Top 10 movies that you may have missed this semester

I know how busy Washington University students are during the semester, so there are probably a lot of movies you wanted to see but just couldn’t find the time to. Here are ten movies to watch over winter break (or during reading week, when anything seems better than studying some more).

“50/50”: Wash. U. students are almost obligated to go see this comedy starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt in which he plays a character who discovers he has cancer but deals with it in an alternative way.

“The Descendants”: Everyone loves George Clooney movies, especially ones like this. The film tells how he deals with raising two children while simultaneously dealing with an unfaithful and comatose wife.

“Footloose”: A remake of the 1984 classic, “Footloose” chronicles the lives of teenagers in a conservative Southern town who just want to dance.

“Like Crazy”: This movie, a 2011 Sundance Film Festival favorite, tells a story many of us can relate to: the trials and tribulations of a long-distance relationship. However, the couple in this movie must also deal with immigration rules and a 5-hour time difference.

“Moneyball”: Although I usually do not enjoy sports movies, this movie entertainingly shows how the Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane put together a great baseball team despite a low budget. Besides, it’s not hard to stare at Brad Pitt for two hours.

“Martha Marcy May Marlene”: Starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s little sister, this drama shows the plight of a woman trying to re-assimilate into society after leaving an abusive cult.

“New Year’s Eve”: Filled with every hotshot actor you could ever possibly imagine, from Robert De Niro to Lea Michele, this movie showcases the various ways New Yorkers spend their New Year’s Eves. (This movie technically hasn’t come out yet, but it opens while we are still in school, so the chances that you will see it before winter break are slim to none.)

“Our Idiot Brother”: With stellar performances by fan favorites Paul Rudd and Zooey Deschanel, this comedy presents the challenges and luxuries of living with a lovable but irresponsible sibling.

“Tower Heist”: This action/comedy cannot help but remind people of the sad stories started by Bernie Madoff. The film tells the story of a group of staffers at a luxury hotel who decide to rob the ridiculously wealthy penthouse resident after his Ponzi scheme left them without adequate retirement plans.

“A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas”: In the third installment of this hilarious trifecta, Harold and Kumar encounter shenanigans after accidentally burning Harold’s father-in-law’s prized Christmas tree.