January is, by a long stretch, one of the worst months of the year. There’s a reason it's commonly labeled the month-long “Monday morning,” and even has a day nicknamed “Blue Monday” contained within it. Christmas is over, and the over-indulgent festivities cease. Everyone has piled on the pounds, consumed too much alcohol, and already spent their paycheck. Battling the freezing elements as the working week reconvenes, and we head back to jobs we hate. So, the 31-day comedown begins, and “New Year, New Me” becomes the phrase bandied around on Facebook by single-mothers with as much originality as Scorsese’s The Departed.
January should really be the month of the clean slate, the new dawn. Still, in reality, it’s just a period of overwhelming self-loathing and fractured resolutions that only serve as a reminder of our lack of self-governance and restraint. While it may appear to be the case, it’s not all doom and gloom; for one, Netflix is visibly feasting on our collective seasonal depression, our lack of economic stability, and the fact no one wants to go out, with their tasty January offerings that will certainly ease our January blues…
Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street (Jan. 4)
If we allowed the film industry to shape our view on Wall Street practices, the entire stock exchange would be shrouded in allegations of illegitimacy and corruption. The Netflix original documentary, Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street details the various illegal escapades of Bernie Madoff, and his infamous Ponzi scheme.
The Kings of the World (Jan. 4)
Written and directed by Laura Mora Ortega, the Colombian coming-of-age drama The Kings of the World follows the story of Rá (Carlos Andres Castañeda) and his four friends, Culebro, Winny, Sere, and Nano, who grow up parentless on the streets of Medellín. Forming what is essentially a brotherhood, the group cherishes values of friendship, respect, and dignity, and embarks on a mission to locate a piece of land that Rá’s grandmother once live on before being illegally evicted by Colombian paramilitaries, with the aim of reclaiming it as his own.
The Pale Blue Eye (Jan. 6)
For cinephiles, Scott Cooper’s screen adaptation of author Louis Bayard’s novel, The Pale Blue Eye, is perhaps the most intriguing of Netflix’s January acquisitions. Cooper has built quite the esteemed film catalog with 2009’s Crazy Heart, 2015’s Black Mass, and 2017’s Hostiles. He ollaborates once again with Christian Bale, who plays Detective Augustus Landor, who investigates several gruesome murders with the help of a young Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling).
Cooper also reunites with cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi, who will no doubt bring a natural eye for capturing the harshness of terrains, and a distinct wintry color grade that provides the snowy forest milieu an eerie edge. With 2022 full of modern murder mysteries, 2023 starts where the preceding year left off.
Noise (Jan. 11)
The Mexican film Noise (or Ruido) is a provocative, heartbreaking drama about a mother’s anguish following the disappearance of her daughter, Ger. The film confronts the issue of widespread violence in Mexico, particularly the apparent war against women, as Julia desperately searches for her girl.
Dog Gone - 13th January
There is more to this inspiring true story than a lost dog, although for fans of Marley and Me and Bolt, that is more than enough. The Netflix movie Dog Gone concerns the tale of a father and son’s hike through the Appalachian Mountains to find their lost dog. The film stars Rob Lowe and Johnny Berchtold as the fractious father-son duo who use their mutual goal of finding their beloved pooch to repair their relationship.
Mission Majnu (Jan. 20)
After the massive success of the Indian movie RRR, Netflix is set to add another Bollywood title to its rapidly-growing list, with Shantanu Bagchi’s Mission Majnu. The Indian spy-thriller, tells the true story of a covert mission in 1970s Pakistan, the largest undercover operation in the country’s rich history.
You People - (Jan. 27)
Jonah Hill’s exploration into the world of filmmaking continues with You People. Since his directorial debut coming in the form of 2018’s Mid90s, Hill has gone on to produce 2019’s Richard Jewell, direct 2022’s Stutz, and has co-written the upcoming Netflix original You People. The dark-comedy examines the States' ever-changing political and social landscape.
The film takes viewers into the intimate story of Ezra Cohen (Jonah Hill) and his fiancé, Amira (Lauren London), who contend with the cultural differences and expectations of their interracial relationship, and their respective families. You People stars comedy genius Eddie Murphy, and will surely be a much-needed, light-hearted social commentary on the ridiculousness of socially constructed racial disparities.
Pamela: A Love Story (Jan. 31)
Pamela: A Love Story, a documentary set for release in late January, chronicles the rise of Baywatch star Pamela Anderson as she goes from unassuming country girl to national sweetheart and international superstar. Her story, told in her own words (as opposed to the very funny Hulu miniseries Pam & Tommy), is set to be the most authentic portrayal of her life to date, as she opens up about the turbulence of fame, her infamous sex tape, and the ups and downs of her relationships.