Watch: What's Up in February – Hercule Poirot, Troye Sivan & Lady Gaga

February is proving to be quite frosty in most of the country, but worry not because there is a legion of entertainment at your fingertips. And for those of you needing to seek movie theater refuge, there is plenty for you as well from murder mystery to Shondaland enigma to a slew of fascinating indie films.

'Death on the Nile'

Kenneth Branagh's "Death on the Nile" is a dark reimagining of Agatha Christie's classic murder mystery which works more than it doesn't thanks to some chilling new plot deviations (via Michael Green's screenplay tweaks) and a few gritty performances, specifically Annette Bening, Tom Bateman, Emma Mackey and Branagh himself. Gal Gadot, looking ravishing, is the wealthy target here. And the famous Hercule Poirot becomes personally embroiled in the web of deceit, lies and homicides. There's also a dash of camp and a fab surprise lesbian couple. Haris Zambarloukos gorgeously photographs this winner.

"Death on the Nile" is currently playing in theaters nationwide.

'Murder on the Orient Express'

And while we're on the subject, Paramount has finally released the greatest of all Agatha Christie filmic adaptations, Sidney Lumet's splendiferous 1974 wonder, "Murder on the Orient Express," which was tagged as "The Who's Who in the Whodunit" because of the mega-star-studded cast: Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Vanessa Redgrave and Sean Connery, for starters! Nominated for 6 Oscars, Bergman won her 3rd. This glorious classic is the perfect confluence of director, script (Paul Dehn), thesps and design team that birthed an experience that can be savored repeatedly. The Blu-ray is stunning and features a fabulous 48-minute making of doc, carried over from the DVD release. Oh, and two queer actors (that we know of) Anthony Perkins and John Gielgud are among the cast.

"Murder on the Orient Express" is currently available on Blu-ray.

'Last Looks'

Director Tim Kirkby's oddball Hollywood murder-mystery action-comedy, "Last Looks," was released on Demand and Digital with very little fanfare despite having gay-adored Charlie Hunnam (British "Queer as Folk") as its star. I can only imagine it's because Mel Gibson is in the film which is a shame because it's quite good. Hunnam (complete with more butt shots) delivers a quirky and rather fabulous performance. Morena Baccarin and Rupert Friend provide great support. And Gibson is rather hilarious in a send-up of a drunk has-been TV actor. The only thing the movie suffers from is too much plot. Give it a looksee.

"Last Looks" is currently available on Demand and Digital.

'Inventing Anna'

If you can get past Julia Garner's odd, off-putting accent and affect then, "Inventing Anna" is the winter TV find. The Shonda Rhimes' Netflix limited series is based on the real Anna Delvey who was able to con the most elite of NYC into believing she was an heiress-to-be (much like the subject of John Guare's "Six Degrees of Separation" where a young man convinced the NYC upper classes that he was Sidney Poitier's son). The episodes become more intriguing as you go, and each are peppered with a host of recognizable Shondaland thesps. Standouts include the fabulous Kate Burton, hottie James Cusati-Moyer, Anna Deavere Smith and the real star of the show Anna Chlumsky, who delivers Emmy-worthy work. "Inventing Anna" refuses any easy answers. It's about explorations of truth. And Garner grows on you.

"Inventing Anna" is available to stream on Netflix.

'The Pact'

"In order to be happy, you have to risk being unhappy." Karen Blixen

Bille August's "The Pact" can be viewed as a somber sequel to "Out of Africa" as Karen Blixen (a captivating Birthe Neumann), now 63, is a literary superstar but is also heartbroken and ravaged by disease. She decides to mentor a young poet Thorkild Bjørnvig (Simon Bennebjerg), demanding his full devotion. The script, by Christian Torpe, suffers from too many literary tropes. I wish Torpe had delved more into Blixen's demons. August keeps things interesting when the film is focused on the Blixen and Bjørnvig relationship, and it's a fascinating one--the dynamics, the power play, the sexual tension. That's the reason to see the film.

