The novelty of it being 2015 has worn off and the long, drawn out days of winter have arrived, but that doesn’t have to be depressing.
In fact, the sleet and snow (or rain and more rain if you’re on the West Coast) can be your reasons for keeping things indoors in February. Whether you’re looking for a good book, a night at the movies or a major sporting event to steal your attention, we’ve got you covered.
This is the February 2015 Primer.
Canadian veterans on tour… and Nickelback too (Various Dates)
The Tragically Hip kick off their Fully Completely tour on February 4 in Victoria and head east, playing only songs from their outstanding 1992 album that included songs like “Courage” and “Wheat Kings.” But Kingston, Ontario’s favourite sons aren’t the only ones hitting the road this month, as Bryan Adams begins a trek across the country in the middle of the month as well. Nickelback is heading out this month too, if you’re into that type of thing.
Dylan does Sinatra and the long awaited return of Sisqo (Various Dates)
No, nobody was actually waiting around for a new Sisqo album to drop, but the former Dru Hill frontman and thong lover is back and that’s kind of funny. As for new music that is worth checking out, Bob Dylan delivers a collection of Frank Sinatra covers on Shadows in the Night, British songstress Estelle returns and Imagine Dragons follow up their wildly successful debut Night Visions with Smoke + Mirrors, featuring the lead single, “I Bet My Life.”
Get in Trouble: Stories by Kelly Link (February 3)
Michael Chabon calls Link the “the most darkly playful voice in American fiction” and Neil Gaiman refers to her as “a national treasure.” Those men are literary geniuses, so if you like reading, you should probably pick up Link’s new collection of stories, Get in Trouble, when it comes out.
Jupiter Ascending (February 6)
Described on Wikipedia as “a space opera written, produced, and directed by The Wachowskis, Jupiter Ascending stars Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis in an intergalactic tale that feels poised to flop. The Wachowskis are nearly a decade removed from their last great offering (V for Vendetta) and while the Tatum/Kunis combo could draw people in, they feel better suited for a rom-com than a sci-fi action-adventure mash-up.
Motive by Jonathan Kellerman (February 9)
The latest offering from Kellerman is the 30th in the Alex Delaware series, which could certainly have been featured in our rundown of some of the best book series around. This time around, the child psychologist and his frequent collaborator LAPD detective Milo Sturgis are on the case of Ursula Corey, a successful, attractive divorcee who has been executed, gangland style.
NBA All-Star Weekend (February 13-15)
You can get your full fix of hoops from “The Mecca” (that’s Madison Square Garden) this weekend with the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, the Slam Dunk Contest and Three-Point Shootout on Saturday and the game itself on Sunday. While the game could use some adjustments to make it even better, it’s still a must-see series of events for true ballers.
Fifty Shades of Anticipation (February 13)
The time for Christian Grey to finally arrive on the big screen is here, as Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson bring the first book in E.L. James’ erotic trilogy to life this weekend. It should open at No. 1 at the box office and stir up a lot of conversations… and it might even lead to some sparks in the bedroom for some.
Dead or Alive 5: Last Round (February 17)
A fighting game with female characters right out of the fantasies of 13-year-old gamer boys? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know why this series has been so successful over the years. The gameplay is always smooth and the move sets are slick, but don’t kid yourself: the busty video game ladies in skimpy outfits help this one fly off the shelf.
Big Willie’s Back (February 27)
Will Smith as a con-man with a crush on Margot Robbie? Regardless of how bad After Earth was (and it was real bad), Focus sounds like a film worth checking out. Not only does the premise of this one sound fun, but seeing what kind of chemistry Smith and Robbie have on screen together could provide some advance intel on how good the forthcoming Suicide Squad movie since they’re part of the ensemble, with Smith playing Deadshot and Robbie portraying Harley Quinn.
So is Frank Underwood (February 27)
Yep – Season 3 of Netflix’ hit show House of Cards returns this month with President Francis Underwood sitting in the big chair in the big house at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. While the show didn’t have th same fanatical buzz about it in Season 2 as it did when it debuted, Kevin Spacey still took home the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series (Drama) this year and his scheming politician remains one of the most engaging characters going right now.
