Fairy tales or fantastic utopias: what movies to watch in January 2025

January traditionally begins with a long weekend, and therefore all the most spectacular premieres occur during this period. What could be better than immersing yourself in the atmosphere of Russian folklore and spending time with your favorite characters, like in childhood? Most of us remember all these heroes from fairy tales, so their film adaptations will be a real gift not only for children but also for adults.

And of course, we couldn’t help but include new products from France, Türkiye, South Korea and Thailand in our selection. The world is big and interesting, so it’s important not to limit yourself. We also found movies for those who love animals and science fiction. You are unlikely to resist the charm and acting skills of panda Fu Bao and the agile dinosaur from Jurassic World.

We’re talking about the 10 best new movies releasing in January 2025.

“The Wizard of the Emerald City. The Yellow Brick Road, dir. Igor Voloshin

Premiere date: January 1

While the film adaptation of the Broadway musical “Wicked: The Tale of the Witch of the West”, based on Lyman Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, made a splash all over the world, Alexander Volkov’s City movie, a fairy tale about the Emerald Wizard, is in our country. withdrew. When the evil wizard Gingema creates a hurricane, the house of a girl named Ellie and her dog Totoshka are transported to the Munchkins’ fairytale land. To return home, he will need to find the wizard of the Emerald City. A yellow brick road leads to his house from every corner. On the way he will meet magical creatures and a witch who dreams of confusing all his plans.

Ekaterina Chervova, Yuri Kolokolnikov, Evgeny Chumak, Arthur Vakha, Svetlana Khodchenkova and other celebrities starred in the project.

“Finist. The first hero”, dir. Dmitry Dyachenko

Premiere date: January 1

The multiverse about the exploits of Russian heroes is growing. This time in the center of the story is the defender of Belogorye, Finist Yasny Falcon. True, the hero is selective and undertakes only work that will glorify him.

Cast: Kirill Zaitsev, Yulia Peresild, Kristina Stroiteleva and others.

“Megalopolis”, dir. Francis Ford Coppola

Premiere date: January 2

Adam Driver plays Cesar Catalina, a brilliant architect who aims to rebuild the destroyed metropolis after the disaster. He plans to build it from the unique megalon material he created. But not everyone is happy with Catalina’s utopian city plan.

“Illusion of Control”, dir. Lee Ye-seop

Premiere date: January 1

A South Korean crime thriller about a team of hitmen who treat their victims’ deaths as accidents. One day, the head of the group, Yen-il (Kang Dong-won), who is on another mission to assassinate a politician at the behest of his own daughter, points out a strange coincidence: The client’s mother has died under the wheels of a bus. . Likewise, Yong-il’s friend and partner also dies, and he begins to suspect that he has a serious rival in business.

“Bad Girl”, dir. Halina Dizgin

Premiere date: January 16

Nicole Kidman plays Romy, the company president who is used to dominating the workplace. An encounter with intern Samuel (Harris Dickinson) reveals her masochistic desire to obey. The handsome young man agrees to keep her secret, but soon everyone will find out about their relationship.

“A pet of the Jurassic period. Homecoming”, dir. Ryan Bellgardt, Chris Hoyt

Premiere date: January 16

Dedicated to dinosaur lovers. Little Spike enters our world through a magical portal, and selfish filmmakers immediately try to use him for fame and fortune. Learning about this, Ethan and his sister Madison plan to help the dinosaur return home at all costs and protect the secret portal from the bad guys.

“Supernatural. Time Fracture”, dir. Chukiat Sakvirakul

Premiere date: January 16

“Interstellar” in Thai. For those who are just getting acquainted with Lakorn (the so-called Thai TV series) or do not know anything about Thai cinema, it is better to start with films to immerse themselves in the traditions of the country, but not to get confused. . The science fiction film tells the story of how a scientist working on time travel disappeared without a trace after a mysterious ritual. 30 years later, his daughter Stella receives a message from him on an old radio and learns that her father is stuck in one of the time loops. Cast: Paula Taylor, Peter Korp Durendal.

“Slave. Magnificent Century”, dir. Onur Ünlü

Premiere date: January 23

Turkish version of the Russian hit of the same name with Milos Bikovich. This time, Kerem Bürsin, the star of the TV series ‘Kapımı Çal’, plays the role of Mete, the big star of Istanbul. Tired of his fun-loving son’s antics, Mete’s father turns to a psychologist for help. They decide to teach the young man a lesson – after another party, the main character finds himself in the 16th century Ottoman Empire, where he serves as a groom in the castle of a nobleman from the time of Sultan Suleiman.

“My Friend Panda”, dir. Shim Hyun-joon, Thomas Ko

Premiere date: January 16

It’s a documentary, but no less a touching film. Since all pandas are considered the property of China, authorities give these beautiful animals to other countries as a sign of friendship for a while and only for scientific research purposes. The truth is that pandas do not reproduce well in captivity. Climate conditions also bring species to the brink of extinction. This story is about Fu Bao, the first giant panda born in South Korea who became a social media star. Zookeepers bid their pet a touching farewell before sending him home.

“What Happened in the Autumn”, dir. François Ozone

Premiere date: January 16

If you want something restrained and sincere, François Ozon will come to the rescue. This time, the director will talk about the difficult relationships between loved ones from different generations. Neighbors Marie-Claude and Michel are enjoying retirement life in the Burgundy countryside. Michelle’s daughter and grandson come to visit her for the holidays, but a sudden event turns all their plans upside down. Her friend’s son Vincent, recently released from prison, comes to Michelle’s aid. Cast: Hélène Vincent, Josiane Balasko, Ludivine Sagnier, Pierre Lotten.