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Friday, December 1, 2023
Top 20 Movies to Look Out For In December (2023)
According to: Selina
20 – Diary of a
Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever (12/8) Director: Luke
Cormican Writer: Jeff
Kinney, Kathleen Shugrue Actors: Erica
Cerra, Wesley Kimmel, Hunter Dillon, Gracen Newton, Spencer Howell, Sil van der
Zwan Genre: Animation,
Adventure, Comedy Rated: PG Length: 1h 35min IMDb Blurb: For Greg the winter vacations are going a little
rough, after getting stuck with his family in the snow and worrying about
getting the new console. I know precious little about the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.
I’m also a little put off by the animation style. That said, I can’t deny its
popularity. There are books everywhere, films, spinoffs, and even a musical.
It’s won, or been nominated for, 10 Kids Choice awards. That’s insane. Obviously,
there’s something here that kids adore, and that can’t be ignored. I hope it lives up to the fans’ expectations. 19 – May December
(11/17) Director: Todd
Haynes Writer: Samy
Burch, Alex Mechanik Actors: Natalie
Portman, Chris Tenzis, Charles Melton, Julianne Moore, Andrea Frankle, Gabriel
Chung, Mikenzie Taylor Genre: Comedy,
Drama Rated: R Length: 1h 57min IMDb Blurb: Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance
gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under pressure when an actress
arrives to do research for a film about their past. There’s a bit of a disconnect between the trailer for May
December and its labeled genres. The trailer for May December is dark and dramatic.
There’s a touch of thriller in there that would lead me to believe it leans in
a frightening direction. The labels for it, however, claim it’s a comedy drama.
So, either the labels are way off, or it’s being marketed abysmally. It makes
me a bit nervous about recommending it. Even with the insane casting and
creative team. 18 – Eileen
(12/1) Director: William
Oldroyd Writer: Luke
Goebel, Ottessa Moshfegh Actors: Thomasin
McKenzie, Shea Whigham, Sam Nivola, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Tonye Patano, Anne Hathaway Genre: Drama,
Mystery, Thriller Rated: R Length: 1h 37min IMDb Blurb: A woman's friendship with a new co-worker at the
prison facility where she works takes a sinister turn. Every time I watch this trailer, it looks amazing. Anne
Hathaway (Les Miserables, The Dark Knight Rises, Dark Waters) and
Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit, Leave No Trace, Last Night in Soho) are
intense, the tension is palpable, and the overall feel of it is different. Of
course, the problem is that I have to keep watching the damn thing. For some reason that I cannot pinpoint, I can’t keep Eileen
in my brain. It was originally much higher on my list, but every time I had to
rewatch the trailer to try and remember it, I moved it lower. I don’t know
what’s off about it that is keeping it from leaving an impression, but I trust
my instincts. It looks great, but something is just… off. 17 – Waitress:
The Musical (12/7) Director: Diane
Paulus, Brett Sullivan Writer: Jessie
Nelson, Adrienne Shelly Actors: Sara
Bareilles, Drew Gehling, Charity Dawson, Dakin Matthews, Christopher
Fitzgerald, Eric Anderson, Anastacia McCleskey Genre: Comedy,
Drama, Musical Rated: Unrated Length: 2h 24min IMDb Blurb: The hit Broadway musical about a small-town pie
baker with big dreams gets the silver screen treatment. I’ve heard about this musical, but never really given it
much thought. I couldn’t really picture what it would be about unless it was
somewhat parody-esk. The trailer changed my mind very quickly. I believe Waitress: The Musical is going to be packed
with emotional scenes. I’m hoping for a feel-good style to the ending, which is
not normally my thing, but I’m guessing there will be many tears before that
comes to pass. Sara Bareilles (Little Voice, Battle of the Sexes, She’s
Out of My League) has an enchanting voice. At the very least, it should be
full of earworms. 16 – The Color
Purple (12/25) Director: Blitz
Bazawule Writer: Marcus
Gardley, Alice Walker, Marsha Norman Actors: Fantasia
Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, Phylicia
Pearl Mpasi, Halle Bailey, Ciara, H.E.R., David Alan Grier, Deon Cole Genre: Drama,
Musical Rated: PG-13 Length: Unknown IMDb Blurb: A decades-spanning tale of love and resilience and
of one woman's journey to independence. Celie faces many hardships in her life,
but ultimately finds extraordinary strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds
of sisterhood. I simply cannot picture The Color Purple as a musical.
