When we think of February, we think of Valentine’s Day. We think of Super Bowls. And, maybe, we think of streaming. Yes, it’s time for the Nerd’s Watch, the place to find out all the best genre titles coming to Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Peacock, and more. Plus, we do the work for you. These are just the titles we think you’d care about.
What follows is a list of the best stuff on all the big streaming services. We look at all those long, annoying lists and whittle them down to a few dozen titles that we think are noteworthy this month. Some are new, some are old, but either way, we’ll tell you why you should care. Or at least joke about it.
So sit back, grab your loved one, and get ready for the Nerd’s Watch, highlighting the best movies and shows coming to streamers this month.
Ex Machina (February 1 on Netflix)
In the pantheon of great sci-fi released in the last several years, Alex Garland’s heady, tense, amazing Ex Machina has to be right near the top of the list. Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, and Alicia Vikander star. It’s the best.
Flipped (February 1 on Netflix)
This isn’t quite an io9 movie, but it’s one of the late, great Rob Reiner’s most underrated films, so we wanted to highlight it here. And it is very different from most other films. It tells the story of young love from two different perspectives, the boy’s and the girl’s. So it’s basically two movies in one. Lovely stuff. Definitely check it out.
How to Train Your Dragon movies (February 1 on Netflix)
Hiccup and Toothless fly over to Netflix this month with the first two of their incredible animated adventures. Plus, on February 10, the live-action remake from 2025 will join them.
Independence Day (February 1 on Netflix)
Celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of the ultimate summer blockbusters. Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, and Bill Pullman star in the awesome, global alien invasion epic that we’ll watch anytime it’s on.
Night at the Museum Trilogy (February 1 on Netflix)
Want to see how Shawn Levy handles Star Wars before Star Wars: Starfighter comes out? Well, Darth Vader has a cameo in the second of three Night at the Museum movies, which, honestly, are way more imaginative and enjoyable than you probably imagine. All three (Night at the Museum, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb) are coming to Netflix.
Stargate SG-1: Seasons 1-10 (February 15 on Netflix)
With news of a new show coming over on Prime Video, Stargate is ready to return to the masses. First up, the entirety of its super-popular TV adaptation, SG-1, is coming to the biggest streamer on the planet.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (February 2 on Hulu)
With director Wes Ball currently in Hyrule making The Legend of Zelda, it’s unclear when, or if, we’ll ever get a follow-up to this excellent 2024 sequel. But it is excellent, very worth watching, and hopefully we’ll get back to those damned, dirty apes soon.
The Good Place: Seasons 1-4 (February 9 on Hulu)
NBC has had some dynamite sitcoms over the years, but one that doesn’t often get the love it deserves is the star-studded The Good Place. It follows several different characters in the afterlife with more laughs, heart, twists, and turns than you’d ever imagine. Seriously, if you haven’t seen it, it’s your next binge. You won’t be disappointed.
Clown in a Cornfield (February 10 on Hulu)
With 2025’s Clown in a Cornfield, you pretty much know what you’re going to get. And it delivers on that as one of last year’s most enjoyable horror films. Originally a Shudder release, it’s making the jump to Hulu for a bit.
Ghostbusters movies (February 1 on Hulu)
Hulu ain’t afraid of no ghosts, as the streamer is getting the first two films on February 1 and adding their direct sequel, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, on February 16.
Smile (February 16 on Hulu)
Every horror movie these days hopes to become a franchise, but very few do. One that has made that leap, however, is Smile and you can smile your way over to Hulu to check it out this month.
The Muppet Show (February 4 on Disney)
No, not the old one. Disney has made a whole new version of The Muppet Show for Disney+, and on February 4, it’s time to play the music. It’s time to light the lights
The Shape of Water (February 1 on HBO Max)
Guillermo del Toro may not have gotten a Best Director Oscar nomination this year for Frankenstein, but he won that award and many more for this underwater love story.
Paddington 2 (February 27 on HBO Max)
Have you ever wondered what pure joy looks like in the form of a movie? Look no further than Paddington 2.
Cloverfield (February 1 on Paramount+)
If The Blair Witch Project kickstarted the found footage avalanche in 1999, 2008’s Cloverfield took it to another level. Little-known director Matt Reeves directs this really inventive take on the genre as a group of New York friends film as a giant monster attacks the city.
Face/Off (February 1 on Paramount+)
The jury is still out on whether or not a sequel to this 1997 John Woo classic is going to happen, but either way, we’ll always have the original. A tour de force with John Travolta and Nicolas Cage, both at their best, exchanging faces and trying to kill each other.
Grease and Grease 2 (February 1 on Paramount+)
John Travolta doesn’t swap faces in Grease, but the high school musical fantasy is still a delightfully nostalgic classic. And its sequel, starring Michelle Pfeiffer, is a cheesy cult favorite. A perfect double feature.
Team America: World Police (February 1 on Paramount+)
“America, fuck yeah!” If you haven’t seen Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s absolutely insane action puppet musical in a while, now is the time. And just remember, “Matt! Damon!”
About Time (February 1 on Peacock)
The problem with doing a sci-fi streaming column in February, Valentine’s month, is that there are not a ton of romantic sci-fi movies hitting streaming this month. One exception, however, is About Time, starring Domhnall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams in a Richard Curtis film about using time travel to find love. An underrated gem.
Ghost (February 1 on Peacock)
Another unforgettable genre romance is this 1990 classic starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg in the story of a man solving his own murder while also reconnecting with his love. It’s way better than you probably remember.
Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (February 1 on Peacock)
“I’m Ron Burgundy?” Yes, yes, you are. Will Ferrell leads one of the best comedy casts of all time in this over-the-top, infinitely quotable send-up of TV news coverage.
Enemy of the State (February 1 on Peacock)
Will Smith and Gene Hackman star in a slightly ahead-of-its-time tech-driven thriller produced by the legendary team of Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson. I loved this one growing up and am excited to give it another look.
Zombieland and Zombieland: Double Tap (February 1 on Peacock)
The sequel isn’t as good as the original, but when you can blend horror, comedy, and romance in a series starring Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, and Abigail Breslin, that’s pretty special. Which the first one certainly is.
Zoolander (February 1 on Peacock)
Ben Stiller wrote, directed, and starred in another stone-cold comedy classic about the secret world of male modeling. A world that includes brainwashing, spies, political assassinations, gasoline fights, and Owen Wilson as Hansel. Hansel. He’s so hot right now. Hansel.
Asteroid City (February 11 on Peacock)
Wes Anderson usually keeps his distinct, meticulous films on Earth, but in this 2023 film, he wrapped one of his patented oddball tales around the discovery of aliens. It’s not quite Rushmore or Royal Tenenbaums, but it’s still great.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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