January is an oddity for films. Often seen as a dumping ground for low budget schlock that likely won’t bring in much revenue, I’ve managed to cobble together a hopeful list that might just break the trend.
For your crime genre fix, don’t miss Dead Man’s Wire. Based on the true story of Tony Kiritsis, the plot follows his kidnapping of a mortgage broker and the subsequent standoff that ensued. Starring Bill Skarsgard (It), Dacre Montgomery (Stranger Things), Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride) and Al Pacino (Heat), along with being directed by Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting), the film is stacked with talent. Early reviews are positive, so we’ll see for ourselves when it hits theaters on Jan. 9.
If you want a bit of French cinema, take a look at A Private Life. Jodie Foster (True Detective: Night Country) stars as a renowned psychiatrist who begins an investigation into the death of one of her patients – which she’s convinced is actually a homicide. The entire film is in French, and it looks to be a fun black comedy and an excellent way to broaden your cinematic horizons when it opens on Jan. 16.
For an action thriller that has “January” written all over it, look no further than The Rip. Starring Matt Damon (The Bourne Identity) and Ben Affleck (The Town), the story follows a team of Miami cops who discover a large sum of cash during a raid, leading to loyalties being put on the line. The trailer looks like it has sizzling action and some fun performances from Damon and Affleck, along with very cliché police action thriller movie tropes. Director Joe Carnahan has a respectable career with winners like The Grey and Boss Level, so hopefully he can helm another success here when it hits Netflix on Jan. 16.
If science fiction is your bag, check out Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die. Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) stars as a man from the future who travels back to the past to recruit a specific number of people to help him save the world from rogue artificial intelligence. Directed by Gore Verbinski, known for the first three films in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, this will be his first directorial effort since 2016, with hopefully better results than his last two films. The plot is unique and Rockwell is always a joy to watch, but we’ll find out for sure on Jan. 30.
Lastly, if you’re looking for a psychological thriller, don’t skip Send Help. The plot follows Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams, Game Night) who is stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash with the only other survivor – her boss, Bradley (Dylan O’Brien, Maze Runner). The two, despite their past differences, must work together to survive. The movie looks to have some excellent rapport between the two bitter leads, along with what appears to be some horror elements tossed in courtesy of director Sam Raimi (Evil Dead). It releases on Jan. 30.
