Oh no, it’s January! Generally a month dedicated to quitting recently started New Year’s resolutions, January also serves as a dumping ground for garbage films destined to hopefully make a quick profit before disappearing from the public eye. From the rubble I’ve gathered a few that might rise above, but only time will tell!
First up is one of the only safe bets on the list – Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. A stop motion animated comedy within the greater Wallace and Gromit series, the film finds Wallace in trouble after his invention, the “smart gnome,” develops an evil mind of its own. Running at a beautifully brisk 79 minutes and already brimming with positive reviews, it’s a perfect way to spend an evening with the family at home when it releases to Netflix on Jan. 3.
If you want action, look no further than Levon’s Trade. Based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Chuck Dixon, the story revolves around Levon Cade (Jason Statham), an ex-Black Ops agent who now leads a peaceful life with his daughter. Things, of course, do not continue down that road when someone in his life goes missing. The plot will likely be full of clichés as the “one last job” style thriller moves through the story beats, and director David Ayer (Suicide Squad) is no stranger to these types of films. It will, presumably, have fun action sequences with a high body count. It’s also co-written by Sylvester Stallone, and although I’m unsure if that’s a plus or a negative, it’s likely to be a fun time-waster when it releases on Jan. 17.
For another easy win with the kids, check out Paddington in Peru. Based on the stories of Paddington Bear and the third installment in the film series, this story sees Paddington return to, you guessed it, Peru, to visit his Aunt Lucy. A wild and thrilling adventure awaits him, along with a cast that includes Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), Emily Mortimer (The Newsroom), Olivia Coleman (The Favourite), Antonio Banderas (The Legend of Zorro) and Ben Whishaw (My Brother Tom) as the voice of Paddington. The film released in early November in the UK and received high praise, so it should be a good choice for a family outing when it opens in the U.S. on Jan. 17.
For a bizarre psychological thriller, don’t miss Companion. The teaser trailer seems to indicate a romantic relationship gone extremely awry, coupled with some violent imagery – stabbings, bloody faces, a woman handcuffed to a chair at dinner, a hand on fire, and an off-putting smile from Jack Quaid (The Boys). The film also stars Sophie Thatcher (Yellowjackets) and Rupert Friend (Homeland). It looks to be an extremely weird time when it releases on Jan. 31.
That’s mostly it for this dreary month, so I’d recommend catching up on the 2024 list of films you never got around to watching. Maybe look into the Oscar buzz and binge the ones you missed! Or just watch Dune: Part Two again, because that movie is excellent.
Main image credit: Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, photo courtesy Aardman
