Hey everyone, we survived the January doldrums! And it wasn’t too bad either, cinematically speaking… Daybreakers and Youth In Revolt were pretty damn good while The Book of Eli and Edge of Darkness also managed to be fairly solid. (But the less said about Leap Year, The Spy Next Door, Tooth Fairy, and Extraordinary Measures the better.) So what types of films does February have in store for us? Pretty much a bit of everything actually… although I don’t know as any of them will find their way onto Top Ten lists at the end of the year.
February 5th
Dear John
Who? Directed by Lasse Hallestrom, written by Jamie Linden from a novel by Nicholas Sparks; starring Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum
What? A soldier from a top secret government agency called GI Joe falls for a blond Mormon girl. One will die…
Why should you care? I don’t actually know if one of them dies, but considering the source material is Sparks (The Notebook, Message In a Bottle) it’s probably a safe bet. Tatum and Seyfried play a couple who meet and fall for each other in a short period of time and are then forced by circumstance and war to build their relationship long distance. My guess is that since he’s in combat and therefore the most likely to die she’ll be the one to kick the bucket instead.
Watch the trailer:
From Paris With Love
Who? Directed by Pierre Morel, written by Adi Hasak from a story by Luc Besson; starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers and John Travolta’s Giant Head
What? A low level CIA newbie finds himself paired with the agency’s #1 loose cannon played by the grinning, goateed, and disembodied head of Travolta…
Why should you care? The only reason to care really is that Morel also directed last year’s surprise action hit Taken with a grumpy, ass-kicking Liam Neeson. This flick looks even more ridiculous and over the top which can only be a good thing right? Personally I can’t stand Travolta when he overacts (or when he acts period I guess), so I’m not ashamed to admit I skipped a screening of this one in favor the Lost season premiere. I mean, when Battlefield Earth is the man’s most subdued role in the last decade you know there’s a problem.
Watch the Trailer:
In Limited Release:
- District B13: Ultimatum — Post apocalyptic France is once again filled with two types of people… evil government stooges and guys who do parkour.
- Frozen – Three friends get trapped on a ski lift when the resort closes for the weekend. Seems like a poor business model… killing your guests is bad enough but closing on the weekend?
- Red Riding Trilogy — This is some pretty impressive modern film noir in trilogy form from the UK. All three films (1974, 1980, 1983) are currently hitting select theaters across the US, and it’s worth the five hour plus time investment. (My review of 1974 is here.)
- Shinjuku Incident – Jackie Chan washes away the terrible aftertaste of The Spy Next Door with this gritty R-rated dramatic thriller. No pratfalls or kid-safe shenanigans here… instead expect violent amputations, bloody assassinations, and Chan doing the horizontal mambo with a white woman. (My review here.)
February 12th
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Who? Directed by Chris Columbus, written by Craig Titley from a novel by Rick Riordan; starring Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, Rosario Dawson, Kevin McKidd, and Joe Pantoliano as the Greek god Gabe
What? A young man discovers his genetic heritage includes an origin of supernatural design and finds himself battling gods, wooing the girl, and making water…
Why should you care? There are a few reasons why you may care but none really that say you really should. For one, this is based on a series of bestselling children’s books. For two, Columbus is also the director that started the Harry Potter film franchise. (And he also directed Cole Abaius’ favorite film from 2009.) And for three, if it does well we may be looking at the next big fantasy film series. Yeah, I don’t believe that either so let’s change reason three to point out that the movie has a fantastic cast!
Watch the Trailer:
Valentine’s Day
Who? Directed by Garry Marshall, written by Katherine Fugate; starring Hollywood
What? A “funny” look at the most “romantic” day of the year as multiple characters and stories cross paths throughout Los Angeles…
Why should you care? This one follows in the mold of He’s Just Not That Into You with its multi-star, multi-story format, except it’ll probably be a little bit better. I say that not because Marshall is a good director (because seriously, the guy hasn’t had a worthwhile film since Pretty Woman), but because the cast is a slightly higher caliber in both talent and looks.
Watch the Trailer:
The Wolfman
Who? Directed by Joe Johnston, written by Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self; starring Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt, and Anthony Hopkins
What? An aristocrat with slurred speech is bitten by a furry beast and attempts to hump Blunt’s leg. Who can blame him really…
Why should you care? This has been a troubled production for a while now with re-shoots, editor and composer changes, a rather tepid trailer, and more… but for some reason I’m still interested. Three reasons actually. The writer of Seven. The effects guru behind An American Werewolf In London. And an R-rating for bloody horror violence and gore. I’m not expecting greatness, but there’s a good chance this can still be a fun and scary flick.
Watch the Trailer:
February 19th
Shutter Island
Who? Directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Laeta Kalogridis from a novel by Dennis Lehane; starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Brewmeister Smith, and Rorschach
What? An inmate at a maximum security security asylum disappears, and two US Marshals are sent to investigate. And judging by the trailers I’d say one of them has forgotten to take his medication…
Why should you care? This is probably the biggest prestige release of the month due to the talent involved, but I’m still not entirely sold. Scorsese (After Hours) is a solid director obviously and the cast is filled with impressive names, but I’m expecting to be let down by the ending. I just have a fear that the twist at the end will be the most obvious one… and I have nothing to base that on except for the trailer. Hopefully I’m wrong and instead end up pleasantly surprised, but otherwise this may explain why the movie was bumped from a Fall release to the wastelands of February.
Watch the Trailer:
February 26th
Cop Out
Who? Directed by Kevin Smith, written by Not Kevin Smith, Mark & Robb Cullen; starring Bruce Willis, Tracy Jordan, Rashida Jones, Seann William Scott, and Jason Lee
What? A buddy cop flick in the grand tradition of Cop and a Half, Theodore Rex, and Collision Course…
Why should you care? I kid of course. The trailers haven’t blown anyone away yet, but the cast and director hold some strong comedic promise. This is Smith’s first foray into the Hollywood system where he isn’t directing his own material meaning it should be interesting at the very least. We know he can do funny, but we’ll have to see if he can do action. Hopefully it succeeds and we can look forward to A Couple More Dicks in a year or two.
Watch the Trailer:
The Crazies
Who? Directed by Breck Eisner, written by Scott Kosar and Ray Wright; starring Timothy Olyphant and Radha Mitchell
What? A small town sheriff begins to notice small changes in his constituents. And by small I mean they go crazy and start killing their neighbors…
Why should you care? The trailers have already sold me with their promised combination of creepiness, scares, and gore. Olyphant and Mitchell are always worth watching too so I have high hopes going in to this one. It’s a remake of a mediocre George Romero flick and looks to follow a similar plot path but with a much higher level of style and terror. I fully expect a Return of the Living Dead-style ending too.
Watch the Trailer:
In Limited Release:
- A Prophet — One of the best foreign films of 2009 hits US theaters, and if you have the chance you should definitely check it out. A low-level French criminal enters prison and through a combination of luck, skill, and hard work he becomes something else entirely. Smart, engaging, and surprisingly thoughtful.
Which movies are you excited about in February? Which ones will you avoid?
