Uncut Gems

Director Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie

Genre Comedy | Crime | Drama

Cast Adam Sandler, Lakeith Stanfield, Idina Menzel, The Weeknd

Rating R

Release Date December 25th, 2019 (Netflix May 25th, 2020)

“A jewelry dealer to the rich and famous must find a way to pay his debts when his merchandise is taken from one of his top sellers and girlfriend.”

From directors Benny and Josh Safdie, the directors behind the 2017 indie crime thriller Good Time, Uncut Gems is a comedy drama set in the diamond district of New York City and follows Howard Ratner, a jewelry store owner and dealer to the rich and famous, who must find a way to pay his debts when his merchandise is taken from one of his top sellers and girlfriend. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, directors The Safdie Brothers:

• The Safdie Brothers wanted to make this film since 2009 and prior to Good Time (2017), but couldn't get the project off the ground due to lack of financing. During that waiting period, Robert Pattinson contacted the brothers after he discovered the photo/poster of actress Arielle Holmes covered in pink neon light from their previous film Heaven Knows What (2014) on the internet. He was so intrigued by the energy of the photograph, that he wrote an email to the directors without knowing them and said he wanted to work with them. After they met with Pattinson, liking him and being inspired by his energy, the Safdie's spontaneously started to write Good Time (2017) with him in mind. After the film's premiere in Cannes and the following success, the brothers found themselves getting calls from Hollywood executives with offers including a big-budget superhero movie, which they declined and instead secured financing for Uncut Gems.

Little Women

Director Greta Gerwig

Genre Drama | Romance

Cast Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen

Rating PG

Release Date  December 25th, 2019

“Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War.”

From director Greta Gerwig, who also wrote the screenplay, Little Women is a drama that tells the story of four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Little Women:

• Emma Watson took over the role of Meg March from Emma Stone, who became unavailable due to scheduling conflicts with promoting The Favourite (2018). Ironically, Stone previously took over the role of Mia in La La Land (2016) after Watson dropped out of the project due to the commitment of her role as Belle in the Disney live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast (2017).

Spies in Disguise

Director Nick Bruno, Troy Quane

Genre Animation | Action | Adventure

Cast Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan, Rashida Jones

Rating PG

Release Date December 25th, 2019

“When the world’s best spy is turned into a pigeon, he must rely on his nerdy tech officer to save the world.”

From directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, Spies in Disguise is an animated action adventure that tells the story of the world's best spy who gets turned into a pigeon and must rely on his nerdy tech officer to save the world. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Spies in Disguise:

• Will Smith's first animated film since Shark Tale (2004) released 15 years prior.

• This is the first animated film from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

You: Season Two

Genre Crime | Drama | Romance

Cast Penn Badgley, Ambyr Childers, Elizabeth Lail, Luca Padovan

Rating TV-14

Series Premiere December 26th, 2019 (Netflix)

“A clever bookstore manager relies on his savvy Internet know-how to make the woman of his dreams fall in love with him.”

The first season was a hit for Netflix so of course they had to come up with a 2nd season to please a growing fan base. You is a crime drama series that tells the story of a clever bookstore manager relies on his savvy Internet know-how to make the woman of his dreams fall in love with him. Check out the official trailers for the new season below!!

Just getting started on the You binge-fest and not yet ready for Season 2?! Well we have you covered, go ahead and check out the trailer for the first season below and get comfy! You’re welcome.

Clemency

Director Chinonye Chukwu

Genre Drama

Cast Alfre Woodard, Aldis Hodge, Wendell Pierce, Richard Schiff

Rating R

Release Date December 27th, 2019

“Bernadine is a stoic prison warden, but two back-to-back executions put a strain on her marriage, career and convictions.”

Written and directed by Chinonye Chukwu, Clemency tells the story of prison warden Bernadine Williams who is carrying some serious baggage in her life after years of carrying out death row executions. As she prepares to execute another inmate, Bernadine must confront the psychological and emotional demons her job creates, ultimately connecting her to the man she is sanctioned to kill.

