Wrap Up: What I Was Watching In December 2019
There are an insane amount of movies that came out in December for award season. Normally, I let quite a few slip through the cracks but with the Regal subscription, it’d be silly to let that happen! I’ll still be catching up through January but man, for the first time since I started this blog, I think I’ve seen more movies in a theater than on my couch. There’s just so many to see!
21 Bridges
In theaters
Personally, this may have been one of the biggest cinema disappointments for me. It worked well enough as a solid action movie, but the plot itself fell a bit short - and it felt like it needed to be way shorter than it was. The acting was fine, but after a while, i just wanted the story to end.
The Verdict: 2.5/5
Harriet
In theaters
I went into this only knowing the bare basics I’d learned about the Underground Railroad in middle school. And I was beyond pleasantly surprised by what I learned about this period of history - and this incredible woman. The portrayal was fascinating and made me want to find out just how accurate this movie was.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
Netflix
I’m gonna preface this by saying how much I adore Keira Knightley. This might be the worst thing I’ve seen her in. The movie itself was interesting but all I could focus on was her absolutely horrible high-pitched, breathy voice. Cinematically, it is quite stunning and I actually did regret not getting to see it on the big screen.
The Verdict: 2.5/5
Candy Jar
Netflix
My standard for Netflix rom-coms is a bit high based on some of the truly wonderful ones that have come out in the past year or so. This one did not land for me. It was definitely worth the time and was enjoyable enough but, unlike most of the others, I did not feel the need to recommend it to others.
The Verdict: 2.5/5
A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby
Netflix
Okay, you don’t watch these because you have a standard. You watch these because they’re somehow so bad they’re good. Ish. This series has gotten increasingly mediocre since the first, and there are other holiday films on the streaming service that I’d turn to over this one.
The Verdict: 2/5
A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish
Netflix
Okay, this is not one of those alternate films. Warning number one: this movie is a musical. Warning number two: it is not a good musical. The cast is charming, but this is basically the holiday spinoff of a sequel to a sequel or something of the like. And this was the first movie of the month I truly felt like was a waste of time.
The Verdict: 1.5/5
Star Wars IX: The Rise of Skywalker
In theaters
I didn’t feel qualified to write a review of this one as I’m not the world’s biggest Star Wars fan, but I thought it was so fun to watch. Certain plot elements made me furrow my brow and I know it is pretty polarizing across the internet - but see it for yourself before you pick a side, for sure.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
Parasite
In theaters
I was hearing buzz about this movie for more than a month before I finally decided I had to see it. It is a Korean film, so there are subtitles, but this is one of the first times I’ve ever thought a movie lived up to the hype. There’s drama, horror, comedy, suspense, everything, and every element is played out perfectly.
The Verdict: 4.5/5
Bombshell
In theaters
I’d been looking forward to this movie ever since the pictures of Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly came out and I was not disappointed. I learned more about the Fox News scandal, saw events from a new perspective and was hooked for every moment the movie was on the screen.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
Dark Waters
In theaters
Since the first preview, I’d been calling this Mark Ruffalo’s Erin Brockovich. And I don’t think I was wrong. That’s not a bad thing, either. Award season is full of ‘based on a true story’ films that can open your eyes to parts of history - recent or otherwise - that you may not have known, and this definitely did that for me.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
Uncut Gems
In theaters
I absolutely had to see the film that was putting together the phrase “Oscar hopeful” with “Adam Sandler.” And while I agree his performance is unlike any I’ve seen from him before, I feel like it’s been a bit overhyped. It also felt a little too long for me for the story it ended up telling. But I’ll be curious to see how it goes come award season.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
I still have a handful of movies on my to-see list in theaters that I hope to get to in January. What is on your list that you want to see?