February is going to be a pretty tough month for Netflix subscribers, as we’re losing quite a few of our favorite titles. Trainspotting, Friday, Black Hawk Down, The Kite Runner, Clerks, There Will Be Blood, and *shudder* Bratz: Babyz: The Movie are among just a few of the casualties this month.
Luckily, it’s not all bad. On arrival this month are some interesting Netflix Originals (as per the usual, these days), some wonderful comedies, interesting and provocative documentaries, and even a couple good horror flicks. All in all, we’re real sad to see some of these classics go, but we know they’re making way for some truly good stuff this month.
Here are the 10 best new things on Netflix in February:
Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies, and Cyber Attacks
Available Now
When a group of hackers known as “The Impact Team” released a nearly 10-gigabyte file containing the contact information for 32 million users of the popular adultery website Ashley Madison in July 2015, the world went crazy. Thousands of marriages were effectively over. Everyone from company CEOs to religious clergymen were revealed to have used it. Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies, and Cyber Attacks is a documentary that goes through the entire ordeal, from start to finish, outlining how it happened, why it happened, and who were some of the people affected by the data breach.
Gun Runners
Available Now
Another incredible documentary coming to Netflix in February, Gun Runners is a harrowing yet inspiring look into the lives of two Kenyan warriors who give up their AK-47s and pick up some running sneakers in order to make new lives for themselves as professional marathon athletes. The story of how these two men overcame their prior histories of violence and bloodshed in order to vie for spots at the top of the running world, while overcoming brand new obstacles along the way, makes for one hell of an incredible story.
I Am Sun Mu
Available Now
Sun Mu started his career as a propaganda artist in North Korea. After fleeing to South Korea in the mid-1990s Sun Mu’s pop art, often propagandistic in style and satirical in context, took off and catapulted him to stardom. I Am Sun Mu tells the story of Sun Mu’s first show in China—an obviously dangerous undertaking for all involved. Not only is it a courageous and, at times, heartbreaking story, but it’s also downright fucking horrifying at times. We won’t give too much away, but you’ll be shocked at how big of an ear to the ground North Korea has in China.
The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Feb. 2
Originally debuting on FX in February of last year, The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story was the first season of a new FX true crime series, American Crime Story. Starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Sarah Paulson, Sterling K. Brown, Kenneth Choi, John Travolta, David Schwimmer, Bruce Greenwood and an array of other incredible actors and actresses, the series sheds a comprehensive light on the famous O.J. Simpson murder case. The series is jam-packed with top-shelf writing, directing, and acting, and it shows—it was nominated for over 22 Emmy Awards (and won nine of them). If you somehow managed to miss it when it aired on FX, definitely give it a shot this month. There are 10 episodes, each more addicting than the last.
Santa Clarita Diet
Feb. 3
“A family that slays together stays together.” At least, that’s the mantra behind this Netflix Original Series starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as Sheila and Joel Hammond, two real estate agents living in the Los Angeles suburb of Santa Clarita. A morbid comedy, Santa Clarita Diet follows the family as they adapt to Sheila’s mysterious transition from living to undead. The first 13 episodes go live on February 3, and if the trailer is any indication, we’re going to go out on a limb and say that this show is going to be huge—like Dexter, but about 20 times more ridiculous and with comedic cannibalism. Comedic cannibalism. That’s a thing now.
Imperial Dreams
Feb. 3
Imperial Dreams is one of those movies whose story is so compelling that it’s tough not to watch twice. Starring pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens John Boyega, Imperial Dreams tells the story of Bambi, a young father and recent parolee, looking for a means to cope with the violence and struggle associated with living, growing up, and raising a child in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. Bambi’s dream is to be a solid father and writer, but those dreams are often interrupted by life’s constant trials and tribulations.
Abstract: The Art of Design
Feb. 10
Whether you realize it or not, good design is at the forefront of our lives. It is ingrained in our DNA. The coffee tables in our living rooms, the paintings on our walls, the clothes on our bodies, the cars in our garages, the buildings we work in and the offices inside of them—all the products of incredible design. Banking on the success of its hit series Chef’s Table, Netflix will release the entire first season of Abstract: The Art of Design, which aims to explore the minds, lives, and work of some of the world’s best creatives, including Paula Scher (graphic designer), Christoph Niemann (illustrator), Platon (photographer), Tinker Hatfield (Nike shoe designer), Ralph Gilles (automotive designer), Bjarke Ingels (architect), Ilse Crawford (interior designer), and Es Devlin (stage designer). The first season comes on February 10, and we’re very excited about it.
David Brent: Life on the Road
Feb. 10
It’s still up for heavy debate as to which version of The Office is better, but one thing is indisputable: David “The Brentmeister” Brent, played by Ricky Gervais, is one of the best (and most painfully aloof) characters ever filmed. In the long-awaited sequel-esque Netflix Original to the British version of The Office, David Brent takes his band, Foregone Conclusion, on tour to fulfill his dream of being a rock star. It’s hysterical, awkward, and just as much of a shit show as you’d expect.
Stronger Than The World: The Story of Jose Aldo
Feb. 11
If you’re a fair-weather MMA fan (or just new to the game), you probably first heard of Jose Aldo after his crushing 13-second knockout defeat at the hands of Conor McGregor. What you probably don’t know is that Aldo was once considered the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. His beyond impoverished upbringing as a child in Brazil is what inspired him to start fighting, and his story is truly incredible—at times wild and reckless, but also incredibly inspiring and generously seasoned with determination and hard work. Even if you’re not an MMA fan, this biopic inspired by Aldo’s real life experiences will blow your mind.
Sausage Party
Feb. 23
An animated tale about a sausage and his culinary compatriots who discover the horrifying purpose of their lives outside of the supermarket, Sausage Party is probably the least child-appropriate animated film we’ve ever seen. Written by and starring Seth Rogen, the film is raunchy, filthy, absurd, but also a hell of a good time. If you can’t take our word for it, check its 83% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Also an Amazon Prime member? Check out what’s new on Prime Video this month.
