The catch-up TV has been exhausted, the Christmas presents are wrapped and ready to go, and your reading list is looking about as attractive as Christmas dinner at McDonalds… So in the remaining days before turkey, tinsel and too-much-alcohol – and the lethargic slump thereafter- what should you do? Cherwell Film&TV is on hand to give you a large pile of popcorn (We can’t actually do that. Logistically impractical. And we don’t have a budget. Sorry.) and point you to the right screen!
December Drama- The Life of Pi
The first film to mention is going to hit your cinemas on 20th December. Life of Pi is set to be an epic in 3D, the product of years of work in adaptation of Yann Martel’s Booker Prize Winning novel to the big screen: directed by Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain) and featuring Suraj Sharma in his debut as the main character Pi Patel.
The story opens with Pi growing up, and the zoo run by his father, who decides to move the family (zoo animals included) to Canada, but disaster strikes, and the ship sinks. The main focus of the film is Pi’s struggle, adrift and alone with a Bengal tiger. To see a great director at work, a quality piece of 3D cinema and some (welcome) sunshine in December, this is one to watch.
Merry Christmas Musi-Comedy- Pitch Perfect and Quartet
Next on your hit-list should be Pitch Perfect, sparkling festively with an all star cast including Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air), Brittany Snow (Hairspray) and Australian stand-up Rebel Wilson (Bridesmaids). Despite its trailer being peturbingly reminiscent of Glee, I am reassured that Gleeks and Gleekophobes alike will enjoy this movie, as it doesn’t seem take itself too seriously, treating the talent-competition genre (see Bring It On, Step Up etc. if you can stomach it.) with irony and self-awareness. Rebel Wilson’s ‘Fat Amy’ (self-named ‘so twig b*tches like you don’t do it behind my back’) looks like the real source of comedy- I’m betting on ‘horizontal running’ being the next global fitness fad. The screenplay is also by Emmy-nominated writer and producer Kay Cannon (30 Rock, New Girl). With such sharp talent both onscreen and off, Pitch Perfect is a good bet for your yuletide laugh!
For those of you having post-Downton-Maggie-Smith withdrawal symptoms. Quartet, out on 1st January, should help to ease the pain: written by Dustin Hoffmann, it’s about a care home thrown into turmoil by the arrival of retired opera singer Jean (played by Dame Maggie herself) who disrupts the home’s annual Verdi concert. This is a something of a celebration of golden-oldies, featuring Michael Gambon, Billy Connolly and Tom Courtenay, but it may be the kind of light-hearted, post-New-Year fare to get you through that early January haze.
Advent Action- Jack Reacher
For the more serious action adventure fans among you, Jack Reacher is out on Boxing Day. This is the latest from Tom Cruise doing what he does best – shooting, driving cars in a reckless manner, and protesting his innocence. This film is likely to be the first of many, based on Lee Child’s ninth Jack Reacher book, One Shot. As well as established talent like Rosamund Pike, Robert Duvall and Richard Jenkins are all in there), the film presents promising breakthrough actors such as Jai Courtney (A Good Day to Die Hard).
The Director is the Christopher McQuarrie, who wrote the screenplay of The Usual Suspects and produced Valkyrie (also with Tom Cruise); he’s also written the screenplay for the new Wolverine movie, so expect to see him around a lot more in the coming months.
While we’re on the subject of adventure- if you haven’t already seen The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, what have you been doing?! Check out Cherwell Film&TV’s Reviews for more info and discussion of this one (that way you might even be able to skip it all together but still partake in the inevitably numerous discussions you’ll be subjected to in coming weeks)!
So stop twiddling your thumbs, turn off E4 (or Comedy Central if you’re die-hard Friends re-run addicts like we are) and get to the cinema- ’tis indeed the season to be cinematic!
