The Cool Stuff Coming To Netflix in February 2024

It’s February, so of course films about romance are notably present among this month’s Netflix offerings.  But that fact doesn’t mean a few curves can’t be thrown.  Try a series from Taiwan about an Asian family trying to have frank conversations about sex.  Or how about a Thai series set in a world where women who want to find love must go on a government-sponsored game show? 

Since the San Francisco 49ers are going to the Super Bowl again, why not catch the documentary about a talented football team that went to the Super Bowl four successive times yet never achieved ultimate victory?  Sorry Swifties, there’s no Taylor Swift-oriented bit of programming available for you this month.  Fans of the intersection of pop stars and film, though, might want to check out the streaming premiere of Britney Spears’ first theatrical feature…which has a script written by Shonda Rhimes.  

For those who prefer going a little off the beaten path, how about a martial arts action series conceived by Bruce Lee and set in 1870s San Francisco?  Or why not get your anime fix in with Studio Ponoc’s first steps into feature filmmaking and an anthology film format?  At the very least, you can’t go wrong with the “Michelle Yeoh Saves the Multiverse” film.

February’s still a short month even accounting for Leap Year Day.  But Netflix’s February offerings show the month can’t be called slow.

February 1

Fame After Fame Season 1–When the show that made you famous folds up its tent, is it possible to become famous once again?  In this reality series, that’s the challenge facing the former hosts of the hit Spanish series “Salvame.”   However, will heading to such spots in the Americas as Miami and Mexico be enough for these former stars to establish new careers?  Or will other factors, such as the fact that the youngest of these now unemployed hosts is 47, sink their hopes? 

Modest Heroes

Mary And The Witch’s Flower–Studio Ponoc’s first anime feature film adapts the Mary Stewart novel The Little Broomstick.   Young Mary Smith has moved into her Great Aunt Charlotte’s northern English estate, yet has trouble fitting in.  Then one day, the girl discovers the mysterious flowers known as “fly-by-night,” which legend says contain magical power.  When Mary accidentally causes a broomstick to be imbued with magical power, she gets transported to the complex known as Endor College For Witches and is mistaken for a magical prodigy.  But Endor head mistress Madam Mumblechook and chemistry teacher Doctor Dee might not be the benevolent souls they appear to be…

Modest Heroes–The first of the “Ponoc Short Films Theatre” anthologies consist of three short stories.  They are: “Kanini and Kanino” (two freshwater crab siblings accidentally left alone by their father go on a dangerous journey to be reunited with him), “Life Ain’t Gonna Lose” (Shun Yashima’s constant worries about dying from his lethal allergy to eggs comes to a head the day he accidentally eats egg products), and “Invisible” (a man who slowly loses his physical permanence from others not seeing him has an unexpected opportunity to become a hero).  

The Tourist Season 1–Jamie Dornan (“Fifty Shades Of Grey”) is The Man, who’s developed amnesia in the Australian outback after his car is deliberately rammed by the Truck Driver From Hell.  Could the first of many murder attempts against him be connected to a man who’s been buried alive in a barrel and is awaiting rescue by The Man?  Will Dornan’s character stay alive long enough to get his answers?

Waves–Trey Edward Shults’ drama concerns a suburban African-American family torn apart by anger, domineering behavior, and guilt.  Son Tyler is continually pushed to be better by his domineering father Ronald.  Yet secret critical injuries and his own anger issues threaten to destroy his golden future as part of the school wrestling team.  Can daughter Emily’s relationship with Tyler’s fellow wrestler Luke show her a way to break free of a past filled with hatred and anger? 

X–In 1979, wannabe adult film star Maxine (Mia Goth) arrives with her film crew at a Texas farm owned by the elderly Howard and Pearl (also played by Goth).  Maxine and her friends have a naughty secret: they plan to shoot a pornographic film in the farm guesthouse.  But the elderly couple have secrets of their own, beginning with Pearl’s being sexually aroused by the wannabe porn star.  Unfortunately for the film crew, those secrets will lead to more than a few corpses stacking up.  Ti West’s first foray into slasher films offers an unforgettable take on the psycho-biddy genre.

