January is good month for fans of female-led action films. Both the “Underworld” and “Resident Evil” franchises are releasing their latest chapters. Even those who are new to the “Underworld” series can appreciate both Kate Beckinsale taking charge on the big screen, and Anna Foerster as the first woman to direct an installment of the franchise.

For those seeking a less violent and action-packed female-led film, check out “Claire in Motion,” starring “Breaking Bad” actress Betsy Brandt. The film follows a woman whose life is turned upside down when her husband mysteriously disappears and leaves behind a series of puzzles. The drama is also written and directed by two women: Annie J. Howell and Lisa Robinson. Or you could see “Sophie and the Rising Sun” from writer-director by Maggie Greenwald about how a southern town deals with a Japanese visitor during World War II.

There are also options for animal lovers. The tearjerker “A Dog’s Purpose,” written by Cathryn Michon, follows a dog’s journey through multiple lives and owners. “The Red Turtle,” co-written by Pascale Ferran, centers on a man’s life-changing experience with a turtle while he’s marooned on a desert island.

Let’s also remember that in January, some Oscar type films that debuted in limited release in December go wider, including Hidden Figures which goes wide on January 6th.

Here are all of the women-centric, women-directed, and women-written films debuting in January. All descriptions are from press materials unless otherwise noted.

January 6

“Underworld: Blood Wars”— Directed by Anna Foerster

The next installment in the blockbuster franchise, “Underworld: Blood Wars” follows Vampire death dealer Selene (Kate Beckinsale) as she fends off brutal attacks from both the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her. With her only allies, David (Theo James, “Downton Abbey”) and his father, Thomas (Charles Dance, “Game of Thrones”), she must stop the eternal war between Lycans and Vampires, even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice.

January 13

“Sleepless” — Co-Written by Andrea Berloff

“Sleepless” follows Jamie Foxx as undercover Las Vegas police officer Vincent Downs, who is caught in a high-stakes web of corrupt cops and the mob-controlled casino underground. When a heist goes wrong, a crew of homicidal gangsters kidnaps Downs’ teenage son. In one sleepless night he will have to rescue his son, evade an internal affairs investigation, and bring the kidnappers to justice.

“Bad Kids of Crestview Academy” (Also Available on VOD)

A new group of students has been placed in Saturday detention at the infamous and prestigious Crestview Academy. When Siouxsie (Sammi Hanratty), part of the sophomore “undercrust,” crashes the party to avenge her sister’s death, a Saturday detention reserved for the privileged seniors turns into a date in hell. Hilarity and suspense ensue while each “bad kid” pits one against the other, and one by one each falls victim to absurdly gruesome “accidents” while trying to escape.

“The Bye Bye Man” — Directed by Stacy Title

People commit unthinkable acts every day. Time and again, we grapple to understand what drives a person to do such terrible things. But what if all of the questions we’re asking are wrong? What if the cause of all evil is not a matter of what…but who? “The Bye Bye Man” is a chilling horror-thriller that exposes the evil behind the most unspeakable acts committed by man. When three college friends stumble upon the horrific origins of the Bye Bye Man, they discover that there is only one way to avoid his curse: don’t think it, don’t say it. But once the Bye Bye Man gets inside your head, he takes control. Is there a way to survive his possession?

“Claire in Motion” — Written and Directed by Annie J. Howell and Lisa Robinson (Also Available on VOD)

Three weeks after Claire’s (Betsy Brandt, “Breaking Bad”) husband has mysteriously disappeared, the police have ended their investigation and her son is beginning to grieve. The only person who hasn’t given up is Claire. Soon she discovers his troubling secrets, including an alluring yet manipulative graduate student with whom he had formed a close bond. As she digs deeper, Claire begins to lose her grip on how well she truly knew her husband and questions her own identity in the process. “Claire in Motion” twists the missing person thriller into an emotional take on uncertainty and loss.

“Vince Giordano: There’s a Future in the Past” (Documentary)— Co-Written and Co-Directed by Amber Edwards (Opens in NY)

Bandleader Vince Giordano keeps the Jazz Age alive with his 11-member band The Nighthawks, vintage musical instruments, and a collection of more than 60,000 original arrangements from the 1920s and ’30s.

January 18

“Strike a Pose” (Documentary) — Co-Directed by Ester Gould (Opens in NY)

In 1990, seven young male dancers — six gay, one straight — joined Madonna on her most controversial tour. On stage and in the iconic film “Truth or Dare,” they showed the world how to express itself. Now, 25 years later, they reveal the truth about life during and after the tour. “Strike a Pose” is a dramatic tale about overcoming shame and finding the courage to be who you are.

January 20

“The Red Turtle” — Co-Written by Pascale Ferran (Opens in NY and LA)

In this dialogue-less film, a man marooned on a desert island tries desperately to escape, until one day he encounters a strange turtle that will change his life.

“The Resurrection of Gavin Stone” — Written by Andrea Gyertson Nasfell

“The Resurrection of Gavin Stone” tells the story of a former child star turned washed-up and troubled actor. After receiving a 200-hour community service sentence, Gavin Stone (Brett Dalton) pretends to be a Christian so he can play Jesus in a mega-church Easter production in order to fulfill his hours of service. Along the way, he reconnects with his past and builds upon his faith.

January 27

“Sophie and the Rising Sun” — Written and Directed by Maggie Greenwald

Set in the autumn of 1941 in a fishing village in South Carolina, “Sophie and the Rising Sun” tells the compelling story of two interracial lovers, Sophie Willis and Grover Ohta (Julianne Nicholson and Takashi Yamaguchi), swept up in the tides of history. As World War II rages in Europe, Mr. Ohta appears in town badly beaten under mysterious circumstances. Sophie quickly becomes transfixed by Mr. Ohta and a friendship born of their mutual love of art blossoms into a delicate and forbidden courtship. As their secret relationship evolves, the war escalates tragically. And when Pearl Harbor is bombed, a surge of misguided patriotism, bigotry, and violence sweeps through the town, threatening Mr. Ohta’s life.

“A Dog’s Purpose” — Written by Cathryn Michon

“A Dog’s Purpose” shares the soulful and surprising story of one devoted dog who finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he teaches to laugh and love.

“I Am Michael” — Co-Written by Stacey Miller (Also Available on VOD)

In 2007, Michael Glatze (James Franco), the gay-rights advocate who embodied queer identity, shocked his friends and followers when he publicly renounced his homosexuality. What could have led to such an extreme change of belief? “I Am Michael” depicts the years when an idealistic Michael, with his long-term partner, empowered a new generation of gay youth through their writing and films. When a nerve-racking brush with death triggers his need to reconcile faith and sexuality, Michael embarks on a zealous search for answers that eventually leads him to Christianity and the absolute conviction that “homosexuality is death.” (Sundance Institute)

“Resident Evil: The Final Chapter”

Picking up immediately after the events of “Resident Evil: Retribution,” Alice (Milla Jovovich) is the only survivor of what was meant to be humanity’s final stand against the undead. Now, she must return to where the nightmare began: the Hive in Raccoon City, where the Umbrella Corporation is gathering its forces for a final strike against the only remaining survivors of the apocalypse.