[IMG:L]They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so — from just sizing-up movie stills that caught our eye — here’s the lowdown on December movies at a glance!
Genre: Drama, Music, Biopic
Release Date: December 5
Cast: Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Beyonce Knowles, Gabrielle Union, Mos Def, Columbus Short
Scoop: A tale of sex, violence, race, and rock and roll set in 1950s Chicago that charts The rise and fall of Chess Records, which launched the careers of hard-living music icons Muddy Waters (Wright), Etta James (Knowles) and Chuck Berry (Mos Def). The label’s founder Leonard Chess (Brody) scoured the South, checking out the various blues scenes and selling records from the back of his Cadillac.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Eight ball in the corner pocket. Done! Beyonce has the right idea, following up Dreamgirls with another strong, music-driven December release, reprising a divalicious — and this time — teetering-on-the-edge role, playing Etta James. Our guess: she can turn it out! And with Mos Def, Wright, and Brody, we’ll double the wager.
Snapshot Prediction: 3.5 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Drama
Release Date: December 5
Cast: Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd, Sean Penn, Ray Liotta, Alice Braga
Scoop: A drama following several stories about immigrants of different nationalities struggling to achieve legal status in Los Angeles. Issues they confront explore: document fraud, border politics, the asylum and green card process, work-site enforcement, naturalization, counter terrorism and culture clash.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Who else can rock a shirt with the unnerving “Immigration and Customs Enforcement” emblem, and immediately channel the raw sensation of being ICE’d. Yup, Harrison.
Snapshot Prediction: 3.5 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Period, Biopic, Political, Drama
Release Date: December 5
Cast: Frank Langella, Martin Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Sam Rockwell, Toby Jones, Oliver Platt, Rebecca Hall
Scoop: Summer 1977. A drama charting the televised battle between Richard Nixon (Langella), the disgraced president with a legacy to save, and David Frost (Sheen), a jet-setting TV personality with a name to make, in the untold story of the historic encounter in which the former commander-in-chief agreed to sit for one all-inclusive interview to confront the Watergate scandal that ended his presidency.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: “Don’t even try-y-y-y it!” is clearly what’s on Nixon’s mind, as he shakes the hand of dashing David Frost. The body lingo says it all. These men are about to engage in a fierce tango…of words, wit and Watergate. Stand by.
Snapshot Prediction: 4 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Period, Biopic, Political, Drama
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Liam Cunningham, Stuart Graham
Scoop: Maze Prison in Northern Ireland, 1981. The infamous H-Blocks is where Irish republican prisoners are on the Blanket and No-Wash protest. It is a living hell for both prisoner and prison officer as the H-Block leader, Bobby Sands (Fassbender), pursues various tactics to help his fellow republicans re-establish their political status. In order to create real change, Bobby leads a ‘Hunger Strike’ to protest for special category status for republican prisoners.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Because we already saw the film — and this isn’t a spoiler — we can tell you, that’s not auburn paint adorning the walls behind these starving prisoners in revolt … it’s um, swirled fecal matter. Yes, this harrowing I.R.A. biopic goes there! And if you can stomach the harrowing, eye-popping, excruciating ride, it’s more than worth the painful trip.
Snapshot Prediction: 4.5 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Comedy, Drama, Crime, Thriller
Release Date: December 5
Cast: Bryan Greenberg, Alan Rickman, Shawn Hatosy, Mary Steenburgen, Eliza Dushku, Bill Pullman, Danny Devito
Scoop: Barkley (Greenberg) has hit a big life rut. He’s struggling to finish his PhD thesis when his scientist dad, Eli (Greenberg), wins the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. To make things worse, on the eve of his father receiving the Nobel, he’s kidnapped — and the requested ransom is the two million dollars in Nobel prize money. Much to Barkley’s horror, Eli refuses to pay it and so starts a venomous tale of familial dysfunction, lust, betrayal and ultimately revenge.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Making time to cozy-up, during a kidnapping? We’ll authorize this pending smooch, given that it’s between two interesting upcoming actors (Greenberg and Dushku) who are more about craft than the limelight.
Snapshot Prediction: 3.5 out of 5 flashes
KEEP READING: Punisher: War Zone
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Genre: Crime, Thriller, Drama
Release Date: December 5
Cast: Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Doug Hutchison, Wayne Knight, Julie Benz
Scoop: Again waging his one-man war on the organized crime world, hardcore vigilante-hero Frank Castle (Stevenson) is on a mission to stop ambitious mob boss, Billy Russoti (West). After Russoti is left frightfully disfigured by Castle, he sets out for vengeance under his new alias: Jigsaw. With the FBI unable apprehend Jigsaw and the “Punisher Task Force” hot on his trail, Castle must stand up to the deadly army that Jigsaw has recruited.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: You might also need restraining straps — to stop you from running away — if your midday visitor was a severely disfigured crime boss on a revenge-seeking mission to kill. Even if you’re Jigsaw’s ally, who know what’ll set him off. Yup, thriller fans should dig this.
