January is known as the dumping ground of movies. Award seasons is right around the corner, and when audiences feel like braving the cold weather to go out to the movies, they are too busy trying to see the mass amount of releases from the end of December so they can follow the Oscars and other award programs. Because audiences are so preoccupied, it's not always easy for them to fit in any new movies released during January. Therefore, the month is used by studios to release a lot of movies that didn't do well with test audiences, or didn't fare so well during advanced screenings with critics. There are always slim pickings during January, and whatever is released is usually quickly forgotten about, mostly due to the poor quality of the film itself.
However, each year, there's always at least one movie in January that manages to stand out with both critics and audiences. There are a handful of releases this month that are at the very least intriguing. Whether or not they end up doing well remains to be seen, but they are on the radar... for now:
1) The Upside - Jan. 11
Directed by: Neil Burger
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Kevin Hart, Nicole Kidman
A few early reviews for this one are out already and they've been fairly mixed. A remake of the French 2011 film The Intouchables (which was inspired by a true story), the trailer for this seems like it plays things safe, with a lot of dramatic beats that seem all too familiar, although at the same time, it did provide a few chuckles as well. Director Neil Burger isn't exactly someone who guarantees a hit movie, but he did have some success with movies such as The Illusionist and Limitless. Meanwhile, Cranston and Hart are both very likable actors in other movies, so seeing them work off one another sounds like it could be fun, while Kidman has been on a bit of a hot streak lately with a great leading role in Destroyer, along with a fun supporting turn in Aquaman. I don't see this being anything too special, but it might be an easy-going good time, even if it is a little by-the-numbers.
2) Glass - Jan. 18
Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
Starring: James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Paulson, Anya Taylor-Joy
Shyamalan's been making a comeback lately, which is something we all thought we'd never hear. While I didn't think Split was a masterpiece, it certainly was an entertaining horror flick, and the idea of combining it with the world of the underrated Unbreakable is certainly one that piqued my interest. The trailers certainly look promising with a very chilling tone, and it seems that McAvoy in particular had a lot of fun with this one, as he runs through his character's multiple personalities. Shyamalan had success in January when he released Split in 2016, so hopefully lightning will strike twice.
3) The Kid Who Would Be King - Jan. 25
Directed by: Joe Cornish
Starring: Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Tom Taylor, Rebecca Ferguson, Patrick Stewart
In 2011, Cornish made his directorial debut with the cult hit horror comedy Attack the Block. Critics loved it and were eagerly awaiting his next feature, but Cornish has kept a relatively low profile since then. For his second film, Cornish dives into fantasy as he centers on a young boy who finds King Arthur's sword and must stop a medieval villain from taking over the world. The trailer had quite a few good laughs, and there's a grand, adventurous sort of feel to it, without coming off as too contrived or unbelievable. If this is half as good as Attack the Block, this could easily be one of the most fun movies of the year.
4) Serenity - Jan. 25
Directed by: Steven Knight
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Diane Lane, Jason Clarke, Djimon Hounsou
Not to be confused with the 2005 cult film of the same name that concluded the Firefly TV series, this is instead a pulpy neo-noir thriller about a man whose past comes back to haunt him. The movie was originally scheduled for a September 2018 release, and pushed back to January for reasons unknown. While this does spell trouble, the trailer for this - while a bit odd - didn't give away too much, and we could be treated to quite an intriguing mystery. McConaughey's hot streak has died down a bit since his string of successes in the early 2010's, but judging by the trailers, we may see one of his more unhinged performances in some time, while it also looks to be a nice change of pace for Anne Hathaway as the femme fatale figure. The film is directed by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, and while I have personally not seen the show, I have heard nothing but good things. So all this taken into consideration, Serenity is not a movie I'm ready to write off just yet.
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