"The Pact" is playing in theatres in NYC and opens in Los Angeles and�San Francisco on February 18, 2022

'Give or Take'

After his estranged gay father dies, Martin (Jamie Effros) returns to his Cape Cod home to settle things and is immediately at odds with his dad's younger lover, Ted (Norbert Leo Butz). Paul Riccio's "Give or Take" has its heart in the right place but is sometimes stilted and tiresome. When the film focuses on Ted it soars because Butz delivers a layered and exquisite performance. Louis Cencelmi and Annapurna Sriram excel is roles that should have been expanded. See it for Butz!

"Give or Take" is playing in select theaters (NY/LA) and will be on Digital & DVD platforms February 22nd.

'Liar's Moon'

Matt Dillon fans rejoice! On its 40th anniversary and just in time for Valentine's Day, a both loved and maligned romantic drama from 1982 is finally released on Blu-ray thanks to MVD Rewind Collection. "Liar's Moon" was Matt Dillon's first leading role at the age of 18 and beyond his hearthrobbing good looks, he proved to be quite an understated, admirable talent. The film itself, about a taboo relationship, is absorbing until it veers into an abyss of melodrama in the final reel. Future soap queen Tonja Walker rocks a supporting role and it's always lovely to see Yvonne DeCarlo and Susan Tyrell–even in tiny roles. The Blu-ray boasts a Making-of that is as long as the film--basically Zoom talking heads reminiscing–no Matt–still worth a look.

"Liar's Moon" is available on Blu-ray on February 15, 2022.

'Three Months'

Out pop star Troye Sivan may soon be Out film star Troye Sivan if his breakthrough performance in Jared Frieder's "Three Months," bowing on Paramount+ is any indication of what he has to offer. Sivan has made impressions in supporting roles of late – most notably "Boy Erased" – but his deeply nuanced, poignant and funny turn here is an eye opener. Sivan plays Caleb, a high school senior living in Florida in 2011 who discovers that a hookup just tested positive for HIV, so he must now wait three months to find out his status. Ellen Burstyn shines (doesn't she always) as his doting grandmother. The ending is perfection.

"Three Months" bows exclusively on Paramount+ on February 23, 2022.

'Family Squares'

When Grandma Mabel (sweet June Squibb) knows she's about to die, she plans her own video messages with the help of her granddaughter. On her Zoom deathbed, they all gather and after she passes, certain shocking revelations shake the family foundation. Stephanie Laing's "Family Squares" is mostly Zoom reliant but is also a fun treat with delightful performances by Judy Greer, hottie Billy Magnussen, Margo Martindale, Timothy Simons, Ann Dowd and Henry Winkler.

"Family Squares" will be released in Theaters and On Demand February 25, 2022

'I'll Find You'

'I'll Find You'

Martha Coolidge's sweeping and strangely sanguine love story, set in Poland on the cusp of the outbreak of WW2, "I'll Find You," lousy title notwithstanding, is an absorbing, if sometimes off-putting film with a commanding Leo Suter as the lead and Adelaide Clemens as his great love. Stellan Skarsgård is truly engaging in the initially disconcerting role of a famous opera singer (he pulls it off). The final quarter wraps too easily--so much more needed to be explored in the aftermath--but the film is worth seeing if only for newcomer Suter's charismatic performance.

"I'll Find You" will be released in theaters and VOD on February 25, 2022.

'House of Gucci'

Finally, and worth a buy, if only for the solid and engaging performances by Lady Gaga and Al Pacino, the Blu-ray release of Ridley Scott's "House of Gucci." Let's not forget that both Gaga and Pacino are the only real actors of Italian descent in the main cast, and they bring that authenticity to their roles. The film itself begins promising enough in the first hour but then goes to hell in the second. It's a shame there's no way to magically remove Jared Leto's embarrassing caricature turn–or to replace him with a good actor (like Scott did with "All the Money in the World"). But there's always the fast-forward button! The disc boasts some fun extras. And oh, the camp!

"House of Gucci" is available on Blu-ray and DVD on February 22nd.