The summer movie season has been over for months, the awkward fall months are over and done with and now it is time for Hollywood to move into its official holiday season. This season is known to many as Oscar season, where some of the year’s best films are showcased and families flock to theaters to see kid-friendly offerings around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Here is a preview of some of the most buzzworthy and surprising releases to look out for over the next few months.
The first weekend of November traditionally marks the start of the season, and this year it will open with a bang. On November 7, we are getting the highly-anticipated “Interstellar.” This is “The Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan’s latest and arguably most ambitious film. It features a group of space travelers on a quest to save humanity. On the same day, Disney is boldly releasing their latest 3D animated adventure, “Big Hero 6.” With the string of successful holiday season flicks such as “Tangled,” “Wreck-It Ralph,” and last year’s hit, “Frozen,” we can expect “Big Hero 6” to make a huge splash.
In the independent market, a new documentary called “21 Years: Richard Linklater,” focusing on one of today’s most interesting filmmakers, will be available on iTunes and a handful of theaters across the country.
Several blockbuster comedy sequels will be released later in November. In “Dumb & Dumber To,” the sequel to the hit 1994 film, Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels will attempt to prove they can still carry a comedy. “Horrible Bosses 2” will also endeavor to recapture what made the first one a hit. Its November 26 release date make it an alternative for those not looking for family or blockbuster entertainment over Thanksgiving weekend.
On November 21, the penultimate chapter in the fan favorite “Hunger Games” franchise will hit theaters. Keeping up with the recent trend in book series adaptions, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay” has been split into two parts, with part two set for release in November of 2015. Also being released on November 21 is “The Imitation Game.” Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Alan Turing, a brilliant man who gets recruited to help break enemy codes during World War II. This film was received with much acclaim over at the Toronto International Film Festival, so expect it to pop up many times in the awards circuit.
Other noteworthy offerings that have shots at awards later in the year include “Foxcatcher” and “Rosewater”, both of which will come out November 14. “Foxcatcher will tell the chilling, true-life story about John du Pont and the wrestling brothers (played by Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo) that he takes under his wing to become gold medal champions. “Rosewater,” based on a best selling memoir by Maziar Bahari, is a drama directed by Daily Show host, Jon Stewart (yes, that Jon Stewart).
While November may seem packed and overloaded with options, December has a fair share to choose from as well. December 12 will see the release of Ridley Scott’s Biblical epic, “Exodus: Gods and Kings.” This film stars Christian Bale as Moses and will tell of the story of his conflicts with Rameses, as well as the plagues sent upon the land. December 12 also offers a new film by acclaimed director Paul Thomas Anderson titled “Inherent Vice.” This wacky-sounding crime story has a huge ensemble cast, including award favorites Joaquin Phoenix and Josh Brolin and comedians Owen Wilson and Martin Short.
This year will also see the conclusion of Peter Jackson’s “Hobbit” trilogy with “The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies,” which will hit theaters on December 17. It will surely leave audiences feeling the weight of this franchise as it is the last film in the “Lord of the Rings” universe that Peter Jackson will make. After the cliffhanger that left people in suspense last Christmas, “Battle of the Fives Armies” will end the story for good.
A couple days later, the box office will be offering up some more family-friendly movies to get everybody out of the house and into the theater. On December 19, we have a remake of the hit musical “Annie” (starring Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz), and the third installment of the “Night at the Museum” franchise. This new story follows Larry Daily (Ben Stiller) and his adventures at a museum in London.
Christmas Day comes with a diverse selection this year. With a lineup including an Angelina Jolie-directed World War II drama about the captivity of an Olympic athlete and Seth Rogan’s controversial comedy “The Interview,” which is about a talk show host recruited to assassinate Kim Jung-Un, the day’s offerings will certainly please all kinds of moviegoers. The Disney adaption of the popular musical “Into The Woods” will be hitting theaters Christmas Day as well. Fan favorites such as Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick and Chris Pine are included in the cast.
This holiday season is full of movies ranging from all sorts of genres, giving those looking for a night or two out at the theater a lot to choose from and a memorable experience they can share with friends or family.
