Winter is normally a season that is accompanied by long, snowy nights and freezing temperatures that make going outside unbearable; however, for us that call South Florida home, winter means that we can finally enjoy being outside without suffering from heat stroke and wear things other than shorts and flip flops. From blockbuster movies to the most talked about TV shows to festivals and fairs, there is no shortage of things to see and do around South Florida this winter. Here is your definitive guide to what to watch and do this season, so grab your cuddle buddy and get ready to enjoy winter in paradise.
MOVIES:
When the temperature drops, stay inside and watch these must-see, blockbuster movies:
December:
Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle
Four teenagers discover an old video game console and are literally drawn into the game’s jungle setting becoming the adult avatars they chose.
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, Jack Black
Release Date: Dec. 22
Pitch Perfect 3
Fat Amy, along with your favorite Bellas, are back following their win at the world championship. The now separated Bellas reunite for one last singing competition at an overseas USO tour, but face a group who uses both instruments and voices.
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Ruby Rose, Hailee Steinfeld, Brittany Snow
Release Date: Dec. 22
Father Figures
Upon learning that their mother has been lying to them for years about their allegedly deceased father, two fraternal twin brothers hit the road to find him.
Starring: Owen Wilson, Christopher Walken, J.K. Simmons, Ed Helms
Release Date: Dec. 22
The Post
A cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents pushed the country’s first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to join an unprecedented battle between journalist and government.
Starring: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk
Release Date: Dec. 22
Downsizing
When scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall as a solution to overpopulation, Paul (Matt Damon) and his wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their stressed lives in order to get small and move to a new downsized community — a choice that triggers life-changing adventures.
Starring: Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Kristen Wiig
Release Date: Dec. 22
Crooked House
In Agatha Christie’s most twisted tale, a spy-turned-private-detective is lured by his former lover to catch her grandfather’s murderer before Scotland Yard exposes dark family secrets.
Starring: Christina Hendricks, Gillian Anderson, Honor Kneafsey, Glenn Close
Release Date: Dec. 22
The Greatest Showman
Inspired by the imagination of P.T. Barnum, “The Greatest Showman” is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.
Starring: Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron
Release Date: Dec. 22
All The Money In The World
This crime thriller is based on the true story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother to convince his billionaire grandfather Jean Paul Getty to pay the ransom.
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Williams, Charlie Plummer, Christopher Plummer
Release Date: Dec. 29
Molly’s Game
The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target.
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera
Release Date: Dec. 29
Phantom Thread
Set in 1950’s London, Reynolds Woodcock is a renowned dressmaker whose fastidious life is disrupted by a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who becomes his muse and lover.
Starring: Vicky Krieps, Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville, Sue Clark
Release Date: Dec. 29
January:
Insidious: The Last Key
Parapsychologist Dr. Elise Rainier faces her most fearsome and personal haunting yet – in her own family home.
Starring: Kirk Acevedo, Spencer Locke, Josh Stewart, Lin Shaye
Release Date: Jan. 5
Proud Mary
Taraji P. Henson is Mary, a hitwoman working for an organized crime family in Boston. Mary’s life is completely turned around when she meets a young boy whose path she crosses when a professional hit goes awry.
Starring: Neal McDonough, Taraji P. Henson, Danny Glover, Xander Berkeley
Release Date: Jan. 12
THE FINAL YEAR
“THE FINAL YEAR” is a unique insiders’ account of President Barack Obama’s foreign policy team during their last year in office. Featuring unprecedented access inside the White House and State Department, “THE FINAL YEAR” offers an uncompromising view of the inner workings of the Obama Administration as they prepare to leave power after eight years.
Starring: John Kerry, Barack Obama, Samantha Power, Ben Rhodes
Release Date: Jan. 19
12 Strong
12 Strong tells the story of the first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11; under the leadership of a new captain, the team must work with an Afghan warlord to take down the Taliban.
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, William Fichtner, Elsa Pataky
Release Date: Jan. 19
Den Of Thieves
In this gritty crime saga, follow the lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.
Starring: Gerard Butler, Jordan Bridges, Pablo Schreiber, Evan Jones
Release Date: Jan. 19
The Leisure Seeker
A runaway couple go on an unforgettable journey in the faithful old RV they call The Leisure Seeker.
Starring: Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland, Kirsty Mitchell, Janel Moloney
Release Date: Jan. 19
White Boy Rick
The story of teenager Richard Wershe Jr., who became an undercover informant for the FBI during the 1980s and was ultimately arrested for drug-trafficking and sentenced to life in prison.
