Going out: Cinema<\/p>\n
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Out now
James Cameron comes down with a case of the Christmas blues, so to speak, as the director\u2019s record-breaking franchise epic returns once more to planet Pandora for more internecine strife and respecting of the splendour of the natural world, rendered in dazzling motion-capture glory.<\/p>\n
Silent Night, Deadly Night
Out now
Actor Rohan Campbell graduates from Michael Myers wannabe in the fairly dire Halloween Ends, to main bogeyman Billy Chapman in the latest instalment of the Silent Night, Deadly Night franchise (second remake, seventh film overall, fact fans). Per franchise lore, he witnessed his parents\u2019 murder-by-Santa aged five, and the rest is grisly history.<\/p>\n
Fackham Hall
Out now
Jimmy Carr turns his hand to screenwriting with this parody of Downton Abbey-type films. Given the actual Downton Abbey films already play as a parody of Downtown Abbey-type films, there may not be much to add, but a cast including Thomasin McKenzie, Katherine Waterston, Damian Lewis and Anna Maxwell Martin are here to give it their best shot.<\/p>\n
Silent Sherlock: Three Classic Cases
Out now
Which actor has played Sherlock Holmes the most times on the big screen? It\u2019s great pub trivia, and the answer is Eille Norwood, who depicted the great detective in 45 two-reelers. Watch three of them \u2013 A Scandal in Bohemia, The Golden Pince-Nez, The Final Problem \u2013 in this restored collection. Catherine Bray<\/p>\n
Going out: GigsGod rest ye mackem gentlemen \u2026 the Futureheads. Photograph: Amelia Read<\/p>\n
The Futureheads
Sunderland, 20 December; London, 22 December
What better way to get into the festive spirit than spending a couple of nights with Sunderland pop-punkers the Futureheads. It\u2019s perfect timing really, as they\u2019ve just released Christmas, a 10-track collection of originals and festive favourites, including an a cappella version of Wonderful Christmastime. Michael Cragg<\/p>\n
Solomon\u2019s Knot
Wigmore Hall, London, 22 December
Each December British concert halls seem to be given over earlier and earlier to celebrating Christmas. Only the Wigmore Hall seems immune to this tendency, and this year it closes for just three days over the holidays. The highlight leading up to the break is the latest appearance by the hall\u2019s resident ensemble; the vocalists of Solomon\u2019s Knot give a distinctly unseasonal performance of Handel\u2019s oratorio, Israel in Egypt. Andrew Clements<\/p>\n
Nick Costley-White
Vortex Jazz Club, London, 21 December
The prize-winning UK guitarist hosts a regular jam at the Vortex, and his grasp of the jazz tradition and deep affection for Latin-American music make him an ideally openminded host. Exciting drummer Jas Kayser and a variety of cutting-edge young horn players help him stir the pot. John Fordham<\/p>\n
Miki Berenyi Trio
Glasgow, 20 December; Newcastle upon Tyne, 21 December
Since releasing debut album, Tripla, in April, former Lush singer-guitarist Miki Berenyi has spent much of the year on tour. Alongside bassist Oliver Cherer and guitarist KJ \u201cMoose\u201d McKillop, she\u00a0rounds things off with two more chances to gaze at your shoes to their brand of dream pop. MC<\/p>\n
Going out: ArtGrace Jones by Robert Mapplethorpe, 1984. Photograph: Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation<\/p>\n
Selves and Stand-ins
Modern One, Edinburgh, to 25 January
Portraits are pictures of individuals. But what is an individual, or a \u201cself\u201d? Modern artists since C\u00e9zanne have asked that philosophical question and if you need your brain woken up amid the seasonal fun, here are some provocative and strange meditations by Gillian Wearing, Robert Mapplethorpe, Andy Warhol and more.<\/p>\n
Showtime!