February 2

Let’s Talk About CHU–In this new Taiwanese romantic drama on Netflix, various members of the Chu family struggle with the meaning of love and relationships.  Youngest daughter Chu-ai runs a sex education social media channel.  Brother Yu-sen, tired of an unequal relationship, breaks up with his boyfriend.  Chu-ai’s parents and older sister Chu-wei have marital issues.  Can Chu-ai find a way to both satisfy her desires and establish a satisfying relationship?  Director Remii Huang hopes his series will nudge Asian families to have more honest conversations about sex.

30 For 30: Four Falls Of Buffalo

Plus One–College friends Ben King and Alice Mori are both frustrated by the prospect of navigating wedding season alone.  The two friends agree to serve as each other’s dates at weddings.  In addition, Alice will help Ben meet women.  But Ben’s determination to find the “perfect” relationship and Alice’s semi-flakiness may undermine any growing attraction between the two friends.

February 5

30 For 30: Four Falls Of Buffalo–From 1990 to 1993, the Buffalo Bills’ talent roster was such that they won the AFC Championship in each of those years.  These wins meant that the Bills went to the Super Bowl for four successive years.  Yet none of these Super Bowl appearances ended with a Bills victory.  This is a story of high-profile heartbreak and perseverance.

February 9

Falling For Figaro–Millie Cantwell (Daniellle Macdonald, “Patti Cake$”) decides to leave a promising but emotionally unsatisfying career as a fund manager to pursue opera singing.  But trying out for the Singer Of Renown amateur opera competition means getting her voice up to snuff.  To do so, Cantwell becomes a student of fearsome vocal coach Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop (Joanna Lumley), who doesn’t lose any sleep over causing her students to have breakdowns.   

February 14

A Soweto Love Story–In this romantic comedy from South Africa, matriarch Bongekile Ngubeni issues a challenge to her sons hoping to instill in them an appreciation for the virtues of love and true companionship.  Whichever of her three unmarried sons gets married by the New Year becomes the rightful heir to the coveted Ngubeni family home.  What the three brothers don’t expect is just how complicated and competitive finding The One can be.

Crossroads on Netflix in February

Players–In this New York City-set romantic comedy on Netflix, sportswriter Mack (Gina Rodriguez), friend Adam, and the rest of their crew have spent years developing “plays” to help each other hook up with a new romantic partner.  But when Mack starts falling for one of her targets (Tom Ellis, “Lucifer”), it’s time to throw out the old playbook and start figuring out what it takes to romantically play for keeps.

February 15

Crossroads–Britney Spears’ first movie finally makes its streaming debut.  Three estranged childhood friends (played by Spears, Taryn Manning, and Zoe Saldana) reunite on the night of their high school graduation.  The unearthing of their old “wish box” will lead the trio to take an incident-filled cross-country road trip that rekindles their friendship.  Written by Shonda Rhimes and directed by Tamra Davis.

Ready, Set, Love Season 1–This Thai romantic comedy series is set in an alternate world where thanks to a few nasty epidemics, women spectacularly outnumber men.  The few men left are treated as “national treasures,” and any woman who wants to win the affections of one of these surviving men must participate in the government game show “Ready, Set, Love.”  An ordinary woman named Day is less than enthusiastic about her participation until she meets and falls for the highly sought-after Son.  Could the qualifying tests Day undergoes actually conceal a secret that threatens both the world and her love for Son?

February 16

Warrior Seasons 1-3–Will this historical martial arts action series based on a concept and treatment by the legendary Bruce Lee find new life at Netflix?  That’ll depend on how well the existing seasons are received.  The series is set in 1870s San Francisco, during the Tong Wars period.  Martial arts prodigy Ah Sahm has come to America to search for his sister Mai Ling.  However, he winds up becoming a hatchet man for one of the most powerful Tongs in the city.  More disturbingly, the missing sister turns out to be married to the powerful head of a rival Tong group.  Pause here for a moment to symbolically burn incense in Bruce Lee’s memory.