Snapshot Prediction: 2.5 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Adaptation, Drama, Romance
Release Date: December 10
Cast: Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, Karoline Herfurth, Hannah Herzsprung, David Kross
Scoop: When he falls ill on his way home from school, 15 year-old Michael Berg is rescued by Hanna (Winslet), a woman twice his age. The two begin an unexpected and passionate affair, only for Hanna to suddenly and inexplicably disappear. Eight years later, Michael (Fiennes), now a young law student observing Nazi war trials, meets his former lover again — under very different circumstances — as she is on trial for a hideous crime.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: ‘Doing it’ with a piece half your age is “usually” a tacky sport reserved for wilting dudes in age-denial with a bit of money, power or something the young’un wants … but what about females, when they cross the line? And rougher, when it involves a teen? Yes, Kate‘s Hanna needs to think hard — and she’s that actress to pull it off.
Snapshot Prediction: 4 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Drama
Release Date: December 10
Cast: Michelle Williams, Walter Dalton, Larry Fessenden
Scoop: Wendy (Williams) finds that her life is derailed en route to a potentially lucrative summer job. Her car breaks down, her dog is taken to the pound and her financial situation falls completely apart.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: The beguiling actress Williams consistently subverts the reactions you think she’ll have (see Brokeback Mountain), as well as the “glamour girl” look she could insist upon playing. Her intense stare shows she’ll take this role of being dog’s BFF to piercing heights.
Snapshot Prediction: 4 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Biopic, Political, Period, War
Release Date: December 12
Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Demian Bichir, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Victor Rasuk
Scoop: Che Guevara (Del Toro) and a band of Cuban exiles, led by Fidel Castro, reach the Cuban shore from Mexico in 1956. Within two years they mobilize popular support and an army, and toppled the U.S.-friendly regime of dictator Fulgencio Batista.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Nothing like some attitude to get a needed revolution underway. If there’s an actor who can guide you thru a four-plus hour journey by Steven Soderbergh, look to stone cold Benicio — he’ll take you there, into the asthmatic, war-driven, chaotic, unapologetic fiery tale of the rise and ‘fall’ of Che Guevara.
Snapshot Prediction: 4 out of 5 flashes
KEEP READING: Adam Resurrected
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Genre: Period, War, Drama
Release Date: December 12
Cast: Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe, Derek Jacobi
Scoop: Berlin magician and circus impresario Adam Stein (Goldblum) is an enthralling, enigmatic patient at a remote Israeli rehabilitation outpost for Holocaust survivors. Clairvoyant, the sophisticated lothario, Stein veers from brilliance to eroticism, flashing back to the horrific demoralization he endured under Commandant Klein (Dafoe) at the death camp; but an unusual new patient has magnetic power to break Stein free of his relentless torment.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Now you see it, now you don’t. Even as little kids we know there’s a very ‘dark’ side to circus magic. Might as well bring it to the stage and be open about the undercurrent of evil, as it relates to messy modern times.
Snapshot Prediction: 3.5 out of 5 flashes
KEEP READING: The Day The Earth Stood Still
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The Day The Earth Stood Still (*also in IMAX)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Action Adventure
Release Date: December 12
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm, Jaden Christopher Smith
Scoop: A renowned scientist (Connelly) finds herself face to face with an alien Klaatu (Reeves), who has traveled across the universe to warn of an impending global crisis. She quickly discovers the deadly ramifications of Klaatu’s claim that he is “a friend of the Earth.” Now she must find a way to convince the entity who was sent to destroy us that mankind is worth saving — but it may be too late.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Will it take Jennifer‘s ambitious scientist to finally re-engage Keanu, just enough, in a role that may just be a cute fit. We think Keanu does ‘detached alien’ pretty well, so that enigmatic aura of his will prob’ work out. Could be a juicy, guilty pleasure
Snapshot Prediction: 3 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Animation, Adventure
Release Date: December 12
Cast: Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, Anne Bancroft, Val Kilmer, Louis Gossett Jr., Burt Reynolds, Kelly Ripa
Scoop: Set in a magical world, a fantasy adventure featuring epic battles, devious traitors and bizarre monsters about a divided land, in which a troubled youth and some unlikely friends must save the world from itself.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Is this part 1 of an animated anti-drug PSA? Kids, don’t try this at home … Actually, we take that back. It’s nice to see some quiet moments between two mysterious skinned mutants.
