James R | On 25, Nov 2016

Christmas came early for Amazon Prime Video subscribers this year, with the arrival of The Grand Tour in November, bringing Clarkson, Hammond and May back together for ridiculous, and ridiculous good-looking, cars, explosions and general buffoonery.

But it arrives early once again this December, with the release of two of the streaming service’s best original series. Mozart in the Jungle is a funny, charming series about a classical orchestra – no, really, try it out – and The Man in the High Castle is a disturbing, gripping alternate history sci-fi thriller, based on Philip K. Dick’s novel, about a world where we lost WWII.

Add to that a sprinkling of Christmas films, the return of Argo and The Place Beyond the Pines and the original Westworld movie, plus the conclusion of Vikings Season 4, and you’ve got yourself a decent month to stay in on the sofa. Just don’t watch High Castle with your kids on Boxing Day.

Here’s what’s coming soon to Amazon Prime Video in December 2016:

Note: Dates and titles are subject to change.

Vikings: Season 4, Part 2 – 1st December

The epic historical drama returns to conclude its fourth season, following the unexpected midseason finale cliffhanger. You can remind yourself what’s happened so far with our reviews here.

Infamous – 1st December

Hot on the heels of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Capote came the overlooked biopic of the In Cold Blood author, featuring a lead turn from none other than Toby Jones.

J. Edgar – 1st December

Leonardo DiCaprio stars in Clint Eastwood’s drama about the later years of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, from the agency’s pursuit of John Dillinger to the Lindbergh kidnapping.

Meet Me In St. Louis – 1st December

The inimitable Judy Garland stars in what may be one of the best musicals ever made.

The Polar Express – 1st December

Tom Hanks plays the train conductor of the titular North Pole express in Robert Zemeckis’ 2004 Christmas flick. It’s too heavy on the dead-eyed motion-capture CG, but the music is the real star.

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas – 1st December

Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) have drifted apart since they escaped from Guantanamo Bay. Kumar still gets high, even while his ex is telling him that she’s pregnant. Harold, meanwhile, is a successful businessman who’s more concerned with getting the Christmas tree right to please his scowling father-in-law (Danny Trejo). One chance visit from Kumar later, and a joint has burned down the tree and ruined Christmas. And so the pair embark on a miscellaneous string of japes. Mostly involving drugs. And penises. And sex. And drugs. Did we mention the penises? From Neil Patrick Harris to a claymation sequence, this stoner comedy chunders along with a few chuckles. Watch it with some drugs and you’ll snort more than a few times.

The Wizard of Oz – 1st December

Lions and tigers and bears. Oh, my!

Dheepan – 8th December

JAcques Audiard’s tale of immigration and identity in modern Paris is a movingly unpredictable drama.

Gone With The Wind – 8th December

“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” If you’ve never seen this epic drama, starring Vivien Leigh, what are you waiting for?

Westworld – 8th December

With the HBO TV series dazzling audiences on Sky, try the original 1973 sci-fi film, written and directed by Michael Crichton.

Mozart in the Jungle: Season 3 – 9th December

Amazon’s Golden Globe-winning comedy about a New York orchestra is as delightful, funny and easy to listen to as ever. Season 3 sees sexy conductor Rodrigo, played by Gael Garcia Bernal, head to Venice to conduct a great opera diva (Monica Bellucci), while Hailey (Lola Kirke) travels across Europe with the Andrew Walsh Ensemble, finding it’s not everything that she’d hoped. But let’s be honest: it had us at “sexy conductor played by Gael Garcia Bernal”.

Chevalier – 14th December

In the middle of the Aegean Sea, six men on a luxury yacht decide to play a game. Athina Rachel Tsangari’s drama slowly builds the tension and comedy from there.

Three Kings – 15th December

George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg star in David O. Russell’s underrated 1999 war satire.

