5 big-screen movies you can open on Christmas
If going to the movies on Dec. 25 is part of your holiday tradition, you’ll have lots of new releases to choose from.
In addition to the four movies opening this Wednesday — “The Matrix Resurrections,” “The King’s Man,” “The Tender Bar” and “Sing 2” — five more new offerings hit the big screen in Milwaukee Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Coming Dec. 24: ‘Licorice Pizza’
Short version: In 1970s Encino, a former child actor aging out of the job falls hard for a photographer’s assistant who’s 10 years older than him in Paul Thomas Anderson’s nostalgiasoaked, sometimes-problematic romantic comedy. The movie was named best film by the National Board of Review; the cast — led by Cooper Hoffman (son of late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Alana Haim (of the band Haim) and featuring Bradley Cooper, Sean Penn and Tom Waits — has been getting some of the season’s biggest raves.
Where you can see it: AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres’ Majestic, North Shore, Ridge, South Shore cinemas; Oriental Theatre (which is showing the movie in a 35-millimeter film print).
Coming Dec. 24: ‘The Lost Daughter’
Short version: A woman on a seaside vacation becomes fascinated by a young mother and daughter, whose world revives memories of her own traumas of early motherhood. Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley and Dakota Johnson star in this adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s novel by first-time writer-director Maggie Gyllenhaal; Gyllenhaal has already been collecting lots of awards for her non-acting debut.
Where you can see it: Oriental Theatre. (Note: “The Lost Daughter” is streaming on Netflix starting Dec. 31.)
Coming Dec. 24: ‘Red Rocket’
Short version: Simon Rex is getting all sorts of kudos for his performance as a washed-up porn star who goes back to his small hometown in Texas, which would prefer if he didn’t stick around, in this dark comedy by Sean Baker (“The Florida Project”).
Where you can see it: Oriental Theatre.
Coming Dec. 25: ‘A Journal for Jordan’
Short version: While seeing action in the Iraq War, 1st Sgt. Charles Monroe King starts writing a journal for his son to tell him how he can live a decent life despite growing up without a father. Michael B. Jordan stars in this basedon-a-true-story drama, directed by Denzel Washington.
Where you can see it: AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres’ Bistroplex Southridge, Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, North Shore, Ridge, Saukville, Showtime, Southgate, South Shore cinemas; Silverspot Cinema.
Coming Dec. 25: ‘American Underdog’
Short version: Kurt Warner’s journey from small-college football star to grocery stockboy to Hall of Famer is the focus of this inspirational sports biopic, which includes a detour through his being cut from the NFL team that picked him up, the Green Bay Packers. Zachary Levi plays Warner, Anna Paquin his supportive wife and Dennis Quaid as big-hearted coach Dick Vermeil. Other Wisconsin connections: Port Edwards native Matt Bassuener “plays” young Packers quarterback Brett Favre, and one of the movie’s producers is Mark Ciardi, the former Milwaukee Brewers pitcher whose second career has been making inspiration sports movies.
Where you can see it: AMC Mayfair Mall; Marcus Theatres’ Hillside, Majestic, Menomonee Falls, Movie Tavern Brookfield Square, North Shore, Ridge, Saukville, Showtime, Southgate, South Shore cinemas; Silverspot Cinema.
Christmas movies in Milwaukee theaters this week
Cedarburg’s Rivoli Theater wraps up its monthlong Holiday Film Festival. Admission is $4. Info:
This week’s movies: Dec. 20: 7 p.m., “White Christmas” Dec. 21: 7 p.m., “A Christmas Story”
Dec. 22: 3:30 p.m., “Holiday Inn”; 7 p.m., “It’s a Wonderful Life”
Dec. 23: 1 p.m., “The Polar Express”; 3:30 p.m., “Elf ”; 7 p.m., “White Christmas”
The Avalon Theater’s “12 Days of Christmas” wraps, up, too. Tickets for evening screenings are $11, $9 for seniors 60 and older and kids 11 and younger; matinees (anything before 6 p.m.) are $9, $8.50 for seniors and kids. Info: This week’s offerings: 3:30 p.m. Dec. 23-24 and noon Dec. 25, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”