While some spent their winter break adventuring in other countries, others chose to slow down and enjoy the latest movie releases. Whether it was The Housemaid, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Marty Supreme, or Avatar’s newest movie, theaters became a local alternative for adventure through other worlds.
The R-rated film The Housemaid, starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, kept audiences on their feet throughout with its suspenseful twists and turns. A whopping $35 million spent in production proved to be worth it after Lionsgate grossed $100 million domestically and internationally about a month after The Housemaid’s release.
The film has received a wide variety of reactions from the audience; some fans say that combining well-known actors with a strong production made an outstanding film that constructed unsettling, revenge-driven scenes. Others disagree, criticizing the casting of Sweeney as a main character due to controversy, drawing her haters away from watching the film.
Sophomore Emma Estevez explains, “There wasn’t a dull moment when I was watching The Housemaid. It was so suspenseful, and I was on the edge of my seat, even though I had read the book beforehand. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone interested in the genre of thrillers.”
Another popular movie released during winter break is based on the viral video game Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (FNAF 2). When the film finally hit theaters, fans were eager to witness their favorite video game franchise brought to life for the second time. Despite the mixture of reactions from audiences, FNAF 2’s success was reflected in the box office, where it grossed nearly $128 million domestically and $110 billion internationally.
Sophomore Mahdi Hteit comments, “The FNAF 2 film did meet my expectations as a game-to-movie adaptation. There were some parts that were off, but the animatronics captivated my attention and made up for it. I saw a TikTok where it showed that they actually made [the animatronics] real, [not CGI], and I thought it was pretty cool.”
While Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 thrived on its supporters, Marty Supreme has found its audience unexpectedly. Even without the same level of hype, Marty Supreme slowly became one of the most talked-about movies during winter break.
Timothée Chalamet’s role in the film made him a true box-office draw, surpassing $100 million globally, making it the fourth A24 film to reach the milestone. Josh Safdie’s film about a man who chases his dreams through the sport of table tennis into ruin struck viewers with fascination. Chalamet then went on to win his first Golden Globe award for his impressive performance in the film.
Sophomore Maximiliano Mudryj states, “What stood out to me the most was that it didn’t have much ping-pong. The acting was pretty good, I felt emerged and I feel as though there wasn’t much character development. The movie felt exaggerated with all the crimes and violence, but it was grounded in reality.” He continues, “I feel like the message trying to be sprung on the audience was the dangers of narcissism and overconfidence in oneself.”
Unlike the other films, Avatar 3 stems from two of the franchise’s previous movies, which have contributed to the popularity of the newest release. Viewers flooded theaters due to its reputation for storytelling and film quality. The box office confirmed that this wasn’t just a sequel, and Avatar remains a cinematic tradition.
“Avatar 3 fulfilled my expectations, but I still think the second one was better. The plot felt a little repetitive. The visuals and special effects definitely improved from the first one. I would watch another Avatar sequel,” sophomore India Karamath explains.
These films gave people a way to share, connect, and escape reality during winter break. With the spring season just around the corner, there are high hopes for the next series of upcoming films.
