December has been an explosive month for Pakistan’s cinemas. New life has been breathed into it because of ‘Spiderman: No Way Home’, as is the same for world cinema. However, January is bringing a new list of releases from across the seas and from across the border.
7 January
Galwakhdi
Kicking off the first Friday of January is ‘Galwakhdi’. This is a rom-com from the Indian Punjab starring Raghveer Boli and Wamiqa Gabbi. After ‘Chal Mera Putt’, this is another Indian Punjabi film which is sure to leave audiences in stitches. And it certainly won’t be the last.
The 355
If you’ve been hankering for spy thrillers, The ‘355’ is the antidote. Directed by Simon Kenberg, the writer behind ‘X-Men Apocalypse’ and ‘Sherlock Holmes’. The 355 is about a team up between a CIA agent and his counterpart from Germany. Their job is to stop secret weapons from being used by a group of mercenaries. This is standard spy thriller stuff. That doesn’t mean it’s not going to be an action-packed ride though.
14 January
Scream
If you are a fan of the film that reinvented/parodied the slasher genre, then ’Scream 5’ should already be on your watchlist. Starring the same cast from the original and new additions, the fifth film in the Scream franchise sees the return of Ghostface. It most certainly won’t reinvent the wheel, but it’ll make for good horror.
21 January
Nightmare Alley
Originally slated to release in December, this stylized adaptation of the classic William Gresham novel is now releasing on January 21st. It stars Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Willem Dafoe, and many others. It’s also directed by Guillermo Del Toro so you know the movie will look stunning all around. The plot is shrouded in mystery. There’s a circus, several performers, and a monster hiding somewhere. When the cinema curtain rises, you’ll get your first look.
Sing 2
The sequel to the box office smash ‘Sing’ promises more of the same delights and stunning visuals of the first. Just the star cast is something to behold with Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, and Scarlett Johansson along with Nick Kroll and Nick Offerman.
28 January
Javed Iqbal: The Untold Story of A Serial Killer
The film about Pakistan’s most notorious serial killer was pushed to January, yet it still promises terror, and perhaps a little self-reflection at the monsters hiding around us. ‘Javed Iqbal: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer’ comes out on January 28th.
Morbius
After ‘Venom’, this is Sony’s second experiment with a Supervillain movie. Starring Oscar Winner Jared Leto, Morbius is based on a little-known villain from the Spiderman Comics who just happens to be a vampire. This one will prove to be a mix of horror, and a little comedy, as was Venom, yet from the trailer, it seems to be more inclined towards horror than comedy.
With these 7 releases in January, you can expect a mix of delight and thrill. We’re just glad to have the cinemas open again.
