Streaming highlights in January: the films and series you just can’t miss

My New Year’s resolution is to have a more glass-half-full attitude – preferably with rum, gin, vodka or homemade spirits. Until then, I’ll stick to my film and series highlights for January.

Netflix

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (movie)

I don’t want to alarm anyone but Aardman Animations, the legendary studio behind Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run and Shaun the Sheep, is running out of dough. The literal kind. Modelling clay plasticine known as Lewis Newplast, was only produced in one factory worldwide, and it closed in March 2023.

Fortunately, it’s now had the official all-clear. They still have enough stock for the projects currently underway, and a long-term solution is also in sight. Phew. Just as well given that Wallace, our endearing inventor, has built another new machine: the Gnominator, to help with gardening. But as is so often the case with Wallace’s inventions, not everything goes according to plan. When it emerges that a figure from the past who’s out for revenge may be behind the events, the iconic pooch Gromit has to battle sinister forces and save his master or else Wallace may never be able to invent again.

Release date: 3 January

American Primeval (mini series)

Is it just me, or is American Primeval reminiscent of The Revenant, at least on a visual level? The harsh but natural light, generous use of hand-held cameras, many wide-angle shots, muted colours and the Wild West setting. In fact, all that’s missing is the bear.

It’s no surprise really given that American Primeval was written by Mark L. Smith, who co-wrote The Revenant. This time he wants to take a stark look at the origins of the US in the 19th century. Directed by Peter Berg (Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon), this film follows various characters, including settlers, trappers and Native Americans, as they struggle to survive in the harsh and lawless wilderness of the American West. Let’s see if American Primeval does better than Kevin Costner’s Horizon.

Release date: 9 January

Sakamoto Days (anime series)

We’ve got some more anime delights this month in the form of Sakamoto Days. This recommendation comes straight from our in-house anime guru Kevin Hofer (feel free to pressurise him in the comments into writing more about anime).

The premise of Sakamoto Days is a bit like: «What if John Wick retired, opened a corner shop and let himself go a bit?» Kevin has already read the first few volumes of the manga with the verdict that they’re «weird», but also «simply amazing». I could say exactly the same about the trailer. It even vaguely reminds me of Dan Da Dan, the absolute hottest thing on Netflix right now in terms of anime.

Release date: 10 January

Disney+

Goosebumps: The Vanishing (anthology series)

The first season of the Goosebumps reboot may not have been a high-flyer at first, but the mix of nostalgia and fresh ideas landed it an audience over time. One thing the critics praised, for instance, was the surprisingly creepy atmosphere for Disney and the central mystery that held the stories from Port Lawrence together. Season 2 is now under way – and if the first trailer is anything to go by, the creepy factor has gone up a notch.

It centres on Cece (Jayden Bartels) and Devin (Sam McCarthy), who visit their father Anthony (David Schwimmer) for what is supposed to be a relaxing summer holiday. But the idyll is quickly shattered. Anthony warns Cece not to go into the basement, which only arouses suspicion and an ominous curiosity.

As it turns out, Anthony is conducting experiments with plants that are strangely connected to his brother’s disappearance in 1994. And when he himself is exposed to these plants, everything spirals out of control. From irrational outbursts to supernatural phenomena, it becomes clear that the basement is hiding far more it seemed.

Release date: 10 January

Amazon Prime Video

The Rig, season 2 (series)

The first season of The Rig was all about isolation on the open sea, a mystical, dangerous phenomenon and a seemingly supernatural fog that triggers my claustrophobia. It [wasn’t entirely a hit] (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_rig). Even having actors Iain Glen and Owen Teale from Game of Thrones on board with their best Scottish accents did nothing to sway the tide. But apparently enough people have watched the series, otherwise Amazon would hardly have waved through a second season. And it’s now meant to make everything better. The second series is almost like: «The less you know beforehand, the better.»

