The Best New Movies to Go See This December

By Courtney Higgs
Updated Dec 02, 2018 @ 12:00 pm
Credit: Courtesy Walt Disney Studios

Christmas time is here! And while it may be tempting to spend all your free time sipping hot chocolate by the fire, there are way too many good movies coming out this month not to make your way to the theaters. There are historical dramas, tales of divided families and, of course, a couple of comedies to keep you laughing into the new year.

While big names like Nicole Kidman and Christian Bale are delivering performances certain to garner awards attention, we've got out eyes on the nostalgic reboots coming up this month. Emily Blunt's bout as Mary Poppins and Tyra Banks' reprisal of her role as the Eve doll in Life-Size are sure to bring the vintage feels. 

VIDEO: Emily Blunt Looked Like an '80s Bride at the Mary Poppins Returns Premiere

Click through to check out the movies we're most excited to see this month.

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1 of 11

Life-Size 2: A Christmas Eve

Credit: Guy D’Alema/Disney Channel

Dec. 2

Shine bright, shine far! Be a star! Everyone's favorite doll, Eve, is back to life for more zany adventures. Only this time, she's tasked with helping a wild twenty- something CEO (played by Francia Raisa) get her act together. Tyra Banks reprises her role as the ever-positive (and meme-worthy!) Eve. You won't have to leave the house for this one — it'll air on Freeform on Sunday, Dec. 2 at 9 p.m.

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2 of 11

Ben is Back

Credit: Mark Schafer/Roadside Attractions

Dec. 7

Oscar-nominated actor Lucas Hedges stars as Ben, a young man struggling with drug-addiction. When he reappears at his family's suburban home on Christmas, everyone, especially his mother (played by Julia Roberts) is thrown for a loop. Kathryn Newton and Courtney B. Vance also star.

3 of 11

Mary Queen of Scots

Credit: Parisa Tag/Focus Features

Dec. 7

Watch Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie in the rivalry of a lifetime as cousins Mary Stuart of Scotland and Elizabeth I, Queen of England, as they battle it out for the throne to which they both lay claim. History buffs, this one's for you!

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The Second Act

Credit: Courtesy STX

Dec. 21

This is the ultimate fake it till you make it tale. Follow Maya (played by Jennifer Lopez), a 40-year-old big box store employee who scams her way into a fancy job on Madison Avenue, aiming to prove that street smarts are just as valuable as book smarts. If you loved Maid in Manhattan, you'll love this one, too!

5 of 11

Mary Poppins Returns

Credit: Courtesy Walk Disney Studios

Dec. 19

The magical Mary Poppins is back! This time, the Banks kids are grown up and in need of a different kind of help than their nanny offered them as children. Emily Blunt plays the mysterious Mary Poppins and Lin-Manuel Miranda stars as her pal Jack.

6 of 11

Aquaman

Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros./DC Comics

Dec. 21

DC Comic fans, there's something for you this month! Watch as Arthur Curry (played by Jason Momoa) returns from the surface world to underwater Atlantis to challenge his evil half-brother for the throne. 

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7 of 11

Welcome to Marwen

Credit: Courtesy Universal Pictures

Dec. 21

Finally, there's a Toy Story for grown-ups! Steve Carrell plays Mark, the victim of a brutal attack who creates an entire model-town of dolls based on the most important people in his life to help him through the recovery process. The star-studded cast also incudes Leslie Mann, Janell Monae, Eiza Gonzales and Diane Kruger.

8 of 11

Destroyer

Credit: Courtesy Annapurna Pictures

Dec. 25

This one may debut on Christmas day, but it is by no means an uplifting holiday tale. It follows Erin Bell (played by Nicole Kidman), a police detective who crosses paths with some gang members from an undercover assignment that ended tragically. Sebastian Stan and Tatiana Maslany also star.

9 of 11

Holmes & Watson

Credit: Giles Keyte/Sony

Dec. 25

Dynamic duo Will Farrell and John C. Reilly star in this humorous take on the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective tales. This time, the pair must save the Queen of England from an impending attack at Buckingham Palace.

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10 of 11

On the Basis of Sex

Credit: Jonathan Wenk/Focus Features

Dec. 25

Felicity Jones shines as Ruth Bader Ginsburg in this film about her fight for equal rights and all the obstacles she traversed in order to become a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Armie Hammer stars as her husband, Marty Ginsburg, and Justin Theroux plays her friend and legal director of the ACLU, Marty Wulf.

11 of 11

Vice

Credit: Matt Kennedy/Annapurna Pictures

Dec. 25

Christian Bale is unrecognizable as Dick Cheney, the Washington bureaucrat turned CEO, who quietly became the most powerful man in the world as George W. Bush's Vice-President in 2001. Amy Adams plays his wife, Lynn, while Sam Rockwell plays George W. Bush.

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By Courtney Higgs