Hollywood heavy hitters, including Daddy's Home and Joy, lead the films entering theaters this Christmas holiday. The options this week include dramatic and action packed Oscar hopefuls, an extreme remake of a popular '90s film as well a family comedy from Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.
A stepdad and a biological father battle it out in Daddy's Home. A kind-hearted man, trying to be the best dad for his wife’s children, is put to the test when their rebellious biological dad comes into town vying for their affection. Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg star in the PG-13 comedy alongside Linda Cardellini, Thomas Haden Church and Hannibal Buress. The family film plays for one hour and 36 minutes.
A young woman strives to make something for herself in Joy. She turns an idea into an invention and then a thriving business. Along the way, she faces many struggles from business associates as well as from those closest to her. Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Edgar Ramirez, Diane Ladd, Virginia Madsen, Isabella Rossellini and Bradley Cooper star in the comedic drama. The two-hour and four-minute film is rated PG-13.
An FBI agent tries to uncover a crime ring among extreme athletes in Point Break. The thrill-seeking criminals use unconventional methods to score big in corporate heists. The PG-13 adventure is inspired by the 1991 Patrick Swayze & Keanu Reeves film of the same name. The one-hour and 53-minute adrenaline rush is available in conventional and 3D theaters.
An immigrant forensic neuropathologist makes a discovery that threatens the game of football in Concussion. Dr. Bennet Omalu finds a connection between the sport and CTE, serious brain trauma plagued by some of its players. His outspokenness about the disease clashes with the NFL who goes to extremes to quiet him down. The two-hour and three-minute drama is based on a true story. The PG-13 film stars Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Luke Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Arliss Howard, Paul Reiser, David Morse and Albert Brooks.
An explorer is mauled by a bear and abandoned by his hunting team in The Revenant. Braving a harsh winter, he travels through the wilderness, struggling to survive, with revenge on his mind. Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy star in the Alejandro González Iñárritu action film, inspired by real events. The adventure thriller runs 156 minutes. It’s rated R for violence, sex, language and nudity.
Quentin Tarantino’s latest film, The Hateful Eight, is set almost a decade after the Civil War. As a blizzard threatens four men, a bounty hunter, fugitive, former Union soldier and a Sheriff, from getting to the town of Red Rock, they make a stop at a haberdashery to wait out the storm. At their stopover, they come in contact with the town’s hangman, a cowboy and a Confederate General. Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kurt Russell, Bruce Dern, and Channing Tatum star in the two-hour and 47-minute Western. It’s rated R for violence, sex, language and nudity. The action film is currently in limited release but expands to more theaters across the country on Jan. 1.
With the holiday box office race now underway, next week’s new release hopes to take advantage of the kids being home from school. A comedic animated film mixing magic and foosball enters conventional and 3D theaters. Also, coming to IMAX theaters on Dec. 31 is a follow-up to 2000’s Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
Become a fan of the Trailer Park on Facebook.