Clockwise from left: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Photo: David Lee/Netflix), Soul (Image: Disney/Pixar), Promising Young Woman (Photo: Focus Features), The Midnight Sky (Photo: Philippe Antonello/Netflix), Wonder Woman 1984 (Photo: Clay Enos/DC Comics) Graphic: Natalie Peeples
It’s the final month of 2020, and we’re not much closer than we were all year to getting back to the status quo of normal moviegoing—which is to say, to a time when theaters were open nationwide, most of the major films were headed there first, and dying of an infectious disease was very low on the list of reasons not to spring for the IMAX experience. A few movies are opening on the big screen this holiday season, but most of the biggest ones are either skipping theaters entirely (as Pixar’s Soul is) or offering the smart consumer an alternative way to watch (like catching Wonder Woman 1984 on HBO Max the same day it hits multiplexes). Anyway, most of what’s dropping this December will be accessible via the safe routes of streaming platforms, digital services, VOD, or virtual theaters. Keep reading to find out what’s coming to a living room—and, yes, some theaters—near you. And before trekking out to see a movie on the big screen, please read up on the health risks.
Mayor
Clockwise from left: Graphic Natalie Peeples
It’s the final month of 2020, and we’re not much closer than we were all year to getting back to the status quo of normal moviegoing—which is to say, to a time when theaters were open nationwide, most of the major films were headed there first, and dying of an infectious disease was very low on the list of reasons not to spring for the IMAX experience. A few movies are opening on the big screen this holiday season, but most of the biggest ones are either skipping theaters entirely (as Pixar’s is) or offering the smart consumer an alternative way to watch (like catching on HBO Max the same day it hits multiplexes). Anyway, most of what’s dropping this December will be accessible via the safe routes of streaming platforms, digital services, VOD, or virtual theaters. Keep reading to find out what’s coming to a living room—and, yes, some theaters—near you. And before trekking out to see a movie on the big screen, please .
Super excited to be heading to the cinema tomorrow, my first time since the pandemic began. My city hasn’t had a case in over a month now so I feel safe heading back in.
They did. But still, it looks like it leans pretty heavily on these two films. May be that the actual film is very different and the marketing team just spotted the similarities and ran with it.
“Eighteen years after he played the puppet… Roberto Benigni has aged into the role of the elderly woodcarver Geppetto.” He was 49 when he played the puppet-boy, and would have been better cast as Geppetto back then.
I must confess that I’ve been watching the slideshows discourse from the sidelines all this time because I really only look at the AV Club on the Small Internet, aka my phone.
“…and, yes, some theaters—near you. And before trekking out to see a movie on the big screen, please read up on the health risks.”Both The Midnight Sky and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom are hitting the Philadelphia Film Society’s drive-in theatre prior to their launch on streaming platforms, and I’ve already got tickets to see both. Pretty excited. It’s such a nice way to see movies on a big screen while still keeping safe.
I was really hopeful for the drive-in industry when covid hit. It seemed like an obvious solution. Then I went to the local drive in and the quality was unwatchable. They had their snack building right behind where you park your car so it was too bright to make out what was on the screen. I left after 20 minutes of squinting and they wouldn’t give me my money back. It was really disappointing because they should be able to clean up in this time that more or less necessitates their existence and offered a terrible movie going experience. I hope your drive in offers a better experience.
It’s all in the execution, but based on the trailer I think Promising Young Woman looks really interesting – I *love* the title they chose, and there’s a lot of catharsis to be mined from that subject.
I was shocked at how reactionary that Michael Bay COVID movie looks when I saw the trailer. Obviously he’s not a master of subtlety or a director whose movies have a particularly progressive message, but “leaving COVID quarantine gets you shot on sight by the government” is fucking bananas, well-to-the-right-of-Fox-News shit.
Agreed, that trailer was deeply gross – and pretty irresponsible in its painting of public health professionals as gun-toting murder squads. AND I’m willing to bet there’s some finale twist where it turns out the virus has been exaggerated/designed by some wily government bureaucrat (Bradley Whitford’s character?) to control the world.
The government is here to oppress you. 1984. MK-ULTRA. COINTELPRO. “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” Drown it in a bathtub. No good thing ever came from the government. The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. The only thing that will save us from the jackbooted thugs deep state Nazis is Jeff Bezos, Zuckerberg, et al., They surely have our best interests in mind.
Yeah. That is the kind of plot I expect from one of the little “Christian” studios that puts out ridiculous evangelical and Republican propaganda. Michael Bay may be dealing himself a blow that knocks him down to that level from now on with this shit.
Irritated by the bwooom ping bwoooom ping of that Greenland trailer (I guess they’re like a watermark : the whole movie being already contained in the trailer, experiencing it without those sounds is the only incentive to go watch it). And irritated by the Midnight Sky little girl whose presence seem to be an excuse for dumping down baby talk exposition without sounding too condescending to the public.I deduce from it that I am in that mood.
It’s unfortunate that this slideshow pooped all over my phone’s browser just because I wanted to scroll down and share my favorite Clooney Fact™, which is that his face was used as inspiration for the player character in the original “Red Faction.”
Interested in Gunda, and Tom Hanks can do no wrong, but nobody…and I mean nobody, is going to want to go see a COVID-related movie when 3,000 people start dying every day.
We saw Greenland back in September here in Hong Kong. A movie about an asteroid slamming onto Earth that does NOT show this happening. No money shot! What a wasted opportunity.
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Super excited to be heading to the cinema tomorrow, my first time since the pandemic began. My city hasn’t had a case in over a month now so I feel safe heading back in.
