For years now, January and February have been somewhat of a dumping ground for film studios. If a studio doesn’t have any faith in a movie, they’ll release it in January or February to minimize the damage. This is because January and February are the slowest months in terms of box office returns. With January coming to a close, we’re halfway through the season of terrible movies. While there were many duds in January, there were still some gems such as Split, Hidden Figures, and Patriots Day. The same will hopefully be true for February, as there are some movies that look promising. With that said, let’s look at the films to see, and the films you should skip.
See: John Wick: Chapter 2, February 10th
The first John Wick came out of nowhere and shocked everyone with its fun characters, its surprisingly compelling story, and most of all its headshot-filled, breakneck paced action sequences. It’s remembered as one of the best action films of 2014, and rightfully so. Its sequel follows the legendary hitman, John Wick, as he comes out a retirement (again) to stop a former associate from seizing control of an international assassins’ guild. Chad Stahelski, a stuntman turned director and one of the directors of the first film, is back to direct the sequel. Everything about this film looks promising; the premise is great, the trailer is crazy, and these kind of roles is where Keanu Reeves shines.
Skip: Rings, February 3rd
The Ring took the horror movie genre by storm back in 2002. However, its second sequel, Rings, will not impress audiences the same way. The film’s synopsis reads, “A young woman finds herself on the receiving end of a terrifying curse that threatens to take her life in 7 days,” (IMDB). That’s almost the exact same premise as The Ring. The trailer isn’t impressive either. It features one generic horror movie troupe after another: a woman getting some sort scar from the demon, her pulling something gross out of her own mouth, and, worst of all, the overplayed cliché of her seeing the demon behind her in the mirror. This film also has delayed too many times to count, which is never a good sign. I recommend skipping this horror movie in favor of a different one.
See: Get Out, February 24th
Moving from a generic, uninspired horror sequel, to an intelligent, daring, original horror film, Get Out is already being praised. The directorial debut of first-time director Jordan Peele follows a young African-American man who visits his white girlfriend’s family estate. When they arrive, a series of horrific events unfold. Reviewers say that it will not only creep the hell out of you, but the film also provides important social commentary. So if you have been complaining about the lack of stylized horror films that feature racial commentary, put Get Out at the top of your list.
Skip: Fifty Shades Darker, February 10th
The first film in this Twilight fan-fiction series debuted two years ago to the tune of $85 million dollars and mediocre-at-best reviews (Box Office Mojo). Fifty Shades of Grey was panned for its bad writing, poor character development, and negative representation of S&M. Its sequel seems like it’s going to suffer from the same problems. That said, the trailer broke the record for more views in its first 24-hour period, so Fifty Shades Darker will no doubt have a huge opening weekend. However, I recommend not waste your Valentine’s Day in the theater watching this.
See: The LEGO Batman Movie, February 10th
When it was announced that the popular building blocks toy LEGO was getting a movie, the internet let out a universal “Why?” We expected a cash-grab kids’ movie, but what we got was an inspired, clever, and fun animated adventure. When the original The LEGO Movie wasn’t even nominated for Best Animated Picture, film fans were outraged. Because of the popularity of The LEGO Movie, Warner Brothers moved forward with several sequels and spin offs. The LEGO Batman Movie is the first of the spin offs and will hopefully have the same magic as the original.
