Holiday Movie Calendar 2021

Hardertheyfall

Starring: Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield

Directed By: Jeymes Samuel

Chloé Zhao follows up her Best Picture-winning Nomadland with an entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, centering on the titular race of superpowered beings who come out of hiding to defend Earth against an ancient enemy.

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Kit Harington, Gemma Chan

Directed By: Chloé Zhao

Pablo Larrain (Jackie) returns to biographical drama with this look at life of Princess Diana during a holiday celebration with the royal family, with Kristen Stewart in the lead role.

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Sally Hawkins, Timothy Spall, Sean Harris

Directed By: Pablo Larraín

finchfinch

Starring: Tom Hanks, Caleb Landry Jones

Directed By: Miguel Sapochnik

electirclalifeofolouswin

Starring: Sophia Di Martino, Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy, Andrea Riseborough

Directed By: Will Sharpe

This live-action adaptation of the popular children’s book series finally arrives in theaters, charting the friendship between a young girl named Emily and her abnormally large red dog. Also streaming on Paramount+.

Starring: Darby Camp, Jack Whitehall, Tony Hale, Izaac Wang

Directed By: Walt Becker

passingpassing

Starring: Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, André Holland, Alexander Skarsgård

Directed By: Rebecca Hall

Writer-director Kenneth Branagh delivers a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age film about the life of a boy from a working-class family in Northern Ireland.

Starring: Caitriona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds

Directed By: Kenneth Branagh

The power trio of Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot star in this globe-trotting action caper about an FBI agent who is forced to team up with one art thief to catch another. Also available to stream on Netflix on 11/12.

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot, Ritu Arya

Directed By: Rawson Marshall Thurber

More than 35 years after his father struck supernatural comedy gold with Ghostbusters, Jason Reitman follows up with a sequel that follows up with new characters with ties to the past who face off against a familiar threat.

Starring: Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Paul Rudd

Directed By: Jason Reitman

Joaquin Phoenix stars in writer-director Mike Mills’ (Beginners) drama about a radio journalist who bonds with his nephew when they are forced to take an unexpected cross-country road trip together.

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman, Scoot McNairy

Directed By: Mike Mills

Will Smith takes center court in this biographical drama of Richard Williams, the father and coach of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams. Also streaming on HBO Max.

Starring: Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Saniyya Sidney

Directed By: Reinaldo Marcus Green

The Resident Evil franchise gets a fresh start with an origin story that reintroduces fans to the small town where the secret experiments of a mysterious corporation lead to terrifying consequences for an unlucky few.

Starring: Kaya Scodelario, Hannah John-Kamen, Robbie Amell, Tom Hopper

Directed By: Johannes Roberts

Disney’s latest animated adventure takes viewers to Colombia, where a magically gifted family comes under threat and the lone daughter without any powers may be their only hope for salvation.

Starring: Stephanie Beatriz, María Cecilia Botero, Diane Guerrero, Angie Cepeda

Directed By: Jared Bush, Byron Howard

Based on the novel of the same name, this period Western from Jane Campion follows two Montana brothers who turn against each other when a widow and her son enter their lives. Also streaming on Netflix on 12/1.

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee

Directed By: Jane Campion

Keira Knightley and Matthew Goode headline an ensemble cast in this dramatic comedy about a group of friends who gather to celebrate Christmas despite the fact that mankind faces an imminent apocalypse.

Starring: Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Roman Griffin Davis, Annabelle Wallis

Directed By: Camille Griffin

Sean Baker’s latest centers on a down-on-his-luck porn star who returns his Texas hometown in search of redemption and finds it more difficult to earn than he anticipated.

Starring: Simon Rex, Suzanna Son, Bree Elrod, Brenda Deiss

Directed By: Sean Baker

Provocative writer-director Paul Verhoeven chooses real life for his latest film, a biographical drama about 17th century nun Benedetta Carlini, who joined a convent and began a lesbian affair with another nun.

Starring: Virginie Efira, Charlotte Rampling, Lambert Wilson, Daphne Patakia

Directed By: Paul Verhoeven

George MacKay and Lily-Rose Depp star in this drama about a man who believes he is a wolf who is sent to a clinic for treatment and meets another patient who forces him to reconsider his life.

