‘Where the Devil Roams’ review: Don’t miss this twisted family road trip
With “Where the Devil Roams,” filmmakers the Adams family deliver a creeping horror film about a murderous family of carnies.
All you need to know about Where the Devil Roams can be summed up by one headline that flashes onscreen during a montage: “Gruesome family act steals the show.”
The headline certainly describes the film, but it could just as easily apply to the family of filmmakers who brought it to life: the Adams family. (No, not that one.) John Adams, Zelda Adams, Lulu Adams, and Toby Poser are known for crafting independent horror films like 2021’s Hellbender. That streak continues with the admittedly “gruesome” Where the Devil Roams. It’s a Depression Era-set period piece with a Satanic streak, and it makes for the most unconventional (and haunting) family road trip movie you’ll see all year.
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What’s Where the Devil Roams about?
Where the Devil Roams introduces us to a family of traveling carnies: Seven (John Adams), a war veteran suffering from PTSD; Maggie (Toby Poser), his impulsive, violence-prone wife; and their daughter Eve (Zelda Adams), who sings in their carnival act but otherwise doesn’t speak.
The trio’s (played by the film’s three directors) act gets middling reception at best, but they get their real kicks out of murdering evildoers they find all around the carnival circuit. These murder scenes play out in darkly funny fashion, with Seven’s horrified aversion to blood contrasting with Maggie’s readiness to get her hands bloody. Post-killing rituals involve everything from taking photos of the murder scenes to strumming a ukulele beside the dead bodies, injecting the deaths with a strangely twee aesthetic.
Eve’s family aren’t the only carnies with a dark secret. The carnival’s star performer, a magician named Mr. Tips (Sam Rodd), owns a devilish artifact that allows him to cut off and reattach his fingers. But when Eve steals the artifact to save her parents after a murder gone awry, she risks exposing her family to a lifetime of pain.
Where the Devil Roams is an eerie slow burn.
Where the Devil Roams revels in its slow-burn storytelling, creeping along like decay in rotting flesh (of which there is no shortage in this film). Images with seemingly no connection, including lost children’s shoes and Eve’s careful dismemberment of dolls, establish the movie’s growing sense of dread, but also pay off in big ways in the final act.
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That sense of dread is also the result of Where the Devil Roams’ meticulous use of its settings. The carnival, with its white-faced clowns and eerily repetitive barkers, is already a classically creepy spot, made all the more so by Mr. Tips’ whisperings about deals with the devil. The empty spaces between carnival stops provide ample room for uncanniness as well. Stark forests and frozen-over creeks suggest a dangerously magical wilderness where anything can happen.
Where the Devil Roams finds horror in negative space as well, situating brightly-lit faces in total darkness so that we can only guess what’s playing out around them. This technique also helps us focus solely on the pain flashing across characters’ faces: A tooth removal scene is extra grisly thanks to the surrounding darkness. That darkness only grows as the film goes on, gradually shifting from color to black and white to mirror Eve’s family’s own descent into misery.
Where the Devil Roams delivers a strangely sweet family story.
Throughout all the murder and misery, Where the Devil Roams keeps a strong focus on the familial ties that bind Eve, Seven, and Maggie together — ties made even more resonant by the filmmakers’ own. The film intersperses its bloodier interludes with scenes of Eve, Seven, and Maggie’s own sort of domesticity. We see them doing their laundry, eating dinner around a campfire, and complaining about each other’s snoring. Eve and Maggie even discuss Eve’s period, giving us a peek into their mother-daughter relationship.
All these smaller moments build up an authentic ease between this trio, so that when crisis strikes, you’re so caught up in their lives that you don’t want anything to tear them apart. Without spoiling too much, it’s this threat of a family being separated that drives Where the Devil Roams‘ last act, which externalizes that separation anxiety with some unforgettable body horror.
That conclusion owes its strength to the film’s emphasis on Eve, Seven, and Maggie as a loving family unit. Where the Devil Roams reveals that Seven and Maggie both experienced major family trauma: Seven with his first wife and children, Maggie with her mother. But there’s no sign of that strife between Seven, Maggie, and Eve. They care so deeply for each other — a quality we see in even the strangest of situations, like Eve covering Seven’s eyes so he doesn’t see blood when Maggie murders someone. They may be messed-up murderers, but they’re strangely lovable too — and that’s what keeps us watching.
Where the Devil Roams opens in theaters Nov. 3 and hit digital on Nov. 7.
UPDATE: Oct. 31, 2023, 1:51 p.m. EDT Where the Devil Roams was reviewed out of its US premiere at 2023’s Fantastic Fest.
The 20 saddest movies on Netflix in 2023
Here are the 20 saddest movies on Netflix right now. Have your tissues ready for these tearjerkers, from “Stand By Me” to “Marriage Story,” and beyond.
A great movie allows us to slip into different feelings for a bit, kind of like putting on an old, reliable coat. Sometimes, we seek something whimsical and romantic. Other times, we want a thrill that’ll give us goosebumps. Still other days, all we crave is the embrace of the warm and fuzzy. But, occasionally, you just want to slide into the sad — slipping into a tearjerker for the sopping, snot-sleeved comfort they can provide.
A good cry can be good for you. So, when you’re looking to let loose with sobs, we’ve got the perfect selection of movies for your queue.
Grab a box of tissues and check out the 20 saddest movies now streaming on Netflix.
1. Dear John
Nicholas Sparks’s stories are basically the tear-jerking version of the scene in A Clockwork Orange where Malcolm McDowell has his eyes pried open and he’s brainwashed with images of sex and violence — they’re ruthlessly efficient in pressing every button on hand in order to wring from their audience the maximum amount of tears possible.
