January has been a slow month for new theatrical releases. That’s to be expected, considering the month carries the nickname “Dumpuary,” which signals the movies in January and February that studios release without much hope for critical acclaim and box office returns. Flight Risk is the latest addition to the Dumpuary canon.
Dumpuary doesn’t always mean “bad.” Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is a solid heist movie, while Steven Soderbergh crafted a nifty ghost story in Presence. As we look toward February, Captain America: Brave New World is at the top of the slate for new releases. Beyond Captain America, there is a slew of underrated movies in February, including an A24 coming-of-age story, a Mubi thriller, and an end-of-the-world romance.
Parthenope (February 7 in theaters)
Italian filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino has not directed a movie since 2021’s The Hand of God, which received an Oscar nomination for Best International Feature Film. The movie was about a young male coming of age in 1980s Italy. His new film for A24, Parthenope, spotlights a young woman’s search for love and happiness.
Parthenope (Celeste Dalla Porta) was named after the city in Naples. As she becomes a young woman, Parthenope garners attention from everyone in her orbit: teenagers, young adults, and old professionals. It’s Parthenope’s boyfriends who obsess over her the most. Like most of Sorrentino’s films, Parthenope uses the picturesque Italian setting to his advantage in this coming-of-age tale.
Bring Them Down (February 7 in theaters)
It’s a showdown between Barry Keoghan and Christopher Abbott in Bring Them Down. Set in Ireland, Abbott plays Michael, a shepherd who takes over for his ill father, Ray (Colm Meaney). Michael becomes embroiled in a dispute involving a rival farmer, Gary (Paul Ready), and his son, Jack (Keoghan).
The ensuing conflict brings out the worst in both sides, especially Michael, who holds a dark family secret that could destroy his family. Keoghan is known for bringing chaotic energy to his characters, like he did in The Killing of a Sacred Deer and Saltburn. Combine that with the steadiness of Abbott, and Bring Them Down becomes a fascinating cat-and-mouse thriller.
When I’m Ready (February 7 in theaters, February 14 on digital)
What would you do if the world was coming to an end? Who would you spend your final days with? Rose (June Schreiner) and Michael (Andrew Ortenberg) pick to experience humanity’s impending doom together in Andrew Johnson’s When I’m Ready. The last-ditch effort to destroy an asteroid hurling toward Earth fails, meaning humanity has less than a week until impact.
With extinction imminent, Rose and Michael embark on a road trip to experience the world’s pleasures one last time. One of the tasks on Rose’s list is to see her grandmother before dying. As the young lovers trek across the country, they interact with an eclectic group of individuals, including Julia (Lauren Cohan) and Keith (Dermot Mulroney). For those needing a little carpe diem inspiration, When I’m Ready feels like that kind of movie.