At The Movies
Red One
After Santa Claus (code name: Red One) is kidnapped, the North Pole's Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with the world's most infamous bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas. Don't go into this movie expecting a perfect plot or deep storytelling. However, if you're looking for an action-packed Christmas film with interesting holiday lore, cool characters, and fun gimmicks, it's worth checking out.
 

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The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Nobody is ready for the mayhem and surprises that ensue when six of the worst youngsters disrupt the town's yearly Christmas performance. This movie is funny and heartwarming as well, definitely a film for the whole family. Dallas Jenkins did a great job directing and putting this together. In a world of hallmark Christmas movie, this is the movie that relies on the true meaning of Christmas. Stick around until the end credits. They review what each of the kids is doing now.

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The Substance (Mubi)
A fading celebrity (Demi Moore) takes a black-market drug: a cell replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself. In a world full where filler, botox, face lifts and implants, skin care routines, and obsession with youth are at their peak in media, The Substance calls into question whether the new, better you is really you. Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley couldn't have been more perfectly cast as leads. Their devotion to the process and trust in their director was clear to me. Their vulnerability pulls this off and leads to a very compelling fever dream. Dennis Quaid plays a Hollywood sleezeball as believably as it could be done.
 

The Buzz...

In what appears to be a major copy editing snafu, Universal Pictures and toy company Mattel made an unfortunate error with their line of “Wicked” toys. The packaging lists a URL that’s presumably meant to link to the film’s website, wickedmovie.com. However, it instead lists wicked.com which belongs to long established porn company Wicked Pictures, former home to Stormy Daniels and Jenna Jameson.

Red One, a Christmas themed release in which Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson plays Santa’s head of security, didn’t have too big a bounty to unwrap in its international box office debut. The film collected just $26.6 million from 25,195 screens across 75 overseas markets over the weekend.

Ariana Grande has a request. The 31 year old Wicked actress and pop superstar made an appearance on Las Culturistas, where she spoke out directly to Disney asking them not to re-theme the Florida version of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride into Marvel‘s Guardians of the Galaxy, as they did in California’s Disneyland.

Andra Day is joining the Season 2 cast of Percy Jackson and the Olympians as Athena. Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, is one of the most important Olympian characters in Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson books, being the mother of Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava Jeffries), Percy’s (Walker Scobell) close friend and fellow demigod.

Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz was injured in a NASCAR crash, but luckily, he was able to walk away from the accident. Driving as No. 27 for Reaume Brothers Racing, Muniz collided with other racers during Friday’s Craftsman Truck Series Championship at the Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona.

Tony Todd, an American actor known for leading the Candyman horror franchise as its eponymous hook wielding ghost, died Wednesday at his home in Marina Del Rey, Calif. He was 69.

Andor is coming back. Disney announced at the D23 Expo in Brazil that Season 2 of the Star Wars spin-off series will premiere April 22, 2025 on Disney+. The show stars Diego Luna, reprising his role as the titular Rebel spy after 2016′s Rogue One.

Chappell Roan is making a big professional change after her big breakout year. The 26 year old Hot To Go hitmaker has reportedly parted ways with her management team. The news comes after she soared to new heights and secured multiple Grammy nominations for the 2025 ceremony.