Release date: 2 January

Sky Show

Twisters (film)

When Twister hit the screens in 1996, it was more than just a film about storms; it was a technical showstopper that combined tornadoes with an emotionally gripping story. Now Twisters is trying to bring the magic of the original to the present day, with state-of-the-art technology and a touch of 90s nostalgia.

The focus is on Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones), who turned her back on storm chasing after a tragic loss. But a new tracking system and the return to Tornado Alley force her to confront her past. Alongside Javi (Anthony Ramos) and daredevil Tyler (Glen Powell), she becomes part of a dangerous, unpredictable game.

I like it. A lot. Also because director Lee Isaac Chung (Minari, Skeleton Crew) used real film cameras and Kodak material to resurrect the look of the 90s. Think lush green fields, dusty roads and threatening storm clouds, all with a warm, analogue texture that’s become rare in modern films. Although the story is still slightly clichéd, Twisters features captivating images and a nostalgic flair that should both hook fans of the original and new viewers alike.

Release date: 11 January

Lockerbie: A Search For Truth (mini series)

Sometimes a trailer is enough to make you realise that a series tells more than just a story. Lockerbie: A Search for Truth promises exactly that. It’s a painful reflection on grief, justice and the political chasms behind one of the worst tragedies in aviation history.

The series captures the true story of Jim and Jane Swire, whose daughter died in the terrorist attack on Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988. Colin Firth and Catherine McCormack deliver a harrowing performance in the trailer as parents whose anguish drives them to a relentless fight for the truth, scrutinising a justice system that raises more questions than answers.

The series is directed by Otto Bathurst (Peaky Blinders) and based on the book by Jim Swire himself. I’m intrigued by the moral dilemmas and international conflicts that are hinted at in the trailer. This is a tragic puzzle I want to unravel piece by piece.

Release date: 16 January

Apple TV+

Severance, season 2 (series)

If you Google the best series on Apple’s streaming service, you can’t avoid Severance. If you ask me, Severance is actually the best series of all. I didn’t even see it coming. When the first series premiered in February 2022, I didn’t warm to the strange first trailer. But then I kept reading unbelievably good reviews. In the end, I gave the mystery thriller produced and partly directed by Ben Stiller a chance. I ended up binging the first series in a weekend.

So, what’s it all about? Imagine your mind is split into two halves: one that lives in your everyday life, and another that’s forever trapped at work. And neither half ever knows what the other is up to. At Lumon Industries, this separation is a reality called «severance».

Mark Scout (Adam Scott), a broken man, oscillates between these two worlds until a new, rebellious colleague, Helly (Britt Lower), shakes up the system. What seems like a sterile routine turns out to be a dark nightmare. Secrets are uncovered like layers of an onion, which alternate with questions that demand answers. As a result, the series switches from quiet, oppressive moments to explosive twists, a painfully precise study of control and identity, and the illusion of freedom.

Release date: 17 January

Paramount+

Star Trek: Section 31 (series)

So, it’s Star Trek, and that’s definitely a trailer up there. I can say that with certainty, but I’m not so sure about the rest.

To be clear, I’m not a Star Trek expert, but I like a few of the films, even the newer ones. When I was younger, I’d sometimes watch Star Trek: Voyager because it was on free TV in the 90s. Rather than Spock or James T. Kirk, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Star Trek is Patrick Stewart’s legendary Jean-Luc Picard. That gives you an idea of my Star Trek expertise.

In this instance, I don’t like the trailer at all. Neither in terms of content nor how wildly it’s been cut. Not to mention the cringe-worthy dialogue. «We work together, then no one get dead.» Pass me the sick bucket. Or: «We’re facing a threat unlike anything Starfleet’s ever seen!» Yikes. It sounds even worse than the latest disappointment that is Dune: Prophecy. But if I didn’t include Section 31 in this list, the Trekkies out there would probably hold it against me. Unless they agree with me? It does make me wonder. Let me know in the comments.

Release date: 24 January
Did I miss a film or series that we absolutely need to watch this month? Let me know in the comments.