10 perfect holiday films (that you haven't seen 10 times already)

For holiday viewing, you can never go wrong with It’s a Wonderful Life, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, Elf or Miracle on 34th Street. But I know you already thought about those flicks. So what else is there to watch?

Finding a quality movie that matches the chestnuts-roasting mood of the holidays is tricky. My mistakes of Christmas past include renting the holiday hatefest Four Christmases, paying ticket price for Ben Affleck’s Surviving Christmas and binge-watching BBC’s 1950’s drama Call The Midwife. Whoa, didn’t need to see that.

These holiday choices and crowdpleasers should make for a merry Netflixmas:

1. The Shop Around The Corner (1940)
If you’re shopping for a romantic comedy, go for the film that inspired You’ve Got Mail (1993) and this year’s Tony-nominated musical revival She Loves Me. This black-and-white film starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan is zippy, witty, festive and it hits all the right notes. Airs on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) on December 15 and 24. Available on iTunes for $2.99.

2. A Very Murray Christmas (2015)
Seen Scrooged one time too many? Bill Murray stars as himself in this Sofia Coppola film that features holiday-inspired, musical duets with Miley Cyrus, Chris Rock and Jason Schwartzman. I didn’t make any of that up. It’s available on Netflix.

3. Die Hard (1988)
Could it be the Christmas office party setting? Maybe it’s the soundtrack featuring Run DMC’s Christmas in Hollis? Or perhaps it’s just that Bruce Willis’ John McClane wants to get back and save the love of his life named, ahem, Holly. But whatever it is, by golly, this "How Hans Gruber stole Christmas" tale is the ultimate holiday action flick. Available on the IFC cable channel on December 15, iTunes, and Amazon Prime for $3.99.

4. The Family Man (2000)
Here's a lighthearted way to get your It's a Wonderful Life fix, and remember that Nicholas Cage used to be dynamic in film — all at the same time. Cage carries every scene of this one like a new millennium Jimmy Stewart. Available on HBO Go and HBO Now.

5. An American Tail (1986)
Hanukkah doesn’t get played out much in film, but when young Fievel Mousekevitz gets his signature blue hat as a Hanukkah present from his father, who explains its heritage, there won’t be a dry eye or a creature stirring in the house. Available on Starz and Encore.

6. Radio City Christmas Spectacular (2007)
Forget to see a show with holiday music during the holiday busy-ness? Want something festive to play in the background while wrapping presents? Watch New York City’s Rockettes perform their magic in this feature. Spoiler alert: Santa appears. Available on Netflix and Amazon Prime.

7. Bridgette Jones’s Diary (2001)
Long before there were ugly Christmas sweater parties, Bridget (Rene Zellweger) first met the reindeer-sweater adorned Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) at a holiday party. Fifteen years later, you can still love this rom-com and Bridget “just as she is.” Available on Amazon, and iTunes for $2.99.

8. Holiday Inn (1942)
If you’re like me, you watch White Christmas (1954) every year (Netflix). However, if you’re looking for a change, you should check out the film that introduced the Irving Berlin song years before. Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire celebrate a year’s worth of holidays in an overshadowed classic that was nominated for three Academy Awards and won one too (Best Original Song). Available on iTunes for $9.99.

9. The Preacher's Wife (1996)
This remake of The Bishop's Wife, directed by Penny Marhsall and starring Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston, is a little too sweet for most times of year, but it's a light good-spirited crowdpleaser that pairs well with the holidays.

10. Love Actually (2003)
Go get the sh*t kicked out of you by Love Actually. This modern classic only gets better with each viewing. I want to hold a sign up for Richard Curtis’ 2003 film that says,“to me you are perfect.” It just is. Available for free with your subscription to Netflix, and iTunes for $2.99.




10.5 Fireplace For Your Home
Didn’t see anything that matches your chestnuts roasting vibe? Try this hour-long stream of a fireplace burning. Available on Netflix.

