January 2025’s Best Streaming Titles: Severance, Heat, Interstellar, Wallace & Gromit, Prey

It’s been a long time coming, but the second season of Apple’s acclaimed sci-fi series is finally here. When we last saw the “Innies,” they were on the verge of making some dramatic discoveries concerning their lives outside the walls of the mysterious Lumon Industries. But not everything, or everyone, is as it seems. Severance’s first season was a smash hit — read my review — meaning its cast and crew have set a very high bar for season two.

I have a soft spot for this movie about a quirky relationship between a Charlie Chaplin-obsessed man and a woman suffering from mental illness (presumably schizophrenia). I watched it countless times in high school with my friends, and it’s all kinds of cute and earnest — so folks prone to cynicism beware. It also popularized The Proclaimers’ “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles),” which might honestly be a strike against it, depending on how you feel about the song.

When Jake and Elwood Blues (John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd) learn that their old orphanage needs $5,000 to keep going, they decide to track down the members of their old blues band and put on a show to raise the money. Along the way, they’ll demolish a shopping mall, enrage a country band, take on some Nazis, and cause massive vehicular chaos across the state of Illinois. Easily one of the best Saturday Night Live films, The Blues Brothers is a true cult classic.

The iconic Pam Grier is Coffy, an ER nurse who uses her feminine wiles to take out the city’s pimps, pushers, and mob bosses to avenge her sister’s death. One of the most famous “Blaxploitation” films, Coffy has garnered acclaim over the years for Grier’s portrayal as a strong, Black female heroine; she would play similar roles in Foxy Brown and Sheba, Baby. Coffy is one of Quentin Tarantino’s favorite movies, and he would later cast Grier in 1997’s Jackie Brown.

In this time twisty sci-fi actioner, Tom Cruise plays a disgraced soldier who’s quickly killed while trying to defend Earth from mysterious alien invaders — only to discover that he now relives the same day over and over again. Not only does this allow him to become a super-soldier Groundhog Day-style, but it might also be the key to defeating the aliens once and for all. In the hands of a lesser cast and crew, Edge of Tomorrow’s premise could be ridiculous and boring, but that is most certainly not the case here (read my review).

I’ll admit, I had very low expectations for The Lego Movie when it was originally announced. But I need not have worried: The Lego Movie turned out to be way more delightful, inventive, and affecting than I could’ve expected. When a lowly Lego guy named Emmet Brickowski (voiced by Chris Pratt) finds himself in possession of a powerful relic, he’s drawn into a conflict between freedom fighters and an evil overlord that will completely change his view of the world. The Lego Movie also features the voice talents of Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, Alison Brie, Will Ferrell, and Morgan Freeman (to name a few).

Sure, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is pretty cool and all. But does it feature a hero who’s really good at shoveling? When it was originally released in 1999, Mystery Men was something of a box office bomb, which is a shame. Its sendup of superhero tropes, as a team of misfit and wannabe superheroes try to take on their city’s arch-supervillain, is hilariously over-the-top. And it doesn’t hurt that the film boasts a truly awesome cast that includes the likes of Ben Stiller, William H. Macy, Greg Kinnear, Geoffrey Rush, and Janeane Garofalo.

Clint Eastwood’s award-winning Unforgiven — among other things, it earned Oscars for “Best Picture” and “Best Director” in 1993 — works as both a deconstruction of the Western epics that helped make Eastwood’s career, as well as an excellent Western in its own right. Eastwood plays a reformed bandit and murderer who returns to his violent ways in order to save his family, but at what cost to his soul?

This animated series follows the exploits of Peter Parker during his very first days as everyone’s favorite Web-Head. However, it’s set in an alternate reality where Norman Osborn, and not Tony Stark, becomes his mentor. Polygon Pictures (Knights of Sidonia; Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter; Star Wars Resistance) is handling the animation, which is styled after the original Spider-Man comic books.

Empire Records is the coolest record store in town, but it’s in danger of being sold and going corporate. The store’s ragtag staff must hatch a crazy scheme to save their store while also celebrating Rex Manning Day. The film was a critical and commercial failure when it was released in 1995, but has since become something of a cult favorite. And its soundtrack is peak ’90s, with songs from Cracker, The Cranberries, Gin Blossoms, The Innocence Mission, and Toad the Wet Sprocket.