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Clemency:

• Oklahoma born actress Alfre Woodard received a Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar nomination for her role in the 1983 drama Cross Creek.

Cats

Director Tom Hooper

Genre Animation | Comedy | Drama

Cast James Corden, Judy Dench, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba

Rating PG

Release Date December 20th, 2019

“A tribe of cats called the Jellicles must decide yearly which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new Jellicle life.”

From acclaimed director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech, Les Misérables), Cats tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles who must decide yearly which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new Jellicle life. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Cats:

• Andrew Lloyd Webber has written new songs, exclusively for this movie.

• The stage version is the fourth-longest-running show in Broadway history, and the sixth-longest-running in London's West End.

• Ironically, Rebel Wilson is allergic to cats in real life.

The Witcher

Genre Action | Adventure | Drama

Cast Henry Cavill, Freya Allan, Joey Batey, MyAnna Buring

Rating Unrated

Series Premiere December 20th, 2019 (Netflix)

“Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts.”

The highly anticipated trailers for The Witcher are finally here!! The first thing I noticed is that Henry Cavill, who takes on the lead role of Geralt of Rivia, got absolutely huge for this role! Also, this new series from Netflix looks pretty damn good. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Witcher:

• An adaptation of the books, not the video games. In fact, showrunner Lauren Schmidt revealed in an interview that the show will never adapt the video games.

• Even before his first meeting with the role, Henry Cavill had already played all the Witcher games and read all the Witcher novels. So when it came to finally making the series, Cavill was already well-versed in the lore and deeply aware of the story and his character.

A Christmas Carol

Genre Drama | Fantasy

Cast Joe Alwyn, Stephen Graham, Guy Pearce, Tom Hardy

Rating Unrated

Series Premiere December 19th, 2019 (FX)

“A television adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas tale of the miser Ebenezer Scrooge.”

Ted Takes Series Facts, A Christmas Carol:

• Although it's a 3 episode mini series, FX considers and addresses it as a movie.

• Rutger Hauer, who was supposed to play The Ghost of Christmas Future (The Grim Reaper), died the year this was made.

The Two Popes

Director Fernando Meirelles

Genre Drama

Cast Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce, Juan Minujín, Sidney Cole

Rating PG-13

Release Date  December 20th, 2019 (Limited Theaters & Netflix)

“Behind Vatican walls, the conservative Pope Benedict and the liberal future Pope Francis must find common ground to forge a new path for the Catholic Church.”

“An intimate story of one of the most dramatic transitions of power in the last 2,000 years. Frustrated with the direction of the church, Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) requests permission to retire in 2012 from Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins). Instead, facing scandal and self-doubt, the introspective Pope Benedict summons his harshest critic and future successor to Rome to reveal a secret that would shake the foundations of the Catholic Church. Behind Vatican walls, a struggle commences between both tradition and progress, guilt and forgiveness, as these two very different men confront their pasts in order to find common ground and forge a future for a billion followers around the world. Inspired by true events.”

— Netflix

Check out the official trailer for the Netflix original film The Two Popes below!!

Togo

Director Ericson Core

Genre Drama

Cast Willem Dafoe, Julianne Nicholson, Christopher Heyerdahl, Michael Gaston

Rating PG

Release Date December 20th, 2019 (Disney+)

“The true story of the sled dog, Togo, who led the 1925 serum run, but was considered by most to be too small and weak to lead such an intense race.”

From cinematographer turned director Ericson Core (Invincible, Point Break), Togo tells the untold true story of the sled dog, Togo, who led the 1925 serum run, but was considered by most to be too small and weak to lead such an intense race. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Togo:

• The animated film Balto 1995 told the same story but Togo was the lead sled dog for most of the journey. Balto finished the last quarter but gets most of the credit. Hence the UNTOLD true story.

Bombshell

Director Jay Roach

Genre Biography | Drama

Cast Margot Robbie, Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, John Lithgow

Rating R

Release Date  December 20th, 2019

“A group of women decide to take on Fox News head Roger Ailes and the toxic atmosphere he presided over the network.”