Starring: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Matthew McConaughey, Eddie Marsan, Bruce Dern
Release Date: Jan. 26
February:
Winchester
Eccentric Winchester firearm heiress believes she is haunted by the souls of people killed by the Winchester repeating rifle.
Starring: Helen Mirren, Sarah Snook, Jason Clarke, Angus Sampson
Release Date: Feb. 2
Fifty Shades Freed
In the third, and final, installment of the erotic Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, newlyweds Christian and Ana believe they have left behind shadowy figures from their past and fully embrace an inextricable connection and shared life of luxury. However, just as she steps into her role as Mrs. Grey and he relaxes into an unfamiliar stability, new threats could jeopardize their happy ending before it even begins.
Starring: Rita Ora, Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Arielle Kebbel
Release Date: Feb. 9
Black Panther
T’Challa, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king.
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira
Release Date: Feb. 16
Annihilation
A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition where the laws of nature don’t apply.
Starring: Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Oscar Isaac
Release Date: Feb. 23
The War With Grandpa
Upset that he has to share the room he loves with his grandfather, Peter decides to declare war in an attempt to get it back.
Starring: Robert De Niro, Jane Seymour, Uma Thurman, Christopher Walken
Release Date: Feb. 23
March:
Red Sparrow
Ballerina Dominika Egorova is recruited to ‘Sparrow School’ a Russian intelligence service where she is forced to use her body as a weapon. But her first mission, targeting a CIA agent, threatens to unravel the security of both nations.
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Mary-Louise Parker, Ciarán Hinds
Release Date: March 2
Game Night
In this comedy meets crime movie, a group of friends, who meet regularly for game nights, find themselves trying to solve a murder mystery.
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Jason Bateman, Jesse Plemons, Kyle Chandler
Release Date: March 2
A Wrinkle In Time
After the disappearance of her scientist father, three peculiar beings send Meg, her brother, and her friend to space to find him.
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Levi Miller
Release Date: March 9
Gringo
Gringo, a dark comedy mixed with white-knuckle action and dramatic intrigue, explores the battle of survival for businessman Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo) when he finds himself crossing the line from law-abiding citizen to wanted criminal.
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Charlize Theron, Joel Edgerton, Thandie Newton
Release Date: March 9
Tomb Raider
Lara Croft, the fiercely independent daughter of a missing adventurer, must push herself beyond her limits when she finds herself on the island where her father disappeared.
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Hannah John-Kamen, Walton Goggins, Dominic West
Release Date: March 16
Love, Simon
Everyone deserves a great love story. But for Simon it’s complicated: no-one knows he’s gay and he doesn’t know who the anonymous classmate is that he’s fallen for online. Resolving both issues proves hilarious, scary and life-changing.
Starring: Nick Robinson, Katherine Langford, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel
Release Date: March 16
Pacific Rim Uprising
Jake Pentecost, son of Stacker Pentecost, reunites with Mako Mori to lead a new generation of Jaeger pilots, including rival Lambert and 15-year-old hacker Amara, against a new Kaiju threat.
Starring: Tian Jing, Scott Eastwood, John Boyega, Adria Arjona
Release Date: March 23
TV: No matter if you’re looking to find your new tv addiction or are waiting for the new season of your favorite show, we’ve got you covered. Here are the most talked about premieres and returning favs for you to binge watch all winter long!
New Shows:
Ellen’s Game Of Games
Ellen DeGeneres hosts this six-episode, hourlong game show that will feature expanded versions of the various party games featured during her daytime talk show.
When to Watch: January 2, NBC
9-1-1
From the masterminds behind “Glee,” Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, comes this procedural drama, starring Peter Krause, Connie Britton and Angela Bassett, that explores the high-pressure experiences of police, paramedics and firefighters who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and heart-stopping situations.
When to Watch: January 3, FOX
Grown-ish
Black-ish’s Yara Shahidi gets her very own spinoff, Grown-ish, which finds her freshman college student Zoey Johnson navigating the ins and outs of living away from home — crazy roommate, instant ramen, and all — for the first time. But despite a burgeoning checking account thanks to her parents, Zoey isn’t going to have an easy time when she gets to campus. Ah, the naivety of the youths these days.
