The agonising wait is almost over! New episodes of our favourite shows are almost here (or already here in the case of The X-Files, but fans seem quite unhappy about that). This list is not for those shows which have gone on a mid-season break, but for those shows that are coming back with not just brand new episodes, but brand new seasons. Which means all new stories and perhaps all new characters for us to love or hate or both.
For the TL;DR of this list, watch the video above.
Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson and Mitch Pileggi.
Synopsis: Two FBI agents, Fox Mulder the believer and Dana Scully the skeptic, investigate the strange and unexplained, while hidden forces work to impede their efforts. – IMDB.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zImuHH6nUc
America’s Next Top Model – January 9th
Will Air On: VH1
Genre: Reality Competition
Starring: Tyra Banks, Ashley Graham, Drew Elliot and Law Roach.
Synopsis: America’s Next Top Model, the most successful and longest-running fashion reality TV series in history, returns to the runway and the BOSS is back! After stepping away, Tyra Banks returns and is ready to take this season to the next level – next level fierce, that is. The competition will once again feature an all-female cast competing for the crown, but this time around the age limit has been lifted. – VH1.
Starring: Jenna Coleman, Tom Hughes, Peter Bowles, Catherine Flemming, Daniela Holtz, Nell Hudson, Ferdinand Kingsley, Tommy Knight, Nigel Lindsay, Eve Myles, David Oakes, Paul Rhys, Adrian Schiller, Peter Firth, Alex Jennings, Rufus Sewell, Bebe Cave, Margaret Clunie, Tilly Steele, Leo Suter, Jordan Waller, Anna Wilson-Jones and Diana Rigg.
Synopsis: The second series follows Victoria’s struggles on managing her role as Queen with that of her duties to her husband and children. – Wikipedia.
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story – January 16th
Will Air On: FX
Genre: Anthology, True Crime
Starring: Penelope Cruz, Edgar Ramirez, Ricky Martin and Darren Criss.
Synopsis: The second installment of Ryan Murphy’s anthology focuses on the 1997 murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace (Edgar Ramirez) by Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss). Penelope Cruz stars as Donatella Versace with Ricky Martin as Gianni’s partner, Antonio D’Amico. – Metacritic.
Planet Earth: Blue Planet II- January 20th
Will Air On: BBC One, BBC One HD and BBC Earth
Genre: Nature Documentary
Starring: David Attenborough
Synopsis: Wildlife documentary series, presented and narrated by David Attenborough, exploring the planet’s oceans. – BBC.
Mozart in the Jungle – February 16th
Will Air On: Amazon Video
Genre: Comedy-drama
Starring: Lola Kirke, Gael García Bernal, Saffron Burrows, Bernadette Peters, Peter Vack, Hannah Dunne and Malcolm McDowell.
Synopsis: What happens behind the curtains at the symphony is just as captivating as what happens on stage. Created by Paul Weitz (About a Boy), Roman Coppola (The Darjeeling Limited), and Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore). Brash new maestro Rodrigo (Gael Garcia Bernal) is stirring things up, and young oboist Hailey (Lola Kirke) hopes for her big chance. – Amazon.
UnReal – February 26th
Will Air On: Lifetime
Genre: Drama
Starring: Shiri Appleby, Craig Bierko, Freddie Stroma, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, Johanna Braddy, Aline Elasmar, Nathalie Kelley, Josh Kelly, Ashley Scott, Breeda Wool, Constance Zimmer, B.J. Britt, Monica Barbaro, Denée Benton, Kim Matula, Michael Rady, Meagan Tandy and Gentry White.
Synopsis: Caitlin FitzGerald (“Masters of Sex,” “Rectify”) takes the reins as Everlasting’s female “suitress,” Serena. Determined to have her pick of eager male suitors, Serena will face off with Everlasting’s queen bees, producers Rachel Goldberg (Shiri Appleby) and Quinn King (Emmy-nominee Constance Zimmer) who are shaking things up, all for the sake of ratings. The ladies will be tempted more than ever when they’re surrounded by hot new suitors including Bart Edwards (“Peep Show,” “Fantastic Beast”), Alex Hernandez (“Chicago Med”), Adam Demos (“Aboriginal Heart,” “Cooped Up”) and Alex Sparrow (Russia’s “Bachelor” & “Dancing with the Stars”). – Lifetime.
Synopsis: Following the tragic end of her brief superhero career, Jessica Jones tries to rebuild her life as a private investigator, dealing with cases involving people with remarkable abilities in New York City. – IMDB.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK_iX5cPDhE&t=1s
Roseanne – March 27th
Will Air On: ABC
Genre: Sitcom
Starring: Roseanne Barr, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Michael Fishman, Sara Gilbert, Lecy Goranson, Natalie West and Sarah Chalke.
Synopsis: A revival of the popular 1990s sitcom ‘Roseanne,’ which centered on the everyday life of an American working-class family. – IMDB.
A Series of Unfortunate Events – March 30th
Will Air On: Netflix
Genre: Black Comedy, Drama
Starring: Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Warburton, Malina Weissman, Louis Hynes, K. Todd Freeman and Presley Smith.
Synopsis: The extraordinary Baudelaire orphans face trials, tribulations and the evil Count Olaf in their fateful quest to unlock long-held family secrets. – Netflix.
We gave you the original films that will be coming out this Winter Movie Season, so here are the not so original ones. And that’s not an insult at all, that’s just to say that they aren’t based on original ideas. In going over this list, it became obvious that every film on it is based on a book, with the exception of Death Wish, which is a remake of a film and Pacific Rim: Uprising, which is a sequel.
Because of the nature of this list there will be a few repeats from our 20 Must-See Films of 2018 list, but more than half of this list is made up of films that did not make it there. That list was reserved for the films we think will likely be some of the biggest hits of the year. These seasonal lists concentrate more on smaller films that are as deserving of audience time and money.
So without further ado, here’s our list.
For the TL;DR version of this list, watch the video above.
Mary and the Witch’s Flower – January 19th
Written by: Riko Sakaguchi and Hiromasa Yonebayashi.
Directed by: Hiromasa Yonebayashi.
Starring: Ruby Barnhill, Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Kate Winslet, Jim Broadbent, Teresa Gallagher, Ewen Bremner, Rasmus Hardiker, Morwenna Banks and Lynda Baron.
Synopsis: Based on The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart, a strange flower grants a girl magic powers. –IMDB.
The 15:17 to Paris – February 9th
Written by: Dorothy Blyskal.
Directed by: Clint Eastwood.
Starring: Anthony Sadler, Alek Skarlatos, Spencer Stone, Judy Greer, Jenna Fischer and Ray Corasani.
Synopsis: In the early evening of August 21, 2015, the world watched in stunned silence as the media reported a thwarted terrorist attack on Thalys train #9364 bound for Paris—an attempt prevented by three courageous young Americans traveling through Europe. The film follows the course of the friends’ lives, from the struggles of childhood through finding their footing in life, to the series of unlikely events leading up to the attack. Throughout the harrowing ordeal, their friendship never wavers, making it their greatest weapon and allowing them to save the lives of the more than 500 passengers on board. – Warner Bros.
Black Panther – February 16th
Written by: Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole.
Directed by: Ryan Coogler.
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker and Andy Serkis.
Synopsis: Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life. – Marvel.com.
Annihilation – February 23rd
Written and Directed by: Alex Garland.
Starring: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny and Oscar Isaac.
Synopsis: A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition where the laws of nature don’t apply. – IMDB.
Game Night – February 23rd
Written by: Mark Perez.
Directed by: John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein.
Starring: Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Kyle Chandler, Jesse Plemons and Jeffrey Wright.
Synopsis: A group of friends who meet regularly for game nights find themselves trying to solve a murder mystery. – IMDB.
Red Sparrow – March 2nd
Written by: Justin Haythe.
Directed by: Francis Lawrence.
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Charlotte Rampling, Mary-Louise Parker and Jeremy Irons.
Synopsis: Dominika Egorova is many things.
A devoted daughter determined to protect her mother at all costs.
A prima ballerina whose ferocity has pushed her body and mind to the absolute limit.
A master of seductive and manipulative combat.
When she suffers a career-ending injury, Dominika and her mother are facing a bleak and uncertain future. That is why she finds herself manipulated into becoming the newest recruit for Sparrow School, a secret intelligence service that trains exceptional young people like her to use their bodies and minds as weapons. After enduring the perverse and sadistic training process, she emerges as the most dangerous Sparrow the program has ever produced. Dominika must now reconcile the person she was with the power she now commands, with her own life and everyone she cares about at risk, including an American CIA agent who tries to convince her he is the only person she can trust. – 20th Century Fox.
Death Wish – March 2nd
Written by: Joe Carnahan.
Directed by: Eli Roth.
Starring: Bruce Willis, Vincent D’Onofrio, Elisabeth Shue, Dean Norris and Kimberly Elise.