Which makes sense because following the adaptation line of this story actively
gave me a headache. Let me see if I got this straight. This musical is based on
a book by Marsha Norman, which was based on the 1985 film adaptation, which was
based on the 1982 novel by Alice Walker. Is that right? Don’t quote me, I could
have that wrong. I’ve never seen such a convoluted path from original work to final
product before. So, is this based on the original Alice Walker novel or not? I had this movie way higher on my list until I saw that
ridiculous family tree of previous works. Now I don’t know what to think. My familiarity with The Color Purple comes from
reading the original novel by Walker. I read it in college, and it fucked me right
up. I cannot picture a musical coming out of it. Now that I know there’s about
4 degrees of separation, I’m wondering how much it could possibly honor the
original story. It’s like a creative game of telephone. I’m confused, but still curious enough to put The Color
Purple on my list. 15 – The Family
Plan (12/15) Director: Simon
Cellan Jones Writer: David
Coggeshall Actors: Mark
Wahlberg, Michelle Monaghan, Ciarán Hinds, Maggie Q, Zoe Margaret Colletti,
Felicia Pearson Genre: Action,
Comedy Rated: PG-13 Length: 1h 58min IMDb Blurb: A former top assassin living incognito as a
suburban dad must take his unsuspecting family on the run when his past catches
up to him. I enjoy action flicks like this, but they are becoming a dime
a dozen. It already wasn’t a new idea before, but everyone in Hollywood seems
to be involved in another one every month after the success of John Wick
(2014). I’m still in that place where I’m having fun with the idea, but you’ll
notice they are falling lower and lower on my list each time. The Family Plan has the added benefit of being a
comedy. Straight action is what most creative teams have been going for. Of
course, Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter, Father Stu, In Treatment) is in it,
and I’m not so much a fan of him these days, so it’s equals out. 14 – Silent Night
(12/1) Director: John
Woo Writer: Robert
Archer Lynn Actors: Joel
Kinnaman, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Kid Cudi, Harold Torres, Vinny O’Brien, Yoko
Hamamura, Anthony Giulietti, John Pollack Genre: Action Rated: R Length: 1h 44min IMDb Blurb: A grieving father enacts his long-awaited revenge
against a ruthless gang on Christmas Eve. Holiday films are not my favorite – unless there’s blood. When
you combine the joy and colorful nature of the season with horror or action, it
opens the door for a great many plot lines that are just not open otherwise. If
not plot, then at least you get strange/unique kills. In this case, you’ve also got John Woo (Face/Off, Red
Cliff, Hostage). That’s a hell of a get. Silent Night is clearly going to be some bad-ass
turn-your-brain-off-fun. 13 – Candy Cane
Lane (12/1) Director: Reginald
Hudlin Writer: Kelly
Younger Actors: Eddie
Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jillian Bell, Genneya Walton, Thaddeus J. Mixson,
Madison Thomas, Nick Offerman, Chris Redd, Robin Thede, David Alan Grier,
Anjelah Johnson-Reyes Genre: Comedy,
Fantasy Rated: PG Length: 1h 57min IMDb Blurb: A man is determined to win the neighborhood's
annual Christmas decorating contest. He makes a pact with an elf to help him
win--and the elf casts a spell that brings the 12 days of Christmas to life,
which brings unexpected chaos to town. I have a deep love for holiday horrors. Technically, Candy
Cane Lane is a fantasy, not a horror, but it follows the well-known ‘be
careful what you wish for’ trope. Which means it dips a toe into the latter.
