As the semester wraps up and we begin to have more downtime, going to the movies is going to be a popular activity for many people. I am a big fan of movies and have been waiting for the release of many highly anticipated films.
But unfortunately, the data does not look too good for the future of movie theaters. According to research from the Wall Street Journal, the number of movie theaters in North America has gone down around 12%. In order to keep the experience of physically going to a movie theater alive, we need to make sure that we give our money to the theaters rather than streamers whenever possible. Luckily, there are so many exciting movies coming out in the next few weeks!
“West side story”
The iconic rendition of the 1957 Broadway musical is finally coming out on Dec. 10. “West Side Story” tells the story of forbidden love between Maria and Tony, which was inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The new version was directed by Steven Spielberg and stars Rachel Zegler and Ansel Elgort in the main roles. The musical will be an exciting and bright beginning to the winter season!
“The Tragedy of Macbeth”
The movie that I am most excited for this season is “The Tragedy of Macbeth.” This film is a remake of Shakespeare’s popular work, which tells the tale of Macbeth as he struggles for power. This version is directed by Joel Coen, and stars Frances McDormand and Denzel Washington in the main roles. I love this story, and I know that it will be a strong film with such a talented cast. It officially comes out on December 25 in theaters.
“House of Gucci”
This film came out Nov. 24, but I am sure many people have still not gotten around to seeing it yet. “House of Gucci” tells the story of Patrizia Reggiani’s marriage into the Gucci family and how this led to extensive drama — including murder. Ridley Scott directed this movie, and it has a star-studded cast featuring Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Al Pacino and Salma Hayek. This is sure to be an entertaining — and fashion-filled — watch!
“Licorice Pizza”
Paul Thomas Anderson’s next film is another one of my highly anticipated watches, as I love all of his work. “Licorice Pizza” tells the story of two young people as they fall in love in San Fernando Valley in the 1970s. It features Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman in the main roles, and also features Bradley Cooper. This is particularly sweet for Anderson fans, as Hoffman’s father, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, was a longtime collaborator of Anderson before his untimely death. The movie is already out in parts of the country, but it is having a widespread release on Dec. 25.
“Nightmare Alley”
“Nightmare Alley” is a crime thriller by the iconic director Guillermo del Toro. This spine-tingling film is actually based on a book from 1946, which was written by William Lindsay Gresham. There was also a film adaptation of the book done in 1947, but it hasn’t had much recognition since then. This new version features Bradley Cooper, Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett. It comes out on December 17 and is sure to be a unique and compelling watch.
“Spider-Man: No Way Home”
The third Spider-Man film starring Tom Holland as the web-slinging hero comes out on Dec. 17. This is one of the most popular movies that is coming out in December, so it is going to draw large audiences. This film was directed by Jon Watts and stars Zendaya, Willem Dafoe and Jamie Foxx alongside Tom Holland. I am not a huge fan of Marvel movies, but I am eager to see this one, especially after the rumored appearances of Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire. I am excited to see if the fan theories turn out to be true!
“Don’t Look Up”
“Don’t Look Up” releases Dec. 10 in theaters, but it will be on Netflix starting December 24. I am particularly excited for this one, as it features so many notable actors. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Jonah Hill, Timothée Chalamet and Ariana Grande are just some of the big names in this film directed by Adam McKay. This is supposed to be a drama/comedy, which tells the story of two astronomers as they go on a tour to try to warn people about an approaching comet that could trigger the apocalypse. This seems like a perfect way to wrap up this year, and it will be a comical way to approach a frightening scenario.
Overall, I am definitely excited to be seeing all of these movies in theaters over the next few weeks. I am hopeful that the movie theater business will build itself back up to where it was pre-pandemic with the help of so many major projects hitting the big screen!