If you're even slightly open to watching scary-ish movies and you've yet to check out Michael Dougherty's Christmas horror film Krampus then I suggest rectifying that while it's still in theaters. Starring Adam Scott, Toni Collette, and David Koechner, the pic is a successful combination of the scary, the funny, and the fantastical. Those expecting a straight horror film will be let down by the relative number of scares, but Dougherty's goal is less about blinding the audience with fear and more about presenting a familiar holiday scenario with a dark, humorous twist.
The film's namesake is taken from an Austrian folklore character who essentially operates as the opposite of good ol' St. Nick. Rather than reward the good kids with presents, Krampus punishes the bad kids (in the film at least) with max prejudice. I can't speak to the fidelity of Dougherty's take on the character versus the traditional folklore itself and, honestly, that aspect isn't important to me anyway. What matters to me is that Krampus is a solidly entertaining horror comedy (one decked out with excellent practical effects) for a holiday that tends to bring out both the best and worst in us.
Recommendations aside, let's get to this week's Top 5:
First 'X-Men: Apocalypse' Trailer
Fox released the first trailer for X-Men: Apocalypse this week and I have to admit that I was impressed with it. I could have done without the dramatic cut to a bald Professor X at the end but Rose Byrne's "...or the Bible got it from him" line is pretty stellar and the action itself looks on point. Count me in.
'Star Wars' Coverage
Spoiler alert: this same movie is going to be at the top of next week's list. Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters in less than a week which means there will be absolutely no shortage of Star Wars content on the site between now and then. In reality, there's already no shortage of content which is why it's on the list this week too.
Click here to browse all of our Star Wars coverage from the past week along with two of my personal favorites: Matt's editorial on why it's okay to be skeptical about The Force Awakens and this video showing fans praising The Phantom Menace after watching it in 1999.
'The Big Short' Review
Maybe it's just me, but it kind of seems like Adam McKay's The Big Short is coming out of nowhere. The director's first feature not starring Will Ferrell has a loaded cast and a topic that is very much of the time and yet I haven't heard a ton about it. Even without all the buzz, the film is garnering rave reviews and I can't wait to check it out in theaters. For more, read Brian's review and watch Steve's video interview with McKay.
2016 Golden Globe Nominations
The 2016 Golden Globe nominations were announced earlier this week and Todd Haynes' Carol leads the way with 5 nods, including Best Picture (Drama). While it's no secret that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's awards show isn't a particularly good predictor of the Oscars, I'm still glad to see Mad Max: Fury Road continue to be recognized with its own Best Picture nod.
'Jessica Jones' and 'Spotlight' Essay
Both Tom McCarthy's film Spotlight and Marvel's Jessica Jones Netflix series are being widely accepted as good/great works in their respective medium. In addition to being solid dramatic pieces, our Brian Formo says that both also represent a step forward for pop culture discourse on sexual abuse. Read his essay here and take solace in knowing that the pop culture artifacts we enjoy following so closely here can also be a force for personal growth and not just mindless entertainment.