Charles Dickens Museum, London, to 18 January
There isn\u2019t anywhere more Christmassy than the home of Charles Dickens, where you can see how the creator of Scrooge celebrated life. This exhibition surveys the timeless appetite for dramatising his novels, from 1837 when his characters first hit the stage to Oliver! and, of course, the Muppets Christmas Carol.<\/p>\n
Powder and Presence
Holburne Museum, Bath, to 4 May
Fairytale frills and romantic fantasy abound in this look at the delicate art of the 18th-century pastel portrait. Working in pastels gave portraits an intimacy that suited the hyper-civilised, yet also passionate, age of the Enlightenment and French Revolution. Anna Tonelli, William Hoare and others capture sensual looks.<\/p>\n
Sufi Life and Art
British Museum, London, to 26 July
The mystic traditions of Sufi culture have generated some of the Islamic world\u2019s most ecstatic art and music. This exhibition ranges from a portrait of a dervish with a trumpet and begging bowl to paintings of saints and ascetics, a reed flute and modern abstract art with a Sufi twist. Jonathan Jones<\/p>\n
Going out: StageWhat the Dickens? \u2026 A Christmas Carol comes to Leeds Playhouse theatre. Photograph: \/Helen Murray<\/p>\n
A Christmas Carol
Leeds Playhouse, to 17 January
Director Amy Leach\u2019s new version of Dickens\u2019s classic is set in the wool industry and promises to be a joyful, community-focused affair. Reece Dinsdale stars as Scrooge alongside a diverse cast of actor-musicians, young dancers and even a few tap-dancing baubles. Miriam Gillinson<\/p>\n
Christmas Day
Almeida theatre, London, to 8 January
Sam Grabiner\u2019s breakthrough play was set entirely in a men\u2019s public toilet. His latest show \u2013 festive fare with bite \u2013 unfolds in an abandoned building where a Jewish family gathers for Christmas Day. The cast includes Nigel Lindsay and Bel Powley. MG<\/p>\n
A Night With the Stars
Moth Club, London, 20 December
Their moron-podcaster sketches have made comedians Paddy Young and Ed Night two of the funniest people on Instagram. Now experience their deadpan idiocy in the flesh with this Christmas edition of their live extravaganza, featuring fellow standup Dan Tiernan and other guests. Rachel Aroesti<\/p>\n
The Nutcracker
Leeds Grand theatre, to 4 January
David Nixon stepped down as artistic director of Northern Ballet in 2021 \u2013 succeeded by former Royal Ballet dancer Federico Bonelli \u2013 but the company still has many of his ballets in the rep, including this classic Christmassy Nutcracker with all the favourite festive ingredients. Lyndsey Winship<\/p>\n
Staying in: StreamingEthan Hawke in The Lowdown. Photograph: FX<\/p>\n
The Lowdown
Disney+, Boxing Day
This riotous noir from Reservation Dogs co-creator Sterlin Harjo has gone down a storm in the US thanks to Ethan Hawke\u2019s cracking central performance as a scrappy journalist \u2013 or, in his words, \u201ctruthstorian\u201d \u2013 intent on rooting out corruption in his home town of Tulsa, Oklahoma.<\/p>\n
Amadeus
Now & Sky Atlantic, 21 December, 9pm
The rivalry between Mozart and Salieri may be 300-year-old news, but Joe Barton (Black Doves, Giri\/Haji) has transformed it into a strikingly fresh drama. Will Sharpe is the titular child prodigy turned musical genius whose arrival in Vienna rocks the elder composer\u2019s world. Paul Bettany co-stars as his nemesis.<\/p>\n
Finding Father Christmas
Channel 4, Christmas Eve, 7.30pm
Stephen Fry, Greg Davies, Asim Chaudhry and James Buckley are among this festive feature-length comedy-drama\u2019s impressive cast. But\u00a0they will all pale in comparison to\u00a0the luminous Bafta-winner Lenny Rush (Am I Being Unreasonable?) who\u00a0stars as a 16-year-old with an enduring faith in Santa.<\/p>\n
Stuffed
iPlayer & BBC One, Christmas Eve, 9pm
Guz Khan and his Man Like Mobeen co-creator Andy Milligan trade the West Midlands for Lapland in this one-off Christmas comedy about a family whose bonus-funded yuletide trip descends into complete chaos. Morgana Robinson and Sue Johnston co-star. RA<\/p>\n
