The holidays are here! Ironically, I’ve got no festive films for the December list, but there are plenty of other great looking choices for the winter season. So grab a coat and head out to the theater – it’s time to see some movies!
First up, a slasher comedy film called Get Away. Starring Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead) and Aisling Bea (This Way Up), the plot follows a family vacation to a remote Swedish island. Things begin to go awry when the family finds out a serial killer is on the loose … gasp … on that very same remote Swedish island! The trailer depicts a bloody fun time with some great comedy to go with all that violence. It hits theaters on Dec. 6.
For your animated fix, check out The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Based on the popular J.R.R. Tolkien books made even more famous through Peter Jackson’s adaptations, this story looks back 183 years before those events with Frodo and the gang. Instead, the movie focuses on Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox, Succession), a king who must defend his land from an invading army. Beautifully animated, the film draws from the appendices of The Lord of the Rings without involving Sauron or the One Ring, focusing on war and its effects in the land of Middle-Earth. We’ll see if it can add to the wonderful lore when it releases on Dec. 13.
If you want a historical drama, look into The Brutalist. Starring Adrian Brody (The Pianist) as an architect and Holocaust survivor, the film focuses on his move to the U.S. and his attempt to live the “American dream.” Critic reviews are positive, calling it a wonderful portrait of the immigrant experience. The film also stars Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything) and Guy Pearce (Memento), and will likely be a tearjerker when it releases on Dec. 20.
For a biopic about a titan of the music industry, take a look at A Complete Unknown. Starring Timeothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan, the plot follows the controversy surrounding his change from acoustic to electric, something that caused a huge divide within the folk music community. Directed by James Mangold (Ford v Ferrari), the film also stars Edward Norton, Elle Fanning (The Great) and Scoot McNairy (Speak No Evil), and looks to be beautifully shot and edited, with Chalamet looking the part to a T. Fun sidenote: I filmed a scene as a background pedestrian for this, so maybe you’ll catch me crossing the street when it releases on Dec. 25.
Lastly, a gothic horror film to really get into the holiday spirit! Titled Nosferatu, the film is a remake of the 1922 silent German expressionist movie of the same name, based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Much like the original, the 2024 movie concerns a vampire and his infatuation with a young woman, culminating in untold horror. Bill Skarsgard (It) stars as the vampire Count Orlok, with an ensemble cast including Nicholas Hoult (Renfield), Lily-Rose Depp (The Idol), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (The Fall Guy) and Willem Dafoe (Poor Things). Directed by Robert Eggers (The Northman), the movie looks to maintain his attempts at historical authenticity combined with absolutely stunning camerawork and set design. Here’s hoping it’s a perfectly spooky way to end the year when it creeps into theaters on Christmas Day.
