Here are 7 must-watch movies that hit Irish cinemas this February

Rory Cashin

A great mix of Oscar favourites and stuff with explosions.

February is a great month for movies, because it’s right around the time that all of the awards favourites start to flood the local cinemas, but it’s also when the studios start teasing out the very first of the year’s blockbusters.

There’s also the Dublin Film Festival, which is overflowing with stuff to check out, too.

To that end, there are (at least) seven absolute must-watches across the 28 days of the month, which works out at just one every four days.

You can do that, no problemo!

Den Of Thieves

Irish Release Date: 2 February

Plot: A group of highly-trained military experts-turned-bank robbers plan the heist to end all heists, with only a rogue agent in between them and hundreds of millions of dollars.

Go See It Because: Gerard Butler, 50 Cent, O’Shea Jackson Jnr and Pablo Schreiber go all-in on this intense action thriller with some of the best movie shoot-outs this side of Heat.

Phantom Thread

Irish Release Date: 2 February

Plot: Set in 1950’s London, we get to know a semi-reclusive and much-revered dress-maker who finds his entire life turned upside down upon meeting his new muse, and it doesn’t take long before they become lovers.

Go See It Because: It features Our Generation’s Greatest Actor (TM) Daniel Day-Lewis reuniting with his There Will Be Blood director, for what he has claimed will be his last ever acting role.

Clip via Universal Pictures UK

Fifty Shades Freed

Irish Release Date: 9 February

Plot: The climax is upon us. Mister and the soon-to-be Mrs Grey are about to tie the knot, but in between their kinky Red Room antics, but both of their pasts are coming back to cause trouble for their future together.

Go See It Because: This is it, your last chance to enjoy big-screen naughtiness for the time being, because as much as audiences are dying for the return of the sexual thriller sub-genre (combined, the first two made nearly a billion dollars at the box office), there doesn’t seem to be any more on the horizon.

Clip via Universal Pictures UK

Black Panther

Irish Release Date: 13 February

Plot: Following on from the events of Captain America: Civil War, we return to Wakanda to see T’Challa ascend to the throne, but threats from home and abroad are attempting to tear his technologically advance country apart.

Go See It Because: Marvel’s first stand-alone black superhero in the MCU, Black Panther was one of the highlights of Civil War. Putting Chadwick Boseman up against this hugely impressive cast (Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker), plus that Kendrick Lamar-curated soundtrack, has got us very excited.

Clip via Marvel Entertainment

The Shape Of Water

Irish Release Date: 14 February

Plot: A mute janitor who works the night shift in a secret lab happens across a sea creature, one that she finds herself slowly falling in love with. Think of it as a more modern-minded version of The Creature From The Black Lagoon.

Go See It Because: It has 13 Oscar nominations, the most of any movie at this year’s awards, and features an amazing set of performances from Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon and Richard Jenkins. Prepare to feel all of the feels.

Clip via FoxSearchlight

Lady Bird

Irish Release Date: 16 February

Plot: The self-named Lady Bird wants to leave her “boring home town” to study in college on the East Coast, much to the annoyance of her over-protective and vocally disapproving mother.

Go See It Because: Saoirse Ronan is absolutely fantastic in it, Laurie Metcalf is all-too-real as the accidentally hurtful mother, and the entire film is so funny yet so on-the-nose real that your emotions will be all over the place by the end credits.

Clip via A24

I, Tonya

Irish Release Date: 23 February

Plot: “Based” on the “true” “story” of Tonya Harding – once you watch the movie, you’ll understand why we went so quotation heavy there. The one-time-greatest figure skater in the world, until a series of events – including the violent assault of her friend/competitor Nancy Kerrigan – brought her success crumbling down around her.

Go See It Because: Margot Robbie has no problem playing a character so incredibly unlikable, but still delivers a performance that will entirely have you on her side. But even she has a tough time stealing the limelight from her own abusive mother, played by the incredible Allison Janney.