Mid-February may seem like an odd time for a spring movie preview. And admittedly, this preview is coming a bit late, but, to be fair, January offers few movies worth previewing, and even fewer worth seeing.

Generally, March is the month when films worth seeing start hitting theaters. March 2007 brought us such memorable films as “Zodiac,” “The Namesake,” “300” and “After the Wedding.” Okay, so maybe only one of those is memorable to most, but I assure you they are all good films. However, in order to make up for my tardiness, I will attempt to guide you through the remainder of February flicks with an eye on what may prove worthwhile.

Be Kind Rewind (starring Jack Black, Mos Def) – This film, Michel Gondry’s (“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”) latest, stars Mos Def as a video store clerk and Jack Black as his best friend. The two encounter a crisis after Black’s character erases all of the tapes in the store. The solution? In order to appease the store’s few loyal customers, the pair decides to re-film and, inadvertently, re-imagine all of the films. A humorous concept from a quirky director, but will it turn out cult-worthy and merely blasé slapstick? (Feb. 22)

Vantage Point (starring Dennis Quaid, Forest Whitaker, Sigourney Weaver) – “Vantage Point,” the new thriller from first-time director Pete Travis, follows the aftermath of a presidential assassination attempt taking place on foreign soil. The trailer tries to make the film out to be “Rashomon”-esque in its utilization of multiple perspectives, but may be alienating some the film’s core, thrill-seeking audience in doing so. The film features acclaimed and Oscar-winning actors, but this wouldn’t be the first time an ensemble of talented stars united for a conceptual bomb. (Feb. 22)

Semi-Pro (starring Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, Andre Benjamin) – Will Ferrell’s newest starring vehicle hardly merits a plot explanation. It would be much easier to simply call this “Will Ferrell’s Adventures in Basketball,” as opposed to soccer (“Kicking and Screaming”), Nascar® (“Talladega Nights”) or news reporting (“Anchorman”).

In “Semi-Pro,” Ferrell plays Jackie Moon, a one-hit-wonder recording artist who used his profits from his hit song “Love Me Sexy” to buy an ABA basketball team on which he also plays. The film revolves around his efforts to turn his league-worst team into a contender in order to survive the ABA’s impending merger with the NBA. Expect excess retro additives, a la “Anchorman.” (Feb. 29)

The Other Boleyn Girl (starring Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana) – First off, let me start by saying this has the possibility to be the sexiest period piece in a long time. Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman (that’s right, both of them in one movie!) star as the rivaling Boleyn sisters of British history who vied for the attentions of Henry VIII.

However, “The Other Boleyn Girl” is one also of the most puzzling releases of the new year to assess. Based on Phillipa Gregory’s novel of the same name, the book has been criticized for its historical inaccuracies and the liberties Gregory has taken in this book.

Also, the unenviable release date and the fact that the film is being director by first-time feature directo, Justin Chadwick, prove unpromising signs. Then again, screenwriter Peter Morgan is an acclaimed playwright and garnered critical acclaim in 2006 for his “The Last King of Scotland” screenplay, as well as his Oscar-nominated “The Queen” screenplay. And the aforementioned Chadwick was also a critical success in 2005 for his award-winning Masterpiece Theatre adaptation of Charles Dicken’s “Bleak House,” proving that he knows his way around the British period piece. (Feb. 29)

Penelope (starring Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Reese Witherspoon) – A fan of light, fairy-tale fare? Here is your movie. Produced by Reese Witherspoon (who is also featured in a supporting role), “Penelope” stars Christina Ricci as the title character, the daughter of wealth who suffers from a secret family curse. Her affliction? She is born with a pig’s nose or, more appropriately, snout. In order to break the curse, she must marry her “own kind.”

After her parents attempt to find her a proper suitor, the last of which is Max (James McAvoy), and all have rejected her after glimpsing her…err, problem, she decides it is time for her to escape her known life and all of the discontent it has afforded her. Will Penelope ever find her ‘own kind?’ Is Max truly genuine? It seems unlikely that this flick will offer us anything innovative or earth-shattering, but then, who ever hated a fairy tale? (Feb. 29)
Also worth considering?

Feb. 14 – Valentine’s Day is one of the bigger movie-going days of the year; so, it should come as no surprise that films are often released on V-Day rather than the Friday immediately following. Although not previewed here, I will give a shout-out to these just-released films in case you didn’t catch any of them opening night.

 The Spiderwick Chronicles stars Freddie Highmore (“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”) as both Jared and Simon Grace, twins who, along with their sister Mallory, discover a fantastical world of creatures at their uncle’s run-down estate. Step Up 2 the Streets hardly needs a plot synopsis. It will probably have a bad plot and great dancing; so, the choice is yours.

Jumper stars Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson in this sci-fi/action flick which turns quantum physics into popcorn fun. Even better, though, the film features Samuel L. Jackson, in total bad-ass mode, reinforcing the idea that either Jackson has made it his mission to star in more films than any other actor, or that he just can’t say “no.” Definitely, Maybe offers Ryan Reynolds a second chance to actually act, following his lead role in “The Nines.” This, the most decidedly Valentine’s-friendly film of the bunch, finds Reynolds teaming up with his daughter (Abigail Breslin of “Little Miss Sunshine” fame) to find which of his three serious exes, if any, is his best chance at real love.

Feb. 22 – The Counterfeiters presents the true story of Europe’s best counterfeiter during World War II; his concentration camp experience, and his moral dilemma at almost single-handedly funding the Nazi war effort in the waning days of the war. On the other end of the spectrum is Witless Protection, Larry the Cable Guy’s newest film. Larry stars as a small-town sheriff caught up in an FBI brouhaha revolving around a kidnapped woman that...oh, nevermind. I don’t like Larry the Cable Guy, don’t go. If you do like Larry the Cable Guy, may God have mercy on your everlasting soul.

Feb. 29 – Chicago 10 is an innovative documentary directed by Brett Morgan which features both archival footage and an animated retelling of the aftermath of the 1968 Democratic Convention. Due to terror-inducing riots, eight public figures (including Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, and Bobby Seale) were arrested as scapegoats and put on trial. The events of this trial are explored throughout this stylistically groundbreaking film.

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