The ten buck review: All worth ten bucks.

Manchester by the Sea

A director you can count on.

While watching the relationships develop in Manchester by the Sea, I had a passing thought that I hadn’t seen anything like this since You Can Count On Me (2000), the generically-titled film starring Laura Linney and introducing Mark Ruffalo. So I wasn’t terribly surprised to Google the director and find they share the same one,  Kenneth Lonergan.

Lonergan has only directed three films in that time, so I’m expecting another winner in the year 2032. Manchester by the Sea is one of the best films of the year, telling a story of pain and complication with elements of humor and laughter realistically woven in just like life. I was completely invested in these characters and transplated to the small towns of Cape Ann for a little over two hours.

Producer Matt Damon was set to play the leading role early on but other commitments intervened, giving the part to Casey Affleck. Whew! We are blessed; Affleck is subtle and superb in an uncompromising performance.

Simply put: See Manchester on the Sea.

Award potential: Look for nominees in all major Oscar categories beginning with Best Picture. Expect high-profile nods for Affleck as Best Actor and Michelle Williams for Best Supporting Actress. I would nominate Affleck’s onscreen nephew, Lucas Hedges, but it’s a long shot for Best Supporting Actor for a relative newcomer.

The Ten Buck Review: Worth ten bucks.

Moonlight

Bask in Moonlight.

Moonlight is the original, nuanced, indie drama we’ve been waiting for all year. It’s a coming-of age story told in three parts, each titled from the nicknames of the central character: Little, Chiron and Black.

Director Barry Jenkins shows us young man's struggle to find himself by following the heartbreaking journey of Chiron from age nine to adult. Chiron is repeatedly asked, “Who is you?” and so is the audience.

Moonlight tenderly touches on themes of African-American masculinity, class, race, family and drug abuse in ways that are rarely depicted onscreen.

Simply put: To the moon and back. It’s the intimate, indie drama we’ve waited for all year. Jenkins is a new voice in cinema and he and his film will surely have a powerful presence in awards season.

Award potential: Look for nominees in all major Oscar categories beginning with Best Picture. It’s a lock for a nom for the SAG’s ensemble cast award as well.

The acting awards are tricky, as three actors played the quiet Chiron, but I’d look to Mahershala Ali in the Best Supporting Actor category for his scene-stealing role as father-figure Juan. Naomie Harris is a lock for Best Supporting Actress. Janelle Moneae won’t be recognized for her work here but may be nominated against Naomie for her work in the upcoming movie Hidden Figures.

The Ten Buck Review: Worth ten bucks.

Hell or High Water

Hell, yes.

“A Texas Ranger hunts bank robbers in West Texas” may not sound like the setup for a movie set in contemporary times nor does it hint that this was one of the best films of 2016, but both are correct.

Scottish director David Mackenzie, writer Taylor Sheridan (Sicario) and cinematographer Giles Nuttgens have created a bold, original film that can confidently sit on a shelf with Bonnie and Clyde, Thelma and Louise and No Country For Old Men.

The story follows brothers Toby and Tanner (Chris Pine and Ben Foster) on a bank-robbing spree that is being followed, ahem, hunted by Texas Ranger Marcus (Jeff Bridges in full Tommy Lee Jones mode) and his half-Comanche partner Alberus (Gill Birminham). It's a solid heist story, but it's something a little more too; it's a tale of small-scale justice that is in shocking synch with rebel America.

Rich dialogue. Handsome cinematography. Sizzling soundtrack. Standout performances. It's one of the best films of the year.

Simply put: It's a modern (but sepia-tone) classic that shouldn’t be missed.

Award potential: If Oscar voters remember all the way back to August, it should rack up nominations for Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor Jeff Bridges (who milks every line like the pro he is), and Best Score (Nick Cave and Warren Ellis) — maybe more.

The Ten Buck Review: Worth ten bucks.

