All the Horror You Need to Stream in February 2023

Welcome to Horrorscope, a monthly column keeping horror nerds and initiates up to date on all the horror content coming to and leaving your favorite streaming services. Here’s what to watch in February 2023:

February is upon us, boils and ghouls! The shortest month of the year flies by in a jiffy, so more than ever, it’s important to have a plan. And for horror fans, that means sussing out what to prioritize on the ever-expanding streaming landscape. Personally speaking, when I’m having a look at each month’s offerings, I like to focus on a good mix of new offerings and oldies that have started collecting dust on my Letterboxd watchlist. This February, my highlighted horror picks represent this balance, so brace yourself for some vintage spooks and fresh frights. You can have it all, dear reader, I promise.

All that said: be sure to peruse the complete list below, calendar in hand, for a full picture of what horror movies are coming and going from your favorite streaming services in February 2022.

Please keep in mind that all dates listed below may not apply to viewers outside the US.

February 2023 Horror Streaming Cheat Sheet

• Should you so desire, you could watch the first three films in the Scary Movie franchise, which will be available on HBO Max as of the first of the month (and for you overachievers, the fourth film will be on Prime Video on the 1st as well);
• Another trilogy: the first three films in the Scream franchise will be available on Peacock on the first of the month;
• Sickos, pay attention: the first and second Nekromantik movies are streaming on Shudder on February 13th;
• New-ish releases kicking around this month include:
  • Last & First Men (2020) on Shudder as of Feb 1st; Skinamarink (2023) as of Feb 2nd; Attachment (2023) as of Feb 9th; The Witch Part 2: The Other One (2022) as of Feb 16th; Nocebo (2023) as of Feb 24th;
  • Jeepers Creepers: Reborn (2022) on Hulu as of Feb 3rd; Project Legion (2022) on Hulu as of Feb 4th; Piggy (2022) as of Feb 9th; Something in the Dirt (2021) as of Feb 10th; Slayers (2022) as of Feb 19th; The Reef Stalked (2022) as of Feb 24th;
  • Viking Wolf (2021) on Netflix as of Feb 3rd; Re/Member (2023) as of Feb 14th; We Have a Ghost (2023) as of Feb 24th;
  • House of Darkness (2022) on Disney+ as of Feb 10th;
  • Devil’s Workshop (2022) on Peacock as of Feb 6th;
  • Beast (2022) on Prime Video as of Feb 7th; Halloween Ends (2022) as of Feb 14th; Smile (2022) as of Feb 21st;

The streaming service champion of the month is Hulu, for bringing a notable amount of brand new titles to their library (one of which, Jeepers Creepers: Reborn, I would advise you not to watch for reasons).

The streaming service dunce of the month is, regrettably, Freevee. I hate dunking on a free service, but then again, as Tubi shows us time and time again, being free is no excuse for having a lackluster catalog. Do better.

Collection Corner: February 2022 Horror Streaming

• ARROW
  • Charles Band: The Puppetmaster (as of Feb 3rd)
    • “Triple-threat writer-producer-director Charles Band has been pulling the strings making horror, sci-fi, and fantasy features since the 70s, and his films were a massive part of making the 1980s home video boom, well, boom.”
    • Titles include Puppet Master, Doctor Mordrid, and Trancers.
  • Killer Tech (as of Feb 6th)
    • “From cursed videotapes and phone calls to the dangers of the dark web and vicious virtual reality, ARROW’s newest, smallest, lightest, fastest, most expensive curated collection doesn’t just have the best screen, largest amount of storage, and the coolest camera – it also comes with a guarantee that the newest tech equals instant death.”
    • Titles include .com For Murder, Laguna Ave, and Edge of the Axe.
  • Cinematic Void Selects (as of Feb 10th)
    • “CV film programmer Jim Branscome has selected a few of his favorite films of the genre for your viewing pleasure”
    • Titles include Blood and Black Lace, Deadly Games, and Deep Red.
  • Jean Rollin: The Fantastique Collection Part IV (as of Feb 14th)
    • “Led by the brand new and exclusive documentary from the mind of EuroCult expert Kat Ellinger, Orchestrator of Storms, welcome to our final volume of horrifying dream-like sauce from the master of conjuring up erotic nightmare fuel, Jean Rollin, The Fantastique Collection Part IV.”
    • Titles include The Living Dead Girl, Lost in New York, and Dracula’s Fiancee.

