might not be voiced by Alfred Molina, but I'm confident this docufeature will captivate you all the same.
This nature movie follows filmmaker Craig Foster, who forms an unusual connection with a common octopus he encounters and continues to visit, day after day, in a kelp forest off the coast of his hometown in Cape Town, South Africa.
Stream "My Octopus Teacher" on Netflix now
'Nonnas'
Stephen Chbosky's "Nonnas" is another heartwarming Netflix Original movie you might want to stream if you'd like to settle down in front of something warm. It's cozy, comfort viewing that should suit anyone in the mood for another feel-good watch — but don't watch it on an empty stomach.
The film is based on the true story of a Staten Island restaurant that serves delicious food prepared by a team of grandmothers. Here, we meet Joe (Vince Vaughn), a man who seeks comfort in his family's home-cooked meals after the loss of his own nonna and mother. With his mother's insurance money (and some help from his closest friends), he decides to roll the dice on opening Enoteca Maria, an Italian restaurant staffed by four nonnas from different parts of Italy.
Stream "Nonnas" on Netflix now
'Rental Family'
Since "Remarkably Bright Creatures" is ultimately a story all about human connection, I feel like viewers looking for another warmhearted flick may well enjoy this sweet 2025 comedy/drama starring Brendan Fraser.
Hikari's "Rental Family" is set in modern-day Tokyo and revolves around Phillip Vanderploeg (Fraser), a struggling American actor. He lands a gig at a "rental family" agency — acting as a stand-in person to play the role of friend or family to total strangers — and finds meaning in this unusual new job.
Stream "Rental Family" on Hulu now
'The Holdovers'
![THE HOLDOVERS - Official Trailer [HD] - In Select Theaters October 27, Everywhere November 10 - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AhKLpJmHhIg/maxresdefault.jpg)
Sticking with the theme of human connection, I also wanted to take this opportunity to shout about "The Holdovers." Sure, it's set at Christmastime, so you might not want to stream it right now, but like Netflix's new original, Alexander Payne's comedy-drama is a story about an unlikely friendship.
The film takes us back to the 1970s to a New England prep school, where grouchy teacher Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) is tasked with looking out for the handful of students left behind over the Christmas break (the "Holdovers"). Over the course of the film, a friendship blossoms between him, a wayward, talented student (Dominic Sessa), and the school's head chef (Da'Vine Joy Randolph)
Buy/rent "The Holdovers" on Prime Video now
'The Penguin Lessons'
Finally, I'll round out this list with "The Penguin Lessons," a 2025 comedy-drama inspired by the memoir of the same name written by Tom Michell, which tells another story about a bond between a human and one of the planet's many creatures.
Expecting an easy gig, disillusioned Englishman Tom (Steve Coogan) heads off to work at a school in Argentina in the 1970s. Tom finds that his new gig isn't about to be the easy ride he hoped for; he faces a divided nation in chaos and a class of unteachable students... and when he rescues a penguin from a beach, his life changes when he rescues a penguin that takes a shine to him after Tom rescues him from an oil slick.
Stream "The Penguin Lessons" on Netflix now
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