February 2019, better known as Year of Our Bast 1 A.B.P (After Black Panther)
The shortest, coldest month of the year arrives with some new offerings from Netflix with plenty of options to hibernate inside until Spring. Along with some spotlight original content in recognition of #BlackHistoryMonth, a potential new HWIC (Head Witch In Charge), and the addition of Dark Horse Comics adaptation The Umbrella Academy. Something for everyone and more . . .
BLACK HISTORY MONTH NETFLIX – STYLE
In recognition of Black of History Month, Netflix also releases some original and returning content featuring dramatic and documentary content featuring strong melanated leads. The offerings show few signs of enlightening and diverse content, but rather some comedic diversions of Kevin Hart, a film about sports, and a crime series about the unsolved murders of two of Hip-Hop’s god-level MC’s. A few new offerings, however, show signs of something new…or do they?
Free Rein: Valentine’s Day— NETFLIX ORIGINAL (Avail. 2/1/19)
High Flying Bird— NETFLIX FILM (Avail. 2/5/19)
“Directed by Academy Award winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) from a script by Academy Award winner Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight), High Flying Bird features an acclaimed ensemble cast that includes Zazie Beetz, Melvin Gregg, Sonja Sohn, Zachary Quinto, Kyle MacLachlan and Bill Duke, plus appearances from NBA athletes Reggie Jackson, Karl-Anthony Towns and Donovan Mitchell.”
Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History— NETFLIX ORIGINAL (Avail. 2/5/19)
Unsolved: Tupac & Biggie (Avail. 2/27/19)
MY PICKS
Siempre Bruja (Always a Witch)— NETFLIX ORIGINAL (Avail. 2/1/19)
The most interesting release comes in the form of Siempre Bruja (Always a Witch), a series that follows Carmen, an 18-year-old Colombian slave and witch, who travels from the 17th century to the present day to save her lover. The story takes place in present day Cartagena. They lost me at “slave.” Framing any and all black narratives around the most traumatic 1% of “black history,” known as the Transatlantic Slave Trade is a trite and overused conceit. While I am intrigued about an Afro-Latino narrative with a witch as the character, the “slavery” angle feels cheap and problematic. If the lover she is trying to save in the series happens to be her white slave master or slave master’s son, then 2019 is officially compromised.
Not all black narratives are good narratives…I like to think in terms of dividing these films/series into a few categories: Black Art made for and by Black people (New Jack City), Black Art made for white people by Black people (The Hate You Give), Black art made for white people by white people (Detroit), and Black art made by Black people for everybody, but really Black People (arguably, Black Panther). Let’s see where this one falls . . .
ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke— NETFLIX ORIGINAL (Available 2/5/19)
Remastered is a new long form documentary series featuring critically-acclaimed directors helming in depth stories of master musicians and their impact on society. The debut episode revolves around Soul music’s legend Sam Cooke, a figure shrouded in immortality for his advocacy of rights for black musicians and his battles with record executives. As a fan of Sam Cooke and his work on Stax Records, I hope this one is good.
The Umbrella Academy— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Based on the Dark Horse comic created by Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, The Umbrella Academy, the series follows six adopted kids with special powers who reunite when their father dies. Offbeat and stylish, it offers signs of Netflix not suffering for comic book property content after dumping the Marvel properties.
Dropping on Netflix February 2019
Avail. 2/1/19
About a Boy
American Pie
American Pie 2
American Wedding
As Good as It Gets
Billy Elliot
Dear Ex— NETFLIX FILM
Final Destination
Hairspray
Hostel
Jaws
Jaws 2
Jaws 3
Jaws: The Revenge
Personal Shopper
Pretty in Pink
Russian Doll— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Edge of Seventeen
True: Happy Hearts Day— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Velvet Buzzsaw— NETFLIX FILM
Avail. 2/2/19
Bordertown: Season 2— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Romance is a Bonus Book (Streaming Every Saturday)— NETFLIX
Avail. 2/3/19
Disney’s Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Avail. 2/5/19
Ray Romano: Right Here, Around the Corner— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
El árbol de la sangre— NETFLIX FILM
High Flying Bird— NETFLIX FILM
Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
One Day at a Time: Season 3— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants: Season 2— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Unauthorized Living— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 2/9/19
The Break: Season 2— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 2/10/19
Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj: Volume 2 (Streaming Every Sunday)— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 2/11/19
Flavorful Origins: Chaoshan Cuisine— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Little Women
Avail. 2/14/19
Dating Around— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Ken Jeong: You Complete Me, Ho— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 2/15/19
Larry Charles’ Dangerous World of Comedy— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Breaker Upperers— NETFLIX FILM
The Dragon Prince: Season 2— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Yucatan— NETFLIX FILM
Avail. 2/16/19
Black Sea
Studio 54
The 40-Year-Old Virgin
Avail. 2/21/19
The Drug King— NETFLIX FILM
Avail. 2/22/19
Chef’s Table: Volume 6— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Firebrand— NETFLIX FILM
GO! Vive a tu manera— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Paddleton— NETFLIX FILM
Paris Is Us (Paris est à nous)— NETFLIX FILM
Rebellion: Season 2— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Suburra: Season 2— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Big Family Cooking Showdown: Season 2— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Photographer of Mauthausen— NETFLIX FILM
Workin’ Moms— NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 2/25/19
Dolphin Tale 2
Avail. 2/26/19
Our Idiot Brother
Avail. 2/27/19
Unsolved: Tupac & Biggie
Avail. 2/28/19
Jeopardy!: Collection 2
The Rebound
Gone, Yet Not Forgotten
Some excellent titles will be shuffled away for the winter, so if you have somehow missed out on classics like Black Dynamite, Children of Men, Clerks, The Big Lebowski, you better make quick use of your download access. See the full list below.
Leaving 2/1/19
Black Dynamite
Bride of Chucky
Children of Men
Clerks
Disney’s The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Ella Enchanted
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Queer as Folk: Seasons 1-4
Queer as Folk: The Final Season
Shaun of the Dead
The Big Lebowski
The Bourne Ultimatum
Woman in Gold
Leaving 2/2/19
Cabin Fever
Leaving 2/3/19
Sing
Leaving 2/19/19
Disney’s Girl Meets World: Seasons 1-3
Leaving 2/20/19
Piranha
Cozy up and choose well, but whatever you watch or buy, remember Black is always is in season 🙂
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