’Tis the season for whiling away the winter hours at the movie theater, bucket of extra-buttery popcorn in hand. But if you’re going to shell out the $12 for a ticket, don’t you want to be sure the movie you’re about to see is a good one? Below, all the winter 2020 films at the top of our list.
news
Winter Movie Guide: Every Single Film You Need to See in January, February and March
Published Jan 8, 2020
•1:00pm
Drama
1917
(January 10)
This film—about two British soldiers during World War I who have to deliver a message deep within enemy territory in order to save the lives of 1,600 men—is already getting early Oscar buzz. And after winning Best Picture at the Golden Globes, why shouldn’t it? (Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay and Colin Firth star.
Aviron Pictures
The Informer
(January 10)
An ex-convict (Joel Kinnaman) intentionally finds a way back to the slammer in an attempt to infiltrate—and work undercover against—the mob.
Warner Bros.
Just Mercy
(January 17)
Based on the memoir written by Equal Justice Initiative founder Bryan Stevenson, this film tells the story of Stevenson (Michael P. Jordan) and the case he took on to defend a man (Jamie Foxx) accused of a murder he may not have committed.
Roadside Attractions
The Last Full Measure
(January 24)
This film tells the true story of William H. Pitsenbarger Jr., a man who was denied and then later awarded the Medal of Honor 34 years after his death for saving lives during the Vietnam War. (Christopher Plummer, Sebastian Stan and Samuel L. Jackson star.)
Bleecker Street
The Assistant
(January 31)
Jane (Julia Garner) is your average everyday assistant working for a powerful film-industry mogul—ahem, Harvey Weinstein. But everything changes when she starts noticing some seedy activities going on behind closed doors.
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Downhill
(February 14)
When an avalanche hits a ski resort in the Alps, two parents—played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell—are forced to reckon with the state of their marriage…the good and the bad.
Bleecker Street
Ordinary Love
(February 14)
A middle-aged couple (Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville) is enjoying the, well, ordinary aspects of life until they’re faced with a breast cancer diagnosis and the prospect that everything as they know it may change.
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Wendy
(February 28)
The reimagining of the classic tale of Peter Pan, this film follows Wendy (Tommie Lynn Milazzo) through her adventures on a mysterious island and her pursuit of never growing up.
Warner Bros.
The Way Back
(March 6)
Ben Affleck stars as a struggling alcoholic who is offered a coaching job at his former high school. But time back on the basketball court brings up old demons he must confront—and learn how to let go of.
Focus Features
Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always
(March 13)
When a teenage girl finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, she wants to explore her medical options, so she takes a bus to New York City with her cousin in this coming-of-age film.
IFC Films
The Truth
(March 20)
In this French film, Catherine Deneuve plays an aging actress who still prefers her career to parenthood. But when her husband leaves her and her daughter (Juliette Binoche) comes to visit, her perspective evolves. (Ethan Hawke also stars.)
Comedy
Like a Boss
(January 10)
After two friends (Tiffany Haddish and Rose Byrne) start a beauty business together, they find themselves in debt. A makeup mogul (Salma Hayek) comes to the rescue…until it turns out she’s looking to steal their ideas.
Magnolia Pictures
Buffaloed
(February 14)
Zoey Deutch’s goal: To get out of Buffalo, New York. The plan: Join the underworld of debt collecting (aka cheat/hustle/swindle her way to the top).
Sony Pictures Classics
Greed
(February 21)
A high-street fashion tycoon (Steve Coogan) looks to throw the party of the century in this mockumentary about the uber-rich. (Isla Fisher also stars.)
Focus Features
Emma
(February 21)
Based on the Jane Austen novel of the same name, this reboot follows Emma (Anya Taylor-Joy), a young woman who enjoys meddling in the love lives of her family and friends.
Cranked Up Films
Extra Ordinary
(March 6)
In a small Irish town, Rose (Maeve Higgins) is a driving instructor with a side hustle: She’s also a ghost buster. (Will Forte and Barry Ward also star.)
Action
Bad Boys for Life
(January 17)
In the third installment of this cop comedy, Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) join forces once again to take down the leader of a Miami drug cartel.
