February streaming, for your consideration
Are you struggling to figure out what to watch post-Super Bowl Sunday? No fear, we’ve got you covered with these top picks available on your favorite streaming services this month. With tons of award-winning festival films and plenty of brand new content, your watchlist will be packed to the brim. Without further ado, here’s what to look out for this February:
Netflix
“Malcolm & Marie” — Feb. 5
A black-and-white romantic drama film written and directed by Sam Levinson and starring John David Washington and Zendaya, “Malcolm & Marie” focuses on lovers quarreling against the backdrop of the entertainment industry. Conceived and filmed in its entirety during the ongoing pandemic with a cast and crew of 22 members, the film sees Levinson and Zendaya teaming up once again after achieving great critical and commercial success with the ubiquitous teen drama series “Euphoria,” already generating considerable awards buzz.
“iCarly” — Feb. 8
The first two seasons of seemingly everyone’s favorite Nickelodeon sitcom, “iCarly,” are finally landing on Netflix. Airing from 2007 to 2012, “iCarly” stars USC alumna Miranda Cosgrove and her best friends, played by Jennette McCurdy and Nathan Kress, as they navigate having a viral web show and living their lives as normal high school students in Seattle. The show remains one of Nickelodeon’s highest-rated in the network’s history and is popular with audiences of all ages.
“Behind Her Eyes” — Feb. 17
This limited series, adapted from the 2017 novel of the same name, stars Simona Brown as a single mother who finds herself ensnared in an increasingly mysterious, dark and dangerous love triangle with her boss and his wife. Coming from the same British production company as Netflix’s hit series “The Crown,” the series is shaping up to be an attention-grabbing psychological thriller.
“I Care a Lot” — Feb. 19
Having come out of the film festival circuit alive and well, “I Care a Lot” is a dark comedy thriller that stars Rosamund Pike of “Gone Girl” fame as a con artist who meets her match when her latest scheme lands her in trouble with an intimidating gangster figure. Directed by J Blakeson, the film has turned heads due to Pike’s Golden Globe award nomination for her performance in it.
Hulu
“Framing Britney Spears” — Feb. 5
Released as part of The New York Times’ ongoing next day FX on Hulu series, this documentary examines famed American pop star Britney Spears’ meteoric rise to superstardom and the media frenzy and highly publicized fall that followed it. Taking special care to dissect the inner workings of the conservatorship which she continues to live under, director Samantha Stark attempts to expose the misogyny and legal hurdles Spears has had to overcome in order to fight for her autonomy.
“Nomadland” — Feb. 19
The revered film festival gem of 2020, Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland” is finally streaming this month. Starring seasoned veteran Frances McDormand as a woman who travels out West in the wake of immense personal and financial devastation, this character study has won countless awards before even seeing a wide release and has been favored to be a strong contender for Best Picture and Best Director at the Academy Awards this year.
HBO Max
“Judas and the Black Messiah” — Feb. 12
Having only premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival Feb. 1, “Judas and the Black Messiah” has already seen Daniel Kaluuya garner nominations for a Golden Globe award and a Screen Actors Guild award. The biographical drama, directed by Shaka King, follows the struggles and tensions between the leadership of the Black Panther Party and the FBI in 1960s Chicago. Having received glowing reviews across the board, Rotten Tomatoes’ critics’ consensus reads “An electrifying dramatization of historical events, ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ is a forceful condemnation of racial injustice — and a major triumph for its director and stars.”
“Tom & Jerry” — Feb. 26
Based on the instantly recognizable 1940s cartoon of the same name, “Tom & Jerry” is a mixed live-action/animated film that sees the return of one of television’s most iconic duos. The cat and mouse, constantly at odds with each other, find themselves united against a common foe against the backdrop of the Big Apple. Having been stuck in development hell ever since 2009, the film miraculously features archival voice recordings from the show’s creators, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. This revival of the franchise follows a years-long absence of it from popular culture.