Our guide to the movies set to wrap up 2019.
December is dominated by the final chapter in a certain long-running sci-fi saga, but that's not all on offer in cinemas at the tail end of 2019. We've also got two of the most acclaimed Chinese dramas of recent years, a major awards hopeful in Greta Gerwig's adaptation of Little Women, Shia LaBeouf playing his own father and lots more.
Here are the 10 most tempting movies coming to UK/ROI cinemas in December.
The Party's Just Beginning
Scottish actress Karen Gillan stars in her own directorial debut as a young woman struggling to cope with the recent suicide of a friend, throwing herself into alcohol, junk food and sex. Unable to share her grief with anyone in her life, she connects with a stranger played by Lee Pace.
In cinemas December 1st.
Honey Boy
The Shia LaBeouf scripted Honey Boy fictionalises the controversial actor's real-life rise to stardom, with LaBeouf playing a version of the father he shared a troubled relationship with. Noah Jupe and Lucas Hedges stand in for LaBeouf himself, playing the actor as a child and young man respectively. Israeli filmmaker Alma Har'el directs.
In cinemas December 6th.
Ordinary Love
Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville star in this touching drama as a husband and wife struggling to cope with the death of their daughter. Their relationship is tested even further when the latter is diagnosed with breast cancer.
In cinemas December 6th.
So Long, My Son
Epic decades spanning character dramas have become a speciality of Chinese cinema in recent years. Writer/director Wang Xiaoshuai's So Long, My Son follows two families over the course of 30 years as they cope with personal tragedies while adjusting to the social changes sweeping their nation. Leads Wang Jingchun and Yong Mei scooped the top acting awards at this year's Berlin Film Festival.
In cinemas December 6th.
System Crasher
This German drama from writer/director Nora Fingscheidt focusses on a troubled nine-year-old girl (Helena Zengel) who finds herself trapped in a child welfare system that struggles to understand her wild nature. System Crasher has been selected to represent Germany at next year's Oscars.
In cinemas December 6th.
The Wolf's Call
When you think of French cinema, a submarine thriller probably won't be the first thing that springs to mind, but that's what writer/director Antonin Baudry has fashioned with The Wolf's Call. Baudry's movie is centred on a sonar officer (Francois Civil) whose unique sense of hearing is called into action to track down a rogue submarine and avert World War III.
In cinemas December 6th.
Sons of Denmark
Like many European countries, Denmark has seen a dual rise in right wing nationalism and Islamic fundamentalism. Ulaa Salim's directorial debut examines both phenomenons, with a 19-year-old immigrant drawn into radicalism as a racist politician ascends to power.
In cinemas December 13th.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Whether you've enjoyed the resurgence of Star Wars and are genuinely excited for the saga's climax, or simply feel obligated to see this whole affair out, you'll no doubt find yourself in the audience for Rise of the Skywalker, the ninth and final instalment of the Skywalker story. The big question on fans' lips is the role set to be played by Ian McDiarmid, who appears to making a return as Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious, despite having been vanquished at the end of Return of the Jedi.
In cinemas December 19th.
Little Women
Greta Gerwig follows up her acclaimed directorial debut Lady Bird with this adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel. Gerwig adopts an unconventional approach, chopping up the story's timeline in non-linear fashion. A stacked cast including Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet and Meryl Streep will no doubt battle it out come awards season.
In cinemas December 26th.
Long Day's Journey into Night
No, it's not an adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's play. Rather writer/director Bi Gan's melancholy drama sees a man (Huang Jue) searching for his long lost love (Tang Wei) when his father's funeral brings him back to his hometown. The final hour of Gan's movie has drawn much attention for its playing out in a single unbroken shot.
In cinemas December 27th.
"We're seeing the formation of a new wave of women director shock merchants, and Lullaby is a welcome addition to their growing canon."— ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ.๐๐ ๐ ๐ฌ (@themoviewaffler) November 17, 2019
Read @hilliseric's IFI French Film Festival review of LULLABYhttps://t.co/7ziHJYfwSM pic.twitter.com/yZoYaQigrc