THERE WILL BE HOLIDAY MOVIES
IN A Y E A R like no other, when most highprofile releases are tagged “Do not open until 2021,” there will still be new movies this holiday season, stretching from Thanksgiving to Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January. The trick is knowing where to find them. Across streaming services, on-demand platforms, virtual cinemas and even actual cinemas (where theaters are open*), there will be Oscar contenders, action and horror flicks, comedies and thrillers, as well as international titles, animation and documentaries to break up your virtual family get-togethers.
KEY
■ Theaters
❍ Home viewing
✰ Theaters + home *Theaters were still open in most of the country at press time. Release dates are subject to change.
T U E S DAY
Hillbilly Elegy
Glenn Close and Amy Adams star in director Ron Howard’s drama about three generations of one Appalachian family. Based on the memoir by J.D. Vance. Streaming. Netflix
W E D N E S DAY
❍ The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn reprise their roles as Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus in this sequel to the 2018 holiday comedy. Directed by Chris Columbus. Streaming. Netflix
■ The Croods: A New Age Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds and Emma Stone reprise their voice roles in this sequel to the 2013 animated comedy about a prehistoric family. Directed by Joel Crawford. Theaters. Universal Pictures
Happiest Season
A young woman learns her girlfriend still hasn’t come out to her conservative family in this holiday romcom. With Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, Dan Levy, Mary Steenburgen. Directed by Clea Duvall. Streaming. Hulu
Last Call
Rhys Ifans portrays Welsh poet Dylan Thomas in this biographical drama. With John Malkovich, Rodrigo Santoro, Romola Garai. Written and directed by Steven Bernstein. Theaters. K Street Pictures
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Viola Davis portrays the legendary blues singer in this musical drama costarring Chadwick Boseman and based on the August Wilson play. Directed by George C. Wolfe. Theaters; streaming Dec. 18. Netflix
The Mystery of D.B. Cooper
Documentary investigates the case of the 1970s skyjacker who parachuted out of a plane midflight and then vanished without a trace. Directed by John Dower. Cable and streaming on HBO Max. HBO Documentary Films
Stardust
Biographical drama recalls how rock icon David Bowie created his early-’70s alter ego Ziggy Stardust. With Johnny Flynn, Marc Maron, Jena Malone. Written by Gabriel Range and Christopher Bell. Directed by Range. Theaters and VOD. IFC Films
Uncle Frank
A Southern teen visits her gay uncle in 1970s New York City. With Paul Bettany, Sophia Lillis, Margo Martindale, Steve Zahn, Judy Greer. Written and directed by Alan Ball. Streaming. Amazon Prime
T H U R S DAY
❍ Superintelligence
An ordinary woman is chosen to interact with a potentially malevolent form of artificial intelligence in this comedy. With Melissa McCarthy, Bobby Cannavale, Brian Tyree Henry, James Corden. Written by Steve Mallory. Directed by Ben Falcone. Streaming. HBO Max
F R I DAY
❍ Black Beauty
Update of Anna Sewell’s 19th century novel about a horse. With Kate Winslet, Mackenzie Foy, Claire Forlani. Directed by Ashley Avis. Streaming. Disney+
Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker Documentary spotlights choreographer Debbie Allen’s reimagined version of the holiday favorite. Directed by Oliver Bokelberg. Streaming. Netflix
Kill It and Leave This Town
A traumatized man seeks solace in a fantasy world of his own imagination in this black-and-white animated fable from Poland. Directed by Mariusz Wilczynski. Virtual cinemas. Outsider Pictures
Mosul
Local forces fight to free the Iraqi city from the grip of the terrorist organization Islamic State in this docudrama. Written and directed by Matthew Michael Carnahan. Streaming on Netflix. 101 Studios
✰ Princess of the Row
A young girl runs away from foster care to live on L.A.’s skid row with her mentally unstable father in this drama. With Edi Gathegi, Martin Sheen, Tayler Buck, Ana Ortiz. Directed by Van Maximilian Carlson. Theaters, digital and VOD. Gravitas Ventures
Zappa
Musical iconoclast Frank Zappa is profiled in this rock doc directed by Alex Winter. Featuring Gail Zappa, Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others. Theaters and VOD. Magnolia Pictures
N OV. 2 9
❍ My Psychedelic Love Story
Director Errol Morris’ documentary on LSD guru Timothy Leary is presented from the perspective of Leary’s Swiss-born, Paris-raised lover, Joanna
Harcourt-Smith. Cable and streaming. Showtime Documentary Films
D EC . 2 Mayor
■
Documentary profiles the mayor of the West Bank city of Ramallah. Directed by David Osit. Theaters. Film Movement
✰ The Midnight Sky George Clooney directs and stars in this postapocalyptic sci-fi drama about an Arctic scientist seeking to warn a team of returning astronauts of a global disaster. With Felicity Jones, Kyle Chandler, David Oyelowo. Theaters; streaming, Dec. 23. Netflix
D EC . 3
❍ Anything for Jackson A couple’s scheme to resurrect their dead grandson has unforeseen consequences in this supernatural thriller. With Yannick Bisson, Josh Cruddas, Konstantina Mantelos, Sheila McCarthy, Julian Richings. Written by Keith Cooper. Directed by Justin G. Dyck. Streaming. Shudder
D EC . 4 All My Life
■
A couple’s wedding plans are upended when the groom is diagnosed with cancer in this drama. With Jessica Rothe, Harry Shum Jr., Kyle Allen, Chrissie Fit, Jay Pharoah, Marielle Scott, Keala Settle. Written by Todd Rosenberg. Directed by Marc Meyers. Theaters. Universal Pictures
Another Round
Dark comedy with Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen. Written by Thomas Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm. Directed by Vinterberg. Theaters; VOD, Dec. 18. Samuel Goldwyn
Billie
✰
Documentary profiles jazz singer Billie Holiday. Directed by James Erskine. Theaters and VOD. Greenwich Entertainment
Black Bear
An actress-filmmaker plays twisted games with a couple while at a retreat in this drama. With Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott, Sarah Gadon. Written and directed by Lawrence Michael Levine. Theaters and VOD. Momentum Pictures
COMING SOON: ✰ The Changin’ Times of Ike White Documentary follows the R&B musician, who recorded in prison in the ’70s, and his post-release life. Directed by Dan Vernon. Theaters and virtual cinemas. Kino Lorber
Crock of Gold — A Few Rounds With Shane Macgowan
Documentary on the lead singer and songwriter of the Pogues directed by Julien Temple, with animation from illustrator Ralph Steadman. Digital and VOD. Magnolia Pictures
Dear Santa Documentary salutes the U.S. Postal Service’s century-old program that seeks to fulfill kids’ Christmas wishes. Directed by Dana Nachman. Theaters and PVOD. IFC Films
40 Years a Prisoner
Documentary follows one man’s four-decade quest to free his parents following the police raid on the Black activist group MOVE in Philadelphia in 1978. Directed by Tommy Oliver. Theaters; cable and streaming on HBO
[See