Snapshot Prediction: 3.5 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Adaptation, Drama
Release Date: December 12
Cast: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis, Joseph Foster
Scoop: 1964, St. Nicholas in the Bronx. A charismatic priest, Father Flynn (Hoffman), is loosening the strict customs which have long been fiercely guarded by Sister Aloysius (Streep), the iron-gloved, disciplinarian principal. But when an innocent nun shares her suspicion that Father Flynn is paying too much ‘personal’ attention to Donald, their first black student, Sister Aloysius is determined to unearth the truth and to expunge Flynn from the school, at any cost.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Nuns, clergy and sin, oh my. If Father Flynn thinks he’s gonna slip past a nun with a bonnet like that, he better think again. Can’t wait to see the religious sparks fly between these two Oscar-winning holy rollers.
Snapshot Prediction: 4.5 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Drama
Release Date: December 12
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Brian Haley
Scoop: Walt Kowalski (Eastwood) is a grumpy, tough-minded, borderline-hateful widower who can neither get along with his kids, nor his non-white neighbors. A Korean War veteran whose prize possession is a 1973 Gran Torino, he keeps the care cherry condition, however, when a young Hmong teenager, tries to steal his Gran Torino, Kowalski sets out to reform the youth and soon ends up confronting the gangs that cripple his neighborhood.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Basically, let’s face it — Clint always delivers; so even if there’s not much going on in this one image, save a humorless, subtle Archie Bunker snarl and a random neighbor, we’ll know there’ll be something piercing to connect with, before the credits roll.
Snapshot Prediction: 3.5 out of 5 flashes
KEEP READING: Nothing Like the Holidays
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Genre: Comedy, Drama
Release Date: December 12
Cast: John Leguizamo, Freddy Rodriguez, Debra Messing, Jay Hernandez, Melonie Diaz, Alfred Molina
Scoop: It’s Christmas time and the far-flung members of the Rodriguez family are converging at their parents’ home in Chicago to celebrate the season and rejoice in their youngest brother’s safe return from combat overseas. In the course of one eventful week, traditions will be celebrated, secrets revealed and major life decisions made. It all begins when their mother, Anna, announces to her children that she is leaving their father Eduardo.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Yes, admit to it. They’re exactly where you all want to escape to on family holidays — outside anywhere, but, of course, huddling with your favorite family peeps. The Rodriguez’s got it right; self-imposed ‘time-outs’ are key for a smooth night.
Snapshot Prediction: 3 out of 5 flashes
KEEP READING: What Doesn’t Kill You
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Genre: Adaptation, Drama
Release Date: December 12
Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Ethan Hawke, Amanda Peet
Scoop: Friends Brian (Ruffalo) and Paulie (Hawke) grew up like brothers on the gritty streets of south Boston. They do whatever it takes to survive, living by the code of their dog-eat-dog neighborhood; and soon fall under sway to organized crime boss Pat Kelly. Brian becomes increasingly lost in a haze of drugs, as Paulie plans “one last heist” — but knows it will take both of them to pull it off. How can they escape the only life they know?
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Something about Hawke looks a bit too organic as a jailbird. Perhaps that’s why Ruffalo seems a bit anxious. Well, we know these dudes can get a more than a little grimy, so we advise you cozy up with these inmates if you want a little Bostonian true grit this season.
Snapshot Prediction: 3.5 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime, Romance
Release Date: December 19
Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Adrien Brody, Rinko Kikuchi, Rachel Weisz
Scoop: Stephen (Ruffalo) and Bloom (Brody), along with their silent partner and sidekick Bang-Bang (Kikuchi) team up for one last job, conning beautiful heiress Penelope (Weisz) by taking her on a tour of the world — and relieving her of $2.5 million. On the way, Bloom falls for Penelope, complicating the con.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: There’s a little bit of a Euro-glam, Three Stooges effect going on here — and at quick glance it’s hard to tell if this action flick is gonna deliver. They don’t look too sure. Anyway, we’ll hop onboard, if just to see a few of Rinko‘s criminally fashionable get-ups.
