February is the time for love, the month where bouquets of roses are in every store, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates the dessert of choice, and jewelry stores see a significant uptick in sales. Romance is certainly in the air but that doesn’t mean for one second that the red roses can’t lay in a ruby pool of blood and viscera. After all, what’s more romantic than wholesale slaughter…right?
This month’s horror offerings, as usual, come from a wide range of styles, from a psychological descent into frigid insanity to a TV show adaptation with a twist, not to mention a classic story getting a modern and culturally relevant update. With thanks to Clive Barker and his phenomenal book The Thief of Always, let’s see what the Great Grey Beast February has to offer!
1. ‘The Lodge’ – February 7
Subgenre: “Family Vacations…Ever The Oxymoron”
Official Synopsis: A bone-chilling nightmare from the directors of Goodnight Mommy, The Lodge follows a family who retreat to their remote winter cabin over the holidays. When the father (Richard Armitage) is forced to abruptly depart for work, he leaves his children, Aidan (IT‘s Jaeden Martell) and Mia (Lia McHugh) in the care of his new girlfriend, Grace (Riley Keough). Isolated and alone, a blizzard traps them inside the lodge as terrifying events summon specters from Grace’s dark past.
Why You Should Check It Out: If you’ve seen Goodnight Mommy then you know that directors Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz are masters at creating a sense of dread. They continue this trend with The Lodge, the film’s tension razor-sharp, sucking the air out of the room, and weaving a story that is unsettling and monstrous. Gorgeously framed against a bitter snowy backdrop, The Lodge is a film that has haunted viewers throughout its film festival circuit, burrowing its way into the deepest recesses of minds and lurking insidiously in those dark corners. See this film if you want to be haunted for days.
2. ‘Fantasy Island’ – February 14
Subgenre: “Be Careful What You Wish For From Weird Guys In White Suits”
Official Synopsis: In Blumhouse’s new spin on Fantasy Island, the enigmatic Mr. Roarke makes the secret dreams of his lucky guests come true at a luxurious but remote tropical resort. But when the fantasies turn into nightmares, the guests have to solve the island’s mystery in order to escape with their lives.
Why You Should Check It Out: Blumhouse is known for putting out fun and exciting horror fare. From Happy Death Day to the Paranormal Activity franchise, The Purge films to the badass Upgrade (more on that later), it’s pretty much a guarantee that seeing a Blumhouse film will result in a damn fine evening.
Fantasy Island always had a kind of “monkey’s paw” approach but director Jeff Wadlow is taking this to extremes, complete with torture devices, psychological warfare, and straight-up horror, all set on a gorgeous island. It’d be a lovely place to visit if, y’know, you didn’t have to worry that you’re going to die. My travel agent DEFINITELY didn’t warn me about this…
3. ’Brahms: The Boy II’ – February 21
Subgenre: “Creepy Kids and Creepy Dolls? Nah, I’m Good.”
Official Synopsis: Unaware of the terrifying history of Heelshire Mansion, a young family moves into a guest house on the estate where their young son soon makes an unsettling new friend, an eerily life-like doll he calls Brahms.
Why You Should Check It Out: If you’re wondering why this one seems familiar, it’s because I wrote about it last July. Just like video games are sometimes wont to do (how dare you hurt me, Cyberpunk 2077?), movies can get delayed for a variety of reasons. It might be to redo a character’s design, a lá Sonic the Hedgehog, or reshoots are needed (this is actually far more common than many of you might realize). Whatever the case, films get pushed back and eager viewers are left waiting for that little bit longer to visit (or revisit) a new world.
Such was the case with Brahms: The Boy II, the sequel to 2016’s spook-tastic film from William Brent Bell. Now he and much of the same team return to the Heelshire Estate to join a new family led by Katie Holmes. It’ll be interesting to see how the story evolves, especially since the 3rd act of the first film sets the stage for something especially sinister.
4. ‘The Night Clerk’ – February 21
Subgenre: “It’s Got Ana de Armas, So Shove It In My Eyeballs Right Now”
Official Synopsis: While on duty, a young, socially challenged hotel clerk (Tye Sheridan) witnesses a murder in one of the rooms but his suspicious actions land him as the lead detective’s (John Leguizamo) number one suspect.
Why You Should Check It Out: The cast on this film is nothing short of incredible. Tye Sheridan led Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster Ready Player One, John Leguizamo is one of the best and most underrated actors working in Hollywood, and Helen Hunt is always a delight to watch. But the real draw here is Ana de Armas, who is rightfully turning every head since her turn in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out. If she’s in The Night Clerk, you bet my butt is in a theater seat.
5. ‘The Invisible Man’ – February 28
Subgenre: “This Isn’t Your Standard Fairy Tale”
Official Synopsis: Trapped in a violent, controlling relationship with a wealthy and brilliant scientist, Cecilia Kass (Moss) escapes in the dead of night and disappears into hiding, aided by her sister (Harriet Dyer, NBC’s The InBetween), their childhood friend (Aldis Hodge, Straight Outta Compton) and his teenage daughter (Storm Reid, HBO’s Euphoria). But when Cecilia’s abusive ex (Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House) commits suicide and leaves her a generous portion of his vast fortune, Cecilia suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of eerie coincidences turns lethal, threatening the lives of those she loves, Cecilia’s sanity begins to unravel as she desperately tries to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.
Why You Should Check It Out: This one is being directed by Leigh Whannell, and if you’re a horror fan, you know what that means. As the co-mastermind behind the Saw and Insidious franchises with James Wan, Whannell immediately marked himself as one of the most important voices in a new generation of horror. But with his directorial debut Upgrade, he proved that he has as sharp and savvy an eye from the director’s chair as he does for a script. With the power of Blumhouse behind him for The Invisible Man, it will be exciting to see what he brings to the screen.
