December is upon us, and you know what that means: every freaking movie that's vying for Oscar consideration is trying to squeeze in a qualifying run over the course of a single month. And that’s not even including big potential holiday blockbusters like Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and The Adventures of Tintin. So hold onto your butts, because this December Movie Guide is going to be a doozy.
SHAME
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan
Directed by: Steve McQueen
Opening: December 2
Michael Fassbender follows his award-worthy performance in A Dangerous Method with another psychosexual drama, this time about a sex addict whose life turns upside down when his sister, Drive’s Carey Mulligan, moves in with him.
CraveOnline’s Call: Shame is the first high-profile, Oscar-bait release with an NC-17 rating since Ang Lee’s Lust, Caution in 2007; something Fox Searchlight president Steve Gilula calls “a badge of honor.” You’ve got to give them credit for sticking to their guns, but will it pay off? Shame’s got a great cast and a lot of buzz behind it. We’re suggesting you see it for yourself before you make any judgments.
SLEEPING BEAUTY
Starring: Emily Browning, Rachel Blake, Ewen Leslie
Directed by: Julia Leigh
Opening: December 9
Sucker Punch’s Emily Browning stars as a college student who takes odd jobs to make ends meet. Like, really odd jobs. She’s paid to be drugged and unconscious while rich men do whatever they want to her body… except have sex with her.
CraveOnline’s Call: What is it with this weekend? No major studio releases, just two creepy sex thrillers. Oh, who are we kidding… We love it. We might not love Sleeping Beauty though. Advance buzz includes words like “assured” and “impressive technical display,” which aren’t exactly glowing endorsements. Emily Browning’s performance is receiving high marks though, but if you just have a crush on her this might not be the sexiest way to spend your evening. Recommended for indie fanatics.
NEW YEAR’S EVE
Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Biehl, Ashton Kutcher, Robert De Niro, Zak Efron, Josh Duhamel, Michelle Pfeiffer, Alyssa Milano, Hilary Swank, Katherine Heigl
Directed by: Garry Marshall
Opening: December 9
An ensemble cast of attractive people cross paths on New Year’s Eve, and fight terrorists. Oh wait, we mean fall in love.
CraveOnline’s Call: We realize that we’re probably not reaching New Year’s Eve’s target audience with this movie guide, but even on its own merits this one looks like a stinker. Garry Marshall has a history of making offensive, arguably sexist movies marketed to women, and we’d be surprised if this was suddenly an exception. If your girlfriend tries to get you to see New Year’s Eve, ask if you can just rent Love Actually instead. She’ll be impressed, and you’ll like it more than you think you will.
THE SITTER
Starring: Jonah Hill
Directed by: David Gordon Green, Sam Rockwell, Max Records, Landry Bender, Alex Wolff
Opening: December 9
Jonah Hill stars as a college student who reluctantly agrees to babysit a gaggle of kids, and winds up in a series of presumably hilarious adventures.
CraveOnline’s Call: Can we just call it Adventures in Babysitting 2? It’s an apt title, although it’s clear that The Sitter is geared more towards adults in the theater and not the kids who they left at home with, you know, a sitter. David Gordon Green is sticking with his new comedy career, something he’s proven himself pretty good at with Pineapple Express, and Jonah Hill is still Jonah Hill, pre-21 Jump Street weight loss, so we bet it’s pretty funny despite the obvious 1980s cult classic comparison.