Synopsis: Dr. Paul Kersey (Bruce Willis) is a surgeon who only sees the aftermath of his city’s violence as it’s rushed into his ER -until his wife (Elisabeth Shue) and college-age daughter (Camila Morrone) are viciously attacked in their suburban home. With the police overloaded with crimes, Paul, burning for revenge, hunts for his family’s assailants to deliver justice. As the anonymous slayings of criminals grabs the media’s attention, the city wonders if this deadly avenger is a guardian angel…or a grim reaper. Fury and fate collide in the intense action-thriller Death Wish. – IMDB.
A Wrinkle in Time – March 9th
Written by: Jennifer Lee.
Directed by: Ava DuVernay.
Starring: Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Peña, Storm Reid, Zach Galifianakis and Chris Pine.
Synopsis: After the disappearance of her scientist father, three peculiar beings send Meg, her brother, and her friend to space in order to find him. – IMDB.
Love Simon – March 16th
Written by: Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger.
Directed by: Greg Berlanti.
Starring: Nick Robinson, Katherine Langford, Alexandra Shipp, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Miles Heizer, Keiynan Lonsdale, Logan Miller, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel and Tony Hale.
Synopsis: Everyone deserves a great love story. But for seventeen-year old Simon Spier it’s a little more complicated: he’s yet to tell his family or friends he’s gay and he doesn’t actually know the identity of the anonymous classmate he’s fallen for online. Resolving both issues proves hilarious, terrifying and life-changing. Directed by Greg Berlanti (Riverdale, The Flash, Supergirl), written by Isaac Aptaker & Elizabeth Berger (This is Us), and based on Becky Albertalli’s acclaimed novel, LOVE, SIMON is a funny and heartfelt coming-of-age story about the thrilling ride of finding yourself and falling in love. – 20th Century Fox.
Pacific Rim: Uprising – March 23rd
Written by: Emily Carmichael, Kira Snyder, T.S. Nowlin and Steven S. DeKnight.
Directed by: Steven S. DeKnight.
Starring: John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Cailee Spaeny, Jing Tian, Adria Arjona, Charlie Day, Burn Gorman and Rinko Kikuchi.
Synopsis: The globe-spanning conflict between otherworldly monsters of mass destruction and the human-piloted super-machines built to vanquish them was only a prelude to the all-out assault on humanity in Pacific Rim Uprising.
John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) stars as the rebellious Jake Pentecost, a once-promising Jaeger pilot whose legendary father gave his life to secure humanity’s victory against the monstrous “Kaiju.” Jake has since abandoned his training only to become caught up in a criminal underworld. But when an even more unstoppable threat is unleashed to tear through our cities and bring the world to its knees, he is given one last chance to live up to his father’s legacy by his estranged sister, Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi)—who is leading a brave new generation of pilots that have grown up in the shadow of war. As they seek justice for the fallen, their only hope is to unite together in a global uprising against the forces of extinction.
Jake is joined by gifted rival pilot Lambert (The Fate of the Furious’ Scott Eastwood) and 15-year-old Jaeger hacker Amara (newcomer Cailee Spaeny), as the heroes of the PPDC become the only family he has left. Rising up to become the most powerful defense force to ever walk the earth, they will set course for a spectacular all-new adventure on a towering scale. – Pacificrimmovie.com.
People tend to complain about there being a lack of original films in theatres and their numbers decreasing with every year. There was even a chart floating around not too long ago backing up the fact that original films have taken a nose dive in recent years.
With the advent of franchises and film universes, adaptations of popular works, sequels, prequels, midquels, sidequels and the like, and the [almost] guaranteed millions that they will make at the box office, it’s hard to get an original film project off of the ground. But some filmmakers have managed to do just that! Those are the films that are being highlighted in this list.
We’re qualifying an original film as one which is not based on a pre-existing work (novel, comic, game, anime, film, song, etc – no remakes or reboots) and is not one of the several “-quels” that exists. It can be based on a true story and can be part of an anthology (like God Particle, which was going to be part of this list but got its date pushed back).
Here are 10 original films that will be arriving in theatres this winter (January to March).
For the TL;DR version of this list, watch the video above.
Proud Mary – January 12th
Written by: John S. Newman and Christian Swegal.
Directed by: Babak Najafi.
Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Billy Brown, Danny Glover, Neal McDonough, Xander Berkeley and Margaret Avery.
Synopsis: Taraji P. Henson is Mary, a hit woman working for an organized crime family in Boston, whose life is completely turned around when she meets a young boy whose path she crosses when a professional hit goes bad. – Sony Pictures.
Saturday Church – January 12th
Written and Directed by: Damon Cardasis.
Starring: Luka Kain, Margot Bingham, Regina Taylor, Marquis Rodriguez, MJ Rodriguez and Indya Moore.
Synopsis: A 14 year-old-boy, struggling with gender identity and religion, begins to use fantasy to escape his life in the inner city and find his passion in the process. – IMDB.
The Post – January 12th
Written by: Liz Hannah and Josh Singer.
Directed by: Steven Spielberg.
Starring: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford, Bruce Greenwood and Matthew Rhys.
Synopsis: A cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents pushed the country’s first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to join an unprecedented battle between journalist and government. – IMDB.
Please Stand By – January 26th
Written by: Michael Golamco.
Directed by: Ben Lewin.
Starring: Dakota Fanning, Toni Collette, Alice Eve and Patton Oswalt.
Synopsis: Dakota Fanning stars as a woman who escapes a group home hoping to get her Star Trek script produced in Hollywood. On the way she must conquer a new world full of challenges. Also starring Toni Collette, Alice Eve and Patton Oswalt. – Official Website.
Winchester – February 2nd
Written and Directed by: The Spierig Brothers.
Starring: Helen Mirren, Jason Clarke, Sarah Snook and Angus Sampson.
Synopsis: Inspired by true events. On an isolated stretch of land 50 miles outside of San Francisco sits the most haunted house in the world. Built by Sarah Winchester, (Academy Award®-winner Helen Mirren) heiress to the Winchester fortune, it is a house that knows no end. Constructed in an incessant twenty-four hour a day, seven day a week mania for decades, it stands seven stories tall and contains hundreds of rooms. To the outsider it looks like a monstrous monument to a disturbed woman’s madness. But Sarah is not building for herself, for her niece (Sarah Snook) or for the brilliant Doctor Eric Price (Jason Clarke) whom she has summoned to the house. She is building a prison, an asylum for hundreds of vengeful ghosts, and the most terrifying among them have a score to settle with the Winchesters… – Official Website.
Early Man – February 16th
Written by: Mark Burton and John O’Farrell.
Directed by: Nick Park.
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Maisie Williams and Timothy Spall.
Synopsis: Set at the dawn of time, when prehistoric creatures and woolly mammoths roamed the earth, Early Man tells the story of how plucky caveman Dug, along with sidekick Hognob, unites his tribe against the mighty Bronze Age in a battle to beat them at their own game. Early Man unleashes an unforgettable cast of hilarious new characters and marks Nick Park’s first feature film since Academy Award™ winning Wallace And Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit. – Official Website.
Gringo – March 9th
Written by: Anthony Tambakis and Matthew Stone.
Directed by: Nash Edgerton.
Starring: David Oyelowo, Charlize Theron, Joel Edgerton, Amanda Seyfried, Thandie Newton and Sharlto Copley.
Synopsis: GRINGO, a dark comedy mixed with white-knuckle action and dramatic intrigue, explores the battle of survival for businessman Harold Soyinka when he finds himself crossing the line from law-abiding citizen to wanted criminal. – Amazon.
Thoroughbreds – March 9th
Written and Directed by: Cory Finley.
Starring: Olivia Cooke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Anton Yelchin, Paul Sparks and Francie Swift.
Synopsis: Two upper-class teenage girls in suburban Connecticut rekindle their unlikely friendship after years of growing apart. Together, they hatch a plan to solve both of their problems-no matter what the cost. – IMDB.
Isle of Dogs – March 23rd
Written and Directed by: Wes Anderson.
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Kunichi Nomura, Ken Watanabe, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Courtney B. Vance, Fisher Stevens, Nijiro Murakami, Harvey Keitel, Koyu Rankin, Liev Schreiber, Bob Balaban, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, Akira Ito, Akira Takayama, F. Murray Abraham, Yojiro Noda, Mari Natsuki, Yoko Ono and Frank Wood.
Synopsis: Set in Japan, Isle of Dogs follows a boy’s odyssey in search of his dog. – IMDB.
Acrimony – March 30th
Written and Directed by: Tyler Perry.
Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Lyriq Bent, Tika Sumpter and Crystle Stewart.
Synopsis: A faithful wife (Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson) tired of standing by her devious husband is enraged when it becomes clear she has been betrayed. – Official Website.
