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3 underrated movies you need to watch in February 2025

A woman stands over a railing in Parthenope.
A24

January has been a slow month for new theatrical releases. That’s to be expected, considering the month carries the nickname “Dumpuary,” which signals the movies in January and February that studios release without much hope for critical acclaim and box office returns. Flight Risk is the latest addition to the Dumpuary canon.

Dumpuary doesn’t always mean “bad.” Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is a solid heist movie, while Steven Soderbergh crafted a nifty ghost story in Presence. As we look toward February, Captain America: Brave New World is at the top of the slate for new releases. Beyond Captain America, there is a slew of underrated movies in February, including an A24 coming-of-age story, a Mubi thriller, and an end-of-the-world romance.

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Parthenope (February 7 in theaters)

Parthenope | Official Trailer HD | A24

Italian filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino has not directed a movie since 2021’s The Hand of God, which received an Oscar nomination for Best International Feature Film. The movie was about a young male coming of age in 1980s Italy. His new film for A24, Parthenope, spotlights a young woman’s search for love and happiness.

Parthenope (Celeste Dalla Porta) was named after the city in Naples. As she becomes a young woman, Parthenope garners attention from everyone in her orbit: teenagers, young adults, and old professionals. It’s Parthenope’s boyfriends who obsess over her the most. Like most of Sorrentino’s films, Parthenope uses the picturesque Italian setting to his advantage in this coming-of-age tale.

Bring Them Down (February 7 in theaters)

BRING THEM DOWN | Official Trailer | Coming Soon

It’s a showdown between Barry Keoghan and Christopher Abbott in Bring Them Down. Set in Ireland, Abbott plays Michael, a shepherd who takes over for his ill father, Ray (Colm Meaney). Michael becomes embroiled in a dispute involving a rival farmer, Gary (Paul Ready), and his son, Jack (Keoghan).

The ensuing conflict brings out the worst in both sides, especially Michael, who holds a dark family secret that could destroy his family. Keoghan is known for bringing chaotic energy to his characters, like he did in The Killing of a Sacred Deer and Saltburn. Combine that with the steadiness of Abbott, and Bring Them Down becomes a fascinating cat-and-mouse thriller.

When I’m Ready (February 7 in theaters, February 14 on digital)

When I'm Ready | Official Trailer

What would you do if the world was coming to an end? Who would you spend your final days with? Rose (June Schreiner) and Michael (Andrew Ortenberg) pick to experience humanity’s impending doom together in Andrew Johnson’s When I’m Ready. The last-ditch effort to destroy an asteroid hurling toward Earth fails, meaning humanity has less than a week until impact.

With extinction imminent, Rose and Michael embark on a road trip to experience the world’s pleasures one last time. One of the tasks on Rose’s list is to see her grandmother before dying. As the young lovers trek across the country, they interact with an eclectic group of individuals, including Julia (Lauren Cohan) and Keith (Dermot Mulroney). For those needing a little carpe diem inspiration, When I’m Ready feels like that kind of movie.

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Dan Girolamo
Dan is a passionate and multitalented content creator with experience in pop culture, entertainment, and sports. Throughout…
3 sci-fi movies on Peacock you need to watch in February 2025
Will Smith looking at a row of robots in I, Robot.

Peacock is home to some great original TV shows like Twisted Metal and The Day of the Jackal. But if a movie is what you desire, the streamer has plenty of those, too. In fact, Peacock adds new movie titles each month to its list of offerings to delight those who want to watch a library title again or for the first time.
If you’re really into sci-fi, chances are you have seen these three sci-fi movies on Peacock you need to watch in February 2025. But they’re all movies worth watching again. If you have never seen them, you won’t be disappointed to watch them for the first time.

Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new movies to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
The Fifth Element (1997)
THE FIFTH ELEMENT [1997] – Anniversary Trailer
A Bruce Willis classic, The Fifth Element was often used to demo the latest and greatest TVs in stores and at trade shows when it was released on DVD and later Blu-ray. And for good reason: it’s a stunningly visual cinematic masterpiece. The sci-fi action movie is set in the future 23rd century, where Korbon Dallas (Willis), a taxi driver, unwittingly becomes responsible for helping the Earth survive an attack. Thankfully, Dallas was also a former special forces major, so he knows a thing or two about defending against enemies and how to fight. Together, he and Leeloo (Mila Jovovich), a mysterious young woman who gets into his cab, fight the cosmic entity looking to take over the planet.
Dubbed one of those fantastic campy action movies, our writer calls The Fifth Element “camp in its purest and most unadulterated form, a guilty pleasure if ever there was one.” He lauds the “intentionally, over-the-top” stories as “completely irresistible.” Plus, who can resist a good, old-fashioned Bruce Willis action movie? Add sci-fi to the mix, and The Fifth Element is one of those movies you’ll never get tired of watching.

