January is for the dramatics. Films under the “drama” category will dominate theaters everywhere this month. Even though comedy will be sprinkled into a couple of the films, most of the films will focus more on the story and acting. Here are the films to see in January.
Jan. 6: Hidden Figures — Based on a true story, Hidden Figures tells the story of three black women — Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) — and are given significant jobs at NASA. The women, who excel in mathematical fields, help launch some of NASA’s first space missions. The film appears to be empowering, and is the film to watch for those who want to see films with a lot of Oscar buzz.
Jan. 13: Patriots Day — Mark Wahlberg stars as Ed Davis, the Boston Police Commissioner during the the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing. The film gives a look at the events leading up to the bombing, and the city-wide manhunt to find the terrorists behind the attack. The film is timely, given the bombing only happened a few years ago. The film appears to be fast-paced and action-packed, which will appeal to people who like to be on the edge of their seat during films.
Jan. 13: Live by Night — Live by Night takes place in the Prohibition Era, and tells the story of Joe Coughlin (Ben Affleck) who finds himself in the middle of organized-crime operations. Much like his 2010 film The Town, Affleck directed and wrote the screenplay for the film. The film isn’t for the faint of heart as it is filled with blood, gore and a lot of alcohol.
Jan. 20: Split — The newest film from M. Night Shyamalan showcases a man named Kevin (James McAvoy) who has 24 distinct personalities. When one of the personalities kidnaps three girls, they must identify the personalities that can help them escape from their complex captor. With Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs) behind the camera, the film is sure to be well-made and extremely creepy.
Jan. 27: A Dog’s Purpose — This one is for all you dog lovers out there. A Dog’s Purpose tells the story of one dog who gets the chance to live several lifetimes in the bodies of other dogs. The dog changes for a handful of times and has a different role in each lifetime. It seems like a dog’s purpose is greater than chasing cats, catching frisbees and eating your Brussels sprouts — the film shows their purpose is to help other people.
