Season’s greetings, Books on Screen lovers! If you’re at all worried about appearances when Santa comes to town, it might be best to avoid the dim and dismal movies that hit theaters this month. The entertainment itself is brilliant, but I bet there will be plenty of crying and pouting in theaters nationwide.

Unlike Lady Macbeth’s damned spot, the latest movie adaptation of "Macbeth," arguably Shakespeare’s grimmest work, comes out this month. Fair is foul and foul is fair, you guys. Have a high school English teacher explain it to you. You can also look forward to another Steve Carell makeover (makeunder?), although not in a good, Crazy, Stupid, Love way. He reunites with CSL co-star Ryan Gosling --- plus a cast full of Hollywood heavy hitters, including Brad Pitt and Christian Bale --- in the Adam McKay-helmed The Big Short. McKay has a pretty impressive comedy pedigree, so if anyone can turn the 2008 financial crisis into a rollicking heist movie, it's him.

If you don’t think moral hazards and systemic risk sound like the stuff of holiday movie magic, and paranoid, murderous Scotsmen don’t seem uplifting enough this season, I honestly don’t know what to tell you. You can try Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman follow-up, The Revenant, which boasts a filming process as punishing as the movie itself. Just don’t believe everything you read online about Leo and a willful bear. For those with stronger stomachs, check out Ron Howard’s In the Heart of the Sea, about the real-life maritime catastrophe that inspired Melville’s colossus MOBY-DICK. Word of warning: You’ll never be able to un-see an emaciated Chris Hemsworth.

On TV this month, SyFy is getting into the prestige drama game with not one, but two ambitious new shows. One is “The Expanse,” based on James S. A. Corey’s acclaimed sci-fi series, which effectively combines elements of science fiction and hardboiled noir into a fascinating universe-spanning political epic. The second is “Childhood’s End,” adapted from the classic Arthur C. Clarke story about the aftermath of a benevolent alien takeover of Earth, and the cost to human identity and culture when they establish what seems like a utopia. If you can resist SyFy’s gravitational pull for an hour, be sure to catch the finale of “The Leftovers,” which will wrap up one of the most consistently surprising and audacious seasons in recent television history.

No matter how you celebrate this season --- or don’t --- there’s a darkly intense drama out there for you. And if you’re looking for uplifting, there’s always One Direction’s latest press tour. Otherwise, be sure to load up on that eggnog! I won't tell Santa.

--- Written and compiled by Emily Hoenig

In Theaters:

Macbeth
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Elizabeth Debicki
Director: Justin Kurzel
Distributor: The Weinstein Company
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: December 4th
Based on: "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare

"Macbeth" is the story of a fearless warrior and inspiring leader brought low by ambition and desire. A thrilling interpretation of the dramatic realities of the times and a reimagining of what wartime must have been like for one of literature's most famous and compelling characters, a story of all-consuming passion and ambition set in war torn Scotland.

The Big Short
Cast: Christian Bale, Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Finn Wittrock, Karen Gillan, Selena Gomez
Director: Adam McKay
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: December 11th
Based on: THE BIG SHORT: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis

Writer/director Adam McKay joins forces with Paramount Pictures and Plan B Entertainment to adapt Michael Lewis' bestseller THE BIG SHORT: Inside the Doomsday Machine, which centers on the housing a credit bubble of the 2000s.

In the Heart of the Sea
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson, Benjamin Walker, Ben Whishaw,Tom Holland
Director: Ron Howard
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: December 11th
Based on: IN THE HEART OF THE SEA: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick

In the winter of 1820, the New England whaling ship Essex was assaulted by something no one could believe: a whale of mammoth size and will, and an almost human sense of vengeance. The real-life maritime disaster would inspire Herman Melville's MOBY-DICK. But that told only half the story. In the Heart of the Sea reveals the encounter's harrowing aftermath, as the ship's surviving crew is pushed to their limits and forced to do the unthinkable to stay alive. Braving storms, starvation, panic and despair, the men will call into question their deepest beliefs, from the value of their lives to the morality of their trade, as their captain searches for direction on the open sea and his first mate still seeks to bring the great whale down.

