This month in culture: February 2025

Kinda Pregnant

In theaters February 5

Amy Schumer stars as Lainy, a woman who dons a prosthetic pregnant belly when she grows envious of her best friend’s maternal glow. Once inside the secret world of mommies, Lainy learns how far she will go to stay close to her friends while being pulled toward a new love — Will Forte, who assures Lainy that she’s the least pregnant person he’s ever dated. Striking the balance of irreverence and heart Schumer is known for, Kinda Pregnant is buoyed by an accomplished comedic cast and backing from Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions.

-Calla Di Pietro

The Phoenician Scheme

In theaters February 13

I’m a terrible cliché; I’ll watch literally anything Wes Anderson does, including seeking out and watching ads he does for the likes of American Express or Stella Artois. It’s embarrassing, really. But as an Anderson fanatic, I have but one plea to the great man — could you make a film with an actual story? As a world-builder, aesthete and visual artist, Anderson is unmatched. As a storyteller, his last few outings have left me pining for the early scripts co-written with Owen Wilson. Nevertheless, the premise of this new one sounds fantastic, as they always do — it’s an espionage comedy-thriller starring Benicio del Toro and Michael Cera, and of course the usual giant ensemble of regular Anderson collaborators such as Bill Murray and Willem Dafoe. Might it be disappointing? Of course. Will I watch it at least six times regardless? Indeed.

-Zack Christenson

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

In theaters February 13

For those of us who have loved Bridget Jones since Helen Fielding first penned her character in 1996, here comes the latest chance to visit with our beloved heroine. For those familiar with the storyline, the shock of Mark Darcy’s passing ten years on has surely now subsided. For the light watcher, this is but a speed bump on the road of perseverance that Bridget Jones has paved for decades. As bumbling as ever, Jones has morphed from singleton to married to a widowed mother trying to juggle career, aging parents, family and romantic life with the panache that only Renée Zellweger can deliver. Down a Darcy, up two children and with the ever present Greek chorus of friends, Jones is mad about a new paramour and in return we’re as mad as ever about Jones.

-CDP

Captain America: Brave New World

In theaters February 14

The first Captain America film was dull. The second, Winter Soldier, was an incredible Cold War action thriller. The third was another Avengers film, and not as good as it ought to have been. In other words, it’s hard to predict the quality of Captain America films, and this year’s is no different. The teaser trailer promises a return to the gritty spy style of Winter Soldier, with Captain America protecting the American president (Harrison Ford) from secret enemies who’ve infiltrated the US government. That sounds superb — but it’s had several reshoots, a delayed release and a name change from New World Order. It’s also the first film with Anthony Mackie as Captain America and the first Disney Marvel movie (setting aside Deadpool & Wolverine) since 2023. At best, it could be a return to form; at worst, it’ll be a massively wasted opportunity. Regardless, it’ll be an interesting watch.

-Ross Anderson

The Gorge

February 14, AppleTV+

AppleTV+ is quietly developing a reputation (at least with me) as the go-to streamer for paranormal mysteries, dystopian thrillers and sci-fi alternative realities, with shows like Silo, Severance, Dark Matter, Servant, Foundation, Invasion and For All Mankind. Maybe it has something to do with being the one streamer run by pure tech nerds. Now comes The Gorge, about two snipers guarding (you guessed it) a gorge, at the bottom of which lies a mystery that neither sniper knows. Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy, two of the hottest tickets in Hollywood right now, star as the snipers and are joined by the queen of smart sci-fi, Sigourney Weaver.

-ZC

The White Lotus, season three

February 16, HBO

Mike White may as well have made The White Lotus just for me. I love black comedy, I love his writing style (most famously employed in School of Rock) and I used to work in high-end hotels, occasionally serving some of the most infuriating, privileged assholes ever to walk the earth. The White Lotus is the show’s fictional hotel chain; each season is centered around the guests at one of their idyllic resorts; and though the location changes each season — Hawaii, Sicily, now Thailand — the arc is the same. Everything starts out bright, cheerful and beautiful, only for the guests’ perfect-looking lives to gradually unravel until one — or several — of them wind up dead. It’s hilarious, grotesque and never overstays its welcome. The upcoming season has a fantastic cast, including Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Scott Glenn and Michelle Monaghan. The first two seasons were amazingly good at the same time maintaining a difference from each other, and I wouldn’t be surprised for this to be one of my favorite shows of the year.

-RA

Saturday Night Live Fiftieth Anniversary Special

February 16, NBC

America’s flagship sketch show will celebrate its half-century this month, with a three-hour self-congratulation featuring past cast members and celebrity guests. A look-back at the attendees of the fortieth anniversary special may amuse: the guestlist included Louis C.K., Matt Lauer, Brett Ratner, Donald and Melania Trump and Kanye West. This time around, expect a plethora of SNL alums such as Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler, Martin Short and Kristen Wiig — and perhaps, if you’re lucky, the odd laugh.

-Matt McDonald

Zero Day

February 20, Netflix

After a long time in the reputational doldrums, Robert de Niro seems to have rediscovered his interest in acting, and this pulled-from-the-headlines Netflix series, revolving around a devastating cyberattack that paralyzes global infrastructure, promises to be a taut and timely techno thriller. De Niro’s involvement has guaranteed an A-list cast including Jesse Plemons, Joan Allen and Dan Stevens; Homeland and Twin Peaks director Lesli Linka Glatter will undoubtedly ensure that it’s all kept pacey and edge-of-seat.

-Alexander Larman

The Monkey

In theaters February 21

Osgood Perkins was best known for being the son of Psycho star Anthony Perkins until his breakout hit, last year’s horror smash Longlegs. Similarly great things are expected of his Theo James-starring Stephen King adaptation, produced by Saw and Insidious filmmaker James Wan. The story, which owes a lot to the great W.W. Jacobs story “The Monkey’s Paw,” sees James’s Hal haunted by a cursed monkey toy, which causes death and devastation everywhere it goes. Expect a mixture of laughs and jump scares, and big box office.

-AL

1923, season two

February 23, Paramount+

Of making many books there is no end, we learn from Ecclesiastes. The same might be said of Taylor Sheridan-helmed soap operas on Paramount+, some better than others. 1923 happens to be one of the better ones, with a decent story set in an interesting period — in the aftermath of World War One and just before the Great Depression, with stops in Africa and aboard an Atlantic steamer, it follows another generation of the Dutton family in the Yellowstone universe, with stellar performances from greats like Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, and a wonderful turn for the most underrated Bond, Timothy Dalton. Here’s hoping that this, the second and last season, is just as much fun as the first.

-ZC

This article was originally published in The Spectator’s February 2025 World edition.