And this love story, told through the love letters between a soldier (Channing Tatum) and the girl (Amanda Seyfried) he left behind when he went off to war, is relentless. There’s a dying father, a dying husband, a break-up, war injuries, autistic children, Habitat For Humanity, horse stables, 9/11. It pulls out all the stops on its way to Weeps-ville. Thankfully, Tatum and Seyfried are able to convey an easy low-key decency, mitigating the soap-opera plotting with their genuine chemistry and warmth. — Jason Adams, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Dear John is now streaming on Netflix.
2. Stand By Me
Screenwriters Raynold Gideon and Bruce A. Evans took Stephen King’s novella The Body — a coming-of-age tale about four friends who go hunting for a dead teenager while evading the local bullies — and squeezed out every drop of the story’s poignancy and humor. It’s a tear-inducing snapshot of the anxieties, friendships, highs, and lows of childhood. The novella packed a powerful punch of nostalgia, and Rob Reiner’s direction channels this in its own way, placing the boys’ friendships front and center, then considering them through a thoughtful adult lens. “I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12,” the grown-up narrator (Richard Dreyfuss) writes at one point. “Jesus, does anyone?”
Keep an eye out for a young Kiefer Sutherland as the brilliantly unpleasant Ace Merrill, Wil Wheaton as budding writer Gordie Lachance, Corey Feldman as the bold Teddy Duchamp, a young Jerry O’Connell as the sweet Vern Tessio, and of course, the exceptional River Phoenix as Gordie’s best friend Chris Chambers. Their performances, like the movie itself, have a well-deserved place in cinematic history.* — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor
How to watch: Stand By Me is now streaming on Netflix.
3. The Zookeeper’s Wife
If a historical war drama is your go-to avenue for emotional catharsis but you’re tired of seeing the same stories told again and again, Niki Caro’s The Zookeeper’s Wife will be a welcome discovery. The 2017 film tells the true story of Jan Żabiński and Antonina Żabińska, a Polish couple who used their Warsaw zoo to rescue and hide 300 Jews during World War II. Soon after war breaks out in 1939, Jessica Chastain’s Antonina and her husband Jan (Johan Heldenbergh) are forced to cooperate with a Nazi zoologist (Daniel Brühl). Little does he know, the couple has begun sneaking in local Polish Jews to live in the tunnels under the zoo. It’s an emotional story about a lesser-known piece of Holocaust history, and while it drifts into sentimentality at times, both Chastain and Brühl’s performances ground the film in sincerity.* — Oliver Whitney, Contributing Writer
How to watch: The Zookeeper’s Wife is now streaming on Netflix.
4. Living
Remaking an Akira Kurosawa masterpiece is not an endeavor that should be generally encouraged, but director Oliver Hermanus managed to beat those impossible odds with his masterful 2022 re-do of Kurosawa’s 1952 tearjerker Ikiru. Perhaps having a script written by Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro is the only way to manage it. Giving the legendary character actor Bill Nighy his career-greatest role certainly didn’t hurt either.
Playing an all-business government worker who gets a death sentence from his doctor and decides to spend his last few months making a difference in the world, Nighy wrings a torrent of emotion out of repression, allowing us to see the sweetness long hidden beneath a hardened man’s shell. If you can make it through his rendition of “The Rowan Tree” without shattering into a million pieces, you’re made of stronger stuff than I. — J.A.
How to watch: Living is now streaming on Netflix.
5. A Monster Calls
Credit: Apaches Entertainment / Kobal / Shutterstock
A Monster Calls is a modern fable about loss, suffering, and childhood. In it, a young boy (Lewis MacDougall) copes with the prospect of losing his mother by befriending a tree monster (voiced by Liam Neeson) that tells him three illuminating stories in exchange for one story from the boy. The movie is based on the fantasy novel by Patrick Ness, who wrote the story based on an idea from Siobhan Dowd, a writer who died of cancer before writing the book herself. — Alexis Nedd, Senior Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: A Monster Calls is now streaming on Netflix.
6. Paddleton
Credit: Netflix
Paddleton may be a movie about cancer — the classic tearjerker subject — but it’s also one of the best. That’s partly because it takes an anti-melodramatic approach to a topic cinema loves to exploit for tears. But it’s also because Paddleton is really about friendship and embracing the moments we have together rather than being consumed by the fear of them ending.
Michael (Mark Duplass) and his neighbor Andy (Ray Romano, in a standout dramatic performance) are best friends, and the only people in each other’s lives. That makes it especially difficult for Andy when he learns Michael has decided to end his life through assisted suicide after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. But much like co-writer/director Alex Lehmann’s previous collaboration with Duplass, Blue Jay, Paddleton takes a very naturalistic approach to such dramatic material by focusing on the day-to-day moments of the men’s sweet platonic relationship. The two spend Michael’s final days watching kung fu movies, playing a sport of their own invention, and taking a road trip. It’s hard to think of a recent film that made me openly cry as hard as Paddleton did, and one that truly earned it through genuine storytelling and heartfelt performances.* — O.W.
How to watch: Paddleton is now streaming on Netflix.
7. Marriage Story
Credit: Netflix
Writer-director Noah Baumbach’s tense tale of a couple ending their marriage divided audiences, with some viewers reporting they were surprised by whose “side” they ended up on. But critical reception for Marriage Story was almost universal in its praise of the story’s execution and impact. Leads Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver were singled out for their magnetic scene work. This artful depiction of intimacy remains a triumph of romantic storytelling, venturing far beyond the happily-ever-after audiences know so well. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Marriage Story is now streaming on Netflix.
