Seven films to see on Boxing Day 2019

Posted on 19 December, 2019

Boxing Day. The national day of rest after baubles, carols and a little too much trifle.

But Boxing Day is also the perfect time to leave that pile of discard wrapping paper until later and instead making a beeline for your local cinema.

If your family or friends need convincing, just point them to two things:

• Boxing Day new releases AKA some of the biggest films of the year
• Free air-conditioning

I mean, who can argue with those? On Boxing Day at Dendy Canberra, you can expect frosty-cool cinemas, plenty of sessions and all the choc tops your sore head craves.

To make things even easier, we’ve rounded up these seven films that will be playing (or released on the day), with something for every member of the family.

JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL

The ragtag gang of the newly rebooted Jumanji franchise are back and ready for more video game action.

If you missed the first instalment, Jumanji revolves around a group of high schoolers who find themselves zapped into the bodies of four video game characters, forced to finish the game before they can return to their former selves.

And now, it’s time to go back into the game. But what challenges will await them this time? With Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillen and Jack Black at the helm, we can only assume it’ll be hilarious.

Find session times here.

JOJO RABBIT

What do you get when you put Taika Waititi—the side-splittingly funny Director behind Thor Ragnarok and Hunt For The Wilderpeople—with Scarlett Johannsen, Rebel Wilson, Sam Rockwell and Stephen Merchant in a darkly humorous satirical comedy about…erm, Hitler? Jojo Rabbit, apparently.

A truly tongue-in-cheek take on the Third Reich, hatred and fear, Jojo Rabbit’s message of compassion is for everyone—and with its M rating, is can be indeed be enjoyed by almost everyone.

Find session times here.

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

Truly bigger than Ben Hur and with an epic trailer that will give you goosebumps, Boxing Day is the perfect opportunity to strap yourself in for the epic conclusion to the original Star Wars canon.

What will happen to Rey, Kylo Ren, Finn and Poe? Who will triumph, and what will be lost in the process? Bring tissues and a serious assortment of snacks for this

Find session times here.

CATS

With names like Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson, Idirs Elba and James Corden behind it, Cats is sure to be a stunning live-action reimagining of the iconic Broadway musical.

With an epic soundtrack, gravity-defying CGI effects and more dance numbers than you can poke a whisker at, this is one perfect for the whole family.

Find session times here.

PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE

One for older audiences and those not fussed about subtitles, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a French historical drama that tells the story of Héloïse, a young woman who will soon marry. Marianne is a painter, commissioned to paint a portrait of Héloïse for her betrothed. But Héloïse doesn’t want to be painted and Marianne must pretend to be her friend while secretly painting her portrait by night.

But as the two women grow closer, Marianne’s secret threatens to separate them. Winner of the Queer Palm at Cannes and earning praise across the world—Portrait of a Lady on Fire is already generating Oscar buzz.

Find session times here.

FROZEN II

Let’s be honest, either you’ve already seen Frozen II or you’re probably not going to.

But if you fall somewhere between—or agree that it’s so good that you can’t wait to see it a second, third or, ahem, fourth time—then might we suggest a Boxing Day viewing?

Because really, is there anything better than watching a heart-warming tale of sisterly love, courage and compassion at this time of year? With added hilarious talking snowmen? We thought not.

Read our full review here and find session times here.

SORRY WE MISSED YOU

A stark look at the modern-day gig economy, the shrinking middle class and the trials of family life, Sorry We Missed You’s unflinching portrayal of a struggling Northern English family doesn’t pull any punches.

It may not be the right fit if you’re looking for an uplifting feel-good couple of hours, but with scores of five-star reviews Sorry We Missed You may just be one of the most powerful, important films of 2019.

Find session times here.

This editorial was created in partnership with Dendy Cinemas Canberra. For more information on sponsored partnerships, click here.