Movies to see this holiday season
Top 10 choices when snuggling into the couch this festive time of year
While resting in preparation for Black Friday sales and watching “House of Gucci” (opening Wednesday and looks like a popcorn fest), brace yourself: This year, unlike last year, lots of big movies are headed for the multiplexes for the holiday season. Here are 10 that might be worth getting up from the couch — all of these, unless otherwise noted, are opening in theaters only.
“West Side Story” (Dec. 10) Delayed from its initial planned release last December, Steven Spielberg’s remake of the Broadway-musical-turned-1961-film stars Ansel Elgort as Tony, Rachel Zegler as Maria, and the great Rita Moreno (Anita in the original film, six decades ago) as Valentina, owner of Doc’s. Note for ballet fans: The dance numbers will be created by choreographer Justin Peck of New York City Ballet, influenced by Jerome Robbins’ original dances. “Being the Ricardos” (Dec. 10, on Amazon Prime Video Dec. 21)
Yes, Aaron Sorkin went and cast Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball when Debra Messing is, you know, right there. But I’m trying to reserve judgment until I’ve actually seen this film, which has a fascinating subject: the complicated on-andoff-screen life of Ball and husband Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem) at the time of their sitcom “I Love Lucy.”
“Spider-Man: No Way Home” (Dec. 17)
Peter Parker’s superhero identity was revealed at the end of 2019’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (I know, a lifetime ago, right?). In this film, from director Jon Watts, Marvel Comics forces collide as Peter/ Spider-Man (Tom Holland) asks for help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). Possibly a good pairing?
“Nightmare Alley” (Dec. 17)
Guillermo del Toro follows up his Oscar-winning “The Shape of Water” with this adaptation of William Lindsay Gresham’s 1946 novel (previously filmed in 1947). Bradley Cooper plays a ruthless carny, Cate Blanchett a psychiatrist with her own dark side. Also on hand: Rooney Mara, Toni Collette and Willem Dafoe. “The Lost Daughter” (Dec. 17, on Netflix Dec. 31)
Maggie Gyllenhaal makes her directing and screenwriting debut — a prizewinner at the Venice Film Festival — with this adaptation of an Elena Ferrante novel about a woman who becomes obsessed with a young family she watches on the beach. Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Jessie Buckley and Ed Harris star. “The Matrix Resurrections” (Dec. 22 in theatres and on HBO Max)
Seventeen years after the third “Matrix” film, Neo (Keanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) are back; this time, there’s a red pill involved. Lana Wachowski directs, and the cast also features Jada Pinkett Smith, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris and Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
“The Tender Bar” (Dec. 22, on Amazon Prime Video Jan. 7)
For years I’ve intended to read J.R. Moehringer’s much-praised memoir “The Tender Bar,” about growing up on Long Island and finding refuge from chaotic family life at a local pub. Now clearly I’ll need to get around to it: George Clooney directs the movie version, with a screenplay from William Monahan (”The Departed”) and starring Ben Affleck and Tye Sheridan.
“The Tragedy of Macbeth” (Dec. 25, Apple TV Plus Jan. 14)
Really, all I have to do here is tell you that this Shakespeare classic stars Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand, and you’ll be all in, right? I know I am. Joel Coen directs, in shadowy black and white, and the trailer looks wonderfully shivery. “Cyrano” (Dec. 31)
In a year full of movie musicals — “In the Heights,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “West Side Story” — here’s an unlikely wild card: an adaptation of the 2018 stage musical “Cyrano” (itself based on the 1897 Edmond Rostand play “Cyrano de Bergerac,” which a lot of us know as the inspiration for the great Steve Martin comedy “Roxanne”), starring Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett and Kelvin Harrison Jr. Music and lyrics are by the indie rock band The National. Could be fun? “Parallel Mothers” (Jan. 21, but Oscar-eligible for 2021)
This one’s coming a few weeks after the holidays, but worth waiting for: Whenever filmmaker Pedro Almodovar and actor Penelope Cruz team up, the result is magic. (My favorite of their many collaborations: the beautiful “Volver.”) This acclaimed drama, in which two women meet at a hospital after giving birth on the same day (the other is played by Milena Smit), brought Cruz the best actress award at the Venice Film Festival.