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February 2016

Books on Screen

February 2016

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a bestselling zombie novel must be in want of a silver screen adaptation. So it’s no surprise that Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, based on Seth Grahame-Smith’s Frankenstein of a novel --- which plops hordes of the walking dead into the Austen classic --- is now in theaters. More respectable reviewers are saying this one is as soulless as the Bennet sisters’ antagonists, but I say leave your braaaains at the door and enjoy some good February fun!

And, speaking of whatever dark magic is reanimating all these corpses, another February means another Nicholas Sparks movie. This year brings us The Choiceits plot reads like a Mad Libs summary of every other Sparks movie ever. Remember to bring tissues for when the lovers face [life-and-or-love-threatening complication]! If you prefer tears of joy, check out How to Be Single --- also out mid-month --- a subversive romantic comedy based on the Liz Tuccillo book of the same name. If you ask me, the choice of what to watch this Valentine’s weekend is really no choice at all.

For those of you in a serious relationship with television (we know who we are), there’s plenty to watch from the comfort of your couch this month. Ryan Murphy’s highly anticipated “The People vs. O. J. Simpson” premiered on FX in early February; come for Selma Blair as Kris Kardashian, stay for an incisive look at race, celebrity and the justice system in America! Characters in “The Magicians,” “Shadowhunters” and “The Shannara Chronicles” continue to struggle with magic, hormones and menacing obstacles --- though, as network executives well know, none as menacing as low ratings.

There’s something for everyone this month, so grab a big bag of conversation hearts and eat your heart out! And remember, an unhealthy obsession with entertainment is all the love you really need.

 

---Written and compiled by Emily Hoenig


 

In Theaters:

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Cast: Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth, Matt Smith, Lena Headey, Charles Dance
Director: Burr Steers
Distributor: Sony Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: February 5th
Based on: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES by Seth Grahame-Smith

A zombie outbreak has fallen upon the land in Jane Austen's classic tale of the tangled relationships between lovers from different social classes in 19th-century England. Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is a master of martial arts and weaponry and the handsome Mr. Darcy is a fierce zombie killer, yet the epitome of upper class prejudice. As the zombie outbreak intensifies, they must swallow their pride and join forces on the blood-soaked battlefield.

 

The Choice
Cast: Teresa Palmer, Benjamin Walker, Alexandra Daddario
Director: Ross Katz
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: February 5th
Based on: THE CHOICE by Nicholas Sparks

When feisty medical student Gabby Holland moves in next door to perennial ladies' man Travis Shaw, it sends them both on a romantic journey neither ever dreamed possible. Travis has always believed a serious relationship with a woman would cramp his easygoing lifestyle, while Gabby is all set to settle down with her long-term boyfriend --- until an irresistible attraction between the unlikely couple upends both of their well-planned lives. After a whirlwind courtship, Gabby and Travis wed and build a family together, making every decision hand-in-hand until one of them is forced to make the most important choice of their life alone. A poignant and life-affirming celebration of love, marriage and family that explores the most heart-wrenching question of all: How far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?

 

Deadpool
Cast: Ryan ReynoldsMorena Baccarin, Gina Carano, Ed Skrein, T.J. Miller
Director: Tim Miller
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: February 12th
Based on: Deadpool comics series by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza

Based on Marvel Comics' most unconventional anti-hero, Deadpool tells the origin story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopts the alter ego Deadpool. Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humor, Deadpool hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.

 

How to Be Single
Cast: Dakota Johnson, Alison Brie, Leslie Mann
Director: Christian Ditter
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: February 12th
Based on: HOW TO BE SINGLE by Liz Tuccillo

There’s a right way to be single, and a wrong way to be single, and then…there’s Alice. And Robin. Lucy. Meg. Tom. David. New York City is full of lonely hearts seeking the right match, be it a love connection, a hook-up, or something in the middle. And somewhere between the teasing texts and one-night stands, what these unmarried all have in common is the need to learn how to be single in a world filled with ever-evolving definitions of love. Sleeping around the city that never sleeps was never so much fun.

 

The Great Gilly Hopkins
Cast: Sophie Nélisse, Glenn Close, Julia Stiles, Kathy Bates, Octavia Spencer
Director: Stephen Herek
Distributor: Freestyle Releasing
MPAA Rating: N/A
Release Date: February 19th (limited)
Based on: THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS by Katherine Paterson

Eleven-year-old Gilly has been stuck in foster families for as long as she can remember, and she's despised them all. She has a county-wide reputation for being smart, assertive and out of control. So when she's sent to live with the Trotters, far and away the strangest family to ever take her in, Gilly comes up with a crafty little scheme get her real mother to come "rescue" her. But things don't unfold the way she'd planned. And when time comes to go, the great Gilly Hopkins starts to think that maybe with the Trotters isn't so shabby after all.


