Also available to stream...
Being the Ricardos (Amazon Prime, from December 21) Lucille Ball and Desi
Arnaz were married for 20 years.
Many people felt they knew the couple thanks to their starring roles in the hugely popular and groundbreaking sitcom I Love Lucy, which ran for six seasons until 1957. This feature-length drama takes place over the course of one critical week during the making of the show. We get an insight into the often turbulent relationship between its central couple, as well as the pressure on the writers tasked with making sure the laughs came thick and fast. Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem play Ball and Arnaz, with JK Simmons, Clark Gregg and Nina Arianda in supporting roles.
Encanto (Disney+, from Christmas Eve)
This is the 60th film produced by the studio. It’s a computer generated animation about the Madrigals, a family living in an enchanted area of the Colombian mountains. Every child has been blessed with a unique gift – except for Mirabel. She’s disappointed about being left out, but finds a new sense of worth when the Madrigals’ magical world is threatened – and she seems to be the only one who can save it. Stephanie Beatriz, John Leguizamo and Wilmer Valderrama are among the vocal cast; Lin-Manuel Miranda provides the songs. The film has gone down a treat with critics on both sides of the Atlantic, and is sure to appeal to both children and any adults who are young at heart.
Don’t Look Up (Netflix, from Christmas Eve)
Oscar-nominated writer-director Adam McKay, whose previous works include The Big Short, Vice and Anchorman, is the brains behind this all-star black comedy, which also has elements of sci-fi and satire. It focuses on two astronomers – played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence – who discover evidence that a comet is approaching Earth and if it hits, will destroy all life on the planet. Unfortunately, being rather low in status in the stargazing world, they find it hard to convince other members of the community of the impending danger, so embark on a media tour to alert the public to their impending doom. Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Timothee Chalamet, Meryl Streep and Cate Blanchett also appear.