When to Watch: January 3, Freeform
The Four: Battle for Stardom
FOX’s new Voice/American Idol competitor attempts to reinvent the singing competition by starting with just four strong contestants. Each week, and there are just six episodes in all, the four must defend their spots on the show against potential upstarts. The celebrity judging panel includes Sean Combs, DJ Khaled, Meghan Trainor, and label executive Charlie Walk, while Fergie serves as host.
When to Watch: Jan. 4, FOX
Will & Grace
Everyone’s favorite foursome is back, and we are loving every minute! Join the party when season 9 returns!
When to Watch: Jan. 4, NBC
75th Annual Golden Globe Awards
Celebrate the very best in TV and Film.
When to Watch: Jan. 7, NBC
Making A Model With Yolanda Hadid
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum, Yolanda Hadid brings her expertise to the forefront as she coaches aspiring teen models to succeed on and off the catwalk. As the mother and agent to fashion’s “IT” girls Gigi and Bella, and model son Anwar, Yolanda and her trusted team of experts will put the girls and their “momagers” through an intensive eight week training program, focused on the physical, mental and emotional wellness that it takes to build a sustainable brand.
When to Watch: Jan. 11, Lifetime
24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
Hosted by Kristen Bell, the 24th SAG awards honors the best achievements in film and television.
When to Watch: Jan. 21, TBS/TNT
Good Girls
This drama, from executive producer Jenna Bans (“Scandal”), follows what happens when three suburban moms get tired of trying to make ends meet and decide it’s time to stick up for themselves by robbing the local supermarket at gunpoint with a toy gun. The series, described as a mix of “Thelma and Louise” and “Breaking Bad,” stars Retta (“Parks and Recreation”), Mae Whitman (“Parenthood”) and Christina Hendricks (“Mad Men”), with the latter replacing Kathleen Rose Perkins, who starred in the pilot.
When to Watch: February 26, NBC
American Idol
Less than a year after ending its 15-season run on Fox, ABC has revived the singing competition series with a new roster of judges. Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan will join returning host Ryan Seacrest when the reality juggernaut makes its debut after the Oscars.
When to Watch: March 11, ABC
Returning Shows:
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest
America’s favorite TV/radio broadcaster Ryan Seacrest will return to host television’s largest again joined by actress and comedian Jenny McCarthy. The show also announced that multiplatinum music superstar Ciara will officially ring in the New Year from the west coast as the new host of the Hollywood Party.
When to Watch: December 31, ABC
Bones
The season premiere of Bones will answer exactly why Zack kidnapped Bones and reveal his full involvement with the Puppeteer murders. There will also be more developments in Hodgins’ quest to be able to use his legs again, though not all of them will be good. The final 12 episodes of the show will see fan-favorite characters continue to return as well as last season’s special guest Betty White.
When to Watch: January 3, FOX
The Blacklist
The task force has more pressing problems to deal with in the return episode: Namely, finding out who has been leaking information to suspected terrorists. The person’s identity will be revealed by the end of the episode, and will have major repercussions going forward. In other news, Aram and Samar get one big step closer to romance.
When to Watch: January 5, NBC
Emerald City
This gritty take on L. Frank Baum’s Oz books finds a 20-year-old Dorothy (Adria Arjona) and a K9 police dog swept off to a fantastical world unlike anything she’s seen before. Vincent D’Onofrio stars as the manipulative Wizard, who has banned magic and rules with an iron fist. Joely Richardson stars as Glinda the Good Witch and Florence Kasumba stars as the Wicked Witch of the East.
When to Watch: January 6, NBC
A Series of Unfortunate Events
The whimsical novel makes its very whimsical television debut in this beautifully bleak adaptation about a trio of orphans who are placed in the care of their scheming relative Count Olaf (a heavily made-up Neil Patrick Harris), who plans to steal their inheritance. Netflix will air 26 episodes in total, with each of the 13 books in the series adapted into two episodes. The first season will consist of eight episodes and cover the first four books. Patrick Warburton, Aasif Mandvi, Joan Cusack and Catherine O’Hare also star.
When to Watch: January 13, Netflix
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
The second season of the American Crime Story anthology from Ryan Murphy explores the July 1997 assassination of Versace (Edgar Ramirez), the famed fashion designer, by Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss), who was also behind four other slayings before he ultimately killed himself eight days later. The drama boasts an all-star cast that also includes Ricky Martin and Penelope Cruz.
When to Watch: January 17, FX
XXIII Olympic Winter Games
Watch the world’s best athletes compete in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
When to Watch: February 9-25, NBC
