Ah, the holidays. Twinkle lights, mochas, gift giving, and some really fun movie releases. I know what you’re thinking—the holidays don’t have any good movie releases. But boy, you’re wrong. Every year, big budget movies/Oscar contenders save the best for last and do their releasing right before the end of year in order to a) qualify to be nominated for an Academy Award and b) have way fewer contenders to fight against for battle of the box office. As a kid, every year after Christmas dinner, my brother and I would walk over to our local mall and see a movie. The mall was quiet, the theatres were low key and it was always a great time. Maybe you can do the same with your kids (or leave them with the grandparents and check out a movie of mum and dad’s own!) Here are the top 5 holiday movies I’m most excited about for 2012.
Peter Jackson is back telling tales of middle earth with this much anticipated first part to a three part series around JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit: There and Back Again. This series is a prequel to the LOTR trilogy of books and films and is the story of Bilbo Baggins as a much younger man—and his adventures with Gandalf the Grey and The One Ring. I’m not sure how Jackson has taken a 148-page children’s book and broken it into 3 2+ hour films, but I’m interested in seeing what this finished product is. The second and third movies are to be released in 2013 and 2014 so we’ll have some time in between to mull over how we like this new series.
I can’t deny my absolute love for this Disney movie. Originally released in 2001 to rave reviews, Disney’s giving it the old 3D treatment for re release in theatres for the holidays and as a warmup for their new Monsters, Inc movie Monsters University due in 2014. The movie centres around Sulley and Mike, two monsters working at the titular company whose duty it is to be the monsters in the closet in children’s imaginations. When a sweet little girl accidentally ends up on their factory floor, the two bumbling monsters must protect her while getting her back to her family. It’s a real heart warmer and perfect for those long 2 weeks off with the kids when you’re looking for something to do that doesn’t involve the mall.
Jack Kerouac’s famous tale of cross-country travel is getting limited release this Christmas in order to be a contender for awards season. The movie stars Garrett Hedlund, Sam Riley and Kristen Stewart as three disenchanted youth travelling across country by car in the early 1950s. The novel is considered by most to be one of the American Classics, so I’m very curious to see (after some not so great and failed attempts) how this film does as it won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, but has received very mixed reviews.
Ah, good old Quentin Tarantino. The master of genre mashing and historical liberties. This Christmas, we’re being treated to Django Unchained a western-civil war era movie starring Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds), Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L Jackson. The movie was inspired by an old Spaghetti Western called Django and tells the story of a freed slave who travels across the US with a bounty hunter.
This is the one. The movie that I never knew I wanted to see until I saw the trailer and just about died. I know the story of Jean Valjean well and am familiar with the musical score by Boublil and Schonberg. This film has been in development for close to 20 years! Hugh Jackman is Valjean (before Wolverine, he was a stage star), Russell Crowe is Inspector Javert and Anne Hathaway is Fantine. The work is based on the classic french novel of the same name by Victor Hugo. Everyone I know is SO excited about this one that one of my girlfriends recently said on Facebook (ahem Tas) “I’m so excited to wake up Christmas morning because I can finally go see Les Miserables! And I am, too!
So, spill it! What movies are you most looking forward to this holiday season?
Looking for holiday inspiration? Visit the YMC Holiday Guide to find everything from sweet treats and delicious dishes to DIY décor and favourite family movies. If it’s holiday related, you’ll find it here.
Rock n' Roller. Former model & actress. Video game blog contributor. Animal lover. Obsessive culture junkie with a flair for drama. Tattooed. Wild at heart.
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