Brooke Horan Williams judges what’s hot and what’s not this holiday season.
It’s the holiday season, and you know what that means: a veritable ton of movies being released in theaters, including some big-name sequels we’ve all been waiting for. It can be rough going figuring out which ones will be worth your time and preciously-earned ticket money, so Brooke Horan Williams is taking a look at which movies have the potential to be future classics, and which ones will be almost guaranteed box office bombs.
Probably the biggest release on everyone’s mind this holiday season is Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. This movie will finish out the newest trilogy created under the leadership of new owners Disney, and complete the legendary storyline that began all the way back in 1977 with Star Wars: A New Hope. While there will always be critics of the series—ironically enough, some of the largest and most outspoken critics being the self-professed biggest fans—Brooke Horan Williams believes this latest and final chapter directed by J.J. Abrams is sure to be an entertaining, and hopefully satisfying, end to the series.
Another surefire hit that’s already receiving amazing reviews from critics at pre-release screenings, Brooke Horan Williams urges us to keep our eyes out for Uncut Gems. The Safdie Brothers film releases this Christmas day and stars Adam Sandler in a rare, unexpected dramatic role as a criminal, charismatic New York City jeweler. While Adam Sandler is obviously more well-known for his comedic roles and lowbrow style of humor, the general consensus among reputable critics appears to be that this movie has the potential to be a watershed moment in Adam Sandler’s career, changing the way audiences perceive him and his acting ability.
If you’ve got young children, or just enjoy nice, clean, inoffensive humor, Brooke Horan Williams suggests checking out Spies in Disguise, also releasing on Christmas day. Starring Will Smith, Tom Holland, Rashida Jones, Reba McIntire, among other big names, the cast is definitely impressive and star-studded. Brooke Horan Williams points out the animated feature is evocative of Pixar films, while retaining its own unique style. As the directorial debut of both Troy Quane and Nick Bruno, it’s still too early to tell whether or not it will be a hit or a flop, although early reviews from critics are definitely promising.
When it comes to movies to avoid, Brooke Horan Williams can’t recommend getting excited for the new Dr. Dolittle. The most recent adaptation of the classic story dating back to the 1920s, this version stars Robert Downey Jr. fresh off his tenure as Iron Man in the popular Marvel series The Avengers. Brooke Horan Williams wants to be excited about this movie—after all, it’s a classic character played by a fantastic actor—however, everything about it just seems stale rather than nostalgic. The very thought of CGI talking animals just seems exhausting in Brooke Horan Williams’ opinion, especially after the dismal Lion King remake, and it seems like they’re not doing much to spice it up. Add to the fact that it’s been written and directed by Stephen Gaghan, who was once responsible for the truly awful I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, and Brooke Horan Williams’ hopes are not high for this outing.
These are just a few of the many releases in the coming weeks, so if nothing here has piqued your interest, don’t fret—you’ll be sure to find something that’s up your alley if you do a little digging.
