HOW TO BE SINGLE is an ensemble piece following four women (and a couple of men) over a year or so of hookups, relationships and personal growth in New York City. Sometimes it’s a comedy and sometimes it’s more dramatic. Once or twice it even goes somewhere truly special. (See full review).
Available to watch: iTunes
BAD SANTA 2‘s Billy Bob Thornton dons his Santa cap again in the name of Christmasy slapstick alcoholism. The swearing is creatively compounded and the sex jokes are relentless, with something to offend the entire family. There’s no denying that Bad Santa is back, even if it was unnecessary. Taking a break from drinking himself to death, Billy Bob’s Willie reunites with his short partner in crime, Marcus (Tony Cox), to rob a holiday charity. Kathy Bates pops up as Willie’s equally foul-mouthed mother, Thurman Merman (Brett Kelly) returns as a human punchline, and Christina Hendricks plays a woman uncontrollably attracted to a Santa skid mark. Unfortunately, as in all comedy sequels, the plot feels forced and most of the jokes are reruns. (See full review).
Available to watch: iTunes
ANNIE shifts to the NYC setting from the Depression to contemporary times – and adding a hip-hop and R&B vibe – wasn’t a bad idea for this tale about the eponymous orphan (Quvenzhané Wallis) who’s searching for her parents and gets taken in by a wealthy tycoon. Her Daddy Warbucks here is Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx), a cellphone provider eyeing the mayor’s office and forced by his campaign adviser (Bobby Cannavale) to use the cute kid to win points. (See full review).
Available to watch: iTunes, Netflix
A CHRISTMAS HORROR STORY is not your traditional holiday movie. Across a series of amusing, loosely interconnected stories ghosts, changelings and holiday devil Krampus (Rob Archer) terrorize various residents of Bailey Downs on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, a badass Santa (George Buza) deals with an outbreak of zombie elves at the North Pole and a drunken radio DJ (a low-key but still funny William Shatner) tries to get more information about a hostage standoff at the local mall. (See full review).
Available to watch: iTunes
THE PEANUTS MOVIE works for a new generation. Charlie Brown squirms for the Little Red-Haired Girl. Snoopy has aviation daydreams. Adults still sound like broken windpipes. Some things never change. The gang is up to the same old breezy, grade-school antics in The Peanuts Movie, a computer-animated facelift of Charles M. Schulz’s comic strips. Director Steve Martino and a writing team that includes the late cartoonist’s son and grandson stick dutifully, perhaps lazily, to the serial-style source material. (See full review).
Available to watch: iTunes, Netflix
