Netflix’s November 2026 slate has been revealed, and over the course of the month the streaming service will add more than 50 movies to its library. That’s more movies than most subscribers probably watch in a whole year; consuming every single one in a month is a total nonstarter.
To help you figure out which to stream first, I’ve turned to review site Rotten Tomatoes to pick out the Netflix arrivals with the highest critical scores. Of course, a high RT rating doesn’t guarantee a movie will appeal to every Netflix subscriber, but it’s a useful starting point and can help you pick out the new-to-Netflix films generally considered worthwhile.
Before I present the top five for November, a quick point of order: Netflix originals which haven’t been released at the time of writing are excluded, for obvious reasons; they don’t have a score on Rotten Tomatoes yet, and in the event of a tie, I’ve used RT’s viewer rating to break the deadlock.
With that cleared up, here are the 5 movies added to Netflix in November 2026 with the highest scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
New to Netflix movies in November 2026, ranked by RT score
5. ‘Bridesmaids’ (2011)
“Bridesmaids” was a big deal when it was released in the early 2010s. This was a movie era dominated by raunchy comedies that typically saw male characters engaging in wild antics. “Bridesmaids” proved that not only could women be just as outrageous, but they could do it better. But even if you don’t particularly care about the circumstances of its release, you should watch it this month because it’s quite simply freaking hilarious!
Annie Walker (Kristen Wiig) is a mid-30s singleton, stuck in a rut both professionally and romantically. Asked to be the maid of honor for her lifelong best friend, Jillan (Maya Rudolph), Annie has to lead an eccentric pack of women, including the upper-class Helen (Rose Byrne), who’s clearly envious that she didn’t get the top job herself. Also starring Melissa McCarthy, in an Oscar-nominated role, “Bridesmaids” is big on laughs, but beyond the inappropriate gags, it works because the friendships shines.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%
Stream "Bridesmaids" on Netflix now
4. ‘Stand by Me’ (1986)
You won’t find many lists of the best Stephen King movies that don’t feature “Stand by Me.” This quintessential ‘80s coming-of-age comedy-drama was adapted from King’s novella “The Body,” and for the scaredy-cats among us, you’ll be pleased to know there’s not a hint of horror to be found. Instead, it’s an earnest exploration of adolescence and youthful friendship. And yes, it does feature the earworm Ben E. King song, which I bet you’re humming in your head right now.
Set over Labor Day weekend in the 1950s, “Stand by Me” takes place in small-town Oregon. The film follows four young boys (Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Jerry O'Connell) in search of a dead body said to be hidden in the woods. They believe finding the body will make them local heroes, but the trek through the wilderness soon becomes something much bigger, morphing into an odyssey of self-discovery that shapes them for life.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%
Stream "Stand by Me" on Netflix now
3. ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ (2024)
Modern holiday movies get a bad rap, and I can’t say that's unfair. The majority of recent Christmas-themed flicks cannot hold a candle to the classics and are totally forgotten by the time Boxing Day rolls around. But 2024’s “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” bucks the trend, even if it’ll probably never be a holiday staple like “Elf,” “Love, Actually” or “It’s A Wonderful Life.” It’s charming and cheery, and celebrates what really matters at this time of the year.
Based on Barbara Robinson's 1972 novel of the same name, Grace Bradley (Judy Greer) gets more than she bargained for when she agrees to run the local church pageant, and the six Herdmans kids (aka “the worst kids in the world") demand the biggest parts, bullying their peers to get them. It should be a total disaster, but Beth is determined to make it work, and as the show approaches, the Herdmans might shock the whole town.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%
Stream "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" on Netflix now
2. ‘Looper’ (2012)
I love sci-fi, and particularly sci-fi stories that incorporate time loops, so when I heard about “Looper” before its theatrical release, I was instantly sold. Fortunately, the final film didn’t let me down. Writer/director Rian Johnson delivers a thrilling sci-fi action movie that crafts an intriguing glimpse at the future, anchored by strong performances from Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt. It’s a movie I'd watch on a loop.
Set in 2044, Joe (Gordon-Levitt) is an assassin for a crime syndicate, but he’s no ordinary hit man. Known as a “looper,” he kills targets set back in time from the future in 2074, an era where advanced tracking has made getting away with murder near impossible. It’s a steady, albeit very immoral, gig. However, the job gets complicated when the future version of Joe (Willis) is marked as the next hit and escapes before present-day Joe can “close the loop.” This kickstarts an epic quest to change the past.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%
Stream "Looper" on Netflix now
1. ‘Whiplash’ (2014)
Rotten Tomatoes and I are in agreement. If I were personally ranking the top five movies added to Netflix this month, “Whiplash” would be No. 1 and there would be no debate. This 2014 psychological drama is Oscar-winning filmmaker Damien Chazelle's magnum opus (said as a huge “La La Land” fan). It’s an astounding movie about obsession, power dynamics, and how craving approval can drive people to uncomfortable extremes.
Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) is a young jazz drummer at a prestigious music school in New York. Unexpectedly drafted into the institution's top ensemble band, he meets Terence Fletcher (J. K. Simmons), a ruthless instructor who subjects his pupils to cruel verbal torment and even physical punishment. Desperate to earn Fletcher’s respect, Andrew becomes fixated on being the very best. Simmons delivers the best performance of his career, in a show-stopping turn that won him an Oscar among a truckload of other acting awards.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
Stream "Whiplash" on Netflix now
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