From director Jay Roach (Meet the Parents, Dinner for Shmucks) and writer Charles Randolph (Love & Other Drugs, The Big Short), Bombshell tells the story of a group of women decide to take on Fox News head Roger Ailes and the toxic atmosphere he presided over the network. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Bombshell:

• Margot Robbie's character is the only main character in the film not based on a real person. Her character was invented for the film, possibly from a combination of real-life people or experiences, rolled into one character to streamline storytelling.

• The film includes three Oscar winners: Allison Janney, Nicole Kidman, and Charlize Theron; and two Oscar nominees: John Lithgow and Margot Robbie.

Jumanji: The Next Level

Director Jake Kasdan

Genre Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Cast Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan

Rating PG-13

Release Date December 13th, 2019

“The four players brave the jungle, desert, mountains and dangerous animals to save the fantastical video game world of Jumanji.”

Jumanji is back!! Jake Kasdan returns to then directors chair with his star-studded cast and a few welcomed additions. In Jumanji: The Next Level a team of friends return to Jumanji to rescue one of their own but discover that nothing is as they expect. The players need to brave parts unknown, from arid deserts to snowy mountains, in order to escape the world's most dangerous game. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Jumanji: The Next Level:

• Similar to the first film, this is heading into theaters one week prior to a Star Wars movie. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle came out a week before Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), and this is coming out a week before Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

6 Underground

Director Michael Bay

Genre Action | Thriller

Cast Ryan Reynolds, Ben Hardy, Mélanie Laurent, Adria Arjona

Rating R

Release Date December 13th, 2019 (Netflix)

“Meet a new kind of action hero. Six untraceable agents, totally off the grid. They’ve buried their pasts so they can change the future.”

From director Michael Bay (Transformers, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi), 6 Underground looks to be yet another hi-octane action thriller that tells the story of six billionaires who fake their own deaths and form an elite vigilante squad in order to take down notorious criminals. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, 6 Underground:

• At a budget of $150 million, this is the second most expensive film ever produced by Netflix, following Martin Scorsese's The Irishman (2019) which was budgeted at $175 million.

• Director Michael Bay’s first film made for a streaming service. Originally it was unknown as to whether or not the film would hit theaters prior to Netflix purchasing it.

Belichick & Saban: The Art of Coaching

Director Ken Rodgers

Genre Documentary | Sports

Cast Bill Belichick, Nick Saban

Rating Unrated

Release Date December 10th, 2019 (HBO)

“Belichick & Saban: The Art of Coaching is a documentary that spotlights the four-decade-long friendship between the two most powerful coaches in football history”

“The documentary offers an exclusive look at their annual coaching retreat, where Bill Belichick and Nick Saban have an in-depth conversation about their interwoven history and coaching philosophies. They discuss topics that haven’t been publicly shared before, including their fathers’ influences on their respective careers, their tenure with the Cleveland Browns in the 1990s and how they form bonds with the next generation of players. The film features numerous interviews from their peers, assistant coaches, family members, Hall of Fame tight end and former Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome, Georgia Head Coach Kirby Smart, Patriots Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels and many more.”

— HBO

Check out the official trailer for Belichick & Saban: The Art of Coaching below!!

Richard Jewell

Director Clint Eastwood

Genre Drama

Cast Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm, Paul Walter Hauser

Rating R

Release Date December 13th, 2019

“American security guard Richard Jewell heroically saves lives from an exploding bomb at the 1996 Olympics, but is unjustly vilified by journalists and the press who consider him a suspect.”

Directed by the legend himself Clint Eastwood, Richard Jewell tells the story of American security guard Richard Jewell who heroically saved thousands of lives from an exploding bomb at the 1996 Olympics, but was unjustly vilified by journalists and the press who falsely report that he was a terrorist. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Richard Jewell:

• The film is based on the article American Nightmare: The Ballad of Richard Jewell. It marks as the second time a 1990's article written by journalist Marie Brenner was turned into a movie. The first one being The Insider (1999)

• Leonardo DiCaprio was once eyeing a role in this movie as a southern lawyer while it was in development, but has since dropped out for other projects, but remained as a producer.

