With temperatures starting to take a nose dive this week, it seems like Mother Nature has set the perfect weather for many of us to catch up on our favorite shows and movies. There are a handful of attractive options that are just beginning to emerge on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV+, HBO Max and Netflix that make a cozy night-in seem desirable. Not only are some notably popular shows returning this month, if you’re in a bit of a show-hole, there will be plenty of new stories to get invested in.
Starting off with Netflix, who just released their promo highlighting their most anticipated February releases. Some popular movies that will be added by the end of this week include critically acclaimed titles like “Call Me by Your Name” (2017), “La La Land” (2016) and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
Netflix Original romantic comedy “Your Place or Mine” will also be released on Feb. 10, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Starring ‘90s icons Ashton Kutcher and Reese Witherspoon, the two play Peter and Debbie, long-distance friends who deliberately swap living arrangements for a week. While Debbie is free to pursue her dreams in New York City, Peter agrees to look after her son in Los Angeles.
Some of Netflix’s notable television shows are releasing new seasons as well, with the beloved “You” and “Outer Banks” returning. Reality dating shows including “Love is Blind” and “Too Hot to Handle” are also planned to make comebacks.
Hulu, one of the more popular streaming services, with nearly 43 million subscribers, doesn’t seem to be releasing too much original content this upcoming month. Despite this, it is adding significantly to its film collection.
Compelling dramas like “The Green Mile” (1999) and “If Beale Street Could Talk” (2018) will be added, as well as cult classic comedies with “Happy Gilmore” (1996) and “Superbad” (2007). I would recommend any of those titles if you haven’t seen them before, but there will also be plenty more options to choose from.
For any Marvel fans out there, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (2022) will be making its debut on Disney+ tomorrow — the perfect opportunity for interested viewers if they missed out on its theatrical release. Disney+ is also adding to its reality TV repertoire, with titles like “Celebrity House Hunting” and the infamous “Dance Moms” as well as its subsequent spin-offs.
Personally, the content I’m most excited for to be released not just this month, but throughout the spring, is on Apple TV+ and HBO Max. The latter has rocketed to the top of the industry, with 45.2 million subscribers, while Apple TV+ boasts a subscriber-base of 19 million.
Apple TV, being the first streaming service to have a title that won the coveted Best Picture Oscar, has a strong reputation to live up to in 2023. This month, they are set to release the highly anticipated film “Sharper” on Feb. 17. The film follows a con-artist portrayed by the talented Sebastian Stan who takes on billionaire Manhattan socialites played by theatrical powerhouses John Lithgow and Julianne Moore.
Apple isn’t just making moves in film though, as they have recently released an interesting series that is gaining traction. “Shrinking,” written by Jason Segel and starring himself and Harrison Ford, just premiered last Friday, Jan. 27 and follows a grieving therapist who begins to treat his patients in engaging and unorthodox ways. I found the first episode very intriguing and am excited to keep up with its weekly releases. Further down the road, Apple’s most successful series “Ted Lasso” is supposed to release its third and final season this spring.
HBO Max is also geared up to have a great deal of movies added to their library, with classics like “Platoon” (1986) and “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991). HBO has acquired a fair amount of Oscar nominees this year, which makes it a great resource to view them before the awards in March.
Known for their cinematic series as well, HBO has been climbing the charts with its latest endeavor “The Last of Us,” based on the popular post-apocalyptic video game of the same name. The series has been greenlit for season two after just the first two episodes and will continue to air weekly during their prime time spot: Sundays at 9 p.m.