Snapshot Prediction: 2.5 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Drama, Thriller
Release Date: December 19
Cast: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Michael Ealy, Robinne Lee
Scoop: An IRS agent (Smith) with a fateful secret embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Yup, that was us on the other line. We called Will Smith to find out what the big secret was all about. But, he ultimately blew us off. I guess you’ll just have to go and see for yourselves…
Snapshot Prediction: 3.5 out of 5 flashes
KEEP READING: The Tale of Despereaux
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Genre: Animation, Family
Release Date: December 19
Cast: Voices of: Matthew Broderick, Tracey Ullman, Ben Falcone, Emma Watson, Tony Hale
Scoop: The tale of three unlikely heroes — a misfit mouse who prefers reading books to eating them, an unhappy rat who schemes to leave the darkness of the dungeon, and a bumbling servant girl with cauliflower ears — whose fates are intertwined with that of the castle’s princess.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Whether it be about appreciating cheese that the less fortunate don’t have, or minding one’s own business, sooner or later, we all deserve being lectured at one point — even the heroic Despereaux.
Snapshot Prediction: 3.5 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Action, Drama, Dark Comedy
Release Date: December 19
Cast: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Judah Friedlander
Scoop: When a brush with mortality relegates Randy “The Ram” Robinson (Rourke)–a pro-wrestler past his prime–to working in a supermarket, he tries to settle down and reconnect with his daughter (Wood) and stripper girlfriend (Tomei), but the draw of roaring crowds and a chance to rematch his nemesis become far too tempting.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: You’re killing us! With chest length hair, a chiseled body and a pugilist’s face, Rourke goes above and beyond as ‘The Ram’, taking it to a whole new level, in Pi director’s Darren Aronofsky‘s latest. Back and better than ever, Rourke is clearly not down for the count; so get over it! It’s all about a comeback!
Snapshot Prediction: 4.5 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Comedy
Release Date: December 19
Cast: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, Sasha Alexander, Karen Bankhead
Scoop: Carl Allen (Carrey) has been avoiding life and staying home way too much. However, when he signs up for a self-help program, he is challenged to say “yes” to everything that comes his way in his life for one whole year. This transforms his life in amazing and unexpected ways, but he soon discovers that opening up his life to endless possibilities can have its drawbacks.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Ughhh, self-help programs are always so in-your-face, they make you want to just say no. Anyway, might as well go all the way with making new, positive life affirmations. It’s an baaaaaaaaad world out there.
Snapshot Prediction: 2.5 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Release Date: December 25
Cast: Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, Courteney Cox Arquette, Keri Russell, Teresa Palmer, Guy Pearce, Lucy Lawless
Scoop: The bedtime stories that hotel handyman Skeeter Bronson (Sandler) tells his niece and nephew start to mysteriously come true. He attempts to take advantage of the phenomenon, incorporating his own aspirations into one outlandish tale after another.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: It’s raining cats and dogs, yeah, we’ve lived it. It’s raining men, yup, we can handle it. It’s raining frogs, right, Paul Thomas Anderson already did it. But, it’s raining gumballs? Well, this pic might be heavy on corny-whimsy, but Sandler can handle that downpour.
Snapshot Prediction: 3 out of 5 flashes
KEEP READING: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Genre: Adaptation, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Release Date: December 25
Cast: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Kimberly Scott, Jason Flemyng, Taraji P. Henson
Scoop: Benjamin Button (Pitt) is a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards. Like all men, he is unable to stop time and he goes through life, backward, experiencing the joys of life and the sadness of death.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: The fact that this is a shot of Brad Pitt as Mr. Button, all aged-up yet a kid, with his kvelling black mom (Henson) rooting for him — well, we are soooo there to see how it plays out!
Snapshot Prediction: 4.5 out of 5 flashes
KEEP READING: Last Chance Harvey
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Genre: Romance, Drama
Release Date: December 25
Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Kathy Baker, James Brolin, Eileen Atkins
Scoop: Harvey Shine (Hoffman) loses his job over the phone while traveling in London. Drowning his sorrows at the airport bar, Harvey strikes up a conversation with Kate (Thompson), a slightly prickly, 40-something employee of the Office of National Statistics — who happens to warm up to him.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Can you handle an adult romance? Well we say give it a shot. When has Dustin or Emma last let you down? Even in this bar, you can see some curious energy brewing.
Snapshot Prediction: 4 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Adaptation, Comedy, Drama
Release Date: December 25
Cast: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Alan Arkin, Eric Dane, Haley Bennett
Scoop: John Grogan (Wilson), a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, moves to Miami with his wife Jenny (Aniston) for a newspaper job. The couple adopts Marley, a yellow Labrador retriever, in order to give them a taste of parenthood, but the dog proves to be a hyperactive handful.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Frosty shouldn’t get the guillotine this month. But maybe Marley’s trying to save him from doing any more scenes, in what looks like could be another schmaltzy holiday pleaser. The verdict is out on this one.
