Netflix Monthly Releases: February 2019

Ah yes, February. The new month signifies about a 30-day allotment for Netflix to cancel beloved fan-favorite shows, remove some content and raise prices, but it also gives the corporation the time to add a new selection of original content throughout the month, as well as a slew of movies, new seasons of television and everything else to keep subscribers happy. Here are 10 releases you should keep an eye out for as February 2019 continues.

Starting Feb. 1, “Russian Doll” will be added to Netflix. A new original series starring Natasha Lyonne of “Orange is the New Black” and created by Amy Poehler, Leslye Headland and Lyonne herself.  “Russian Doll” is about Nadia, a woman stuck in a “Groundhog” or “Happy Death Day” sort of time loop, reliving the same day cycle after dying with layers of dark comedy and mystery setting it apart.

“Velvet Buzzsaw,” an art thriller by Director Dan Gilroy of “Nightcrawler,” “Velvet Buzzsaw” is about art dealers portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal and Rene Russo, discovering paintings from an unknown artist, and violent events occurring after. Gilroy and Gyllenhaal previously collaborated on “Nightcrawler,” which received universal acclaim, so hopefully this one lives up to their previous outing.

“Casino Royale,” originally releasing in 2006 and directed by Martin Campbell, also responsible for “Goldeneye,” was added to the slew of movies. “Casino Royale” is the first 007 featuring Daniel Craig as the smooth operator agent and boasts a phenomenal cast including the likes of Eva Green and Mads Mikkelsen. “Casino Royale” is about a younger Bond at the beginning of his career. Featuring my favorite Bond theme by the late Chris Cornell. Other than Brosnan’s “Goldeneye,” this is my personal favorite Bond film.

Beginning Feb. 8, “ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke” will also be added. This is another iteration of Netflix’s ESPN 30 for 30-like series of short one-off documentaries. The latest of the eight-parter series focuses on the eponymous soul singer Sam Cooke, who was killed very mysteriously in the mid 60s. With a few theories and claims of a cover-up surrounding the death, hopefully this is an engaging documentary to talk about a highly influential singer and his untimely death.

“High Flying Bird” is another Netflix original film. This Steven Soderbergh (“Oceans” series, “Logan Lucky”) directed flick, supposedly filmed with an iPhone 7. It is a sports drama set during an NBA Lockout where a sports agent, played by André Holland, comes up with a scheme to take advantage of the lockout. Also starring Kyle MacLachlan, Zazie Beetz, Melvin Gregg and “Stranger Things” actor Caleb McLaughlin.

Feb. 15 “Umbrella Academy” will be added. Described as if Wes Anderson directed an “X-Men” film, “Umbrella Academy” is a Netflix Original Series based off the Will Eisner award-winning ongoing graphic novel written by artist Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance. “Umbrella Academy” is an alt history superhero show focusing on a family of super-powered folks, starring Ellen Page, Tom Hopper and Robert Sheehan among others.

All in all, the release schedule for February seems relatively lower quantity than the past couple of months. There are definite winners already out and coming soon, but be on the lookout of the sadly inevitable Netflix Original shovelware.