While the end of the year coverage has mostly finished up, there’s still plenty of films that most of the average viewers have yet to see, making January a greater month for catch-up than anything else. This is especially true as critically acclaimed films such as “Parallel Mothers” continue their rollout. Other films such as “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” which already had their limited release run, will be making their debut on streaming services this month while others, such as “A Hero,” leap to Amazon. Aside from the films that have already been written about at length, some have created a buzz differently, such as the Jessica Chastain-led “The 355,” which aims to let women be the face of the traditional spy thriller. Elsewhere, there are also films such as “Belle,” a passion project for director Mamoru Hosoda, which will be well worth the wait for fans with its incredible visuals. Not to mention Sundance, which will continue to introduce a slew of new and exciting films at the end of this month (yes, it’s gone virtual, but look for our preview soon).
READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2022
“The 355”
With an all-star cast consisting of Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong’o, Penélope Cruz, Diane Kruger, and Fan Bingbing, “The 355” looks to be the next entry into the international spy thriller in the vein of “Mission Impossible.” Directed by Simon Kinberg, who directed Chastain in “Dark Phoenix” and co-written with Theresa Rebeck, the film follows a CIA agent who teams up with other international agents to recover a top-secret weapon. Chastain serves as a producer on the film.
Release Date: January 7 in theaters via Universal Pictures.
“A Hero”
Acclaimed Iranian director and two-time Best International Language Oscar winner Asghar Farhadi continues his career unraveling tense personal/moral stories with his film “A Hero,” which was selected as the Iranian entry for the upcoming Oscars. Starring Amir Jadidi and Mohsen Tanabandeh, the film follows a man, Rahim, who, while out of prison on a two-day leave for a debt he was unable to pay, tries to convince his creditor to withdraw his complaint against the payment. Our critic who saw the film at last year’s Cannes wrote that the film “…blurs the line of innocence and guilt in a fraught drama about the true weight of a good deed.”
Release Date: January 7 to stream via Amazon Studios.
“Belle”
Director Mamoru Hosoda returns with his latest film since 2018’s “Mirai” with an exciting twist on the “Beauty and the Beast” format. With collaboration from Disney veteran Jin Kim on character design and Michael Camacho of Cartoon Saloon on background work for the world of “U” (a virtual world the characters spend time in), “Belle” boasts an eclectic group of talent to bring this work to life. Our critic praised the film, writing “Belle” is his most visually ambitious to date, possessing the world wide web maximalism of “Summer Wars” and the vibrant mayhem of Satoshi Kon’s “Paprika.”’
Release Date: January 14 in theaters via TOHO.
“Scream”
The latest horror franchise to receive a new addition to its ongoing legacy, “Scream,” is set 25 years after the original streak of murders that shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, California. In the present day, a new killer wearing the Ghostface mask begins targeting a new group of teenagers, which brings forth secrets from the town’s past. Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette all return along with new cast members, including Jenna Ortega, Melissa Barrera, and Dylan Minnette. Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli–Olpin direct.
Release Date: January 14 in theaters via Paramount Pictures.
“The Tragedy Of Macbeth “
There have been plenty of adaptations of Shakespeare “Macbeth,” but none has starred Denzel Washington and Francis McDormand. As the titular character and Lady Macbeth, respectively, the two lead the latest iteration from director and writer Joel Cohen with supporting turns from Corey Hawkins and Brendan Gleeson. Our critic who saw the film at the New York Film Festival called it “…the kind of visionary art that happens when a group of artists, at the top of their game, assemble to work on a legacy that’s near to their hearts because of the challenge, not despite it.”
Release Date: Already having played theatrically in limited release last year, the film opens January 14 to stream via AppleTV+ & A24.
“Cyrano”
In Joe Wright’s latest, “Cyrano,” Peter Dinklage stars based on the 2018 stage play of the same name. Based on the 1897 play “Cyrano de Bergerac,” Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Ben Mendelsohn also star with original music from Aaron and Bryce Dessner from the band The National. The story follows the titular Cyrano as he pines after the love of his life, Roxanne. Our critic praised the performances, writing, “Dinklage and Bennett both appeared together in the musical workshops of Schmidt’s version, and it’s easy to recognize the natural chemistry they have on-screen.”