8. Other People
Molly Shannon and Jesse Plemons star as mother and son in this semi-autobiographical movie from writer/director Chris Kelly about a young gay man who returns to his childhood home to help take care of his dying mother. Other People finds the humor and beauty in the moments that lead up to experiencing loss and features one of Plemons’ best performances. — A.N.
How to watch: Other People is now streaming on Netflix.
9. Pieces of a Woman
Credit: Netflix
The Crown‘s Vanessa Kirby stars in this heartbreaking movie about a woman whose life is changed forever when her child, delivered at home, dies shortly after birth. Pieces of a Woman explores the emotional complexity of grief, marriage, and blame while telling a devastatingly real story of loss. — A.N.
How to watch: Pieces of a Woman is now streaming on Netflix.
10. The Sky is Pink
The Sky Is Pink is told from the perspective of Aisha “Aishi” Chaudhary (Zaira Wasim), a girl who dies young and narrates the story of her parents’ lives from the afterlife. It’s based on a true story. So yeah, it’s pretty sad. This Hindi language film is one of many Indian gems on Netflix and is a sure tearjerker starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Farhan Akhtar. — A.N.
How to watch: The Sky is Pink is now streaming on Netflix.
11. Call Me By Your Name
Credit: Courtesy of Sundance Institute
The greatest tearjerkers often only need a single act to realize their full sobbing potential – both Terms of Endearment and Steel Magnolias are basically sweet mother-daughter dramas for three-quarters of their runtime, until sickness barges into their final acts with sudden, heart-stomping brutality. And so it goes with Luca Guadagnino‘s 2018 coming-of-age masterpiece, which is a sexy Italian summer hang-out movie for its majority as we watch 17-year-old Elio (breakout star Timothée Chalamet) and 25-year-old Oliver (Armie Hammer) fall for one another in slow, furtive steps, under the watchful eyes of Elio’s parents (Amira Casar and Michael Stuhlbarg) and those equally watchful peach trees.
And yet, as the last-act train approaches, the film effortlessly channels a palpable feeling of time being lost, of summer vanishing between our fingers, and of romance suddenly, inescapably obliterated, all before we’re anywhere near prepared. The film’s final scenes become an all-out, can-you-top-this symphony of heartbreak — Elio and Oliver say their final goodbye! Elio’s father gives his for-the-ages speech about embracing the moment! All until Elio stares into the fireplace and grabs us by the heart and squeezes every last drop we have left inside of us for good measure. — J.A.
How to watch: Call Me By Your Name is now streaming on Netflix.
12. Boy Erased
A film that’s a little smothered by the very well-meaning intentions of its makers, this 2018 drama about a Baptist preacher’s gay son (Lucas Hedges) who gets sent to conversion therapy by his misguided parents (Joel Edgerton and Nicole Kidman) is very effective at what it sets out to do, which is to speak directly to LGBTQ people’s parents and tell them to get their shit together and stop traumatizing their kids.
And everyone’s excellent here – Hedges and Kidman especially will definitely make you and/or your parents cry profuse buckets. (Edgerton co-wrote and directed the film, as well as co-starring in it.) It’s just that some of us believe the perfect conversion therapy movie already exists in Jamie Babbit’s cotton-candy-colored black comedy But I’m a Cheerleader, since pointing and mocking the hetero-terrorists is the preferred method to take on this subject. But if you want a serious and straight (pun intended) take on the subject, this is your movie. — J.A.
How to watch: Boy Erased is now streaming on Netflix.
13. All the Bright Places
Credit: Walter Thomson / Netflix
Fans of The Fault in Our Stars will like All the Bright Places, another tearjerker about teens who find love through their personal sufferings. Elle Fanning and Justice Smith deliver heartbreaking performances from a screenplay co-written by Jennifer Niven, who also wrote the novel upon which the movie is based. — A.N.
How to watch: All the Bright Places is now streaming on Netflix.
14. Legends of the Fall
An old-fashioned and epic soap opera starring Brad Pitt at his tip-top peak beauty circa 1994, director Edward Zwick spins the decades-long tale of the three Ludlow brothers (Pitt, Henry Thomas, and Aidan Quinn) and their loves (Julia Ormond, Bert the Bear) with the sort of sweep we’re rarely treated to anymore. At least not with such adult subjects. We watch the first world war and Prohibition take their melodramatic toll on the Montana triad, alongside their father’s (Anthony Hopkins) tyranny and vicious stroke. Children are born, children die, and impossible romances with impossible beauties make us swoon. Oh, and Brad Pitt wrestles a bear, and we really had proper movies, once upon a time. — J.A.
How to watch: Legends of the Fall is now streaming on Netflix.
15. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Credit: David Lee / Netflix
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is based on the eponymous stage play by August Wilson. In it, Viola Davis portrays real-life blues singer Ma Rainey over the course of one day of recording for her album, during which the personal relationships between her lover, her band, and her producers spill out into a poignant examination of race, betrayal, and ownership. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom also features the late Chadwick Boseman’s final performance, for which he won a posthumous Golden Globe award. — A.N.
How to watch: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is now streaming on Netflix.
16. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Credit: Focus Features
If you’re a person who was a child at any point between the years of 1968 and 2001 (and that adds up to a whole lot of people), then Morgan Neville’s 2018 documentary on the mister named Fred Rogers and the PBS children’s series Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood that he shepherded across those decades will doubtlessly have you in a puddle by the time its closing credits roll.
