All The Cool Things Coming To Netflix In January 2025

No, January’s change in the White House’s occupancy is not the reason why Netflix scheduled director Lars von Trier’s acclaimed take on the end-of-the-world genre.  It’s also a coincidence that this month sees the premiere of a Norwegian biopic about their country’s greatest World War II hero, one who fought the invading Nazis from the word “go.”  For the deliberate confluence of art and politics, you need to check out the Roxie Theater’s Resistance Film Festival for a local response to the return of the Orange Fascist and his goons curated by former Roxie programmer Elliot Lavine.. 

Return appearances could be called the common theme among Netflix’s better January offerings.  Philomena Cunk returns with a new “interview” special “investigating” life’s big questions.  Cannes award-winning director Hirokazu Kore-eda directs a remake of a beloved Japanese family drama.  Wacky inventor Wallace and his long-suffering dog buddy Gromit are back with an adventure involving a smart invention gone haywire and the threat of payback from an old foe of theirs. 

Those who want to relive the live-action tabloid craziness of The Jerry Springer Show can have the TV to themselves.  This writer will wait for Netflix’s January premiere of the anime action comedy about a retired hitman who, despite becoming a badly overweight neighborhood store owner, is still capable of kicking unwary jerks’ butts.

January 1

The Bernie Mac Show–In this comedy created by Larry Wilmore, a childless couple (stand-up comedian Bernie Mac and his businesswoman wife Wanda) take in the three children of Mac’s sister when she has to go into rehab.  Those kids are: Jordan (mischievous and peculiar), Bryana (sweet and innocent child who hides a bratty personality), and Vanessa (the eldest child who gives Mac lots of attitude).  Mac’s efforts to figure out the best way to be a surrogate parent continually seesaws between loving the kids to the point of tears and being willing to “bust the (kids’) heads till the white meat shows.”

Interstellar–In Christopher Nolan’s science fiction epic, humanity’s days are numbered thanks to a catastrophic crop blight and mass famine on Earth.  A long shot chance for the human race comes via a wormhole located near Saturn, one which leads to the twelve possibly habitable planets near a black hole known as Gargantua.  Ex-astronaut Josh Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) leads the Lazarus expedition to determine which of the three most promising planets might be humanity’s new home.  But how will time dilation effects caused by Gargantua affect the expedition’s chances of success?

Melancholia–The title of Lars von Trier’s end-of-the-world story refers to a rogue planet on a life-exterminating collision course with Earth.  But it also describes the emotional state of a small group of people facing the end of all they knew and loved.   Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) descends into anxiety and even dread as Melancholia slowly gets closer to Earth.  Yet the prospect of Armageddon causes Claire’s sister Justine (Kirsten Dunst) to snap out of catatonia resulting from her marriage’s imploding on her wedding day.

Missing You–This new Harlan Coben adaptation gives the love story equal weight with the mystery and suspense elements.  Missing Persons detective Kat Donovan has been haunted for over a decade by a very personal missing persons case.  Her then-fiance Josh disappeared 11 years ago.  In an attempt to take her life off hold, she starts checking out a dating app…where she finds Josh’s face among the eligible men.  How is Josh’s sudden reappearance connected to the murder of Kat’s father (Lenny Henry)?

Number 24–This historical biopic recounts the life of Gunnar Sensteby, Norway’s greatest World War II hero.  When Nazi Germany invaded Norway, Sensteby was just a young apprentice.  But he resolves to resist the Nazi invaders from Day One.  Leading the Oslo-gang, Sensteby’s group would carry out daring acts of sabotage against those who would subjugate Norway.

January 2

Cunk On Life–Philomena Cunk is back!  In this new documentary special, she sets out to investigate life’s most profound subjects such as the Big Bang or the promise of AI.  In her quest for answers, she’ll talk to noted academics and creative folk.  However, what sort of answers can Cunk’s interview subjects give to such questions as “who came up with those kitchen signs that say ‘Live Laugh Love’” or Cunk’s asking about “long-necked horse monsters?”

January 3

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl–Don’t despair that it’s been nearly twenty years since the first “Wallace and Gromit” feature film.  The bumbling inventor and his long-suffering canine chum still carry on their shtick at their Lancashire home on West Wallaby Street.  However, Wallace’s new invention may be a bridge too far.  It’s called Norbot, a perpetually cheerful busybody robot dedicated to keeping things “neat and tidy”…which eventually includes the rest of West Wallaby Street.  Now add in Feathers McGraw (remember “The Wrong Trousers”), who’s determined to escape jail and finally complete a particular diamond heist Wallace and Gromit foiled.

