February is finally upon us, and after a rough start to the year, we’re cautiously optimistic for the next 28 days. It’s been rather tough to divert our eyes from the news, so many of us have spent time educating ourselves regarding global and political affairs. Of course, we can’t forget about the moments when we must recharge, and our downtime can be filled by some cathartic forms of entertainment. If you haven’t been paying much attention to movie release dates or album drops, we don’t blame you. Instead of going back and investigating when your favourite shows and video games are due to come out this month, we’ve organized it all in one handy list. So get your pens ready, here are the entertainment options coming your way this February.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (February 12)
Speaking of catharsis and political wokeness: HBO’s satirical juggernaut, Last Week Tonight, is set for a comeback this month. Starting in the second week of February, the show will return to its regular Sunday time slot and deliver wry wit, investigative goodness, and impressive takedowns of global figureheads. While there has yet to be any official episode summary for the premiere, we’re sure Oliver will tackle the insane developments south of the border. Stay locked onto HBO Canada on the 12th to watch it all unfold.
In Theatres (Various Dates)
After the holidays, the winter months are usually pretty barren for quality movie releases. Regardless of the drought, there remain a few standouts in February worth your while. For starters, the oddly timed sequel xXx: Return of Xander Cage, will bring Vin Diesel’s action hero back to the big screen. Horror fans will also want to buy tickets to Rings, which will haunt your dreams for the coming weeks. The LEGO Batman movie swings into action this month, and will be fun for both the kids and family. The controversial Matt Damon vehicle The Great Wall gets it North American run this month, while Keanu Reeves dons the trench coat for his cult smash follow-up, John Wick: Chapter 2.
Netflix (Various Dates)
If streaming is more of your thing, there are some modern classics landing on Netflix in these next few days. Canadian subscribers of the service will soon be able to watch the Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg comedy, Superbad. Meanwhile, you can also catch the award-winning miniseries, American Crime Story: The People vs O.J. Simpson. Stand-up comedian, Mike Birbiglia, gets his own Netflix special entitled, Thank God for Jokes. That hour of fun debuts on February 28. Closing out the mentionables on Netflix, is David Brent: Life on the Road, which sees Ricky Gervais revive his titular character from The Office.
Video Games (Various Dates)
Gamers across the land are probably already aware of For Honor. The new Ubisoft IP pits knights, samurai, and other historic warriors against each other for ultimate battle supremacy. The highly anticipated game is available for purchase on Valentine’s Day. Real time strategy darling, Halo Wars 2, will let users take control of the iconic Halo universe once again. You can expect the sequel in your hands on the 21st. Finally, PS4 owners get the wild-looking, Horizon Zero Dawn, at the end of the month. The aforementioned action RPG is already one of the year’s most interesting adventures.
In Your Ears (Various Dates)
Whether you’re a vinyl head or a streaming junkie, music buffs have a few releases to invest in this February. Swedish producer, Jens Lekman, will debut his next offering entitled, Life Will See You Now. The project will arrive on the 17th via indie label, Secretly Canadian. Rap star and G.O.O.D. Music affiliate, Big Sean, is preparing to release I Decided in a matter of days. The album is spearheaded by his street anthem, “Bounce Back”, which has become the song of choice for certain memes online. Singer-songwriter, Ryan Adams, is also giving us Prisoner on the 17th. The LP is his first since 2015’s tongue-in-cheek Taylor Swift cover project. Dirty Projectors fans will get their first taste of the band’s music since beloved member Amber Coffman left. Judging from the few cuts we’ve listened to, it’ll be quite experimental.
