December movie release preview
- Evan Northrup
- Dec 3, 2019
- 7 min read
With award season right around the corner and families looking for something to do on their snowy days off, December might be the biggest movie release month of the year. Luckily for you, Burbs is back with another curated list of the hottest, most exciting movies hitting the screens this month. Once again we want to include movies for all of our readers, so this list doesn't discriminate between genre or release platform. Whether you want to hit the theater and watch a huge new blockbuster like Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker or stay home and watch a gripping drama like Marriage Story, we got you covered. As always the list is organized by release date with the trailer embedded for your convenience. If something catches your eye, give the trailer a watch or read our synopsis detailing what the film is all about. Happy viewing and happy holidays!
December 6th
Marriage Story
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Merritt Wever, Laura Dern
Platform: Netflix
During a romance movie the last thing an audience wants on their mind is divorce. However, that's what makes Marriage Story special. Writer and director Noah Baumbach tells the love story of Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole Barber (Scarlett Johansonn) through their divorce, the rocky ending of their relationship offering a different perspective on the meanings of anger, love and family. Its a unique tale that takes a precise look at what its like to love in modern America.
Little Joe
Starring: Emily Beecham, Ben Winshaw
Platform: Theaters
Little Joe is a horror film centered around a biologist who genetically designs a new plant meant to infect its owner with happiness. However, she quickly realizes that the plant she dubs "Little Joe" might have an wicked mind of its own. Unlike other horror films Little Joe is more than just jump scares, its already being praised for its seductively beautiful cinematography and Emily Beecham won Best actress at Cannes film festival 2019. If you're into horror, Little Joe is one of the most exciting releases of the month.
The Aeronauts
Starring: Felicity Jones, Eddie Redmayne, Himesh Patel
Platform: Theaters December 6th, Prime Video December 20th
Every year Hollywood seems bogged down with more biopics and historical fiction movies, however The Aeronauts may be a cut above the rest. The film tells the true story of pilot Amelia Wren(Felicity Jones) and weather scientist James Glaisher(Eddie Redmayne) who go on a harrowing series of hot air balloon flights in an attempt to make new discoveries about the way weather works. Although its not the most exciting premise, the trailer's depiction of their high flying fight for survival looks titillatingly tense and worth the watch.
December 13th
Uncut Gems
Starring: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Lakieth Stanfield, Kevin Garnett
Platform: Theaters
If anyone had told me a year ago that the one of the most hyped movies of 2019 would be a crime drama starring Adam Sandler as a prominent New York City jeweler with a gambling addiction, I would've laughed out loud. But here we are, with what seems like a million reasons to be excited about Uncut Gems. First off, critics are raving, saying the film is a perfect mix of dark drama with a few outrageously funny moments. Also, the supporting cast is incredible, from rising Hollywood star Lakieth Stanfield to NBA superstar Keving Garnett (who plays himself). The plot looks beautifully constructed, layering crime drama over mob thriller over family problems over gambling movie, with a few real life figures thrown in there for fun. Overall it's been film production company A24's year, already rolling out the acclaimed movies Waves, Midsommar and The Lighthouse and its looking like Uncut Gems is going to be the icing on the cake.
Black Christmas
Starring: Imogen Poots, Cary Elwes, Lily Donoghue
Platform: Theaters
Some Christmas horror movies, like Nightmare Before Christmas, do an amazing job of turning the usual holiday tropes on their head to make the film disturbing in a way that regular horror can't match. Others, like Santa's Slay, are just plain stupid. I'm hoping Black Christmas will be one of the former. The movie follows a group of sorority sisters who try to track down their friend when she goes missing, uncovering a disturbing college-wide murder conspiracy on the way. The trailer doesn't reveal too much, but it looks like this Christmas twist on the classic slasher genre could carve itself out a spot in Christmas horror cannon.
Jumanji: The Next Level
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Danny DeVito, Danny Glover, Jack Black,
Platform: Theaters
In 2017 when Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle came out nobody expected it to be anything more than a bad remake of the just okay original. But never judge a book by its cover; the movie was charming, funny, heartwarming and the cast's chemistry was completely captivating. Now, the whole cast returns with two amazing additions, Danny Glover and Danny DeVito, who get stuck in Jumanji along with younger relatives Fridge, Eddie and Martha. The plot is basically the same as the past two films, escape the game without losing all your lives, but hopefully the stellar cast of comedians will provide enough fresh humor to make it worth a watch.
6 underground
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Adria Arjona
Platform: Netflix
I probably wouldn't recommend this movie if you had to pay to go see it, but its coming out on Netflix so what the hell. The film is about 6 altruistic agents who are declared dead, then decide to use their new freedom to take out some of the world's worst people. The cast has some big names, including Ryan Reynolds, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco and Corey Hawkins and no matter what you say about Michael Bay his movies always have some great actions scenes. So if you're looking for a movie that won't be too hard on the brain while you chill this winter break, check out 6 Underground.
