Fab Feb’s must-see movies
With all the main Oscar contenders already in cinemas or streaming, next month’s movie releases are a mix of more genre pics and arthouse fare.
After much controversy (and subsequent) retooling, Sonic the Hedgehog finally makes his bow on February 13, Clint Eastwood’s polarising 1990s drama Richard Jewell debuts the same day and the long-gestating look at the electricity battle between George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison, The Current War, graces screens on February 27.
Elsewhere, Harrison Ford is joined by a CGI dog for Call of the Wild (February 20) and Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson battle the elements – and each other – in The Lighthouse (February 20).
Returning from last year’s British Film Festival are Mel Gibson’s The Professor and the Madman (February 20), raunchy comedy A Guide to Second Date Sex (February 13) and 1930s-set drama Mr Jones (February 27).
Back on general release after debuting at the New Zealand International Film Festival are Beats (February 6), Helen Kelly – Together (February 13) and For Sama (February 6).
However, after checking out next month’s schedules, Stuff has singled out six releases well worth visiting your local movie theatre for.
Birds of Prey (February 6)
Or, to give it its full title, Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, in this Suicide Squad spin-off, Margot Robbie’s former crazy criminal ditches the Joker and joins forces with other female vigilantes to take down a narcissistic crime lord.
The cast also includes Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Ewan McGregor.
Come to Daddy (February 20)
Kiwi cinema impresario Ant Timpson makes his directorial debut with this dark comic thriller about a father-son reunion that goes pear-shaped.
The Lord of the Rings’ Elijah
Wood plays Norval Greenwood, a 30-something wannabe-DJ who discovers his long-lost dad is not only a disapproving jerk, but also has a shady past that is rushing to catch up with him.
Emma (February 13)
While we await the muchanticipated small-screen adaptation of her Booker Prizewinning tome The Luminaries, Kiwi writer Eleanor Catton has scripted an intriguing new version of Jane Austen’s classic 1815 novel about a ‘‘handsome, clever and rich’’ young woman who loves to meddle in the romantic affairs of her friends and loved ones.
The eclectic cast includes The Witch’s Anya Taylor-Joy, Bill Nighy and Miranda Hart.
The Invisible Man (February 27)
The Handmaid’s Tale’s Elisabeth Moss headlines this modern-day adaptation of H G Wells’ 1897 scifi novel.
She plays Cecilia Kass, a woman who seemingly escapes a violent, controlling relationship with a wealthy and brilliant scientist, only to find herself being pursued by someone – or something – nobody else can see.
La Belle Epoque (February 6)
A hit at last year’s New Zealand International Film Festival, this French romantic comedy focuses on a man in his 60s (Daniel Auteuil) whose marriage is on the rocks. However, his life is turned upside down when an entrepreneur (Guillaume Canet) offers him a chance to relive his past.
‘‘Deftly balances hearty laughs and heartwarming emotion,’’ wrote Screen Daily’s Allan Hunter.
The Legend of Baron To’a (February 20)
Auckland Daze and Find Me a Ma¯ ori Bride director Kiel McNaughton’s feature debut is billed as a South Auckland version of The Karate Kid.
Australian-Tongan actor Uli Latukefu plays Fritz, a young man who learns the warrior ways of his old dad to secure the return of his family’s treasured pro-wrestling title belt from local gangsters. The cast also includes Jay Laga’aia and Shavaughn Ruakere.