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10 Films to See In February
The early months of the year can be bleak for a cinephile, but while one catches up on everything worthwhile from 2013, there are a handful of notable features to seek out this month. While we'll save the VOD titles for our weekly wrap-ups and when they hit theatrical release, one should note the recommended Grand Piano is now available to stream. Moving on to the theatrical releases of February, there's a handful of independent features and some high-profile studio dramas, but animation is king this month. Check out our rundown below and let us know what you're most anticipating in the comments.
Matinees to See: The Pretty One (2/7), Vic + Flo Saw a Bear (2/7), Adult World (2/14), In Secret (2/21), Omar (2/21)
10. Winter's Tale (Akiva Goldsman; Feb. 14th)
Synopsis: A burglar falls for an heiress as she dies in his arms. When he learns that he has the gift of reincarnation, he sets out to save her.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: Every Valentine's Day we seem to get a by-the-numbers romance that hits all the marketable notes (see: Endless Love), so it's refreshing when an entry comes along that looks to be doing things differently. Such is the case with the directorial debut of longtime Hollywood producer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman. Based on Mark Helprin's celebrated novel, the adaptation could easily collapse under the weight of its ambition, but we're hedging our bets that'll be one of more interesting studio releases this season.
9. The Pretty One (Jenée LaMarque; Feb. 7th)
Synopsis: When a woman's identical prettier twin sister dies, the woman assumes her sister's identity, moving into her apartment and the big city.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: Slowly building up an impressive resume the last two years, Zoe Kazan and Jake Johnson have now teamed for this high-concept comedy. We reviewed it out of Tribeca, saying, Its when The Pretty One focuses on Laurels identity crisis in the smallest and most intimate of moments that it truly shine. Its too bad that subplots and clichés hold the film back from being a truly special indictment of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Even still, its a funny and unpretentious study of identity.
8. A Field in England (Ben Wheatley; Feb. 7th)
Synopsis: Three soldiers who, fleeing from a Civil War, escape through an overgrown field and are ambushed by two dangerous men, who make them search the field for treasures.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: After being mostly enamored with Ben Wheatley's last two features -- the nightmarish thriller Kill List and one of the strangest road trip dramas we've seen, Sightseers -- I was slightly let down by his fourth film, but it's still one worth seeking out. Heading back to the Civil War, the black-and-white descent into madness is pulled off, but begins to feel repetitive. Our official TIFF review was more positive, saying, it's "strange, captivating, metaphoric, and utterly obtuse."
7. The Lunchbox (Ritesh Batra; Feb. 28th)
Synopsis: A mistaken delivery in Mumbai's famously efficient lunchbox delivery system connects a young housewife to an older man in the dusk of his life as they build a fantasy world together through notes in the lunchbox.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: After recently dipping his toes into the Hollywood system with The Amazing Spider-Man and Life of Pi, Irrfan Khan has returned to his native land for a new drama, The Lunchbox. Initially premiering at Cannes Film Festival last year, Ritesh Batra's debut film stopped by Sundance last week and will arrive in theaters this month. A sentimental, but seemingly well-crafted story of married woman looking for a connection and finds it through her cooking skills, it looks like one to watch.
6. The Monuments Men (George Clooney; Feb. 7th)
Synopsis: An unlikely World War II platoon are tasked to rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their owners.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: Once destined to be a late-year prestige drama, after a delay, George Clooney's latest film is now arriving this week. Early reviews seem to be mixed, hinting that the director doesn't adequately find an engaging tone, but with lowered expectations, we'll be pleased if it's simply a fun '50's and '60's-esque throwback. Hopefully it'll also be worth watching for the cast alone, which includes our director, Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bob Balaban, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin and Hugh Bonneville.
5. Non-Stop (Jaume Collet-Serra; Feb. 28th)
Synopsis: An air marshal springs into action during a transatlantic flight after receiving a series of text messages that put his fellow passengers at risk unless the airline transfers $150 million into an off-shore account.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: While some cinephiles laud the vulgar auteurism of Paul W.S. Anderson -- note that his latest, Pompeii, doesn't appear on the list I believe there are few more promising B-movie directors than Jaume Collett-Serra. As his adaptation of Akira fell apart, he got back into the Liam Neeson business, crafting what looks to be a delightfully preposterous airplane thriller. The inclusion of some of the best up-and-coming actors (Lupita Nyong'o, Corey Stoll, Scoot McNairy, and Nate Parker) also has us looking forward to more than just Neeson front and center.