 

On TV:

“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (limited series)
Cast:
Cuba Gooding Jr., Sarah Paulson, Courtney B. Vance, David Schwimmer, John Travolta, Selma Blair, Connie Britton, Sterling K. Brown
Network: FX
Air Dates: Premieres February 2nd; Tuesdays at 10pm ET
Based On: THE RUN OF HIS LIFE: The People v. O.J. Simpson by Jeffrey Toobin

“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” is a limited series that takes you inside the O.J. Simpson trial with a riveting look at the legal teams battling to convict or acquit the football legend of double homicide. Based on the book THE RUN OF HIS LIFE: The People v. O.J. Simpson by Jeffrey Toobin, it explores the chaotic behind-the-scenes dealings and maneuvering on both sides of the court, and how a combination of prosecution overconfidence, defense shrewdness and the LAPD’s history with the city’s African-American community gave a jury what it needed: reasonable doubt.

 

“Madoff” (miniseries)
Cast:
Richard Dreyfuss, Blythe Danner, Erin Cummings
Network: ABC
Air Dates: Premieres February 3rd; Wednesdays at 8pm ET
Based On: THE MADOFF CHRONICLES: Inside the Secret World of Bernie and Ruth by Brian Ross

A miniseries chronicling the rise and ultimate downfall of the infamous financier Bernie Madoff, whose fraudulent activities led to a major fallout with his family and his eventual imprisonment.

 

“11.22.63”
Cast:
James Franco, Chris Cooper, Josh Duhamel
Network: Hulu
Air Dates: PremieresFebruary 15th        
Based On: 11/22/63 by Stephen King

An English teacher travels back in time to stop JFK's assassination, but many elements threaten his mission.

 

“The Magicians” (limited series)
Cast: Jason Ralph, Arjun Gupta, Stella Maeve, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Hale Appleman, Summer Bishil, Jade Tailor
Network: Syfy
Air Dates: Mondays at 9pm ET
Based On: The Magicians fantasy trilogy by Lev Grossman

A group of 20somethings studying magic in New York discover a real-life fantasy world that poses a great threat to humanity in this drama adapted from Lev Grossman's book series.

 

“Lucifer”
Cast: Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Rachel Harris, D.B. Woodside, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Nicholas Gonzalez, Scarlett Estevez
Network: Fox
Air Dates: Mondays at 9pm ET
Based On: LUCIFER by Mike Carey (spinoff of the character first introduced in SANDMAN by Neil Gaiman

When the devil tires of life in Hell, he materializes in the City of Angels, where he aids the LAPD in rounding up and punishing evildoers in this TV-adaptation of the comic book.

 

“The Flash”
Cast: Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Rick Cosnett, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes, Tom Cavanagh, Jessie L. Martin
Network: The CW
Air Dates: Tuesdays at 8pm ET
Based On: THE FLASH: DC Comics character created by Robert Kanigher, John Broome and Carmine Infantino

Following the defeat of Barry Allen's arch-nemesis Eobard Thawne (a.k.a. Reverse Flash), Team Flash quickly turned their attention to the singularity swirling high above Central City, which fans last saw consuming everything in its path. Armed with the heart of a hero and the ability to move at super speeds, Barry charged into the eye of the singularity, but will he actually be able to save his city from impending doom?

 

“Shadowhunters”
Cast: Katherine McNamara, Dominic Sherwood, Alberto Rosende, David Castro
Network: Freeform
Air Dates: Tuesdays at 9pm ET
Based On: THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

On her 18th birthday, a woman discovers that she's an angel-human hybrid who hunts demons. After her mother is kidnapped, Clary must venture into the dark world of demon hunting in order to find clues that can help her find her mother.

 

“The Shannara Chronicles” (limited series)
Cast: Poppy Drayton, Austin Butler, Manu Bennett, Aaron Jakubenko, Ivana Baquero, John Rhys-Davies 
Network: MTV
Air Dates: Tuesdays at 10pm ET
Based On: ELFSTONES OF SHANNARA, Book 2 in the Shannara series by Terry Brooks

An elf, a human and a half-elf, half-human set out to stop a demon army from destroying the world in this fantasy drama adapted from the book series by Terry Brooks.

