Netflix begins March like a lion with a dozen movies and series (Mar 1, 2025)

As always, Netflix brings the goods with the arrival of the new month. There aren't any new blockbusters on the schedule today; those are coming later this month. But a lot of great movies and shows hit the screen today.

Yeah, that's not exactly the best sales pitch, I know. But there's no shortage of star power, both in front and behind the camera. Ewan McGregor, Gene Hackman, Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, John Cusack, Rachel Weisz, Benicio del Toro, and Harrison Ford star, while filmmakers like Ridley Scott, Denis Villeneuve, and Taylor Sheridan craft the vision.

There are several modern classics on the bill, including a trio that are regarded as some of the best of their respective genres. Crime drama, science fiction, and war movies all get their due today. There are some originals, to be sure. A pair of anime series make their Netflix debut, as well as a Korean rom-com romance series. What, no straight-up K-drama? Anyway, let's dive in, fam.

Netflix begins March with a modern classic

No need to waste time. One of my favorite films of all time is Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. Yes, there are seven different versions of the science fiction classic, and yes, that's ridiculous. We can ignore two of them as the first was the workprint, a rough cut only shown to a pair of test audiences. The second was a preview only shown once in San Diego and only had a few short scenes which were then cut.

The theatrical cut that debuted in the U.S. in 1982 is ironically the most controversial version. If you remember Harrison Ford giving his world-weary narration during the film, this is the version you know. The European market got a somewhat more violent release, which appeared on home video ten years later as the International version. CBS toned down the U.S. theatrical cut for broadcast, so we're already up to five.

Now it gets really interesting. Well, it does to me, anyway. Blade Runner Director's Cut was released in 1992 and made several major changes to the film. Scott was brought back in to make revisions - hence the "director" in the title. The narration, imposed by the studio after test audiences were a bit confused by the plot, was excised. From the changes studios have made after test screenings, these audiences are apparently comprised of idiots.

But Scott was busy with pre and post-production on two other films and still wasn't quite satisfied. Happily, the studio brought him back again 15 years later. The film was digitally remastered, some scenes of the European release were added back, and the famous dream sequence - that's all I'm saying about it - was extended. 2007's Blade Runner: The Final Cut is Scott's perfected vision of the story.

I still have a soft spot for Ford's 40's-style hard-boiled narration, but this is indeed the best version of the film. Oh, what's it about? Um...a guy hunts down androids in a very rainy future L.A. Yes, it's far more than that, and It's truly one of the great science fiction films and a must-see film.

Surprise; there's more than one movie arriving on the first

Okay, don't worry, I'm not about to go into so much detail with the rest of the slate. I'll just say that Black Hawk Down is another modern classic, also from Ridley Scott. A rarity among war movies, it shows the failure of a mission. It also highlights the courage and determination of all involved in the firefight. Netflix debuted the excellent documentary Surviving Black Hawk Down just a couple of weeks ago for those who want more.

The third classic is the action/crime drama/modern western Sicario. Yes, it is all that, and a bag of whatever the cool kids say these days. It stars Josh Brolin and Emily Blunt as a CIA operative and FBI agent tasked with ending the operations of a Mexican drug cartel. Brolin's character is prepared to do whatever it takes to succeed, while Blunt's idealistic agent isn't as ready to flout the letter of the law.

Benicio del Toro is the enigmatic third player, who blurs the lines of morality even further. Taylor Sheridan, who has single-handedly revitalized the modern Western (Yellowstone, Land Man, Tulsa King), directed the gripping action thriller.

Those are just my favorites. You can also catch 2014's Annie, with Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx. You may remember that pairing from the distant past of January release Back in Action. The 2003 legal thriller Runaway Jury stars Gene Hackman and John Cusack, and serves as a reminder that for about a decade, every other drama was based on a book by John Grisham. For a major change of pace, catch 2012's Ted, starring Mark Wahlberg as the owner of the world's most filthy-minded teddy bear. Ted 2 just arrived on Netflix on the 16th, so...yeah, blame the licensing deals, not me.

There's also the anime series Cells at Work: Code Black!, a stand-alone follow-up to - you guessed it - Cells at Work, already on your favorite streaming service. Another anime series, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, arrives on March 1st. The international hits keep coming with season 1 of the Japanese drama Hirugao, and the action thriller Cell 211 from Spain.

You can also catch Midnight in the Switchgrass, starring Bruce Willis and Megan Fox. Honestly, you've seen the two cops with different styles track down a serial killer done much better, but if you're a fan of Willis, it's worth a look. Just the fact that Machine Gun Kelly is in the cast knocks two stars off the film for me.

And finally, a Netflix original. The Potato Lab follows the mad romance between a Russet and a Yukon Gold. Can they find true love, despite being different varietals? Oh, my bad - I think that's the plot of an unproduced sequel to Seth Rogen's Sausage Party. The Potato Lab is that romantic Korean comedy/drama series I mentioned earlier. The first of 12 episodes debuts March 1st, with new episodes coming every Saturday and Sunday. Sorry, all you binge freaks out there, you have to watch this old-school style.

New on Netflix today: March 1st

• Annie
• Black Hawk Down
• Blade Runner: The Final Cut
• Cell 211
• Cells at Work: Code Black! season 1
• Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End season 1
• Hirugao season 1
• Midnight in the Switchgrass
• Runaway Jury
• Sicario
• Ted
• The Potato Lab season 1

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