The list of new to Netflix movies is a little smaller this month. Instead of a large collection of new flicks hitting the service, in February 2024 only a small handful will be made available to subscribers. Fortunately, there are still a few gems to be found.
The highlights this month include a delightfully charming comedy about an anthropomorphic seashell that wears colorful shoes and travels around inside a tennis ball. There’s also an engrossing sports movie starring Brad Pitt and a multiverse caper that won Best Picture at last year’s Oscar ceremony. The list of new movies added to Netflix this month may be smaller but it’s still pretty mighty.
Every single pick on this list scored at least 90% on the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. While a high critical rating shouldn’t be taken as a cast-iron guarantee that a movie will appeal to you, it’s a great indication that a film is at least worth adding to your watchlist. And if you need even more viewing advice check out our roundup of what’s new on Netflix this month including several binge-watch-worthy TV shows like.
‘Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’ (2021)
Based on a series of viral shorts from the 2010s, “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” is a mockumentary comedy that follows the everyday life of the titular character, a one-inch talking shell that lives in a house with his grandmother. Marcel is small in size but big in personality, and the flick recounts his daily routine and a quest to find his missing family.
More than a little bit quirky, “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” is an absolute delight bursting with optimistic energy and so brilliantly written that you’ll be rewinding regularly just to commit some of Marcel’s musing to memory. While the overall tone is mostly light and breezy, the movie does have a melancholic edge that is surprisingly powerful. Marcel is a character that you will quickly come to adore, and his movie deserves to be seen by all.
Plus, you can buy your very own Marcel paperweight figure on the A24 online store, which is quite possibly the greatest piece of movie merch I've ever seen.
Genre: Comedy
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%
Stream it on Netflix from Feb. 24
‘Moneyball’ (2011)
In “Moneyball,” Brad Pitt plays Billy Beane, a first-round MLB draft pick who was predicted to become an all-time great. Beane never reached those lofty expectations, and after a short, and uneventful, career as a pro player, he transitioned to the front office where he changed the way that people think about baseball by applying statistical analysis to the Oakland A’s player recruitment strategy, a system that was traditionally relying on a scouts gut feeling.
On paper that might not sound like the most compelling subject matter for a biopic, but thanks to a laser-sharp screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian, as well as strong performances from Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt and more, “Moneyball” is elevated into a movie that grips throughout. Don’t believe me? I can testify to its quality because I don’t care a lick about baseball, and yet I’ve watched Moneyball half a dozen times over the past few years.
Genre: Sports
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
Stream it on Netflix
‘X’ (2022)
The first chapter in the X trilogy, which continued in 2022’s “Pearl” and is set to conclude with “MaXXXine” later this year, “X” sees Mia Goth play the dual role of Maxine and Pearl. Maxine is an adult film star full of youth and vigor, while Pearl is an elderly woman who owns the Texas farmhouse that Maxine is visiting to shoot her latest movie along with some pals including Lorraine (Jenna Ortega) and Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow).
Maxine and her husband don’t take too kindly to these big-city filmmakers making a smutty film on their property, and far from being gracious hosts, the husband and wife instead begin to hunt their visitors down in brutal fashion. From its premise, you’d be forgiven for assuming that “X” is nothing more than a cheap B-movie, but it’s surprisingly smart. This is largely because of writer/director Ti West’s expert craft. Plus, there’s more going on below the surface here, and the contrast between Maxine and Pearl makes for a fascinating character study.
Genre: Horror
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
Stream it on Netflix
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” swept last year’s Oscars winning seven golden status (from its 11 nominations) including Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Actress, Supporting Actor and Actress. It was also a critical darling and the one movie that seemingly everybody could not stop talking about when it exploded into theaters in spring 2022.
With so much hype behind it, you might think that it can’t possibly live up to its billing. But you might just be surprised because “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is a rare gem. This ridiculous comedy follows the bizarre adventures of a middle-aged woman (Michelle Yeoh) who gets sucked into a multiverse battle with a nihilistic alternative version of her daughter (Stephaine Hsu). Along for the ride is her bumbling husband (Ke Huy Quan) and an IRS inspector (Jamie Lee Curtis) who is investigating the family for potential tax fraud.
Genre: Adventure
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
Stream it on Netflix from Feb. 23
‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’ (2014)
The first “How to Train Your Dragon” movie was an excellent family romp, and it earned plenty of praise from critics as well. This 2014 sequel is no different. It once again follows the plucky Viking Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel), and his best friend/pet dragon Toothless. After proving that dragons and humans can live together in harmony in the previous movie, “How to Train Your Dragon 2” opens with the world at peace. Naturally, this doesn’t last very long.
For starters, Hiccup’s father (Gerard Butler), the clan’s chief, wants him to take over the reins as the village leader. And there’s then the small matter of a mysterious new dragon rider who turns out to be Hiccup’s long-lost mother, Valka (Cate Blanchett). Plus, there’s a ruthless dragon hunter on the scene named Drago (Djimon Hounsou) with plans for world domination. Hiccup and Toothless once again set out to save the day in this fantastically fun animated adventure. And, yes, the third film in the series is great too. Fingers crossed the trilogy capper is added to Netflix soon.
Genre: Fantasy
Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%
Stream it on Netflix