 

“The Expanse”
Cast: Steven Strait, Thomas Jane, Dominique Tipper, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Cas Anvar, Wes Chatham
Network: SyFy
Air Dates: Tuesdays at 10pm ET
Based On: The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey

The case of a missing heiress brings a hardened detective and a rogue ship's captain together to solve what turns out to be a conspiracy spanning the solar system in this thriller set 200 years in the future.

 

“Arrow”
Cast: Stephen Amell, Colin Donnell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Susanna Thompson, Paul Blackthorne
Network: The CW
Air Dates: Wednesdays at 8pm ET
Based On: DC Comics character Green Arrow created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp

After defeating his most formidable foe to date and riding off into the sunset with longtime flame Felicity Smoak, Oliver Queen (aka The Arrow) left Starling City with the hopes of beginning a new life. But will Oliver ever truly be able to leave behind his past as the Arrow, and, if so, what becomes of the team he has worked so hard to assemble? Will Diggle, Thea and Laurel be left to continue Oliver’s crusade without him? And with Malcolm Merlyn having ascended to the top of the League of Assassins as the new Ra's al Ghul, is anyone really safe?

 

"Legends of Tomorrow"
Cast: Victor Garber, Brandon Routh, Caity Lotz, Arthur Darvill, Ciara Renée, Franz Drameh, Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, Casper Crump
Network: The CW
Air Dates: Thursdays at 8pm ET
Based On: DC Comics characters

A time-traveling rogue assembles a group of heroes and villains to prevent the world's destruction.


 

On DVD:

Steve Jobs
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen
Director: Danny Boyle
MPAA Rating: R
DVD Release Date: February 16th
Based on: STEVE JOBS by Walter Isaacson

Set backstage at three iconic product launches and ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac, Steve Jobs takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution to paint an intimate portrait of the brilliant man at its epicenter.

 

Secret in Their Eyes
Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts
Director: Billy Ray
MPAA Rating: PG-13
DVD Release Date: February 23rd
Based on: THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES by Eduardo Sacheri

A tight-knit team of rising investigators --- Ray and Jess, along with their supervisor Claire --- is suddenly torn apart when they discover that Jess's teenage daughter has been brutally and inexplicably murdered. Now, thirteen years later, after obsessively searching every day for the elusive killer, Ray finally uncovers a new lead that he's certain can permanently resolve the case, nail the vicious murderer, and bring long-desired closure to his team. No one is prepared, however, for the shocking, unspeakable secret that will reveal the enduring, destructive effects of personal vengeance on the human soul.

 

My All-American
Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Finn Wittrock, Robin Tunney
Director: Angelo Pizzo
MPAA Rating: PG
DVD Release Date: February 23rd
Based on: COURAGE BEYOND THE GAME: The Freddie Steinmark Story by Jim Dent

From Angelo Pizzo, the writer of Rudy and Hoosiers, comes My All-American --- the true story of one of legendary UT Austin football Coach Darrell Royal's most beloved players, Freddie Steinmark, an underdog who led his team to a championship season and was an inspiration both on and off the field.

 

Brooklyn
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson
Director: John Crowley
MPAA Rating: PG-13
DVD Release Date: February 23rd
Based on: BROOKLYN by Colm Tóibín

BROOKLYN tells the profoundly moving story of Eilis Lacey, a young Irish immigrant navigating her way through 1950s Brooklyn. Lured by the promise of America, Eilis departs Ireland and the comfort of her mother's home for the shores of New York City. The initial shackles of homesickness quickly diminish as a fresh romance sweeps Eilis into the intoxicating charm of love. But soon, her new vivacity is disrupted by her past, and Eilis must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within.

 

I Smile Back
Cast: Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Skylar Gaertner
Director: Adam Salky
MPAA Rating: R
DVD Release Date: February 23rd
Based on: I SMILE BACK by Amy Koppelman

Laney is an attractive, intelligent suburban wife and devoted mother of two adorable children. She has the perfect husband who plays basketball with the kids in the driveway, a pristine house and a shiny SUV for carting the children to their next activity. However, just beneath the façade lie depression and disillusionment that send her careening into a secret world of reckless compulsion. Only very real danger will force her to face the painful root of her destructiveness and its crumbling effect on those she loves.