January 4

When The Stars Gossip–This outer space-based romantic drama pairs legendary Korean actors Lee Min-ho and Kong Hyo-jin together for the first time.  Very awkward Gong Ryong (Lee) is an obstetrician-gynecologist who visits a space station as a tourist.  He leaves a bad initial impression on Korean-American astronaut Eve Kim (Kong), whose resilience and independence makes her a great leader on the station.  In a physical environment where everything is limited and survival is a constant challenge, the only thing that’s there in abundance turns out to be the depths of people’s feelings.    

January 6

My Happy Marriage Season 2–In the Taisho Era, young Miyo Saimori may have been born into a noble family.  But her lack of the supernatural skills that is the Saimori family legacy leads to her being stuck in servitude by her cruel stepmother.  A possible escape from this terrible life comes when Miyo reaches marriageable age.  To her horror, her family arranges for her fiancee to be Commander Kiyoka Kudou.  Previous women who had been engaged to the commander left within three days thanks to Kudou’s apparently living up to his reputation for harshness and nastiness.  Saimori believes she’s gone from one miserable existence to another…until she discovers that her future husband might not be the monster painted by reputation.

January 7

The Breakthrough Season 1–This true crime drama centers on a notorious 2004 double homicide in the Southern Swedish city of Linkoping that remained unsolved for over 16 years.  To prevent the investigation from turning into a cold case, the investigating officer decides to work with a genealogist to crack the mystery.  

Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action–This two-part documentary recounts the story of the “The Jerry Springer Show.”  This daytime talk show became a 1990s cultural touchstone thanks to its treating such controversial topics as incest and racism in a trashy and unfiltered manner.  Think lots of guests engaged in on-air fist fights as well as screaming matches which needed security guard interventions.  It may have been loathed as the “worst TV show of all time,” yet it also ran for 27 seasons.  But was going too far in the name of entertainment a just price for the show’s popularity?

January 9

Asura–Palme d’Or-winning director Hirokazu Kore-eda (“Shoplifters”) writes and directs this new adaptation of Kuniko Mukoda’s novel “Ashura no Gotoku.”  During Winter 1979, four sisters reunited for the first time in a long while.  The sisters are: ikebana teacher Tsunako, housewife Makiko, librarian Takiko, and waitress Sakiko.  Takiko suspects their aging father Kotaro had a lover and child and confides in her siblings.  The other sisters agree to not tell their aging mother Fuji.  But what can the sisters do when their other conflicts and secrets start coming to light?  The title refers to Buddhist demigods who may embody a whirlwind of emotions yet are connected to each other despite their clashes.

Lion–In 1986, five-year-old Saroo accidentally becomes separated from his family and winds up in Calcutta.  He’s eventually adopted by Australian couple Sue (Nicole Kidman) and John Brierly and taken to live with them in Tasmania.  Fast forward to 2008.  When now-adult Saroo (Dev Patel) tells the story of his involuntary separation to some friends, they suggest using Google Earth to find his birthplace and hopefully reunite with his biological family.  But will Saroo’s obsession with his search wind up destroying the new life he’s made for himself in Australia?  Based on a true story.

January 10

Black Warrant Season 1–In the 1980s, rookie jailer Sunil Gupta comes to work at Tihar Jail.  Asia’s largest jail has been home to some of India’s most famous criminals.  But as Gupta soon discovers, it’s also a hotbed of brutal realities and complex power dynamics.  Based on Gupta’s memoir Black Warrant: Confessions Of A Tihar Jailer.

January 11

Sakamoto Days–This anime adapts the hit action comedy manga created by Yuto Suzuki.  Taro Sakamoto was once the greatest hitman of all time.  When he retired to marry, he wound up running a neighborhood convenience store with his wife and child.  Thanks to his appreciation for his wife’s cooking, his current physique is a far cry from the fighting trim of his underworld days.  But when various underworld types try putting Sakamoto’s humble lifestyle in danger, they soon discover that the retired hitman has lost none of his ability to kick opponents’ butts.

