♪♪ >> hey, everybody. it's kevin mccarthy, and i'm glad to be spending the time with you over the holidays, and in this special, i'm gonna take you through what's in theaters right now in case you're going to a movie over the holiday. i'm also gonna share some of my favorite celebrity interviews from this past year, and we're gonna look ahead at the biggest films that are most anticipated in 2018. let's start off with the current films in theaters, the biggest movies out right now. "star wars: the last jedi" -- no question this film is gonna be the biggest box-office contender over the holiday season. it had the second-largest opening ever in america behind "star wars: the force awakens" with over $220 million in its opening weekend. this film has been very polarizing among fans. i particularly just liked it. i didn't love

but this is directed by a gentleman named rian johnson, who directed films like "looper" as well as "brick." he's a phenomenal filmmaker. now, the positives of this movie -- i love the cinematography. it's shot gorgeously. every single frame is incredible. i love john williams' score. the performances in this movie are brilliant. adam driver as kylo ren, the whole concept of the light and the dark side of that character is amazing. i love the new characters as well, played by kelly marie tran. also laura dern has my favorite arc in this entire film. now, on the negative side, i did not like the direction that luke skywalker was taken in this film. i thought he was unnecessarily comedic and very grumpy, and in my opinion, it felt like the director was making a mockery of the big scenes the fans were looking forward to, specifically the end of "the force awakens," when we see rey handing that lightsaber to luke. we were wondering what's gonna happen in episode viii, and in my opinion, the version that happens in this film, in "the last jedi," reminded me of what "snl" would've done wit

that scene. and i was just very, very confused as to the direction they took. i think that the luke and the rey element could've been written better, and i also felt the first act was a bit slow. i give it a 3.5 out of 5. but the more i'm thinking about it, the more i really dislike it. i will be seeing it again over the holidays and i'm gonna revisit my review and my rating again. i think "the force awakens" is a better movie. in the star wars rankings, i would go "empire strikes back," "new hope," "force awakens," "return of the jedi," "last jedi," "rogue one," "sith," "menace," and then "clones." all right, so next up is "jumanji: welcome to the jungle." this serves as a continuation of the classic '90s film starring robin williams, one of my all-time favorite movies, and i was very worried about what they were gonna do with this. it's not a sequel and it's not a remake. i guess, technically speaking, because it continues the story, you can put it in the sequel department, but this 2017 version stars dwayne "the rock" johnson, who also produced the film, kevin hart, jack black, and karen gillan as high school students, but they're played by

different actors, and here's what i mean by that. so, they're high school students at the beginning of the film, the younger versions, and they find themselves transported into the land of the jumanji video game, where they take on the avatars of the characters they were playing. so, for example, jack black's character is actually a high school teenage girl, but in the world of the jumanji game, she's a grown man played by jack black. it's very, very funny. jack black steals the entire film. every single scene of his is brilliant. the movie has big laughs. it's fun with the crowd. it's solid action, solid intensity, and a lot of fun, in my opinion. i thought some of the scenes were a bit too long, and i thought that some of it was really overdone, but overall i thought they did a really good job paying homage to robin williams' film. i gave this a 3.5 out of 5. definitely worth seeing with the family, a lot of fun. now, listen. "jumanji," the first film in the '90s, is an absolute classic. that movie's a 5 out of 5. this is definitely worth seeing. just don't expect it to be as classic as that movie. next up is "the post," directed

by steven spielberg, starring tom hanks as the washington post executive editor ben bradlee, and meryl streep as publisher katharine graham. now, the film tells the story of the washington post and the publishing of the pentagon papers in the early '70s during the nixon era, and it's masterfully shot and beautifully executed by steven spielberg. the beauty of this film is that even though you know the ending, the history knows -- we know that the post published the papers -- you still find yourself having knots in your stomach, and spielberg is really a master at doing that. you find yourself forgetting the ending while you're watching it, and you're wondering, "are they gonna post this?" now, obviously, if you live in the d.c. area, tom hanks, meryl streep, and spielberg were all here in may visiting an editorial meeting at the washington post to get into character. the film then started production on may 30th in new york and now is being released in theaters this holiday season. great performances from the entire cast, including hanks, streep, odenkirk, matthew rhys, and sarah paulson. my only issu

overuse of john williams' score. i love john williams. the music is phenomenal. but i felt that there were scenes where it was so emotionally done with the dialogue and the performances were strong enough to carry the scene without using music to manipulate the emotion in the audience. i love that the film was shot on 35-millimeter film and it uses a camera as a leading character. worth seeing as it celebrates journalism. also an incredible story of katharine graham's bravery. a 4.5 out of 5 for steven spielberg's "the post." finally, "the greatest showman." actually one more after this, but "the greatest showman," starring hugh jackman as p.t. barnum. this film is a musical, telling the story of p.t. barnum. it's a great cast, including hugh jackman, zac efron, zendaya. it's an incredible musical, and the music itself, written by the lyricist who wrote "la la land" and also the people who wrote the music for "dear evan hansen." worth seeing for the songs alone. my issues with the film were the lip-syncing of the songs. it felt off, and it took me out of the film.

