The Netflix movie library is regularly refreshed with new additions, but those fresh flicks come at a price. While the streaming service gives with one hand, it takes away from the other because every month a bunch of old favorites are removed to make way for the new arrivals.
February 2025 is no exception, while Netflix has added a bunch of high-quality new flicks (including three films with at least 90% on Rotten Tomatoes), the big red streaming service is also saying goodbye to some big-hitters including Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” and ‘80s classic “Stand by Me.” These movies are all set to be removed at the end of the month.
Fortunately, you still have a little time left to watch these movies before they vanish from the Netflix library. So, let’s dive into the Netflix movies you need to watch right now before they leave in just a matter of days.
‘Inception’ (2010)
This week saw the release of the very first image from Christopher Nolan’s next movie, “The Odyssey,” and while much of the historical epic is under wraps, it’s already become one of my most anticipated upcoming movies. Why not celebrate our first glimpse of Matt Damon as Odysseus by streaming one of Nolan’s most iconic movies before it leaves Netflix? “Inception” needs no introduction as it’s among the most legendary modern sci-fi flicks.
If you somehow slept through the summer of 2010 and totally missed the boat, “Inception” centers on Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) a criminal with the ability to enter people’s subconscious and steal information. This rare talent has put his service in high demand but also cost him greatly. Now on the run, he’s given the chance to erase his criminal past if he can perform a feat that many think is impossible, implanting an idea in somebody’s mind.
Watch on Netflix until Feb. 28
‘Oblivion’ (2013)
Sticking on the sci-fi train, Netflix is also set to remove “Oblivion” this month. This Tom Cruise vehicle comes from director Joseph Kosinski, who also helmed 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick.” To be frank, “Oblivion” is lacking in a lot of key areas most of which is its bland story. But if there’s one area where it absolutely shines, it’s the visual effects. This is one of the most striking science fiction projects of the 21st century and is worth watching for its sweeping shots and impressive futuristic tech alone. Just don’t expect a masterpiece.
Set in the year 2077, Jack Harper (Cruise) is a repair technician living in isolation on a post-apocalyptic Earth. He’s just two weeks away from completing his stated mission and being able to join humanity’s remaining survivors on a new colony. However, when he discovers a woman (Olga Kurylenko) in a crashed spaceship, he learns the world around him isn’t what he thinks, and he’s soon forced to question his mission and promised future.
Watch on Netflix until Feb. 28
‘The Other Guys’ (2010)
In the 2000s actor, Will Ferrell and writer/director Adam McKay forged a partnership that birthed some of the most quotable comedies around from “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” to “Step Brothers.” However, the duo’s most overlooked effort is arguably 2010’s “The Other Guys.” This ridiculous buddy cop spoof sees Ferrell partner up with Mark Wahlberg and is just as side-splittingly silly as anything else from the Ferrell/McKay team.
The eponymous “other guys” are desk-tied detectives Gamble (Ferrell) and Hoitz (Wahlberg). The duo spends their days completing paperwork in the office, leaving the dangerous police work to superstar cops Danson (Dwayne Johnson) and Highsmith (Samuel L. Jackson). But when a minor case spirals into something much bigger, these paper pushers are forced out of their comfort zone and must prove they can mix with NYC’s finest.
Watch on Netflix until Feb. 28
‘Sixteen Candles’ (1984)
John Hughes is the master of coming-of-age teen comedies, and while “The Breakfast Club” is considered his magnum opus by many, “Sixteen Candles” is often a pretty close second. Just be mindful that this movie was released in 1984, so some of its depiction of high school is pretty outdated, and a few elements feel perhaps problematic when viewed through a modern lens. Nevertheless, “Sixteen Candles” is a teen classic still beloved by many today.
The movie focuses on awkward teen Samantha (Molly Ringwald) who is experiencing an intense bout of adolescent anxiety ahead of her 16th birthday. As many youths do, Samantha is also dealing with a case of unrequited love for high school senior Jake (Michael Schoeffling). And at the same time, she’s also trying to tactfully rebuff the advances of Ted (Anthony Michael Hall), a geeky freshman who has taken a particular liking to her.
Watch on Netflix until Feb. 28
Stand by Me (1986)
“Stand By Me” is regularly ranked among the best adaptations of Stephen King's work ever. However, unlike most of the legendary author’s writing, this isn’t a horror or a dark thriller, instead, “Stand By Me” is an earnest tale of friendship and the innocence of youth. It sees four young friends embark on an adventure to find a dead body in 1960s Maine — well it is still a King story, so there has to be a bit of gore involved — and how this shapes them for life.
Four young boys (played by Will Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Jerry O’Connell) head into the woods on a quest to find the dead body with a real spring in their step but along the way, the best pals encounter all sorts of obstacles from a gang of hoodlums to a marsh crawling with leeches. However, what starts as merely a spur-of-the-moment way to pass a hot summer afternoon, quickly becomes a defining event in their young lives.
Watch on Netflix until Feb. 28