A new year means new movies and with dozens upon dozens coming out every year, it can be hard to make a decision about what’s worth your time and your money. This early in the year, that’s not even counting the films without confirmed release dates, let alone posters, promotional art and trailers; advertising material to convince movie-goers to see them, but have somehow built anticipation based on what they are, the universe they belong to or the concept behind them.
In this list, we’ll be looking at some of the biggest films that will be hitting theatres in 2018, that are likely to be worth not only the money spent to make them, but will be worth the money spent to watch them.
For the TL;DR version of this list, watch the video above.
Black Panther – February 16th
Written by: Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole.
Directed by: Ryan Coogler.
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker and Andy Serkis.
Synopsis: Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life. – Marvel.com.
Annihilation – February 23rd
Written and Directed by: Alex Garland.
Starring: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny and Oscar Isaac.
Synopsis: A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition where the laws of nature don’t apply. – IMDB.
A Wrinkle in Time – March 9th
Written by: Jennifer Lee.
Directed by: Ava DuVernay.
Starring: Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Peña, Storm Reid, Zach Galifianakis and Chris Pine.
Synopsis: After the disappearance of her scientist father, three peculiar beings send Meg, her brother, and her friend to space in order to find him. – IMDB.
Tomb Raider – March 16th
Written by: Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Alastair Siddons.
Directed by: Roar Uthaug.
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu, Nick Frost and Kristin Scott Thomas.
Synopsis: Lara Croft, the fiercely independent daughter of a missing adventurer, must push herself beyond her limits when she finds herself on the island where her father disappeared. – IMDB.
Pacific Rim: Uprising – March 23rd
Written by: Emily Carmichael, Kira Snyder, T.S. Nowlin and Steven S. DeKnight.
Directed by: Steven S. DeKnight.
Starring: John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Cailee Spaeny, Jing Tian, Adria Arjona, Charlie Day, Burn Gorman and Rinko Kikuchi.
Synopsis: The globe-spanning conflict between otherworldly monsters of mass destruction and the human-piloted super-machines built to vanquish them was only a prelude to the all-out assault on humanity in Pacific Rim Uprising.
John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) stars as the rebellious Jake Pentecost, a once-promising Jaeger pilot whose legendary father gave his life to secure humanity’s victory against the monstrous “Kaiju.” Jake has since abandoned his training only to become caught up in a criminal underworld. But when an even more unstoppable threat is unleashed to tear through our cities and bring the world to its knees, he is given one last chance to live up to his father’s legacy by his estranged sister, Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi)—who is leading a brave new generation of pilots that have grown up in the shadow of war. As they seek justice for the fallen, their only hope is to unite together in a global uprising against the forces of extinction.
Jake is joined by gifted rival pilot Lambert (The Fate of the Furious’ Scott Eastwood) and 15-year-old Jaeger hacker Amara (newcomer Cailee Spaeny), as the heroes of the PPDC become the only family he has left. Rising up to become the most powerful defense force to ever walk the earth, they will set course for a spectacular all-new adventure on a towering scale. – Pacificrimmovie.com.
Ready Player One – March 30th
Written by: Zak Penn and Ernest Cline.
Directed by: Steven Spielberg.
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, T. J. Miller, Simon Pegg and Mark Rylance.
Synopsis: The film is set in 2045, with the world on the brink of chaos and collapse. But the people have found salvation in the OASIS, an expansive virtual reality universe created by the brilliant and eccentric James Halliday (Mark Rylance). When Halliday dies, he leaves his immense fortune to the first person to find a digital Easter egg he has hidden somewhere in the OASIS, sparking a contest that grips the entire world. When an unlikely young hero named Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) decides to join the contest, he is hurled into a breakneck, reality-bending treasure hunt through a fantastical universe of mystery, discovery and danger. – Warner Bros.
The New Mutants – April 13th
Written by: Josh Boone and Knate Lee.
Directed by: Josh Boone.
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams, Charlie Heaton, Henry Zaga, Blu Hunt and Alice Braga.
Synopsis: Five young mutants, just discovering their abilities while held in a secret facility against their will, fight to escape their past sins and save themselves. – IMDB.
Avengers: Infinity War – May 4th
Written by: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.
Directed by: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo.
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Josh Brolin, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Olsen, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Benedict Wong, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Pom Klementieff, Scarlett Johansson, Benicio del Toro, Tom Holland, Anthony Mackie, Chadwick Boseman, Danai Gurira, Paul Rudd, Don Cheadle, Letitia Wright and Winston Duke.
Synopsis: As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain. – Marvel.com.
Solo: A Star Wars Story – May 25th
Written by: Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan.
Directed by: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller/Ron Howard.
Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo and Paul Bettany.
Synopsis: Han Solo and Chewbacca’s adventures before joining the Rebellion, including their early encounters with Lando Calrissian. – IMDB.
No Trailer Available.
The Untitled Deadpool Sequel – June 1st
Written by: Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick.
Directed by: David Leitch.
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Leslie Uggams, Brianna Hildebrand, Stefan Kapičić, Zazie Beetz, Josh Brolin and Jack Kesy.
Synopsis: After surviving a near fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his dream of becoming Mayberry’s hottest bartender while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade must battle ninjas, the yakuza, and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and flavor – finding a new taste for adventure and earning the coveted coffee mug title of World’s Best Lover. – Fox Movies.
Ocean’s 8 – June 8th
Written by: Gary Ross and Olivia Milch.
Directed by: Gary Ross.
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna and Helena Bonham Carter.
Synopsis: Debbie Ocean gathers a crew to attempt an impossible heist at New York City’s yearly Met Gala. – IMDB.
The Incredibles 2 – June 15th
Written and Directed by: Brad Bird.
Starring: Holly Hunter, Craig T. Nelson, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner and Samuel L. Jackson.
Synopsis: The Parr family struggles to maintain normal lives while Helen Parr (Holly Hunter), also known as Elastigirl, is out fighting crime. Meanwhile, Helen’s husband Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson), also known as Mr. Incredible, remains at home watching their children Violet (Sarah Vowell), Dash (Huck Milner), and discovering Jack-Jack’s secret powers. However, they, along with Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) will have to battle a new villain, The Underminer (John Ratzenberger) with a sinister plot. – Wikipedia.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – June 22nd
Written by: Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly.
Directed by: J. A. Bayona.
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, B. D. Wong, James Cromwell, Ted Levine, Justice Smith, Geraldine Chaplin, Daniella Pineda, Toby Jones, Rafe Spall, Isabella Sermon and Jeff Goldblum.
Synopsis: It’s been four years since theme park and luxury resort Jurassic World was destroyed by dinosaurs out of containment. Isla Nublar now sits abandoned by humans while the surviving dinosaurs fend for themselves in the jungles.
When the island’s dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event. Owen is driven to find Blue, his lead raptor who’s still missing in the wild, and Claire has grown a respect for these creatures she now makes her mission. Arriving on the unstable island as lava begins raining down, their expedition uncovers a conspiracy that could return our entire planet to a perilous order not seen since prehistoric times.
With all of the wonder, adventure and thrills synonymous with one of the most popular and successful series in cinema history, this all-new motion-picture event sees the return of favorite characters and dinosaurs—along with new breeds more awe-inspiring and terrifying than ever before. Welcome to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. – Jurassic World.com.
Sicario 2: Soldado – June 29th
Written by: Taylor Sheridan.
Directed by: Stefano Sollima.
Starring: Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Isabela Moner, Jeffrey Donovan, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Matthew Modine and Catherine Keener.
3 The drug war on the US-Mexico border has escalated as the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the US border. To fight the war, federal agent Matt Graver re-teams with the mercurial Alejandro. – IMDB.
Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6th
Written by: Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Andrew Barrer, Gabriel Ferrari and Paul Rudd.
Directed by: Peyton Reed.
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Judy Greer, David Dastmalchian, Michael Douglas,Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne,Hannah John-Kamen, Randall Park and Walton Goggins.
Synopsis: From the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes a new chapter featuring heroes with the astonishing ability to shrink: “Ant-Man and The Wasp.” In the aftermath of “Captain America: Civil War,” Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) grapples with the consequences of his choices as both a Super Hero and a father. As he struggles to rebalance his home life with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he’s confronted by Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) with an urgent new mission. Scott must once again put on the suit and learn to fight alongside The Wasp as the team works together to uncover secrets from their past. – Marvel.com.
No trailer available.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix – November 2nd
Written and Directed by: Simon Kinberg.
Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner, Alexandra Shipp, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Evan Peters and Jessica Chastain.
Synopsis: Jean Grey begins to develop incredible powers that corrupt and turn her into a Dark Phoenix. Now the X-Men will have to decide if the life of a team member is worth more than all the people living in the world. – IMDB.
No trailer available.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindewald – November 16th
Written by: J.K. Rowling.
Directed by: David Yates.
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Zoë Kravitz, Callum Turner and Claudia Kim.
