Watch these 5 Netflix movies before they leave in December 2022

Daniel Craig as James Bond in Casino Royale, which leaves Netflix in December 2022
(Image credit: United Archives GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo)

More movies and shows are leaving Netflix this month (December 2022), and you have just a few weeks to watch them before they're gone. 

Fortunately, many of the best Netflix movies and best Netflix shows will still be available, while titles that are new on Netflix will keep dropping throughout the month. Netflix is constantly adding and subtracting stuff, though movies tend to cycle in and out more frequently than shows. 

We're not sure if any of these departures will push you to cancel Netflix (it's one of the best streaming services) but their absence will surely be frustrating to some. With our recommendations, you'll have a better chance of making the most of your Netflix subscription this month. The list of departing movies has something for everyone, whether you're in the mood for a spy thriller, an action crime drama or a classic comedy.

Here's what to watch before they leave Netflix in December 2022. 

The best Netflix movies leaving in December 2022

Casino Royale

The start of Daniel Craig's sting as 007 is almost universally believed to be one of the best James Bond movies of all time, as well as one of the best action movies of its era. The film is a sort of reboot, as we see the newly licensed-to-kill British Secret Service agent in one of his early missions. Thankfully, he's got a fantastic foe in the bloody-eyed Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen). 

The two cross paths after Bond goes to Madagascar, and before they duel with weapons they must first play poker. Released shortly after the height of the World Series of Poker's popularity, these tense scenes show off some of Craig and Mikkelsen's acting chops. Thankfully, there is one holdover from the previous era of Bond films, as Judi Dench reprises the role of M.

Leaving Dec. 31  | Watch/add

I Love You, Man

Paul Rudd and Jason Segel are two of the most likeable actors in Hollywood. Putting them together in this bromantic comedy is simply kismet. Rudd plays Peter, a real estate agent who gets engaged to Zooey (Rashida Jones). Peter doesn't have any guy friends, which will be an issue when he has to pick a best man. 

At an open house, he happens to meet Sydney (Segel), an investor who shares Peter's love for the band Rush. They quickly bond, but when Sydney rubs Zooey the wrong way. Later, when Sydney makes a rash financial decision, Peter is forced to end their new friendship. Will they hug it out and make up before wedding day?

Leaving Dec. 31  | Watch/add

Men in Black

In the late '90s, Will Smith became one of the biggest movie stars in the world thanks to a run of hits like Independence Day, Bad Boys and Men in Black. The latter spawned two sequels, and all three movies are leaving Netflix this month. Of course, Smith went on to continue his still-thriving film career, eventually winning an Oscar for last year's King Richard (and falling from grace for slapping Chris Rock on stage). 

But back to Men in Black. Smith plays a NYPD detective who is recruited by Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) to join the titular extraterrestrial surveillance organization. They supervise aliens on Earth and make sure they don't affect humans. But when a newcomer (Vincent D'Onofrio) arrives, the new partners must stop it from stealing a powerful energy source.

Leaving Dec. 31  | Watch/add

National Lampoon's Vacation

Chevy Chase was the first member of the original Saturday Night Live cast to exit the show. And though he didn't strictly leave to make movies, he did embark on a mostly successful run of films, including this 1983 road trip comedy that launched a franchise. 

Clark Griswold is an average, middle-class man who wants to spend some quality time with his wife and kids. So, he decides to drive the whole family from their Chicago suburbs to the southern California amusement park Walley World. Along the way, though, various mishaps and bumbles make the trip memorable in a bad way.

Leaving Dec. 31  | Watch/add

Point Break

Kathryn Bigelow's surf/crime drama is one of the most underrated movies in her portfolio and among '90s movies in general. It's absorbing and absurd, deep and daft, senseless and sensational in turns and all at once. And it features some wicked action sequences, including the aforementioned surfing. 

Keanu Reeves stars as undercover FBI agent Johnny Utah, who infiltrates the surfing community on the hunch that its members have been robbing banks. He develops a bond with the group's leader, Bodhi (the late, great Patrick Swayze). As Johnny surreptitiously investigates the surfers, he's also drawn to Bodhi's philosophies and way of life.

Leaving Dec. 31  | Watch/add

Everything leaving Netflix in December 2022

Leaving 12/9/22
The Shack

Leaving 12/10/22
Fast Color

Leaving 12/11/22
Manhunt: Unabomber

Leaving 12/14/22
Black Ink Crew New York: Seasons 3-4
The Challenge: Season 12
The Challenge: Season 25
Merlin: Seasons 1-5
Teen Mom 2: Seasons 3-4

Leaving 12/15/22
The Danish Girl

Leaving 12/27/22
Instant Hotel: Season 1

Leaving 12/28/22
Shrek the Musical

Leaving 12/31/22
1BR
A Cinderella Story
A Clockwork Orange
A Little Princess
Blood Diamond
Blow
Blue Jasmine
Casino Royale
Chocolat
Eyes Wide Shut
I Love You, Man
Life as We Know It
Men in Black
Men in Black II
Men in Black 3
National Lampoon's European Vacation
National Lampoon's Vacation
New York Minute
Point Break
Police Academy
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie

Kelly Woo
Streaming Editor

Kelly is the streaming channel editor for Tom’s Guide, so basically, she watches TV for a living. Previously, she was a freelance entertainment writer for Yahoo, Vulture, TV Guide and other outlets. When she’s not watching TV and movies for work, she’s watching them for fun, seeing live music, writing songs, knitting and gardening.

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