Especially since the result of the magic could have the main character turn
into a doll for the rest of eternity. That’s horrific if you lend it much
thought. I’m also still a fan of Eddie Murphy (Coming to America,
Dolemite is My Name, Shrek). He was the comedy GOAT growing up, and I get a
smack of nostalgia whenever I see him in a modern comedy film. 12 – Aquaman and
the Lost Kingdom (12/22) Director: James
Wan Writer: David
Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, Jason Momoa, Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, Mort Weisinger,
Paul Norris Actors: Jason
Momoa, Ben Affleck, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Dolph Lundgren,
Temuera Morrison, Nicole Kidman, Jani Zhao Genre: Action,
Adventure, Fantasy Rated: PG-13 Length: 1h 55min IMDb Blurb: Aquaman balances his duties as king and as a member
of the Justice League, all while planning a wedding. Black Manta is on the hunt
for Atlantean tech to help rebuild his armor. Orm plots to escape his Atlantean
prison. I went back and forth about adding Aquaman and the Lost
Kingdom at all. That whole thing with Amber Heard was a fucking side-show
of epic proportions and I don’t want anything to do with anything she does. That
said, she’s been cut out of this film as much as possible, maybe even
completely. As a result, I’ve decided to go with it. The first Aquaman (2018) was a whole lot of fun. One
of the better films DC has churned out in the past few years, if a bit more
forgettable than I thought it would be. At the very least, Jason Momoa (Slumberland,
Peacemaker, Dune) is a great choice for the title character. The trailer for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom looks
like even more fun than the first one. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s
been done with it. 11 – Concrete
Utopia (12/15) Director: Tae-hwa
Eom Writer: Tae-hwa
Eom, Lee Shin-ji Actors: Park
Seo-joon, Lee Byung-hun, Park Bo-young, Kim Sun-young, Park Ji-hu, Na Chul,
Do-yoon Kim Genre: Action,
Adventure, Drama Rated: Unrated Length: 2h 10min IMDb Blurb: Survivors from a massive earthquake struggle for a
new life in Seoul. There’s something about a good disaster film. When you put
it together with Korean cinema, I’m 100% in. I tend to jump headfirst into
both. Concrete Utopia is unique in the way that it does
give that small oasis of normalcy to the characters – in the form of an
unfelled apartment complex. Really, the idea reminds me of a show I started
watching called Sweet Home (2020 -) – of course that’s more monster-y
than natural. The cast is a great one, too. Park Seo-joon (Parasite, Midnight
Runners, Jinny’s Kitchen) and Lee Byung-hun (I Saw the Devil, A
Bittersweet Life, Our Blues) stand out the most to me, personally, but
there are many other popular actors alongside them.
10 – The Shift (12/1) Director: Brock
Heasley Writer: Brock
Heasley Actors: Neal
McDonough, Kristoffer Polaha, Sean Astin, Elizabeth Tabish, Jason Marsden, Emily
Rose, Rose Reid Genre: Sci-Fi Rated: PG-13 Length: 1h 55min IMDb Blurb: After meeting a mysterious stranger, a man must
escape a " dystopian " world to return to his wife. There’s something about alternate reality stories that just do
it for me. Our world, just slightly off. Or a film featuring the same people
that have made different choices. I think it comes from my own ‘what ifs.’ They
make me wonder who I’d be in the worlds of those other choices I could have
made. But I digress. The Shift shows an alternate reality story that I
absolutely see myself getting sucked into. There’s action and intrigue and romance…
it checks all the boxes for me. On top of that, there’s the added bonus of Neal
McDonough (Project Blue Book, Minority Report, Boomtown) and Sean Astin’s
(Stranger Things, The Lord of the Rings, No Good Nick) inclusion. I think The Shift will be a solid sci-fi offering. 9 – Freud’s Last
Session (12/22) Director: Matt Brown Writer: Matt
Brown, Mark St. Germain Actors: Matthew
Goode, Anthony Hopkins, Jodi Balfour, Orla Brady, Stephen Campbell Moore, Liv
Lisa Fries, Rhys Mannion, Tarek Bishara Genre: Drama Rated: PG-13 Length: 1h 48min IMDb Blurb: The movie's story sees Freud invite iconic author
C.S. Lewis to debate the existence of God. And his unique relationship with his
daughter, and Lewis' unconventional relationship with his best friend's mother. The idea of being a fly on the wall during a conversation
between C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud is outstanding. It’s a philosophical
heavyweight match. I would have wanted to see Freud’s Last Session just
based on that description alone. Then you add in the outstanding Anthony Hopkins (The Son,
The Silence of the Lambs, King Lear) as Freud with Matthew Goode (The
Imitation Game, The King’s Man, Silent Night) playing across from him? How
could anyone pass up this film? I don’t know anything about the writers, Matt Brown (The Man
Who Knew Infinity, London Town, Ropewalk) and Mark St. Germain (Duma,
The Wright Verdicts, Lifestories), but I feel like this is the kind of film
that could catapult them to something even bigger than what they already have –
provided it’s done right. 8 – Poor Things (12/8) Director: Yorgos
Lanthimos Writer: Tony
McNamara, Alasdair Gray Actors: Emma
Stone, Willem Dafoe, Vicki Pepperdine, Ramy Youssef, Mark Ruffalo Genre: Romance,
Sci-Fi Rated: R Length: 2h 21min IMDb Blurb: The incredible tale about the fantastical evolution
of Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and
unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter. A star-studded fever dream of a Frankenstein adaptation. That’s
the only thing I can think of when I watch the trailer for Poor Things. What
else could you expect from director Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, The
Killing of a Sacred Deer, Dogtooth), though? He may not be a household
name, but when it comes to this kind of unique, almost experimental, direction
he is well-known among film-lover. Everything I’ve seen of his has been insanely
out of pocket and impossible to look away from. Just from his track record, I’d be into Poor Things.
