December preview: 5 must-see movies this month

December is always a big month for movies, a time when studios release tentpole pictures and Oscar hopefuls before the "dump months," a.k.a. January and February, when commercial and critical expectations are much lower. Below, we look at five of the biggest movies coming out this month. What are you planning to see? Let us know on Twitter: @cbcradioq

The Disaster Artist (Dec. 1)

Many have called The Room the worst movie ever made, so how would you like to see a movie about that movie? The Disaster Artist, in which James Franco produces, directs and stars in, tells the story of Tommy Wiseau's infamous movie-turned-cult-hit. Based on the behind-the-scenes book written by Greg Sestero, friend of Wiseau's as well as a co-star in The Room, The Disaster Artist is a more revealing, sympathetic look at a man who has become equal parts a joke and a bizarro icon over the past 14 years. It may sound like an oddball film, but it's one that has garnered so much praise that, come March, may have a shot at a few Oscar nominations. Oh hi, Oscars! — Melody Lau

The Shape of Water (Dec. 8)

The Shape of Water from Guillermo del Toro sees the Mexican director/writer return to fine form in what many are calling his best film since Pan's Labyrinth, the nightmarish masterpiece that truly put him on the map as an avant garde horror auteur. Like Pan's Labyrinth, there is a childish wonderment to the Shape of Water, which only makes the contrasting darkness all the more horrifying. It's essentially a fish-out-of-water tale about a deaf janitor (played by Sally Hawkins) who works at a spooky government research lab. The lab is hiding an amphibious creature who, like del Toro's Pale Man, looks friendly and ferocious. Hawkins discovers that only she can communicate with the creature via sign language, and as it turns out, sea monsters have feelings too. Even more so than that, they are also capable of some real carnage. The Shape of Water has only screened at a few film festivals, including the Toronto International Film Festival, but it already took home the Golden Lion for best film at the Venice Film Festival. — Jesse Kinos-Goodin

Stars Wars: The Last Jedi (Dec. 15)

The Last Jedi is the latest picture from the Star Wars universe in it's plot to completely take over popular culture, one film/year at a time. The film was written and directed by Rian Johnson, who was also behind Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and the cerebral sci-fi flick Looper. While Disney and Lucasfilm are notoriously under lock when it comes to spoilers, they are so happy with The Last Jedi that they've announced Johnson will helm an all new Star Wars trilogy, one completely separate from the Skywalker saga. And as far as the Skywalker storyline goes, The Last Jedi looks to be making some major forward motion, which takes place immediately after the events of The Force Awakens. Johnson had his crew watch classic war films such as The Bridge on the River Kwai, Twelve O'Clock High and Gunga Din for inspiration, so we fully expect a climactic Star Wars instalment leading up to the trilogy's denouement, which isn't slated for until 2019. — JK-G

​Call Me By Your Name (Dec. 15)

If you've never heard of Armie Hammer until recently, you're not the only one. Apparently Hollywood has been trying to make him happen for 10 years and now, finally, this seems to be his big break. Hammer and co-star Timothée Chalamet are generating a ton of Oscar buzz for this 1983-set coming-of-age romance, which is the final instalment of a trilogy by Italian director Luca Guadagnino. It tells the story of a 17-year-old boy (Chalamet), who falls in love with an older American student (Hammer) over the course of a summer. If the stories and memes are anything to go by, this could be one the most entertaining, and steamiest, films of the winter, from awkward '80s dance parties to shorts so short that CGI was required to keep it family friendly. Then there was the audition, in which Guadagnino instructed Hammer and Chalamet to "passionately" make out, and then left. — JK-G​

I, Tonya (Dec. 22)

Whether or not you follow the competitive sport of figure skating, you're at least probably familiar with the 1994 controversy surrounding Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding. Kerrigan was attacked during a practice session and it was later revealed that Harding's ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly and her bodyguard Shawn Eckhardt hired that assailant. While many know Harding for the headlines, there is more to the American skater's story. From her abusive mother to judges' biases against her (she came from a lower class family, which is a rarity in the expensive sport), Harding's life was filled with drama outside of the scandal and it's all being put on the big screen now with help from actor Margot Robbie, who is already getting Oscar buzz for her spot-on, heartbreaking performance of Harding. But she's not the only one you should be paying attention to: Allison Janney is also a force to be reckoned with in this film as Harding's mom. — ML