actually better than the movie. the beginning is entirely too fast, and i couldn't find myself focusing on one particular character to have an emotional arc. it kind of loses the audience at times. overall, though, jackman is fantastic. i love him in this role. the breakout star here is keala settle, and she plays the bearded woman. my apologies if i have her name wrong. but she's amazing in the film, and she has a performance of a song called "this is me" that will absolutely blow your mind. i gave this movie a 3 out of 5 only because i felt the lip-syncing was off. the songs are amazing. worth seeing for the songs alone. i just didn't think it was as good as it needed to be with everything going into it and the cast involved. "the shape of water" is my final film, one of the best films of the year, directed by guillermo del toro, who also did "pan's labyrinth" and "pacific rim." the story takes place in the '60s in baltimore, and it plays as a sci-fi romance, and sally hawkins' character is a custodial staff member at a government laboratory in baltimore, and a new asset, a se

doug jones, is brought to the lab for testing, and they fall in love. and listen, i know it sounds insane, but trust me. it's one of the most grounded films of the year. beautiful cinematography, made for about $19.5 million. a little cool side note -- when you're watching these scenes that are underwater, a lot of those were not actually done underwater. they used a technique from the old days called dry for wet, where they actually had the actors on wires and the props on wires, and they filled the room with smoke and projections, and then they added the little bubbles digitally later on. it looks like they're underwater. it's so fascinating how del toro pulled that off. i love the music in this film. richard jenkins, sally hawkins, and doug jones are all amazing. doug jones, by the way, plays the sea creature, or the asset in the film. 90% of him is covered in prosthetics. it's insane to watch his performance and the emotions come through the prosthetics here. hawkins is amazing in the movie, and the character is mute, and she uses sign language throughout the entire film. it's a really beautiful

performance. you will definitely see this film up for academy awards. i gave it a 4.5 out of 5, one of my favorite films of the year. now, some major stars headline the biggest films out right now, and not to mention famous directors, too. my one-on-one interviews coming up next. stay tuned. don't go anywhere.

♪♪

>> let the past die. that's the only way to become who you were meant to be. >> darkness rises and the light to meet it. >> [ grunts ] >> yes. "star wars: the last jedi" obviously now playing in theaters. over the year, i've had the chance to sit down with many, many actors and celebrities that i love, but these are some of the most recent interviews i've done right here for fox 5. first up is daisy ridley, who plays rey in "star wars: the last jedi." i wanted to talk to her about the ending of "the force awakens" when she's handing luke skywalker that saber, and the idea and the continuity of picking that scene back up exactly where they left off a year later. here's daisy ridley on that exact moment. watch this. the last shot of "force awakens," you're obviously handing the saber to mark hamill, luke skywalker. and i'm curious, when you picked that shot back up for "the last jedi," talk about the continuity, having t

that. how much long -- how long after did you shoot that? >> over a year. >> wow. >> yeah. and the first time, i was very sick. i'm not sure if you've heard this story, but i was, like, genuinely vomiting in a tent when we were, like, getting the shot ready and everything. and so, i was like... like, a bit dazed and out of it, so picking up anyway was so odd because that -- you know when you're poorly and time is, like, a bit odd. so i couldn't quite remember what we had done. >> and then did you find yourself wanting to look exactly the same continuity-wise, the hair placement, the way you stood? >> 100%. but it is funny, too. it's more -- and it was more the feeling of it because the first time around, there was so much feeling in it, but then you don't know what's gonna be picked, and mark said, you know, he gave such a range of things that it's hard to know what was picked 'cause we hadn't seen the finished product yet. so it's sort of trying to re-create that feeling for an extended moment. as opposed to the end, it was the beginning. it's a whole thing.

>> "star wars: the last jedi" is now in theaters. moving on to dwayne "the rock" johnson for the movie "jumanji: welcome to the jungle." i had the chance to sit down with mr. johnson in hawaii, and i had my original "jumanji" ticket from the '90s, which sparked an amazing story that mr. johnson told me about hulk hogan. watch this. in january of 1996, i saw "jumanji" for the first time. this is my actual ticket from that day. >> this is what i asked you to bring. >> you told me to bring it. >> last interview i said, "let me see the ticket." this is really special, man. i'm not quite too sure if i have anything. i'll tell you what. when hulk hogan came into the wwf in 1983 or '84 -- i can't remember -- and this is when he was getting ready to blow up. vince mcmahon said, "you're gonna be my guy. i'm giving you the ball. i'm giving you the baton and i want you to go." hulkamania running wild, right? right there, like, right when he came in, he was wrestling in madison square garden. he had a white headband that said hulksr.

