February is Here. It's Time For Movies

February is finally here! You already know what we’re all here for, but there’s other good stuff to look forward to in theaters this month. There’s something for all sorts of movie lovers, with no shortage of high-quality productions across multiple genres. These are the movies you won’t want to miss this month.

Winchester

Feb 2

For the horror fans, February provides frightful flicks to keep the screams coming, starting with “Winchester.” Inspired by true events surrounding the sudden death of the Winchester family, this movie focuses on the situation surrounding firearms heiress Sarah Winchester (Helen Mirren) when she becomes convinced that the souls of those killed by the family’s firearms have begun to haunt her. The strange circumstances inspire the heiress to build a massive mansion to keep the spirits at bay. Built at a constant 24-hour, seven days a week workload, the Winchester mansion stands at seven stories tall with hundreds of rooms  and countless oddities throughout. When the skeptical psychiatrist Eric Price (Jason Clarke) visits the isolated estate to evaluate Mrs. Winchester’s mental state, he soon finds that her obsession may not be as far-fetched as he assumed.

Fifty Shades Freed

Feb 9

With romance in the air, now’s the perfect time for some titillating experiences, and “Fifty Shades Freed” looks to fill the void. Newlyweds Christian and Ana (Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson) embrace a deep connection and shared life of luxury, having left the shadowing figures of their past behind. But just as Ana begins to settle into her role as Mrs. Grey, new threats introduce themselves to jeopardize their happily ever after before it can even begin.

Early Man

Feb 16

If you have kids to entertain, you may be in luck this month with “Early Man.” This stop-motion animated feature follows Dug (Eddie Redmayne) and his sidekick Hognob (Nick Park) along with the rest of the tribe as they face a threat to their very existence. Lord Nooth (Tom Hiddleston ) aims to take over their land and convert it into a mining operation and forcing Dug and his tribe to dig for precious metals — a bit on the nose for certain chapters of Black history. Dug doesn’t want to dig, so — with the help of Hognob — he must try to unite their tribe to overcome the cusp of the Bronze Age.

Black Panther

Feb 16

YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT IT IS! The perfect centerpiece for Black History Month this year, Marvel adds to their cinematic universe with “Black Panther,” as T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take up the position of king, following the death of his father in “Captain America: Civil War.” T’Challa’s merit as king — and as Black Panther — is tested when he must face powerful enemies that put the fate of Wakanda at risk. To secure the safety of his people, and the world, T’Challa must rally his allies if he hopes to stand a chance.

Annihilation

Feb 23

Action and adventure fans are in luck this month as “Annihilation” takes audiences into the jungle as a team of military-grade scientists and a biologist named Lena (Natalie Portman) volunteer to venture into a mysterious disaster zone in order to find out what attacked a group of soldiers. They’ve sent in drones and teams of people, but nothing comes back until the most recent incident which left only one soldier (Oscar Isaac) alive but seriously injured. This feature is an adaptation of Jeff VanderMeer’s novel of the same name, with Alex Garland (Ex Machina) at the helm. This film seems to offer elements akin to classics of the early 90s blended with more recent stylings of today’s sci-fi fantasy films — think “Alien” meets “Arrival.” Add to that, what appears to be a female-heavy cast and “Annihilation” looks promising.

Game Night

Feb 23

This feature offers a little bit for just about everyone. Max and Annie (Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams) enjoy a casual weekly game night with friends, but things get kicked up a notch when Max’s brother, Brooks (Kyle Chandler) creates an elaborate murder mystery party — complete with gangsters and federal agents. Nobody knows what’s real and what’s part of the game when Brooks get kidnapped. As the group sets out to solve the case, Brooks and his game may not be what they seem to be. The friends wind up in over their heads with every new twist and turn in the quest to solve the case.