Slew of fresh fodder for film fans includes long-awaited Star Wars VII, the last of Katniss and cute kids’ tales
It’s hard to beat a good movie. Instead of the usual holiday classics — Elf, It’s a Wonderful Life or the Charlie Brown TV specials — try one of these, all in theatres or opening soon. Grab your popcorn, and may the film Force be with you. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2 Now playing. Katniss Everdeen finishes her fight against the evil Government of Panem in the final instalment of this four-film series. The arrow-slinging heroine, played by Jennifer Lawrence, is joined by friends Peeta and Gale in their greatest challenge yet. Expect booby traps and battles as the rebels hope to keep the odds ever in their favour. Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens Opens December 18. More than 30 years after Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and company defeated the Galactic Empire in Return of the Jedi, a new generation of heroes rises to fight the Dark Side. With new lightsabres and the return of the Millennium Falcon — but no Jar Jar Binks — the Force seems strong in this one. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip December 26. Alvin and his brothers, Simon and Theodore, have already driven adoptive father Dave crazy in three Chipmunks movies. The newest finds Dave pursuing his girlfriend to Miami — and maybe even asking her to marry him. Afraid they will be tossed aside, the Chipmunks hit the road to try to stop Dave from making a terrible mistake. The Good Dinosaur Opens January 1. Pixar’s newest animated film imagines a world in which an asteroid never hit Earth, and humans and dinosaurs live side by side. Arlo, a young plant-eating dinosaur, finds himself separated from his family after a flood. With the help of a wild boy named Spot, he makes his way home, confronting his fears while facing a harsh landscape and frightening predators.