A portrait of Rogers’s infallible decency and kindness that landed in the thick of the decidedly indecent and unkind Donald Trump presidency, it was hard not to weep for a world where the values Rogers embodied — curiosity and generosity and goodwill toward one’s fellow person — was starting to feel forever lost. Needless to say, those worries remain acute! But Fred Rogers showed us a better way, if we’ll only hop onto that magical trolley and make-believe it can be so again. — J.A.
How to watch: Won’t You Be My Neighbor? is now streaming on Netflix.
17. All Quiet on the Western Front
Credit: Reiner Bajo/Netflix
Director Edward Berger’s Oscar-nominated 2022 remake of the 1930 Best Picture winner is a tearjerker built for Dads a la Field of Dreams! The first German adaptation of German writer Erich Maria Remarque’s 1928 book, Berger’s film is an unrelenting deluge of World War I’s myriad horrors being thrust upon one simple shell-shocked soldier, Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer) and his regiment, all detailed in claustrophobic vérité. By the end of its two-hour runtime, we feel like we’ve been pummeled into shells ourselves. Bleak and utterly exhausting, it’s about as close to being on those grim battlefields full of young men being blown to bits as most of us will ever get, thankfully. It’s 10 out of 10 hankies for dads everywhere. — J.A.
How to watch: All Quiet on the Western Front is now streaming on Netflix.
18. First Match
Credit: Netflix
Elvire Emanuelle plays Mo, a Brooklyn teen who’s been raised in the foster care system since her father (a never-better Yahya Abdul Mateen of Candyman and Watchmen fame) got sent off to prison. When he gets out, Mo decides to join the boy’s wrestling team in order to prove herself to him, and cue the waterworks. Boasting a stellar cast that also includes Colman Domingo as Mo’s coach and Moonlight‘s Jharrel Jerome as her best friend, the fraught truths that First Match unearths about what are meant to be our closest relationships bypass most of the “inspirational sports story” cliches, instead revealing something far harder to hear. — J.A.
How to watch: First Match is now streaming on Netflix.
19. Roma
Credit: Netflix
There is a reason that a great big cry huddle straight out of every Golden Girls episode is the central image on the poster for Alfonso Cuarón’s Oscar-winning 2018 masterpiece — it’s a movie that demands a great big cry huddle! Telling the story of Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), an indigenous maid to a wealthy family in Mexico City in 1970, Cuarón makes Cleo’s story of survival at the margins seem as enormous as the outer space he sent Sandra Bullock hurtling through in Gravity. — J.A.
How to watch: Roma is now streaming on Netflix.
20. Worth
Credit: Netflix
Director Sara Colangelo’s film is a historical drama about lawyers Kenneth Feinberg and Camille Biros (Michael Keaton and Amy Ryan), who were charged with running the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. It was their unimaginable job to calculate how much money would be given to the people who lost loved ones during 9/11, and how to determine who would get anything at all. And if that concept in itself doesn’t already have you tearing up, just you wait. Worth, which is based on Kenneth Feinberg’s non-fiction book What Is Life Worth?: The Inside Story of the 9/11 Fund and Its Effort to Compensate the Victims of September 11th, is perhaps so far the only fictional movie about that horrible day and its aftermath that has truly worked. It does so by giving voice to the victims and their stories, and the struggle to realize what our lives truly amount to in the end. — J.A.
How to watch: Worth is now streaming on Netflix.
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Credit: Netflix
Asterisks (*) indicate the entry comes from a previous Mashable list.
UPDATE: Aug. 23, 2023, 5:00 a.m. EDT Originally published on April 2, 2021, this article has been revised to reflect the current selections now streaming.
Diggs Enventur review: Durable inflatable dog crate
We loved the portability of the Diggs Enventur crate, but can’t recommend it to all dog owners. Here’s why.
I’m serious about keeping my two dogs restrained in the car. Not only can loose pets in a car distract drivers, they can also become dangerous projectiles if not restrained properly. Keeping your pup secured with a seatbelt or a car crate is the best way to keep them (and yourself) safe while driving.
Most crash-tested car crates are big, bulky, and heavy, and some dogs can’t relax while secured with a seatbelt harness. There’s definitely a hole in the market for a lightweight car crate that’s also safe, comfortable, and durable. I was excited to hear that Diggs was on its way to meeting that need with the new Enventur inflatable travel kennel, but there are a handful of flaws with the product that didn’t go unnoticed in my testing.
Is the Diggs Enventur crash-tested?
I tested the medium kennel ($475) with my two dogs, and while this size hasn’t been crash-test certified yet, Diggs states that the small kennel ($425) had passed third-party bench seat crash safety tests, and that ongoing testing is underway for the medium size.
A TikTok video on the brand’s page also mentioned that the small Enventur was on its way to getting Center For Pet Safety certified. Diggs has another CPS-certified product for small dogs — the Diggs Passenger Carrier — so the brand has gone through this certification process before. Once the Enventur is CPS-certified, we’d be willing to revisit its score, since the safety certification (and the peace of mind) will make it a little more worth the price.
The Enventur has some great features for traveling
Where other dog travel crates tend to be bulky and heavy, the Enventur is actually portable. I’ve taken the Enventur on multiple road trips, and it works well as a crate that transitions from the car to a hotel room, Airbnb, or campsite with ease. This is mostly because of how lightweight it is and the fact that it’s easy to fold up. I loved not smashing my fingers in metal bars like I do (every time) trying to set up a wire crate.
It’s not tiny when it folds down, but can easily be thrown in the backseat or trunk of a car.