Snapshot Prediction: 2.5 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Adaptation, Drama, Foreign, Thriller
Release Date: December
Cast: Samuel L Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendes, Sarah Paulson, Jamie King, Paz Vega
Scoop: A detective (Gabriel Macht) prevents an attempt to release a substance that will leave the citizens of Central City in suspended animation. He is exposed to the goo, which gives him the ability to withstand any beating which may come from Octopus (Jackson). He battles crime and a slew of femme fatales.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: And the eyes have it! Between Samuel‘s sea moss eye shadow, and Scarlett‘s Germanic art librarian eye gear, we smell the pleasant, candied aroma of guilty pleasure seeping out of this oven. It may not be a critical success, but it may have a few of us kidz running to the theater.
Snapshot Prediction: 3 out of 5 flashes
KEEP READING: Waltz with Bashir
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Genre: Documentary, Animation, War
Release Date: December 25
Cast: Ron Ben-Yishai, Ronny Dayag
Scoop: Documents the filmmaker’s journey toward discovering the truth about an Israeli Army mission he participated in during the first Lebanon War of the early 1980s that left him with a loss of memory about the events. The long-forgotten images begin to resurface as the director interviews old friends and comrades around the world.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: This is a doc? Oh yes, they come in many shapes and forms nowadays — and this one comes with much Oscar buzz. Well, by the look of the electric, war-blazed sky, dotted by malaised, armed soldiers — bet this will be a complicated journey.
Snapshot Prediction: 4 out of 5 flashes
KEEP READING: Revolutionary Road
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Genre: Drama, Adaptation
Release Date: December 26
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates, David Harbour, Michael Shannon
Scoop: A young married couple — Frank (DiCaprio) and Emma (Winslet) — tries to find fulfillment in an age of conformity. Trapped in a world of encoded convention, they dream without faith, as lies and self-deceptions build to explosive consequences.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Their first onscreen, notorious high seas smooch 11 years ago made cinematic history, on the doomed ocean liner. Switching from the ocean to the land, the impact won’t ever be quite the same … but many of us will still run to see if that romantic vibe, a decade later, still makes us swoon.
Snapshot Prediction: 4 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Thriller, Drama, Action, Adventure
Release Date: December 26
Cast: Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Carice Van Houten, Thomas Kretschmann, Eddie Izzard, Terence Stamp, David Bamber
Scoop: During World War II, German Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Cruise) joins the German Resistance and becomes part of the July 20 plot, a conspiracy to assassinate Hitler (Bamber) and take control of the country and make peace with the Allies. Stauffenberg finds himself taking on not only the responsibility of leading the coup, but also the task to assassinate Hitler himself.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Should I have starred in this S.S.-based epic? Is it gonna be cuddly or escapist enough for the holidays? What’s going thru that inner, complicated mind of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg?
Snapshot Prediction: 3 out of 5 flashes
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Defiance
Genre: Adaptation, Action, Adventure, Drama, War
Release Date: December 26
Cast: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, George MacKay
Scoop: Based on a true story, during World War II, four Jewish brothers (Craig, Schreiber, Bell, MacKay) escape their Nazi-occupied homeland of West Belarus in Poland and join the Soviet partisans to combat the Nazis. They build a village in a forest and save some 1,200 Jews and other fugitives.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: We guess the requirement in this family is that the brothers are not only hunky, but they can act — as we know Craig and Schreiber can do. Hello! It’s about time we get to see a cross-over Holocaust pic with Jewish rebels saving themselves, rather than always giving credit to their benevolent sympathizing ‘saviors’.
Snapshot Prediction: 4 out of 5 flashes
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Genre: Adaptation, Period, War, Drama
Release Date: December 31
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Jason Isaacs
Scoop: John Halder (Mortensen), a good-natured German literature professor in the 1930s, writes a novel advocating compassionate euthanasia. When the book is unexpectedly enlisted by powerful political S.S. officers, Halder finds his career rising in an optimistic current of nationalism and prosperity, while his seemingly inconsequential decisions jeopardize the people in his life, with devastating effects.
If a Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, We Say: Yikes, it’s Third Reich overload this month! Another WWII film diving into to the scarily corrupt and disturbingly glamorous behind-the-scenes world of S.S. officers. Icy yet vulnerable Viggo is picture perfect for casting a “good” baddie.
Snapshot Prediction: 3.5 out of 5 flashes