4. Jimmy P. (Arnaud Desplechin; Feb. 14th)
Synopsis: A Native American Veteran suffering from a series of psychological issues develops a deeply powerful friendship with his progressive French psychoanalyst as they discover and attempt to understand the source of his illness.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: After his acclaimed 2008 drama A Christmas Tale, director Arnaud Desplechin returned to Cannes last year, reteaming with Mathieu Amalric for the drama Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian, as its original title went by. Although we weren't fans of it at Cannes (one can read our full review), I'm looking forward to giving it a watch, considering the caliber of talented involved.
3. Child's Pose (Calin Peter Netzer; Feb. 19th)
Synopsis: Seeing a way to reassert control over her adult son's life when he faces manslaughter charges, an affluent Romanian woman sets out on a campaign of emotional and social manipulation to keep him out of prison, navigating the waters of power, corruption and influence.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: A key figure in recent Romanian New Wave, Calin Peter Netzer debuted his latest drama to high praise at Berlin Film Festival last year, where it picked up the top prize of the Golden Bear. After a festival tour that included Toronto International Film Festival, London Film Festival, AFI Fest, and more, along with being Romania's official Oscar entry, it'll finally arrive in limited release this month.
2. The LEGO Movie (Phil Lord and Christopher Miller; Feb. 7th)
Synopsis: An ordinary LEGO minifigure, mistakenly thought to be the extraordinary MasterBuilder, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil LEGO tyrant from gluing the universe together.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: For those expecting a dumbed-down feature-length advertisement for the toy line, our full review of The LEGO Movie should be more than enough to convince you otherwise. One of the best studio animations Hollywood has released in the last few years, 21 Jump Street and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller conjure up some of the most impressive, detailed animation I've ever seen. With a witty and affecting script that will appeal to both kids and adults, it's a complete blast.
1. The Wind Rises (Hayao Miyazaki; Feb. 21st)
Synopsis: A look at the life of Jiro Horikoshi, the man who designed Japanese fighter planes during World War II.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: While I don't consider myself a Hayao Miyazaki superfan, I've enjoyed his animation, but always felt at a distance to his work. With his final feature, The Wind Rises, the director loses the fantastical elements his career has been built upon (aside from a few dream sequences) and the result is an emotional connection I've rarely felt in the field of animation. The film deals with obsession, guilt, and loss more effectively than any live-action film I saw last year. Unfortunately Disney's release this month will be dubbed, but the film comes with the highest of recommendations.
Full list of releases:
What are you looking forward to this month?
The early months of the year can be bleak for a cinephile, but while one catches up on everything worthwhile from 2013, there are a handful of notable features to seek out this month. While we'll save the VOD titles for our weekly wrap-ups and when they hit theatrical release, one should note the recommended Grand Piano is now available to stream. Moving on to the theatrical releases of February, there's a handful of independent features and some high-profile studio dramas, but animation is king this month. Check out our rundown below and let us know what you're most anticipating in the comments.
Matinees to See: The Pretty One (2/7), Vic + Flo Saw a Bear (2/7), Adult World (2/14), In Secret (2/21), Omar (2/21)
10. Winter's Tale (Akiva Goldsman; Feb. 14th)
Synopsis: A burglar falls for an heiress as she dies in his arms. When he learns that he has the gift of reincarnation, he sets out to save her.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: Every Valentine's Day we seem to get a by-the-numbers romance that hits all the marketable notes (see: Endless Love), so it's refreshing when an entry comes along that looks to be doing things differently. Such is the case with the directorial debut of longtime Hollywood producer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman. Based on Mark Helprin's celebrated novel, the adaptation could easily collapse under the weight of its ambition, but we're hedging our bets that'll be one of more interesting studio releases this season.
9. The Pretty One (Jenée LaMarque; Feb. 7th)
Synopsis: When a woman's identical prettier twin sister dies, the woman assumes her sister's identity, moving into her apartment and the big city.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: Slowly building up an impressive resume the last two years, Zoe Kazan and Jake Johnson have now teamed for this high-concept comedy. We reviewed it out of Tribeca, saying, Its when The Pretty One focuses on Laurels identity crisis in the smallest and most intimate of moments that it truly shine. Its too bad that subplots and clichés hold the film back from being a truly special indictment of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Even still, its a funny and unpretentious study of identity.
8. A Field in England (Ben Wheatley; Feb. 7th)
Synopsis: Three soldiers who, fleeing from a Civil War, escape through an overgrown field and are ambushed by two dangerous men, who make them search the field for treasures.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: After being mostly enamored with Ben Wheatley's last two features -- the nightmarish thriller Kill List and one of the strangest road trip dramas we've seen, Sightseers -- I was slightly let down by his fourth film, but it's still one worth seeking out. Heading back to the Civil War, the black-and-white descent into madness is pulled off, but begins to feel repetitive. Our official TIFF review was more positive, saying, it's "strange, captivating, metaphoric, and utterly obtuse."
