‘Tis the season…to go to the movies. We are in the middle of that winter holiday sweet spot, with the joy (read: stress) of Christmas having come and gone, there are a few blissful days before the new year in which we can actually — gasp — enjoy the holiday.
For many people, that means catching up on the latest Hollywood has to offer. The holidays are prime moviegoing season; with major studios releasing their biggest and best franchises and awards season in full swing, the options are endless. So endless that choosing a movie can seem almost daunting. Well, you can thank the cinema gods for us. We help steer you in the right direction for your ideal holiday moviegoing experience. Follow our guide on which flicks to catch and which to skip.
Catch: Parasite
At first blush, a subtitled dark comedy-thriller about class warfare may not scream “holiday crowd-pleaser,” but hear us out. Helmed by acclaimed director Bong Joon-ho, Parasite won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, and is steamrolling a path to the Oscars. Nominated for three Golden Globes (it’s disqualified from Best Picture, but won’t be at the Oscars), this South Korean masterpiece about a scheming, impoverished family and the upper class rubes who fall for their lies is generating a ton of buzz.
Even if one isn’t an awards nut, Parasite is worth a watch. And don’t give us that “but I don’t like subtitles” excuse; three minutes into the film, you’ll forget all about them. When you’re not laughing at the Kim family’s outrageous antics, you’ll be on the edge of your seat, engrossed in the best thriller of the year.
Catch: The Irishman
Sure, at almost 3.5 hours, watching The Irishman can seem like a daunting task. But answer us this: how long did it take you to watch the entire third season of Stranger Things? Most of us are masters of the binge-watch model, so plopping down to watch a Martin Scorsese picture hailed a masterpiece and present on many a-top ten critic’s list should be no sweat. Plus, it’s the holidays. Christmas is over. You’ve got the time.
This sprawling Mafia epic reunites Hollywood heavyweights Robert De Niro and Al Pacino (in Pacino’s first collaboration with Scorsese). The film tells the story of Frank Sheeran (De Niro), a loyal truck driver who rises up the ranks and becomes Teamster leader Jimmy Hoffa’s (Al Pacino) most trusted confidante. The Irishman has already been nominated for heaps of awards and is generating some serious Oscar heat.
Skip: Cats
If you haven’t heard, this is one phantasmagorical furball to avoid. This garish feline fever dream from director Tom Hooper is packed to the brim with CGI-covered celebrities singing their hearts — and snot — out, but it’s to no avail. Not even Taylor Swift sprawled across a catnip-spurting moon can save this disaster.
To be fair, Cats isn’t selling us a bill of goods. Based on the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical adapted from the poems of T.S. Eliot, there isn’t a film on this list with a more accurate title than Cats. That is wholly what the movie is about. Just a bunch of singing cats. Jellicle pass.
Catch: Uncut Gems
Netflix offers a bevvy of Adam Sandler “comedies” that range from mediocre to godawful. Skip them all and see the man flex his considerable acting muscles in the the Safdie brothers’ deliciously frenetic Uncut Gems. Sandler plays Howard Ratner, a jeweler who flies by the seat of his pants and is forever on the verge of financial ruin.
Though Uncut Gems was ignored by both the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild awards, critics have Sandler as a major dark horse threat for an Oscar nod. Take a chance this holiday season and venture off the beaten path. We guarantee Uncut Gems will be a diamond in the ruff. Oh, groan all you want — but still see the movie.
Catch: Little Women
Little Women has been adapted to the ends of the earth. Do we really need another one? With Greta Gerwig at the helm — yes. She knocked it out of the director’s park with 2017’s Lady Bird, and this noteworthy all-star cast features the likes of Emma Watson, Meryl Streep, and Laura Dern. Gerwig collaborators Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet are present and accounted for, along with a star-making performance from Florence Pugh.
The movie tells the story of the March sisters who come of age after the Civil War. Based on the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott, Little Women may have been told and retold, but Gerwig’s version is a proudly forward-thinking take, exploring themes of female agency in a way no other film adaptation of the source material ever has. Rather than feed our kids the usual holiday fluff, why not take them to this delightful yet highly thoughtful period piece?
Skip: Frozen 2
Speaking of holiday fluff…We admit, we loved the first Frozen. Who didn’t? But while every character was lovable and memorable, that doesn’t mean we need to see them in an obvious cash-grab follow-up. Frozen 2 has Anna, Elsa, and company venturing out into the woods once more after Elsa hears strange voices.
Bottom line, this movie is fine. But it doesn’t pack nearly the magic punch of the first. If your kids are begging you to go, by no means do we suggest ruining Christmas. You’ll have an okay time. But for our money, stay home and rewatch the first one, then take the kiddos to Little Women.
Catch: Jumanji: The Next Level
You won’t catch us recommending many franchises on this list, but Jumanji is the exception. This movie has perhaps the broadest appeal of any on the list. Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, and Kevin Hart are reunited for more intrepid, hilarious adventures. Though a notable step down from 2017’s Welcome to the Jungle, The Next Level is still a worthy successor; an escapist popcorn flick.
Really, it’s a Christmas miracle if a family with varying ages and artistic sensibilities can agree on any entertainment to consume together. Jumanji: The Next Level might just be your best shot.
Catch: Marriage Story
While Marriage Story is probably the quietest film on the list, it packs the biggest emotional punch. Noah Baumbach’s guaranteed Oscar contender of a drama tells the tale of an artistic couple (Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson) undergoing a divorce while determining where their young son Henry (Azhy Robertson) will live.
Those still healing the wounds of divorce or currently enduring the process themselves may want to skip this one. But Marriage Story is far from a doom-and-gloom tale. It has its truly uplifting moments and is ultimately just about good people who want the best life for themselves and their kid. Laura Dern’s performance as Johansson’s lawyer alone makes the movie worth a watch. She’s sure to get some Oscar glory, just like you’re sure to have a spectacular movie-watching experience.
Skip: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Say it ain’t so. Well, friends — it’s so. Yes, Star Wars is debatably the biggest pop culture franchise of all time, and you may be missing out on some ever-so important water cooler conversation if you skip the latest cash cow. But guess what? There is no water cooler because it’s the holidays. So why put yourself through over 2.5 hours of lightsaber-waving plot contrivance?
For those who still care, this latest installment finds Rey and Kylo Ren… you know what, it doesn’t matter. Fans will see it. Non-fans won’t. Those looking to catch Adam Driver in fare worthy of his talent should check out the previously mentioned Marriage Story.
Catch: Knives Out
Continuing with our theme of Star Wars alum who have done far better projects elsewhere, we present Rian Johnson’s Knives Out. This hilarious murder mystery features a killer ensemble cast including Daniel Craig, LaKeith Stanfield, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, and Christopher Plummer. Plummer plays the family patriarch who invites his family to his 85th birthday party. Well, happy birthday to him — he’s murdered.
For a non-franchise movie, Knives Out has been slaying it — we’re not going to stop — at the box office. It’s a critical delight and has been nominated for three Golden Globe awards. The film is not only worthy of an Oscar screenplay nomination, it’s worthy of your viewing too.
