Which of these are you going to watch?

Only going into the second month of 2017 and the movie release schedule is already looking busy as ever. Even though Chinese New Year is for the most part already over, the annual slush of Chinese New Year selections are just now coming in to keep the festive mood up. In the meantime, couples looking for a movie outing to sink or scream into each other's arms are spoiled with a good selection of horror and romance to choose from.

For the award watchers, February continues to bring in some strong contenders that will be a must watch for them as the Academy Awards are set to be held within this month.

With lots of movies ahead of us in this short February, here are the movies not to miss this month!

Aku Haus Darah Mu

An enticing title to an even more enticing movie, "Aku Haus Darah Mu" revolves around 3 anthropologists who are in search to study a dying form of dance in a remote village. With returning powerhouse Deanna Yusoff hosting the three unsuspecting victims of a ritual associated with the dance, we are already looking forward to find what supernatural secrets are hidden behind the interestingly choreographed dancers and the above average production value and costumes to set some serious standards for Malaysian horror for the rest of the year.

General Release Date: 2 February

The Space Between Us

If you and your significant other are not keen on seeing "Passengers" for the fifth time, but still want to show your love that reaches beyond the stars, then it's time to bring that love earthbound with "The Space Between Us". Young star Asa Butterfield plays as the first human child to be born on Mars who makes a connection with a girl living on Earth. The young Martian gets a chance to visit Earth as he physically connects with his Earthling friend and they go on a road trip to discover themselves. Butterfield is paired together with Britt Robertson ("Tomorrowland"), while "Hector and the Search for Happiness" director Peter Chelsom puts his soft touch on this down-to-earth romance, that is also supported by Gary Oldman.

General Release Date: 2 February

The LEGO Batman Movie

If there is one good thing that comes out from every disappointment in DC's cinematic universe so far is that Warner Bros. has someone willing to pick up the slack. Easily becoming a hot favourite from his multiple first tries in the bat-shit crazy brick fest, "The LEGO Movie", "The LEGO Batman Movie" is a deserved spin-off starring the Caped Crusader that is more selfish and sarcastic than the growling brooding billionaire that he is. Although Phil Lord and Chris Miller are handing off directing duties to Chris McKay, Will Arnett returns to voice his version of the iconic superhero who likes to fight around. Featuring a bricked cast to voice as familiar characters from Gotham City, Zach Galifianakis will be the Joker, together with Michael Cera as Robin, Rosario Dawson as Barbara Gordon and Ralph Fiennes as Alfred Pennyworth. The trailers have already shown "The LEGO Batman Movie" to pass all hurdles of being a better DC movie than any that has come before it, but can it beat its LEGO predecessor?

General Release Date: 9 February

Hacksaw Ridge

Based on the true story of Desmond Doss, a Seventh Day Adventist who refused to bear arms while he was in the U.S. military during World War II, Dess was awarded the Medal of Honour for carrying wounded and dying soldiers to safety in the line of fire at the battle of Battle of Okinawa, despite being a pacifist. With an already impressive cast that already has Andrew Garfield nominated for Best Actor at the Golden Globes and possibly at the Oscars, Sam Worthington, Hugo Weaving, Teresa Palmer and Vince Vaughn, "Hacksaw Ridge" is also the strongest directorial return of Mel Gibson after 10 years since "Apocalypto". Receiving a massively positive response since it premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2016, "Hacksaw Ridge" could be Gibson's return to Oscar glory for Best Picture and Best Director since 1995's "Braveheart".

General Release Date: 9 February

John Wick: Chapter 2

After being rudely roused back to the world of assassins, John Wick goes to Rome to fulfil a blood oath that will have him going against the best of the best assassins around the world. After breaking grounds on the action genre in 2014, this is easily the most hotly anticipated sequel to a potential trilogy-spanning franchise starring Keanu Reeves in what is easily his most memorable action role since "The Matrix". Stunt coordinator and director Chad Stahelski also return to mark the second chapter of this gun-totting franchise, along with the familiar faces of Ian McShane, Bridget Moynahan, John Leguizamo, Thomas Sadoski, and Lance Reddick, while Common is the new face with a cameo by Lauren Fishburne as a mini reunion for "The Matrix" alumni.

General Release Date: 9 February

Cook Up A Storm

With the popularity of Hong Kong star Nicholas Tse's food and travel show called "Chef Nic", it was only a matter of time since viewers got to see the more domesticated side of the actor on the big screen. In "Cook Up A Storm", Nicholas plays a street cook, while South Korean hunk Jung Yong Hwa plays a Michelin starred chef trained in France. What happens when the two clashing personalities go against each other in a cooking competition? Watch to find out.

General Release Date: 10 February

Love Contractually

Sammi Cheng, the queen of romantic comedies of the early 2000s is back with another movie that is set to deliver all the feels. In "Love Contractually" a very career-driven Sammi is matched with Taiwanese actor Joseph Chang in their first on-screen pairing. Shot in Paris amongst other locations, Sammi plays a CEO who hires a new assistant, played by Joseph. When the pair get romantically involved, the real motives of Sammi's character are questioned.

General Release Date: 16 February

Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale

Anime fans will get their first treat of the year, especially if they are ardent followers of the "Sword Art Online" series with its first theatrical feature. Malaysia will be enjoying an almost simultaneous release of "Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale" with Japan, featuring a new original story by series creator Reki Kawahara. Taking place years after the events of season 2 in the series, Kirito and his band of gamers are now playing in a new augmented reality game called Ordinal Scale where players are challenged and rewarded for their real life skills. But as familiar enemies appear from the virtual game where Kirito was trapped in before, a new and dangerous threat slowly unveils itself. Made fully by the same staff and studio behind the regular anime seasons, "Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale" is a return to the unforgiving world of virtual gaming with music by Yuki Kajiura that makes it great.

General Release Date: 16 February

A Cure for Wellness

After playing in the huge budget sandbox that landed in one of the biggest losses for Disney, director Gore Verbinski is now back to another charted territory of his; horror. Responsible for setting off the American adaptation of "The Ring" series from Japan (which is getting its third instalment also being release here in February), Verbinski is finding "A Cure for Wellness" with Dane DeHaan as an executive sent to an institutional wellness center to bring back the CEO of his company. When DeHaan suffers an accident and is brought within the walls of the institution, he undergoes a treatment that is sure to make you question your own insanity.

General Release Date: 16 February

Hidden Figures

Based on the non-fiction book of the same name, "Hidden Figures" is another true story of the African-American women mathematicians who were behind calculating some of the most crucial rocket trajectories for NASA during the space race with Russia. Directed by Theodroe Melfi, starring Taraji Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae as the leading trio, "Hidden Figures" is noteworthy in the Best Supporting Actress category with Spencer gunning for her second Oscar in the same category that she won for in "The Help". But that won't be all to look out for - aside from its empowering civil rights undertones - as the cast also has Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons and Best Actor contender Mahershala Ali.

General Release Date: 23 February

Guardians

2017 is undoubtedly going to be another year for superheroes to reign supreme, but the first superhero movie that we have been wanting to see does not come from either Marvel or DC. Set during the Cold War, four individuals from different parts of the Soviet Union are enlisted and have their DNA augmented, granting them superpowers to fight against a powerful villain that aims to destroy the USSR. Part Russian knock-off of "The Fantastic Four", and part the creative and budget freedom that wasn't given to that awful "Fantastic Four" remake, "Guardians" is already looking be more fun coming out from a place where we would like to see more movies from.

General Release Date: 23 February