>> yeah, i remember seeing that. >> he came in the ring, and i was at madison square garden. i was sitting front row with my mom and i was watching the matches, and he came out and he was -- i'll never forget -- he was wrestling paul orndorff, mr. wonderful. he takes the thing off and he throws it to the crowd, and i caught it. and it was a big, like, nerd-out moment. >> really? >> we cry nerd tears. >> [ laughing ] yeah, we do. >> i was like... and i caught it. it was amazing, right? so, now, my dad was wrestling on the card that night, madison square garden. i was so happy that i caught this thing from hulk hogan. i go in the back of the dressing room when the matches were over, and i go to my dad, and i was like, "look, i caught hulk hogan's headband." he's like, "oh, that's cool. that's awesome. take it home." i'm like, "okay." but then hulk hogan was right over there, taking off his wrestling boots, right, getting ready to shower. i want to go over and just say hello to him. so i went over to him, and i was like, "mr. hogan." he's like, "hey, hey, kid." and i was like, "i caught your headband." and he goes... "oh, man!

that was my last one. i didn't want to throw it out. thank you so much." i was like... [ gasps ] and he was like, "thanks, man." i'm like, "oh, okay. you're welcome, hulk." and i was just so happy, and i went back to my dad, and my dad was like -- >> he really took it back? >> he did, but he didn't know how bad i wanted it. but here's how cool hulk hogan was. two or three weeks later, he had, like, thousands more made, went to my dad. he goes, "hey, i signed this for your son. he gave me my only one back, and i needed that one as one to make a thousand other copies." and he goes, "give this back. give this to him." and i have one of those. >> that's the coolest story. >> isn't that the coolest thing? so, hogan, if you're watching, thank you, brother. i appreciate that. >> you still have it? >> i still have it. >> so amazing right there. "jumanji: welcome to the jungle" is currently playing in theaters. next up is steven spielberg for "the post." i still can't believe i sat down with him even though i have before in the past. it's still pretty surreal to sit down with one of the greatest

wanted to talk to him about how he allows the audience to be a collaborator in his storytelling, specifically the introduction he has of tom hanks' and meryl streep's character having breakfast in a restaurant. he has a long tracking shot, and i wanted to know, as a storyteller, why did you keep us without editing that scene? i wanted to know the first time we actually see tom hanks and meryl streep at that table in the restaurant. you follow her on a long tracking shot from the moment she knocks over the chair to the table, and i'm curious, as a filmmaker and a storyteller, what you wanted to convey in that long, unbroken tracking shot before you edited and made a cut. >> well, i mean, i did a lot of coverage on that scene. i had over-shoulder shots, over tom to meryl, over meryl to tom. i had singles. i spent the whole day covering it. but when i shot the master, meaning i shot the whole scene in one shot, i realized that there was something that the camera that eventually came around and created a kind of parity between ben bradlee and

katharine graham. ben bradlee was on the left of the screen, and katharine graham was on the right of the screen. it was a very equal and fair shot that showed the dynamic of and when i had first initially put the scene together and i did it conventionally with cuts, it didn't ring true as much as a kind of theatrical stage play, where the audience just sits there and they do all the editing. when you go to a play, you're the editor. you decide who to look at and when to look at them. when an actor compels you to pay attention to them, you watch them more than the other actor, and i felt this should be more like theater. when they first meet, we should see the theater of that dynamic between the publisher of the post and the editor of the post having this breakfast where they don't agree on very much, and i thought it was much stronger letting them just play the hell out of the scene in a two shot. >> now, that scene unfortunately is not available yet, but when you see the movie, it's the scene when tom hanks and meryl streep are seen together on screen for the firsti

you'll know it. it's an incredible moment. there's a cut later on in the scene, but it is brilliant how long they keep the shot going forward and keep it like a theatrical stage play. all right, next up is sir ridley scott and christopher plummer for the new movie "all the money in the world." christopher plummer replaced kevin spacey in this movie. so, earlier this year, kevin spacey shot his scenes as j. paul getty, and then his sexual allegations came out in late october, and then in november it was announced that christopher plummer would reshoot all of kevin spacey's scenes to make the release date this december, which is absolutely crazy. so i spoke to sir ridley scott and christopher plummer about this change and the idea of casting spacey first, even though plummer was reportedly his first choice. watch this. ♪♪ >> plummer was actually an initial choice of yours, and i was curious why you -- what was the reasoning to go with

