Coming Soon in January and February 2024
I started out writing about notable movies for all of 2024, but quickly realized there was just too much to cover. I’ll be splitting this up over the coming months to cover more and be able to cover movies with currently unannounced release dates.
We’re already halfway through January, which has already seen several notable releases, including Society of the Snow (Netflix), Night Swim, The Beekeeper, Mean Girls, Destroy All Neighbors (Shudder), Self Reliance (Hulu), Origin, and Lift (Netflix). I’ll write these roundups ahead of the start of each month to be sure we don’t miss anything!
January
I.S.S.
Gabriela Cowperthwaite of Blackfish fame directed this sci-fi thriller about American and Russian astronauts fighting it out on the International Space Station after nuclear war breaks out. The trailer promises a lot of claustrophobic tension and it could be great. In theaters January 19.
The Kitchen
This dystopian thriller from directors Daniel Kaluuya and Kibwe Tavares takes place in London in 2040, after the welfare state has been eradicated and economic disparity has pushed the poor into slum-like high rises. Here, a father is forced to participate in a heist to help his young son who has been stricken by illness. The Kitchen will stream on Netflix and I’ll be checking it out. On Netflix January 19.
The Peasants
This one looks like a visual feast. An adaptation of a Nobel Prize-winning novel by Wladyslaw Reymont, this new hand-painted film and followup to Loving Vincent tells the story of an early 20th century Polish peasant woman who is forced to marry an older rich farmer. The film is made up of thousands of paintings in the style of 19th century realist and pre-impressionist paintings. This is Poland’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film for the Academy Awards. In select theaters January 26.
Badland Hunters
I’ll be honest, this one doesn’t look great. I’ve included it here because I’m a big fan of Korean star Don Lee, so I’ll be checking it out. On Netflix on January 26.
February
Argylle
Matthew Vaughn (The Kingsman, X-Men: First Class, Kickass) directed spy thriller comedy Argylle, about secret agents fighting to control Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard), an espionage novelist who seems to be able to predict the future. This one’s got a stacked cast, with co-stars Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill, John Cena, Dua Lipa, Bryan Cranston, Sofia Boutella, Ariana DeBose, Catherine O'Hara, and Samuel L. Jackson. In theaters on February 2.
The Monk and the Gun
Made in Bhutan by writer/director Pawo Choyning Dorji. I’ve only heard good things about this satire that takes place as Bhutan enacts a democratic government. This is Bhutan’s Academy Award submission. In select theaters on February 2.
The Promised Land
Denmark’s Academy Awards submission is a period film starring Mads Mikkelsen. That’s all I needed to know—sign me up. In select theaters on February 2.
Orion and the Dark
This animated film about a boy that’s afraid of the dark was written by Charlie Kaufman (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Adaptation, Being John Malkovich). It stars Jacob Tremblay, Paul Walter Hauser, Angela Bassett, Colin Hanks, and Werner Herzog. The names Charlie Kaufman and Werner Herzog were all it took to get me interested in this one. I’ll be reviewing it in a couple weeks. You can watch the movie on Netflix. On Netflix on February 2.
Lisa Frankenstein
This dark horror comedy take on the Frankenstein story is Robin Williams’ daughter Zelda Williams’ directorial debut, written by Diablo Cody (Juno, Jennifer's Body, Young Adult, Tully). I’m always eager to see new work from Cody. In theaters on February 9.
Cobweb
Cobweb is the latest from director Kim Jee-woon (A Tale of Two Sisters, The Good the Bad the Weird, I Saw the Devil). It’s a meta story about filmmaking set in Seoul in 1970, where a director must rework the ending of his film in two days while censors, actors, and producers make things difficult. Kim Jee-woon’s films are excellent overall, so this should be a fun watch. In theaters and on demand on February 9.
The Taste of Things
Vietnamese-French filmmaker Anh Hung Tran directed France’s entry for Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards. The Taste of Things, a romance drama revolving around food, starring Juliette Binoche as a master chef, premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival where it won the award for Best Director. I love movies about food, so I’ll be buying tickets to this one. In select theaters on February 9.
Madame Web
Spider-Man adjacent Madame Web stars Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb, the titular hero. She teams up with three young women destined to be Spider-Women to defeat villain Ezekiel, who has a connection to Cassandra’s past. I’m curious to see how these characters get adapted, particularly Ezekiel. Sony doesn’t have the best record when it comes to these tie-ins. It can’t possibly be as bad as Morbius, can it? In theaters on February 14.
Drive-Away Dolls
This crime road comedy is a solo effort from Coen brother Ethan Coen. It stars Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal, Colman Domingo, Bill Camp, Beanie Feldstein, Annie Gonzalez, and Joey Slotnick. The trailer hooked me right away, but it doesn’t take much convincing for me to want to see anything by a Coen. In theaters on February 23.