Release Date: January 14 in theaters via United Artists Releasing.
“The Tender Bar “
Unable to sit still, it would seem, director George Clooney’s latest following last year’s “The Midnight Sky” changes gears into a coming-of-age drama. “The Tender Bar,” based on the 2005 memoir of the same name from J.R. Moehringer, recounts Moehringer’s life is growing up in Long Island as he seeks a replacement for his father, who disappeared shortly after his birth. Daniel Ranieri, Ben Affleck, Tye Sheridan, and Lily Rabe star. Our critic praised the performances, calling Affleck “comfortably settled into his role.”
Release Date: While “The Tender Bar” was in theaters in December, it hits globally on Amazon Prime, January 7.
“Italian Studies”
From award-winning indie filmmaker Adam Leon (“Tramps,” “Gimmie The Loot”), “Italian Studies” is an elusive, enigmatic look at dislocation, identity, memory, and connection. And it has a major star at its center, which is a bit of a first for Leon, who likes to work with up-and-comers and first-timers. Academy Award nominee Vanessa Kirby stars as a writer visiting New York City from her native London, who inexplicably loses her memory and control of herself. Unmoored, she begins to wander and drift around New York in a haze until she finds a comforting anchor in a charismatic teenager (Simon Brickner). Maya Hawke co-stars as one of the teenagers drawn to this lost woman, and it’s a deeply lyrical and cinematic film, rich in its sound + vision depiction of New York’s urban sprawl and noise (our review).
Release Date: January 14 via Magnolia Pictures.
“Munich – The Edge of War”
Directed by Christian Schwochow and adapted from the novel of the same name from author Robert Harris by screenwriter Ben Power, “Munich – The Edge of War” arrives on Netflix later this month. Set during the fall of 1938 as Hitler prepares to invade Czechoslovakia, the film follows a British civil servant and a German diplomat, former classmates, as they travel to Munich to discuss peace. George MacKay, Jannis Niewöhner, and Jeremy Irons star.
Release Date: January 21 via stream on Netflix.
“Compartment No. 6”
Already short-listed for the Best International Feature Film Oscar and nominated for an Independent Spirit Award and the Golden Globe in their International Feature categories, Finnish Director Juho Kuosmanen’s “Compartment No. 6” received a lot of acclaim last year when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Starring Seidi Haarla, Yuriy Borisov, Dinara Drukarova, Julia Aug, Lidia Kostina, and Tomi Alatola, the film centers on a young Finnish woman who escapes a mysterious love affair in Moscow by boarding a train. Forced to share the long ride and a tiny sleeping car with a larger-than-life Russian miner, the unexpected encounter leads the occupants to face major truths about human connection (our review).
Release Date: Starts theatrically in NY and LA on January 26, via Sony Pictures Classic.
“Sundown”
Director Michael Franco returns following his 2020 release “New Order” with a different interpersonal relationship drama. Tim Roth plays a wealthy man who, while vacationing, receives a phone call that there’s been a death in the family. However, rather than return home as is expected of him, he instead pretends to lose his passport, effectively delaying his return. Samuel Bottomley and Charlotte Gainsbourg also star. Our critic highlighted Roth’s performance and stoicism, writing, “In his collaborations with Franco, including the border crime drama “600 Miles” that Franco produced for director Gabriel Ripstein, Roth has found space to potentiate those muted performance traits.”
Release Date: January 28 in theaters via Bleecker Street.
Also coming in January is “Ray Donovan: The Movie,” the unofficial Celine Dione biopic “Aline,” Woody Allen’s “Rifkin’s Festival” is finally coming out, “A Taste Of Hunger,” “Charli XCX: Alone Together” and note that Guy Ritchie’s “Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre” was quietly moved to March late last year.