19 Films to See in February
and Keith Kimbell, Metacritic Film Editor – February 1, 2023
In the gallery on this page, our editors have selected the most interesting films debuting in North American theaters this month, listed in alphabetical order.
SWORD ART ONLINE: Opening in theaters February 3 (in both subtitled and dubbed versions) from Crunchyroll and Aniplex is Sword Art Online The Movie -Progressive- Scherzo of Deep Night (pictured above), the sequel to 2021's Aria of a Starless Night. Adapted from Reki Kawahara's light novel series, the Sword Art Online anime originally spanned 97 episodes and a movie, and the newer Progressive series finds Kawahara rebooting the sci-fi franchise, which is set in the world of virtual reality gaming (and which will theoretically get a live-action Netflix adaptation, though there's been no word on the announced series for several years). Watch trailer
KAGUYA-SAMA: Crunchyroll and Aniplex will also team up to bring Kaguya-sama: Love Is War -The First Kiss That Never Ends-, the first feature film spinoff from the Kaguya-sama: Love Is War rom-com series, to theaters as an event screening on the nights of February 14 and 15. The subtitled film picks up after the events of the season 3 finale. Watch trailer
DEEMO: Also headed to the big screen this month for its North American debut is Deemo: Memorial Keys, which will screen as a one-night event (from Eleven Arts) the night of February 2. Arriving in both dubbed and subtitled versions, the 2021 film is adapted from the acclaimed rhythm videogame Deemo and centers on the piano-playing inhabitant of an isolated castle (and a mysterious amnesiac visitor). Watch trailer