S. W.

Now available in hardback! ...oh, right.  Normally, this is where I talk about the box office.  Almost forgot to do that.  Well, I was only half right.  The latest installment of Star Wars is the fastest film to a hundred million, probably... but the one they're more interested in is being first to a billion.  Take that, Peter Jackson and your Lord of the Rings!  And yet, we've got FIVE debuts this week.  We're in uncharted waters, people.  We've got one film clobbering all the others, AND we've got a bunch of new debuts getting in. That's Christmas for ya!
So, among the proverbial acts also appearing with The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show include Will Ferrell's latest called Daddy's Home.  Kinda looks like he's trying to siphon off a little of that Seth Rogen-Zac Efron Neighbors magic.  Well, if Seth doesn't mind, then I don't mind.
Meanwhile, in Jennifer Lawrence's universe, it's time for another one of those David O. Russell projects with De Niro and James Lipton's best pupil ever, Bradley Cooper.  It's a film called Joy and, well... you know how it is.  J. Law doesn't get paid enough for American Hustle, and she probably got overpaid for Joy. 
Strikes and gutters, ups and downs.  But how to segué to the Point Break remake?  Well, Patrick Swayze was indeed in a film called City of Joy.  Hope that helps!  He stars as either the city or the joy, I just don't know which.  But I think it's safe to say that, much like the remake of 1990's sci-fi classic Total Recall, this remake will probably fall by the wayside, quickly forgotten.  Why, they didn't even let Gary Busey reprise his role as Pappas, the wise detective who gives Johnny Utah the tip that helps them catch the surfing bank robbers in the first place.  Director and cinematographer Ericson Core doubles here as his own cinematographer... who does he think he is?  Peter Hyams?  Mary Ann Bernard?  Time to hit the bars with Eric Brevig and commiserate, dude.
What else?  Well, there's Will Smith's latest small film between big projects, and it's called Concussion.  Here he tries out Trevor Noah's accent.  Best Actor Oscar, people?  Is that asking so much?  Just give it to him and maybe he'll go away, kinda like Renee Zellweger and Kim Basinger.  There's also SNL alum Adam McKay's film called The Big Short.  He took the idea from the end credits of his The Other Guys and spawned a new film.  Welp, if the Oscar community snubbed Stew Beef and his Rosewater, what chance does McKay have?  Apparently, very, very good!  After all, the guy's got a track record now, even if it is with Will Ferrell, so the Oscar community knows he's not afraid to make money.  Personally, I kinda don't care about the Oscars anymore.  I don't know what it will take to draw me back in, but I think I'm out.  Permanently.