When it was released in 1995, Heat was widely promoted as the first film in which Al Pacino and Robert De Niro appear on-screen together. And while that’s cool, that overlooked the fact that Heat is a scorching (npi) crime thriller about a gang of elite thieves (led by De Niro) and the police officers (led by Pacino) trying to stop them. Directed with panache by Michael Mann, the film oozes style and atmosphere, and features one of the best shootouts in movie history. In 2022, Mann announced that a sequel was in the works.

On paper, John Wick’s premise is pretty silly: a retired assassin returns to a life of violence to avenge his dead puppy in spectacularly bloody fashion. But of course, there’s a lot more to it than that. It certainly doesn’t hurt that the film boasts some of the best action filmmaking of the last ten years and a sense of style that’s only enhanced by Keanu Reeve’s dedication and intensity. John Wick spawned three sequels, each more outrageous than the last, and a truly fascinating mythology.

In the near future, humanity lives under constant threat of attacks by colossal alien monsters called Kaiju. Humanity’s only hope lies in the form of giant robots called Jaegers, but even they might not be enough to stave off the waves of Kaiju. Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, Pacific Rim is clearly indebted not just to classic kaijū movies like the Godzilla franchise, but also anime titles like Neon Genesis Evangelion.

When Sakuta first meets Mai, he’s alarmed that she’s dressed up as a Playboy bunny. She’s intrigued, however, because he’s the only one who can see her. Based on Hajime Kamoshida and Kēji Mizoguchi’s light novel series, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai might seem like pretty prurient fare at first, but it’s much more interesting than that, exploring time loops, mysterious psychological disorders, and other bizarre topics.

There was a Rurouni Kenshin anime series in the ’90s, but I believe this refers to the modern remake that came out in 2023. The series follows the exploits of a pacifist rōnin who seeks to atone for his bloody past. However, when he encounters a young woman trying to save her family’s struggling sword school, his past starts to catch up to him.

Arguably the best Robin Hood movie of all time, and certainly one of the all-time classic swashbucklers, The Adventures of Robin Hood stars Errol Flynn as the dashing thief from Sherwood Forest who robs from the rich and gives to the poor. Filled with gorgeous production design and thrilling stunts, The Adventures of Robin Hood was a critical and commercial success upon its release in 1938. In addition to Flynn, the film also stars Olivia de Havilland as the lovely Maid Marian and Basil Rathbone as the dastardly Guy of Gisbourne.

It’s a well-known fact that Batman: The Animated Series is one of the best — if not the best — takes on the Caped Crusader. Mask of the Phantasm was a theatrical movie intended to capitalize on the animated series’ appeal. It continues the series’ acclaimed visual style and noir-influenced aesthetic with a story that finds Bruce Wayne facing a new foe with mysterious ties to his past. Though it had lackluster success at the box office, Mask of the Phantasm has since been called one of the best Batman movies of all time.

This 2014 animated title was based in part on Justice League: Origin, which — as its title suggests — finds Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, et al. joining forces for the first time when a bizarre and ominous alien threat begins menacing the Earth. One of the first films in the DC Animated Movie Universe, Justice League: War quickly set the tone for the movies to come, and features some of the best DC superhero action to date.

In the near future, Australia is a wasteland filled with roving motorcycle gangs. Law and order is maintained by the highway patrol, but just barely. Max Rockatansky is the patrol’s top officer, but when his family’s threatened by one of the gangs, he tosses aside the law for a rampage of revenge. Filmed in 1979 for a few hundred thousand dollars, Mad Max held the Guinness record for the world’s most profitable film — and helped reinvigorate Australia’s film industry. More importantly, though, it launched one of the most action-packed film franchises of all time.

Even after you know the big twist, The Usual Suspects is still a fun noir film to watch due to powerhouse performances from Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri, and of course, Kevin Spacey. But if you don’t know the big twist, then you’re in for a treat. And once you’ve seen the twist, you’re going to want to rewatch it, just to see how the film put everything together leading up to that sublime “A ha!” moment.

It doesn’t feel quite right to call Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory a “children’s movie” given how dark and disturbing it can get (e.g., the tunnel ride). And yet, the movie overflows with charm and delight thanks to Gene Wilder’s charismatic performance as Willy Wonka himself, who invites the lucky winners of his golden ticket contest to tour his magical candy factory (read my review). The film was a critical and commercial success when it was originally released in 1971, and in 2014, it was added to the United States National Film Registry.

