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

Luca Fontana

1/1/2025

New year, new month, new streaming tips. From Netflix to Disney+, Sky Show to Prime Video, Paramount+ to Apple TV+, these are our series and film picks on streaming services this January.

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.

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.

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).

Release date: 10 January

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

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.

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)

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».

Release date: 17 January

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.

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.

Luca Fontana

Senior Editor

Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.ch

I write about technology as if it were cinema, and about films as if they were real life. Between bits and blockbusters, I’m after stories that move people, not just generate clicks. And yes – sometimes I listen to film scores louder than I probably should.

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