Credit: Jae Thomas / Mashable
Credit: Jae Thomas / Mashable
While the medium size hasn’t been crash-tested yet, the Enventur still features tie-down loops and can be secured to the connection points in the cargo space of a car, though these don’t feel the most secure. Even though the tie-down straps aren’t the best, this is definitely a safer option than just putting a loose kennel in the car. The crate also has a slanted back that is designed to fit better in a car’s cargo space than traditional rectangle kennels, though I still couldn’t fit the kennel in my Ford Bronco Sport without putting the seats down or turning the kennel sideways.
The tie down straps aren’t the best quality, but they keep the crate pretty secure.
Credit: Jae Thomas / Mashable
Credit: Jae Thomas / Mashable
The Enventur is super easy to clean. On one occasion, my puppy threw up in the kennel while I was driving, and when we got home, I was able to just hose the kennel down, wipe it out, and let it dry. Because it’s inflatable and pretty comfortable for pups on its own, it also doesn’t require a bed.
What we didn’t like about the Enventur
I don’t love that the tie-down straps and the pump for the Enventur are sold separately. Considering the already high price of the kennel (it starts at $425) and that it’s marketed as a car crate, I’d love to see these accessories included. The tie-down straps add an extra $45, and purchasing the kennel with the pump adds an extra $75. You can absolutely find a cheaper pump with the correct kind of connection points — any paddle board or inflatable kayak pump will work as long as it features a halkey-roberts valve attachment. The tie-down straps could also be more durable — the closure doesn’t work as well as more durable crate tie-down straps I’ve tried, like the Gunner Kennel straps.
In a bigger car, you could likely fit the medium Enenvur in the cargo space without putting the seats down.
Credit: Jae Thomas / Mashable
Credit: Jae Thomas / Mashable
Another issue with the manual pump was how much effort it took to get the PSI up to the recommended level. Diggs recommends five to 10 PSI for the Enventur, so I recommend using an electric pump to inflate it if you don’t want to put in some work to inflate it. A small electric pump would also likely be easier to travel with than the manual pump, which was a bit annoying to carry around.
In three months of testing, I didn’t experience issues with the zipper door, but I read some user reviews that mentioned high-anxiety dogs and strong chewers busting through the door. In the last two weeks of testing, I took the Enventur on a road trip to use for my 6-month-old collie puppy, Dashi. I’d been using this crate for her for months prior, but on this trip, she was unfortunately able to tear a hole in one of the windows. I can no longer use this crate for her, which is a bummer because of all its other great features.
The Enventur held up until the last night of a two-week cross-country road trip.
Credit: Jae Thomas / Mashable
Credit: Jae Thomas / Mashable
I noticed the day before my puppy ripped the hole that some of my gear in the trunk was pushing against the window, creating some stress in the woven window, Once that stress loosened up the weave, my puppy was able to chew right through it. I can no longer keep her in this crate since she’ll continue to rip the window. She’s not a very strong chewer and is only about 35 pounds and 6 months old, so the durability of the windows is definitely much less than Diggs advertises.
I likely would never have had this issue if I only tested the Enventur with my older dog, Miso, who isn’t a chewer. As with any pet product, know your dog and do what’s safest for them. Nearly no kennels are escape-proof (and the Enventur doesn’t claim to be), so owners of pups who like to chew should select a car kennel with that in mind.
Once the medium and large sizes of the Enventur are crash-tested, we’ll likely re-test and update this story. Until then, the small crate is a safe car option for dogs under 30 pounds who are unlikely to chew on the woven pieces of the crate. We’ll be checking in with Diggs about the crash testing process and will update this story if they receive crash testing certification.
The small size is crash tested, but the others haven’t been yet.
Credit: Screenshot: Diggs
Credit: Screenshot: Diggs
Is the Diggs Enventur inflatable kennel worth it?
Depsite some major qualms I had with the Enventur, it saved my ass on multiple occasions. Going on camping trips with a puppy is no small feat, and it was great to have a lightweight, portable kennel to keep Dashi in while I cooked or did camp chores so she wouldn’t get into anything she shouldn’t. Until Dashi was able to rip a hole in the crate, I was prepared to recommend the Enventur to most dog owners. At this time, I can only recommend it to dog owners who know their dog won’t attempt to chew or scratch through the woven windows or doors.
My 45-pound dog, Miso, fits well in the medium crate.
Credit: Jae Thomas / Mashable
Credit: Jae Thomas / Mashable
Aside from the window durability issues, there are still plenty of positives about this crate. It’s easier to set up than a wire crate, and it’s light enough that I can carry it and the pump and tow along anything else I need in a wagon without having to make multiple trips to the car. It’s less bulky than some other car crates I’ve tested too, and once it receives crash-testing certification, it will be more worth the price for non-chewing dogs and their families.
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Credit: Diggs
20 best comedies streaming on Netflix, November 2023
Do you need a laugh right about now? Here are the 20 best comedies on Netflix — including “Superbad,” “Groundhog Day,” “Lady Bird,” and more.
Nothing feels as good as a deep, genuine laugh. It’s an expression of joy! It’s a workout. It’s a sign that you’re having a good time.
Netflix has a dazzling selection of comedy movies that put that good-time feeling on demand. Whether you’re craving action-spiked shenanigans, quirky coming-of-age adventures, awkward humor, stranger-than-fiction silliness, madcap musical numbers, or crime with a spree of laughs, there’s a perfect pick for you. And we’ve made singling it out all the easier by highlighting the most hilarious below.
Here, in no particular order, are the 20 funniest movies now streaming on Netflix.
20. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Credit: Netflix
Writer/director Rian Johnson follows up his critically heralded whodunnit with a sequel that’s even more explosive than Knives Out. Southern gentleman/detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is back, drawling deductions and whipping out witticisms, much to the chagrin of a group of wealthy and conniving friends.
It was supposed to be a murder mystery weekend where homicide was just a game. But when tech scion Miles Bron (Edward Norton) brings together his closest friends and worst enemy, real blood will be spilled, and the game is afoot! Joining in on the comically chaotic fun are Kate Hudson, Janelle Monáe, Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., and Jessica Henwick. — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor
How to watch: Glass Onion is now streaming on Netflix.
19. Superbad
Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock
This R-rated teen comedy from 2007 is a classic in the genre for good reason. Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, Superbad took the buddy comedy to unique places of hormonal humiliation and the hysterical agonies of trying to fit in with the cool crowd. Jonah Hill and Michael Cera star as a pair of high school losers desperate to get close to their crushes (Emma Stone and Martha McIsaac). But first they’ll need to get booze with the help of the fake ID of their screw-up friend, McLovin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). Full of slapstick, merciless burns, zippy banter, and gross-out gags, Superbad not only went on to inspire movies like Booksmart and Bottoms, but also still thrills as a stupid silly good time. — K.P.
How to watch: Superbad is now streaming on Netflix.
18. My Best Friend’s Wedding
Credit: Tri-Star / Kobal / Shutterstock
P.J. Hogan’s 1997 offering blew up the traditional rom-com standards. Forget the tale of boy meets girl that ends in a happily-ever-after wedding between the two. America’s Sweetheart Julia Roberts playfully torched her casting niche by playing the masterfully (and hilariously) manipulative ex-girlfriend, hellbent on getting her old flame (Dermot Mulroney) back before he can marry a much younger woman (Cameron Diaz). Cultures clash as this city girl invades the bride’s Southern-charmed family. Plus, there are dangerous flirtations, outrageous jokes, an infectious sing-along, and Rupert Everett as the gay bff who proves to be the movie’s MVP. — K.P.
How to watch: My Best Friend’s Wedding is now streaming on Netflix.
17. Bullet Train
If you like your comedy with in-your-face action, you should race to check out this 2022 romp from Deadpool 2 director David Leitch. It’s a high-octane film that asks the classic question: “What happens if you pile a bunch of assassins onto one bullet train through Japan?” The answer is delightfully daffy carnage.
Brad Pitt leads a star-studded cast as a merc who’s lost his bloodlust. What’s supposed to be a simple snatch-and-go job turns dangerously complicated as he crosses paths with a cavalcade of curious characters, all of whom are rocking code names like Tangerine, Lemon, Wolf, The Prince, The Hornet, and White Death. Rapid-fire wit is wielded by the likes of Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Michael Shannon, Bad Bunny, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Joey King, Zazie Beetz, and Sandra Bullock. Also wielded? Every form of weapon you can imagine, from guns and knives to poison, wild animals, and even a well-traveled water bottle. Sound cool? Catch it while you can. — K.P.
How to watch: Bullet Train is now streaming on Netflix.
16. Between Two Ferns: The Movie
Credit: Adam Rose / Netflix
Zach Galifianakis’s awkward celebrity interview web series Between Two Ferns might not seem like fodder for a full-length movie, but Between Two Ferns: The Movie goes double meta by presenting his success on Funny or Die as an insult to the actor’s intention to host a “serious” interview show. Galifianakis the character sets off to correct the assumption that his original show is a joke by interviewing even more celebrities, like John Cho, Keanu Reeves, Gal Gadot, Tiffany Haddish, and more. — Alexis Nedd, Senior Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Between Two Ferns: The Movie is now streaming on Netflix.
15. Do Revenge
Credit: Netflix
Looking for a revenge flick that pays tribute to teen classics like Mean Girls, Heathers, Cruel Intentions, and more? Then check out Do Revenge, a dark comedy sure to join the canon of iconic high school movies. Students Drea (Camila Mendes) and Eleanor (Maya Hawke) couldn’t be more different… apart from the fact that both have major bones to pick with people who ruined their reputations. They decide to team up and execute one another’s revenge plans, which leads down a winding road of morally dubious choices, snappy one-liners, and excellent outfits.
Mendes and Hawke have great chemistry, but it’s Sophie Turner who damn near steals the show in a bit part that simply must be seen to be believed.* — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Do Revenge is now streaming on Netflix.
14. The Road to El Dorado
This undersung animated musical is a charming blast, boasting not only a slew of Elton John songs, a rousing adventure, and wildly irreverent hijinks, but also Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh, and Rosie Perez bringing rambunctious life to their trio of thieves. In the 16th century, as brutal Spanish conquistadors sought the legendary City of Gold, a pair of rakish stowaways known as Tulio (Kline) and Miguel (Branaugh) accidentally discovered El Dorado, where the locals mistook them for gods. Eager to exploit this wealthy and warm tribe, the pair begin to scheme how to set sail back to Spain with all their ill-gotten loot. On their side is street-smart Chel, who is totally over her hometown. Together, amid dance numbers, power struggles, and fantastical magic, these lovable crooks will seek gold but discover something much more valuable. Full of radiant color, booming energy, and plenty of punchlines, The Road to El Dorado is an adventurous comedy sure to please the whole family. — K.P.
How to watch: The Road to El Dorado is now streaming on Netflix.
13. Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Credit: Piki Films / Kobal / Shutterstock
This 2016 adventure about bad egg Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) and his curmudgeonly foster father Hec (Sam Neill) is the kind of eccentric delight that writer/director Taika Waititi specializes in (this time co-writing with Barry Crump, who wrote the original book).
