February brings us new movies from acclaimed filmmakers like
Wim Wenders, Jonathan Glazer and Sean Durkin, along with the
debuts from some exciting new talents.
Here are our 10 picks of the new movies you need to see in February.
The Zone of Interest (Feb 2nd, cinemas)
Writer/director Jonathan Glazer (Birth; Under the Skin) loosely adapts Martin Amis's novel
The Zone of Interest with this German language film. The film
tells the story of Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), an SS officer who
lived with his family on a site next to the notorious Auschwitz
concentration camp.
American Fiction (Feb 2nd, cinemas)
Writer/director Cord Jefferson won the People's Choice award at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival for his feature
debut American Fiction. Adapted from Percival Everett's novel 'Erasure'. the film stars Jeffrey Wright as Monk, an author frustrated with the popularity of black
stereotypes. Adopting a pseudonym he writes a novel that purposely plays
into such stereotypes.
The Settlers (Feb 9th, cinemas)
The Settlers, the feature debut of writer-director Felipe Gálvez, was selected as Chile's
submission to this year's Academy Awards but failed to make the
shortlist. Set at the turn of the 20th century, the film sees three men
- a Brit, and American and a native - assigned the task of securing a
swathe of land for a wealthy landowner. As tensions rise among the trio,
native marksman Segundo realises their assignment is to wipe out the
native population.
The Iron Claw (Feb 9th, cinemas)
The Iron Claw tells the story of the rise and fall of the Von Erichs, a
family who became legends in the world of professional wrestling but were
stricken by a series of tragic events. It's the third feature from TMW fave
writer/director Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy May Marlene;
The Nest) and features Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White and Harris Dickinson as the
wrestling bros.
The Taste of Things (Feb 14th, cinemas)
The Taste of Things scooped Best Director for Tran Anh Hung at
2023's Cannes Film festival. The film stars Benoît Magimel and Juliette Binoche as
Dodin and Eugenie, a chef and cook who also happen to be lovers in
19th century France. Hoping to win his lover's hand in marriage, Dodin
prepares to cook a special meal for Eugenie.
Eureka (Feb 16th, cinemas)
Argentine director Lisandro Alonso reunites with
his Jauja leading man Viggo Mortensen for Eureka, co-written with authors Martin Camaño and Fabian Casas. The film is a
surreal deconstruction of the western genre that switches between a
Native American reservation in the present day and a 1970s Brazilian
jungle.
The Promised Land (Feb 16th, cinemas)
Directed by Nikolaj Arcel (A Royal Affair) and co-written with Anders Thomas Jensen, The Promised Land takes us to the rugged landscape of 18th century Jutland. There we
find Ludvig (Mads Mikkelsen), a former soldier who hopes to
establish a small settlement. This leads him on a collision course with a
ruthless landowner (Simon Bennebjerg).
American Star (Feb 23rd, cinemas/VOD)
Directed by Gonzalo López-Gallego and written by Nacho Faerna, American Star sees Ian McShane play a hitman whose latest job
is disrupted, leading him to spend time on the island of Fuerteventura as he waits for his target to show up.
Befriended by a troubled young woman (Nora Arnezeder), he begins to
question his life choices.
Perfect Days (Feb 23rd, cinemas)
Writer/director Wim Wenders heads to Japan for his
return to narrative filmmaking. Perfect Days stars Koji Yakusho as Hirayama, a man who lives a content life as a Tokyo toilet cleaner
until a series of encounters begin to reveal a past he has kept
hidden. Yakusho won Best Actor at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival for his performance and the
film is nominated for a Best International Feature Film Oscar.
Monolith (Feb 26th, VOD)
The debut feature of director Matt Vesely and
writer Lucy Campbell, Monolith stars Lily Sullivan as a disgraced podcaster who
stumbles across a mystery she believes might resuscitate her career. The
film features a solo screen performance from Sullivan, who interacts
with the supporting cast via phone interviews as she uncovers an alien
conspiracy.