Christmas at the Movies: 6 Gifts from Hollywood

Merry Christmas to you all my fellow movie-watchers! Tis' is most definitely the season to be holly, jolly, and in a food coma. While we all happily enjoy our jingle bell endeavors, it seems that the world of silver screens and overly priced popcorn (bye, bye Christmas money)  wants to make our days just that much more enjoyable with a couple of big hitters premiering on this fine Christmas Day. If you manage to wake up from your food coma, gather the strength the roll into the car, press the gas pedal, and pray to God that if you duck just low enough then you may make it in one piece to the theatre then here are five flicks that should be at the top of you Christmas Dear-God-I-Hope-I-Don't-Sleep-During-The-Movie list. Worst case scenario? There's always Boxing Day! It sucks to be in a non-British country doesn't it?

6. Unbroken 

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On the 25th day of Christmas Hollywood gave to me the directing debut of Angelina Jolie! Yes, you read that right. Angelina Jolie makes her appearance as a director of the 2014 dramatic biography of the Olympian Louis Zamperini, 'Unbroken'. This film follows the story of said Olympian after surviving a plane crash during World War II and being captured as a prisoner-of-war by the Japanese Navy. There isn't much more information on the film out there (yet), but I imagine that 'Unbroken' will tell a gritty and inspiring survival tale that will be perfect climax to an already epic Christmas. Personally, I'm not exactly sure what to expect from Angelina Jolie's film but I'm hoping it breaks into one of my picks for best of the year.

5. Into The Woods

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If you love the Brothers Grimm fairytales then this should be first and foremost on your list. 'Into The Woods' is a modern musical retelling of these stories, such as Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood, tied together and driven by a baker and his wife as they are having a conversation with a witch who wants to put a curse on them. If that wasn't reason enough to watch this, there's a star studded cast that I'm sure is a part of every moviegoers dream. There's the Star Trek guy Chris Pine,  Where's the rum gone? Johnny Depp, Anna Kendrick, Meryl Streep (boom!) and the list goes on. This looks like the perfect setup for a fantastic movie and I'm positive that this will be just as, if not more, memorable than 2012's Christmas release of 'Les Miserables'.

4. American Sniper 

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Bradley Cooper + Clint Eastwood? Sounds like a pretty freakin' amazing Christmas gift to me! 'American Sniper' follow Navy SEAL Chris Kyle (America's deadliest Sniper) and his legendary story on his epic experiences and life fighting for his country. Naturally, this won't be just another superhero Murica' movie. Clint Eastwood promised the father of Chris Kyle to honor the memory of his son with great care and with great honor. In other words, don't expect 360 no-scopes across Iraq in the name of hamburgers American pride. I imagine with so much riding on this film, this will be something that will be very weighty in nature but will hit the nail on the heard as it tells a touching story of an icon in American war history.

3. Big Eyes

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From the deep and dark depths of every nightmare you've ever had pops up Tim Burton and his nightmarish masterpieces with the film 'Big Eyes' starring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz. This film follows the painter Margaret Keane and her success in the 1950s. After her success, despite as deceptively happy as it may seem to see this in a Tim Burton movie, she had legal difficulties with her husband whom started claiming her paintings as his own in the 1960s. From everything I've seen so far it doesn't seem that Tim Burton-esque but I know it's there somewhere. I must admit, I am a huge Tim Burton fan so I'm looking forward to seeing how he handles things things this go around.

2. Selma

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It's been quite a troubling year in the United States with everything going regarding equality, racism and human rights of those that live in the country. Just in time, 'Selma' hits theatres with a bit of a different spin from other Martin Luther King movies. This film focuses on the civil war marches of Selma, Alabama and the impact this had on Dr. Martin Luther King's effect on American culture and society for the future. I'm a bit excited to see this just because it's different, the trailer is stellar and I'm really interested to see how Cuba Gooding Jr. and Oprah Winfrey work in this film that's bound to get conversations going again about this crucial time of American history.

1. The Gambler

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2014 was most definitely not the year for crime dramas but I think that 'The Gambler has potential to pump a bit more life into an almost forgotten movie genre (well not really forgotten but it just hasn't been done that well). 'The Gambler' follows the misadventures of Jim Bennett, a literature professor and gambler who borrowed money from a loan shark. This always ends up in problems so the chain reaction works it way up to one of his students and the question is whether or not he will put his life on the line to get a second chance. Mark Wahlberg is one of my favorite actors of this generation so I'm excited to see what this film has in store.



Well that's the presents with which we have been blessed with from Hollywood. Now if you'll excuse me I have about 4 more turkeys to finish and a cave to get back to for hibernation. Hopefully I'll gather the strength to roll myself to the movie theatre to see these 6 promising films in time for my best-movies-of-2014 update. Meanwhile, enjoy the holidays my friends. Oh, and my apologies to my fellow American friends who don't have Boxing Day....hoorah for British rule!