February is here – the month of love! Unfortunately, I don’t really have any romantic recommendations for you, but there are still some flicks on the horizon to check out, especially if you’re into comedy, action or mystery.
Searching for extreme physical violence mixed with bizarre comedy? Look no further than Jackass Forever. In the fourth film of the series, veteran troublemakers Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Wee Man and Chris Pontinus, among many others, return to cause grievous bodily harm to one another with hilarious outcomes. If the trailer is any indication, there will absolutely be a real bear that attempts to eat fish and honey off of a chained up Jackass … who harbors nothing but pure fear in his eyes. After multiple delays, it releases Feb. 4.
For fans of a whodunit mystery, Death on the Nile should cover all the bases. A follow-up to the successful Murder on the Orient Express, Kenneth Branagh returns to the director’s chair and the leading role again as Hercule Poirot, who is put against the clock to discover who murdered one of the passengers of S.S. Karnak. With a colossal cast including Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Gal Godot and Armie Hammer (watch out, he might eat someone in the film!), there will certainly be no shortage of star power in this adaptation of one of Agatha Christie’s better known works. Catch it on Feb. 11.
For your spooky date night fix, check out The Black Phone. The film – oh…oh no. It’s pushed? We’re back to moving film release dates around, huh? Well … here’s a weird one that could also be a date night flick: titled Strawberry Mansion, the story is about a not-too-distant future where our dreams are recorded and taxed. A government man comes to visit an older woman to audit her dreams, and finds himself falling in love. The trailer seems to indicate a low budget indie film vibe, so prepare for some bizarre ideas and themes. It releases on Feb. 18.
For a different helping of thrills and action, the big blockbuster Uncharted might be more your speed. Based on the series of video games of the same name, the film follows Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) as he tries to discover the greatest treasure never found … as well as his long lost brother. Although Drake is older in the games, the film takes the prequel approach, showing him as a young and street-smart beginner while meeting Sully (Mark Wahlberg), his mentor and father figure, for the first time. It hits theaters on Feb. 18.
If you’re looking to wash the horrendous taste of The Matrix Resurrections out of your mouth (yes – it was very bad), check out The Animatrix. Released in 2003, the anthology contains nine animated shorts exploring the background and origin of the Matrix universe. Varied and beautiful, they include action, intrigue and some stunning animation. It’s currently streaming on all major platforms.
