MARY POPPINS
showing on december 8 and 9
Disney’s Saving Mr.Banks is charming audiences with its tale of Mary Poppins’ author P.L. Travers and her war with Walt Disney over bringing her beloved characters to the big screen. If you want to see the original, look no further than the IFI. The Dublin arthouse cinema is hosting special screenings of the Yuletide favourite. Featuring an iconic performance from Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke putting on his striking cockney accent, Mary Poppins is an enduring treat, revered for its unforgettable songs by the Sherman Brothers. Hits include A Spoonful of Sugar, Let’s Go Fly a Kite, and, of course, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG
released on december 13
Geeks of the world rejoice, the sequel to last year’s The Hobbit has finally arrived. The second in a trilogy of films adapting The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, director Peter Jackson continues the adventure of character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield, on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and the dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. With the glorious Benedict Cumberbatch and a darker plot, hopefully the sequel will prove more compelling.

ANCHORMAN 2
released on december 20
Never before has a comedy sequel had more hype, and the cast of Anchorman 2 are playing to it like nobody’s business, with the legendary anchorman Ron Burgundy even sharing his thoughts on Love/Hate with the nation. But it’s hard to imagine how this sequel could go wrong. With the 70’s behind him, San Diego’s top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), returns to the news desk along with his co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), weather man Brick Tamland (Steve Carell) and man on the street Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd.) They won’t find it make it easy to stay classy while taking the nation’s first 24-hour news channel by storm.
THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY

released on december 26
Ben Stiller is the director and star of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, the much-loved tale of a day-dreamer who escapes his boring day to day existence by vanishing into a world of fantasy. When his job along with that of his co-worker (Kristen Wiig) look like they are about to be axed, Walter embarks on an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could imagine. Early reviews are mixed. However, it seems that the mix of poignancy, surrealism, droll humour and stunning visuals may well play on this season’s ability to turn us all into sentimental messes.
DELIVERY MAN

released on january 10
Sure we’d have to give a shout-out to Delivery Man, given that it stars our very own Jack Reynor, who’s all grown up and starring alongside Vince Vaughn in this comedy. Vaughn plays underachiever David Wozniak, whose mundane life is turned upside down when he finds out that he fathered 533 children through sperm donations he made twenty years earlier – and is facing lawsuits from 142 of the 533 twenty-somethings who want to know the identity of the donor. Based on Canadian comedy Starbuck, the high-concept comedy is well intentioned with insights into the nature of family and personal growth. Despite a sweet resolution, it proves slightly forgettable, but Reynor does us proud as one of Vaughn’s offspring.
INSIDE LLYWEN DAVIS

released january 24
A stunning offering from the Coen Brothers, this deeply resonant dramedy follows a week in the life of a young folk singer (Oscar Isaac) as he negotiates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961. Guitar in tow, huddled against the unforgiving New York winter, he is struggling to make it as a musician against seemingly insurmountable obstacles-some of them of his own making. A gorgeous example of the Coen’s period expertise, the beautifully scored film captures the near-dawn of the Dylan Greenwich Village folk scene with all the accuracy of a half-remembered dream. Wryly exploring loss and resignation, the film is funny, biting and moving, and one of the Coen’s best.

THE BOOK THIEF
released on january 31
Based on the beloved international bestselling book, The Book Thief tells the story of an extraordinary, spirited young girl sent to live with a foster family in WWII Germany. Intrigued by the only book she brought with her, she begins collecting books as she finds them. With the help of her new parents and a secret guest under the stairs, she learns to read and creates a magical world that inspires them all. Early reviews are praising the performances of Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson and young Sophie Nelisse, though some are criticising the film’s overly sentimental tone that doesn’t quite capture the horror of Nazi Germany. But one fans of the book will want to see.

FROZEN
released on december 6
Every Christmas needs an enchanting, feel-good Disney flick, and this year the animated feature Frozen is it. When a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter, Anna (Kristen Bell), a fearless optimist, teams up with “extreme” mountain man Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and sidekick reindeer Sven on an epic journey to find Anna’s sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel), the Snow Queen, and put an end to her icy spell. While similar to Tangled, Frozen’s gorgeous animation, warmth, sing-along songs and strong, complicated female characters make this a spirited and funny romp.