The Christmas season offers wonderful opportunities for kid and couple date nights! Check out these solid entertainment options:
Last week three of my kids and I visited the new Studio Movie Grill location in Marietta, GA. (If you’re here in Atlanta, you can see movies there for free or $3 until December 6. Find details here.) We were there to screen Coco, but couldn’t resist the $3 movies, so we made a day of it and watched three!
Wonder
What a fantastic movie! Wonder is the kind of film I want to watch and talk about with my kids. It’s sweet, uplifting, encourages us to see beyond appearance in those we encounter, and affirms the importance of family.
As you might expect if you’ve seen the previews or read the book (we haven’t), it’s a bit of a tear-jerker.
The Star
To be honest, I was a little concerned about how the story of Mary, Joseph, and the birth of Jesus would be handled in an animated version in theaters, but we loved The Star!
It’s told from the point of view of animals, primarily a donkey who wants to do something important with his life. He helps transport Mary to Bethlehem as they stay a step ahead of King Herod’s men, and culminates with Jesus’ birth.
Coco
Although enjoyable and visually stunning, Coco rated third overall on our three-movie day. Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, a short film based on Frozen, runs before the movie!
Thor: Ragnarok
For a grown-up date night, you can’t beat Thor: Ragnarok, my favorite movie so far this season. Action packed but funny, Marvel does it right again!
We’ve also seen Justice League, which was better than expected since my expectations were low. Wonder Woman is the best of DC and she shines in this movie too.
Love Never Dies at the Fox
If you liked Phantom of the Opera, you’ll be excited to know the follow up, Love Never Dies, is part of the Broadway in Atlanta series at the Fox Theatre from November 28-December 3.
From the press release:
The ultimate love story continues in Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s spellbinding sequel to The Phantom of the Opera.
The year is 1907. It is 10 years after his disappearance from the Paris Opera House and The Phantom has escaped to a new life in New York where he lives amongst the screaming joy rides and freak shows of Coney Island. In this new, electrically charged world, he has finally found a place for his music to soar, but he has never stopped yearning for his one true love and musical protégée, Christine Daaé.
Now one of the world’s finest sopranos, Christine accepts an invitation to travel from Paris to New York to perform at a renowned opera house. Christine’s marriage to Raoul is suffering at the hands of his drinking and gambling and they desperately need the financial rewards that America can give them.
In a final bid to win back Christine’s love, The Phantom lures her, Raoul, and their young son Gustave, from Manhattan to the glittering and glorious world of Coney Island… not knowing what is in store for them….
What are your holiday entertainment traditions? Do you watch The Nutcracker or A Christmas Carol every year or go to the theater together on Christmas day?