After losing his foster mother, Ricky flees into the forests of New Zealand; Hec pursues him, only to realize he doesn’t feel the need to return to civilization either. Together, they become the wilderpeople, living off the land and evading capture from authorities, including Thor: Ragnarok‘s Rachel House. Wilderpeople is equal parts stirring, hilarious, and absurd — a silly yet sentimental story of found family and adventure that can be loved by all. — Proma Khosla, Senior Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Hunt for the Wilderpeople is now streaming on Netflix.
12. Always Be My Maybe
Credit: Netflix
What if the one who got away got a second chance? Back in the day, Sasha and Marcus were tight as a slap bracelet. But one fumbled night in a sweaty backseat seemed to shatter their future together.
Fifteen years later, she’s a world-renowned chef and he’s — well — he’s working for his dad’s HVAC business and playing with his band on the side. Still, fate arranges for them to reconnect, which could mean Marcus (Randall Park) has a shot to show Sasha (Ali Wong) how he feels. Comedy ensues as the stakes get high when Keanu Reeves crashes the party, being all weird and hot and having the audacity to be Keanu Reeves! This Nahnatchka Khan–helmed laffer also boasts appearances by James Saito, Charlyne Yi, Karan Soni, Daniel Dae Kim, and Michelle Buteau.* — K.P.
How to watch: Always Be My Maybe is now streaming on Netflix.
11. Lady Bird
Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock
Being a teen girl is a unique (and hilarious) hell. Few films capture this frenzy of hormones, angst, obstinacy, insecurity, and recklessness as deftly and humorously as writer/director Greta Gerwig’s coming-of-age dramedy.
Saoirse Ronan stars Lady Bird, a self-named 16-year-old girl who views her Catholic high school, working-class constraints, and hovering mother as insufferable obstacles to her inevitable greatness. Ravenous to carve out her own identity, she throws herself at boys, into fights with her exasperated mother (Laurie Metcalf), and out of a car! Yet even in her most outlandish moments, this gonzo girl’s journey feels achingly relatable. If you’re game to feel 16 again, check out this critically heralded stunner that is specific, insightful, and achingly vulnerable. Tracy Letts, Beanie Feldstein, Lucas Hedges, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Timothée Chalamet co-star, sprinkling in humor, heartbreak, and f*ckboi-style hotness.* — K.P.
How to watch: Lady Bird is now streaming on Netflix.
10. Dolemite Is My Name
Credit: François Duhamel / Netflix
Chronicling the true story of late comedian Rudy Ray Moore — also known as Dolemite — this Eddie Murphy vehicle is worth every minute of viewing.
An outrageous showbiz comedy, Dolemite Is My Name is at once a poignant look at the life of an underdog and an unbelievably good time. With supporting performances by Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Wesley Snipes, Craig Robinson, and more, this biopic offers more beat-for-beat joy than many of its fictional counterparts. Sensational, aspirational, and electric: You’ll love it. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Dolemite Is My Name is now streaming on Netflix.
9. Groundhog Day
Credit: Columbia / Kobal / Shutterstock
The time-loop movie that launched untold imitators has been a comedy gem since its debut in 1993. Directed and co-written by Harold Ramis, Groundhog Day stars Bill Murray as a cantankerous weatherman who is irate about his on-the-groundhog assignment in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to cover the superstition-rich American holiday. So imagine his frustration when this eponymous day repeats and repeats and repeats. Over the course of this temporal trap, this curmudgeon lays out biting zingers, dark punchlines, and pratfalls. But the overall arc is a sweet tale of romance finally getting a chance. Andie MacDowell and Chris Elliott co-star. — K.P.
How to watch: Groundhog Day is now streaming on Netflix.
8. The Polka King
Credit: Netflix
Sometimes true crime can lead to some pitch-perfect dark comedy. This is the case for this outrageous offering, which stars Jack Black as infamous scammer/local celebrity Jan Lewan. Black brings all the rock star panache you need to understand how Lewan could be so beguiling to the Pennsylvanian retirees who surrendered their savings to the self-proclaimed Polka King.
Screenwriters Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky gave this story of fraud and showmanship shape. But they wisely trusted in the local flair of the terrific 2009 documentary The Man Who Would Be Polka King to provide some of the wildest lines of dialogue. Plucking directly from interviews with the friends, family, and victims of Jan Lewan, this comedy feels stranger than fiction but is jaw-droppingly real. Salty supporting turns from Jenny Slate, Jacki Weaver, and Jason Schwartzman bring added fun.* — K.P.
How to watch: The Polka King is now streaming on Netflix.
7. The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Credit: Netflix
Sony Pictures Animation has given audiences such daring and dynamic animated movies as Surf’s Up, Hotel Transylvania, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. This zany 2021 release centers on a family who’s battling back the robo-apocalypse with togetherness, internet savviness, and a wall-eyed pug named Monchi (voiced by social media icon Doug the Pug).
The Mitchells’ adventure into chaos begins when daughter Katie (Abbi Jacobson) is poised to go off to college. Desperate for one last family-unifying road trip, her dad (Danny McBride) piles the whole family into his beater of a vehicle, unknowingly charting a fateful route into heroics. Director Mike Rianda infuses Katie’s excitable perspective throughout the film by working in internet memes, social media-style reactions, and blitz of bonkers visuals. It’s a bold move that might alienate some viewers but has largely won the acclaim of critics and kiddos.* — K.P.