Why, why, if you must foist slideshows upon us, do you choose not to at least let us navigate them with the arrow keys?
Is Godmothered not just Elf with a bit of Enchanted thrown in.
I’m pretty sure the review compared it to Enchanted in its title, so they’re pretty up front about that
They did. But still, it looks like it leans pretty heavily on these two films. May be that the actual film is very different and the marketing team just spotted the similarities and ran with it.
I’d be lying if I said I would be interested in another Pinocchio adaptation.
The Guillermo del Toro stop motion version sounds pretty interesting
“Eighteen years after he played the puppet… Roberto Benigni has aged into the role of the elderly woodcarver Geppetto.” He was 49 when he played the puppet-boy, and would have been better cast as Geppetto back then.
Come down to the community center and check out my string puppet version. Puppets puppeting puppets.
I must confess that I’ve been watching the slideshows discourse from the sidelines all this time because I really only look at the AV Club on the Small Internet, aka my phone.
That’s nothing. I only look at it on my flip phone. Just typing this reply took my over an hour!
c u l8r sk8r
Its irritating but if you narrow your browser window it turns the slideshow into a scrollable version
So you’re basically forcing the site to use the mobile layout that I have on my phone. Small Internet existing simultaneously inside Big Internet.
Now you’re on the trolley!
The slideshow articles never work properly on my phone – they always jump around a bunch as I try to scroll farther down in long lists.
“…and, yes, some theaters—near you. And before trekking out to see a movie on the big screen, please read up on the health risks.”Both The Midnight Sky and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom are hitting the Philadelphia Film Society’s drive-in theatre prior to their launch on streaming platforms, and I’ve already got tickets to see both. Pretty excited. It’s such a nice way to see movies on a big screen while still keeping safe.
I was really hopeful for the drive-in industry when covid hit. It seemed like an obvious solution. Then I went to the local drive in and the quality was unwatchable. They had their snack building right behind where you park your car so it was too bright to make out what was on the screen. I left after 20 minutes of squinting and they wouldn’t give me my money back. It was really disappointing because they should be able to clean up in this time that more or less necessitates their existence and offered a terrible movie going experience. I hope your drive in offers a better experience.
what health risks??
What?!? Skylin3 doesn’t get it’s own slide? I am all in on that trilogy!
It’s all in the execution, but based on the trailer I think Promising Young Woman looks really interesting – I *love* the title they chose, and there’s a lot of catharsis to be mined from that subject.
I’m excited for it too, probably the most out of everything on the list. Also Mulligan looks like she’ll be a fucking force in it.
Yeah, if you’re going to make this movie you just gotta go all-in.
It’s not an all-time lineup to be sure, but definitely some movies to be excited about here so that’s nice
I was shocked at how reactionary that Michael Bay COVID movie looks when I saw the trailer. Obviously he’s not a master of subtlety or a director whose movies have a particularly progressive message, but “leaving COVID quarantine gets you shot on sight by the government” is fucking bananas, well-to-the-right-of-Fox-News shit.
Agreed, that trailer was deeply gross – and pretty irresponsible in its painting of public health professionals as gun-toting murder squads. AND I’m willing to bet there’s some finale twist where it turns out the virus has been exaggerated/designed by some wily government bureaucrat (Bradley Whitford’s character?) to control the world.
The government is here to oppress you. 1984. MK-ULTRA. COINTELPRO. “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” Drown it in a bathtub. No good thing ever came from the government. The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. The only thing that will save us from the jackbooted thugs deep state Nazis is Jeff Bezos, Zuckerberg, et al., They surely have our best interests in mind.
Sounds like a great Michael Bay script!
Yeah. That is the kind of plot I expect from one of the little “Christian” studios that puts out ridiculous evangelical and Republican propaganda. Michael Bay may be dealing himself a blow that knocks him down to that level from now on with this shit.
He didn’t direct the movie.
I was hoping Greenland would be about a world threatened by plants.
Irritated by the bwooom ping bwoooom ping of that Greenland trailer (I guess they’re like a watermark : the whole movie being already contained in the trailer, experiencing it without those sounds is the only incentive to go watch it). And irritated by the Midnight Sky little girl whose presence seem to be an excuse for dumping down baby talk exposition without sounding too condescending to the public.I deduce from it that I am in that mood.
I’d bet $1,000s that that little girl turns out to be a figment of the Clooney character’s imagination and is in fact his dead daughter or something.
Hm. Tempting. But I have the superpower of making things instantaneously true by betting against them.
It’s unfortunate that this slideshow pooped all over my phone’s browser just because I wanted to scroll down and share my favorite Clooney Fact™, which is that his face was used as inspiration for the player character in the original “Red Faction.”
Could you let the creators of “red faction hentai” know?
Interested in Gunda, and Tom Hanks can do no wrong, but nobody…and I mean nobody, is going to want to go see a COVID-related movie when 3,000 people start dying every day.
I don’t know. I can think of 74+ million Americans who probably don’t give a shit if 3,000 people die per day.
Has Milla Jovovich aged in the last 15 years? Anderson must be a happy man.
Warning astronauts to stay in space because it sucks down here sounds like my kind of quarantine viewing
Will Meryl be doing brownface this time ‘round?
I just wish HBOmax would invest in their infrastructure. A few repeaters would be nice.
Let them all talk has Dianne Wiest???? *happy Boyle noises*
We saw Greenland back in September here in Hong Kong. A movie about an asteroid slamming onto Earth that does NOT show this happening. No money shot! What a wasted opportunity.