What to Watch in February

After a stacked month at the cinema, following the long awaited releases of award contenders Poor Things, The Holdovers, The Color Purple and All of Us Strangers, February will see the first major cinematic releases of 2024 films.

Both Matthew Vaughn’s Aryglle and Sony’s Madame Web are big budget action blockbusters, hoping to kick the 2024 box-office into gear following a handful of disappointing original releases in January.

Much like January, there are still a few awards players being released due to UK distribution issues, these include: The Zone of Interest, The Iron Claw and American Fiction, the latter of which can be expected to land on Prime Video later in the month.

Here is a full breakdown as to what is coming to UK cinemas and streaming throughout the month of February.

Argylle (12A)

Di: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, Dua Lipa, Ariana Debose, John Cena, Samuel L. Jackson

Synopsis: Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard), an introverted spy novelist who seldom leaves her home, is drawn into the real world of espionage when the plots of her books, featuring a fictional secret agent named Argylle (Henry Cavill), get a little too close to the activities of a sinister underground syndicate. When Aidan (Sam Rockwell), an undercover spy, shows up to save her from being kidnapped or killed, Elly and her beloved cat Alfie are plunged into a covert world where nothing and no one are what they seem, including to the discovery that Agent Argylle, in fact, exists for real.

The Zone of Interest (12A)

Dir: Jonathan Glazer

Cast: Christian Friedel, Sandra Huller

Synopsis: The commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), and his wife, Hedwig (Sandra Huller), strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp.

American Fiction (15)

Dir: Cord Jefferson

Cast: Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown

Synopsis: Monk (Jeffrey Wright) is a frustrated novelist who’s fed up with the establishment that profits from Black entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, he uses a pen name to write an outlandish Black book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.

Migration (U)

Dir: Benjamin Renner

Cast: Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Keegan-Michael Key, Awkwafina, Danny DeVito

Synopsis: A family of ducks decides to leave the safety of a New England pond for an adventurous trip to Jamaica. However, their well-laid plans quickly go awry when they get lost and wind up in New York City. The experience soon inspires them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends, and accomplish more than they ever thought possible.

Orion and the Dark (PG)

Dir: Sean Charmatz

Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Paul Walter Hauser, Angela Bassett, Colin Hanks, Natasia Demetriou, Nat Faxon, Ike Barinholtz, Carla Gugino

Synopsis: The thing Orion (Jacob Tremblay) fears the most is the dark. When the embodiment of his worst fear pays a visit, Dark (Paul Walter Hauser) whisks Orion away on a roller-coaster ride around the world to prove there is nothing to be afraid of at night.

The Iron Claw (15)

Dir: Sean Durkin

Cast: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Maura Tierney, Holt McCallany, Lily James

Synopsis: The true story of the Von Erich brothers, who make history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality on the biggest stage in sports.

Occupied City (TBC)

Dir: Steve McQueen

Synopsis: The past collides with the precarious present in Steve McQueen’s documentary about the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam.

Origin (12A)

Dir: Ava DuVernay

Cast: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Audra McDonald, Niecy Nash-Betts, Nick Offerman, Blair Underwood

Synopsis: Author Isabel Wilkerson (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) writes her seminal book “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” while coping with personal tragedy.

Bob Marley: One Love (12A)

Dir: Reinaldo Marcus Green

Cast: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, James Newton

Synopsis: Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir) overcomes adversity to become the most famous reggae musician in the world.

Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 (18)

Dir: Rhys Frake-Waterfield

Cast: Scott Chambers, Ryan Oliva, Eddy MacKenzie, Lewis Santer, Marcus Massey, Simon Callow

Synopsis: Pooh and friends leave the 100-Acre Wood to take their fight to the quiet community of Ashdown.

Madame Web (12A)

Dir: S. J. Clarkson

Cast: Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, Isabela Merced, Tahar Rahim

Synopsis: Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson) is a New York City paramedic who starts to show signs of clairvoyance. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she must protect three young women from a mysterious adversary who wants them dead.

Memory (15)

Dir: Michel Franco

Cast: Jessica Chastain, Peter Sarsgaard, Merritt Wever, Elsie Fisher, Josh Charles, Jessica Harper

Synopsis: Social worker Sylvia’s (Jessica Chastain) structured life is blown apart when Saul (Peter Sarsgaard) follows her home from their high school reunion. Their surprise encounter profoundly impacts both of them as they open the door to the past.

Wicked Little Letters (15)

Dir: Thea Sharrock

Cast: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Anjana Vasan, Joanna Scanlan, Gemma Jones, Malachi Kirby, Lolly Adefope, Eileen Atkins, Timothy Spall

Synopsis: Based on a true scandal that stunned 1920s England, a series of obscene letters begin to target Edith (Olivia Colman) and others, with suspicion falling upon Rose (Jessie Buckley). As the outrageous letters continue to escalate, Rose risks losing both her freedom and custody of her daughter. Police Officer Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) is determined to find the real culprit, and along with a group of other women, seeks to solve this perplexing mystery.