December 26, 2025

What to stream: Kumail Nanjiani's stand-up special and 'This Is Spinal Tap'

'The Talented Mr. Ripley' and 'Polite Society' are also new to Netflix and Peacock.

By Kristin Hunt
PhillyVoice Staff

Elizabeth Sisson/Disney

Kumail Nanjiani returns to stand-up with his Hulu special 'Night Thoughts.'

Hiding out from your family after a full day of present swaps, cookies and near-fights? Decompress with one of our streaming picks.

This final guide of the year includes a new stand-up special, classic comedy, zany action flick and picturesque thriller. None of them will change whatever your uncle said over eggnog, but hopefully, they'll take your mind off it:

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'Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts'

Though he began his career as a stand-up comic, Kumail Nanjiani stepped away from the mic long ago to act in HBO comedies and blockbuster franchises. "Night Thoughts," which debuted Dec. 19 on Hulu, is his first special in 12 years. But you wouldn't guess it from Nanjiani's quick-witted crowd work or confident stage presence. The only obvious tell that time has passed is Nanjiani's muscles, acquired for the Marvel flop "Eternals" – and don't worry, he talks about both.

He also breaks down some of his anxious "night thoughts," which Nanjiani defines as "like day thoughts, except they hate you." Was that email he sent friendly enough? Did he upset a raccoon that used to visit his home? Nanjiani ponders all of them, along with the difficulties of medicating a cat, in this well-structured special.

'The Talented Mr. Ripley'

"The Talented Mr. Ripley" is a gorgeous movie full of gorgeous people and also, a little murder. The period piece kicks off when Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) travels to Italy at the behest of a New York tycoon to retrieve his wayward son Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law). But once Ripley is there, he becomes obsessed with Dickie. Eventually, he tries to be him.

While "The Talented Mr. Ripley" often feels like a vintage postcard, thanks to Ripley and Dickie's glamorous adventures abroad, the movie turns into a nail-bitting thriller as Ripley's various lies and forgeries start to catch up with him. The 1999 film, which recently landed on Netflix, is required viewing for any student of scammer culture.

'Polite Society'

Teenage Ria Khan (Priya Kansara) spends her days practicing and filming martial arts moves in hopes of becoming a stunt woman. Her biggest booster is her artsy older sister Lena (Ritu Arya), but when big sis gets engaged to a wealthy geneticist, Ria suspects something is up with her soon-to-be in-laws.

"Polite Society" is delightfully over-the-top, and features one hell of a final act at Lena's wedding. (It's a rescue mission involving a Bollywood dance.) Stream the inventive action movie on Peacock.

'This Is Spinal Tap'

Rob Reiner left behind a filmography that few could match. Consider the director's 1986-1992 run alone: "Stand by Me," followed by "The Princess Bride," then "When Harry Met Sally," "Misery" and "A Few Good Men." Fans grieving his loss can catch a few of those films on streaming platforms, like "The Princess Bride" on Hulu or "When Harry Met Sally" on Starz. Or they can turn to one of his earlier hits, the foundational rockumentary "This Is Spinal Tap."

Max recently added the 1984 comedy to its library, along with its unexpected 2025 sequel "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues." Best known for its amp that goes to 11, "Spinal Tap" has plenty of equally silly gigs, from its tiny Stonehenge stage decoration to its list of increasingly absurd drummer deaths. Reiner makes a meta appearance as the filmmaker capturing the heavy metal band's final show.