In the film community, January and February are often referred to as “dump months.” It’s the period of time when a movie can be released with lower critical and commercial expectations. The phrase comes from the idea that the beginning of the year is a “dumping ground” for studio releases that don’t quite fit the rest of the release slate. While a January release is often considered to be the worst movie-killer, February often gets a bad rep too.

But as it turns out, there are quite a few great movies that debuted in February. In some cases, a low-key February release is just what a movie needs to stand apart. In others, a movie is just so groundbreaking its success eclipses its release date. Here are the 10 best February theatrical releases of the past 35 years.

Gallery — Movies That Made More Money Overseas:

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