The Best TV Shows & Movies Leaving Netflix In December 2018

December is only a few days away, and before you get overwhelmed with the realization that you still have to buy Christmas presents for your entire family, why not chill out and watch some Netflix? You only have a few days left to catch a David Fincher mystery, a classic Bill Murray comedy, a recent Best Picture winner, and a movie that sounded like a terrible idea but somehow managed to be pretty damn great. Here are best TV shows and movies leaving Netflix in December.

Moana is one of the biggest recent jewels in Walt Disney Animation's crown, and it's easy to see why: the music rules, the characters are terrific, and Auli'i Cravalho delivers a star-making turn as the lead. It also contains one of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's best performances – a role that allows him to lean into his inherent charm and likability but not be saddled with the weight of having to carry the entire film on his back. It's a beautifully-rendered adventure full of heart, heft, and humor. What more could you ask for?

One of David Fincher's lesser-appreciated movies, The Game is a suspenseful thriller with a headbanger of a climax. I won't spoil it here, but plenty of audiences have revolted when the twist is revealed to them. Here's the thing, though: even if you're not fully on board with how this one concludes, the wind-up is so masterfully constructed that the movie is still absolutely worth watching.

The weather is finally starting to cool down in Los Angeles, so what better way to throw yourselves head first into the winter season than by stepping into the wintry world of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania with weatherman Phil Connors? You shouldn't need any convincing to rewatch this one for the millionth time: it's one of Bill Murray's very best movies, and a Harold Ramis classic that set the bar for an entire subgenre of time travel storytelling. Try paying close attention to the supporting players this time around, like the always-great Stephen Tobolowsky as the hyper-annoying Ned Ryerson.

If this movie was Michael Keaton reading the phone book with a Boston accent for 90 minutes, I'd probably have watched it. Instead, it's something far more serious: writer/director Tom McCarthy's scathing retelling of the true story of a news team with the time and resources to uncover a horrific conspiracy with a global reach. Even though we all know about the uncomfortable subject matter at the center of the story, the film packs an extra punch in the way it puts a human face on abuse and calls the leaders of the Catholic Church into question. The real-life story shook a religion to its core, and the straightforward, no-nonsense film did the same to its audiences.

I'm always up for a good swashbuckling adventure on the high seas, and against all odds, this movie based on a theme park ride turned out to be a great one. It's an one of the best examples of crowd-pleasing, four-quadrant studio filmmaking, perfectly nailing a sweet spot that movie studios often aim for but rarely actually connect with. Instead of praising the visuals and dynamic filmmaking of director Gore Verbinski for the umpteenth time, I want to shine the spotlight on writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, the screenwriting duo who have written movies like Aladdin, The Mask of Zorro, and Small Soldiers. This gem of a movie wouldn't exist without them, and their names are too often absent from the conversation whenever talk of this franchise comes up.

Leaving December 1

Cabin Fever

Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever

Groundhog Day

Happily N'Ever After

Happily N'Ever After 2: Snow White

Hellbound: Hellraiser II

Hellraiser

Sons of Anarchy: Seasons 1-7

Spider-Man 3

Spy Hard

Stephen King's Children of the Corn

Swept Under

The Covenant

The Game

Leaving December 4

Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch

Air Bud: Spikes Back

Air Bud: World Pup

Air Buddies

Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales

Spooky Buddies

Tarzan & Jane

The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars

The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue

The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos

The Search for Santa Paws

Tinker Bell

Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue

Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure

Leaving December 7

Trolls

Leaving December 10

Battle Royale

Battle Royale 2

Teeth

Leaving December 15

Step Up 2: The Streets

Leaving December 16

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Leaving December 17

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2

Leaving December 19

Ip Man: The Final Fight

Leaving December 20

Disney's Moana

Food, Inc.

I Give It a Year

Leaving December 22

Spotlight

Leaving December 25

Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Leaving December 31

Troy