The High Five: February

February is another awkward early month that offers a mix of finally-opening prestige pictures (Amour is finally coming to town!) and a continuing stream of disappointing new fare.  Had I not already had the chance to see Warm Bodies, it would be represented here.  As it is, check out my review and maybe skip it.  Here are the movies I'm jazzed about (as before, Amour is ineligible for having been mentioned on a previous edition) for February.

1. No (limited release February 15) - Director Pablo Larrain's film packs recent history in slick-looking trappings, and apparently to great effect, as No made it to the Oscars, gaining a nomination for Chile.  The film tells the true story of an ad executive hired to help persuade the Chilean public to vote "no" on a referendum to dictator Augusto Pinochet's rule.  One of the reasons I'm most excited for No is that it's a star vehicle for one of my favorite actors, Gael Garcia Bernal, who has impressed in such diverse films as Y Tu Mama Tambien, Amores Perros, and last year's The Loneliest Planet. It's great to see him anchoring a film, something he'll do again in the forthcoming Hands of Stone opposite Robert De Niro. Check out the trailer for No here.

2. Rust and Bone (Columbus release February 1) - Movie-goers in bigger markets have had the chance to see Marion Cotillard's raved-about turn for months, but us Ohioans have been waiting.  Finally, the drama from A Prophet director Jacques Audiard is coming to a theater near me (and, perhaps, you).  Cotillard plays Stephanie, a killer whale trainer who is injured in a terrible accident.  The film has gotten great notices across the board, including the work of Matthias Schoenaerts and the film's use of the Katy Perry hit "Firework."  I was a huge fan of A Prophet, so I'm excited to see what Audiard has done this time, and to be wowed again by Cotillard, who never fails to impress.

3. The Oscar-Nominated Shorts (February 1) - I'm not sure if the shorts open on the same date nationwide, but it's certainly worth it to track down a theater hosting the program.  The animated and live-action showings normally last about the length of a normal movie  (the animated shorts are usually so short that additional entries are featured, as well), while the documentary program is decidedly lengthier, usually topping four hours.  For those who faithfully watch the Oscar telecast, the shorts categories are often where interest is lost (not to mention predictions are baffled), so it's nice to be able to have favorites in the lesser-seen races.  If you can't find a theater hosting the shorts near you, some of them are available on Youtube or elsewhere on the internet.

4. Side Effects (February 8) - Steven Soderbergh has been planning to retire for, seemingly, years and years, but it looks like Side Effects may be the prolific director's last big-screen foray (last year, we got a double dose with Haywire and Magic Mike).  Side Effects reteams Soderbergh with his Contagion scribe Scott Z. Burns, as they tackle a story about an anti-anxiety prescription that has - you guessed it - unexpected side effects for happily married Emily (Rooney Mara).  In addition to Mara, the impressive cast includes Soderbergh favorite Channing Tatum, Catherine Zeta Jones, Jude Law, and Ann Dowd.  The trailer promises plenty of twists and turns, so Soderbergh fans should be appeased.

5. The Rabbi's Cat  (Columbus release February 22) - This French animation opened last year in major markets for an Oscar-qualifying run, but unlike in past years, GKIDS didn't secure a nomination for any of the films they distributed.  Regardless, The Rabbi's Cat has received plenty of praise for its unique aesthetic direction and its fanciful story, about a cat in 1920s Algeria who swallows a parrot, learns to speak, and expresses its desire to convert to Judaism.  Mathieu Amalric leads the voice cast.  With all the sequels that tend to populate the American animation scene, it's always refreshing to see what GKIDS - they're the ones who distributed The Secret of Kells and A Cat in Paris - bring to our shores.

Other Notable Releases: Stand Up Guys (February 1), A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III (February 8), Identity Thief (February 8), Beautiful Creatures (February 14), Safe Haven (February 14)