45 Years
Cast: Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, Dolly Wells, Geraldine James
Director: Andrew Haigh
Distributor: Bureau
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: December 23rd
Based on: "In Another Country," short story included in IN ANOTHER COUNTRY: Selected Stories by David Constantine

There is just one week until Kate Mercer's 45th wedding anniversary and the planning for the party is going well. But then a letter arrives for her husband. The body of his first love has been discovered, frozen and preserved in the icy glaciers of the Swiss Alps. By the time the party is upon them, five days later, there may not be a marriage left to celebrate.

Concussion
Cast: Will Smith, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bitsie Tulloch, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks, David Morse
Director: Peter Landesman
Distributor: Sony Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: December 25th
Based on: CONCUSSION by Jeanne Marie Laskas

Based on the true story of the doctor who discovered CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) in football players, and the uphill battle he faced in bringing the information to the public.

The Revenant
Cast: Tom Hardy, Leonardo DiCaprio, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter, Paul Anderson
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: December 25th (limited); wide release January 8th
Based on: THE REVENANT: A Novel of Revenge by Michael Punke

Inspired by true events, The Revenant is an immersive and visceral cinematic experience capturing one man's epic adventure of survival and the extraordinary power of the human spirit. In an expedition of the uncharted American wilderness, legendary explorer Hugh Glass is brutally attacked by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team. In a quest to survive, Glass endures unimaginable grief as well as the betrayal of his confidant John Fitzgerald. Guided by sheer will and the love of his family, Glass must navigate a vicious winter in a relentless pursuit to live and find redemption.

On TV:

The Bridge (TV movie)
Cast: Wyatt Nash, Katie Findlay, Faith Ford, Ted McGinley
Network: Hallmark Channel
Air Dates: Sunday, December 6th at 8pm ET
Based On: THE BRIDGE by Karen Kingsbury

Molly and Ryan share a profound friendship their first semester in college. At their favorite bookstore and coffee shop, The Bridge, they spend countless hours studying and inspiring the other to dream. But can Molly and Ryan’s unspoken love survive the expectations of others as to what their lives should ultimately be?

“The Expanse”
Cast: Shohreh Aghdashloo, Cas Anvar, Wes Chatham
Network: SyFy
Air Dates: December 14th
Based On:The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey

The case of a missing heiress brings a hardened detective and a rogue ship's captain together to solve what turns out to be a conspiracy spanning the solar system in this thriller set 200 years in the future.

Debbie Macomber’s Dashing Through the Snow (TV movie)
Cast: Meghan Ory, Andrew W. Walker, Aleks Paunovic
Network: Hallmark Channel
Air Dates: December 13th
Based On: DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW by Debbie Macomber

Stranded at an airport at Christmastime, Ashley Harrison accepts a ride from Dash Sutherland, who has just rented the last car in town. As the pair heads north, their adventures include car trouble, adopting a puppy and being secretly tailed by federal agents, who believe Ashley is up to no good. With a hint of romance gradually filling the air will these two fall in love or will their journey bring about an unexpected road bump to romance?

“Childhood's End” (miniseries)
Cast: Daisy Betts, Charles Dance, Osy Ikhile
Network: SyFy 
Air Dates: December 14th
Based On: CHILDHOOD'S END by Arthur C. Clarke

Benevolent aliens create a seeming utopia on Earth, but at a cost.

“The Leftovers”
Cast: Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston
Network: HBO
Air Dates: Sundays at 9pm ET
Based On: THE LEFTOVERS by Tom Perrotta

Adaptation of Tom Perrotta's novel about life in a small town after many of its residents vanished in a Rapture-like event. Although the characters in this new season remain the same as those in the book, the plots of this new season depart from the book.

"Homeland"
Cast: Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Rupert Friend
Network: Showtime
Air Dates: Sundays at 9pm ET
Based On: SAUL'S GAME by Andrew Kaplan

“Homeland” is an edge-of-your-seat sensation. CIA officer Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) is tops in her field despite being bipolar, which makes her volatile and unpredictable. With the help of her long-time mentor Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin), Carrie fearlessly risks everything, including her personal well-being and even sanity, at every turn. You won't be able to turn away from this gripping, emotional thriller in which nothing short of the fate of our nation is at stake.