The Wave – 15th December

A family attempt to survive a devastating tsunami in this gripping Norwegian disaster thriller from splendidly-named director Roar Uthaug. (Read our full review)

The Man in the High Castle: Season 2 – 16th December

One of Amazon’s best original shows to date – and one of the best of recent years full stop – The Man in the High Castle explores what the world would be like if the Axis Powers won WWII. With a chillingly convincing cast, including Rufus Sewell as a Nazi office, the result is unsettling, thought-provoking and gripping television.

Argo – 20th December

Ben Affleck’s Oscar-winning thriller, based on true events, sees a CIA agent (Baffleck) lead a rescue team to extract six kidnapped US diplomats from Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis. The mission? Pretend to make a Hollywood movie… Tense, funny, classy stuff that confirmed beyond a doubt that Baffleck was more than his beard and chin.

Interstellar – 20th December

What’s the secret to interstellar travel? Christopher Nolan can’t decide if it’s gravity, love or something else entirely in this muddled sci-fi epic, which stars Jessica Chastain, Sandra Bullock and Matthew McConaughey, but the visuals and world-building on display are undeniably beautiful to witness.

The Dark Knight Rises – 21st December

Christopher Nolan’s third Batman flick not be as strong as the previous two but from Anne Hathaway’s slinky cat burglar to Tom Hardy’s physically intimidating Bane, it’s an epic conclusion to the trilogy.

Knight of Cups – 22nd December

Christian Bale stars in Terrence Malick’s drama about an LA screenwriter, who indulges his wild side with a stripper, a model and a married woman. Whatever happens, or doesn’t, you guarantee it’ll be good to look at.

The Take (Bastille Day) – 22nd December

Idris Elba and Game of Thrones’ Richard Madden team up for this enjoyably old-fashioned action thriller, which sees a young con artist and a rebellious CIA agent team up to take down a terrorist attack in France. What it lacks in brains and understanding of social media, it makes up for with James Watkins’ ably-directed set pieces and Elba’s scowling charisma.

The Place Beyond the Pines – 26th December

Reuniting Ryan Gosling and Blue Valentine’s Derek Cianfrance, this is an epic tale of failed father figures and loyalty that spans generations – and burns with the intensity of Gosling riding a motorbike around a circle of death. Mesmerising, lyrical stuff.

Seinfeld – 26th December

Nothing says “Merry Christmas” like waking up on Boxing Day to discover that every episode of Seinfeld is on Amazon Prime Video. Count ’em, every single one.

 

Other new releases coming soon to Amazon Prime Video UK in December 2016:

1st December
American History X
Bam Margera Presents: Where The #$&% Is Santa?
Black Gold
In-Laws, The (2003)
The Invisible Circus
Scooby-Doo! Adventures: The Mystery Map!
Please Like Me: Season 4, Episode 4

2nd December
Creature Designers – The Frankenstein Complex
Free To Run
The Last King
Remainder
The Search
Worry Dolls
The Grand Tour: Episode 3

3rd December
Happy Feet 2

6th December
Cleanskin
This Is Where I Leave You

8th December
Cradle 2 The Grave
Gods And Generals
Hall Pass
House Of Wax (2005)
Payback
The Perfect Storm
Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment
Please Like Me: Season 4, Episode 5

9th December
The Grand Tour: Episode 4

10th December
Mediterrenea
The Shameless
Unchained

14th December
Courted

15th December
Agatha
Around The Bend
Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever
Introducing The Dwights
Nightmare On Elm Street III
The Powerpuff Girls Movie
Red Riding Hood
Richie Rich
Traders
Please Like Me: Season 4, Episode 6

16th December
The Grand Tour: Episode 5

17th December
Escape To Victory

22nd December
Beowulf
A Christmas Story, A (1983)
The Corruptor
Grounded
Heart Condition
Next Of Kin
Rio Bravo
Please Like Me: Season 4, Episode 7

23rd December
Loro Chi
The Grand Tour: Episode 6

24th December
Kampai! For The Love of Sake
Necessary Evil: The Super-Villains Of Dc Comics

25th December
Blood Moon
Hellions
The Campaign
We Are Still Here

29th December
Please Like Me: Season 4, Episode 8

30th December
The Grand Tour: Episode 7
Moonrise Kingdom

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