Synopsis: J.K. Rowling wrote the screenplay, which opens in 1927, a few months after Newt helped to unveil and capture the infamous Dark wizard Gellert Gridelwald. However, as he promised he would, Grindelwald has made a dramatic escape and has been gathering more followers to his cause – elevating wizards above all non-magical beings. The only one who might be able to stop him is the wizard he once called his dearest friend, Albus Dumbledore. But Dumbledore will need help from the wizard who had thwarted Grindelwald once before, his former student, Newt Scamander. The adventure reunites Newt with Tina, Queenie and Jacob, but his mission will also test their loyalties as they face new perils in an increasingly dangerous and divided wizarding world. – Fantasticbeasts.com.
Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 – November 21st
Written by: Phil Johnston, Jim Reardon and and Pamela Ribon.
Directed by: Rich Moore and Phil Johnston.
Starring: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch and Taraji P. Henson.
Synopsis: 6 years after the events of “Wreck-It Ralph”, Ralph and Vanellope, now friends, discover a wi-fi router in their arcade, leading them into a new adventure. – IMDB.
No trailer available.
Aquaman – December 21st
Written by: Will Beall.
Directed by: James Wan.
Starring: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Temuera Morrison, Dolph Lundgren and Nicole Kidman.
Synopsis: Arthur Curry learns that he is the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, and must step forward to lead his people and to be a hero to the world. – IMDB.
No trailer available.
Mary Poppins Returns – December 25th
Written by: David Magee.
Directed by: Rob Marshall.
Starring: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Pixie Davies, Joel Dawson, Nathanael Saleh, Julie Walters, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep and Angela Lansbury.
Synopsis: In Depression-era London, a now-grown Jane and Michael Banks, along with Michael’s three children, are visited by the enigmatic Mary Poppins following a personal loss. Through her unique magical skills, and with the aid of her friend Jack, she helps the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives. – IMDB.
Photo provided by Leigh Phillips. Photography by Andrew Browne Photography.
Leigh Phillips, born Ashleigh Phillips, is a Barbadian singer-songwriter, independent artist and Honey Jam Barbados alum. On December 12th, she learned that she will be the Barbadian artist selected to represent Barbados on the Canadian TV series Club One New Releases. Of the opportunity she said: “I am so excited and grateful to be chosen out of so many talented artists! I can’t wait to represent Barbados, make new connections, expand the reach of my brand and learn from the experience. Performing outside of Barbados, and getting the opportunity to create something special with another band, is definitely going to be one of the highlights of 2018 for me!”
To learn more about Leigh Phillips, read the short feature we did on her below.
Zeitgeist: In five words, describe who Leigh Phillips is as an artist.
LP: Church and my older sister’s CD collection. I used to sneak into her room when she was out. My favorite CDs to listen to were by Coolio, Michael Jackson, Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Whitney Houston and Toni Braxton. At church I was in the choir from a young age until my teens.
Z: Why did you decide to pursue music professionally?
LP: It became increasingly hard over the years to deny my passion for music. When I returned to Barbados, and essentially had to start over, I figured why not try to do what I love and see what happens.
Z: What inspires you as an artist?
LP: I know it may seem cliché, but everything! Personal experience, nature, the experiences of others. It just depends on my mood and openness at the time to what is around me.
Photo provided by Leigh Phillips. Photography by A3KDInc.
Z: Who are some of the musicians you look up to and why?
LP: Michael Jackson; he was involved in every aspect of his music and made songs that are still relevant today. He’s timeless. Buju Banton; I love the range of topics in his music and how introspective he can be. Rihanna; I used to see her around at secondary school and now she has made herself into a mogul. Her business ventures and work ethic are amazing. Billie Holiday; there’s so much rawness and passion in her voice. Every song moves me and I aspire to bring that vulnerability to my performances. Alicia Keys; her songwriting has always touched me. I also saw her perform live and she was so authentic and effortless on stage.
Z: How does it feel to have secured your spot in Club One New Releases?
LP: It feels surreal! Each of the artists interviewed from Barbados were deserving of the spot so I’m really honored to be chosen from such a talented pool.
Z: Would you say that that has been the highlight of your career so far? If not, what has been?
LP: Yes it has been the highlight of my career so far.
Z: What made you decide to become involved in Club One New Releases?
LP: One word: Adaeze. I saw her do it last year and I followed her journey on social media. I saw her speak about the connections it allowed her to make with the Caribbean and Canadian artists and I said to myself: “I would love to do this next year.”
Z: Given that Club One New Releases is about collaborating with another artist and fusing your styles, who – living or dead – would be your dream collaboration and why?
LP: Michael Jackson would be my dream collaboration. Just to receive even a few minutes of his knowledge would be life changing.
Z: What are you looking forward to the most about being a part of next year’s Club One New Releases?
LP: Performing for new audiences and meeting the other artists. Any opportunity to work with other musicians and see their way of creating is really exciting for me.
Z: What was the inspiration behind your EP?
LP: The EP is about my personal journey to self-love. I believe that it is extremely important to learn how to make decisions that benefit your soul and embrace the freedom that comes with it.
Z: Why did you name it after yourself? Is there a special significance behind that?
LP: The EP is self-titled because it was my musical introduction to my followers. I wanted to give them a taste of who I am, where I’ve been and where I’m going.
Z: Why did you do an EP and not a full album?
LP: I wanted to test the waters first, see what was well-received and build from there.
Z: What are your career plans for 2018, aside from Club One?
LP: More gigs, release a music video, start working on my album.
Z: Any New Year’s resolutions?
LP: Focus on balancing my physical, mental and spiritual health, be open to opportunity, support other artists and do more collaborations and continue to remain true to myself.
Liam Rondon and Sophia Howell were all smiles on the night of December 16th, when they emerged the victors of this year’s Star Strut: Phoenix – Rising From the Ashes at the Queen’s College auditorium. It was anyone’s game on the night as there was no clear winner even up to the moment that the judges left to tally up the final scores. However, the audience favourites for the crowns seemed to be Aaron Grimes and Gabrielle Brome (who essentially had her own cheering section, with attendees sporting sashes saying “Team Gabby”). Perhaps what pushed Rondon and Howell ahead of their competition, was the fact that they were just about the only contestants who consistently smiled.
Rondon also took home the prize for the Olympus Fashion Week segment and Howell won prizes for the Runway Phoenix and Living Art segments as well as Most Improved. Joining them in the winner’s circle were first runners up Aaron Grimes and Atara Padmore and second runners up Jamahl Burke and Kaya Barnett.
The contestants started strong with their introductory segment entitled “Olympus Fashion Week: Greek Gods”, in which they wore “fashionable, edgy, ready to wear looks” inspired by the Greek gods of myth and legend. Their costumes certainly lived up to the theme and were among the night’s best. Aaron Grimes made the biggest impression in this segment by coming out on stage on the back of a motorcycle.
In the girls only second segment, in which the female contestant wore designs from local designer Shanna Boyce’s Fashion Couture line “Fire”, the young ladies certainly brought that “fierceness” that models are best known for. Many of them looked borderline angry, but no so too much so. With Sophia Howell being the only one who smiled. The designs in this segment were eye catching and fashionable and the contestants looked very good in them, wore them well and did their jobs as models; they sold the garments.
The third segment, “Fit for Fashion,” which was described by the MCs as “promoting healthy lifestyles with an eye for fashion”, saw the contestants wearing “gym and athletic wear fit for the runway.” Unfortunately, many of the looks in this segment were not consistent with that description. Aside from Liam Rondon, Gabrielle Brome, Shequanna Morgan and Atara Padmore, whose outfits did look fashionable, everyone else’s looked like basic athletic wear. Those worn by Aaron Grimes, Mark-Anthony Hinkson and Kaya Barnett came close, but didn’t quite hit their target. That being said, it was this segment that was the turning point of the competition. The contestants appeared to lose their nerves, get comfortable and bring their A-game.
Living Art was another segment which featured beautiful costumes. This was the avant-garde segment, meant to feature fashion with “bold, unconventional and artistic pieces that push the boundaries of fashion; wearable art [that combined] fabric and unconventional materials.” However, this was another example of a school model search in which the contestants and/or their designers did not understand the difference between haute couture and avant-garde fashion and seemingly thought that “avant-garde” simply means “weird.”
The majority of the costumes fell under the umbrella of haute couture. Alana Springer, Shequanna Morgan and Aaron Grimes were the three contestants whose looks entered the realm of avant-garde. Sophia Howell (who stood out by going en pointe), Xavier Dash and Liam Rondon’s fell somewhere in between haute couture and avant-garde. Overall, the female constestants’ looks were more impressive.
The male contestant finally got their own segment when they took to the runway in designs by Dario Barrow. The prints of the shirts worn by the boys was initially striking, but as more contestants came out and it was evident that all of the looks were slight variations of the same thing, they all blended into each other and failed to maintain the heights of the “wow” factor that came with the first contestant. This, however, had nothing to do with the contestants themselves. Just that they all wore essentially the same thing. This was the most underwhelming of all of the segments.
