There may not be a ton of blockbusters or superhero flicks on tap for February, but
there are still more than enough great movies to keep you busy at your local theater. From
future award season fodder to animated comedies, and a few mid-tier franchise sequels, here
are all the movies worth checking out on the big screen in February 2017.
Rings
It's been about a decade since that wet weirdo climbed out of a TV and killed a bunch of
people, and in the years since, that freaky VHS tape is looking to make the transition
into the digital age. The long-awaited sequel, Rings, comes out on February 3rd, and picks
up about 13 years after the first film. It follows a woman and her boyfriend who get
roped into the freaky drama of the horrific tape, and it also aims to deepen the mythology
with a secret message hidden inside the tape that no one has found...until now.
"The second it's over, the phone rings, and this voice says…"
"...seven days."
The film also features the tagline "First you watch it. Then you die." So… good luck
with that.
The Space Between Us
There are star-crossed lovers, and then there's The Space Between Us, coming out on February
3rd. This fascinating teen love story follows a boy born on Mars and the Earth girl he falls
in love with. Sixteen-year-old Gardner lives his entire life with only the 14 other people
on the Red Planet, but finally gets a chance to visit Earth and connect with his pen pal
Tulsa. Of course, his visit doesn't go as planned when he realizes his body can't handle
Earth's atmosphere, and he embarks on a whirlwind journey to try and figure out where he belongs
in life, and in the solar system.
John Wick: Chapter 2
2014's surprise hit John Wick proved the Keanu Reeves was still able to kick butt, and expectations
are high that John Wick: Chapter 2 can carry on the trend when it comes out on February
10th. The story follows Reeves' hitman as he's pulled out of retirement to help a former
associate take over an assassins' guild. The supporting cast includes Common, Laurence
Fishburne, Riccardo Scamarcio, Ruby Rose, John Leguizamo, and Ian McShane, and the end
result promises to be a bloody, gritty thrill ride.
"I'll kill them all."
"Of course you will."
If this one works out, the studio is already eyeballing a third film in the franchise.
The LEGO Batman Movie
"Just go ahead when you're ready."
"Sorry I wasn't listening. I've just been Bat-mailing on my Batphone."
"Yeah, can you just do the line?"
Will Arnett's version of the Dark Knight was a breakout performance in The LEGO Movie,
so Warner Brothers decided to spin him off into his own adventure. The early trailers
have looked outrageously funny, and the family-friendly CGI tale promises to roll in a ton of players
from across the Batman and DC universe to tell what could be one of the best Batman
stories in years. If nothing else, it'll be unlike pretty much every other DC movie on
the market.
"Superman is my greatest enemy."
"Superman's not a bad guy."
"Then I'd say that I currently don't have a bad guy. I am fighting a few different people.
I like to fight around."
If you're looking for a break from Zack Snyder's grim world, this should do it. Prepare for
everything to be awesome again on February 10th.
Fifty Shades Darker
The second film in the Fifty Shades of Grey saga arrives on February 10th, with stars
Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan joined by Kim Basinger, Tyler Hoechlin, and Hugh Dancy.
The sequel picks up with Ana trying to move past her relationship with Christian, but
since this franchise is far from over, you can probably guess they get back together
— but this time under Ana's conditions. The critically-panned original made a whole
lot of money, so it'll be interesting to see what new director James Foley brings to E.L.
James' bondage tale. Don't bring your mom. Or do, if you're weird.
The Great Wall
This fantasy action flick promises to be one of the biggest Chinese film productions in
history, attracting A-list Hollywood talent, including Matt Damon, Willem Dafoe, and Pedro
Pascal. It's a period adventure about heroes fighting off giant monsters during the Song
dynasty, so historical accuracy doesn't really figure anywhere into this. Releasing on February
17th, early footage from the film looks like a white-knuckle thrill ride with a whole lot
of monster-slaying action; Damon seems to be channeling his Jason Bourne persona a bit,
but hey, who wouldn't want to see Jason Bourne slug it out with a giant monster?
Fist Fight
If you're a fan of HBO's cult hit Vice Principals, this should be right up your alley. This Ice
Cube vehicle features the Ride Along star pitted against It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's
Charlie Day, as two teachers who are headed towards an old-fashioned parking lot brawl
after one accidentally gets the other fired.
"Parking lot, after school. It's on!"
Day is hilarious in pretty much anything, and the early trailers look like he'll be
an excellent foil for Ice Cube's style of humor. Cut class to see this one on February
17th.
A Cure for Wellness
This psychological horror thriller from acclaimed director Gore Verbinski stars Dane DeHaan,
Mia Goth, and Jason Isaacs. The story is about a young executive sent to retrieve his company's
CEO at a "wellness center" where it turns out the spa's healing techniques are a bit
too good to be true. Before long, he comes down with a mystery illness that everyone
at the spa wants to cure. It looks to be a twisty and terrifying tale, and it comes out
on February 17th.
Get Out
This racially charged horror film, scheduled for February 24th, was written and directed
by comedian Jordan Peele, who's described the project as "a horror movie, [with] a satirical
premise." The story follows a young African-American man who visits the family and estate of his
white girlfriend. When many of the black people in the area start to vanish, the young man
realizes this weekend visit is a lot more dangerous than just meeting the parents. Peele
is no stranger to racially-charged comedy-horror, but this one seems a lot less funny than his
previous efforts.
"Ain't that some s***."
"These are some racist, mother f***in' zombies."
"Why would you even lock the door, I mean the window is broken… oh hell no!"
Rock Dog
This CGI tale of a dog from a small town looking to make it as a rock star has turned out to
be a box office dud in its native China, but there's hope U.S. audiences will come out
to see Luke Wilson's anthropomorphic mutt chase his dream of being a rock star on February
24th. If trying to make it in music wasn't hard enough, Wilson's pup will also have to
contend with a rogue wolf pack. Along with Wilson, the film also features the voices
of Eddie Izzard, J. K. Simmons, Lewis Black, Kenan Thompson, Mae Whitman, Jorge Garcia,
and Matt Dillon.
Collide
Kicking around development since 2013, Collide will makes its American debut on February
24th, 2017, after its German release in 2016. The story tracks a heist gone wrong, leaving
a young man on the run from a dangerous mob boss, played by the imposing Anthony Hopkins.
He then turns to his old drug-smuggling employer, played by Ben Kingsley, for help. All the
while, he tries to protect his girlfriend, played by Rogue One's Felicity Jones. With
Jones' star on the rise, it might be just enough to launch this troubled action flick
to a bit more success than predicted.
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