Evan Fox
Entertainment Editor
Most years don’t begin with the release of many notable movies in the early months. This February has a few worth mentioning, though.
Friday, Feb. 7, will be the main weekend for moviegoers, with three big movies being released.
“The LEGO Movie” is first up, with the voices of many of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Morgan Freeman and Liam Neeson are included, among many others. The story follows a regular LEGO figure as he teams up with the Master Builders to stop a villain from gluing everything together.
“The Monuments Men” is next, starring George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray and Cate Blanchett. The film follows a unit of artisans as they try to save the culture of a generation from the fires of Hitler.
“Vampire Academy” rounds out the weekend. Most of the cast is relatively unknown, with a few exceptions. The plot follows a group of vampires and their hybrid guardians as they learn their respective crafts at Vampire Academy and mayhem ensues.
Wednesday, Feb. 12, sees the release of “Robocop.” The film is a reboot of the 1987 classic and stars Joel Kinnaman as the titular character. He is joined by Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, and Gary Oldman for what looks to be a solid action film.
Friday, Feb. 14, has three films up for release. “About Last Night” and “Endless Love” seem to be generic romance films specifically targeted for Valentine’s Day.
“Winter’s Tale” is based on the 1983 book about a man who falls in love with a woman dying of sickness, then gets mysteriously transported through time. It has potential as a film, but the subject matter may be too complex to fully flesh out in a film.
“Pompeii” is due to be released on Feb. 21. It is about a gladiator who tries to escape the doomed city with his love amidst the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. It also has potential, but director Paul W.S. Anderson (“Resident Evil”) is not known for quality films.
The remaining films in February look like generic films that would be better as rentals than seen in theaters.