Spring Movie Season

We are in the odd time for theatrical movies.  Summer is when a number of the big blockbusters are released.  Fall and Winter are when we see more of the prestige pictures.  But the spring season is strange.  Yes, there are some bigger movies coming out, but it always feels like this is the time when studios keep their powder dry and get ready to fire their big guns later.

That isn't always the case.  Deadpool, I believe, was a February release.  And that film went on to do some amazing business.

So here are some of the movies that are coming out along with my level of excitement.  My ability to get out to the theater may be limited this time around.  But I will try to get to the ones that really excite me.

Here is a list, with a few brief thoughts of my own, including on a scale of 1-5 stars my likelihood of seeing it in theaters (1 being “Not at all” 5 being “Cannot wait!”).




January 24


The Last Full Measure (**)

The idea looks intriguing: a mystery regarding a fallen soldier in the Vietnam war with a really good cast.  But I can't quite get excited about it.





The Gentlemen (**)



This movie looks like it is trying to hard to be a quirky, cool crime movie.  But it looks rather boring




January 31

Gretel and Hansel (*)

See?  It's different because they put Gretel's name first!  Totally new!



The Rhythm Section(***)

The plot doesn't look too intriguing, but Blake Lively looks like she is putting in one heck of a performance.  I am so shocked at how good of an actress she has become in the last few years.

FEBRUARY 7

Birds of Prey (**)

I am a huge DC fan, but this movie looks like it is going to be a giant lecture dressed up like a super hero film.  I'm hoping I'm wrong.

FEBRUARY 14

Fantasy Island (*)

While the original show would sometimes have some scary elements, turning the entire concept into a mystical Saw film seems in poor taste.


Sonic the Hedgehog (***)

I was never a fan of this video game series, but this movie has already engendered a great deal of good will by listening to fans.  Also, the trailers are kind of charming.  I might check it out.




Downhill (*)

This looks like a purely pretentious "comedy" where everyone is a miserable jerk.  No thank you.


Buffaloed (**)

Zoey Deutch looks very good in this film, but it looks like it has no moral center.  Could be okay.


FEBRUARY 21


Call of the Wild (***)

Making the dog a strange melding of live-action and cartoon might actually work.  It makes it photo-realistic, but you have more expression than you do in the recent Lion King.  This might be a fun film.

MARCH 6

Onward  (****)

PIXAR films are usually synonymous with quality.  And while this doesn't necessarily look like their best work, the premise and the world-building look interesting enough to get me to buy a ticket.



The Way Back (****)

Readers of this blog know that I am huge Affleck fan.  This movie seems weirdly autobiographical about a man with an addiction who is trying to rebuild his life by coaching a high school basketball team.  If done right, this could be a great film.

MARCH 13

Bloodshot (***)


This doesn't look like a great film, but it could be a nice shoot-em-up to pass the time.



MARCH 20

I Still Believe (****)

Most Christian movies are terrible.  But something about this one tells me that it could actually break through and be a decent film.

A Quiet Place Part II (****)

As much as I loved the first one, I am very skeptical that they can continue the story going forward with the same level of quality.  But John Krasinski has earned some good will with his first movie.


MARCH 27

Mulan (***)

I'm not a big fan of the original animated film.  This movie looks very much a by-the-numbers Disney adventure, but it could be fun.

APRIL 3

The Lovebirds (**)

I would be more interested in this, but Kumail Nanjiani's last movie, Stuber, was not that enjoyable.

The New Mutants (**)

I didn't see Dark Phoenix and this looks even worse than that.  Turning your next-generation super hero film into a horror movie seems like the wrong move.




Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway(**)

I didn't see the first, and I probably won't see the second.


APRIL 10

No Time to Die (***)

The Daniel Craig bonds have been hit or miss.  Fukunaga could turn out to be a very interesting directing choice, but I'm not a fan of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, so I don't know if her influence will make this film a lecture-y mess.

Thoughts?