The holiday season is always the most exciting time for movie lovers. As Hollywood gears up for award season, the most talked about movies of the year, the sure-fire Oscar candidates and crowd-pleasers, are all released at nearly the same time hoping to be fresh in the minds of voters when it’s time for nominations to be made.
This year, there several HUGE titles hitting theaters over winter break.
From sci-fi and fantasy to action, adventure, and musical theater…it’s all a little overwhelming. Between the movies being released in the next few weeks and the blockbusters that have come out recently, how can a nerd possibly decide what to see once finals are done and the halls are decked?
For this reason, I have compiled a list of my personal Top 5 picks for movies to see this winter. Enjoy!
5.) Lincoln
Released: November 16, 2012
This biopic on the nation’s 13th president might not seem like the most exciting way to spend nearly three hours of your time, but it’s more than worth the effort! They cover an impressive amount of time (from the beginning of his second term to his assassination) thoroughly while still retaining a sense of humor. Daniel Day Lewis’s performance as the the President himself is so Oscar-worthy, they might as well hand him the nomination at the end of the film! With appearances from Tommy Lee Jones and Joseph Gordon Levitt, an astounding score, and writing that actually has you on the edge of your seat about things that happened over a century ago, Lincoln is worth all the praise it’s getting!
4.) The Life of Pi
Released: November 21, 2012
Based on the best-selling novel by Yann Martel, this fantastical adventure flick tells the story of a young Indian boy who is stranded at sea when the ship he and his family are traveling on sinks. He must then survive on a raft with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan, and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Racking up the rave reviews since it’s release, this story of survival and human nature is sure to be a Best Picture candidate and is definitely on my to-watch list!
3.) Skyfall
Released: November 9,2012
An action-packed James Bond story might not seem like the nerdiest film out there, but Skyfall, the 23rd installment in Eon Productions’s Bond franchise, has enough gadgets and computer-geekery to satisfy the pickiest of nerds and enough homages to the good old days to satisfy long-time 007 fans. The cast is superb, Daniel Craig is making his mark as one of the best Bonds ever, Javier Bardem makes a truly terrifying villain, and Ben Whishaw is an adorable and ingenious new Q. I can’t wait to see it a second time!
2.) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Will be released: December 14, 2012
The Lord of the Rings trilogy were some of the highest grossing films of all time, winners of dozens of awards, and beloved by fantasy fans the world over. Director Peter Jackson’s newest foray into Middle Earth seems set to make just as big an impression on the holiday box offices. A prequel to the story of Frodo and the rest of the Fellowship of the Ring, An Unexpected Journey will be the first in a trilogy of its own based on J. R. R. Tolkein’s novel The Hobbit and utilizing information from his other works, such as The Silmarilion. Staring Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins (best known for playing John Watson on the BBC’s Sherlock), this one’s sure to be a hit!
1.) Les Misérables
Based on the novel by Victor Hugo, the story is a classic and incredibly emotional one. Set in France in the 1800s, the musical tells the story of Jean Valjean, a convict imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread who goes on a journey of redemption, encountering many colorful and heart-wrenching characters along the way. Directed by Tom Hooper (Oscar winner for The King’s Speech) and with an all-star cast including Hugh Jackman, Russel Crowe, Anne Hathaway, and Helena Bonham Carter this film definitely looks like it will do the stage show justice. I’m already stocking up on tissues. Get ready to cry your eyes out!
What movies are you most excited to see this holiday season? Are you planning on seeing any of the films on this list?
