The beginning of a new year is generally considered to be something of a slow season at the movies. Some awards hopefuls are still arriving at theaters after qualifying runs in major markets like New York and Los Angeles (The Zone of Interest and Origin being a couple of examples), but the general rule is that other releases during this period are, well, misfits or titles that the studios don’t have as much confidence in.
Still, over the years there have been plenty of winners that have made a significant impact. The Silence of the Lambs came out in February of 1991 and went on to win Best Picture at the Oscars some 13 months later. Other titles like The Lego Movie in 2014 and Get Out in 2017 also took home awards and were massive box office smashes. So, it’s time to look ahead at some of the potential sleepers arriving at cinemas in the next couple of months. As always, remember that release dates may also shift a bit.
This week sees the release of the Jason Statham action picture, The Beekeeper (MGM/Miramax), alongside the biblical drama/comedy The Book of Clarence (Sony). The latter stars LaKeith Stanfield as a gladiator who tries to impersonate the Messiah.
Those looking for more laughs can stream the comedy Lift (Netflix), about a team of thieves who attempt to steal $500 million in gold mid-flight from a passenger with ties to a terrorist cell. Kevin Hart, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sam Worthington, Vincent D’Onofrio, Billy Magnussen and Jean Reno headline the title.
The musical/comedy Mean Girls (Paramount) is also arriving in theaters. Back in 2004, this teen comedy about a high school student battling a nasty teen clique proved to be a big hit and was later turned into a Broadway musical. The latest edition is based on that Broadway show.
Jan. 19 sees the release of the horror/comedy, Founders Day (Dark Sky). This satire follows a tense mayoral election that turns deadly with the arrival of a masked killer. Additionally, science-fiction enthusiasts can check out I.S.S. (Bleeker Street). As the title suggests, the story is set on an International Space Station with a crew from both the U.S. and Russia. After war breaks out on the Earth below, those onboard are forced to contend with the devastating consequences.
The month ends with Miller’s Girl (Lionsgate). It’s a thriller with Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega about a creative writing teacher whose talented student decides to seduce and manipulate him in order to inspire her work and forward her career. Additionally, the comedy The Underdoggs (MGM) involves an ex-football legend who gets into trouble with the law and is forced to perform community service. He ends up being assigned to help coach a group of kids in a youth football league. The cast includes Snoop Dogg, Tika Sumpter, Mike Epps, George Lopez and Kal Penn.
On Feb. 2, the action/comedy Argylle (Universal) hopes to make an impression. Directed by Matthew Vaughn (X-Men: First Class and the Kingsman series), the story follows a shy novelist who specializes in writing spy thrillers. When her latest release comes too close to uncovering an actual conspiracy, heroic and sinister spies come out of the woodwork to ask for help or try to assassinate the author. It stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Catherine O’Hara, John Cena, Bryam Cranston and Samuel L. Jackson.
Orion and the Dark (Netflix) will be available to stream on the same day. It is an animated feature about a child dealing with his irrational fears, including the dark. When a dark figure emerges from his closet, the boy is thrust on an adventure that changes his perception of the world around him.
Speaking of animated pictures, Tiger’s Apprentice (Paramount+) is a feature that will be appearing on this studio’s streaming service. It’s about a Chinese-American boy who becomes a martial arts apprentice to a man who can morph into a tiger. The voice cast includes Michelle Yeoh, Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Henry Golding and Bowen Yang.
Comedy fans might want to give Scrambled (Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions) a try. It follows a wild and single 34-year-old woman who wonders if she wants children and contemplates a procedure to freeze her eggs. The film stars Leah McKendrick, Clancy Brown and June Diane Raphael.
The weekend of Feb. 9 brings It Ends with Us (Sony). This Blake Lively movie seems tailored to those interested in a Valentine’s Day romance story. Adapted from a 2016 book by Colleen Hoover, it follows a young woman who dreams of opening a floral shop. She starts a relationship with a surgeon who has rage issues, which rise to the surface after the lead runs into an old flame.
Lisa Frankenstein (Focus Features) is a horror/comedy written by Diablo Cody (Juno, Young Adult, Tully) that features a teenager using body parts to build a perfect boyfriend for herself. It opens on the very same weekend.
On Feb. 14 the biopic Bob Marley: One Love (Paramount) is arriving at theaters. Kingsley Ben-Adir plays the famous reggae musician and viewers see his rise to fame and his premature death from cancer.
Superhero fans may be interested in the Marvel adaptation, Madame Web (Sony). This title doesn’t fall into the big Disney franchise, but is connected to the Spider-Man universe. Dakota Johnson plays a paramedic who can see into (and change) the future. Her efforts to help some teenagers may result in the origin of Spider-Woman.
Two days later on Feb. 16, the independent drama Bleeding Love (Vertical Entertainment) arrives. It follows an estranged father and daughter on a road trip through the American southwest after she almost dies from a drug overdose. Ewan McGregor stars with his real-life daughter, Clara McGregor.
Additionally, the action picture Land of Bad (The Avenue) features a drone pilot trying to help with a military mission gone wrong in the Philippines. The cast includes Liam Hemsworth, Russell Crowe and Luke Hemsworth.
Things start to heat up at the end of the month with perhaps the most notable release thus far. Drive-Away Dolls (Focus Features) is a dark comedy from Ethan Coen (of the Coen Brothers) about two young female friends who go on a road trip and end up bumping into a group of inept criminals. It stars Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon.
And a major blockbuster arrives at cinemas on March 1. After its release delay (due to the lengthy writer’s and actor’s strike last year), the science-fiction epic Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros.) from Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, Dune) will finally pick up the story from the 2021 film and complete the story. Based on the classic novel by Frank Herbert, Timothy Chalamet returns as lead Paul Atreides, who will harness the power of the spice and lead an army into a presumably spectacular confrontation with the villainous Harkonnen.
The month will also see a few franchise efforts like Kung Fu Panda 4 (Universal/Dreamworks) and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Sony) appear at theaters.
Here’s hoping that there are some unexpected winners and impressive spectacles headed our way in the coming weeks.
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By Glenn Kay
For the Sun
