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STREAMTOWN — February is upon us, which means it’s a new month chock full of new streaming titles for us to enjoy.
Here’s a look at 10 of the best new titles available to stream this month:
Netflix
“Ocean’s Eleven,” “Ocean’s Twelve” and “Ocean’s Thirteen” Feb. 1
On paper I feel like “Ocean’s Eleven” shouldn’t work with a huge cast with multiple stars — and on top of that it’s a remake of a fairly pedestrian Rat Pack film. But my, oh my was I wrong. “Ocean’s Eleven” was an absolute ball of a time and it’s a movie I will watch over and over again. “Ocean’s Twelve” didn’t live up to its predecessor, but “Thirteen” seemed a solid addition to cap the trilogy. As a three-part series it’s a great weekend watch, and you can now do just that thanks to Netflix.
“The Emoji Movie” Feb. 8
I have to say this right off the bat, I did not care for “The Emoji Movie." But I always like to get a film on this list for the family, and it was slim pickings this time around.
“The Emoji Movie” is riddled with issues and very low quality when compared to other animated 2017 movies like “Coco” and “The Boss Baby.” With that said, kids will find the silly jokes amusing and parents can at least have a laugh here and there while enjoying some time with their kids.
“Lincoln” Feb. 21
Watching people who are masters of their craft is beautiful, and “Lincoln” gives us a chance to see two such people. Daniel Day-Lewis is nothing short of brilliant playing our nation’s 16th president, and he won an Academy Award for his performance. The other master is the man himself, Steven Spielberg, who was clearly passionate about this project and earned an Oscar nomination for his role as director.
“Lincoln” is a fairly slow movie, but it's one that’s well worth the watch.
Hulu
“Red Dawn” (1984) Feb. 1
This is all guilty pleasure and I have no qualms with admitting that. “Red Dawn” isn’t really a good film, but I will never forget watching it as a kid and falling in love with the idea of being a teenager who could one day be a national hero just like Patrick Swayze. I can now relive those days thanks to Hulu.
“The Hurt Locker” Feb. 1
“The Hurt Locker” hit theaters in 2008 and left a lasting impression on basically everyone who saw it. The movie is pure adrenaline from start to finish and paints a heartbreaking picture of the horrors many of our service men and women endure during and after fighting for our country.
“The Hurt Locker” won Academy Awards for best picture, best director and more and deserved them all.
“The Hurt Locker” is rated R for war violence and language.
“Star Trek” Feb. 14
I’ve never been a big Star Trek fan. My dad loved the original TV show and even had a soft spot for “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” but I just never got into it like I thought I might. So when J.J. Abrams's version was headed to theaters in 2009, I didn’t think too much about it.
I was visiting my brother in Los Angeles and we decided to catch a flick and not much was playing so, we found ourselves buying tickets to “Star Trek." I’ve never regretted it. The movie burned many long-time fans, but for me, this movie was a blast and helped me become a Star Trek fan.
Amazon Prime
“3:10 to Yuma” (2007) Feb. 8
I am a sucker for westerns and I’m quite positive that has a lot to do with my father. He couldn’t convert me into a Trekkie, but he did manage to make me fall in love with the western.
I grew up with a film education filled with John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Sergio Leone and John Huston. Something about those films spoke to me and my boyhood dream of being a cowboy in the old west. Those dreams faded when I realized I’m not much of an outdoorsman and enjoy a good nights sleep in a king size bed, but my love for the western was rekindled when I saw the 2007 remake of “3:10 to Yuma.”
The movie is enthralling with expert character development and fabulous acting from Christian Bale, Russell Crowe and Ben Foster.
I cannot wait to watch this again now that it’s streaming on Amazon Prime.
“3:10 to Yuma” is rated R for violence and some language.
“Logan Lucky” Feb. 16
If you liked the aforementioned “Ocean’s Eleven” then may I suggest checking out the redneck version of that movie, also known as “Logan Lucky”?
Steven Soderbergh, the director of all three Ocean’s movies, is back with another heist movie with a similar vibe, but a very different cast of characters.
I had some issues with the movie, specifically in the third act, but overall I had a lot of fun full of odd twists, sincere laughs and incredibly unexpected performances.