Horror Streaming Highlights for February 2023

Pick of the Month: Skinamarink (2023)

Synopsis: It’s the mid-90s, and Kevin has roused his sister while sleepwalking. Before they can rub the sleep from their eyes, the two children can’t find their dad. But he’s not the only thing that’s vanished. Unable to locate any of the doors and windows. Soon, other objects begin to disappear, too … and an eerie voice begins to beckon from the darkness.

The Film Twitter indie-horror breakout du jour, Skinamarink‘s presence here should come as no surprise. Filmed in writer-director Kyle Edward Ball’s childhood home in Edmonton, Alberta, Skinamarink is a low-budget door kick of a debut that has enjoyed one hell of a digital word-of-mouth campaign. Made on a paltry 15,000 USD budget, Skinamarink‘s effectiveness scare-wise will depend on your level of immersion. For best results, turn off the lights, hide your phone, and lock your doors.

Available on Shudder on February 2nd.

A top-shelf horror anthology to diversify your watchlist this Black History Month

Synopsis: Great horror anthologies may be hard to come by, but you can’t go wrong with this bone-rattling 1995 hoot. With classic tales of comeuppance and a well-known framing format, this bag of nasty tricks infuses a slew of deadly serious issues with some ghoulish tongue-in-cheek scares.

Directed and co-written by Rusty Cundieff, Tales from the Hood has carved out a space for itself as one of the gems of Black horror. The anthology format allows the film to tackle a slew of pressing issues within the Black community without feeling crowded or exploitative. The film was executive produced by Spike Lee and boasts a far more grounded and self-assured tone than its goofy marketing would have you believe. There’s a reason the film featured in the top three of our “Best Horror Anthology Segments” list — Tales from the Hood is no joke.

Available on Tubi (FOR FREE) on February 1st.

Ah yes, the scariest horror villain: teenagers

Synopsis: Relentlessly bullied by cruel bullies and her poor excuse for friends, summer is torture for the teenage Sara. However, when actual torture enters the mix (i.e. the kidnapping of her tormentors by a mysterious stranger), Sara finds herself in a strange position: should she tell the authorities what she saw? Or forget the whole thing ever happened? 

A darling of the festival circuit, Piggy (2022) was written and directed by Carlota Pereda, a feature-length adaptation of her own short film of the same name. Presented in an intimate 1.33:1 aspect ratio, this Spanish-language flick really epitomizes the frightful edge of the B-movie horror-thriller genre. If you like horror films that say “fuck them kids” but crave a modern twist, Piggy is a bloody must-watch. It’s a neat little film, and in my opinion, Laura Galán‘s performance is worth the price of admission.

Available on Hulu on February 9th.

The Austrian Cyperdyke apocalypse is finally here

Synopsis: The year is 2700, and the toxic crater city known as Asche provides the setting for the intertwined lives of three women: a comic book artist, a pyromaniac, and a reptile-loving alien.

While some formal identifiers cannot be denied, the definition of what makes a horror movie a horror movie is often a matter of personal opinion. I’ve seen hours-long debates erupt as to whether or not certain thrillers tip the scales hard enough to qualify for horror status. And you’d be surprised how arbitrary the more questionable cases can be. A fact I regularly internalize while identifying “horror” films across a variety of streaming services each month.

I bring this up because not everyone is going to accept that I’ve flagged Ursula Pürrer, A. Hans Scheirl, and Dietmar Schipek‘s 1991 film as a horror film. But in my opinion, Flaming Ears is weird, culty, and alternative enough to comfortably eke out a place for itself on the genre’s margins. It’s underground. It’s very gay. And it’s definitely weird enough that you freaks should give it a watch.

Available on The Criterion Channel on February 1st.

Streamable Horror Incoming This Month

Horror Titles Expiring from Streaming Soon