2022 is officially on the scene, thank goodness. Netflix has plenty of excellent stuff coming our way in the coming weeks, but the streaming service is taking an unusual route this week: all of the new original content releases are pretty tame. Fortunately, there’s plenty of licensed content that entered the library as of January 1, so there’s no shortage of potential queue additions for you. So, even if you’ve already watched two of the better new original Netflix show seasons (The Witcher, Cobra Kai) that recently hit the streaming service, then you are still in luck.
Two pretty incredible vampire movies (Interview With The Vampire, The Lost Boys) from decades past arrived this week. Feel free to revisit them or watch them for the first time for all of their pop-culture glory and undeniably beautiful bloodsuckers. In addition, all of The Twilight Saga is still available to stream, but only for about a week longer until those sparkly vamps evaporate.
Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) the streaming platform this week.
Interview With The Vampire (Warner bros. film streaming 1/1)
No one took Tom Cruise seriously when he plucked up this Anne Rice-created role, and boy, did he ever show us. As Lestat, Tom dominated the night while showing the ropes to Louis, portrayed to perfection by a tortured Brad Pitt. Christian Slater and Antonio Banderas shone in their limited roles, and this was the breakout role for young Kirsten Dunst, who proved to be a menacing little Claudia. Not even for a moment will you find this film to be scary, but the performance are captivating, and the Guns ‘n’ Roses finale strikes the right note.
The Lost Boys (Warner Bros. film streaming 1/1)
Lord have mercy. Vampires have never, ever been this cool, and all due credit goes to Joel Schumacher and a menacing, trenchcoat-wearing Kiefer Sutherland for making the annoying Frog Brothers not matter so much here. Dianne Weist and Jamie Gertz and Jason Patric and Alex Winter all hop into this pulpy bloodsucker saga while giving it their all, and that sax guy remains unforgettable. Yep, this was a Coreys project, as well, but one can never forget Kiefer’s immortal chant: “Be one of us.” Yes, please.
The Twilight Saga (Summit Entertainment film leaving 1/15)
These movies weren’t high art, but admittedly, they were incredibly watchable, both from an escapist and a humorist standpoint. Both Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have managed to eclipse the franchise with awards-circuit fare, and back then, who knew that we’d be talking about the latest actress to hit the screen as Princess Diana and a hard-boiled prequel version of Bruce Wayne? Sit back and enjoy the mind candy (along with roles played by Michael Sheen and Billy Burke, Bryce Dallas Howard, and J.D. Pardo, among many others) before it disappears in the sparkle of daylight.
Rebelde: Season 1 (Netflix series streaming 1/5)
Here comes a sequel to the Mexican telenovela/soap opera that’s insanely popular in Argentina. The story revolves around a snooty boarding school where one can barely stomach the drama while students fight during a Battle of the Bands. Everyone here wants a musical career, but of course, there’s romantic and friendship-related hijinks along the way, along with a secret society that’s pulling strings.
Action Pack: Season 1 (Netflix series streaming 1/4)
Park the kiddos in front of this one, so they can follow a new superhero class who operate on both hearts and smarts while vanquishing the villains who descend upon Hope Springs.
The Wasteland (Netflix film streaming 1/7)
A horrible creature begins to wreak havoc upon society, beginning with a family who chooses to live away from society in tranquility, which is suddenly in more jeopardy than it’s ever been before this story began.
Four To Dinner: Season 1 (Netflix series streaming 1/5)
This Italian film follows the Sliding Doors and Ordinary Joe template while four single friends interact in parallel storylines while entering into coupledom.
Here’s a full list of what’s been added in the last week:
Avail. 12/31
Cobra Kai: Season 4
The Lost Daughter
Queer Eye: Season 6
Seal Team
Avail. 1/1
Chief Daddy 2 – Going for Broke
The Hook Up Plan: Season 3
300
1BR
Annie (1982)
Big Fish
Braveheart
Cadillac Records
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
Doing Hard Time
Escaping the NXIVM Cult: A Mother’s Fight To Save Her Daughter
First Sunday
Free Willy
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Geronimo: An American Legend
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
Girl, Interrupted
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
Godzilla (1998)
Gremlins
Happy Feet
Hell or High Water
Hook
I Know What You Did Last Summer
I Love You, Man
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
Interview with the Vampire
Just Go With It
Kung Fu Panda
Linewatch
The Longest Yard (2005)
The Lost Boys
Midnight in Paris
Monsters vs. Aliens
Nacho Libre
The NeverEnding Story
Paranormal Activity
The Patriot
Road Trip
Runaway Bride
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Stand by Me
Superman Returns
Taxi Driver
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2007)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (1990)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Terminator Salvation
The Town
Troy
True Grit (2010)
The Wedding Singer
Wild Wild West
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Woo
Avail. 1/4
Action Pack
Avail. 1/5
Four to Dinner
Rebelde
Avail. 1/6
The Club: Part 2
The Wasteland
Avail. 1/7
Hype House
Johnny Test: Season 2
And here’s what’s leaving next week, so it’s your last chance:
Leaving 1/10
Hardy Bucks: Seasons 1-4
Leaving 1/11
Betty White: First Lady of Television
Leaving 1/15
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Twilight
Leaving 1/17
The Bling Ring
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