How to watch: The Mitchells vs. The Machines is now streaming on Netflix.
6. The Nice Guys
Credit: Misty Mountains / Bloom / Silver / Kobal / Shutterstock
If you’re a sucker for black comedy, witty dialogue, ’70s style, and/or odd-couple comedic duos, it doesn’t get much nicer than The Nice Guys. Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) and Holland March (Ryan Gosling) play a pair of washed-up private investigators who reluctantly join forces to search for a missing woman (Margaret Qualley) in 1977 Los Angeles — with occasional assistance from March’s clever teenage daughter, played by Angourie Rice.
Though the mystery takes the gang to the farthest reaches of the city, burrowing deep into rabbit holes and brushing up against all manner of eccentrics, it’s the unexpected chemistry between Crowe and Gosling that really keeps this engine running, and it’ll leave you wishing for more where that came from.* — Angie Han, Deputy Entertainment Editor
How to watch: The Nice Guys is now streaming on Netflix.
5. The Forty-Year-Old Version
Credit: Jeong Park / Netflix © 2020
The Forty-Year-Old Version isn’t just any film about a struggling New York artist, but one about a Black female playwright who’s continually held back from creating something authentic to her perspective. Radha Blank’s autobiographical directorial debut, which she also wrote, produced, and stars in, is a searing, funny, and unabashedly honest look at the compromises Black creatives are pushed to make in a world dominated by whiteness.
A teacher approaching her 40th birthday, Radha (Blank) gets the chance to produce one of her plays — only after she refuses to write a slave musical. But forced to change her vision to appease white audiences, Radha considers a totally different medium to express herself: becoming a rapper. The Forty-Year-Old Version may be one of the most slept-on Netflix originals, and it’s a shame we’ve yet to see another film from Blank since, itself an indictment of an industry that fails to continually platform raw and honest Black storytelling.* — O.W.
How to watch: The Forty-Year-Old Version is now streaming on Netflix.
4. Vampires vs. the Bronx
Credit: Netflix
Want a movie that’s got excitement, comedy, a scorching message about the evils of gentrification, and is a kid-friendly romp? Then take a bite out of Vampires vs. the Bronx.
Oz Perkins’s PG-13 horror-comedy centers on Afro-Latino teens who recognize that a flurry of missing person posters and an influx of rich white folks with tote bags means bad news for the neighborhood. Together, they team up Monster Squad-style to take down the bloodsuckers and save their community. With a sharp wit, a warm heart, a rich sense of atmosphere, and an equal appreciation for the Blade movies and ’80s Amblin, Vampires vs. the Bronx is an easy watch full of rewards.* — K.P.
How to watch: Vampires vs. the Bronx is now streaming on Netflix.
3. The Breaker Upperers
This hidden gem comes from New Zealand, the fertile comedy ground that gave us Taika Waititi, Flight of the Conchords, and What We Do in the Shadows. Waititi collaborators Jackie van Beek, James Rolleston, and Jemaine Clement team up for a deeply quirky buddy comedy about two long-time besties with a bonkers — but brilliant — business model.
Need someone to dump your partner so you can avoid a messy confrontation? Call on Jen and Mel (co-writers/co-directors/co-leads van Beek and Madeleine Sami). For a reasonable fee, these fearless Breaker Upperers will impersonate police officers, play pregnant, or even fake your death to help you ghost an ex. Whatever the shenanigans, van Beek and Sami sparkle. Booming with wild humor and big heart, this comedy is guaranteed to leave you cackling.* — K.P.
Where to watch: The Breaker Upperers is now streaming on Netflix.
2. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Credit: John Wilson / Netflix
With its reputation for wacky musical numbers, the Eurovision Song Contest is ripe for parody. Luckily for Eurovision lovers, the contest gets the send-up it deserves in this gloriously goofy flick starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams. They play the Icelandic musical duo Fire Saga, who find themselves in the Eurovision spotlight. There, they discover that the famed competition is a world of cutthroat competitors, glitzy costumes, and many, many bops.
Eurovision Song Contest is full of larger-than-life characters and ridiculous humor, but it’s also teeming with Eurovision references that will have fans laughing and cheering. For every “Jaja Ding Dong,” there’s a joyful Song-A-Long — and both are great! Pair all that with pitch-perfect comedic performances from Ferrell and McAdams, and you have a comedy that will both have you in stitches and win your heart. (Best of all, if you weren’t a Eurovision fanatic before seeing this movie, you’ll definitely be one by the time it ends.)* — B.E.
How to watch: Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is now streaming on Netflix.
1. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Credit: FilmPublicityArchive / United Arch
Made up of Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam, the comedy troupe Monty Python are the uncontested kings of comedy. So it’s only fitting that we raise a glass to their most popular film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Sure, Life of Brian has iconoclastic fun with Bible stories — and a toe-tapping sound number to boot! But many of the crew’s most memorable characters tumble forth in this parody of Arthurian lore.
From the knights Who Say “Ni!” to the dreaded Rabbit of Caerbannog to a taunting Frenchman to the Black Knight who’ll never say die, Holy Grail is overflowing with madcap comedy. It’s endlessly quotable, stupidly funny, and captures everything that made this comedy team spectacular. Not to mention, it forever changed how we see coconuts, swallows, hamsters, and elderberries. — K.P. & A.F.
How to watch: Monty Python and the Holy Grail is now streaming on Netflix.
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Credit: Netflix
* denotes that this blurb appeared in a previous Mashable list.
UPDATE: Oct. 25, 2023, 5:11 p.m. EDT This story has been updated to reflect the current selection on Netflix.
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