TWIS holiday movie guide

This holiday season, use our guide to the movies you can see with the family as well as those you need to beef up on before the beginning of awards season. Happy holidays and happy viewing!

American Sniper (Dir. by Clint Eastwood; starring Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Luke Grimes and Jake McDorman)

The Movie For: The military family

After a disappointing summer release of his panned adaption of the Four Seasons musical “Jersey Boys,” Clint Eastwood returns to movie screens with what he does best: proving the psychological effect on men who live in constant violence. Just like his westerns and modern-day parables of “Mystic River” and “Gran Torino,” “American Sniper” is the true story of U.S. Navy Seal sniper Chris Kyle during the Iraq War. Bradley Cooper has been receiving high praise from critics for his emotionally gripping and honest portrayal of a soldier who is a simultaneous victim of — and instrument of — violence.

Annie (Dir. by Will Gluck; starring Quvenzhané Wallis, Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx)

The Movie For: The family with small children

Parents will have seen and perhaps even been raised on John Huston’s original 1982 adaptation of this “musical that could.” But in place of Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney and Carol Burnett, director Will Gluck (director of teenage comedies “Easy A” and “Friends with Benefits”) has enlisted the talents of Quvenzhané Wallis, Jamie Foxx and Carmeron Diaz to modernize the rags-to-riches story of orphan Annie. With the same iconic songs with a little bit of added hip-hop/pop flair, families with young kids can bond over and hum the tunes all holiday long.

Birdman (Dir. by Alejandro González Iñarritu; starring Michael Keaton, Edward Norton and Emma Stone)

The Movie For: The theatrical family

If your family has older teenagers or college-aged students who are dramatic or seeking a degree or career in theater, then it's your familial duty to take them to this movie. The movie depicts the story of a washed up, former superhero blockbuster movie star (Michael Keaton) as he tries to mount an original play on Broadway. All the while, he has to deal with his fresh-out-of-rehab daughter (Emma Stone), a prima donna acclaimed actor (Edward Norton) and an onslaught of problems, critics and his super hero alter ego, Birdman. It's a high-wire dramatic thrill ride of the highest order and an accurate depiction of the thrill and terror that working in live theater can provide.

Big Eyes (Dir. by Tim Burton; starring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz)

The Movie For: The eccentric family

The true story of the first pop artists in American history, “Big Eyes” tells the love story and eventual disintegration of the marriage between Walter and Margaret Keane. Margaret Keane (Amy Adams) was an amateur artist who only painted children with large, orb-like eyes. It wasn’t until her marketing-extraordinaire husband, Walter (Christoph Waltz), begins selling the artwork on posters, shirts and buttons that her work becomes a cultural obsession. The only hitch is that, in 1950s America, Walter takes credit for the work so people will take it more seriously than a female artist. The true-life legal and marital battle that ensues is a manic and eccentric take on gender and artistic struggles. Tim Burton brings his creepy-chic touch to this real-life drama with Adams and Waltz bringing their patented dramatic talent and bravura.

Boyhood (Dir. by Richard Linklater; starring Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke)

The Movie For: The professional Oscar family

Most years, there are clear frontrunners for the Best Picture Oscar at the Academy Awards. This year, Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood” is that movie. Filmed over a period of 12 years, Linklater captures the life of a young boy named Mason from a child to young adult and all the angst, hilarity and absurdity that everyone’s teenage years contain. It's already been hailed by critics as Linklater’s magnum opus (even after directing the impressive “Before…” trilogy, “School of Rock” and “Dazed and Confused”) and one of the most staggering achievements in recent cinema memory. If your family prides itself on being ahead of the mainstream cultural conversation before Oscar night, then pick this movie up at your local store or online.