Starring: George MacKay, Lily-Rose Depp, Paddy Considine, Eileen Walsh

Directed By: Nathalie Biancheri

diaryofawimpykid

Starring: Brady Noon, Ethan William Childress, Christian Convery, Hunter Dillon

Directed By: Gino Nichele, Swinton O. Scott III

This sci-fi thriller stars Riz Ahmed as a former Marine who kidnaps his two children from their mother and takes them on the run to protect them from an alien parasite plaguing the world. Also streaming on Amazon Prime on 12/10.

Starring: Riz Ahmed, Octavia Spencer, Janina Gavankar, Lucian-River Chauhan

Directed By: Michael Pearce

Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem play Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in Aaron Sorkin’s glimpse behind the scenes of one week in the personal and professional lives of the celebrity couple. Also streaming on Amazon Prime on 12/21.

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, J.K. Simmons, Nina Arianda

Directed By: Aaron Sorkin

Steven Spielberg directs this new adaptation of the popular Broadway musical about a pair of teenagers from rival gangs in 1950s New York City who fall in love with each other.

Starring: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Based on a 2009 British miniseries, this drama stars Sandra Bullock as an ex-con who reenters society and attempts to put her life back together, even as she is shunned at every turn. Also streaming on Netflix on 12/10.

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Jon Bernthal, Vincent D'Onofrio, Viola Davis

Directed By: Nora Fingscheidt

Bradley Cooper and Cate Blanchett lead an all-star cast in Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of the eponymous novel about a carnival con man who meets and falls for a psychiatrist even more adept at manipulation than he is.

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Rooney Mara, Cate Blanchett, Ron Perlman

Directed By: Guillermo del Toro

In Tom Holland’s third solo film as the MCU’s Spider-Man, an outed Peter Parker turns to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for help rectifying the situation, only for everything to go sideways in spectacular fashion.

Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon

Directed By: Jon Watts

In this follow-up to the 2016 animated musical, Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) and his gang of performers must find a way to convince a world-famous rocker (Bono) to join them in order to play a glamorous new venue.

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton

Directed By: Garth Jennings, Christophe Lourdelet

Keanu Reeves returns in Lana Wachowski’s new installment in the Matrix franchise, which picks up 20 years after Revolutions and finds Neo rediscovering his identity. Also streaming on HBO Max.

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jonathan Groff

Directed By: Lana Wachowski

Matthew Vaughn’s prequel to the Kingsman franchise set decades in the past recounts the origins of the titular “Secret Service,” as one man and his apprentice attempt to thwart a coalition of evil tyrants.

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Harris Dickinson, Rhys Ifans, Djimon Hounsou

Directed By: Matthew Vaughn

Pedro Almodóvar’s latest collaboration with Penélope Cruz is a drama about two pregnant women — one middle-aged and one adolescent — who meet and feel very differently about giving birth but form a strong bond with each other.

Starring: Penélope Cruz, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Milena Smit, Israel Elejalde

Directed By: Pedro Almodóvar

Leonard DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence headline Adam McKay’s star-studded satire about two astronomers who attempt to warn mankind about Earth’s impending collision with a comet. Also streaming on Netflix on 12/24.

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Rob Morgan

Directed By: Adam McKay

In his first film working alone, Joel Coen writes and directs this adaptation of the Shakespearean classic, with Denzel Washington in the lead and Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth. Also streaming on Apple TV+ on 1/14/2022.

Starring: Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Bertie Carvel, Alex Hassell

Directed By: Joel Coen

Zachary Levi stars in this biographical sports drama about remarkable life and career of Hall of Fame NFL quarterback Kurt Warner.

Starring: Zachary Levi, Anna Paquin, Dennis Quaid, Ser'Darius Blain

Directed By: Andrew Erwin, Jon Erwin

Based on a memoir by Dana Canedy, this drama directed by Denzel Washington stars Michael B. Jordan as Canedy’s husband Monroe King, a Sergeant in the US Army who died in the Iraq War but left behind a journal for their son.

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Chanté Adams, Jalon Christian, Robert Wisdom

Directed By: Denzel Washington

Maggie Gyllenhaal makes her feature directorial debut with this novel adaptation about a woman (Olivia Colman) on vacation who becomes unhealthily obsessed with another woman and her young daughter. Also streaming on Netflix.

Starring: Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard, Jessie Buckley

Directed By: Maggie Gyllenhaal