After his girlfriend dumps him for the captain of the ski team, Lane Meyer decides his only course of action is taking his own life, with comedic results. But with the help of his weird friends and cute exchange student, he might just overcome his neuroses, dominate the slopes, and win back his girl — and fed off the neighborhood paperboy. Written and directed by Savage Steve Holland, Better Off Dead helped to establish John Cusack as an ’80s icon with the help of its colorful characters and bizarre sense of humor.

Christopher Nolan’s Inception is about as trippy as big budget Hollywood spectacles get, featuring a group of dream hackers who hire a new recruit to infiltrate the subconscious of an executive. Filled with mind-blowing visuals and some incredibly clever action set pieces — and a hotly debated ending — Inception is proof that Hollywood action movies can be plenty cerebral.

I don’t mean this as an insult, but Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar is worth watching for the visuals alone. Of course, it has an emotional storyline, as an astronaut is forced to leave his family in order to find a new home for humanity. And Hans Zimmer’s score has become increasingly iconic. But the film’s visuals are simply jaw-dropping. Fun fact: Nolan worked with theoretical physicist Kip Thorne to make the black hole effects as realistic as possible, which ultimately advanced the scientific understanding of black holes and led to the publishing of several scientific papers on the topic.

On paper, the combination of Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker seems terrible, or at the very least, terribly annoying. But in Rush Hour, the two became a surprisingly effective comedic duo as they race to save the kidnapped daughter of a Chinese dignitary with a combination of fast talking and martial arts mayhem.

Originally released in 2002, it could be argued that Spider-Man helped kick off the modern superhero movie craze due in large part to actually taking the character seriously. Of course, it helped to have a director like Sam Raimi behind the camera, and his very distinctive visual style and aesthetic. The film stars Tobey Maguire as the titular hero, Kirsten Dunst as his crush Mary Jane Watson, and Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin.

The nefarious Feathers McGraw, who first appeared in 1993’s The Wrong Trousers, returns to get revenge on our favorite Wensleydale-loving inventor and his canine pal. When Wallace’s latest invention develops a mind of its own, it could mean the end of his inventing career unless Gromit can save the day.

In a world where supernatural abilities are commonplace, Miyo’s lack of any such abilities immediately casts her as outsider, doomed to live in servitude to her stepmother. But when she’s unexpectedly engaged to Kiyoka, a powerful-if-aloof commander, her fortunes seem to change. But secrets from her past threaten to undo her promising new life. My Happy Marriage’s first season wasn’t mind-blowing — read my review — but its mix of supernatural action and romantic melodrama is promising.

The Night Agent’s first season was not without some significant flaws and annoying characters (read my review). However, I’m still a sucker for a glossy espionage thriller, and it was nothing if not that. The second season finds FBI agent Peter Sutherland fully recruited into the Night Agent program, sending him around the world to battle new threats. Netflix obviously has faith in the title; they’ve already ordered a third season.

One of the very best sci-fi films in recent years, Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival is a thought-provoking film unlike any alien invasion film you’ve seen. When strange alien ships appear around the globe, the military asks a linguist (Amy Adams) to help decipher the alien’s strange language. But as she begins to understand it, the language starts affecting her in mysterious ways. Arrival’s slow pace may frustrate some, but Villeneuve’s direction is masterful, the cinematography is gorgeous, the concepts are fascinating, and Jóhann Jóhannsson’s soundtrack is incredible (read my review).

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) returns in this 1994 thriller directed by Phillip Noyce. This time around, Ryan gets pulled into America’s war on the Colombia drug cartels after they kill a close friend of the President. Before too long, though, he’s caught in the middle of a conspiracy involving the highest levels of the American government. The movie also stars Willem Dafoe, James Earl Jones, and Anne Archer.

This Francis Ford Coppola-directed thriller follows a paranoid surveillance expert (Gene Hackman) who believes that he’s recorded evidence of a murder conspiracy during one of his jobs. But as he tries to ascertain the truth of the recording, the truth becomes increasingly elusive, even dangerous. The Conversation won the top prize at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for multiple Oscars.

