Take Me to the Movies: uCribs’ 2017 Holiday Movie Guide

By Kait Spong

When the holidays finally start rolling around, many things may come to mind: gifts, parties, hot toddies, gingerbread houses, potato latkes, honey glazed ham, TV specials, ugly sweaters, fresh pine wreaths, houses decked out in lights, eggnog…the list is seemingly endless. But there’s one universal way to celebrate the unique magic of this time of year, and that’s a trip to the movies.

A plethora of blockbusters, critically-acclaimed indie favorites, children’s flicks, and buzzworthy Oscar contenders are often released during the holiday season when the industry knows that people will be snuggling up beside their friends, family members, and significant others. So, enjoy the warmth of the theater, the comfort of the seats, and the buttery popcorn as uCribs presents its first (and from this point on, annual!) Holiday Movie Guide.

The Disaster Artist (Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, and Seth Rogen)

Maybe we’re a bit biased being a New Orleans-based company, but something about The Disaster Artist just speaks to us. It could be the fact that the film’s protagonist, Tommy Wiseau (James Franco) is a New Orleans-native whose entire family lives in Chalmette, Louisiana (or so he claims), or his Hollywood aspirations resonate so profoundly with the Southern film industry, or maybe it’s his quirky spirit that is so naturally inherent of the city. Whatever it is, it makes for a stellar biopic where James Franco is said to give the best performance of his career.

The Disaster Artist follows the antics of eccentric aspiring actor and filmmaker, Wiseau, who in 2003 released The Room, a film he produced and directed, which is described by film critics as “one of the worst movies ever made.” His film blew up on the cult movie scene and regularly circulates late-night indie theater showings, making Wiseau a celebrity in his own right. Franco took that idea and ran with it—creating a bizarre tale that holds a generous helping of out-loud laughs as well as a healthy amount of self-evaluation for a media-crazed world.

Coco (Starring: Anthony Gonzales, Gael García Bernal, and Benjamin Bratt)

From the creators of Toy Story and Finding Dory, Coco is Pixar’s newest animated film, making an obligatory holiday debut in movie theaters. One look at the trailer and you’ll be entranced by the stunning array of bright colors and vivid characters. It’s always refreshing to see Disney continue to push the lines of visual representation, and Coco displays Mexican culture in a beautiful and refreshing way that has not often been seen on the big screen.

Coco tells the story of a 12-year old boy and aspiring musician named Miguel Rivera, who is accidentally transported to the Land of the Dead where he seeks the help of his great-great-grandfather to return him to his family among the living. It’s been described as a “multi-layered coming-of-age drama” that carries strong messages of family, tradition, and cultural pride.

The Post (Starring: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Allison Brie, and Bob Odenkirk)

Directed by Stephen Spielberg with music composed by John Williams and big-name stars such as Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, The Post presents itself as the pinnacle of American filmmaking. It’s just destined to be good. Although there have been skeptics that claim that “The Washington Post already had its Watergate movie,” Spielberg, Streep, and Hanks’ collaborative project is definitely worth the ticket price.

The Post is a thrilling drama, telling the story of an unlikely partnership between Katharine Graham (Streep), the first female publisher of an American newspaper, and editor Ben Bradlee (Hanks). The two race against the clock (in dramatic Hollywood fashion) to be the first to release a massive expose detailing a cover-up of government secrets that spanned not only three decades, but also through four U.S. presidents. It features an ensemble cast of insurmountable talent with names such as Sarah Paulson, Jesse Plemons, David Cross, and Bradley Whitford.

The Greatest Showman (Starring: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, and Zendaya)

From his stunning Tony Award-winning performance in The Boy from Oz to his role in the 2012 film adaptation of Les Misérables, Hugh Jackman has been known to take on a musical or two–his four-time sprint as host on the Tony Awards even earned him an Emmy Award. So it should come as no surprise that he tackles the lead role in The Greatest Showman, described as the best musical film to be released since the 2016 Oscar darling, La La Land.

The Greatest Showman is a biopic that delves into the life of P.T. Barnum (Jackman), who you may recall as the founder of the world-renowned Barnum & Bailey Circus. Very little has been released regarding the plot of the film, but we know this much: it will be a wonderful musical tribute to the birth of the entertainment industry, starring actors and actresses with impressive musical chops including Zac Efron and Zendaya.

Lady Bird (Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, and Tracy Letts)

With a seemingly immovable rating of 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, Lady Bird has received more than its fair share of positive press over the past month since its November 3rd release. Written and directed by indie-movie titan Greta Gerwig, this modern coming-of-age story reflects upon the relationship between high school senior Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Ronan) and her mother, Marion McPherson (Metcalf), a hard-working nurse trying to support her family after her husband (Letts) is let go from his job.

Set in the way-back-when era of 2002—the golden age of 2nd generation iPods, Nokia cell phones, and streaky hair highlights—Gerwig’s film takes place during a transformational period of American history when technology began to hit more mainstream markets. But Gerwig never allows Lady Bird to feel dated, offering a fresh view of the growing-up motif that has been told so many times from a male perspective.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Starring: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, and Sam Rockwell)

When mentioning the title of this film to a friend the other day, they actually circled back with the question, “Wait, that’s the actual title of the movie?” Yes, it may be a little dull or drab, but Three Billboard Outside Ebbing, Missouri is anything but. Instead, it’s an exciting mishmash of dark comedy and crime drama with some of Hollywood’s biggest indie hard-hitters including Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, and Sam Rockwell—who has been receiving an impressive amount of Oscar buzz for his role in the film.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri tells the story of frantic mother Mildred Hayes (McDormand) who is determined to find the culprit in her daughter’s murder case. With months of inaction, Mildred takes matters into her own hands by painting three prominent billboards with controversial messages directed at beloved police chief, William Willoughby (Harrelson). And once second-in-command, Officer Dixon (Rockwell), an immature and overtly-masculine mama’s boy with a penchant for violence, becomes involved in the matter, the feud between mother and police chief is further exacerbated. Directed by Martin McDonagh (In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths), this unique dramedy packs a punch that will surpass any spiked eggnog.

All the Money in the World (Starring: Christopher Plummer, Mark Wahlburg, and Michelle Williams)

If Ridley Scott’s determination to make this film doesn’t impress you—he ousted Kevin Spacey from the lead in this film amidst sexual abuse allegations, reshot all the scenes he appeared in, and will still release it pretty much on schedule—then maybe it’s impressive cast, engulfing narrative, and action-packed scenes will.

All the Money in the World explores the true story of the oil tycoon, book collector, and billionaire, Sir John Paul Getty, Jr (Christopher Plummer). Although Getty was a so-called British philanthropist, donating billions to various artistic and cultural causes, he could not be bothered with paying the ransom for his kidnapped grandson, John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer) when he was taken on July 10, 1973 at the vulnerable age of sixteen. Through all this, young John’s mother, Gail (Williams) attempts to sway her father-in-law to pay the ransom as her son’s captors become increasingly volatile and violent. When he refuses, she partners with Getty’s business manager, former CIA operative, Fletcher Chase (Wahlberg) and attempts to save her son’s life on her own terms, and through it all, reveals the universal truth that love will always overpower money.

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