Stories & Features

Starting with an avalanche of openings on December 1, we're in for an intriguing December

Movie studios love December because we seem to have more time to actually go to the movies as the holiday season approaches. But this December 1 is something just a little crazy, with a handful of big movies opening on the same day.

In what amounts to a December 1 Battle Royale on the big screen, we've got Beyoncé up against Godzilla, an Oscar buzz-worthy Emma Stone performance, and an ensemble of stars (including Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, and Jodie Comer) riding motorcycles.

And just as we catch our breath, we get a musical (Waitress), another great animated film from Hayao Miyazaki (The Boy and the Heron), and the very 2023 Wonka, a retelling of the classic with Timothée Chalamet in the lead role.

Meanwhile on the streaming front, Bradley Cooper's latest (Maestro) arrives, along with a couple of intriguing animated releases (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever Movie, Merry Little Batman), and Eva Longoria starring in the latest version of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

Here's a look at some of the more anticipated new releases, in cinemas and via streaming, along with a few tantalizing sports events to add to your holiday season mix.

And as you queue up your watch list, don't forget our energy efficiency tips, from power smart settings for your TV to small appliance recipes that make for delicious movie snacks.

In theatres

Teddy's Christmas (December 1)

Let's get cute. Little girl spots an adorable teddy bear in a Christmas market, and watches it move its head and sneeze. Seasonal family fun from Norway.

Godzilla Minus One (December 1)

Let's get monstrous. The early reviews say this could be the best Godzilla since the 1954 original. Sounds like a blast, from Japan.

Saltburn (December 1)

Let's do black comedy. Oxford student gets an invitation to a friend's family estate. Then things get interesting. From Emerald Fennell, director of Promising Young Woman.

The Shift (December 1)

Let's do the Book of Job. A modern-day, sci-fi retelling of the story.

Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé (December 1)

Let's celebrate Queen Bey. One hundred fifty minutes from Beyoncé's world tour.

The Bikeriders (December 1)

Let's do bike club. A flashback to 1960s motorcycle culture, with star turns from Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, and Tom Hardy.

The Sweet East (December 1)

Let's get outrageous. Separated from a high school class trip, a teenage girl (Talia Ryder, from Never Rarely Sometimes Always) embarks on a nightmarish (and at times funny) odyssey through America.

Waitress: The Musical (December 7)

Let's bake pies. The hit Broadway musical, about a waitress in a loveless marriage who escapes via a pie baking contest in a neighbouring county, hits the big screen.

The Boy and the Heron (December 8)

Let's get animated. At a time when octogenarian directors are showing us they've still got it (Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, Michael Mann), the masterful Hayao Miyazaki, now 82, treats us to another animated classic, this time a meditation on grief and growing up.

Eileen (December 8)

Let's do a twist. Anne Hathaway and Thomasin Mackenzie (Leave No Trace, Power of the Dog) star in a potboiler about a friendship between a secretary and a psychologist at a prison that goes off the rails.

Poor Things (December 8)

Let's get weird. Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, The Favourite, Dogtooth) brings a woman back to life, with Emma Stone earning major Oscar buzz in the lead role.

Wonka (December 15)

Let's get chocolate. Timothée Chalamet takes on the role that Johnny Depp went creepily strange with in the 2005 version of the Roald Dahl classic. With Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa and Rowan Atkinson (of Mr. Bean fame) as a priest.

The Zone of Interest (December 15)

Let's get dark. Director Michael Glazier's brave (and controversial) story of how a commandant at Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig, strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December 22)

Let's go deep. Jason Momoa is back, this time teaming up with brother Orm in a battle to save the world.

Migration (December 22)

Let's do feathers. Writer Mike White (White Lotus, The School of Rock, Chuck & Buck), adds spice to an animated comedy about a family of birds on vacation.

The Iron Claw (December 22)

Let's wrestle. Based on the true story of pro wrestling's Von Erich brothers, featuring a ripped Zack Efron and Jeremy Allen White (The Bear), with Lily James (Downton Abbey, Baby Driver).