It’s always a risk when talking about The Crow; the tragic on-set death of Brandon Lee has become so interwoven with the movie’s mythos that enjoying it can seem disrespectful. But the fact is that The Crow remains a singular movie of the ’90s, as stylized and goth-y as can be, with intense action and a brooding soundtrack featuring a host of alt-rock superstars (read my review). Lee is absolutely perfect as the titular character, a musician brought back to life to avenge the death of his fiancé, which only adds to the movie’s poignancy.

Based on Andre Dubus III’s novel of the same name, House of Sand and Fog follows the conflict between a young woman trying to hold onto her house and the Iranian family who buys it. A wrenching morality tale, the film’s characters slowly find their lives spiraling out of control as they engage in increasingly desperate behavior. The film, which stars Jennifer Connelly, Ben Kingsley, and Shohreh Aghdashloo, was Vadim Perelman’s directorial debut, and received numerous award nominations, including several Oscars.

The latest Sherlock Holmes adaptation stars Morris Chestnut as Dr. John Watson, who returns to medicine after his famous detective friend was killed by the evil Moriarty. The skills he learned from Holmes prove handy when he gets pulled in to solve mysterious medical cases — and when evidence arises that Moriarty might still be alive. That Watson was created by producer Craig Sweeny, who also wrote and produced the excellent Elementary, bodes well for its Sherlock Holmes bona fides.

Starring the voices of Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Emily Watson, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride is a fanciful fairy tale about a young man who accidentally finds himself married to, well, a corpse. It’s certainly macabre and spooky, but what else would you expect from a Tim Burton film?

Featuring cinema’s most infamous wood chipper scene, the Coen brothers’ Fargo is yet another twisted moral tale told with a sense of humor as black as the film’s wintry setting is white. When a hapless car salesman (played to perfection by William H. Macy) contracts with a couple of goons to hold his wife for ransom, he sets in a motion a twisted tragicomedy of errors that pulls in one of the Coens’ noblest and purest heroes, police chief Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand).

As the title implies, King of the Monsters finds the Big G squaring off against some of his biggest foes, including Rodan and Kong Ghidorah, as an eco-terrorist organization seizes technology that allows them to control the Titans. Meanwhile, the Titan-studying organization Monarch races to learn the true origins of King Ghidorah while aiding Godzilla in his struggle. Suffice to say, King of the Monsters is filled to the brim with kaijū spectacle.

Arguably Jet Li’s best non-Asian film. Here, he plays a Chinese agent that gets double-crossed while on assignment in Paris, and must battle corrupt police officers to clear his name. Thankfully, he possesses superhuman fighting skills, which come in handy when taking on, say, a room full of officers. Interesting bit of trivia: director Chris Nahon had to slow down Li’s fight scenes with martial artist Cyril Raffaelli, as both of them moved too fast to be captured at normal recording speed.

Sing (Stephen Chow) has one dream in life: to become a member of the feared Axe Gang. But when he encounters a group of reclusive and unlikely martial artists, he’s slowly begins to realize that he could be something more. But not without plenty of hijinks — this is a Stephen Chow movie, after all. Coming on the heels of Shaolin Soccer, Kung Fu Hustle went even further into CGI-fuelled leaps of martial arts slapstick. While Shaolin Soccer is the better film overall, Kung Fu Hustle still has plenty of hilarious delights all its own.

Pale Rider features Clint Eastwood in one of his most iconic roles, that of an otherworldly gunfighter who sides with a group of prospectors against a greedy businessman and corrupt marshal. Critically acclaimed by the likes of Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel, the movie was also a commercial success, and has since come to be regarded as one of the greatest westerns of all time.

Dan Trachtenberg’s Prey takes the Predator franchise back to the 18th century, and pits a young Comanche hunter (Amber Midthunder) against the fearsome alien hunter. The result is an excellent sc-fi actioner rooted in Native American history and culture, which helps ground the action and provides a unique perspective often lacking from the genre. It also proves that after nearly four decades, the Predator franchise can still surprise and thrill us (read my review).

Martin Scorsese’s dark tale about a mentally unstable cab driver who slowly succumbs to insanity as he drives through New York City’s slimy underbelly is one of the all-time great films, thanks to an iconic performance by Robert De Niro, Scorsese’s assured direction, and Bernard Herrmann’s harrowing soundtrack (his final composition before he died).