Exodus: Gods and Kings (Dir. by Ridley Scott; starring Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Ben Kingsley and Sigourney Weaver)

The Movie For: The family who doesn't know what holiday it is

If there is one sure-fire way to celebrate Christmas at the movie theater, it’s watching a film about the story of Passover. Sometimes your family is so exhausted by Christmas that a journey into another Biblical story can do the trick. Especially if it's directed by one of the premiere directors of film spectacle, Ridley Scott. However, the director of “Alien,” “Blade Runner,” “Gladiator” and “Kingdom of Heaven” has gotten a lot of flack over his less-than-realistic casting of Academy Award-winning British actor and perpetually disgruntled Batman Christian Bale as Moses and Aussie Joel Edgerton as the tyrannical Egyptian pharaoh Ramses. In fact, none of the principal roles are played by Egyptian or Middle Eastern actors. Nonetheless, “Exodus: Gods and Kings” follows in a long line of Biblical and ancient history films that don’t have realistic casting (Charlton Heston as Moses; Willem Defoe and Jim Caviezel as Jesus Christ). If you like your action epics and want to clear your mind of holly and Christmas cheer, take a trip down to Gotham - I mean Egypt.

Foxcatcher (Dir. by Bennett Miller; starring Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo)

The Movie For: The dysfunctional family

If you dread when your extensive family comes into town for the holidays, and it takes about one meal before people are arguing, drinking and smoking, then watching an even more dysfunctional family will be a great catharsis and unifier. The cinematic family in Bennett Miller’s “Foxcatcher” is the real-life story of the Olympic wrestler brothers Mark (Channing Tatum) and David Schultz (Mark Ruffalo) being taken under the wing of mentally unstable millionaire  and wrestling aficainado John du Pont (Steve Carell). Miller has earned his directing chops with other true-story films “Capote” and “Moneyball” and has finally hit the sweet spot by finding and delivering a story that delves into the dark recesses of the American psyche of superiority and brute strength. All three lead male actors are receiving high praise for their portrayals, especially Carell, who is almost unrecognizable as the unwound and violently possessive wrestling coach, du Pont.

Inherent Vice (Dir. by Paul Thomas Anderson; starring Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin and Katherine Waterston)

The Movie For: The movie-buff family

If all your family wants for Christmas are Criterion Collection blu-rays or classic films, then take them out to a groovy, trippy and neo-noir of the moment. Based on the reclusive, yet phenomenal author and novelist Thomas Pynchon’s book, “Inherent Vice” depicts the story of hippie gumshoe Larry “Doc” Sportello as he helps his ex-girlfriend locate her missing millionaire boyfriend. But like the best noir films from the 1930s and 40s, it’s never about solving the crime, but the journey, characters and taboos that fall scattershot in between. Paul Thomas Anderson has established a Pixar or Scorsese-level of repeated quality. The 44-year-old director’s filmography is a diverse cavalcade of powerful characters and intoxicating stories. Add “Inherent Vice” to P.T.A.’s must see films. And if you haven’t watched “Boogie Nights,” “Magnolia,” “Punch-Drunk Love,” “There Will Be Blood” or “The Master” then immediately buy these and have a joyous PT Anderson Holiday.

Into the Woods (Dir. by Rob Marshall; starring Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, Emily Blunt and James Corden)

The Movie For: The musical family

If your family breaks out into song on a regular basis and has multiple musical soundtracks, then you already have this movie adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s fairytale masterpiece on your holiday schedule. Directed by Rob Marshall (“Chicago,” “Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Nine” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”) and written by the original musical book writer James Lapine, the movie received early criticism from purists when it was discovered that some songs were scratched for time. The stunning cast that includes Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt, Chris Pine and James Corden should be able to sooth any naysayers. So, sit back relax and warm up your vocal chords. You’ll be humming and singing long after you’ve left the theater.

