By Yasmine Goodner–

With the fall semester in full swing, there seems to be nothing better to take our mind off of a crippling school workload than curling up with a laptop and binging on Netflix shows and movies. Luckily, the new Netflix releases for the month of October do not disappoint. These are TLC’s top picks, perfect for the autumn days when you just want to sip on pumpkin-spice something and avoid writing that English paper due tomorrow.

“Stranger Things”: This one is a no-brainer. After a massive positive reception to its first season, this thrilling sci-fi set in the early 1980s is back for a second installment. Having been kidnapped by a terrifying monster and taken to a dark alternate universe called The Upside Down, twelve-year-old Will Byers is finally back home safe with his family–or so it seems. With many questions still unanswered about the well-being of Eleven as well as the top-secret experiments happening at Hawkins National Laboratory, this season of Stranger Things will hopefully satiate our need for the facts.

“Donnie Darko”: In this 2001 fantasy, Jake Gyllenhaal plays a troubled teen named Donnie who frequently envisions a man in a rabbit suit—someone who only he can see—who encourages him to do bad things. A thought-provoking cult classic, this film explores the meanings of love, life, and destiny.

“The Mist”: Based on the brilliant story-writing of Stephen King, this film focuses on the members of a small town as they fight for their lives against killer creatures hiding in the eerie mist that has engulfed their community after a strong storm. David Drayton, a painter, must find a way to protect himself and his son from the unknown dangers that await them in the fog.

“The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson”: Instrumental to the gay liberation movement in the 1970s and 1980s, Marsha P. Johnson was an African-American transgender revolutionary. Her death on July 6, 1992 was ruled a suicide, but  members of the community believe it was a homicide. This documentary investigates finding the truth behind her passing.

“Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby”: Will Ferrell is simply hilarious in this 2006 sport comedy as he portrays Ricky Bobby, a NASCAR megastar who is thrown for a loop when Formula One driver Jean Girard gives him a run for his money. In this lighthearted film, Ricky must work to escape his slump and regain his title as the best on the track.