7. The Lunchbox (Ritesh Batra; Feb. 28th)
Synopsis: A mistaken delivery in Mumbai's famously efficient lunchbox delivery system connects a young housewife to an older man in the dusk of his life as they build a fantasy world together through notes in the lunchbox.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: After recently dipping his toes into the Hollywood system with The Amazing Spider-Man and Life of Pi, Irrfan Khan has returned to his native land for a new drama, The Lunchbox. Initially premiering at Cannes Film Festival last year, Ritesh Batra's debut film stopped by Sundance last week and will arrive in theaters this month. A sentimental, but seemingly well-crafted story of married woman looking for a connection and finds it through her cooking skills, it looks like one to watch.
6. The Monuments Men (George Clooney; Feb. 7th)
Synopsis: An unlikely World War II platoon are tasked to rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their owners.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: Once destined to be a late-year prestige drama, after a delay, George Clooney's latest film is now arriving this week. Early reviews seem to be mixed, hinting that the director doesn't adequately find an engaging tone, but with lowered expectations, we'll be pleased if it's simply a fun '50's and '60's-esque throwback. Hopefully it'll also be worth watching for the cast alone, which includes our director, Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bob Balaban, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin and Hugh Bonneville.
5. Non-Stop (Jaume Collet-Serra; Feb. 28th)
Synopsis: An air marshal springs into action during a transatlantic flight after receiving a series of text messages that put his fellow passengers at risk unless the airline transfers $150 million into an off-shore account.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: While some cinephiles laud the vulgar auteurism of Paul W.S. Anderson -- note that his latest, Pompeii, doesn't appear on the list I believe there are few more promising B-movie directors than Jaume Collett-Serra. As his adaptation of Akira fell apart, he got back into the Liam Neeson business, crafting what looks to be a delightfully preposterous airplane thriller. The inclusion of some of the best up-and-coming actors (Lupita Nyong'o, Corey Stoll, Scoot McNairy, and Nate Parker) also has us looking forward to more than just Neeson front and center.
4. Jimmy P. (Arnaud Desplechin; Feb. 14th)
Synopsis: A Native American Veteran suffering from a series of psychological issues develops a deeply powerful friendship with his progressive French psychoanalyst as they discover and attempt to understand the source of his illness.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: After his acclaimed 2008 drama A Christmas Tale, director Arnaud Desplechin returned to Cannes last year, reteaming with Mathieu Amalric for the drama Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian, as its original title went by. Although we weren't fans of it at Cannes (one can read our full review), I'm looking forward to giving it a watch, considering the caliber of talented involved.
3. Child's Pose (Calin Peter Netzer; Feb. 19th)
Synopsis: Seeing a way to reassert control over her adult son's life when he faces manslaughter charges, an affluent Romanian woman sets out on a campaign of emotional and social manipulation to keep him out of prison, navigating the waters of power, corruption and influence.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: A key figure in recent Romanian New Wave, Calin Peter Netzer debuted his latest drama to high praise at Berlin Film Festival last year, where it picked up the top prize of the Golden Bear. After a festival tour that included Toronto International Film Festival, London Film Festival, AFI Fest, and more, along with being Romania's official Oscar entry, it'll finally arrive in limited release this month.
2. The LEGO Movie (Phil Lord and Christopher Miller; Feb. 7th)
Synopsis: An ordinary LEGO minifigure, mistakenly thought to be the extraordinary MasterBuilder, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil LEGO tyrant from gluing the universe together.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: For those expecting a dumbed-down feature-length advertisement for the toy line, our full review of The LEGO Movie should be more than enough to convince you otherwise. One of the best studio animations Hollywood has released in the last few years, 21 Jump Street and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller conjure up some of the most impressive, detailed animation I've ever seen. With a witty and affecting script that will appeal to both kids and adults, it's a complete blast.
1. The Wind Rises (Hayao Miyazaki; Feb. 21st)
Synopsis: A look at the life of Jiro Horikoshi, the man who designed Japanese fighter planes during World War II.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: While I don't consider myself a Hayao Miyazaki superfan, I've enjoyed his animation, but always felt at a distance to his work. With his final feature, The Wind Rises, the director loses the fantastical elements his career has been built upon (aside from a few dream sequences) and the result is an emotional connection I've rarely felt in the field of animation. The film deals with obsession, guilt, and loss more effectively than any live-action film I saw last year. Unfortunately Disney's release this month will be dubbed, but the film comes with the highest of recommendations.
Full list of releases:
What are you looking forward to this month?