15 BEST PICTURE CONTENDERS FOR 2017 (and when you can see them)

Ooh, la, la-la-land! 
It’s that time of year when Oscar caliber films fall out of the sky and into theaters. Five of this year’s top films are in theaters at this writing, with three more to follow before December.

Yeah, it's too early to predict the ten Best Pictures as some of these will definitely lose momentum before January (Sorry Warren Beatty), but these dozen films are a safe bet to be totally ten-buck-worthy (and one of them features the future Han Solo). Enjoy!

NOVEMBER

Hell or High Water

Brothers Toby and Tanner (Chris Pine and Ben Foster) are on a bank-robbing spree in West Texas, and a Texas Ranger, Best Actor frontrunner Jeff Bridges, is on to it. It’s a beauty and it’s sensational.

On Demand now for sale, rental begins Tuesday, November 22.

Moonlight

A young man deals with his dysfunctional home life and comes of age in Miami during the "War on Drugs” era. The New York Times recently asked “Is this 2016’s best movie?” I’ll find out this week.

In theaters now.

Loving

British-American drama starring Joel Egerton and Ruth Nega as Richard and Mildred Loving, the plaintiffs in the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision Loving v. Virginia, which invalidated state laws prohibiting interracial marriage. Directed by Jeff Nichols (Mud).
In theaters now.

Birth of a Nation

The controversial film based on the story of Nat Turner, the enslaved man who led a slave rebellion. Directed by and starring Nate Parker.

In theaters now.

Hacksaw Ridge

Speaking of controversial directors, we also have Mel Gibson's new film. WWII American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield) refuses to kill people and becomes the first Conscientious Objector in American history to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

In theaters now.

Manchester by the Sea

Lee (Casey Affleck) returns to his North Shore hometown and separated wife (Michelle Williams). Written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count On Me). A likely contender in many categories.

In theaters November 18.

Rules Don’t Apply

This year’s Hollywood film that honors itself, Rules Don’t Apply, follows the romantic relationship between a young actress (Lilly Collins) and her driver (Alden Ehrenreich, the future Han Solo), which is forbidden by their employer Howard Hughes (Warren Beatty). This is Beatty’s first directorial effort since Bulworth (1998). Also starring Annete Benning and Matthew Broderick.

In theaters November 23.

Lion

Australian-American-British drama that follows Saroo (Dev Patel) on his search for his long lost family. Also starring Rooney Mara, David Wenham and Nicole Kidman. It’s a Weinstein film.

In theaters November 25.

DECEMBER

Jackie

Actress frontrunner Natalie Portman plays Jacqueline Kennedy  in the days when she was First Lady in the White House.

In theaters December 2.

La La Land

This year’s early front-runner is a romantic musical set in L.A. starring likely Best Actress winner Emma Stone, Ryan Gossling and J.K. Simmons — directed by Damien Chazelle (Whiplash).

In theaters December 9.

The Founder
Supersized biopic of Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton) maneuvered himself into a position to buy the 1950s burger operation of Mac and Dick McDonald and create a billion-dollar fast food empire.

In theaters December 16.

Patriots Day
Sgt. Saunders (Mark Wahlberg) joins Boston Marathon bombing survivors, first responders and other investigators in a race against the clock to hunt down the suspects. Directed by Peter Berg (Lone Survivor).
In theaters December 21.

Silence

A historical drama set in the seventeeth century follows two Portuguese Jesuit priests (Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver) who face violence when they travel to Japan to locate their mentor (Liam Neeson) and propagate Christianity. Directed by Martin Scorsese.

In theaters December 23.

Hidden Figures
Three women at NASA (Taraji P. Henson,Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe) provide NASA with important mathematical data  and play key roles behind the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit.

In theaters December 25.








Fences

Set in 1950s Pittsburgh, a former baseball  player (Denzel Washington), now working as a waste collector,  struggles to provide for his wife (Viola Davis) and family. This Best Picture front-runner is based on the play of the same name and directed by Denzel Washington.

In theaters December 25.