As 2016 draws to a close, the cinema offers a little bit of something for everyone: horror, comedy, animated, action, drama and especially a highly-anticipated movie that takes place in a galaxy far, far away...
Here are the major theatrical movies being released in December 2016.
(Dates are subject to change)
December 2
Incarnate
Basically a mixture of "The Exorcist," "Insidious" and "Inception,"
"Incarnate" actually looks to be an unnerving horror tale about a man
who can go inside the mind of someone possessed and save them without
religious methods. Even though it's only rated PG-13 (most horror films
aren't as good when they're more family-friendly), it still looks
rather terrifying with a lot of dark motifs and featuring Aaron Eckhart
in the lead role.
December 9
Office Christmas Party
In order to save his company from his much-maligned, uptight sister, her branch manager brother decides to throw an office Christmas party and invite a client they're looking to bring on to it, and of course the party gets completely out of hand. Even though it boasts a great cast including Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Kate McKinnon, TJ Miller, Courtney B. Vance and Olivia Munn, it looks to be your typical raunchy Christmas comedy movie where most of the humorous scenes were shown in the trailer.
Nocturnal Animals
Already receiving three Satellite Award nominations, "Nocturnal Animals" serves as a special type of movie where there's three interlocking events that tie together to form a cohesive whole. Featuring the ever-amazing Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Armie Hammer, Isla Fisher, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Laura Linney, this looks to be a spellbinding, heart-pounding thriller with beautiful visuals and stunning designs.
December 16
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Directed by Gareth Edwards ("Monsters," "Godzilla") and featuring an amazing cast including Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, as well as Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, and the voice of James Earl Jones, "Rogue One" is a space opera in the family of the "Star Wars" franchise that takes place between the events of Episodes III and IV, where a rebel group sets out to destroy the Empire's new weapon, the Death Star. Everyone's favorite villain Darth Vader returns, and even though it's a prequel and we all know how it'll turn out, there's no doubt this will be the biggest movie of the year, and rightfully so.
Collateral Beauty
Will Smith stars as a successful New York advertising executive who looses his young daughter and becomes reclusive. His friends try to help, but its only when he receives personified visits from Love, Death and Time (whom he had been sending letters to) does he begin to see the beauty in the most darkest of circumstances. This is a film I'm dying to see, and I can't wait for it to come out. The story is beautifully heart-rendering, it features an amazing cast including Smith, Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet, Keira Knightley, Edward Norton and Naomie Harris, and it looks to be a powerful piece of cinema.
La La Land
Already generating Oscar buzz, and also nominated for thirteen Satellite Awards, "La La Land" is a wholly original film written and directed by Damien Chazelle (who also directed the amazing "Whiplash" that gave JK Simmons an Oscar) that stars longtime friends Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone - who've appeared in "Crazy Stupid Love" and "Gangster Squad" together - as a musician and aspiring actress who meet and fall in love in Los Angeles. The music sounds amazing, the costume designs are dazzling, and the cinematography looks excellent, and this is another film I'm very excited to see.
December 21
Passengers
When thousands of people leave Earth to start a new life on another planet, they enter hibernation stasis for 120 years, but an accident awakens two passengers 90 years too early, and they have to protect the sleeping inhabitants from cataclysmic events that could befall them, as well as fall in love. Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence and everyone's lovable hero Chris Pratt co-star in what will easily be a crowd-pleasing outer space romance adventure.
Assassin's Creed
Callum Lynch is rescued by Abstergo Industries, which is the modern-day Templars, and is forced to participate in the Animus Project where he's given the memories of his ancestor who was an Assassin during the Spanish Inquisition. He experiences the memories and gains skills and knowledge needed to stop the modern-day enemies of the Assassin order. The film is based off the highly successful video game franchise, which already leaves me with cause for concern. Typically movies based on video games have been very poor, and I really want to get my hopes up here, but it'll take a miracle, even though it features Oscar nominee Michael Fassbender in the lead role, and a supporting cast including Oscar winners Marion Cotillard and Jeremy Irons.
Sing
From the company that brought the Minions and "The Secret Life of Pets" comes a movie that's basically "American Idol" with animals. To save his fledgling theater from closing, a koala hosts a singing competition that the whole town gets involved in. The stories of the characters seem relatable enough, but it looks to be too heavy-handed in the music (there's 85 different songs featured) than the story. It'll be enough to keep the kids' attention, but that's probably it, which is a travesty because it boasts such an amazing vocal cast including Matthew McConaughey, John C. Reilly, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Edgerton, Seth MacFarlane and Tori Kelly.
December 23
Why Him?
Tell me if you've seen this before. Maybe "Meet the Parents?" How about "Guess Who?" Even though it stars Bryan Cranston and James Franco, this looks to be a retread of films past where you can already guess what will happen. An uptight father doesn't think a free-spirited young man is good enough for his daughter, and sets out to prove it through increasingly complicated, convoluted attempts that spiral out of control until something comes to a head and he realizes the folly of his mistakes and accepts the man into his family. If this movie has a different outcome than this, I will be pleasantly surprised, but I'm not holding my breath.
So there are the films being released in December 2016.
Here is a list in order from what I think will be the best, to the worst.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Collateral Beauty Nocturnal Animals La La Land Passengers Incarnate Assassin's Creed Sing Why Him Office Christmas Party
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