Winter break is when I see as many new releases as possible both because of the limited access to movie theaters in Northfield and because I would like to be well-educated about the the upcoming award season. Over break, I saw seven new releases. However, I am choosing not to include Moana 2 as it left my brain immediately after I saw it (which should speak for itself). Here is my list:

1. Nosferatu

Nosferatu, directed by Robert Eggers, was my most anticipated movie of the year. However, its shock-value scenes and dragged-out middle left me disappointed. Nosferatu is a vampire horror film based on the 1923 silent German film Nosferatu and Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stroker’s Dracula (1992). The film stars Lily Rose-Depp, Willam Defore, Bill Skarsgard, and Nicholas Hoult. It is about a young woman (Lily Rose-Depp) tormented by Count Orlock (Bill Skarsgard), an incredibly creepy count from Transylvania. For me, the setup of Nosferatu was its strongest point; Thomas Hudder’s (Nicholas Hoult) journey from Germany to Transylvania had an incredible set design and creepy allure. With the dramatic castle estate deep in Transylvania to the dreams of cults Hoult has, the whole journey sequence is reminiscent of Coppola’s Bram Stroker’s Dracula. As Nosferatu went on, I felt less and less drawn to the story. While I thoroughly enjoyed the side stories, like the ship unknowingly transporting Count Orlock to Willam Defoe’s performance throughout the film, I had trouble feeling attachment to the two main characters. I do not think this is a fault of Rose-Depp or Hoult’s performance; however, it is a fault in the actual composition of the movie. Although I still believe Nosferatu is a film worth seeing, I think Coppola’s story adaptation is much more fleshed out.

2. A Complete Unknown

A Complete Unknown, directed by James Mangold and starring Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan, was the perfect Biopic for the singer/songwriter. Since Mangold worked directly with Dylan in creating the film, Dylan had creative control over the film, which made the movie feel more authentic to him. Both the performances of Chalamet and Monica Barbaro (as Joan Baez) were perfect. Chalamet successfully embodied Dylan’s complex personality while allowing the viewer to see what made him such a household name. Barbaro embodied the stunning stage presence of Joan Baez and her chemistry with Bob Dylan. An aspect of the film that I didn’t like as much was Elle Fannings’s character, Sylvie Russo. While she is an essential aspect of Dylan’s life, it felt that, at times, scenes with them dragged. Overall,  A Complete Unknown did its job as a biopic while also serving us with two likely Oscar-nominated performances from Chalamet and Barbaro. 

3. Wicked

With this musical adaptation earning around $164 million in its first weekend in theaters and a whopping $70 million in the first week of its being available on streaming, it’s safe to say that Wicked was a grand success with general audiences. Although I had never seen the original musical and was hesitant about if it would be my thing, I decided I needed to know what everyone was talking about. I was pleasantly surprised by the movie’s production and both Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s acting as the leads. With its vibrant musical numbers and gorgeous sets, “Wicked” does not shy away from the fact that it is a movie-musical, which I greatly appreciated. The director considered what everyone loved about the musical and took it to the next level. On a similar note, the musical performances are incredibly striking. Grande and Erivo’s final performance at the film’s end is jaw-dropping, leaving the audience starstruck by their vocals, especially Erivo. I would highly recommend this film, especially for those who love musicals. 

4. Carry-On

Netflix is not my go-to for movies because I have trouble keeping up with their constant new releases. However, Carry On was a movie everyone I talked to had seen, so I decided to jump on the bandwagon. From the get-go, I sensed that this film would not be a hit for me. Carry On is a film set in an airport about a TSA worker (played by Ethan Kopek) who puts in an ear device that he finds while checking security and quickly learns that the entire airport is in danger. While Jason Bateman’s role as the traveler who is secretly a terrorist was interesting, nothing exciting about the main character caused a detachment to his story. Similarly, Carry On felt like it was trying too hard to be the new Die Hard by asserting itself as a “Christmas but not Christmas” movie. There were some enjoyable parts of this movie; however, I think you would spend much better watching Die Hard instead.

5. Heretic

Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods of A Quiet Place, Heretic is a horror film set in Boulder, Colorado, where two young Mormon missionaries named Sister Barnes (played by Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (played by Chloe East) go to the house of Mr. Reed (played by Hugh Grant) and (according to IMDB) “become ensnared in a dangerous game of cat and mouse” as they are forced to question their faith. Heretic immediately throws you into the story. Without giving you much background on the two main characters, the viewer must understand them based on their faith. The beginning is filled with them walking around discussing sex and other taboos in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints while door-knocking. Upon arrival at Mr. Reed’s house, Grant’s ability to contradict the familiar romantic role he is popular for becomes clear. As Mr. Reed, a terrifying man who wants to challenge the ideas of those around him by force, Grant employs his charismatic nature to draw the two sisters in and the viewer. Without saying too much about the plot of the film since it is much more fun to watch without knowing much, Heretic poses difficult questions while also managing to scare the belief right out of you. 

6. Conclave

Like Heretic, Conclave is a film that displays corruption within religion while giving a more intimate look into the lives of those not personally known to the world. Directed by Edward Berger, who also directed All Quiet on the Western Front and other films, Conclave stars Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence, one of the Cardinals tasked with selecting the new pope. Starting immediately with the death of the previous pope, the viewer watches as what at first seems like a cordial ceremony very quickly becomes that of lies and betrayals. We watch Fiennes’s character struggle to believe in the institution to which he has dedicated his entire life, as what he thought was once proper is altered. While incredibly dramatic, Conclave also perfectly paces the events within the movie and builds itself into a story that will stay with the viewers’ hearts long after it ends. Not only is the acting in Conclave superb but so is the score and raw emotion written into the script. The film is easily one of the best movies of the year and will continue to be heavily discussed for years.