MERRY MOVIES
Hollywood’s holiday films
MOWGLI: LEGEND OF THE JUNGLE
(Netflix, Dec. 7)
Acclaimed actor and director Andy Serkis presents a darker take on Rudyard Kipling ’s beloved masterpiece The Jungle Book. Newcomer Rohan Chand stars as Mowgli, with Christian Bale as panther Bagheera, Cate Blanchett as snake Kaa and Benedict Cumberbatch as tiger Shere Khan. Also opening in select theatres.
ONCE UPON A DEADPOOL
(Dec. 12)
Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with the Mouth is getting a makeover. Audiences of almost all ages will soon be able to enjoy Deadpool 2 minus most of what made it popular in the first place. You know, like the swearing and incessant violence. Fred Savage co-stars.
THE MULE
(Dec. 14)
Clint Eastwood is the hardestworking man in Hollywood. Directing his second movie this year, Eastwood, now 88, returns for his first role in front of the camera in six years. Based on a New York Times article about a real-life octogenarian drug courier for a Mexican cartel, Eastwood stars as Earl Stone, a broke man in his 80s who is offered a job that simply requires him to drive. But unbeknownst to Earl, he’s just signed on for a life of crime. Bradley Cooper appears as a hard-charging DEA agent.
ROMA
(Netflix, Dec. 14)
Gravity director Alfonso Cuaron returns with a semi-autobiographical story that chronicles q turbulent year in the lives of a middle-class family in 1970s Mexico City. Filmed in black and white, Cuaron told IndieWire recently the drama is the “most essential movie” of his career. After becoming a festival favourite in Venice and Toronto, Netflix will give Roma a brief theatrical run in select cities from Nov. 29.
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
(Dec. 14)
This animated Spidey spinoff revolves around Brooklyn teen Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) as he gains superpowers after a spider bite. He learns to be a hero under the tutelage of Peter Parker (Jake Johnson), and the storyline involves a multitude of SpiderPersons, including SpiderGwen (Hailee Steinfeld) and Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage). “Because it’s like the 19th SpiderMan movie, it forces you to make different choices than everybody else,” co-writer Phil Lord told EW.
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
(Dec. 14, Limited)
Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie play rival queens Mary Stuart and Queen Elizabeth I in this period drama. Josie Rourke directs from a screenplay by House of Cards’ Beau Willimon.
MORTAL ENGINES
(Dec. 14)
Lord of the Rings scribes Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens adapt the first book in Philip Reeve’s post-apocalyptic series that imagines a world where major cities prey on one another for resources to survive.
MARY POPPINS RETURNS
(Dec. 19)
The 1930s-set sequel picks up 25 years after the events of the original film that featured Julie Andrews. Emily Blunt stars as Poppins, with Lin-Manuel Miranda playing her pal Jack. Dick Van Dyke is back, as well. Rob Marshall, whose track record includes a Pirates of the Caribbean flick and the musical Chicago, directs.
BIRD BOX
(Netflix, Dec. 21)
Based on Josh Malerman’s terrifying 2014 book, Sandra Bullock plays a woman who is forced to lead her children on a two-day journey to safety after a mysterious force decimates the world’s population. The only hitch is she has to make the trek blindfolded because whatever it is that is plaguing humanity, if you see it, you take your own life. Trevante Rhodes, Sarah Paulson and John Malkovich co-star.
BUMBLEBEE
(Dec. 21)
The Transformers franchise gets a reset with this 1980s-set spinoff in which a teen girl (Hailee Steinfeld) realizes her beaten-down old VW Beetle is really an Earthsaving robot hero. WWE star John Cena joins the fun, with Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings) directing.
AQUAMAN
(Dec. 21)
After being introduced in last year’s Justice League, Jason Momoa promises we can expect a bigger, richer story when his solo take hits screens. “Justice League was only a weekend in Arthur Curry’s life,” Momoa told EW. “This is a totally different beast.” In a previous interview, Furious 7 helmer James Wan, who directs, said this will be the first DC movie taking place in a brand-new world. “There’s a reason Aquaman’s never been done before, because it’s a very difficult movie to make,” Wan said. “Technology has not allowed us to go there — until now.”
SECOND ACT
(Dec. 21)
A big-box store worker (Jennifer Lopez) reinvents her life after she lands a high-profile job at a Manhattan company, thanks to a fudged job application and a phoney social media profile. Leah Remini, Vanessa Hudgens and Milo Ventimiglia co-star in the feel-good comedy.
WELCOME TO MARWEN
(Dec. 21)
Inspired by Jeff Malmberg ’s 2010 documentary Marwencol, Steve Carell plays a victim of a violent assault who constructs a miniature Second World War town in his backyard and casts himself as a war hero. Leslie Mann and Janelle Monae co-star, with Robert Zemeckis directing. (Dec. 25)
Take a good close look at the fella playing Dick Cheney in this biopic from Adam McKay (The Big Short). Recognize him? It’s Christian Bale. The Batman star gave his head a shave and packed on 40 pounds to play the former U.S. vice-president in the film, which aims to tell the warts-andall “true” story of Cheney’s role as the master puppeteer who orchestrated much of George W. Bush’s leadership decisions. Sam Rockwell plays Bush.
IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
(Dec. 25, Limited)
Moonlight director Barry Jenkins adapts James Baldwin’s swirling love story set in 1970s Harlem. Newcomer KiKi Layne heads a cast that includes Dave Franco, Regina King and Toronto’s Stephan James. The film was a runner-up for The Grolsch People’s Choice Award at TIFF.
HOLMES & WATSON
(Dec. 25)
Beloved screen duo Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly play sleuths Sherlock Holmes and his partner Dr. Watson in this comedic take on a literary classic. “We sat down and said, ‘What are the most neglected characters in literature?’” Reilly said in an interview with The New York Times. “The world needed this.”