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Looking back from December, this has been a huge year for films, with fans finally going back to theaters carefree and box office incomes finally going on an upward curve. Apart from the financial growth, this year has also seen some exceptional films released all around the year, especially with some of the biggest names in Hollywood like Martin Scorsese also contributing their share in the industry.
Like almost every other month in 2023, which saw things like the Barbenheimer trend and the craze for Killers of the Flower Moon, December 2023 is also jam-packed with some great releases that will certainly elevate things further this year.
Be it in theaters or streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, the last month of 2023 has a lot of great titles to boast. Here are our best picks from this month's releases to catch during the holiday season.
5 best films to catch in December 2023
1) The Boy and the Heron- December 8, 2023
Initially billed as Hayao Miyazaki's final work, The Boy and the Heron has been one of the most anticipated films of the year, with Miyazaki's cult fanbase behind the immense hype of this animated feature.
Following Miyazaki's signature storytelling and animation style, The Boy and the Heron follows Mahito, a young 12-year-old boy, and his struggles to settle in a town after his mother's death.
The synopsis for the film reads:
"Mahito, a young 12-year-old boy, struggles to settle in a new town after his mother's death. However, when a talking heron informs Mahito that his mother is still alive, he enters an abandoned tower in search of her, which takes him to another world."
2) Wonka- December 8, 2023
Premiering alongside Miyazaki's coveted The Boy and the Heron, Paul King's Wonka follows the story of the famous Willy Wonka (played by Timothée Chalamet) before the events of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
With a lot of debate surrounding the film and its casting choice, it has already delivered quite well, with critics praising the presentation and the performances.
The film also stars Hugh Grant, Sally Hawkins, and Rowan Atkinson.
3) Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom- December 22, 2023
Will this finally be DC's comeback against Marvel? This is the question that fans have plagued Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom with, but with a great trailer and a strong prequel behind it, the second Jason Momoa starrer may just surprise everyone who questioned DC's decisions.
Sadly, the film may fail to perform at the box office with stiff competition and a general lack of direction in DC's franchise building, which plans to reboot the entire universe anyway.
The film follows Aquaman's battle with Black Manta and stars almost the entire cast from the first film.
4) Maestro- December 20, 2023
Few have not heard of Maestro after the film made its initial splash on the festival circuit. The Bradley Cooper directorial also had a limited theatrical release on November 22, 2023. However, it is still not available to the masses.
That will change with a Netflix release on December 20.
Maestro follows the relationship between American composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife, Felicia Montealegre, over decades of developments. It was produced by Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Cooper, among others.
The film stars Carey Mulligan and Cooper in the leading roles, alongside Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, and Sarah Silverman.
5) Rebel Moon - December 15, 2023
Rounding off the list is Zack Snyder's highly anticipated Rebel Moon, a sci-fi fantasy bordering on the likes of Star Wars and Dune. The epic film has been a source of intrigue for a long time, and it is finally almost time for its release.
Based on a screenplay that was originally written as a Star Wars extension, Rebel Moon follows a colony on the edge of the galaxy that deals with the moon of Veldt, which is threatened by the forces of the Imperium. The film is led by Sofia Boutella, alongside Djimon Hounsou, Charlie Hunnam, and Michiel Huisman.
Let us know your favorite film from December in the comment section below.