Anyone But You (December 22)

Let's do a wedding in Australia. Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria, The White Lotus) and Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick, Hit Man) pretend to be a happy couple at the big event.

Ferrari (December 25)

Let's do a legend. Adam Driver rocks an Italian accent as Enzo Ferrari, with Penelope Cruz as his wife and Shailene Woodley as his mistress. Oh, and director Michael Mann (Heat, The Insider, Ali) is driving.

The Boys in the Boat (December 25)

Let's row. George Clooney directs a sports drama based on the true story of the University of Washington rowing team that competed at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

The Color Purple (December 25)

Let's rethink a classic. Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures, Hustle and Flow) stars in this musical about a woman's journey to independence. Based on the novel and the Broadway musical.

Streaming movies

Maestro (December 20, Netflix)

Classical music is having a bit of a moment, even if it takes a backseat to pop music and the tremendous popularity of stars like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.

On the heels of Tár, we get actor/director Bradley Cooper's take on the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein.

The Sacrifice Game (December 8, Shudder)

Just in time for the holiday season, horror fans get a gift of a delightful little tale about a couple college girls at a boarding school who can't go home for Christmas. Enter a gang of cult killers.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever Movie (December 8, Disney+)

Jimmy Kimmel's nephew Wesley voices the main character in this animated everything-gone-wrong runup to Christmas.

Merry Little Batman (December 8, Prime Video)

Things turn far more interesting than expected for Batman's son after daddy the superhero leaves him at home while zipping out to fight baddies on Christmas Eve.

Leave the World Behind (December 8, Netflix)

Billed as an apocalyptic thriller, this mystery features a couple (Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke) and their kids renting a luxurious home, only to wind up as pretty to a cyberattack with unusual consequences.

The Family Plan (December 15, Apple TV+)

Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monaghan star as a couple whose family, including teen son and daughter, face possibly deadly consequences from dad's past as a government assassin.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (December 15, Netflix)

The latest Chicken Run centres on Ginger and Rocky escaping from the farm for a new adventure as they face a new threat to the whole of chicken-kind/

Rebel Moon: Part 1: A Child of Fire (Netflix)

Zack Snyder (300, Army of the Dead) directs this sci-fi fantasy about a peaceful colony on the edge of a galaxy finds itself threatened by an outside force.

TV series

A Murder at the End of the World (November 14)

Brit Marling and Zal Batmangli earned a cult following for their work on The OA, which Netflix shockingly cancelled after two seasons. This time around, we get a fully story in a stylish even-episode mystery built around a Gen Z amateur sleuth's visit to a reclusive billionaire's lair in Iceland.

Slow Horses, Season 3 (December 1, Apple TV+)

The dysfunctional herd of MI5 agents are back, with the smart and slovenly Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) in charge, more or less.

My Life with the Walter Boys (December 7, Netflix)

Following a tragedy, a teenage girl moves in with her guardian's big family.

Reacher, Season 2 (December 15, Prime Video)

The season 1 adaptation of the popular novels saw veteran military police investigator Jack Reacher falsely accused of murder. What's in store this time around?

Percy Jackson and the Olympians (December 20, Disney+)

The series Percy Jackson fans have been waiting for, about a 12-year-old modern demigod dealing with newfound powers and trying to restore order to

Sports

World Junior Hockey (Starting December 26)

Sadly, there's no Connor Bedard in the mix at this year's tournament, even though he's still just 18. Enter the likes of Zach Benson and Jagger Firkus to help Canada try to defend gold at this year's tournament, which is held in Sweden.

Vancouver Canucks

Are the Canucks for real? We'll soon find out as a parade of excellent Eastern Conference teams arrive at Rogers Arena, including Carolina (December 9), Tampa Bay (December 12) and Florida (December 14).

NFL

If you're looking for a Seattle getaway and an up-close-and-personal look at the Seahawks, get your tickets soon. Quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles come to town on December 17, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are in Seattle on New Year's Eve.