After a quiet January, February comes with a delicious smorgasbord of cinematic treats. We’ve got animated cats, male strippers and… a bear high on cocaine. Here’s what’s on in cinemas this February. Enjoy.
Knock at the Cabin / 3 February
Credit: Universal Pictures
M. Night Shyamalan kicks off this cinematic month with his new thriller, Knock at the Cabin. A gay couple, Eric and Andrew, are presented with a devastating choice after four intruders force their way into their holiday cabin. They claim Eric and Andrew are the only ones who can stop the apocalypse. but are they just part of some strange suicide cult or are they the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse?
Puss in Boots / 3 February
Credit: Universal Pictures
It’s the sequel no one asked for specifically, but with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 95%, it seems it’s a sequel we were in desperate need of in these dark times. Everyone’s favourite pussycat finds himself in harm’s way after he’s burned through eight of his allotted nine lives. Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Florence Pugh and Olivia Colman lend their voices to creatures big and small in this delightful animated comedy.
Magic Mike’s Last Dance / 10 February
Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
Magic Mike returns for one last lap dance in the very appropriately titled Magic Mike’s Last Dance. This time, Mike, who is reeling from yet another terrible business venture, heads to London with Salma Hayek’s character. He finds himself in charge of getting a whole new roster of dancers in shape. Magic Mike’s Last Dance, like the very first Magic Mike, is directed by Hollywood auteur Steven Soderbergh.
Women Talking / 10 February
Credit: Universal Pictures
Sarah Polley’s moving Women Talking has just nabbed itself a couple of Academy Award nominations, and for a very good reason. The story of a group of Mennonite women, who are facing brutal abuse at the hands of the men in the colony, attempting to decide whether they should leave, stay and fight or do nothing, is a compelling watch. This is a powerful ode to solidarity between women and features stellar performances from everyone involved.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania / 17 February
Credit: Marvel Studios
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania kickstarts Marvel’s Phase Five of films with a bang. Scott Lang, aka Ant-Man himself, his daughter Cassie, Hope, Janet Van Dyne, and Hank Pym are all sucked into the dangerous quantum realm. They are soon pitted against Kang The Conqueror, the next big bad of the MCU, in this fantastical new adventure from the megastudio.
The Son / 17 February
Credit: Sony Pictures Classics
Florian Zeller’s long-awaited follow-up to his Oscar-winning The Father is finally gracing our screens this February. In The Son, Hugh Jackman’s father is forced to face his son’s growing, severe depression in this deeply sad film. It continues Zeller’s fascination with fathers and children and mental health. Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby and Anthony Hopkins also star in the film.
Cocaine Bear / 24 February
Credit: Universal Pictures
We end the month with this unbelievable if exaggerated true story of a bear who snorted a lot of cocaine and went on a rampage. The rampage part was definitely made up for the film, but there really was a bear who got high off of cocaine thrown out of a plane. Director Elizabeth Banks really is making the most of that premise with her action-comedy that stars Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Ray Liotta in one of his final performances.
