Netflix in January: 5 top movies and shows coming to the streamer

We're now right on the cusp of January, meaning the new year is almost upon us. With a new year comes new streaming drops, though, and that means movies and shows that we can sink our teeth into, sometimes after weeks of waiting for them to arrive.

If you're a Netflix subscriber and want proof that you've chosen the best streaming service available to you, look no further. I've gone through the forthcoming release calendar with a fine-toothed comb for you, and I've picked out five highlights that you need to know about. These are the shows and movies that you're absolutely going to want to add to your watchlist.

Back in Action

Back in Action | Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz | Official Teaser | Netflix - YouTube

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• Streaming from: Friday 17 January

If you want to convince people to watch a new action movie, getting huge stars to front it is quite a good tactic. Jamie Foxx is a big one, and Cameron Diaz is another, so Netflix has gone big for Back In Action. They play a married couple with a hidden past that catches up with them in a big way.

It's clear that this will be something of an action-comedy, a genre that has brought Netflix some huge chart-toppers in the last couple of years. Expect funny back-and-forth alongside some really satisfying fights and shoot-outs, as the two leads bounce off each other. Heck, it could even be the start of a new franchise.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube

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• Streaming from: Friday 3 January

Now, this one might just be my most anticipated Netflix film of the last year – the return of two iconic characters in the lead roles, but more importantly the revival of Feathers McGraw. Possibly the most evil penguin of all time, he's back and plotting the downfall of both Wallace and Gromit once again.

It has all the hallmarks of Aardman's best work, and looks set to expand the Wallace & Gromit story without trampling on what's come before. Best of all, it's also airing on the BBC this Christmas, so if you're in the UK you can already catch it on iPlayer now.

American Primeval

American Primeval | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube

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• Streaming from: Thursday 9 January

If what you want this January is a new series to sink into, rather than a movie, American Primeval looks ideal. From some of the creators of the blockbuster that was The Revenant, it looks like a brutal and bloody story of the American frontier. Telling the story of a desperate mother trying to get her child to safety, the trailer makes it look hectic.

It also looks like a huge amount of location shooting has taken place, so you can expect to see some truly wild expanses in the background of its gunfights, horseback chases, ranch invasions and more. It's got all the right signs to suggest it could be something special.

XO, Kitty: Season 2

XO, Kitty: Season 2 | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube

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• Streaming from: Thursday 16 January

This spin-off from To All The Boys I've Loved Before has become a big success in its own right, focusing on the sassy younger sister from that series as she makes her own way through life in South Korea. Predictably, she's got troubles in love, with multiple suitors to sort through.

The show's second season looks like it'll up the stakes even further, with new characters to meet and even a big family secret to uncover. At the centre of it all will be Kitty, charming as ever and with a razor-sharp with that has helped her become such a fan favourite.

Cunk On Life

Cunk On Life | Sneak Peek | Netflix - YouTube

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• Streaming from: Thursday 2 January

Starting the month off but ending my list, this looks like another treat for anyone looking to get some belly laughs out of their system just as the new year starts. Charlie Brooker's creation, Philomena Cunk (played by Diane Morgan) has become a huge (fake) celebrity in her own right.

Expect the mockumentary format taken to new heights, as beloved presenter Cunk travels around the world to uncover just why it is the way it is. That means talking to geologists, astrophysicists and more, asking the densest possible questions the whole way. It should be a total treat.