The top pick December movies celebrate Christmas values of redemption, reconciliation, hope and more. The first top pick movie, The Star, for the first week of December celebrates the real reason for the season and the ultimate story of redemption, reconciliation, and hope. This delightful Christmas movie is appropriate for the whole family and tells the story of the birth of Christ from the perspective of the animals in the story, especially that of the underdog little donkey Bo, who develops as a hero.
With excellent, charming animation, the voices are entertaining and engaging. As it tells the story of the birth of our Savior, it conveys valuable lessons of persistence, friendship, and true purpose. It demonstrates the truth that good overcomes evil, even through underdogs. It is a lovely movie that portrays the story of the greatest, eternal Christmas gift of all!
Another top pick movie is The Man Who Invented Christmas. It is an engaging, enthralling, entertaining movie that tells the story of Charles Dickens creating the Christmas classic A Christmas Carol. This movie is comedic and fanciful, but it is based on Charles Dickens real personal history. Dan Stevens gives a fine performance in this comedic movie, along with Christopher Plummer, Jonathan Pryce and others. This delightful, redemptive movie has important Christmas themes of family and forgiveness.
Another top pick redemptive movie is Wonder with Christmas themes of forgiveness, reconciliation, and family. Based on the New York Times bestseller by the same title, it tells the inspiring, hopeful, and heartwarming story of August Pullman (Jacob Tremblay), who has facial deformities. In the movie, he enters the fifth grade to attend an elementary school for the first time, after homeschooling with his mother, played by Oscar Award-winning actress Julia Roberts.
The movie follows Auggie’s first year in school from his perspective and that of those around him. While it discourages bullying, the movie encourages seeing others beyond external appearances, having quality friendships, and showing compassion. It is a family movie but there is some brief, mostly light, foul language.
It is a delightful, entertaining, uplifting movie that is suitable for older children through adults. Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson (Auggie’s father), Izabela Vidovic (Auggie’s sister, Via), Mandy Patinkin (Auggie’s school principal), and Jacob Tremblay (Auggie) give endearing performances.
Hope continues to shine into our hurting, dark world in other top pick movies for the first week of December. Let There Be Light, about an alcoholic atheist, tells the story of Sol Harkins who is mourning the death of his son. Because he is bitter and angry with God, Sol enjoys writing books that mock belief in God, especially Christian belief.
However, at a party for his new book, Sol becomes very drunk. As he drives his fancy car home, he crashes and has a near-death experience in which he sees his son alive and happy. His son repeatedly says to him, “Let there be light.” This experience challenges Sol to reconsider his beliefs and actions. This engaging, inspiring movie is directed by Kevin Sorbo and produced by Sean Hannity. Kevin and his wife, Sam, who is also a writer, are lead actors for this captivating film.
Same Kind of Different as Me is also a not-to-miss, timely major movie about compassion and kindness. It features the skillful performances of Academy Award® nominee Greg Kinnear, Academy Award® winner Renée Zellweger, Academy Award® nominee Djimon Hounsou, and Academy Award® winner Jon Voight.
I had the privilege of participating in interviews with Ron Hall, author/writer; Greg Kinnear, Rene Zellweger; Jon Voight. Djimon Hounsou, and director Michael Carney in LA this past weekend. They are all Christian believers who are committed to serving and restoring the homeless. These actors are Academy Award winners/nominees who bring genuine heart to this story! Here, you can hear their hearts from the interviews about the main issue of homelessness in the movie. The true story upon which this movie is based is amazing and timely.
This engaging and inspiring Paramount Pictures and PureFlix movie is rated PG-13 for thematic elements and is appropriate for teens and adults. It is based on the New York Times bestselling book of the same name by Ron Hall and Denver Moore, with Lynn Vincent. This uplifting movie provides solutions to today’s challenges of racial and socioeconomic divides and of homelessness.
The film presents a remarkable true story about the transforming power and importance of the following: compassion, faith, family, friendship, kindness, unconditional love, and forgiveness. Audiences are sure to find inspiration to “Make A Difference” in the lives of others because as Denver would say—everyone can help someone.
The movie, Same Kind of Different as Me, based on a true story and subsequent New York Times bestseller, is about international art dealer Ron Hall (Greg Kinnear), who befriends a homeless man (Denver played by Djimon Hounsou), in hopes of saving his struggling marriage to Debbie (Renée Zellweger). Debbie’s dreams will lead all three of them on a remarkable journey. Hall’s father, played by Jon Voight, will also be transformed and reconciled by the relationships of Ron, Debbie, and Denver.
Another heartfelt, hopeful family movie, The Stray, is about Mitch Davis and his family. Mitch is a workaholic executive for a big studio in Hollywood with a passion to become a screenwriter. His son, Christian, is being bullied at school and desperately wants his father’s attention and time. Mitch does not understand his son’s needs. A stray dog helps Christian fight off a bully. The family adopts the dog, whom they name Pluto. Mitch takes Christian, Pluto, and two other boys on a trip to the Colorado mountains where they encounter a threatening storm.
This movie is based on a true story artistically directed by the real Mitch Davis, who lived to tell his tale of being struck by lightning. This PG movie is for the entire family, although the storm may be scary for little children. This entertaining movie teaches valuable lessons such as forgiveness, sacrifice, and trust in God.
