The Connector
The Connector

As the fall quarter comes to a close, some of this year’s most hotly-anticipated films will be hitting theaters. But between porgs, Tommy Wiseau and battling superheroes, which films are the ones worth seeing this holiday season? The Connector has you covered with our top five, must-watch winter movies. Let’s count them down:

5. “Justice League” (Nov. 17)

While the majority of the films in the DC Extended Universe have left fans and critics somewhat dissatisfied, it’s hard to not be excited for the ultimate superhero get together. Inspired by Superman’s heroic acts, Bruce Wayne will be gathering up the world’s greatest superheroes to take down a major threat in this film. While the idea of these characters interacting and working together is exciting, it will ultimately be fascinating to see how Superman will return after his death in “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice.” Let’s hope they do it right so this franchise can finally stand toe-to-toe with Marvel.

4. “The Shape of Water” (Dec. 8)

From the director of “Pan’s Labyrinth” and “Pacific Rim,” we have what is sure to be one of the year’s most striking visual experiences. Set during the Cold War era circa 1962, a mute, lonely woman named Elisa (played by Sally Hawkins) has her life changed after coming in contact with a secret classified experiment. With Guillermo Del Toro’s memorable creature designs on display and a likely killer performance by Hawkins, this is certainly a film to see for lovers of original storytelling.

3. “Coco” (Nov. 22)

Simply saying that a new Pixar film is coming out should be more than enough to get any movie buff pumped. However, to say that “Coco” looks different from the acclaimed animation studio’s previous efforts would be an understatement. Focusing on a music-loving boy named Miguel, we follow our young protagonist as he gets mixed up in the Land of the Dead and must find his long-lost uncle to hopefully get home. With a creative premise, a strong focus on culture and, of course, some gorgeous designs and animation, “Coco” is sure to (ironically) breathe some life into a rather weak year for animated features.

2. “The Disaster Artist” (Dec. 1)

For fans of what has been crowned as the “Citizen Kane” of bad films, comes a movie about its maker: the mysterious Tommy Wiseau. This comedy-drama biopic focuses on the making of the 2003 cult drama “The Room,” as we get a glimpse into the life of its director, writer and main actor Tommy Wiseau and his relationship with co-star Greg Sestero. Featuring some peculiar performances from both James and Dave Franco as Tommy and Greg respectively, this love letter to bad movies is sure to have something new for all fans of “The Room” to appreciate.

1.  “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (Dec.15)

Was this any surprise? While not receiving quite the level of hype as its 2015 predecessor “The Force Awakens,” there’s no doubt that this second entry into the “Star Wars” sequel trilogy has had plenty of fans intrigued. In this entry, we will see Rey under the tutelage of a much older and wiser Luke Skywalker as we unlock more secrets from the past about these characters. What is there not to look forward to? From the wildly adorable porgs, to seeing Rey’s development, to Luke’s mysterious line that “it’s time for the Jedi to end,” this sequel seems ready to take us into newer and darker places then ever before. Sure enough, we’re all excited to take a lightspeed dive back into this galaxy far, far away.