What LivingBetter50 is Watching on Christmas Break

Going to the movie theatre or staying home to stream movies, Christmas Break is a great choice for binge-watching. Either while you wait for the turkey to finish cooking or after your belly is full, watching some good movies over the Christmas break is a great choice. If your family is planning on checking out a new release this year or watching a rerun of an all-time favorite, family downtime in front of a TV or at the theatre is a great way to spend a winter day.

There are many much-anticipated movies releasing on or around Christmas like Little Women, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Bombshell. In addition to these new releases, you can catch on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon or your TV providers On-Demand, many of our favorites like The Holiday, Four Christmases and Love Actually.

If you looking to join us, here is a why we love these movies;

Little Women

Following the lives of four sisters, Amy, Jo, Beth, and Meg, as they come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War. Though all very different from each other, the March sisters stand by each other through difficult and changing times. 

It’s tempting to think that the 1860s, when Louisa May Alcott first penned her beloved novel Little Women, were a simpler time. And, I suppose they were in some ways. But it turns out that the struggles of young women growing up in that era actually translate quite well to 2019. We still face insecurity. Jealousy. Longing for love and purpose. Sisterly conflict. Those timeless issues of youth and family remain just as real today as they were in the late 19th century, as we see in this contemporary reboot of Little Women. 

This newest take on Little Women sweetly reminded me of my own siblings and of all the fun times (and crazy moments) we shared growing up. The movie made me want to revisit my childhood and to relive those moments.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

The surviving Resistance faces the First Order once more as Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron’s journey continues. With the power and knowledge of generations behind them, the final battle commences.

With no pre-release views of the movie, you and I will need to find out together about the movie plot!

Bombshell

A revealing look inside the most powerful and controversial media empire of all time and the explosive story of the women who brought down the infamous man who created it.

It’s fair to say that Charlize Theron, as perhaps we expect of Theron, doesn’t do things halfway. She trained with a vocal coach to ‘do Megyn Kelly’, eventually losing her voice for three weeks. Her commitment to the film, to the role, is clear and so it’s no huge surprise that this is Theron’s show. She’s utterly compelling as the heart of a tryptic of female power rounded out by Nicole Kidman as on-the-outs host Gretchen Carlson and Margot Robbie as wannabe-anchor Kayla.

A very real reality for many women, the movie gives an inside edge and reminder to the realities that women face in the corporate world.

Four Christmases

When their plans for an exotic vacation fall apart, unmarried couple Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) must spend Christmas Day trudging around to a quartet of family get-togethers. While Brad counts the hours till he can escape the onslaught of crazy relatives, Kate begins to wonder about her own choices and ponders whether her family members are so crazy after all.

Kate realizes she wants more than the shallow, self-protecting relationship she has with Brad. She wants to be over her head in love and the responsibilities that include, not just sticking her big toe in the waters of “love” that uses boundaries to selfishly hang onto independence. She challenges Brad for a deeper connection.

The Holiday

Dumped and depressed, English rose Iris agrees to swap homes with similarly unlucky in love Californian Amanda for a much-needed break. Iris finds herself in a palatial Hollywood mansion while Amanda navigates the lanes of a picture-perfect English village. Soon enough, both lovelorn ladies bump into local lads perfect for a romantic pick-me-up.

As the “totally with it,” modern, über-chick flick, The Holiday leaves no stone unturned when it comes to offering the expected benchmarks of the genre. Women over 50 swoon over Jude Law’s good looks and single-dad charm and certainly fall for Jack Black’s surprising sensitivity and (less surprising) sense of humor. We all cry over the tenderness of Kate Winslet’s friendship with an old Hollywood veteran, and they’ll cheer at her “you go girl!” rant against an ex. Laugh at the Cameron Diaz dance-in-your-pajamas montage. The moviemakers even toss in an adorable puppy that melts our hearts and even of some men.

Love Actually

Nine intertwined stories examine the complexities of the one emotion that connects us all: love. Among the characters explored are David (Hugh Grant), the handsome newly elected British prime minister who falls for a young junior staffer (Martine McCutcheon), Sarah (Laura Linney), a graphic designer whose devotion to her mentally ill brother complicates her love life, and Harry (Alan Rickman), a married man tempted by his attractive new secretary.

This is the best romantic comedy Christmas ever. Don’t forget that this movie is old. So the cinematography is a little dated, however, it’s a movie where you sit and watch with family, friends, and partners during the holidays. It’s easy-going and heart-warming and not to heavy. It also a long movie and keeps you couch-bound for a long time!