The trailer was just the cherry on top. 7 – Godzilla
Minus One (12/1) Director: Takashi
Yamazaki Writer: Takashi
Yamazaki Actors: Minami
Hamabe, Sakura Ando, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Kuranosuke
Sasaki Genre: Action,
Adventure, Drama Rated: PG-13 Length: 2h 5min IMDb Blurb: Post war Japan is at its lowest point when a new
crisis emerges in the form of a giant monster, baptized in the horrific power
of the atomic bomb. A new Japanese Godzilla movie is so fucking exciting. It
feels like the titular monster is heading home. Spearheaded by phenomenal writer/director Takashi Yamazaki (Parasyte:
Part 1, The Fighter Pilot, The Great War of Archimedes), Godzilla is going
to get the best treatment it’s had since the original came out in 1954. When I
saw this trailer, I practically jumped out of my chair I was so here for it. 6 – Migration (12/22) Director: Benjamin
Renner, Guylo Homsy Writer: Benjamin
Renner, Mike White Actors: Elizabeth
Banks, Awkwafina, Danny DeVito, Carol Kane, Keegan-Michael Key, Kumail
Nanjiani, David Mitchell, Jimmy Donaldson Genre: Animation,
Action, Adventure Rated: PG Length: 1h 22min IMDb Blurb: A family of ducks try to convince their
overprotective father to go on the vacation of a lifetime. This is a bit off subject, but I’m a little tired of all
Illumination’s trailers starting off looking like a new Minions (2015) flick.
Just show the title screen and movie on, FFS. They do make a good animated film, though, don’t they? Migration looks uplifting, heartwarming, and
flawlessly designed. I am absolutely looking forward to going on a quest to the
city with a little family of cartoon ducks. I bet my daughter will be excited
too. It should be fun for the whole family. 5 – Anyone But
You (12/15) Director: Will Gluck Writer: Will
Gluck, Ilana Wolpert Actors: Sydney
Sweeney, Glen Powell, Alexandra Shipp, Darren Barnet, Bryan Brown, Joe
Davidson, Gata, Rachel Griffiths, Dermot Mulroney, Michelle Hurd, Hadley
Robinson Genre: Comedy,
Romance Rated: Unrated Length: 1h 40min IMDb Blurb: After an amazing first date, Bea and Ben's fiery
attraction turns ice cold - until they find themselves unexpectedly reunited at
a destination wedding in Australia. So they do what any two mature adults would
do: pretend to be a couple. I had a whole piece written about Anyone But You, and
then I found out there are two very different trailers – both made by Sony. The one I’ve included above is the one I originally saw. It’s
goofy, and yet still shows plenty of romance. The emphasis is definitely more on
the Comedy part of this rom-com. Then there’s the other one. The second trailer is hot.
