Netflix had a jam-packed premiere schedule in 2022. In addition to Hollywood blockbusters, the streaming giant made sci-fi films such as The Adam Project, innovative “biopics” like Blonde, and award-winning dramas such as Rush, and fanciful fantasies such as those of Guillermo del Toro Pinocchio. These creations show a clear investment in original content; the streaming service offers a wide choice of genres, foreign films, indie content and creations with more and more groundbreaking artists.
After a budget of seventeen billion dollars, twenty-six Emmy wins and countless award nominations in 2022, this year is going to be even bigger for Netflix. It will be a year of revivals, reunions and new avenues in cinema. Here’s a rundown of the original movies coming to Netflix in February 2023.
True Spirit (February 3)
True Spirit fits the true story of Jessica Watson for the big screen. A sixteen-year-old Australian sailor, Watson is a skilled signpost and record-breaking explorer. The film follows her attempts to become the youngest person to sail around the world – in other words, 23,000 nautical miles in eight months, completely unaided. During her exciting journey, Watson sailed an estimated 18,585 nautical miles through the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
However, the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC) ruled that Watson did not meet the distance requirement at 21,600 nautical miles. Despite the highly criticized WSSRC decision, Watson has recorded her efforts and is regarded as one of the most legendary sailors in modern history. From preparation to Watson’s time on treacherous high seas, True Spirit shows the determination, determination and courage it takes to achieve one’s dreams.
True Spirit with Teagan Croft (Titans), Anna Paquin (True Blood, the Irishman), Cliff Curtis (Avatar: The Way of Water, Risen), and Josh Lawson (Mortal Kombat).
Your Place or Mine (February 10)
This romantic comedy follows the story of Debbie (Reese Witherspoon) and Peter (Ashton Kutcher), two best friends who lead opposite lives. Debbie is a single mother and accountant in Los Angeles, California. She loves the life she’s built for herself and her son, and thrives on their stable, comfortable routine. Peter, on the other hand, loves the excitement, unpredictability and bustle of his life in New York. While trying to become a writer in the city that never sleeps, he feeds on constant change and excitement. In a maneuver that mimics the rom-com classic The holiday, Debbie and Peter switch houses for a week. During their exchange, they realize what – or rather: who – they really need.
Besides Witherspoon and Kutcher, With you or with me with Jesse Williams (Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19), Wesley Kimmel (Wandavision, Book by Boba Fett), Zoe Chao (Senior year, the high note), Griffin Matthews (The Stewardess, She-Hulk: Lawyer), and Rachel Bloom (Reboot, The School of Good and Evil).
Unlocked (February 17)
Unlocked is an upcoming South Korean thriller directed by Kim Tae Joon, making it the second Korean original film to be released on Netflix in 2023. The official synopsis is as follows.
On the way home from work, Na-mi (Chun Woo-hee) loses her smartphone, which has everything about her on it. Jun-yeong (Yim Si-wan) finds Na-mi’s phone and returns it, but after installing of spyware By following her daily life, he learns everything about Na-mi – her whereabouts, hobbies, tastes, work life, finances and social network – and approaches her by hiding his true identity.
Meanwhile, Detective Ji-man (Kim Hie-won) finds traces of his son at a crime scene and secretly investigates Jun-yeong, suspecting the worst. Na-mi is relieved to have found her phone, but not for too long, her ordinary life turned upside down and spiraling out of control. And all because she only lost her phone, her whole life is in danger.”
This film is rooted in reality for many viewers. Unlocked shows the worst-case scenario of a very real possibility: What happens if you lose your phone – your lifeline that contains bank details, personal data, social security information and more? Is it endearing or horrifying when someone knows so much about you? How safe can someone really be if their phones contain so much of themselves?
Call Me Chihiro (February 23)
Call me Chihiro tells the story of Chihiro, a former sex worker. By chance she found a bento shop by the sea. Fascinated by the store and the food, Chihiro works for the store and starts a new chapter of her life. She involves the inhabitants of the coast in interesting, reassuring and sometimes advisory conversations. In it, she refuses to hide both her true personality and her past as a sex worker. As Chihiro strives to start anew by the sea, she becomes connected to the world around her in new and powerful ways. The official summary is below.
“I’m sure you want to meet her. Chihiro is a former sex worker who works at a bento shop in a small coastal town. She’s foul-mouthed and goes at her own pace. And she’s free. Such a girl floats in the city. She’s a strange “adult.” But for some reason I want to meet her. An elementary school student waiting for her mother to come home, a high school girl who can’t say what she really thinks, and a homeless man who can’t talk a lot. Let’s go meet Chihiro to experience this miracle.”
Call me Chihiro is an upcoming Japanese drama movie from director Rikiya Imaizumi. It is based on the 2017 titular manga series Chihiro-san. The film stars Arimura Kasumi, Toyoshima Hana, Shimata Tetta, Fubuki Jun, Hirata Mitsuru, Negishi Toshie, Wakaba Ryuya, Sakuma Yui and Lily Franky.
We Have a Ghost (February 24)
We have a ghost follows the story of Kevin (Anthony Mackie) and his family as they move into a new home. There they discover a poltergeist, Ernest (David Harbour) in the new residence. Kevin takes advantage of the ghost’s existence by turning it into a social media celebrity overnight. He uses Ernest to create a successful side business by booking dinners at their house to meet the ghost turned celebrity. When Kevin’s son and Ernest delve into the ghost’s twisted story, they become targets of the CIA.
We have a ghost features a stacked cast of Hollywood starlets, including Anthony Mackie (The falcon and the winter soldier), David harbour (Stranger Things, Black Widow), Tig Notaro (Army of the Dead), Jennifer Coolidge (White Lotus), Eric Ras (Uncle Drew), Isabella Russo (Crashing), Nils Fitch (This is us), Steve Coulter (gun wedding), and Faith Ford (Hope faith).