The Hollywood business model has changed drastically over the years, e.g., the narrowing of the gap between a movie’s theatrical release and its home video debut from six months to three months to 90 days, 45 days, 30 days, two weeks, even zero days. Still, some traditions hold true, to wit: Oscar Season. That period in late fall and early winter when there’s at least one new film every week that holds the potential for a best picture win or acting awards. Of course, there’s always room for the relatively lighter fare as well.
And that’s our cue for my annual Holiday Movie Preview, a mix of prestige titles and popcorn entertainment.
‘Nightbitch’ (Dec. 6)
Amy Adams is so versatile that we almost — I say almost — take her for granted, and she’s always seeking out unique material. I’d say “Nightbitch” qualifies, seeing as how it’s the story of a mother raising a child who just might be turning into a dog. Based on the 2012 novel of the same name, “Nightbitch” would also seem to have the perfect writer-director in Marielle Heller, who has demonstrated a unique touch for clever and offbeat adaptations, e.g., “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” and “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.”
‘The Order’ (Dec. 6)
Here’s a title that can be moved from the “highly anticipated” to “recommended in advance” column, as I recently gave this one a spin, and it’s an effectively chilling true-life thriller. “The Order” recounts the FBI’s takedown of a white supremacist criminal cabal. Nicholas Hoult is suitably loathsome as terrorist leader Bob Mathews, Jude Law gives one of his best performances in recent years as a veteran FBI agent, and Marc Maron is well cast as real-life talk show host Alan Berg.
‘The Six Triple Eight’ (Dec. 6)
The prolific Tyler Perry is writer-director of this American war drama shining a well-deserved spotlight on the all-Black, all-female, 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion in World War II. With an all-star cast including Kerry Washington, Oprah Winfrey and Susan Sarandon.
“Carry-On” (Dec. 13)
We love a high-concept thriller, and this Netflix actioner sounds like “Die Hard” meets “Red Eye.” Taron Egerton plays a young TSA officer who is blackmailed into allowing a potentially dangerous package onto a Christmas Day flight. What could possibly go right? Adding to the intrigue: the always terrific Jason Bateman has been cast as The Mysterious Traveler. You know these traveler guys are mysterious when they don’t even get a name.
‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ (12/20)
The ultrarealistic style of the newer versions of “The Jungle Book” (2016) and “The Lion King” (2019), both directed by Jon Favreau, was equal parts jarring and impressive. Now comes “Mufasa: The Lion King,” which serves as prequel and sequel to the 2019 version of “The Lion King,” with Donald Glover, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Seth Rogen reprising their voice roles, and Oscar-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight”) directing. Could be great, could be weird, might be both.
‘Nosferatu’ (12/25)
Robert Eggers is the dark architect of “The Witch,” “The Lighthouse” and “The Northman,” and he would seem to have the necessary skill set to deliver a fantastically fresh (or should we say perfectly rotten) update of the iconic 1922 German film, still arguably the most terrifying take of all time on Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” This could be an instant gothic classic.
‘A Complete Unknown’ (12/25)
How does it feeeeeeeeeel! Timothée Chalamet stars as Bob Dylan in a slice-of-career biopic concentrating on Dylan’s switch from acoustic to electrically amplified music in the mid-1960s.
‘Babygirl’ (12/25)
It was just last June when Nicole Kidman played a widowed author who embarks on a relationship with a younger man (Zac Efron) in the romcom “A Family Affair.” Now comes “Babygirl,” with Nicole Kidman playing a CEO who embarks on a relationship with a younger man (Harris Dickinson) — but this one sounds like one of those fantastically lurid erotic thrillers from back in the day that always seemed to be starring Michael Douglas and/or Sharon Stone, e.g., “Fatal Attraction,” “Basic Instinct,” “Sliver” and “Disclosure.” Doing press for “Babygirl,” Kidman has claimed that filming certain scenes got so intense she had to stop and ask for a break because she was getting too worked up. Who knows if that’s true, but it’s proof Nicole Kidman knows how to market the hell out of a movie.
Holiday TV Movies (nonstop)
Guilty Pleasure Honorable Mention: As sure as holiday ads that pop up on your TV and online shortly after Halloween, as sure as Chicago’s 93.9 LITE FM starts playing Christmas music round the clock in early November, we can now count on Hallmark, Lifetime, Amazon Prime, Netflix, BET et al., sending a snowstorm of holiday movies our way. And the plots are always so unpredictable! You never know what’s going to happen!
A small sampling of holiday movies coming down the chimney:
“Get Him Back for Christmas” (Great American Family) — “A successful singer returns home for Christmas and asks her high school songwriting partner to help her win back her ex.”“The Santa Class” (Hallmark) — “Kate North reluctantly takes over her father’s struggling Santa School.”“How to Fall in Love by Christmas” (Lifetime) — “Nora Winters tries to save her lifestyle brand by writing about her efforts to fall in love by Christmas.”
Kate NORTH. Nora WINTERS! Too great. Let’s not even try to pretend these movies are going to be of the highest quality. That’s not even the point. The point is to have something playing in the background on the TV while you’re putting up decorations, or something to watch while you’re curled up on the sofa and you want to give all your brain cells a nap. Like the sugar cookie or the spiked eggnog, these films are guilty and sweet indulgences, meant to be enjoyed and then never to be discussed again. So, whether it’s “Sugarplummed” or “Hanukkah on the Rocks,” “The Holiday Junkie” or “Engaged by Christmas,” “Christmas on the Alpaca Farm,” or “Happy Howlidays,” “Let It Snow” or “Mistletoe & Matrimony,” Seasons Screenings to all, and to all a good night!