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (Dir. by Shawn Levy; starring Ben Stiller, Robin Williams and Owen Wilson)

The Movie For: The whole family

History and hijinks return for a third outing with Ben Stiller as the lovable night watchmen Larry Daley and his lovable posse of historical characters. Stiller, along with franchise favorites Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais and Rebel Wilson, will provide humor and physical comedy to make both adults and children laugh. Stiller and director Shaw Levy plan to close out the series with this film, but the extra reason for everyone to go to the museum is Robin Williams. As former president Theodore Roosevelt, Williams has been riding into our hearts and laughs since the original movie. When Williams died earlier this year, the world lost a great talent and lover of laughter. The cast and crew reassembled after principal filming had concluded in order to film a fitting tribute for their fearless commander in chief. So after the film, wipe away the water in your eyes and go home and introduce your kids to Robin Williams as a grown-up Peter Pan in “Hook.” You’ll be flying high the rest of the holiday.

Selma (Dir. by Ava DuVernay; starring David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tom Wilkinson, Oprah Winfrey, Tim Roth and Cuba Gooding, Jr.)

The Movie For: The socially conscious family

If your family follows the news, then you’re completely entrenched in the recent controversies surrounding Ferguson, the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner and police militarization. “Selma” is a film for this moment. And if your family loves social involvement and needs an emotional catharsis, then go see director Ava DuVernay’s sensational “Selma.” Depicting the organizational efforts, struggles and dangers of the early Civil Rights Movement, the film follows Martin Luther King, Jr. (a star-making performance by David Oyelowo) as he tries to raise the profile of the South’s civil rights protests through his seminal march through Selma, Alabama. “Selma” is the first major feature film to focus on the work of Dr. King, and according to critics, it has captured the message, struggle and sacrifice of King and all those involved. If your family wants to look back at protests that proffered immense change in the U.S., take a trip down to “Selma.”

The Gambler (Dir. by Rupert Wyatt; starring Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Lange, John Goodman and Brie Larson)

The Movie For: The overly-testosterone-filled family

If your family is filled with men who like their films like they like their red meat (bloody and with an extra coating of grit), then take them to “The Gambler.” A remake of a 1974 film of the same name, starring James Caan (the manliest movie star of the 1970s), this new movie stars Mark Wahlberg (the macho-movie star of the moment) as literature professor/gambling addict Jim Bennett. Bennett falls into debt and has one last shot to pay back every loan shark and mobster with the money from another gang leader, Frank (played by a delightfully villainous John Goodman). It’s a high-velocity, testosterone-fueled juggernaut. And with direction by Rupert Wyatt (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” and “The Escapist”) and screenplay by William Monahan (“The Departed”), the family will double down and get a jackpot on the holiday season.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (Dir. by Wes Anderson; starring Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori and Tilda Swinton)

The Movie For: The colorful family

Although this film came out at the beginning of the year, Wes Anderson’s latest installment in his stylistic and hip world will have a large role to play in the awards season. The film depicts the story of a majestic and opulent hotel and its main concierge Monsieur Gustave (Ralph Fiennes in one of the greatest performances of his career) as he trains his protégé Zero (Tony Revolori). The film takes place in the fictional Republic of Zubrowka just before the start of World War II and illustrates the lost of Old World innocence during the rise of the Nazi regime. It’s heartfelt, it’s touching, and above all fun. Wes Anderson has rarely been better and his colorful cast of regulars like Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, F. Murray Abraham, Harvey Keitel, Willem Dafoe and Adrien Brody make up the finest ensemble this year. And if you’re family is even remotely as colorful and eccentric as this cinematic family, you’ll feel right at home in Wes Anderson’s world.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (Dir. by Peter Jackson; starring Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen and Cate Blanchett)

The Movie For: The nostalgic family

This is the end. After years of production, days of film, and hours upon hours of finished film, Peter Jackson’s “Hobbit” and “Lord of the Rings” saga come to a close. The first two films in the Hobbit trilogy have been criticized for not being as serious as the original LOTR movies, but naysayers should feel right at home in the serious, war-torn finale of Bilbo Baggins’ (Martin Freeman) journey. Bilbo, Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Thorin (Richard Armitage) and his brood of dwarves have to fend off Smaug the dragon from reclaiming their golden homeland. It’s large-scale battles, emotions and friendships at a journey’s end. J.R.R. Tolkien fans will already be there. But if your family likes a great story and to feel the nostalgia of over a decade of storytelling, then Middle Earth will be a great cinematic retreat for the holidays.

