By Ethan Stinson

Coming off of a commonly slow January-February release window, March promises to bring some life to the 2022 film season. In anticipation of the month’s upcoming releases, Laker Review would like to call attention to five movies filmgoers should look out for.

On March 4, superhero fans alike may experience the triumphant return of Batman to theaters. Helmed by Matt Reeves (“War for the Planet of the Apes”), “The Batman” marks the caped crusader’s first theatrical appearance since “Justice League” in 2017. The film shows the titular crime fighter (Robert Pattinson, “The Devil All the Time”) during his early days as a vigilante, taking on the threat of the menacing Riddler (Paul Dano, “The Guilty”) while also crossing paths with villains like Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz, “KIMI”) and The Penguin (Colin Farrell, “Artemis Fowl”).

The third Pixar Animation Studios film in a row to be released straight-to-streaming, “Turning Red” is set to debut on Disney+ March 11. Originally intended for a theatrical release, the coming-of-age fantasy film focuses on a 13-year-old girl who must come to terms with growing up and familial pressure while also dealing with her inconvenient ability to turn into a red panda whenever she becomes too excited or emotional. Directed by Domee Shi (“Bao”), “Turning Red” marks the first feature-length Pixar film to be solely directed by a woman.

Fresh off of the success of “Free Guy,” director Shawn Levy (“This is Where I Leave You”) and leading man Ryan Reynolds (“Red Notice”) have reunited for the upcoming Netflix original film “The Adam Project.” With a supporting cast featuring the likes of Jennifer Garner (“Yes Day”) and Zoe Saldaña (“Vivo”), the film stars Reynolds as a time traveler who confronts his late father with the help of his younger self (Walker Scobell, “Secret Headquarters”) (Mark Ruffalo, “Avengers Endgame”). The science fiction film will premiere exclusively on Netflix March 11.

Also debuting on Netflix this month is “Windfall,” releasing on March 18. Starring Jason Segel (“Our Friend”), Lily Collins (“Mank”) and Jesse Plemmons( “The Power of the Dog”), the upcoming thriller surrounds a wealthy husband and wife who have walked in on a robbery taking place in their vacation home. Co-written by Andrew Kevin Walker (“Seven”), the film may potentially showcase a great deal of twists and turns, while also banking off of the performances of its three talented leads to generate a truly gripping experience.

Rounding out a month full of exciting releases is A24’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Directed by creative partners Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (“Swiss Army Man”), the film follows a woman (Michelle Yeoh, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”) who must traverse alternate universes in an attempt to save the world. With the multiverse being a popular topic in modern comic book films, it will be interesting to see how an indie film may tackle similar subject matter while putting its own unique spin on the concept. Boasting two directors with an eccentric track record, the film is poised to be a bonkers sci-fi adventure.

From Pixar’s newest project to a zany, sci-fi indie film, March promises to be chock full of exciting flicks for filmgoers to look forward to. If these movies and more live up to the hype, the month could kick off the spring movie season on a strong note.

Image from Pixar via YouTube