Bombshell
Starring: Margot Robbie, Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron
Platform: Theaters
Like I just said, lately Hollywood seems over saturated with biopics and historical fiction, however Bombshell looks like a totally fresh spin on the classic "based on true events" story. The film is focused on Megyn Kelly, Gretchen Carlson and Kayla Pospisil, the group of women who spoke out against the rampant sexual harrasment and toxic climate promoted by Roger Ailes at Fox News. The movie will surely have a tone as serious as the topic, however it has supporting cast like Kate McKinnon, who looks like she will provide satirical comic relief. Also, from the trailer it looks like aspects of the film will be stylized to look like a news cast, which is perfect for the subject matter. This film is worth going to see for the style, star studded cast and of course for the way it highlights a serious problem in current entertainment culture.
Richard Jewell
Starring: Paul Walter-Hauser, Olivia Wilde, Jon Hamm, Kathy Bates
Platform: Theaters
Yes, another biopic. Richard Jewell tells the story of a man who heroically saved lives when a bomb went off at the 1996 Summer Olympics and was then falsely accused for the heinous crime. The film looks like a sort of mystery/thriller, detailing how the FBI and media destroyed Jewell's life with their false accusations. It also highlights a current issue in America, the ability for the media and court of public opinion to destroy someone's life without any proof of transgression.
December 20th
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Starring: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher
Platform: Theaters
There's not too much to say about Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker that hasn't already been repeated a few hundred times. As the final installment in the new trilogy, most Star Wars fans have been waiting for this on the edge of their seats since The Last Jedi, while non-Star Wars fans roll their eyes in disinterest. Personally, I'm super geeked for all my questions to finally be answered, like who are Rey's parents? Will Kylo Ren redeem himself? How will Emperor Palpatine fit in to the plot and what other past Star Wars stars will make an appearance? If you're as excited as me, I'll be going into all the best fan theories and speculation in an article next week, so be sure to check it out!
Cats
Starring: Taylor Swift, Idris Elba, Ian McKellen, Jennifer Hudson, Jason Derulo, Rebel Wilson, James Corden
Platform: Theaters
Cats is a great musical, the loose plot allows for a maximum number of catchy numbers in a short amount of time, plus this version's cast is filled with so many great musicians that it would be surprising if the soundtrack isn't the best of the year. That being said, you can't deny that this animation is just so creepy. Like how did Universal even let this go to theaters? Whatever, Cats is great for its music and dance, so if you love that stuff I'm sure it will be worth enduring a few furry Taylor Swift filled nightmares.
December 25th
1917
Starring: Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth
Platform: Theaters
1917 is a war movie unlike anything you've seen before. The film follows 2 soldier's race across France to save thousands of their comrades from walking into a trap. What makes this movie so special is that the entire thing is filmed to look like one continuous shot, similar to 2015 best picture winner Birdman. Critics are already saying 1917 is a must see, so keep an eye out for this one when award season rolls around.
Little Women
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Timothee Chalamet, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep
Platform: Theaters
Little Women is one of the greatest American novels of all time, telling the story of four young women desperate to succeed in a world that wants them to fail. Usually when Hollywood adapts something this famous fans end up split over the result, but this Little Women adaptation looks too perfect to fail. One reason to be excited is that Little Women brings the dynamic Lady Bird duo of director/writer Greta Gerwing and rising star Saoirse Ronan together once more. Another is the equally stellar supporting cast, including Emma Watson and Meryl Streep, backing them up. With a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes already, Little Women is a must see movie for this holiday season
Just Mercy
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Brie Larson, Jamie Foxx, Tim Blake Nelson
Platform: Theaters
Just Mercy is about a young lawyer named Bryan Stevenson, now world renowned for his work as a civil rights activist, back when he was still making a name for himself. It's the true story of his fight to free Walter McMillan, a black man condemned to Alabama's death row for a crime he clearly didn't commit. With Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx and Brie larson starring, this incredible tale of one man's fight for justice is sure to be the stage for some of the best performances of the year.
December 27th
Clemency
Starring: Alfre Woodard, Wendell Pierce
Platform: Theaters
On the surface Clemency is about a prison warden who is psychologically worn to the bone after years of administering lethal injections to her inmates. However, its really about relationships, finding connections where you would never expect and how we deal with the skeletons in our closet. Alfre Woodard's performance as Warden Bernadine Williams is receiving critical acclaim from far and wide, most agreeing that it is one of, if not the best performance of the year. Going to see this dark and moving movie is the perfect way to end the 2019 year of cinema.
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