From the big screen to the small screen, to independent movies to big blockbuster hits, there are plenty of great movies to watch this holiday season with friends and family.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
This movie is based on the real-life friendship between famous children’s host Fred Rogers and journalist Lloyd Vogel. Lloyd’s character is loosely based on real-life Esquire journalist Tom Junod, who wanted to find out who the “real” Roger was. He believed Mr. Rogers was simply an on-screen act and that the real Fred Rogers was a different person. Yet, while spending more time with Mr. Rogers he finds that he’s exactly the same as portrayed on TV as a kind, imaginative and caring person to everyone he meets. This whole-hearted film is great to watch with family because it shows how much we can learn from another. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood came out on November 22.
Directed by former Star Wars director Rian Johnson, this film is about a patriarch (Christopher Plummer) who dies on his 85th Birthday. A detective (Daniel Craig) then goes to his wealthy estate to investigate if he was murdered by someone in his family. The family features a well-rounded cast of actors and actresses, with Chris Evans, Toni Collete and Katherine Langford to name a few. Their characters possess a common and relatable quality families can relate to — dysfunctionality. It’s a “who done it?” type-movie where you’re constantly wondering which character might have committed the crime. It’s funny yet intense, and everyone in your family is bound to like or relate to one of the characters on screen. Knives Out released on Thanksgiving.
An independent film set to come on Amazon Prime in late December or early January, this is an autobiographical story based on actor Shia Labeouf’s difficult start in show business. It shows his complicated relationship with his father, James, and the pressure that was put on him to make money as a young child actor. Although this movie is dark, it focuses on Laebuof’s mental health and how he’s dealt with it through the years. Mental Health is something that’s being seen more in movies, including Joker that came out earlier this year. It’s a powerful movie to watch this holiday season unveiling why it’s important to have a healthy relationship with your family. And if you struggle to do so, there are ways to overcome it. Labeouf’s father, who was once an overbearing alcoholic stage dad, now has a better and healthier relationship with Labeouf and praises the movie.
Little Women
This classic tale about the lives of four sisters during the aftermath of the Civil War is retold through the eyes of Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird. Gerwig puts her own spin on the story by modernizing it. The story has always been about womanhood, but Gerwig adds more details to the main character Jo March. Jo, played by Saoirse Ronan, is a struggling writer living in New York. Jo’s would-be publisher encourages her to end her story on a happy note, with one of the women marrying someone. Florence Pugh’s character Amy has often been considered the least favorite, but Gerwig adds depth to her. Her artistic ambitions to become the greatest painter in the world are highlighted and have an amazing speech performed by Pugh about a woman’s place in the world. Overall, this heart-warming story about the shared love between four sisters set to come out on Christmas Day will more than likely be praised by a new generation, and what better way to watch this than with sisters.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
There’s nothing but secrecy surrounding the final Star Wars film to wrap up the trilogy, which is why so many people are anxious and ready to watch. They have only released a few posters, trailers and the movie run time. Will Rey join the dark side? Will Kylo switch sides? What is the fate for Poe and Finn? These movies are also a great way to spend time with friends as friendships are a common theme in the movies. Audiences love these movies not only because of their action scenes and massive sets, but because of the characters and their relationships. Audiences are invested into them and want to find out what’ll happen next, like Rey and Kylo, Finn and Poe, or the original duo, R2-D2 and C-3PO. Unfortunately, baby Yoda won’t be making an appearance. Audiences will no longer have to wait when The Rise of Skywalker opens in theaters on December 20.
If you’re stressed about finals, take some time off and see one of these amazing holiday movies with friends and family!