“A Cure For Wellness”
Synopsis: An ambitious young executive is sent to retrieve his company’s CEO from an idyllic but mysterious “wellness center” at a remote location in the Swiss Alps but soon suspects that the spa’s miraculous treatments are not what they seem.
What You Need To Know: Director Gore Verbinksi has made truckloads of money (helming the first three “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies), won an Oscar (for the very good, acid-tinged animated “Rango“), and also bombed hard with “The Lone Ranger.” But of course, you can’t forget the strength of his English language redo of the J-horror staple “The Ring,” which is easily one of the better remakes of a popular foreign horror title in recent memory. Perhaps Verbinski has been dying to get back to his creepy side, with this latest, starring Dane DeHaan, that we’re hoping is a legit shocker. It’s also worth noting in this early part of the year as a rare completely original studio movie. The rest of the cast is good, too, with “Nymphomaniac” star Mia Goth and Jason Isaacs, in creepy scientist mode again after “The OA,” in support. It just may strike it big like “Shutter Island” did at a similar time back in 2010.
Release Date: February 17th
“The Great Wall”
Synopsis: European mercenaries become embroiled in the defence of the Great Wall of China against a horde of monstrous creatures.
What You Need To Know: Big box office is now all about going global, and China has proven to be one of the top countries for helping make big movies even bigger. The second part of the conversation is Hollywood actors taking lead roles in Chinese productions because a) they bring greater star power, b) China has the money to pay stars well and deliver massive blockbuster budgets. Which leads us to “The Great Wall,” a film that will be looked at as a forerunner in this American/Chinese collaboration. Directed by Zhang Yimou (“Hero,” “House of Flying Daggers”) and using the famed seventh wonder of the world to spin a massive adventure story involving… a war with monsters. Sure, why not? Matt Damon is in the lead, along with Jing Tian, Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe and Andy Lau also appearing. It just may be the harbinger of blockbuster filmmaking to come.
Release Date: February 17th
“Land Of Mine”
Synopsis: A young group of German POWs are made the enemy of a nation, where they are now forced to dig up 2 million land-mines with their bare hands.
What You Need To Know: Recently nominated for a foreign language Oscar, but premiering at Toronto International Film Festival in 2015, this Danish feature is more than just another example of the strange, long game in releasing a foreign film in the U.S. Well, I’m assuming that, since there’s not much info at The Playlist on the movie, and we have yet to see it. On the surface, it looks like a fascinating bit of history, but also could be yet another WWII era true life tale that Oscar loves to hoist up, often over more complex and exciting films that could make the Oscar nominee list (cough, “Elle,”). But We’ll have to find out for ourselves soon and see what the fuss is about.
Release Date: February 10th (Limited)
“Lovesong”
Synopsis: The relationship between two friends deepens during an impromptu road trip.
What You Need To Know: Director So Yong Kim has made a brief but impactful career in the indie film world (Sundance loves her), whittling out space for her intimate, quiet stories about real people struggling to get by in films like “For Ellen” and “Treeless Mountain.” When we saw this latest from the filmmaker at 2016 Sundance, we described it as “a quiet, evocative look at the intimacies and intricacies of female friendship [between] Sarah (Riley Keough) and Mindy (Jena Malone), [who] make the sort of mismatched pair young women sort themselves into in their early 20s, as if to balance each other out, each seeing the other as a compliment to their own lack.” Most exciting here is the chance to see Keough and Malone play off each other, as both actors have been doing great work of late, with the former really coming into her own after season 1 of “The Girlfriend Experience” and “American Honey.”
Release Date: February 17th (Limited)