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Eight Upcoming Movies to Get You Through Winter

Avoid the perils of the Hollywood off-season with our survival guide.

by Andrew Osborne

Interesting indie films tend to sprout in the spring, blockbusters rule the summer, and the classy Oscar-bait shows up in the fall. But winter has long been a cinematic dumping ground where toxic waste is disposed of as quietly as possible. Fortunately, we've compiled a list of some of the more promising flicks to tide you over until The Three Stooges lures the hoi polloi back into theaters.

1. Red Tails (January 20)

This historical tale of the all-black Tuskegee Airmen looks to combine old-fashioned war-movie tropes with state-of-the-art dogfight effects. But as executive producer George Lucas bluntly explained on The Daily Show, the real reason to see it is to celebrate heroes largely forgotten by America (as well as a galaxy of black actors too often ignored by Hollywood).

2. The Grey (January 27)

Getting attacked by virtual wolves in the sun-drenched wilds of Red Dead Redemption is scary enough, so watching a hungry pack of real (and CGI) beasties attack a band of plane-crash survivors in an arctic wasteland should be downright terrifying. Luckily, Liam Neeson stars as exactly the guy you'd want by your side in such a fucked-up situation.

3. The Innkeepers (February 3)

Like Ti West's previous mash-up of mumblecore and old-school horror, House of the DevilThe Innkeepers is a slow-burn affair. Yet viewers who take their Ritalin and surrender to the leisurely pace will be rewarded with a nicely creepy ghost story that builds to a petrifying climax.

4. Big Miracle (February 3)

Though encroaching ice is a major part of Big Miracle's storyline, the film itself sounds as cozy as a wool sweater and a mug of hot cocoa: it's about Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski teaming up to save a family of whales. Snark if you must (I'm tempted, too), but this might be a good antidote for a grey February afternoon.

Commentarium (6 Comments)

Jan 18 12 - 1:52am
O Rly?

'The Grey'?

Jan 18 12 - 3:45pm
..::bEEp::..

Sweet! The Tuskegee Airmen were great; it'll be nice to see another movie about them.

Jan 18 12 - 10:43pm
Laly

The Innkeepers suck, seriously.
I don't think ANY of these movies will get me through the winter... better brace myself.

Jan 18 12 - 11:09pm
:O

if these are the good movies, i don't even wanna know what the bad ones are...
this list makes me so sad!!!!!

Jan 19 12 - 8:33am
DR

Strongly agree.

Jan 19 12 - 11:46am
tmp

I can't tell if The Innkeepers looks pleasingly old-school or just corny. Guess we'll find out

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