MOVIE MAGIC
ALL THE BOXING DAY BLOCKBUSTERS
WHEN it comes to this year’s Boxing Day movie blockbusters, The Greatest Showman looks set be the biggest — and best — show in town.
Hugh Jackman has already nabbed a Golden Globe nomination for best actor for his starring role in the nobusiness like show-business musical extravaganza.
The film, which also stars Zac Efron, Michelle Williams and Zendaya, leads the lineup for what is traditionally the busiest day at the Australian box office — Boxing Day.
This year’s new releases offer something for cinemagoers of all ages and persuasions — from diehard movie buffs hungry to be the first to see hyped titles to families on holidays and people looking for a seat to beat the heat — and the Boxing Day sales.
Matt Damon joins Kristen Wiig, Christoph Waltz and Hong Chau in the cast of Downsizing, director Alexander Payne’s tale about a man who volunteers to be medically shrunk to 12cm to help ease problems caused by overpopulation.
Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black and Kevin Hart get their game faces on for Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle while art house audiences should enjoy the Andy-Serkis biopic Breathe (M), starring Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy and Tom Hollander, and Italian romance Call Me By Your Name, starring Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet.
Several Boxing Day releases opened at local cinemas on Saturday to capitalise on this year’s big Christmas Eve weekend. The early openers included PG-rated animated musical Coco, about a 12-year-old aspiring mariachi transported to Mexico’s famous Day of the Dead Festival; and the G-rated sequel Paddington 2, starring Hugh Grant, Sally Hawkins and Brendan Gleeson.
Boxing Day moviegoers are also expected to give current releases an extra boost. Animated adventure Arthur Christmas
will appeal to families with young kids while Star Wars: The Last Jedi
should rope in both those yet to see it — and fans eager to see it again.