originally? what was the choice there? >> you know, it's probably vaguely kind of commercial reasons, the fact that this can be perceived as a talking-heads movie, and it's not. it's kind of quite violent and it's quite stressful, and i think it's a bit of a thriller as well, even though it's about something that actually happened. but, you know, kevin has had recently such dramatic, you know -- people are very aware of him because of "house of cards." >> yeah. >> and therefore it made good sense on a film that's a tricky sell against crushing cars and killing people and monsters and bloody zombies and things like that. i need as much as i can to actually sell, and therefore -- and the difference as actors, they're both marvelous actors. they're both up to the a1 grade actors. and so -- but i lent f

but then i was wrong. >> we need to pay the ransom, mr. getty. >> i do not have the money to spare. >> no one has ever been richer than you are at this moment. what would it take for you to feel secure? >> more. >> so, mr. plummer, i read that you didn't want to watch kevin spacey's performance prior to building your performance here. but i am curious, though, what your references were. did you talk to wahlberg about how those scenes went down previously? because a lot of acting is reacting. so, wahlberg was telling me that he actually even changed the way he performed some of his scenes. >> yeah. >> so talk about why you didn't want to watch it. >> well, i wouldn't want to watch any actor if i was taking over for them. i wouldn't want to watch them because i wouldn't want to be influenced. i want my own performance to discover it. i want to discover it myself. so that was -- it had nothing to do with kevin. it would've been any actor playing the part.

>> are you curious now, after you watched the film tonight, to see that performance? >> no. >> 'cause it's very rare that we have a movie that a second person played your character. >> no, i don't particularly would want -- ridley says that there were two people on the list -- kevin and myself -- always, from the beginning. and it's just ironic that i have inherited it. >> all right, so, the movie "all the money in the world" is now playing in theaters with christopher plummer. you can go to youtube.com/fox5dc for all my interviews. we haven't finished out 2017 yet, though, but already the buzz is about the awards season in 2018. that includes a war flick starring a pop heartthrob and a sci-fi romance set in baltimore in the 1960s. i'll give you my take next. stay tuned.

♪♪ >> welcome back to the holiday movie show right here on fox 5. we are so close to oscar season. the golden globe nominations are already out. the sag nominations are already out. critics' choice nominations. but the oscar nominations are upon us, and there are five films you need to stay focused on throughout the awards season to keep up with the oscar buzz. the first one is definitely "the shape of water." as i've reviewed earlier, guillermo del toro's masterpiece. this film is incredibly well done. starring doug jones, richard jenkins, michael stuhlberg, michael shannon, and sally hawkins. it is a beautiful film. seek it ou

see it on the biggest screen possible. every single image of this movie is glorious to look at. i love this film. definitely one to look out for. i guarantee you best picture, best actress, cinematography, and best director nominations for "the shape of water." next up is "dunkirk," my number-one film of 2017. i've seen it six times in theaters, three of those in 70-millimeter imax, and it was beyond mind-blowing. christopher nolan has directed a film here that is beyond belief. i love nolan's direction. i love the simplified script, the time structure. i hope that nolan finally wins a best director oscar this year. definitely see it on the biggest screen possible. i love this movie. and harry styles is actually very, very good in the movie as well. next up is "call me by your name," armie hammer. this film is gonna have a lot of nominations, definitely in the best picture department, and best actor and best supporting actor and possibly best director. it is beautifully shot.

takes place in italy. it is a beautifully romantic love story. definitely recommend seeing it. seek it out here in the d.c. area. next up is "darkest hour." here's why this film needs to be paid attention to. gary oldman has never won an academy award, and i still can't believe that, considering "the fifth element," "the professional," everything he's ever done from true romance in "mortal beloved," "dracula," one of the best actors of all time. this is gonna be the time he's probably gonna win for his career. now, this film, he plays winston churchill. it is a great companion piece, by the way, to the movie "dunkirk," as it takes place around the same time period, and he is just incredible. he becomes winston churchill. he will be nominated and possibly win best actor at this year's academy awards. see it for the performance. his performance is better than the overall film. next up and finally is "the big sick." i love this movie. it just reminded me of why i love going to the movies. it made me so happy. i thought about it afterwards. kumail nanjiani

having a great year. definitely worth seeing. it got shut out at the golden globes, but did pick up a best ensemble nomination at the sag awards, which is a big indication for the oscars. all right, so you can always get my latest reviews, movie insight, and celebrity interviews on twitter @kevinmccarthytv and on the fox d.c. youtube page. "mccarthy at the movies" rolls on. ♪ ♪ ♪ it feels good to be back. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

announcer: today on "tmz"! >> ok. merry christmas, everybody. merry christmas. christmas has just begun because we're going to give people presents. >> yay! harvey: if they can get the answers to these clues about stories that we have done about celebrities. in order to qualify, we're going to bring two people up and have you put the mitts on and open the present and the person who opens the present first gets to guess who the celebrity is and you can win the prize. the prizes are awesome. they are both at the tmz store. i got an air