Film Roundup – February 2022

So I used to write little film reviews for fun on my Instagram when I first got a Cineworld unlimited card. After the past 2 years of barely any visits to my favourite place in the world, I’m determined to make the most out of it this year, and with plenty of big films slated to come out this year, I’m very excited! So if you want yet another bunch of reviews from an underqualified blog writer, you’re in the right place!

February Update: Hello again! This was a bumper month for films and I managed to see almost all of them. If you missed the January edition, you can read that here, and don’t forget to check out my article on some of my favourite films from 2021!

Jackass Forever

Ok, so you don’t go to see Jackass for anything other than a bunch of dudes deliberately putting their bodies on the line for laughs. You’d think after a quadrilogy of films spanning twenty years, the joke would have worn thin. But perhaps it’s the idiot 90’s child I will always be, but it hasn’t. There is just something timeless about Knoxville proclaiming his own name and shouting “Welcome to Jackass!” before getting physically destroyed by a bull. It was a bit disorientating when in one skit Knoxville had his usual brown hair and then the next he had gone full grey. It was also a bit saddening not to see Bam Margera there. But overall, it was a dumb film and I cringed and laughed in equal measure.

Moonfall

I am gonna be 100% honest and say I fell asleep during this. It was pretty meh up until that point and I’d just eaten a big meal. When I woke up, it was a CGI mess… Moonfall.

Belfast

This is not the kind of film I would normally go and see. But the Oscar hype compelled me. The Irish Troubles is not a historical subject that has me salivating, but it’s always interesting to see how it is depicted. Even though there were many big names here (including the guy who played Merlin as the villain) The performances were good enough that you didn’t really notice. It didn’t really have much of a traditional plot, positioning itself instead as more of a window into life in Belfast at the time. Worth a watch. Definitely.

Death on the Nile

I must have seen one of the last showings of this, and I only went because there wasn’t anything else on at a convenient time. I never saw Branagh’s first outing as Poirot, but I had never read nor seen any depiction of one of Agatha Christie’s seminal works. Because of that, I really enjoyed it! The set design was amazing, the cast went against their norms (particularly Russel Brand who I loathe for the most part, but actually really enjoyed his depiction of the quiet and reserved doctor), and the plot was excellent. If you don’t know the who in this classic whodunnit then you are in for a treat. The biggest issue was the sex cannibal. No, that isn’t part of the plot, that’s just Arnie Hammer. Yes indeed, filming had already been completed when alligations arose against the actor. His appearance took me by surprise as he was washed from every trailer I had seen. Knowing what I know, it made every scene with him uncomfortable. But it set me up in good stead for watching season 1 of “Cheer”, so silver linings.

Cyrano

The film based on a musical, based on a play, based on a real-life individual was definitely not the kind of film I would rush out to see. Musicals do nothing for me, but Peter Dinklage does everything for me, so it seemed like a fair compromise. Perhaps it’s my lack of discerning ear for musicals, but I found all the songs totally forgettable, which isn’t saying much as I forgot all the songs in “Encanto” as well. But I at least remember enjoying them, which I can’t say for this. Frankly, while the premise is good, I really wanted this film to end. It doesn’t amp things up enough for me to justify its running time. By the final scenes, I was considering just leaving. But the anxiety of drawing attention to myself kept me in my seat. And that’s my review of Cyrano.

The Duke

The trailer sold me on this (which, if you’ve heard me complain about modern day movie trailers, you’ll know that’s a surprising statement). And I was not disappointed. It’s short, this is a charming, and really well-done film. It hit all the necessary points and didn’t overstay its welcome There was even a wee twist in it I didn’t see coming. While it likely won’t be competing for the film of the year, but for me, it is a strong contender for best in February.

What great February films have you seen? What’s “must-see” film is coming out in March that I have to see? Let me know!

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