Top 5 Films Worth Your Money This Holiday
2. The Impossible - Opens December 21st (US Release Date) – Rated PG-13
The Impossible is the story of one family’s survival during the 2004 Tsunami in Southeast Asia. The buzz around this film has been strong for quite some time with critics not only hailing performances from Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts, who play the parents Maria and Henry, but for the young actors who play their three sons as well. The story line is powerful and the film is very emotional. So be aware of that before heading to the theaters this holiday weekend, you may need some tissue. However the journey you are taken on is well worth whatever undoubtedly butch tears you may shed.
3. Django Unchained – Opens December 25th – Rated R
Quentin Tarantino’s new gory epic opens on Christmas day. The film is about a slave named Django (the D is silent) played by Jamie Fox who becomes a bounty hunter with the help of his mentor (Christoph Waltz) and sets off on a journey to recover his wife from a brutal plantation owner played by Leonard DiCaprio. While Tarantino may not be the first name you think of when it comes to holiday fun, this film may be prefect escapism for the stress of the season. The performances have already garnered DiCaprio and Waltz Golden Globe nominations with the film itself receiving a nod for Best Picture and Best Director. This looks to be not only an instant Tarantino classic but a really well made and interesting film despite the usual overabundance of blood, guts and swearing.
4. Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away - December 21st – Rated PG
Looking for something unique to entertain the family this weekend? Consider Cirque du Soleil’s production Worlds Away. Directed by Andrew Adamson (Chronicles of Narnia) and produced by James Cameron (Avatar) the films follows two young people through the “worlds” of Cirque to find each other. These worlds are all taken from past and currently running Cirque du Soleil productions including “O”, KA’, Zumanity and the Beatles LOVE. The film features acrobatics, aerial stunts, music and what looks to be amazing sets coupled with the famous circus troops’ dynamic storytelling. I know I for one am intrigued…
5. Les Miserables – December 25th – Rated PG-13
The much anticipated musical finally hits theaters on the 25th. The star studded cast including Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried boasts a big budget and a big built-in fan base that will undoubtedly bring all of their expectations to the screening. With a powerful score and storyline one can only hope that it lives up to the hype. For those of you who have managed to bypass the Tony Award winning stage production and multiple subsequent tours here is an outline of the plot: In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks parole, agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s daughter, Cosette. The fateful decision changes their lives forever.
Laurel Deneen