Its emphasis is fully on the Romance aspect and the chemistry shown throughout the
1-minute runtime will leave you weak in the knees. It’s almost hard to imagine
these are both the same film. I’ve never seen such a perfect example of how much marketing
matters in a film. If you’ve read the earlier entries in this article, then you
know that I don’t love it when a movie is marketed in a way that makes me
question the genre. This might be the exception, though. It’s not showing
comedy and claiming to be a single-genre romance, or vice-versa. Instead, it’s a
rom-com and each trailer seems to be specifically geared toward one half of what
it claims to be. That makes me more curious than annoyed. Is Anyone But You going to lean hard into the
goofiness? Is it going to steam the glass of my windows? Or is it going to be
some perfect balance of the two? I’m more likely to watch it now that I have those
questions. 4 – The Archies (12/7) Director: Zoya
Akhtar, Ryan Brophy Writer: Farhan
Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, Ayesha DeVitre, John L. Goldwater, Reema Kagti, Bob
Montana Actors: Agastya
Nanda, Khushi Kapoor, Suhana Khan, Vedang Raina, Mihir Ahuja, Dot, Yuvraj Menda Genre: Comedy,
Drama, Musical Rated: Unrated Length: 2h 21min IMDb Blurb: Set in 1960s India, Archie and the gang navigate
romance, friendship and the future of Riverdale as developers threaten to
destroy a beloved park. I grew up with The Archies. My mom and I used to read
the comics together. When Riverdale (2017-2023) came out, I was super
excited, though I fell off it after a couple of seasons. It’s edgier-than-thou aura
didn’t really capture the feel of Archie and the gang. This movie, however,
seems to be a much closer adaptation of my beloved childhood comics. The period is reflected well, and I can pretty much pick out
each of the characters in the trailer, even though it’s translated into a whole
other culture. I’m really looking forward to it. 3 – The Iron Claw
(12/22) Director: Sean
Durkin Writer: Sean
Durkin Actors: Grady
Wilson, Valentine Newcomer, Holt McCallany, Zac Efron, Harris Dickinson, Jeremy
Allen White, Lily James, Stanley Simons, Maura Tierney Genre: Biography,
Drama, Sport Rated: Unrated Length: 2h 10min IMDb Blurb: The true story of the inseparable Von Erich
brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional
wrestling in the early 1980s. This was a movie that came out of nowhere for me. I hadn’t
heard anything about it. That should make sense, because of the strikes, but
even with those it’s been impossible to stay away from most news regarding
Jeremy Allen White (The Bear, The Rental, Fremont). As a fan of Shameless (2011-2021), I saw his
popularity coming from a mile away. But I digress. The Iron Claw looks like a family drama masquerading
as a sick wrestling-centric sport film. The trailer is done exceptionally well.
I originally had it lower on the list, but a second look changed my mind. I thought it would be a good idea to get some insight from
someone more into wrestling than I am. Obviously, I checked in with our friends,
the Basement Bookers. Basement Jer put it perfectly: “Bro. I can’t wait to see
this fucking movie.” Succinctly put. 2 – Rebel Moon
Part 1: A Child of Fire (12/22) Director: Zack
Snyder Writer: Shay
Hatten, Kurt Johnstad, Zack Snyder Actors: Jena
Malone, Sofia Boutella, Ed Skrein, Charlie Hunnam, Sisse Marie, Cary Elwes,
Anthony Hopkins, Michiel Huisman, Cleopatra Coleman, Djimon Hounsou Genre: Action,
Adventure, Drama Rated: PG-13 Length: 2h 13min IMDb Blurb: When a peaceful settlement on the edge of a distant
moon finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force, a
mysterious stranger living among its villagers becomes their best hope for
survival. Most other months, Rebel Moon Part 1: A Child of Fire would
have been any easy #1. Heavy sci-fi, dystopian feel, glorious fight choreography,
directed by Zack Snyder (300, Justice League, Snow Steam Iron) and with a
cast that includes: Jena Malone (Contact, The Hunter Games: Catching Fire, Goliath),
Sofia Boutella (Hotel Artemis, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Star Trek
Beyond), Ed Skrein (Deadpool, Midway, Alita: Battle Angel), Anthony
Hopkins, Michiel Huisman (Game of Thrones, The Age of Adaline, The Haunting
of Hill House), Cary Elwes (BlackBerry, The Princess Bride, The Story of
Luke), Charlie Hunnam (The Gentlemen, Sons of Anarchy, Children of Men)
and Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond, Gran Turismo, The King’s Man)? There
is not a single flaw in this flick on paper. I can’t wait to see what it does on screen. 1 – Wonka (12/15) Director: Paul
King Writer: Simon Farnaby,
Paul King, Roald Dahl Actors: Timothée
Chalamet, Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant, Paterson Joseph, Sally Hawkins, Rowan
Atkinson, Keegan-Michael Key, Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Matt Lucas, Jim
Carter Genre: Adventure,
Comedy, Family Rated: PG Length: 1h 52min IMDb Blurb: Based on the extraordinary character at the center
of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, "Wonka" tells the wondrous
story of how the world's greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became
the beloved Willy Wonka we know today. It’s impossible to not be excited for a prequel to Willy
Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). It looks every bit as whimsical
and fun as the first one. I feel like Timothée Chalamet (Dune, Call Me by
Your Name, Little Women) is the perfect person to play a young Willy Wonka,
and the idea of Hugh Grant (Glass Onion, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among
Thieves, Paddington 2) as an Oompa-Loompa is just fantastic. Wonka is everything I need to finish off this
disaster of a year. A sweet childhood fantasy to take me out of the gloom and
into a rainbow of sugar. I just cannot wait for Wonka.
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