At the Movies This Christmas

As the holiday season gets into full swing it looks as if there will be a large selection of films hitting the theaters. From the force awakening to the return of Charlie Brown and his pals, there is a wide range of films for all the family out this December and January which will appeal to cinema goers everywhere. The following films will say both farewell to 2015 an hello to 2016 as we make the transition into the new year. So sit back and relax by the fire as I take you through what's in store this Christmas.

Christmas With The Coopers

The obligatory festive family comedy with an all star ensemble cast, it seems like we get one of these every year. This year we see the all star cast including the likes of John Goodman, Diane Keaton and Alan Arkin unite for this light-hearted family comedy about a family coming together for their annual Christmas celebration. Although the film has received generally negative reviews, it's talented cast has been praised and it looks like something that will be sure to get you into the Christmas mood (that's if the Coca-Cola and Marks & Spencer's ads haven't done that already). Christmas With The Coopers is in cinemas now.

Krampus

In 2007 writer/director Michael Dougherty brought us the frightful dark comedy Trick 'r Treat and now he's back with his festive horror comedy Krampus. The film follows a family getting together for the holidays but due to their fighting and lack of Christmas spirit, they accidentally summon the demonic Krampus who sets out to punish them. Krampus is a figure from folklore known for being Santa's essential opposite or 'the anit-clause' who punishes naughty children on Christmas. If Trick 'r Treat is anything to go by then Krampus will be a unique blend of comedy and terror that will have you both laughing and hiding behind your wrapping paper. With a cast including Parks and Recreations star Adam Scott and Golden Globe winner Toni Collette, Krampus is looking out to be a cult classic. It is in cinemas now.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 

Undoubtedly the most anticipated film of the year, The Force Awakens is only less than two weeks away and has people all around the world, including myself, hyped for the return to the galaxy far far away. Taking place after the original trilogy it sees the return of familiar faces such as Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford along with newcomers Daisy Ridley and John Boyega in the long awaited follow up Return of the Jedi. It looks as though there is a new evil in the galaxy in the form of the First Order commanded by the very Vader-esque Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). There is little known about the plot although fans everywhere have fabricated their own theories as to what will happen in the new installment, one thing we know for certain is that Jar Jar Binks will not be present. You won't have to wait much longer as The Force Awakens will hit cinemas on December 17th.

The Peanuts Movie 

Snoopy and the gang return as Charles Schulz' beloved Peanuts franchise finally makes it to the big screen. The film will follow Charlie Brown (Noah Schnapp) as he tries to win the affections of the Little Red-Haired Girl (Francesca Angelucci Capaldi) while his dog Snoopy writes a book about the Flying Ace. It will see the return of Charlie brown's friends too along with Snoopy and his bird friend Woodstock. Fans of the Peanuts franchise have no need to worry as the film is written by both Craig and Bryan Schulz, the respective son and grandson of Charles Schulz so it looks as though it will remain faithful to the original cartoons. The Peanuts Movie is out December 22nd.

In The Heart Of The Sea

Director Ron Howard brings us the adaptation of Nathan Philbrick's novel of the same name about the true story that inspired the iconic Moby Dick. The film follows the unfortunate crew of the whaling ship Essex and their experiences after being left shipwrecked by a large sperm whale. It will be interesting seeing how these events inspired Herman Melville's iconic novel (Ben Whishaw portrays Melville himself in the film) in a more realistic tone and judging by the events depicted in Philbrick's novel it will get gritty. The films cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy and the soon to be Spider-Man, Tom Holland and will sail into theaters on December 26th.

Joy 

Director David O. Russell returns with frequent collaborators Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro in this biopic about Joy Mangano, the inventor of the miracle mop, over four generations. The film will see Lawrence as Mangano in her third collaboration with Russell after the successes of Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle. It will be interesting to see her portrayal of the character over the years but Lawrence has proved that her talents are beyond capable of taking on the role and along with her strong co-stars it looks as if Joy will be just as successful as Russell's previous films. Joy is in theaters on New Years Day.

The Hateful Eight

The ninth film from controversial director Quentin Tarantino that almost didn't happen after that infamous leaked script. In 2012 Tarantino proved he could do westerns with Django Unchained and now he brings us another one which is looking out to be just as violent and clever as his previous works. The film sees an ensemble cast of frequent Tarantino collaborators such as Tim Roth, Michael Madsen and Samuel L Jackson and will follow the deception and betrayal among eight individuals who take shelter together during a blizzard. As a massive Tarantino fan I cannot wait for this and the fact that it will be scored by none other than Ennio Moricone himself gives all the more reason for excitement. The Hateful Eight will be released on January 8th.

The Revenant 

Okay so this one's a bit of a push considering it will be out when a lot of people will be finished their Christmas holiday's but it's looking like one of the most anticipated film of the next few months so it's on the list anyways. The film is inspired by the life of Hugh Glass (portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in this film), a frontiersman who is left for dead by his colleagues and is forced to survive the harsh wilderness alone. After the success of his film Birdman last year, it seemed as though it would be hard for Alejandro Gonzalez Inárritu to top that, but The Revenant looks as if it will do just that and many believe it will get DiCaprio his much deserved Oscar. The film also stars Tom Hardy and Will Poulter and will be released on January 11th.

It looks as though there will be plenty to keep us occupied when it's too cold to go outside this Christmas as there will be plenty in store in cinemas for all ages. Personally I'm dying for The Force Awakens and The Hateful Eight and have been waiting in anticipation for them both for over a year now. So whether you like sci-fi, snoopy or festive family comedy, there will be something for everyone in theaters this holiday season. Until next time!