The last thing students are likely worrying about during finals is what movie to watch. Free time is in less quantity than any other time of the year, and when it does show up, it is not dedicated to the movies — it’s more likely dedicated to small amounts of sleep or relaxation.
This is quickly contradicted by the post-finals period of winter break, where free time is abundant, and the theater is a great place to reunite with family and friends back home.
Here are three films to consider watching once finals are over:
“West Side Story” on Dec. 10
Steven Speilberg directs a new interpretation of this classic story. The film stars Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler as the two leads, Tony and Maria. “West Side Story” is a stage-to-screen musical starring two rival gangs trying to assert their control over one another. A man and a woman from each gang fall in love, much like a modern interpretation of “Romeo and Juliet.” If you are a fan of musicals or theater, a twist on this story with Steven Spielberg at the helm may be worth checking out.
“A Journal for Jordan” on Dec. 25
Here’s another romance with stars in the director’s chair. Directed by Denzel Washington and based off of the book of the same name, this movie stars Michael B. Jordan as First Sgt. Charles Monroe King, a soldier who is deployed to Iraq, leaving his lover, Dana Canedy, played by Chanté Adams, and his infant son behind. While overseas, he writes notes and advice to his young son in a notebook as Canedy reflects on their love. If an emotional and powerful film sounds like a good way to blow off some steam over break, this may be the one for you.
“The Matrix: Reloaded” on Dec. 22
The reboot and legacy sequel trend of the past decade comes to the iconic science-fiction franchise “The Matrix” starring Keanu Reeves, who returns to his iconic role of Neo and Abdul-Mateen II taking on the role of Morpheus, originally played by Laurence Fishburne. Lana Wachowski is returning to direct.
The original “Matrix,” which came out in 1999, is iconic within the science- fiction genre for it’s themes and action. While the original film itself is well-loved, the two sequels have a bit more mixed reception, so it will be interesting to see which direction this film takes.
These are just three films coming out in a crowded holiday season, and there are many more not mentioned here, such as the highly anticipated blockbuster “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which comes out Dec.ember 17. Hopefully, this list makes it a little easier to plan around finals and find the films that you want to watch over the holiday season.