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3 underrated movies on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in February 2025
Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell reluctantly dancing together in You're Cordially Invited.

It’s a lazy February evening or weekend. Perhaps the weather outside is atrocious, and you just want to stay in and veg on the couch. Maybe it’s Valentine’s Day, and you curl up with your partner after dinner to watch a good flick. Amazon Prime Video is a good place to start.
You might think you've seen everything worth watching on the streamer, but think again. These are three underrated movies on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in February 2025.
Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new movies to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
You’re Cordially Invited (2025)
You're Cordially Invited - Final Trailer | Prime Video
The fact that You're Cordially Invited is so new makes it underrated. Early reviews have been mixed, but we suspect they’ll improve as more and more people watch. Or it could be the case of yet another comedy film that gets unsavory reviews yet is still downright fun to watch. The cast alone will pique your interest, made up of a who’s who of comedy, including Will Ferrell, Reese Witherspoon, and Meredith Hagner, a scene stealer in the Apple TV+ series Bad Monkey. In You're Cordially Invited, a wedding venue is double booked. One bride, Jenni (Geraldine Viswanathan), and her dad, Jim (Will Ferrell), prepare for war with the other bride, Neve (Meredith Hagner), and her sister and wedding planner, Margot (Reese Witherspoon).
As one of the most anticipated Amazon Prime Video movies of 2025, You’re Cordially Invited is one of those silly wedding comedies to watch when there’s nothing else on. Richard Roeper of Chicago Sun-Times says that Ferrell and Witherspoon “play off each other with impeccable timing, and the supporting cast is universally terrific.”

Stream You’re Cordially Invited on Amazon Prime Video.
Blink Twice (2024)
BLINK TWICE | Official Trailer
Blink Twice received decent reviews, but it’s one of those movies that’s easy to pass over, especially when so many other great movies came out last year alongside it. If you haven’t yet watched the psychological thriller, check it out. Directed and produced by Zoe Kravitz and starring Channing Tatum, it’s about a nail artist and cocktail waitress named Frida (Naomi Ackie) who crosses paths with a billionaire tech mogul named Slater (Tatum) one night at an event where she’s working. He invites her and her friend Jess (Alia Shawkat) to a private island; they think it’s an opportunity of a lifetime. At first, it seems this is indeed the case. But then, strange things start happening.
You should watch to find out where the story goes, as it takes creepy twists and turns. Radio Times’ Jeremy Aspinall praises the “stylish visuals and foreboding sound” that “deftly tease out the mystery until a furious finale reveals the sinister truth.”

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3 underrated shows on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in February 2025
A woman police officer tries to console a male officer, hands on her shoulders in On Call.

Amazon Prime Video has many great TV shows you can watch with a subscription, from originals like Reacher and Cross to older network shows like Elementary and Chuck, and even old classics like Columbo. But if you dig deeper through the content library, you’ll find some hidden gems, too.
These three underrated shows on Amazon Prime Video in February 2025 are probably ones you haven’t heard of, or at least didn’t consider watching. But you might find that they are exactly what you need when you’re scrolling through the endless library and seemingly can’t find anything else to watch.

Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new shows to stream this week, as well as the best shows on Netflix, the best shows on Hulu, the best shows on Amazon Prime Video, the best shows on Max, and the best shows on Disney+.
On Call (2025)
On Call - Official Trailer | Prime Video
How many police procedurals can you watch? Do you really need another one in your life? You might! On Call is a brand-new Amazon original created by Dick Wolf, the man behind some of the biggest police procedurals ever to grace the small screen, like Law & Order and the Chicago franchise. Set in Long Beach, Traci Harmon (Troian Bellisario) is a veteran training officer, and Alex Diaz (Brandon Larracuente) is her rookie partner. Each episode follows their investigations into local emergency calls, all while grieving the loss of another officer.
There’s a massive discrepancy in how critics and audiences view this show, according to Rotten Tomatoes, with a 50% versus 90% score. This may have deterred some potential viewers from watching. But considering the positive audience reception, many praised how the show is “believable,” it’s one of those “watch and make a call for yourself” types of shows. Give On Call a few half-hour episodes and go from there.

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