By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
After the Oscar nominations were just announced for 2023 films, will any early contenders arise in February for next year’s nominations? Not very likely, but there will hopefully be plenty of entertainment to carry us through this leap year month. A cat in a piece of luggage, romancing a zombie, a spider woman, and some reggae, what more could you want? Here’s a sneak peek of the biggest releases, some of which hold greater promise than others.
February 2nd
The month kicks off with an action movie jam packed with stars. “Argylle” looks to blend espionage with a “Romancing the Stone” sort of vibe and has a veritable who’s who type of cast including Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill, John Cena, Ariana DeBose, Samuel L. Jackson, Bryan Cranston, and more. Helming this project is English director Matthew Vaughn, who’s responsible for the highly entertaining “Kick-Ass” and “The Kingsman” movies. So, this looks to be a certified guarantee for a good time.
February 9th
Of course, the month of love wouldn’t be complete without some kind of romance. “Lisa Frankenstein” is not your typical rom com as it looks to be a truly unique blend of comedy and horror with a Gen Z type of take on romance. Basically, a teenage girl’s crush is resurrected from the dead, and she strives to turn him into the perfect man, helping him obtain a few missing body parts along the way. Approach with caution, it does seem more suitable for the CW network at first glance, or it could simply be too weird, especially for older demographics.
February 14th
Get ready for more girl power this Valentine’s Day as Marvel tries once again with a female led superhero movie. “Madame Web” has no affiliation to the MCU and will not even reference any of the Spider-Men, so it will be a standalone Sony feature like “Morbius.” With talentless actresses such as Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney in starring roles and S.J. Clarkson directing, who has never directed a major motion picture, this comic book film looks to be another stinking pile of hot garbage.
Much more interestingly comes a biopic of a reggae legend. “Bob Marley: One Love” is based on the true story of the man who tried to unite Jamaica through his music and message of love. Kingsley Ben-Adir, a very capable actor who turned heads when he portrayed Malcolm X in “One Night in Miami…” in 2020, plays the title role. Directing the project is Reinaldo Marcus Green who did a commendable job with his last film, “King Richard.” The talent and experience alone should make this one a stirring must-see.
February 23rd
The creators of last year’s “Jesus Revolution” returns with another inspirational film on almost the same date. “Ordinary Angels” is based on a true story of a hairdresser who comes to the aid of a widowed father, rallying a community to help save his gravely ill young daughter. Alan Ritchson, who plays the title role of Amazon’s “Reacher,” stars alongside two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank (“Million Dollar Baby” and “Boys Don’t Cry”). If the trailers are any indication, this will be a definite tearjerker, bring tissues.
Closing out the month is one of the premier writer/directors in the business, 4-time Oscar winner Ethan Coen (“No Country for Old Men” and “Fargo”). “Drive-Away Dolls” features a couple of young women on a road trip that takes a wrong turn into criminal mischief and mayhem. Like other Coen action thrillers, expect situational comedy, quirky characters, and unexpected twists and turns that will leave you guessing until the end. It wouldn’t be surprising if this becomes the best film of the year so far.
