There are holiday movies, and then there are holiday movies.
The second category includes exclusively seasonal fare: “A Bad Moms Christmas” (now in theaters); the Nativity-themed animation “The Star” (Nov. 17); and “The Man Who Invented Christmas” (Nov. 22), a story about Charles Dickens and the writing of “A Christmas Carol.” But those films have, by definition, a short shelf life, with sell-by dates of Jan. 2.
“Holiday,” in the first and loosest sense of the word, suggests a break from routine. Although looking forward to a great new movie brings a sense of anticipation akin to an unopened present, it’s a gift that, if chosen carefully, will keep on giving regardless of the season. With that in mind, here are 14 films to put on your wish list. Some of them we’ve already taken a peek at, and others we can’t wait to unwrap.
Opening dates are subject to change.
“Justice League”
• Cast: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Henry Cavill, Ciar?n Hinds.
Despite “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” ending in the apparent death of Clark Kent — let’s not forget that dirt levitating off his coffin — it’s virtually certain the Man of Steel (Cavill) will show up in the teamup superhero flick, and we don’t just mean in that dream sequence from the trailer. With luck, Gadot’s Wonder Woman will bring a little of the mojo that made her recent movie a megahit.