January 12

Chef & My Fridge–This Korean variety cooking show is also called “Please Take Care Of My Refrigerator.”  When the refrigerators of two show guests are brought into the studio, each guest’s four cooks must compete in one of two possible cooking categories chosen by the guest.  The cooks’ job: make a delicious meal using only whatever’s in each guest’s refrigerator plus some basic ingredients provided by the show.

January 15

Hereditary–Ari Aster made an unforgettable feature film debut with this incredibly chilling psychological horror film.  Miniatures artist Annie Graham (Toni Collette)’s grief over her secretive mother Ellen’s death gets tempered by memories of her fraught relationship with the now-dead woman.  But such sinister occurrences as an unburnable book, revelations about Ellen’s secret life, and a food allergy with terrible consequences may soon result in the destruction of Annie’s family.

January 16

The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent–Actor Nicolas “Nick” Cage (Nicolas Cage)’s life has hit dumpster level.  He’s been repeatedly passed over for major film roles.  His younger and more successful self Nicky pops up to torment him.  Years of emotional neglect have distanced Nick from his family.  Cage’s acceptance of a $1 million offer to be the guest of honor at billionaire playboy Javi Gutierrez’ (Pedro Pascal) birthday party leads the actor into involvement in a CIA mission, an unfortunate LSD experience, and an appreciation for “Paddington 2.”

XO, Kitty Season 2–It’s the new season of Katherine “Kitty” Song Covey’s romantic misadventures at the Korean International School of Seoul.  Kitty’s determined now to avoid meddling, matchmaking, or otherwise create drama for her friends.  But a mysterious letter from her mother’s past sends Kitty off on a wild journey.  Add into the mix Kitty’s desire to try dating girls and her still unresolved relationships with Yuri and Min Ho, and emotional messiness is in the offing.  Can the arrival of Peter Kavinsky (from “To All The Boys I Loved Before”) help Kitty ground herself?

January 17

The Roshans–If you know anything about Bollywood, then you know who the Roshans are.  For the uninitiated, this docuseries takes viewers into the lives of a talented clan whose members have left huge creative marks on the Bollywood industry.  Beginning with music director Roshan Lal Nagrath (who founded the Roshan legacy), this series will introduce viewers to other illustrious members of the Roshan clan, particularly filmmaker Rakesh Roshan, music composer Rajesh Roshan, and actor Hrithik Roshan.

January 26

You Hurt My Feelings–Nicole Holofcener’s (“Please Give”) newest comedy revolves around the minor lies that accidentally wind up causing major disruptions to relationships.  Beth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) may have written great memoirs in the past.  But her problems getting her first novel accepted for publication has her doubting her writing ability.  Her husband Don, a therapist, reassures her by suggesting she seek another agent.  But when the writer accidentally overhears her husband candidly confessing that he hated his wife’s novel, their marital relationship is not the only thing that will go through the emotional wringer.

January 29

Six Nations: Full Contact Season 2–This docuseries about the players and teams involved in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations Championship rugby tournament promises to bring viewers closer to the action both on and off the pitch this season.  Expect to see England’s Freddie Stewart trying to claim his Test place, George North at his final Wales match, and how Dafydd Jenkins handles the pressure of being the youngest captain for the Wales team.

January 30

Mo Season 2–It’s the second and unfortunately final season for this comedy created by Mo Amer and Ramy Youssef.  It follows the efforts of an undocumented Palestinian immigrant named Mo Najjar (Amer) to obtain asylum in America with his mother and brother.  At the end of Season 1, Mo was accidentally stranded in Mexico.  As Season 2 begins, he’s trying to find a way to get back to Houston in time for his family’s asylum hearing.  But as a stateless refugee who lacks a passport, he’ll need to draw on all his charm and hustle to have a chance at success.  And even if Mo manages to return to America, a bigger challenge awaits in the form of a guy who’s after both Mo’s girlfriend Maria and Mo’s secret falafel taco recipe.

January 31
The Snow Girl: The Soul Game–This Spanish mystery series is based on a novel trilogy by Javier Castillo about crimes investigated by journalist Miren Rojo.  In the new season, the SUR reporter trawls Malaga with the assistance of a new reporter named Jaime for information about the sinister titular game.  Previous playings of the game have ended with two missing young people found murdered.  Could an elite school be at the end of this deadly trail?