Many other redemptive, family movies are prevailing at the top of the box office for the first week of December. Among these outstanding films is A Question of Faith. In this powerful work, three families are struck with tragedy that intertwines them, but sets them free collectively and personally. There are twists and surprises that bring hope to audiences. In the converging, growing, deepening journey, the characters find and experience God’s love, grace, and mercy in their deepest places, and resurrection of their personal and collective faith. This movie is especially inspiring in a time such as this.
Playing out in the hardhearted world of the Los Angeles criminal court system that was sorely lacking in moral convictions, Roman J. Israel, Esq., continues as a thought-provoking top pick for older teens and adults. It is a PG-13 movie due to content and some language. (For example, our Lord’s name is taken in vain to the face of Roman Israel, who ironically is in part a type of Christ figure.)
This uniquely told redemptive story stars Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington. Roman J. Israel, Esq. is a character whose “moral compass always points north,” says producer, Todd Black. “When you go to a courthouse or a prison, you see people struggling to prove their worth, to prove their story – not even necessarily their innocence; they just want their story to be heard,” says Black. Of many lawyers, he says, “They’re cut and dry – does it fit the law or doesn’t it fit the law? – and they put zero moral value on right or wrong.”
As Roman J. Israel, Esq, Washington performs an idealistic, misfit, savant defense lawyer, Roman J. Israel, who is driven by conviction, courage, and compassion. The Esq. attached to his name refers to his being “a little above gentleman” and “a little lower than knight.”
Roman’s life is upended when his mentor, a civil rights icon, dies. Israel is recruited to join a firm led by one of the legendary man’s former students, George Pierce (Colin Farrell), who is initially an ambitious and self-serving lawyer. Roman Israel is also pursued as a mentor by Maya Alston (Carmen Ejogo), who is a young champion of equal rights. Carmen Ejogo says that Roman ignites the embers in her character and that her character stands on his shoulders. A turbulent series of events tests Roman’s career and convictions, as well as of those around him.
I enjoyed a profound discussion of this multi-faceted, substantive movie in L.A. with Denzel Washington and director Dan Gilroy. You can hear excerpts from this discussion. One of the most profound insights from this discussion was that the movie is not just about Roman. The idea of one’s legacy is gripping in this movie.
Like Roman Israel, Dan Gilroy and Denzel Washington are men of strong convictions. Denzel revealed that while shooting Roman J. Israel, Esq. that he and Dan prayed and read the Bible regularly. “Dan and I have been prayer partners in this whole collaboration…We were on the same page from day one. We know Who we work for, and we’re just trying to do our best work,” he said. Read and hear more about Dan Gilroy’s and Denzel Washington’s faith and convictions.
Dan Gilroy wrote the film on spec specifically for two-time Academy Award® winner Denzel Washington because he felt that Denzel is the only actor who could bring the character to life. “I wrote this movie for Denzel because of his talent and because Denzel is a man who believes in human dignity and the human spirit. Knowing who Denzel is in real life, he brings that part of himself to this character.”
Dan Gilroy is well-known for Hollywood spectacles like The Bourne Legacy. Gilroy says, “I can write spectacle-driven, entertaining films, but what I learned…is that audiences love to watch something character-based…Audiences are hungry for a story that resonates in real life, that’s relevant.”gton stars in Columbia Pictures’ ROMAN J. ISRAEL ESQ.
Further remaining in theaters is Despicable Me 3, which is PG-rated, has some light crude elements and lots of cartoon violence, but is moral and redemptive as it celebrates faith and family in the midst of action-packed adventures. It has no foul language. Gru, wife Lucy, and their three adorable daughters (Margo, Edith, and Agnes) along with the Minions and Gru’s twin brother, Dru (both twins are skillfully voiced by Steve Carrell), are involved with fast-paced adventures filled with heart and satirical humor for all ages. Despicable Me 3 (PG-13) is suitable for older children through adults.
It takes effort and research to find good movies with worthwhile values through good reviews from trustworthy, wise sources. Uniquely, each week Sonoma Christian Home not only provides valuable reviews and substantive interviews for worthwhile family movies, but it also publishes the top picks in movies in theaters for all ages that are not only entertaining; but they are redemptive, of good quality, and inspirational.
The top pick movies for the first weekend of December include the following: The Star (PG) for all ages; The Man Who Invented Christmas (PG) for older children through adults; Wonder (PG) for older children through adults; Let There Be Light (PG-13) that is suitable for older children through adults; Same Kind of Different as Me (PG-13) which is appropriate for teens and adults; A Question of Faith (PG) appropriate for older children through adults; The Stray (PG) for the entire family; Roman Israel, Esq. (PG-13) for older teens through adults; and Despicable Me 3 (PG-13), which is appropriate for older children through adults.
Although release dates can change, this what we know about the promising movies yet to come in December: Ferdinand, December 15; The Bolshoi Ballet’s, The Nutcracker, December 17; and The Greatest Showman, December 25. Also, watch for many top picks in the new year of redemptive, Biblical, and faith-based movies that continue to improve in the ongoing Renaissance of artistry and Reformation of content in movies.
Remember to research films before you see them. Hold out for the best. What we see in movies affects our personal lives, our families, and our culture. Support in every way you can, the best of family and redemptive movies, so that more like them will be made. Choose and support the best that will affect us all positively for eternal good.
Enjoy the Christmas Season and celebrate the birth of our Lord with redemptive movies that display Christian character that our Lord has made possible.
To learn more about this author, please visit Dr. Diane Howard
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