‘Tis the season for hot chocolate, holiday parties, lots of shopping and going to the movies. This holiday season is prime time for the world of cinema, with over three dozen films being released between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. From Oscar contenders to action blockbusters and romantic comedies, here is a small taste of some of the films that will be opening during winter break.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Director: Stephen Daldry
Stars: Thomas Horn, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock
Release date: Dec. 25
Genre: Drama
Based on the 2005 novel of the same name, “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” tells the story of nine-year-old Oskar Schell (Horn), whose father died in the 9/11 attacks. Oskar finds a mysterious key in his father’s closet two years after his death and is determined to find the lock that matches this key. Through his journey searching the five boroughs of New York City to find the lock, he meets people and goes places that shed light on his father’s life, his own, and the complex world that is post-9/11 New York. The movie touches on the difficulty of grieving when the audience sees Oskar and his mother (Bullock) disconnect from each other in the midst of mourning their father and husband (Hanks). Movie adaptations of books are known to rarely live up to the reader’s expectations, but with an outstanding cast and director, “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” may be an exception.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Director: Guy Ritchie
Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Jared Harris
Release date: Dec. 16
Genre: Action-adventure
Sherlock Holmes is back, and this time he’s not the the only mastermind in the room. The ruthless Professor Moriarty, who matches Holmes in intelligence but lacks any kind of conscience, becomes Holmes’ prime suspect in his investigation of the death of the crown prince of Austria — although the cause of the prince’s death is supposedly suicide, Holmes suspects the prince was killed by Moriarty. More importantly, Holmes discovers the murder is only a small part of Moriarty’s secret plan, which will shock and destroy the world. The sequel continues as Holmes (Downey Jr.) and his loyal sidekick Dr. Watson (Law) chase Moriarty through visually impressive period violence. One part mystery, one part epic, one part bromance, this film is sure to transport you to a more exciting place.
The Adventures of Tintin
Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig
Release date: Dec. 21
Genre: Animation/family
Whether you grew up reading the comic books or your parents read them, most people remember “The Adventures of Tintin,” coming to theaters this December. Young reporter Tintin (voice of Bell) and his dog companion, Snowy discover a ship with an astonishing secret. Escaping the gambit of classic Tintin villains, Tintin and Snowy travel around the world to find an important artifact that holds the ancient curse on the ship. Following the trend of big-name directors remaking classic children’s books, the film takes Tintin out of the panel and puts him on the screen in 3-D, sure to complement Spielberg’s cinematography nicely and add to the adventure.
New Year’s Eve
Director: Garry Marshall
Stars: Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Robert de Niro, Ashton Kutcher
Release date: Dec. 9
Genre: Comedy
Remember the 2010 holiday film, “Valentine’s Day”? Well, imagine it took place on New Year’s Eve. Garry Marshall has once again gathered an ensemble cast of stars to celebrate forgiveness, love, new beginnings and other typical feel-good themes of the holiday. Set in the Big Apple and shot entirely on location, the audience is able to see much of the city following the criss-crossing plot lines and experience the excitement of New Year’s Eve in the one and only Times Square. Lighthearted and funny, “New Year’s Eve” is an appropriate holiday pick.
Young Adult
Director: Jason Reitman
Stars: Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, Patton Oswalt
Release date: Dec. 9
Genre: Comedy-drama
Director Jason Reitman and screenwriter Diablo Cody reunite again in this black comedy after working together on the 2007 hit “Juno.” Theron stars as literature writer Mavis Gary, also known as the girl that everybody hated in high school. She comes back to her small town to win back her now-married high school sweetheart (Wilson) but realizes her conquest is not as easy as she thought it would be. Gary is newly-divorced and unhappy, while her high school boyfriend is happily married with kids — a strong contrast and interesting play on gender roles. While she tries to win his affections, she befriends a former nerd (Oswalt). Gary remains an immature, mean person despite everybody else in the film, which proves that some people never really grow out of high school.
Other movies coming out during winter break
The Sitter
Director: David Gordon Green
Stars: Jonah Hill
Release date: Dec. 9
Genre: Comedy
I Melt With You
Director: Mark Pellington
Stars: Thomas Jane, Jeremy Piven, Rob Lowe
Release date: Dec. 9
Genre: Thriller
Carnage
Director: Roman Polanski
Stars: Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly, Christopher Waltz
Release date: Dec. 16
Genre: Comedy
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
Director: Mike Mitchell
Stars: Jason Lee, Anna Faris, Justin Long, Christina Applegate
Release date: Dec. 16
Genre: Family
The Iron Lady
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Stars: Meryl Streep
Release date: Dec. 16
Genre: Drama
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Director: David Fincher
Stars: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara
Release date: Dec. 21
Genre: Thriller
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Director: Brad Bird
Stars: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner
Release date: Dec. 21
Genre: Action
We Bought a Zoo
Director: Cameron Crowe
Stars: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Patrick Fugit
Release date: Dec. 23
Genre: Comedy drama
The Darkest Hour
Director: Chris Gorak
Stars: Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby
Release date: Dec. 25
Genre: Action
War Horse
Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson
Release date: Dec. 25
Genre: Drama
