When I was younger, one of my favorite holiday traditions was going to the movie theater with my family on Christmas Day. That’s not a unique tradition by any means. There are usually a few movies that are slated to hit the big screen every year to align with the holiday, with the purpose of getting people in front of a big screen. And this year is no different.
There are new titles in store for those looking to make a trip to their nearby theater after opening gifts or for others simply looking to pass the time. Babylon and the Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody are both hitting theaters this week, while Avatar: The Way of Water just arrived last Friday and will likely make a splash this week, too.
For those of us eager to stay home to avoid the frigid temperatures overtaking most of the country (Except the west coast. Must be nice!), Netflix’s got you covered. Glass Onion is dropping today on the streamer and The Witcher: Blood Origin arrives for binging needs on Christmas Day. If you’re a password sharer, enjoy it this week because the streaming service is putting an end to that in early 2023.
Check out our choices for What to Watch this week and if you’re in the mood for some holiday cheer, we’ve got you covered with that, too.
‘Babylon’
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When: Friday, Dec. 23
Where: In theaters
Babylon is a Hollywood movie about Hollywood, which usually heightens a film’s Oscars chances. Writer and director Damien Chazelle set Babylon in the cinematic era between silent and “talkie” films in the late 1920s, and it features an all-star, ensemble cast, including Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, and Tobey Maguire. It has received a mixed reception from critics so far, many of who praise it as a tasteless orgy of decadence and excess, and many who hate it for the same reason. Either way, you’ll want to buy tickets to see for yourself which side you fall on. —Kevin Wong
‘Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody’
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When: Friday, Dec. 23
Where: In theaters
This biopic on R&B legend Whitney Houston stars Naomi Ackle in the title role, with Stanley Tucci as producer Clive Davis and Ashton Sanders as husband and New Edition member Bobby Brown. Unlike a biopic about, say, Freddie Mercury or Ray Charles, the subject is recently dead and controversially so, which means that it doesn’t dig as deeply or as truthfully as a documentary would. But it hits all the big moments, including her iconic performance of the national anthem at the Super Bowl and her complicated relationship with Robyn Crawford. —Kevin Wong
‘Glass Onion: Knives Out Mystery’
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When: Friday, Dec. 23
Where: Netflix
Director Rian Johnson has had a career of highs and lows. He broke through with the sci-fi thriller Looper. Then he struck out with The Last Jedi, which alienated half the Star Wars fanbase. And then—perhaps wisely—he then went in a totally different direction. He wrote and directed the comedy and murder mystery Knives Out, which contained delightful, eccentric characterization and at least three twists. Glass Onion is Johnson’s follow-up, and it takes place in the Knives Out universe, with detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) as the common denominator. The killer ensemble cast (no pun intended) is made of some stellar talent as well, and some of them have already received major praise for their performances. The film also stars Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, and more. We won’t spoil any of the twists in turns, so go check it out on Netflix. —Kevin Wong
‘The Witcher: Blood Origin‘
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When: Sunday, Dec. 25
Where: Netflix
The original Witcher fantasy books were beloved amongst genre readers. But the franchise’s mainstream popularity went through the roof after the release of the video games—The Witcher III in particular, which is considered by many to be the best of its kind. This latest TV addition to the franchise, Blood Origin, is an offshoot of the hit Netflix show. It traces the history of the first Witcher, and it takes place 1200 years prior. —Kevin Wong