The Imitation Game (Dir. by Morten Tyldum; starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley and Matthew Goode)

The Movie For: The Tearjerker Family

This film tells the true yet tragic story of the father of computer science: Alan Turing. Turing (played by a stupendous Benedict Cumberbatch) was responsible for cracking Nazi Germany’s seemingly unbreakable Enigma encryption code. However, during the war, his colleagues and military superiors believe he is a spy and at the very least a strange recluse. However, after breaking the code by inventing the first basic computer, the government discoveres that Turing is gay, a punishable offense at the time. So a genius that should have been publically lauded and honored was eventually forced to choose between imprisonment or chemical castration. It is a tragic story that held grave importance for the outcome of World War II and our present computer saturated society. Turing’s tragic story of genius and prejudice will soak the tears even the hardest of families. Be sure to pack some tissues.

The Theory of Everything (Dir. by James Marsh; starring Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones)

The Movie For: The recently-married couple 

The first Christmas is often one of the first tests for recently married couples. Having to juggle holiday traditions, dysfunctional families and cross-country travel will be a huge hurdle to overcome. The story of the inspirational romance between physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne in a transformative performance) and Jane Hawking (an inspirational Felicity Jones) will encourage new couples that love can overcome even the most dire of circumstances. Redmayne and Jones give career-defining performances and will change your perspective on enduring love as well as the universe.

Unbroken (Dir. by Angelina Jolie; starring Jack O’Connell, Takamasa Ishihara and Garrett Hedlund)

The Movie For: The inspirational family

If your family loves to lead by example and adores traditional, sweeping Hollywood storytelling, then Angelina Jolie’s newest directorial venture is for you. The movie is a biography of Olympic athlete and World War II veteran Louis Zamperini, whom Jolie befriended in the last few years of his life. “Unbroken” follows Zamperini (played by Jack O’Connell) as he turns from a rebellious youth to Olympic athlete winning gold in the 1936 Berlin Olympics and finally a soldier. Serving in the Pacific theater of war, his plane is shot down and he has to survive in the tortuous confines of Japanese prisoner of war camp. It’s stirring, inspiring and traditional motion picture that explore the deepest range of human emotions. Take the family to this at the cinema and you’ll want to go climb the nearest mountain.

Wild (Dir. by Jean-Marc Vallée; starring Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern and Thomas Sadoski)

The Movie For: The rebellious family

If your family is full of trailblazers and those who pave their own trail, then director Jean-Marc Vallée’s (“Dallas Buyers Club” and “The Young Victoria”) adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s best-selling memoir. Reese Witherspoon, in a role that is predicted to earn her another Oscar nomination, stars as Cheryl and has to overcome a series of windswept tragedies of losing her mother, her marriage crumbling and substance abuse. Cheryl’s solution to overcome her afflictions is to cast herself into nature and hike the Pacific Crest Trail. “Wild” is a singular and astounding cleanse of the holiday movie season. Families will feel closer and stronger as individuals after joining Witherspoon on her trek through nature, memory and time.

AND

The Interview (Dir. by Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen; starring James Franco, Seth Rogen, Lizzy Caplan and Randall Park)

The Movie For: No one’s family

Unless you’ve ignored the news the last week and a half, you know why no one can see this satire of Kim Jung-Un’s North Korean communist regime. The Batman and Robin of stoner comedy, Seth Rogen and James Franco, were foiled by an ongoing international hacking incident between the film’s parent company, Sony, and a hacker group reportedly working for the North Korean government. The fallout from Sony and the major movie theater companies’ decision to not screen the film due to terrorist threats has caused many to question the film industry and the country’s value of free speech and expression. If you and your family value the First Amendment and want to laugh at the ludicrous machinations and folly of tyrants and dictators, rent or buy Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator.” Laugh, rejoice and know that everything will be okay. Because if there's one thing anonymous hackers or dictators shouldn’t be able to erase, it's our movies.

Happy holidays!