The final segment, Phoenix Runway, saw the contestants walk the runway to the accompaniment of saxophonist Romario Wilkinson. Here the contestants were to “fuse personal style and create show stopping looks that show[ed] they [were] the embodiment of the phoenix.” And that they did. Each contestant looked different from the others and the girls here again outshone the boys. Whereas it’s difficult to say which of the girls had the most beautiful gown (although Kaya Barnett makes a strong case for it being hers and Sophia Howell’s was for sure the most interesting and was, according to the designer, made the day before the competition), Liam Rondon was far and away the best dressed male, in my opinion, despite not winning the prize for this segment. Aaron Grimes, who did win the prize for the segment, embodied the theme the most.
The organisers of the show made very good choices for the entertainment. Female trio Serendipity performed Christina Perri’s “Jar of Hearts.” Singer Miles Wilkinson – who has a very nice voice, but whose performance was very controlled and didn’t exactly hit a high point or bring real emotion – sang Pink’s “What About Us.” Singer Megan Greene gave a captivating and powerful performance. She had a very mature voice and displayed incredible talent. There were rap performances by two rap groups. The latter of which, New Matter Group, featured the top three from the recent Hit Island SCR Competition.
We gave you the best films and now it is, unfortunately, time for the worst. These are the bottom of the barrel, spoiled apple films that were released in 2017. The films that will only win any awards at the annual Golden Raspberry ceremonies. The films that, even if some people enjoyed them, the majority of those who saw them didn’t like them at all.
For the purposes of this list, I’ll be looking at those films which were negatively received by critics this year. The best way to gauge that, of course, is by looking at their Rotten Tomatoes scores. The films here will be listed from lowest to highest scores and according to the month in which they were released.
There will likely be films that are not on this list with scores lower than the ones here, however, the list is limited to films with a wide release (at least 1000 cinemas according to Box Office Mojo) that would have likely been in the public consciousness. So small, independent films that no one has heard of or seen will not be on this list.
For the TL;DR version of this list, watch the video above.
Flatliners (September)
RT Score: 5%
Written by: Ben Ripley.
Directed by: Niels Arden Oplev.
Starring: Ellen Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, James Norton, Kiersey Clemons and Kiefer Sutherland.
Synopsis: Five medical students, obsessed by the mystery of what lies beyond the confines of life, embark on a daring and dangerous experiment: by stopping their hearts for short periods of time, each triggers a near-death experience, giving them a firsthand account of the afterlife. But as their experiments become increasingly dangerous, they are each haunted by the sins of their pasts, brought on by the supernatural consequences of trespassing to the other side. – Sony Pictures.
Just Getting Started (December)
RT Score: 5%
Written and Directed by: Ron Shelton.
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Tommy Lee Jones, Rene Russo, Joe Pantoliano, Glenne Headly, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Elizabeth Ashley, George Wallace, Graham Beckel, Jane Seymour and Johnny Mathis.
Synopsis: Morgan Freeman stars as DUKE DIVER, the freewheeling manager of the luxury Palm Springs resort, the Villa Capri. DIVER may have a mysterious past, but he’s a pro at making sure that life for the high-spirited residents is one big, non-stop party. But the status quo is challenged when ex-military charmer LEO (Tommy Lee Jones) checks in, triggering a competition between Duke and Leo for the top spot of Alpha male, as well as for the affections of the newly-arrived SUZIE (Rene Russo). When Duke’s past suddenly catches up with him, the rivals put aside their differences and the two men reluctantly team up to stop whoever is trying to kill Duke, and also save the Villa Capri. – Just Getting Started Official Website.
Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! A Madea Halloween (October)
RT Score: 6%
Written and Directed by: Tyler Perry
Starring: Tyler Perry, Cassi Davis, Patrice Lovely, Yousef Erakat, Diamond White, Lexy Panterra, Andre Hall, Brock O’Hurn and Tito Ortiz.
Synopsis: Madea, Bam, and Hattie venture to a haunted campground and the group must run for their lives when monsters, goblins, and the boogeyman are unleashed. – IMDB.
Rings (February)
RT Score: 7%
Written by: David Loucka, Jacob Aaron Estes and Akiva Goldsman.
Directed by: F. Javier Gutiérrez.
Starring: Matilda Lutz, Alex Roe, Johnny Galecki, Aimee Teegarden, Bonnie Morgan and Vincent D’Onofrio.
Synopsis: Discover the TERRIFYING new chapter in the groundbreaking Ring franchise. When a radical college professor (Johnny Galecki, “The Big Bang Theory”) finds the mysterious video rumored to kill viewers seven days after watching, he enlists his students in a dangerous experiment to uncover the secrets behind the Samara legend. When the deadly video goes viral, they must figure out a way to break the curse and defeat Samara before her evil is unleashed upon the world. But, how do you stop her when she’s everywhere? – Rings Official Website.
The Snowman (October)
RT Score: 8%
Written by: Hossein Amini, Peter Straughan and Søren Sveistrup.
Directed by: Tomas Alfredson.
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Rebecca Ferguson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Val Kilmer and J. K. Simmons.
Synopsis: When an elite crime squad’s lead detective (Fassbender) investigates the disappearance of a victim on the first snow of winter, he fears an elusive serial killer may be active again. With the help of a brilliant recruit (Ferguson), the cop must connect decades-old cold cases to the brutal new one if he hopes to outwit this unthinkable evil before the next snowfall. – The Snowman Official Website.
The Emoji Movie (July)
RT Score: 9%
Written by: Tony Leondis, Eric Siegel and Mike White.
Directed by: Tony Leondis.
Starring: T. J. Miller, James Corden, Anna Faris, Maya Rudolph, Steven Wright, Jennifer Coolidge, Christina Aguilera, Sofía Vergara, Sean Hayes and Patrick Stewart.
Synopsis: Gene, a multi-expressional emoji, sets out on a journey to become a normal emoji. – IMDB.
The Nutjob 2: Nutty by Nature (August)
RT Score: 9%
Written by: Scott Bindley, Cal Brunker and Bob Barlen.
Directed by: Cal Brunker.
Starring: Will Arnett, Maya Rudolph, Jackie Chan, Katherine Heigl, Bobby Moynihan, Bobby Cannavale, Isabela Moner, Jeff Dunham and Gabriel Iglesias.
Synopsis: Surly Squirrel (Will Arnett) and the gang are back. We are once again in Oakton where the evil mayor has decided to bulldoze Liberty Park and build a dangerous amusement park in its place. Surly and his ragtag group of animal friends band together to save their home, defeat the mayor, and take back the park. – The Nutjob 2 Official Website.
Fifty Shades Darker (February)
RT Score: 10%
Written by: Niall Leonard.
Directed by: James Foley.
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Eric Johnson, Rita Ora, Luke Grimes, Victor Rasuk, Kim Basinger and Marcia Gay Harden.
Synopsis: Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson return as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades Darker, the second chapter based on the worldwide bestselling Fifty Shades phenomenon. When a wounded Christian tries to entice a cautious Anastasia back into his life, she demands a new arrangement before she will give him another chance. As the two begin to build trust and find stability, shadowy figures from Christian’s past start to circle the couple. Jack Hyde (Eric Johnson) and Elena Lincoln (Kim Basinger) join the cast, determined to destroy the couple’s hopes for a future together. This time there are no rules. – Fifty Shades Official Movie Site.
Geostorm (October)
RT Score: 13%
Written by: Dean Devlin and Paul Guyot.
Directed by: Dean Devlin.
Starring: Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish, Alexandra Maria Lara, Daniel Wu, Eugenio Derbez, Amr Waked, Adepero Oduye, Ed Harris and Andy García.
Synopsis: After an unprecedented series of natural disasters threatened the planet, the world’s leaders came together to create an intricate network of satellites to control the global climate and keep everyone safe. But now, something has gone wrong—the system built to protect the Earth is attacking it, and it’s a race against the clock to uncover the real threat before a worldwide geostorm wipes out everything…and everyone along with it. – Geostorm Official Website.
Friend Request (September)
RT Score: 15%
Written by: Matthew Ballen, Philip Koch and Simon Verhoeven.
Directed by: Simon Verhoeven.
Starring: Alycia Debnam-Carey, William Moseley, Connor Paolo, Brit Morgan, Brooke Markham, Sean Marquette and Liesl Ahlers.
Synopsis: A popular college student graciously accepts a social outcast’s online friend request, but soon finds herself fighting a demonic presence that wants to make her lonely by killing her closest friends. – IMDB.
The Space Between Us (February)
RT Score: 16%
Written by: Allan Loeb.
Directed by: Peter Chelsom.
Starring: Gary Oldman, Asa Butterfield, Carla Gugino and Britt Robertson.
Synopsis: The first human born on Mars travels to Earth for the first time, experiencing the wonders of the planet through fresh eyes. He embarks on an adventure with a street smart girl to discover how he came to be. – IMDB.
