A new month means new movies and TV shows streaming on Netflix - and February 2019 is no different. While January 2019 saw some truly great movies and TV shows join Netflix, such as The Dark Knight and the Indiana Jones series, February 2019 is shaping up to be great in its own right.
February sees Netflix launching some new series that look like hits in the making - like Russian Doll, a black comedy about a woman who keeps repeating the night of her death, and The Umbrella Academy, Netflix’s latest comic adaptation (that is most definitely not your usual superhero show).
In addition to the aforementioned properties, Netflix’s slate in February 2019 includes several classic comedies to brighten the end of winter, as well as some incredible dramas.
15. American Pie
This classic ‘90s gross-out comedy returns to the streaming service this month (just in time for Valentine’s Day?) - and it’s not just the first in the franchise. American Pie, American Pie 2, and American Wedding all hit Netflix in February. These join American Pie: The Naked Mile, American Pie Presents: The Book Of Love, and American Pie Presents: Band Camp. The humor is definitely crass, and many of the jokes have not aged well, but if you loved them when they first came out, enjoy a little nostalgic rewatch.
Arriving: February 1
14. As Good As It Gets
Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt star in this Oscar-winning drama about an unlikely friendship. Nicholson’s Melvin is a miserable, rude, and obsessive-compulsive writer who finds himself thrown into the lives of those around him when his hospitalized neighbor needs him to care for a dog, and a favorite waitress can’t serve him breakfast; it may sound like a simple (and strange) premise, but this is a tear-jerker and a laugh-out-loud movie at the same time.
13. Billy Elliot
Another film with a presence at the Oscars (nominated for three, including Best Actress and Best Writing), Billy Elliot has since spawned a smash-hit musical. This beautiful film tells the story of a young boy growing up in England in the ‘80s, and whose working-class family are less-than-thrilled about his incredible passion for ballet. Watching his family fall apart while he fights for his dream is the definition of inspirational.
12. Jaws
A little classic horror, for those viewers not in the mood for the heartwarming or vulgar on the first of the month. Jaws will come to the streaming service, joined by Jaws 2, Jaws 3, and Jaws: The Revenge. Time for a movie marathon of watching people get eaten alive by killer sharks - just in case anyone was tempted to get in the water in winter, these movies will definitely put you off! Netflix doesn’t always have entire franchises available at the same time, so take advantage of this classic.
11. Pretty In Pink
Another one for classic movie lovers (but with far less blood and screaming), John Hughes’ ’80s classic Pretty in Pink is also arriving this month. Starring Molly Ringwald as Andie, the teenage girl who must choose between her quirky male friend and her new crush - a rich boy who seems to like her despite her lack of popularity. The plot may seem very simple now, but Pretty in Pink remains one of the biggest classics from the ’80s.
10. Russian Doll (Season 1)
Created by Amy Poehler, Russian Doll stars Natasha Lyonne (who has also starred in Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black), and it promises to be a phenomenal new black comedy. The series takes place on the evening of Nadia’s (Lyonne) birthday party - during which she dies. A simple tragedy… until she comes back, and starts to repeat the night over and over, dying each time in a different way as she struggles to understand what is happening to her.
9. The Edge Of Seventeen
Fans of Sex Education and Big Mouth will be especially interested in The Edge of Seventeen - a film that takes a comedic look at the worst parts of being an adolescent. The film stars Hailee Steinfeld as Nadine, a high school junior whose best friend starts dating her boyfriend. Awkwardness and heartfelt emotion ensue. It may seem like just another coming of age drama, but this beautiful and sharply-written movie shows exactly what the genre should be.
Page 2 of 2: Velvet Buzzsaw, 40 Year Old Virgin, & More Movies & TV Shows Coming To Netflix
8. Velvet Buzzsaw
Jake Gyllenhaal stars in Velvet Buzzsaw, a Sundance Film Fest offering that takes horror into the art world. Gyllenhaal is Morf, an art critic who discovers (with a little help) the incredible paintings of a now-deceased artist, and who cannot believe the talent he has found. However, as the paintings are sold off, terrifying things start to happen to those who buy them, and it seems that these are more than just paint on canvas.
7. The Soloist
Some more heartwarming goodness in The Soloist, a film about a burnt-out journalist who befriends a homeless musical prodigy. It starts out as simply another story for the writer, but as he gets involved in his new friend’s life, and learns how someone with this kind of talent can end up on the streets, and not the stage, things start to really shift. In addition, The Soloist stars Robert Downey Jr, so viewers can remind themselves of a time when he could be seen as anything other than Tony Stark.
Arriving: February 6
6. One Day At A Time (Season 3)
The third season of this critically-acclaimed sitcom hits this month, a reboot of the ‘70s sitcom of the same name. While definitely full of laughs, One Day At A Time has been praised for the ways that it deals with difficult subjects, including immigration, mental health, racism and homophobia. The third season will be thirteen episodes long, and there’s time to binge the first two, for those who haven’t seen it.
Arriving: February 8
5. Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj
Moving to Netflix from The Daily Show, comedian Hasan Minhaj puts out his own take on the politics and issues of the day in Patriot Act - a show that is released weekly on the streaming service. Patriot Act’s first season (sorry, volume) made headlines when an episode about Saudi Arabia was pulled, and there’s no denying that this is a controversial series, but a brilliant one.
Arriving: Every Sunday From February 10
4. The Umbrella Academy
Netflix may be in the process of canceling all the Marvel Defenders series, but that doesn’t mean that the streaming service is done with superheroes. The Umbrella Academy is the latest adaptation of a comic book, but don’t expect origin stories and straightforward bad-guy-fighting here. This is a dark comedy, and one that is essentially about a dysfunctional family of people with superpowers, brought together as orphans and reunited as adults.
Arriving: February 15
3. The 40 Year Old Virgin
Like American Pie, The 40-Year-Old Virgin gets many of its laughs from crude jokes (and many will say that it has not aged well) - but it’s still one that many love to re-watch, and there’s no denying that the cast is a fantastic comic line up. About an electronics store employee who wants to finally lose his virginity in his 40s, this is a rom-com, but one that is as much about his friends as his love interest, and it will still get audiences laughing (and cringing in equal measure).
Arriving: February 16
2. Paris Is Us
For those who aren’t afraid of a film with subtitles, Paris iss Us is a great new movie to start. This film combines romance with a political drama about riots and civil unrest in Paris, and the desire that two young people have to experience something truly “intense.”
Arriving: February 22
1. Workin’ Moms
Finally, enjoy some more comedy with this great new Canadian series, Workin’ Moms, about, well… working moms. Set in Toronto, the series is a hilarious look at the lives of working mothers, and the ways that they attempt to balance their families and careers - and looks at the differences between those who want to return to work and those who would rather not, thank you very much. Definitely, one that will resonate with mothers, but child-free viewers will get some laughs out of Workin’ Moms too.
