Entertainment
What's Coming To Netflix In December 2017 So You Can Get Your Post-Party Viewing Ready
Liz Minch/Bustle, Netflix
And there you were thinking you had over a month to go before you had any gifts to open. Psych! Your go-to streaming service is refreshing its selection for the new month and with this comes all sorts of televisual treats. So what is coming to Netflix in December 2017? For starters, many of the new shows and films seem tailored to the fact that many viewers will be spending a sizable chunk of the last month of the year with family. That would explain the sheer abundance of childhood favorites (think Jim Carrey's ever watchable Ace Ventura movies and one great classic '90s childhood movie), meaning you can introduce the films you once obsessively watched to a whole new generation.
Unsurprisingly, there's also some rock-solid festive classics that should go perfectly with an afternoon of supping mulled wine. It's pretty typical for Netflix to make sure you get a broad range of things you love coming in every month, but they've really outdone themselves with their December offerings: probably because of the upcoming holiday season. But, hey, why look a gift horse in the mouth when you can plan on spending your cold winter nights with some of the films and shows listed below?
1. 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective'
Whether or not you ride for wacky humor, it's hard to resist Jim Carrey in the first installment of the Ace Ventura franchise, in which he plays a private detective whose beat is anything to do with animals. (Dec. 1)
2. 'Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls'
Keep the comedy magic alive this festive season and line up the second movie for a double whammy of pet detective fun — this time, Ace gets an adorable monkey sidekick, Spike. (Dec. 1)
3. 'August Rush'
This poignant drama about a musically talented boy who runs away from his orphanage to New York will get you tearing up, with or without that second glass of egg nog. (Dec. 1)
4. 'Diana: In Her Own Words'
One for whoever adores British royalty in your household: The Channel 4 documentary uses footage of the late Princess of Wales to give audiences a uniquely personal insight into the woman behind the headlines. (Dec. 1)
5. 'Full Metal Jacket'
The Stanley Kubrick Vietnam war film may not be the coziest of Christmas viewing choices, but, hey, if you're going to watch this harrowing movie at all, it's probably best to do so surrounded by loved ones. (Dec. 1)
6. 'Fuller House' Season 3
Little D.J. may be all grown up, but she's still living in the Tanner family home. Which makes the third installment of the Netflix series a shoo-in for anyone in your extended family who couldn't get enough of Full House in the late '80s and '90s. (Dec. 22)
7. 'Hitch'
Will Smith's so effortlessly charming as a professional "date doctor" in this romantic comedy that even your most staunchly anti rom-com relatives will probably succumb. (Dec. 1)
8. 'The Crown' Season 2
One for anyone with a love for the Queen of England, history, biopics or critically-acclaimed drama series. Is that everyone, then? This season follows Queen Elizabeth II as she struggles in her marriage to Philip. (Dec. 8)
9. 'The Little Rascals'
This sweet family comedy focused on a group of plucky kids as they get into mischief is exactly what you need when you're searching for a film that's suitable for all age ranges. (Dec. 1)
10. 'The Young Victoria'
If watching The Crown just whet your appetite for more early-life-of-a-British-monarch fare, this is your go-to: Emily Blunt stars as the monarch that would define an era. (Dec. 1)
11. 'V For Vendetta'
After a Neo-Fascist government takes over Britain, it's up to the mysterious anarchist V and Evey (played by Natalie Portman) to throw a wrench in the works. (Dec. 1)
12-14. 'The Santa Clause' 1, 2, & 3
Is anything cuter than the Tim Allen movie about a dad who becomes Santa Claus after the last Saint Nick falls off his roof? Probably not. So praise be to Netflix for getting us not one, not two, but all three of the movies in time for Christmas. (Dec. 12)
15. 'Dark' Season 1
If you liked Stranger Things, check out this similarly-creepy German series. It's a Netflix original that centers on the disappearance of a child, and it introduces a mystery with roots three generations in the past. (Dec. 1)
