What to Watch in the Theater:
The Greatest Showman (PG) is in theaters now. This film takes us to the 1800s in New York City, where P.T. Barnum first establishes his circus. It’s an interesting tale of a man striving to succeed at doing something he loves, while giving a home to people shunned by the very society he desperately wants to accept him. And by the way, it’s a musical! But it’s NOT a period musical – the wonderful songs are contemporary, and the performances (especially Zendaya and Zac Efron’s together) are impressive. Oh, and there are some important messages as well. This movie packs in almost enough stuff for three rings, or at least a VERY large tent.
Our rating: 4.17 out of 5

Pitch Perfect 3 (PG13) opens today. At first you may wonder why the franchise needed a third installment, and think the premise is a little iffy. But then the action – and the music – take center stage, and you can’t help but get swept into this aca-awesome closing act. You may just have to admit you really care about what happens to Beca, Fat Amy and the rest of the Bellas. And why won’t those pesky judges turned documentarians (John Michael Higgins and Elizabeth Banks, even more over the top than usual) just leave them alone? Yes, the story gets pretty outrageous, but it’s a fun romp full of great songs.
Our rating: 4 out of 5

What to Watch at Home (Or Not):
Christmas Eve (PG) Compared with other films celebrating multiple stories on a particular day (New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and the killer – Love, Actually) – this one just shouldn’t have bothered. While the intertwined stories hold a bit of interest, there isn’t enough here to make us care about what happens to these characters while they’re stuck in elevators, or wonder what comes next for them once they get out. DON’T add this to your must-see list for the holidays.
Our rating: 1 out of 5

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