IT ’ S JANUARY MAN
IT ’ S JANUARY MAN
H
ollywood is gearing up for a big 2025 at the box office . Still , January is usually a mix of expansion releases for awards contenders and films that ended up here by scheduling default . Our first big film of the year , Wolf Man , is not necessarily a remake but more of a reboot of the 1941 horror classic . No matter what your preference is , we have a lot of options this month .
By Lori Vernon
Robbie Williams in Better Man
Los Frikis
Directed by Tyler Nilson & Michael Schwartz Rated • December 25 - In Theaters
Inspired by true events set against the backdrop of Cuba ’ s 1990s punk subculture , the film is a powerful coming-of-age story centering around Gustavo ( Eros de la Puente ), who idolizes his older brother Paco ( Héctor Medina ) and his punk bandmates . As oppression and extreme poverty tighten their grip the Frikis take a desperate and defiant
stand , intentionally injecting themselves with HIV to gain refuge in a government-run sanatorium . There , in a world meant for isolation , they carve out their own anarchic utopia — an oasis of rock ' n ' roll , joy , and freedom . Also starsAdriaArjonas and Jorge Perugorría .
Better Man
Directed by Michael Gracey Rated R • January 10 - In Theaters
Based on the true story of the meteoric rise , dramatic fall , and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams , the film is uniquely told from Robbie ’ s perspective , capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit . It follows Robbie ’ s ( Jonno Davies ) journey from childhood to being the youngest member of charttopping boyband Take That , through his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring .
Den of Thieves : Pantera
Directed by Christian Gudegast Rated R • January 10 - In Theaters
Gerard Butler and O ’ Shea Jackson return in the sequel to 2018 ’ s action-heist hit Den of Thieves . In the sequel , Big Nick ( Butler ) is back on the hunt in Europe and closing in on Donnie ( Jackson ), who is embroiled in the treacherous and unpredictable world of diamond thieves and the infamous Panther mafia , as they plot a massive heist of the world ’ s largest diamond exchange .
Hard Truths
Directed by Mike Leigh Rated R • January 10 - In Theaters
Marianne Jean-Baptiste plays Pansy , a woman wracked by fear , tormented by afflictions , and prone to raging tirades against her husband , son , and anyone who looks her way . Meanwhile , her easygoing younger sister , played by Michele Austin , is a single mother with a life as different from Pansy ’ s as their clashing temperaments - brimming with communal warmth from her salon clients and daughters alike . This expansive film from a master dramatist takes us into the intensitfies of kinship , duty , and the most enduring of hujman mysteries : that even through lifetimes of hujrt and hardship , we still find ways to love those we call family .
Wolf Man
Directed by Leigh Whannell Rated R • January 17 - In Theaters
Christopher Abbott stars as Blake , a husband and father who inherits his remote childhood home after his own father vanishes and is presumed dead . With his marriage to his high-powered wife , Charlotte ( Julia Garner ) fraying , Blake persuades Charlotte to visit the property with their young daughter , Ginger ( Matilda Firth ). But as the family arrives , they ’ re attacked by an unseen animal and barricade themselves inside the home . As the night stretches on , Blake begins to behave strangely , transforming into something unrecognizable . Charlotte is forced to decide whether the terror within their house is more lethal than the danger without .
September 5
Directed by Tim Fehlbaum Rated R • January 17 - In Theaters The true story of the moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today . Set during the 1972 Munich Summer
12 illinoisentertainer . com january 2025