From a sea battle to ‘Star Wars’
Over the coming weeks – between trips to the mall for gifts and trips to the grocery store for poinsettias and trips to holiday parties – you might just find enough time to see one or two of the dozens of movies headed for theaters in December.
We can’t vouch for the quality (haven’t seen any of them yet), but here’s a curated list of the 10 films most worth considering, based on painstaking research that involved watching trailers and using razor-sharp intuition.
10. ‘In the Heart of the Sea’
Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson. PG-13. Dec. 11.
The pitch: Based on the true story of a ship that was attacked by a sperm whale in 1820.
Why we’re looking forward to it: I’m a sucker for director Ron Howard’s movies, and the action on the ocean should look spectacular on IMAX and in 3D.
Why we’re not: I get seasick easily.
9. ‘Concussion’
Will Smith, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Stephen Moyer. PG-13. Dec. 25.
The pitch: A forensic pathologist discovers brain trauma in NFL players.
Why we’re looking forward to it: I’m really curious to see how hard a hit this controversial drama delivers to the National Football League.
Why we’re not: I get it – football is dangerous! Now then, where are we getting together to watch this week’s game?
8. ‘The Big Short’
Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling. R. Dec. 23.
The pitch: Inspired by true events, four men predict – and deal with – the housing and credit bubbles of the 2000s.
Why we’re looking forward to it: The cast is full of heavy-hitters (including Oscar winners Bale, Brad Pitt, Melissa Leo and Marisa Tomei) and the story is based on a non-fiction book by Michael Lewis, who wrote “Moneyball.”
Why we’re not: Prior to this, director Adam McKay’s claim to fame was the “Anchorman” movies.
7. ‘Daddy’s Home’
Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini. Not yet rated. Dec. 25.
The pitch: A nerdy stepdad gets ultra-competitive with the cool real father of his wife’s kids.
Why we’re looking forward to it: Ferrell and Wahlberg proved their chemistry in the clever buddy-cop parody “The Other Guys” in 2010.
Why we’re not: I’m afraid we’ve seen the funniest parts in the trailer.
6. ‘Sisters’
Tiny Fey, Amy Poehler, John Cena. R. Dec. 18.
The pitch: Two sisters throw one last house party in their parents’ old home.
Why we’re looking forward to it: Fey and Poehler proved their chemistry over three years of hosting the Golden Globe Awards ceremony.
Why we’re not: I’m afraid we’ve seen the funniest parts in the trailer.
5. ‘Joy’
Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro. PG-13. Dec. 25.
The pitch: A single mother builds a powerful business empire after creating the Miracle Mop.
Why we’re looking forward to it: The team of Lawrence, Cooper and director David O. Russell has already given the world two fantastic films: “Silver Linings Playbook” and “American Hustle.”
Why we’re not: And so, I don’t know if I needed yet another movie starring Lawrence and Cooper and directed by Russell.
4. ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip’
Jason Lee, Justin Long (voice), Jesse McCartney (voice). PG. Dec. 18.
The pitch: Alvin, Simon and Theodore try to stop Dave from proposing to his new girlfriend.
Why we’re looking forward to it: It’s like the one movie out there this month that’s appropriate for young children.
Why we’re not: Um, take a guess.
3. ‘The Revenant’
Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson. R. Dec. 25.
The pitch: An 1820s frontiersman seeks vengeance on those who left him for dead.
Why we’re looking forward to it: DiCaprio, Hardy and director Alejandro González Iñárritu (“Birdman”) don’t know how to make uninteresting movies anymore.
Why we’re not: There’s a scene in which DiCaprio eats raw bison liver, like, for reals.
2. ‘The Hateful Eight’
Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kurt Russell. R. Dec. 25.
The pitch: Eight strangers, trapped together during a blizzard, realize there are scores to settle.
Why we’re looking forward to it: With “Django Unchained,” writer-director Quentin Tarantino proved he can breathe sick/twisted life into the Western genre.
Why we’re not: At 3 hours in length, this one could be a bladder buster.
1. ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’
Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Harrison Ford. PG-13. Dec. 18.
The pitch: J.J. Abrams reboots the sci-fi saga, picking up where “Return of the Jedi” left off.
Why we’re looking forward to it: We’ve waited 32 years to find out what’s become of Luke, Han and Leia.
Why we’re not: If you didn’t pre-order, not even The Force will help you avoid long lines for tickets opening weekend.
This story was originally published November 27, 2015 at 1:35 PM with the headline "From a sea battle to ‘Star Wars’."