Marcel The Shell With Shoes On will play on Netflix this month

February 21

Can I Tell You A Secret?–This chilling true-crime documentary miniseries from Louis Theroux’s Mindhouse productions recounts the story of Matthew Hardy.  As one of the U.K.’s most prolific cyberstalkers, he used social media to harass his female victims for years.  Yet despite the many lives torn apart by Hardy’s actions, the police would not do anything for nearly a decade.  It would take the actions of Hardy’s many victims before this cyberstalker would be punished for his crimes.

February 22

Avatar: The Last Airbender–Will Netflix’s live action adaptation of the beloved animated Nickelodeon series be as well-received as the network’s live-action adaptation of the anime classic “One Piece?”  Signs point to yes.  For those coming in, once upon a time there were four nations: water, earth, fire, and air.  Keeping the peace among these nations was the Avatar, who could master all four elements.  But when the Fire Nation began their war of conquest by wiping out the Air Nomads, the world fell into despair.  Then one day, Aang, the last of the Air Nomads, awakens and sets out to take his place as the next Avatar.  But Aang’s path will involve evading capture by a determined Prince Zuko and getting strong enough to hold his own against Fire Lord Ozai.

February 23

Everything Everywhere All At Once–Overworked laundromat owner Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh) must both save the Multiverse…and survive a tax audit of her business.  That’s all you need to know about The Daniels’ award-winning absurdist fantasy action dramedy.  What, you want more?  How about talking rocks with googly eyes, a multiverse-destroying bagel, and even a puppet that will annoy the folks at Pixar Studios?

The Indrani Mukerjea Story: Buried Truth–This true crime documentary focuses on Indian former media personality and INX Media co-founder Indrani Mukerjea.  Her alleged murder of daughter Sheena Bora would shake India and lead to her spending six years in jail.  However, as of this writing, Mukerjea still hasn’t been tried for Bora’s murder, so details about the dysfunctional family dynamics and shocking motives that contributed to the homicide have yet to be discussed in court.

February 24

Marcel The Shell With Shoes On–Divorced documentary filmmaker Dean discovers he’s sharing his Airbnb rental with a trio of unusual guests: one-inch tall talking shell Marcel (voice of Jenny Slate), Marcel’s slightly demented grandmother Nana Connie (voice of Isabella Rossellini), and Marcel’s pet ball of lint Alan.  Dean becomes fascinated by the resourcefulness and curiosity of Marcel and family and starts making videos of their adventures for YouTube.  When the videos become popular, Marcel hopes to leverage that fame to locate the missing members of his family.  But it’s only when “60 Minutes” correspondent Lesley Stahl enters Marcel’s life in person that the talking shell’s dream can be realized.  An endearing and whimsical stop-motion animated tale.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is coming to Netflix

February 26

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Seasons 1-4)–It’s the first half of this acclaimed award-winning police procedural comedy.  The title refers to the New York Police Department’s fictional 99th Precinct, located in Brooklyn.  It follows the adventures and misadventures of the colorful detectives who operate out of the Nine-Nine, including the immature (e.g. big TMNT and “Die Hard” fan) yet skilled detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and the tough as nails detective Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz).

February 28

American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders–This new true crime docuseries comes from Duplass Brothers Productions and Stardust Frames (“Wild Wild Country”).  When journalist Danny Casolaro is found dead in a hotel bathtub, the cops are quite happy to rule the death a suicide.  But as far as Casolaro’s friends and family are concerned, the reporter had gotten too close to the conspiracy he had called “The Octopus.”  This secret organization has over the years allegedly been responsible for stealing government spy software, a number of suspicious unsolved murders, and even some of the 20th century’s biggest political scandals.  Now researcher Christian Hansen tries to both go deeper into Casolaro’s death and figure out the story that got him killed.

February 29

The Tourist Season 2–In the new series, The Man (Jamie Dornan) travels to rural Ireland with his girlfriend to find out the truth about his past.  But the trip turns out to be more about staying alive and in one piece.  The Man constantly falls into and out of the clutches of a sadistic crew who want to enjoy seeing him mutilate himself.  Meanwhile, the girlfriend tries to keep alive as she looks for someone in the area who isn’t bloodthirsty, deranged or both.  

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