Black Christmas

Director Sophia Takal

Genre Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Cast Imogen Poots, Brittany O’Grady, Cary Elwes, Caleb Eberhardt

Rating PG-13

Release Date December 13th, 2019

“A group of students are stalked by a stranger during their Christmas break. A remake of the 1974 horror film ‘Black Christmas’.”

From director Sophia Takal, Black Christmas is a horror thriller produced by Blumhouse, and the film follows a group of students who are bring stalked by a stranger during their Christmas break. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Black Christmas:

• The 2nd remake of the 1974 horror film 'Black Christmas'.

• Described as a bold new take on the 1974 slasher classic produced by Jason Blum (Halloween) for his Blumhouse Productions.

A Hidden Life

Director Terrence Malick

Genre Biography | Drama | War

Cast August Diehl, Valerie Pachner, Michael Nyqvist, Matthias Schoenaerts

Rating PG-13

Release Date December 13th, 2019

“The Austrian Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, a conscientious objector, refuses to fight for the Nazis in World War II.”

Written and directed by Oscar-nominated Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life, Knight of Cups), A Hidden Life tells the true story of the Austrian Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, a conscientious objector, who refused to fight for the Nazis in World War II. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, A Hidden Life:

• The first Terrence Malick movie since The New World (2005) to have a linear narrative. He spent almost 3 years editing the film.

• The cast features only European actors mostly from the German-speaking countries Austria, Switzerland and Germany.

Seberg

Director Benedict Andrews

Genre Biography | Drama | Thriller

Cast Kristen Stewart, Margaret Qualley, Zazie Beetz, Vince Vaughn

Rating R

Release Date December 13th, 2019 (Limited)

“In the late 1960s, American actress Jean Seberg grew bored of acting and became enthralled with the activist politics of the era, particularly the Black Panthers.”

From director Benedict Andrews, Seberg biographical thriller inspired by real events about the French New Wave darling and Breathless star, Jean Seberg, who in the late 1960s was targeted by Hoover's FBI, because of her political and romantic involvement with civil rights activist Hakim Jamal. Check out the official trailer below!!

Marriage Story

Director Noah Baumbach

Genre Comedy | Drama

Cast Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Merritt Wever

Rating R

Release Date December 6th, 2019 (Netflix)

“A stage director and his actor wife struggle through a grueling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative extremes.”

Written and directed by Noah Baumbach (While We’re Young, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), Marriage Story is an incisive and compassionate portrait of a marriage breaking up and a family staying together. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Marriage Story:

• Adam Driver's fourth collaboration with Noah Baumbach.

The Aeronauts

Director Tom Harper

Genre Action | Adventure | Biography

Cast Felicity Jones, Eddie Redmayne, Himesh Patel, Anne Reid

Rating PG-13

Release Date December 6th, 2019 (Amazon Prime December 20th)

“Pilot Amelia Wren and scientist James Glaisher find themselves in an epic fight for survival while attempting to make discoveries in a hot air balloon.”

From director Tom Harper (Wild Rose), The Aeronauts tells the thrilling story of Pilot Amelia Wren and scientist James Glaisher who find themselves in an epic fight for survival while attempting to make discoveries in a hot air balloon. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, The Aeronauts:

• James Glaisher was a real English meteorologist who is remembered for his pioneering work as a balloonist. Between 1862 and 1866 he made numerous ascents to measure the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere at its highest levels. With his co-pilot aeronaut Henry Tracey Coxwell, they broke the world record for altitude on September 5, 1862. Coxwell is omitted from the film, and replaced with the fictional Amelia Wren. The Wren character draws some inspiration from various real women including Sophie Blanchard, a French aeronaut who was the first woman to work as a professional balloonist between 1804 and her death in 1819.