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10 Best Movies and Shows Added to Netflix in February

… and when and why to watch them

jaws velvetbuzzsaw mobile
Russian Doll, Jaws and Velvet Buzzsaw. / Netflix

It's Valentine's Day month, so love is in the air—like our love for binging-watching.

So grab your chocolates, your wine and your Netflix password for these recommendations that are new to Netflix this February. 

1. Russian Doll

Available: Starting Feb. 1 // Recommended by Brian Anthony Hernandez

⌚When to watch it: When you’ve worn out your Groundhog Day VHS.

Why watch it: If you blended Bill Murray's 1993 classic Groundhog Day with the more recent Happy Death Day franchise, the result might look something like Netflix’s Russian Doll. And that’s a killer combo. This new comedy series, co-created by Amy Poehler, follows New York City software engineer Nadia (played by Orange Is the New Black’s Natasha Lyonne) as she dies over and over again on her 36th birthday, a day that keeps repeating itself and subsequently brings Nadia back to life each time. Lyonne serves double duty as the infectious star and executive producer of this original series.

2. The Umbrella Academy

Available: Starting Feb. 15 // Recommended by Trey Taylor

⌚When to watch it: When you can’t stomach a third rewatch of X-Men: First Class.

Why watch it: As a sort of progenitor of the X-Men franchise, The Umbrella Academy is a superhero origin tale about the orphans Hargreaves. They were all inexplicably born at the same time in different parts of the world with superpowers, then adopted by their father, Sir Reginald Hargreaves. The family grows distant through the years until they are reunited when Sir Reginald suddenly dies. All the kids are brought back together to avenge their father’s death.

3. Velvet Buzzsaw

Available: Starting Feb. 1 // Recommended by Brian Anthony Hernandez

⌚When to watch it: When Valentine’s Day isn’t quite scary enough.

Why watch it: Jake Gyllenhaal reunites with his Nightcrawler director Dan Gilroy in this satirical thriller that puts Gyllenhaal in the shoes of an intimidating art critic. After an artist dies and his paintings are stolen by greedy art collectors, each new owner of the dead guy’s paintings faces certain (artsy) death, à la Final Destination

4. Jaws series

Available: Starting Feb. 1 // Recommended by Brian Anthony Hernandez

⌚When to watch it: When you need your annual dose of Steven Spielberg goodness.

Why watch it: “It will attack and devour anything. It is as if God created the Devil and gave him … jaws,” the 1975 film’s trailer teased. Jaws, the pioneer of the summer blockbuster genre, was memorably the first movie to gross more than $100 million at the box office. Jaws and its three sequels are all now floating, however ominously, in Netflix’s streaming waters.

5. Unsolved: Tupac & Biggie

Available: Starting Feb. 27 // Recommended by Brian Anthony Hernandez

⌚When to watch it: Whenever you miss Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur, again.

Why watch it: There’s no shortage of conspiracy theories about the ’90s murders of rappers 2Pac and Biggie. More than 20 years later, this USA Networks series focuses on detective Greg Kading (Josh Duhamel) and detective Russell Poole’s (Jimmi Simpson) investigations. Marcc Rose and Wavyy Jonez take on the late titular characters.

6. The 40-Year-Old Virgin

Available: Starting Feb. 16 // Recommended by Brian Anthony Hernandez

⌚When to watch it: When you’ve run out of “Netflix and chill” options.

Why watch it: The 40-year-old in this Steve Carell-fronted flick would be 54 this year, probably still with kind eyes yet with more intimate experiences under his belt. Let director Judd Apatow’s 2005 comedy touch your heart once more. Add The 40-Year-Old Virgin to your empty "Netflix and chill" queue.

7. The Breaker Upperers

Available: Starting Feb. 15 // Recommended by Brian Anthony Hernandez

⌚When to watch it: When you’re reeling from a bad Valentine’s Day date.

Why watch it: Wow, too bad we didn’t think of the seemingly brilliant business idea in this fresh Netflix comedy: a service to break up couples. The Breaker Upperers debuts the day after Valentine’s Day, making it prime breakup viewing material. The funny female entrepreneurs leading the charge are Jen (Jackie van Beek) and Mel (Madeleine Sami), two best friends struggling to keep their relationship intact.

8. High Flying Bird

Available: Starting Feb. 8 // Recommended by Brian Anthony Hernandez

⌚When to watch it: When real-life sports aren’t satisfying your fix.

Why watch it: Oscar winners Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) and Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight) try to sprinkle their cinematic magic onto this Netflix Film. High Flying Bird centers on a confident sports agent during a league-altering basketball lockout. And yes, you’ll spot some NBA players throughout the movie.

9. Paddleton

Available: Starting Feb. 22 // Recommended by Brian Anthony Hernandez

⌚When to watch it: When your own bromance could use some inspiration.

Why watch it: In this Netflix buddy film, Ray Romano of Everybody Loves Raymond fame plays Andy, whose neighbor Michael (Mark Duplass) receives a terminal cancer diagnosis. Michael asks Andy to live out his final days, doing normal things like playing paddleton.

10. American Pie series

Available: Starting Feb. 1 // Recommended by Brian Anthony Hernandez

⌚When to watch it: When you’re craving a slice of the ’90s to escape from today.

Why watch it: “It’s not a space shuttle launch; it’s sex,” quips Jessica, played by Lyonne (who led this month’s Netflix recommendations list as the star of Russian Doll), in American Pie. The 1999 classic coming-of-age comedy brought those universally awkward teenage moments, the ones “as American as apple pie,” to the big screen, and now Netflix is resurrecting all four movies in the franchise on the small screen.

Read More: 10 Best Movies and Shows Added to Netflix in January

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