Jack Goes Confidential: Santa Delivers—And Then Some!

I’m frequently asked, “What’s Good at the Movies?”

Here are my top four picks from among all the current Christmas offerings:

Please note that I’m taking STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI out of the equation since it’sin a class all of its own (and yes I’m recommending it).

Also not included are some earlier Thanksgiving releases which are playing through the holidays.

So here then my four recommendations:

* DARKEST HOUR, the terrific biographical war drama depicting Winston Churchill like we’ve never seen him before, facing crucial decisions against Hitler’s mighty army.

Think of it as the flip side of DUNKIRK!

Not only will Gary Oldman be nominated as Best Actor for his spot-on portrayal here, he most likely take home the Oscar.

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* THE GREATEST SHOWMAN is a fun-poppin’ musical drama starring Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum during his early years before his founding of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.

A musical?

Yeap. But not boring at all. The score is courtesy of the musical team behind LA LA LAND and comes complete with a show-stopping number—and more!

The top-notch cast is rounded out by Zac Efron, Michelle Williams and Rebecca Ferguson.

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* ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD, the fascinating true story of oil-rich J. Paul Getty‘s grandson’s  kidnapping in 1973 and how the old tycoon wouldn’t cough up the ransom money since it wasn’t tax deductible.

Michelle Williams plays the daughter-in-law fighting for her kid’s release while Mark Wahlberg is a former CIA operative and Getty advisor.

What makes this movie so unique is that Kevin Spacey was replaced at the last minute in the nearly-finished film by Christopher Plummer.

So hats off to veteran director Ridley Scott who not only pulled it off seamlessly but did it in record time.

(The kidnapping thriller opens on Christmas Day.)

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* MOLLY’S GAME, director Aaron Sorkin‘s crime drama of Olympic-class skier Molly Bloom who ran the world’s most exclusive and high-stakes poker game for a decade before being taken down by the FBI.

Her players included Hollywood A-listers, sports stars and business titans.

Jessica Chastain stars as the ‘Poker Princess’ with Kevin Costner as her father and Idris Elba her lawyer.

(The film opens here in limited runs on Christmas Day then goes wide on January 5.)

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So what’s GOOD at the movies, you ask?

All of the above—plus popcorn.