STX Entertainment
The Gentlemen
(January 24)
Guy Ritchie directs this film about a British drug lord, played by Matthew McConaughey, who puts his empire up for sale. (The cast also includes Michelle Dockery, Henry Golding, Hugh Grant and Colin Farrell.)
Paramount Pictures
The Rhythm Section
(January 31)
After a plane crash kills her entire family, a woman—Blake Lively—is hell-bent on revenge at whatever cost. (Jude Law and Sterling K. Brown also star.)
Warner Bros.
Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn
(February 7)
In the latest from the DC Comics franchise, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) is moving on after her split from the Joker—and enlisting the help of her friends Black Canary, Huntress, etc. in the process.
Walt Disney Studios
Mulan
(March 27)
The live-action adaptation of the Disney classic stars Liu Yifei as a Chinese maiden who disguises herself as a man in order to rescue her dad.
STX Entertainment
My Spy
(March 13)
When a CIA agent (Dave Bautista) botches his “last chance” job, it’s up to a 9-year-old undercover spy wannabe (Chloe Coleman) to help him save his career.
Horror
Underwater
(January 10)
Researchers (Kristen Stewart and T.J. Miller) find themselves seven miles below the ocean’s surface when an earthquake hits…and subterranean creatures come out.
Universal Pictures
The Turning
(January 24)
A modern version of The Turn of the Screw, this supernatural thriller follows a governess (Mackenzie Davis) tasked with taking care of two kids after their parents die mysteriously. (Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard also stars.)
RLJE Films
Color Out of Space
(January 24)
When a meteorite falls from the sky out of nowhere, something seems off—and a family (led by Nicolas Cage) is determined to get to the bottom of it.
United Artists
Gretel & Hansel
(January 31)
A modern retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, a girl leads her brother into the woods only to find a terrifying web of evil hidden within.
Film Nation Entertainment
The Lodge
(February 7)
When a stepmom-to-be gets snowed in with her fiancé’s surly kids at a remote holiday resort, an evil—and unseen—force starts to wreak havoc and conjure up past life experiences she prefers to forget.
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Fantasy Island
(February 14)
If your ultimate fantasy were to come true, would you be happy? A crew of unsuspecting guests are about to find out in this scary adaptation of the 1970s TV show.
Universal Pictures
The Invisible Man
(February 28)
When her abusive ex-husband commits suicide, Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) is set to inherit $5 million with one condition: She has to prove she’s mentally competent.
Paramount Pictures
A Quiet Place: Part II
(March 20)
In the sequel to the original hit film directed by John Krasinski and starring Emily Blunt, the Abbott family is forced to venture outside their home—where they come up against a new set of creatures.
Family
Dolittle
(January 17)
Based on the classic children’s book by Hugh Lofting, a physician (Robert Downey Jr.) discovers he can talk to animals. What could go wrong?
Paramount Pictures
Sonic the Hedgehog
(February 14)
Jim Carrey is Dr. Ivo Robotnik in the film adaptation of the video game about Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) and his quest to escape the government agents who are after him.
20th Century Fox
The Call of the Wild
(February 21)
Based on the 1903 novel of the same name, this film follows John Thornton (Harrison Ford) as he connects with a once domesticated and now wilderness-savvy sled dog named Buck for the adventure of a lifetime.
Walt Disney Studios
Onward
(March 6)
Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Octavia Spencer are just a few of the stars lending their voices to this film about two teenage elves on a mission to find out if magic still exists.
Belga Films
The Queen’s Corgi
(March 27)
The real Queen Elizabeth would never lose track of one of her corgis! But, alas, that’s what happens in this animated film. One of her beloved goes missing and has to find his way back to Buckingham Palace.
More Stories You'll Love
Taylor Swift Attended Another Kansas City Game—and This Time, She Brought Her Bestie Blake Lively
Simone Biles Performs Historic Vault at First International Competition Since Tokyo Olympics
Simone Biles’s Hubby Proves He’s the Most Excited to See Her Return to Gymnastics with New Comment
Kate Middleton’s Royal Hat-Maker Just Launched a Calendar with Dogs Wearing Fascinators
Princess Charlotte Shares Hidden Talent with Mom Kate Middleton
Meghan Markle Confesses She Can’t Do This Sport—But She Wants Her Kids to Learn it