February Film & Blu-Ray Tip Sheet

We are fully in the grips of winter, which means there really has to be something worthwhile for us to leave our homes and brave the cold snowy weather. The last of the critically acclaimed films are finally getting released and the rest is studio garbage being tossed out hoping they make a few bucks from them. Lucky for us there will always be a few hidden gems that won’t get buried under the summer tent pole one-upathon. Once again like my previous lists, these are films that I want to see and have not seen, which is why some higher profile Blu-Ray releases aren’t included as I may have already seen them!

New Theatrical Releases

What We Do In The Shadows

Release Date: February 13^th

Directed By: Jemaine Clement (feature film debut) and Taiki Waititi (Eagle vs Shark)

Starring: Jemaine Clement, Taiki Waititi and Jonathan Brugh

IMDb Summary: Follow the lives of Viago (Taika Waititi), Deacon (Jonathan Brugh), and Vladislav (Jemaine Clement) – three flatmates who are just trying to get by and overcome life’s obstacles-like being immortal vampires who must feast on human blood. Hundreds of years old, the vampires are finding that beyond sunlight catastrophes, hitting the main artery, and not being able to get a sense of their wardrobe without a reflection-modern society has them struggling with the mundane like paying rent, keeping up with the chore wheel, trying to get into nightclubs, and overcoming flatmate conflicts.

Why I Am So Excited: Ever since the amazing Flight of the Conchords went off the air Bret and Jemaine have kept a relatively low profile, with Bret winning an Oscar for writing songs for The Muppets. It is great to finally see Jemaine do something as the lead again. The film looks like a cross between The Office and Shaun of the Dead riffing on the horror genre while still having some thrills. Most people probably won’t hear of this low budget film shot in New Zealand but it is worth a look. Plus there is a cameo from Murray as a werewolf! 

Watch the trailer HERE

Hot Tub Time Machine 2

Release Date: February 20^th

Directed By: Steve Pink (Accepted, Hot Tub Time Machine)

Starring: Craig Robinson, Rob Corddry, Clark Duke, Chevy Chase and Adam Scott

IMDb Summary: When Lou, who has become the “father of the Internet,” is shot by an unknown assailant, Jacob and Nick fire up the time machine again to save their friend.

Why I Am So Excited: Even though John Cusack is out, this film still has my interest. I watched the first HTTM with low expectations and it ended up being a great satire of time travel movies. The film stuck with conventional wisdom and didn’t seem to have much in the way of a “butterfly effect” type of negative consequences, this film however seems to deal with it quite a bit. Robinson and Corddry who are normally relegated to sidekick duty, take front and centre stage and will prove if the film will stand on its own merits or solely be known as the sequel that John Cusack wouldn’t be in. 

Watch the trailer HERE

Wild Tales

Release Date: February 20^th

Directed By: Damián Szifron (The Bottom of the Sea, On Probation)

Starring: Liliana Ackerman, Luis Manuel Altamirano García and Alejandro Angelini

IMDb Summary: A story about love deception, the return of the past, a tragedy, or even the violence contained in an everyday detail, appear themselves to push them towards the abyss, into the undeniable pleasure of losing control.

Why I Am So Excited: This film squeaked into the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Oscar’s this year, which gives it some interesting merit to its name. While Ida and Leviathan will most likely win and dominate the conversation, this film from Argentina has a unique angle. Instead of telling a straightforward story, it is an anthology series showing six short films all put together to tell a story about violence and vengeance all with a large dose of black comedy, which is the best kind of comedy. Plus if you have been following my Oscar Primer’s you will see that I have to watch every single nominated film, so this has to be on my list no matter what!

Watch the trailer HERE

New On Blu-Ray

Force Majeure

Release Date: February 10^th

Directed By: Ruben Östlund (Play, Involuntary) 

Starring: Johannes Kuhnke, Lisa Loven Kongsli and Clara Wettergren

IMDb Summary: A family on a ski holiday in the French Alps find themselves staring down an avalanche during lunch one day; in the aftermath, their dynamic has been shaken to its core, with a question mark hanging over their patriarch in particular.

Why I Am So Excited: Along with being Sweden’s official entry into this year’s Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, it managed to make the short list as one of nine films that would vie for the final five spots. Sadly it did not end up with the nomination but it was still one of the best-received international films of the year. The film is a black comedy of sorts that changes conventional wisdom of what it means to be “manly” in life. 

Life Itself

Release Date: February 17^th

Directed By: Steve James (Hoop Dreams)

Starring: Roger Ebert, Chaz Ebert and Gene Siskel

IMDb Summary: The life and career of the renowned film critic and social commentator, Roger Ebert.

Why I Am So Excited: For any serious movie buff the name Roger Ebert means one thing, the love of cinema. When he died he created a huge void in mainstream film criticism (criticism meant in the good way). Luckily documentarian Steve James who ironically was championed by Ebert himself called Hoop Dreams the best film of the 90’s made this love letter to him and everything he stood for. With passionate interviews from many famous directors this will be a non-conventional tearjerker. Never forget that film is a worthy form of art and it should always be discussed and applauded, just like Ebert would want it to be.