“Zoolander 2”: Ten Movies to see in February
Folks, with the Academy Awards still a few weeks away, we can momentarily take a look at something else for the day. What is that, you may ask? Well, today is a look at what else movie theaters will have playing throughout this month, besides the obvious Oscar hopefuls. I do this every single month, as you all know by now, so of course I won’t exclude February. Much like with January, this month gets a reputation as one of the worst for new releases, and while that’s often been well founded, if you look closely enough this month you can find some very solid cinematic options. Consider this list another public service for those of you who have seen all of the Oscar contenders and nominees already. You might even find a gem or two amongst the junk…
Here now are what I think the ten best bets for movies are during the month of February:
10. Zoolander 2 – The long awaited sequel to the cult comedy classic hits on Friday, with Ben Stiller returning to star and direct. Reviews haven’t been particularly good, but this one definitely has an audience. I’m not wild about the first one, but if you were, this is probably something you’ve been looking forward to seeing for some time now. If so, enjoy.
9. Southbound – Another release for this weekend, we have here an indie anthology horror tale. I have a soft spot for these and audiences seem to as well, considering the resurgence of the sub-genre over the past handful of years. Gorehounds will get more out of this than the general public, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye out for.
8. Touched with Fire – Also opening tomorrow is this romance dealing with mental illness. Katie Holmes and Luke Kirby appear to give rather winning performances, so perhaps this can be one of the small scale early year releases to hope for some attention later on in 2016? We shall see…
7. Triple Nine – I’ve seen this cop drama, and while I’m not sure what I can say about it, I will let you know that it has a top tier cast. Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Kate Winslet, and more star here, which on its own would make this something to pay attention to. When I can say more about this flick, believe me, I will.
6. Eddie the Eagle – Buzz has been building for this one ever since it played as a surprise screening at the Sundance Film Festival. Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman star in this true life story of ski jumper Eddie Edwards. This appears to be a real crowd pleaser in the making. I’m not sure it’ll turn into an awards player or anything of the sort, but it seems poised to be a winner otherwise.
5. Hail, Casear! – Last week, audiences got a new movie from the Coen Brothers. Oddly enough, it didn’t do particularly well, with folks like myself not particularly caring for it either. Still, it’s a star studded comedy with amusing turns from the likes of George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson, among others, so it’s not with charm. It’s likely a cult classic in the making, so as more folks come around to it, a second life is probably in the cards.
4. Tumbledown – Now in limited release, this romantic dramedy starring Rebecca Hall and Jason Sudeikis is one I’ve spoken highly of before, especially in terms of the leading man. It’s something that I suspect will do better on VOD and on DVD than anywhere else, but that takes nothing away from the film itself. It’s one of the best bets currently in theaters.
3. The Witch – This horror flick opens next week, and I’ll have more to say about it then, but trust me when I say it’s a top notch genre effort. Perhaps more unsettling and disturbing than outright scary, it’s still going to terrify some, I’m sure of that. It’s not on par wit It Follows, but it’s still way above average for the general February fright flick stock. Sit tight for more on this one soon…
2. Where to Invade Next – Yes, it had an Oscar qualifying run in December, but tomorrow is when Michael Moore’s latest truly opens. I spoke about just how great this documentary is earlier on this week, so consider this another reminder not to miss out on seeing it. Oscar ignored it, but you shouldn’t, plain and simple.
1. Deadpool – This weekend, if you’re not watching Deadpool, you’re really missing out. Ryan Reynolds is terrific, the script is hilarious, and it’s the most fun I’ve had at the movies in some time. I raved about it yesterday and will rave about it again before too long, but with screenings set to begin for it tonight, you owe it to yourself to see this flick!
Honorable Mention: How to Be Single, Nina Forever, and A War
Be sure to check all of these out as the month of February continues!