“The Flash”
Cast: Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Rick Cosnett, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes, Tom Cavanagh, Jessie L. Martin
Network: The CW
Air Dates: Tuesdays at 8pm ET
Based On: THE FLASH: DC Comics character created by Robert Kanigher, John Broome and Carmine Infantino

Following the defeat of Barry Allen's arch-nemesis Eobard Thawne (a.k.a. Reverse Flash), Team Flash quickly turned their attention to the singularity swirling high above Central City, which fans last saw consuming everything in its path. Armed with the heart of a hero and the ability to move at super speeds, Barry charged into the eye of the singularity, but will he actually be able to save his city from impending doom?

“Arrow”
Cast: Stephen Amell, Colin Donnell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Susanna Thompson, Paul Blackthorne
Network: The CW
Air Dates: Wednesdays at 8pm ET
Based On: DC Comics character Green Arrow created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp

After defeating his most formidable foe to date and riding off into the sunset with longtime flame Felicity Smoak, Oliver Queen (a.k.a. The Arrow) left Starling City with the hopes of beginning a new life. But will Oliver ever truly be able to leave behind his past as the Arrow, and, if so, what becomes of the team he has worked so hard to assemble? Will Diggle, Thea and Laurel be left to continue Oliver’s crusade without him? And with Malcolm Merlyn having ascended to the top of the League of Assassins as the new Ra's al Ghul, is anyone really safe?

“The Vampire Diaries”
Cast: Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, Steven R. McQueen, Kat Graham, Candice Accola
Network: The CW
Air Dates: Thursdays at 8pm ET
Based On: The Vampire Diaries series by L.J. Smith

In the wake of Elena Gilbert’s goodbye, season seven begins with some characters will recover while others falter. As Lily tries to drive a wedge between the Salvatore brothers, we’ll still hold onto hope that Stefan and Caroline’s love story is strong enough to survive.

On DVD:

Ant-Man
Cast: Paul Rudd, Evageline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Corey Stoll
Director: Peyton Reed
Distributor: Disney/Marvel
MPAA Rating: PG-13
DVD Release Date: December 8th 
Based on: ANT-MAN by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby

The next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time with Marvel Studios' Ant-Man. Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

Walt Before Mickey
Cast: Jodie Sweetin, Jon Heder, Thomas Ian Nicholas
Director: Khoa Le
Distributor: Conglomerate Media/Voltage
MPAA Rating: PG
DVD Release Date: December 8th
Based on: WALT BEFORE MICKEY: Disney's Early Years, 1919-1928 by Timothy Susanin

This film is about Walt Disney's early years. For 10 years before the creation of Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney struggled with, failed at, and eventually mastered the art and business of animation. Walt Disney worked in a variety of venues and studios, refining what would become known as the Disney style. This film captures the years 1919-1928, creating a portrait of the artist from age 17 to the cusp of his international renown.

Wolf Totem
Cast: Shaofeng Feng, Shawn Dou, Ankhnyam Ragchaa
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Distributor: Sony Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
DVD Release Date: December 15th
Based on: WOLF TOTEM by Jiang Rong

In 1967, a young Beijing student, Chen Zhen, is sent to live among the nomadic herdsmen of Inner Mongolia. Caught between the advance of civilization from the south and the nomads' traditional enemies --- the marauding wolves --- to the north, humans and animals, residents and invaders alike, struggle to find their true place in the world.

A Walk in the Woods
Cast: Robert Redford, Nick Nolte, Emma Thompson
Director: Ken Kwapis
Distributor: Broad Green Pictures
MPAA Rating: R
DVD Release Date: December 29th
Based on: A WALK IN THE WOODS: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson

In this new comedy adventure, celebrated travel writer, Bill Bryson, instead of retiring to enjoy his loving and beautiful wife, and large and happy family, challenges himself to hike the Appalachian Trail --- 2,200 miles of America's most unspoiled, spectacular and rugged countryside from Georgia to Maine. The peace and tranquility he hopes to find, though, is anything but, once he agrees to being accompanied by the only person he can find willing to join him on the trek --- his long lost and former friend Katz, a down-on-his-luck serial philanderer who, after a lifetime of relying on his charm and wits to keep one step ahead of the law, sees the trip as a way to sneak out of paying some debts and sneak into one last adventure before it’s too late. The trouble is the two have a completely different definition of the word, "adventure." Now they're about to find out that when you push yourself to the edge, the real fun begins.