The Circle (April)
RT Score: 16%
Written by: James Ponsoldt and Dave Eggers.
Directed by: James Ponsoldt.
Starring: Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, John Boyega, Karen Gillan, Ellar Coltrane, Patton Oswalt, Glenne Headly and Bill Paxton.
Synopsis: The Circle is a gripping modern thriller, set in the not-too-distant future, starring Emma Watson (“Harry Potter”), Tom Hanks (“Sully”) and John Boyega (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”). When Mae (Emma Watson) is hired to work for the world’s largest and most powerful tech & social media company, she sees it as an opportunity of a lifetime. As she rises through the ranks, she is encouraged by the company’s founder, Eamon Bailey (Tom Hanks), to engage in a groundbreaking experiment that pushes the boundaries of privacy, ethics and ultimately her personal freedom. Her participation in the experiment, and every decision she makes begin to affect the lives and future of her friends, family and that of humanity. – The Circle Official Website.
Transformers: The Last Knight (June)
RT Score: 16%
Written by: Art Marcum, Matt Holloway and Ken Nolan.
Directed by: Michael Bay.
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Josh Duhamel, Stanley Tucci and Anthony Hopkins.
Synopsis: From Director Michael Bay and Executive Producer Steven Spielberg comes the biggest, most explosive Transformers yet. Our world’s greatest hero becomes our fiercest enemy when Optimus Prime launches a mission to save Cybertron by destroying Earth. Now Bumblebee and Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) must lead the Autobots against their former ally in the ultimate battle to save mankind from annihilation. – Transformers Official Movie Site.
The Dark Tower (August)
RT Score: 16%
Written by: Akiva Goldsman, Jeff Pinkner, Anders Thomas Jensen and Nikolaj Arcel.
Directed by: Nikolaj Arcel.
Starring: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor, Claudia Kim, Fran Kranz, Abbey Lee, Katheryn Winnick and Jackie Earle Haley.
Synopsis: The last Gunslinger, Roland Deschain, has been locked in an eternal battle with Walter O’Dim, also known as the Man in Black, determined to prevent him from toppling the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. With the fate of the worlds at stake, good and evil will collide in the ultimate battle as only Roland can defend the Tower from the Man in Black. – IMDB.
The Mummy (June)
RT Score: 16%
Written by: David Koepp, Christopher McQuarrie and Dylan Kussman.
Directed by: Alex Kurtzman.
Starring: Tom Cruise, Annabelle Wallis, Sofia Boutella, Jake Johnson, Courtney B. Vance and Russell Crowe.
Synopsis: An ancient Egyptian princess is awakened from her crypt beneath the desert, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia, and terrors that defy human comprehension. – IMDB.
CHiPs (March)
RT Score: 17%
Written and Directed by: Dax Shephard.
Starring: Dax Shepard, Michael Peña, Rosa Salazar, Adam Brody, Richard T. Jones, Kristen Bell and Vincent D’Onofrio.
Synopsis: A rookie officer is teamed with a hardened pro at the California Highway Patrol, though the newbie soon learns his partner is really an undercover Fed investigating a heist that may involve some crooked cops. – IMDB.
The House (June)
RT Score: 17%
Written by: Brendan O’Brien and Andrew Jay Cohen.
Directed by: Andrew Jay Cohen.
Starring: Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Jason Mantzoukas, Nick Kroll, Allison Tolman, Michaela Watkins and Jeremy Renner.
Synopsis: When Scott and Kate Johansen’s daughter gets into the college of her dreams it’s cause for celebration. That is, until Scott and Kate (Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler) learn that the scholarship they were counting on didn’t come through, and they’re now on the hook for tuition they can’t begin to afford.
With the help of their friend and neighbor Frank (Jason Mantzoukas)—also in need of a major payday—they decide to open an illegal casino in his suburban house, risking everything together on a Vegas-style bacchanal where money flows, inhibitions are checked at the door, and all bets are off. – The House Official Website.
Baywatch (May)
RT Score: 18%
Written by: Damian Shannon and Mark Swift.
Directed by: Seth Gordon.
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, David Hasselhoff, Alexandra Daddario, Kelly Rohrbach and Priyanka Chopra.
Synopsis: Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron team up and go way beyond the call of duty in this wild and outrageous action-packed comedy. When a dangerous crime wave hits the beach, legendary Lt. Mitch Buchannon (Johnson) leads his elite squad of badass lifeguards on a mission to prove you don’t have to wear a badge to save the bay. Joined by a trio of hot-shot recruits including former Olympian Matt Brody (Efron), they’ll ditch the surf and go deep undercover to take down a ruthless businesswoman (Priyanka Chopra, TV’s “Quantico”), whose devious plans threaten the future of the bay. So, suit up and dive into action with the film critics are calling “bawdy, sexy and fun!” (Neil Pond, Parade). – Baywatch Official Website.
All Eyez on Me (June)
RT Score: 18%
Written by: Jeremy Haft, Eddie Gonzalez and Steven Bagatourian.
Directed by: Benny Boom.
Starring: Demetrius Shipp Jr., Kat Graham, Lauren Cohan, Hill Harper and Danai Gurira.
Synopsis: Tells the true and untold story of prolific rapper, actor, poet and activist Tupac Shakur. – IMDB.
Daddy’s Home 2 (November)
RT Score: 19%
Written by: Sean Anders and John Morris.
Directed by: Sean Anders.
Starring: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini, John Cena, John Lithgow and Mel Gibson.
Synopsis: Having finally gotten used to each other’s existence, Brad and Dusty must now deal with their intrusive fathers during the holidays. – IMDB.
It’s that time of year again! No, I’m not talking about Christmas Day (Happy Holidays by the way). It’s time to look back at the films that came out this year and see which ones succeeded and which ones failed.
Of course, everyone has their subjective lists and what was a good film to some, was a bad film to others. But for the purposes of this list, I’ll be looking at those films which were critically well received this year. The best way to gauge that, of course, is by looking at their Rotten Tomatoes scores.
The films here will be listed from highest to lowest scores and according to the month in which they were released. Because it’s Christmas day, I thought we’d start with the best films of the year.
There will be films that are not on this list with scores higher than the ones here, however, the list is limited to films with a wide release (at least 1000 cinemas according to Box Office Mojo) that would have likely been in the public consciousness. So small, independent films that no one has heard of or seen will not be on this list. However, films, like Call Me By Your Name and The Shape of Water, that ARE in the public consciousness, won’t make the list because they don’t meet the wide release criteria.
For the TL;DR of this list, watch the video above.
Get Out (February)
RT Score: 99%
Written and Directed by: Jordan Peele.
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Stephen Root, Lakeith Stanfield and Catherine Keener.
Synopsis: When Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), a young African-American man, visits his white girlfriend’s (Allison Williams) family estate, he becomes ensnared in the more sinister, real reason for the invitation. At first, Chris reads the family’s overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter’s interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he could have never imagined. This speculative thriller from Blumhouse (producers of The Visit, Insidious series and The Gift) and the mind of Jordan Peele (Key & Peele) is equal parts gripping thriller and provocative commentary. – Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
Lady Bird (November)
RT Score: 99%
Written by and Directed by: Greta Gerwig.
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet, Beanie Feldstein, Stephen McKinley Henderson and Lois Smith.
Synopsis: The adventures of a young woman living in Northern California for a year. – IMDB.
The Big Sick (June)
RT Score: 98%
Written by: Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani.
Directed by: Michael Showalter.
Starring: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano and Anupam Kher.
Synopsis: Based on the real-life courtship between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, THE BIG SICK tells the story of Pakistan-born aspiring comedian Kumail (Nanjiani), who connects with grad student Emily (Kazan) after one of his standup sets. However, what they thought would be just a one-night stand blossoms into the real thing, which complicates the life that is expected of Kumail by his traditional Muslim parents.
When Emily is beset with a mystery illness, it forces Kumail to navigate the medical crisis with her parents, Beth and Terry (Holly Hunter and Ray Romano) who he’s never met, while dealing with the emotional tug-of-war between his family and his heart. – – The Big Sick Official Website.
Coco (November)
RT Score: 97%
Written by: Adrian Molina.
Directed by: Lee Unkrich.
Starring: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Renée Victor, Ana Ofelia Murguia and Edward James Olmos.
Synopsis: Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (voice of newcomer Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector (voice of Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history. – Disney Movies.
Logan (March)
RT Score: 93%
Written by: Scott Frank, James Mangold and Michael Green.
Directed by: James Mangold.
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant, Richard E. Grant and Dafne Keen.
Synopsis: In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hide out on the Mexican border. But Logan’s attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces. – Fox Movies.
Baby Driver (June)
RT Score: 93%
Written and directed by: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Lily James, Eiza González, Jon Hamm and Jamie Foxx.
