February is a sad, sad month for movies. No, really, it's practically a historic fact.
Just ask Elisabeth Rappes of Film.com; according to one of her recent articles, February is the unfortunate "victim" of movie politics, a cinematic graveyard for movies either not big-budget enough for summer or lacking the awards-fodder material necessary for fall.
In short, it's a throwaway month, peppered week after week with films like The Rite and The Roommate and only occasionally saved by the odd potential hit, like upcoming drama The Eagle.
Now, for us common folk, this means that unless you just like supporting the local cinema or you're really jazzed to catch up on some of the Oscar nominees that are enjoying their last runs on the big screen, there's really not much to see in a theater near you.
That's why I recommend checking out the neighborhood redbox for anyone feeling a little deficient in decent film entertainment. There are certainly some underappreciated favorites there to keep you sane until film studios start delivering.
Rent, for example, Buried, a one-man tour-de-force starring Ryan Reynolds playing a U.S. contractor buried alive in the Iraqi desert. Or take a risk and watch the unfairly overlooked vampire-drama Let Me In.
Anything decent will do to keep your movie-loving heart warm until the spring.