16. 'While You Were Sleeping'
You can't go wrong with a '90s rom-com. This one stars Sandra Bullock as a woman who rescues a crush she's never spoken to from being hit by a train. When he lapses into a coma, a series of misunderstandings lead to her being introduced to the man's extended family as his fiancée. (Dec. 1)
17. 'Dave Chappelle: Equanimity'
The third segment of Dave Chappelle's long-awaited return to standup will drop in time for New Year's. This will be the first he's produced exclusively with Netflix and not just pulled from his own personal collection of material. Will it be worth the wait? (Dec. 31)
18. 'Catwoman'
Come for the 9 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating, stay for the pure athleticism that is Halle Berry in costume. Bonus: turn it into a drinking game and take a sip every time you're grateful for how far we've come in the world of female-helmed superhero movies. (Dec. 11)
19. 'Peaky Blinders' Season 4
When last we saw the Shelby family at the end of Season 3, they'd all been arrested. Now they're forced to reunite in the critically-acclaimed British drama's fourth season, which stars Cillian Murphy as Tommy. (Dec. 21)
20. 'Ultimate Beastmaster'
If you're a fan of American Ninja Warrior, run, don't walk, to check out Netflix's newest contribution to the field of competitive reality shows. Athletes from six nations square off for the title on a punishing course that only a true beastmaster can complete. (Dec. 1)
21. 'Voyeur'
From journalist Gay Talese comes the controversial, real-life story of Gerald Foos, a hotel owner who is said to have observed the sexual activity of his guests through specially-placed ceiling vents. (Dec. 1)
22. 'Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2'
The gang of misfits centered by Chris Pratt's fun-loving character Star-Lord is back, and this time they're digging into Peter Quill's parentage. What could go wrong? (Dec. 5)
23. 'Judd Apatow: The Return'
Producer, writer, and director Judd Apatow got his start doing stand-up, but he hasn't done it since 1992. But now he's delving into the form again, against the advice of his colleagues, because what does he have to lose? (In the words of fellow comedian Chris Gethard: "so much.") (Dec. 12)
24. 'Bright'
What if Netflix did big budget action movies starring Will Smith? Bright is the answer to that question, and it takes place in a world where orcs, elves, and fairies are all real and living beside human beings. It's a sort of buddy-cop fantasy starring Smith and his Orc partner, played by Joel Edgerton, as police officers searching for a powerful artifact. (Dec. 22)
25. 'Bill Nye Saves The World' Season 2, Part 1
If Bill Nye hasn't given up on us, then we have no excuse to give up on the planet. The TV scientist is back to take on his Twitter haters and remind us all that science is real. (Dec. 29)
26. 'Erased'
A live-action version of the Japanese mystery-manga series of the same name is coming to Netflix, and you won't want to sleep on it. Satoru Fujinuma has the power to travel back in time to save lives, and does just that to try to prevent the kidnapping and murder of his classmates 18 years before. (Dec. 15)
27. 'Wormwood'
Director Errol Morris tackles the real-life death of a military scientist during the Cold War in a story that ropes in LSD, the CIA, and mind control. Peter Sarsgaard stars in the combination documentary-fiction project. (Dec. 15)
28. 'Craig Ferguson: Tickle Fight'
A stand-up special from late night host Craig Ferguson will hit Netflix in early December, in case that tickles your fancy. (Dec. 5)
29. 'Planet Earth II'
Marvel at all the wonders of this green and blue orb of ours with the follow-up to the wildly popular first Planet Earth. We highly recommend putting it on before bed, so its lush colors and beautiful imagery can lull you to sleep. (Dec. 25)
30. 'My Happy Family'
Class up the joint with the Georgian drama My Happy Family, which premiered to heavy acclaim at Sundance this year. It's the empowering tale of a middle-aged woman who decides to leave her husband and unhappy life and strike out on her own. (Dec. 1)
Additional reporting by Sophie Atkinson