Synopsis: A talented, young getaway driver (Ansel Elgort) relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. When he meets the girl of his dreams (Lily James), Baby sees a chance to ditch his criminal life and make a clean getaway. But after being coerced into working for a crime boss (Kevin Spacey), he must face the music when a doomed heist threatens his life, love and freedom. – Baby Driver Official Site.
War for the Planet of the Apes (July)
RT Score: 93%
Written by: Mark Bomback and Matt Reeves.
Directed by: Matt Reeves.
Starring: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson and Steve Zahn.
Synopsis: In War for the Planet of the Apes, Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apessuffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet. – Fox Movies.
Logan Lucky (August)
RT Score: 93%
Written by: Rebecca Blunt.
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Adam Driver, Channing Tatum, Riley Keough, Daniel Craig, Seth MacFarlane, Katie Holmes, Hilary Swank, Katherine Waterston, Sebastian Stan, and Jesco White.
Synopsis: Trying to reverse a family curse, brothers Jimmy (Channing Tatum) and Clyde Logan (Adam Driver) set out to execute an elaborate robbery during the legendary Coca-Cola 600 race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The production shot at Charlotte Motor Speedway during the actual NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 and the Bank of America 500, as well as at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In a fun twist, six NASCAR stars pop up in non-driver cameo roles in the film. – Logan Lucky Official Site.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (November)
RT Score: 93%
Written and Directed by: Martin McDonagh.
Starring: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, John Hawkes and Peter Dinklage.
Synopsis: THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI is a darkly comedic drama from Academy Award® winner Martin McDonagh (IN BRUGES). After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes (Academy Award® winner Frances McDormand) makes a bold move, commissioning three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby (Academy Award® nominee Woody Harrelson), the town’s revered chief of police. When his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell), an immature mother’s boy with a penchant for violence, gets involved, the battle between Mildred and Ebbing’s law enforcement is only exacerbated. – Fox Searchlight.
Dunkirk (July)
RT Score: 92%
Written and Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, Harry Styles, Aneurin Barnard, James D’Arcy, Barry Keoghan, Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance and Tom Hardy.
Synopsis: Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Empire and France are surrounded by the German Army, and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II. – IMDB.
Wonder Woman (June)
RT Score: 92%
Written by: Allan Heinberg.
Directed by: Patty Jenkins.
Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Connie Nielsen and Elena Anaya.
Synopsis: Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny. – Wonder Woman Official Website.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (December)
RT Score: 92%
Written and Directed by: Rian Johnson
Starring: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern and Benicio del Toro.
Synopsis: In Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Skywalker saga continues as the heroes of the Force Awakes join the galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past. – Star Wars Official Website.
Thor: Ragnarok (November)
RT Score: 92%
Written by: Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost.
Directed by: Taika Waititi.
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Hopkins.
Synopsis: Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok—the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization—at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger—the Incredible Hulk! – Marvel.com.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (July)
RT Score: 92%
Written by: Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Jon Watts, Christopher Ford, Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers.
Directed by: John Watts.
Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, Donald Glover, Tyne Daly, Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr..
Synopsis: A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in Captain America: Civil War, begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging super hero in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened. – Sony Pictures.
The Disaster Artist (December)
RT Score: 92%
Written by: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber.
Directed by: James Franco.
Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogen, Alison Brie, Ari Graynor, Josh Hutcherson and Jacki Weaver.
Synopsis: When Greg Sestero, an aspiring film actor, meets the weird and mysterious Tommy Wiseau in an acting class, they form a unique friendship and travel to Hollywood to make their dreams come true. – IMDB.
The Lego Batman Movie (February)
RT Score: 91%
Written by: Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jared Stern and John Whittington.
Directed by: Chris McKay.
Starring: Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson and Ralph Fiennes.
Synopsis: In the irreverent spirit of fun that made “The LEGO® Movie” a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble – LEGO Batman – stars in his own big-screen adventure. But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker’s hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up. – The Lego Batman Movie Official Website.
John Wick: Chapter Two (February)
RT Score: 89%
Written by: Derek Kolstad.
Directed by: Chad Stahelski.
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Common, Laurence Fishburne, Riccardo Scamarcio, Ruby Rose, John Leguizamo and Ian McShane.
Synopsis: Legendary hitman John Wick is forced back out of retirement by a former associate plotting to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. Bound by a blood oath to help him, John travels to Rome where he squares off against some of the world’s deadliest killers. – John Wick: Chapter 2 Official Website.
Girls Trip (July)
RT Score: 89%
Written by: Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver.
Directed by: Malcolm D. Lee.
Starring: Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, Larenz Tate, Mike Colter, Kate Walsh, Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah.
Synopsis: When four lifelong friends (Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah) travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered, and there’s enough dancing, drinking, brawling and romancing to make the Big Easy blush. – Universal Home Entertainment.
It Comes At Night (June)
RT Score: 88%
Written and Directed by: Trey Edward Shults.
Starring: Joel Edgerton, Christopher Abbott, Carmen Ejogo, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Riley Keough.
Synopsis: Imagine the end of the world. Now imagine something worse. Award-winning filmmaker Trey Edward Shults follows his breakout debut Krisha with the psychological horror thriller It Comes At Night, centering on a teenaged boy (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.) as he grapples with mounting terrors—external and otherwise—in the aftermath of an unnamed cataclysm.
Secure within a desolate home with his vigilant, protective and heavily armed parents (Joel Edgerton and Carmen Ejogo), 17-year-old Travis navigates fear, grief and paranoia amid scarce resources as a desperate young couple (Christopher Abbott and Riley Keough) seeks refuge in his family home with their young child.
Despite the best intentions of both families, panic and mistrust boil over as the horrors of the outside world creep ever closer. But they are nothing compared to the horrors within, where Travis discovers that his father’s commitment to protecting the family may cost him his soul. – It Comes At Night Official Wesbite.
Only the Brave (October)
RT Score: 88%
Written by: Ken Nolan and Eric Warren Singer.
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski.
Starring: Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Jeff Bridges, James Badge Dale, Taylor Kitsch and Jennifer Connelly.
Synopsis: Based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a group of elite firefighters who risk everything to protect a town from a historic wildfire. – IMDB.
Only five more days left until Christmas is here! While we all wait for it to come we can indulge in another ten movies until then. This time around, though, these are the films that aren’t exactly Christmas movies – if at all – but feature or whose events take place during Christmas. A solid argument can be made that any of these qualify as Christmas movies (except maybe Rise of the Guardians since that actually takes place in Easter, but Santa’s in it and it’s winter!)
For the TL;DR of this list, watch the video above.
1. Trading Places – 1983
Written by: Timothy Harris and Herschel Weingrod.
Directed by: John Landis.
Starring: Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche, Denholm Elliott and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Synopsis: A snobbish investor and a wily street con artist find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires. – IMDB.
2. Gremlins – 1984
Written by: Chris Columbus.
Directed by: Joe Dante.
Starring: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Polly Holliday and Frances Lee McCain.
Synopsis: A boy inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town. – IMDB.
3. Lethal Weapon – 1987
Written by: Shane Black.
Directed by: Richard Donner.
Starring: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover and Gary Busey.
Synopsis: A veteran policeman, Murtaugh, is partnered with a younger, suicidal officer, Riggs. They both have one thing in common: hating working in pairs. Now they must learn to work with one another to stop a gang of drug smugglers. – IMDB.
4. Die Hard – 1988
Written by: Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza.
Directed by: John McTiernan.
Starring: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Alexander Godunov and Bonnie Bedelia.
Synopsis: John McClane, officer of the NYPD, tries to save his wife Holly Gennaro and several others that were taken hostage by German terrorist Hans Gruber during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles. – IMDB.
5. Batman Returns – 1992
Written by: Daniel Waters.
Directed by: Tim Burton.
Starring: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Michael Gough, Pat Hingle and Michael Murphy.
Synopsis: In the second of the blockbuster Batman films, the legendary hero does battle against the mysterious Cat Woman and the diabolical Penguin.
Gotham City faces two monstrous criminal menaces: the bizarre, sinister Penguin (Danny DeVito) and the slinky, mysterious Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer).
Can Batman (Michael Keaton) battle two formidable foes at once?
Especially when one wants to be mayor and the other is romantically attracted to Bruce Wayne? – Warner Bros.
6. The Nightmare Before Christmas – 1993
Written by: Caroline Thompson.
Directed by: Henry Selick.
Starring: Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix, Paul Reubens, Ken Page and Ed Ivory.
Synopsis: Halloweentown is inhabited by strange people, grinning monsters and malicious creatures whose greatest pleasure is to indulge in macabre play-acting and pranks of the worst possible taste. The principal organizer of these caustic rituals is Jack Skellington, Pumpkin King and ruler of Halloweentown, who, for many years, has had the honor and difficult task of amusing his fellow citizens. But Jack is fed up with having to sacrifice all his time to such festivities, and longs for new experiences. He happens upon Christmastown, and decides to change Christmas into another Halloween. He kidnaps Santa Claus, then takes it upon himself to deliver some alternative gifts to unsuspecting children. – Big Cartoon Database.
7. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang – 2005
Written and Directed by: Shane Black.
Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan and Corbin Bernsen.
Synopsis: A murder mystery brings together a private eye, a struggling actress, and a thief masquerading as an actor. – IMDB.
8. Joyeux Noël – 2005
Written and Directed by: Christian Carion.
Starring: Benno Fürmann, Guillaume Canet, Daniel Brühl, Diane Kruger, Gary Lewis and Alex Ferns.
Synopsis: In December 1914, an unofficial Christmas truce on the Western Front allows soldiers from opposing sides of the First World War to gain insight into each other’s way of life. – IMDB.
9. In Bruges – 2008
Written and Directed by: Martin McDonagh.
Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes, Clémence Poésy and Jérémie Renier.
Synopsis: Guilt-stricken after a job gone wrong, hitman Ray and his partner await orders from their ruthless boss in Bruges, Belgium, the last place in the world Ray wants to be. – IMDB.
10. Rise of the Guardians – 2012
Written by: David Lindsay-Abaire.
Directed by: Peter Ramsey.
Starring: Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Isla Fisher and Jude Law.
Synopsis: RISE OF THE GUARDIANS is an epic adventure that tells the story of a group of heroes – each with extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world. – Dreamworks Animation.
Only six more days until Christmas! That’s more than enough time to get in all of these movies and then some! Or, you could just marathon them from Christmas Eve into Christmas day! In this list we’re looking at those movies that are the quintessential movies for the yuletide holiday season.
Like with any other list we do, this is not definitive and not everyone’s favourite films for the holiday will be here. We tried to keep it to the old classics and include a few more modern ones as well. If you don’t see a film that you love that you think deserves a place on this list, let us know in the comments.
For the TL;DR version of this list, watch the video above.
1. It’s A Wonderful Life – 1946
Written by: Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Jo Swerling and Frank Capra.
Directed by: Frank Capra.
Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore and Henry Travers.
Synopsis: An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.- IMDB.
2. Miracle on 34th Street – 1947
Written and Directed by: George Seaton.
Starring: Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood and Edmund Gwenn.
Synopsis: When a nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus is institutionalized as insane, a young lawyer decides to defend him by arguing in court that he is the real thing. – IMDB.
3. Scrooge (UK)/A Christmas Carol (US) – 1951
Written by: Noel Langley.
Directed by: Brian Desmond Hurst.
Starring: Alastair Sim, Mervyn Johns, Hermione Baddeley, Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, Michael Hordern and George Cole.
Synopsis: An old bitter miser is given a chance for redemption when he is haunted by three ghosts on Christmas Eve… – IMDB.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97PwRDfHBlg
4. A Charlie Brown Christmas – 1965
Written by: Charles M. Schulz.
Directed by: Bill Melendez.
Starring: Peter Robbins, Chris Shea, Kathy Steinberg and Bill Melendez.
Synopsis: In the digitally-remastered 1965 special, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Charlie Brown complains about the overwhelming materialism that he sees everywhere during the Christmas season. Lucy suggests that he become director of the school Christmas pageant, and Charlie Brown accepts, but it proves to be a frustrating struggle. When an attempt to restore the proper spirit with a forlorn little fir Christmas tree fails, Charlie Brown needs Linus’ help to learn what the real meaning of Christmas is. – ABC.
5. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas – 1966 and 2000
Written by: Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman (2000).
Directed by: Chuck Jones (1966), Ron Howard (2000).
Starring: Boris Karloff, June Foray and Thurl Ravenscroft (1966). Jim Carrey, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, Bill Irwin and Molly Shannon (2000).
Synopsis: Bitter and hateful, the crotchety Grinch, with “termites in his smile” and “garlic in his soul,” is irritated at the thought of the nearby village of Whoville having a happy time celebrating Christmas.
DDisguised as Santa Claus, with his dog made to look like a reindeer, he raids the village to steal all the Christmas things. The village is sure to have a sad Christmas this year. But although the Grinch tries to wipe out Christmas for the cheerful Whovillians, he discovers that the true spirit of the holiday season lies beyond his covetous grasp. – The Big Cartoon Database.
Discover the magic of the Mean One this holiday season! Oscar®-winning director Ron Howard and Oscar®-winning producer Brian Grazer bring Christmas’ best-loved grump to life with the help of the irrepressible Jim Carrey as The Grinch. Why is The Grinch (Carrey) such a grouch? No one seems to know, until little Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen) takes matters into her own hands and turns both Whoville and The Grinch’s world upside down, inside out… and funny side up in her search for the true meaning of Christmas. – Universal Home Entertainment.
6. A Christmas Story – 1983
Written by: Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark.
Directed by: Bob Clark.
Starring: Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin and Peter Billingsley.
Synopsis: In the 1940s, a young boy named Ralphie attempts to convince his parents, his teacher, and Santa that a Red Ryder B.B. gun really is the perfect Christmas gift. – IMDB.
7. Home Alone – 1990
Written by: John Hughes.
Directed by: Chris Columbus.
Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard and Catherine O’Hara.
Synopsis: An eight-year-old troublemaker must protect his house from a pair of burglars when he is accidentally left home alone by his family during Christmas vacation. – IMDB.
8. The Santa Clause – 1994
Written by: Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick and Karey Kirkpatrick.
Directed by: John Pasquin.
Starring: Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson, Eric Lloyd, Larry Brandenburg and David Krumholtz.
Synopsis: Scott Calvin is a divorced father whose strained relationship with his son, Charlie, begins to mend only after a bizarre twist of fate transforms him into the new Santa. When the current Mr. Clause falls off the roof on Christmas Eve, Scott dons Santa’s suit, and he and his son are whisked off to the North Pole. There he meets Bernard, the head elf, who tells him about the Clause, a contract stating that whoever puts on the Santa suit must also take on all the responsibilities that go with the position. Scott isn’t too thrilled about his sudden career change. Charlie, however, is overjoyed. – Disney.
9. Elf – 2003
Written by: David Berenbaum.
Directed by: Jon Favreau.
Starring: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Daniel Tay, Edward Asner and Bob Newhart.
Synopsis: After inadvertently wreaking havoc on the elf community due to his ungainly size, a man raised as an elf at the North Pole is sent to the U.S. in search of his true identity. – IMDB.
10. Love Actually – 2003
Written and Directed by: Richard Curtis.
Starring: Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightley, Martine McCutcheon, Bill Nighy and Rowan Atkinson.
Synopsis: Follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England. – IMDB.
11. The Polar Express – 2004
Written by: Robert Zemeckis and William Broyles, Jr.
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis.
Starring: Tom Hanks, Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett, Eddie Deezen and Michael Jeter.
Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, a young boy embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express, while learning about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas. – IMDB.
12. Arthur Christmas – 2011
Written by: Peter Baynham and Sarah Smith.
Directed by: Sarah Smith.
Starring: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton and Ashley Jensen.
Synopsis: The 3D, CG-animated family comedy ARTHUR CHRISTMAS, an Aardman production for Sony Pictures Animation, at last reveals the incredible, never-before seen answer to every child’s question: ‘So how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?’ The answer: Santa’s exhilarating, ultra-high-tech operation hidden beneath the North Pole. But at the heart of the film is a story with the ingredients of a Christmas classic – a family in a state of comic dysfunction and an unlikely hero, Arthur, with an urgent mission that must be completed before Christmas morning dawns. – Sony Pictures Animation.
Liam Rondon and Sophia Howell were all smiles on the night of December 16th, when they emerged the victors of this year’s Star Strut: Phoenix – Rising From the Ashes at the Queen’s College auditorium. It was anyone’s game on the night as there was no clear winner even up to the moment that the judges left to tally up the final scores. However, the audience favourites for the crowns seemed to be Aaron Grimes and Gabrielle Brome (who essentially had her own cheering section, with attendees sporting sashes saying “Team Gabby”). Perhaps what pushed Rondon and Howell ahead of their competition, was the fact that they were just about the only contestants who consistently smiled.
In the girls only second segment, in which the female contestant wore designs from local designer Shanna Boyce’s Fashion Couture line “Fire”, the young ladies certainly brought that “fierceness” that models are best known for. Many of them looked borderline angry, but no so too much so. With Sophia Howell being the only one who smiled. The designs in this segment were eye catching and fashionable and the contestants looked very good in them, wore them well and did their jobs as models; they sold the garments.
The male contestant finally got their own segment when they took to the runway in designs by Dario Barrow. The prints of the shirts worn by the boys was initially striking, but as more contestants came out and it was evident that all of the looks were slight variations of the same thing, they all blended into each other and failed to maintain the heights of the “wow” factor that came with the first contestant. This, however, had nothing to do with the contestants themselves. Just that they all wore essentially the same thing. This was the most underwhelming of all of the segments.