Staying in: GamesYou need hands \u2026 All Hands on Deck. Photograph: Wikkl Works<\/p>\n
All Hands on Deck
PC, Switch 1\/2; out now
As there\u2019s nothing new out in December, it\u2019s time to turn to the best co-op and multiplayer games of\u00a02025 to play with whoever\u2019s next to you on\u00a0the couch over the holidays. This cute and colourful puzzle game stars two disembodied hands \u2026<\/p>\n
Lego Voyagers
All platforms; out now
\u2026 and this is an unexpectedly touching two-player story about two anthropomorphised blocks that can be completed in a lazy afternoon. A game about building things with a lovely undertone about building relationships, a poignant theme over Christmas for most families. Keza MacDonald<\/p>\n
Staying in: AlbumsRemake remodel \u2026 Nate Amos of This is Lorelei. Photograph: OK McCausland<\/p>\n
This Is Lorelei \u2013 Holo Boy
Out now
Nate Amos of alt-pop weirdos Water from Your Eyes returns to his solo moniker for an album that sits somewhere between ramshackle retrospective and reinvention. Featuring re-recorded versions of his back catalogue, highlights include the two-minute jangle Name the Band.<\/p>\n
Nas and DJ Premier \u2013 Light-Years
Out now
Having originally mooted a collaboration in 2006, Nas and longtime producer DJ Premier finally make good on their promise. Light-Years is also the final instalment in the Mass Appeal label\u2019s Legend Has It \u2026 series of new albums by hip-hop legends.<\/p>\n
Jade \u2013 That\u2019s Showbiz Baby! The Encore
Out now
Three months after its original release, Jade\u2019s debut solo album gets a refresh, complete with seven new songs. There\u2019s also room for her recent cover of Madonna\u2019s Frozen, which blossoms from electronic subtlety into a big 90s rave-up.<\/p>\n
Kylie Minogue \u2013 Kylie Christmas (Fully Wrapped)
Out now
Celebrating the 10-year anniversary of her festive opus, Kylie both gives and takes away. Streamlined to showcase the original\u2019s best bits \u2013 there\u2019s no space for that album\u2019s James Corden duet, thank goodness \u2013 she also chucks in four new songs, including ludicrous single, Xmas. MC<\/p>\n
Staying in: Brain food<\/p>\n
No Tags<\/a> How to Fix Your Attention Span (Before It\u2019s Too Late)<\/a> The Origin of Famous Gifts
Podcast
Culture writers Chal Ravens and Tom Lea\u2019s audio series and Substack explore developments in underground music, from the legacy of hardcore rave to the 90s trends experiencing a resurgence.<\/p>\n
<\/a>YouTube<\/a>
Writer Daniel Pink\u2019s video on how to stay focused may have a slight lecturing tone but the insights are genuinely useful, including setting a baseline for your attention span and creating \u201cfocus rituals\u201d.<\/p>\n
BBC World Service, Monday to Boxing Day, 8.50am
To mark the holiday season of gift-giving, this five-part series examines the origins of the gifts most likely found in every family\u2019s attic. The first episode recounts the surprisingly recent invention of Jenga. Ammar Kalia<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Going out: Cinema Avatar: Fire and AshOut nowJames Cameron comes down with a case of the Christmas blues,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":360211,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[64,63,134,344],"class_list":{"0":"post-360210","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-movies","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-entertainment","11":"tag-movies"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/360210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=360210"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/360210\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/360211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=360210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=360210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=360210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}