Film and Cinema

SPORTS

2022 NRHA FUTURITY

SHOW Through Dec. 3 OKC Fairgrounds The National Reining Horse Association is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote the reining horse. okcfairgrounds.com UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Dec. 4, 11, 18 Lloyd Noble Center, Norman The OU women’s basketball team takes the court. soonersports.com OKC BLUE BASKETBALL Dec. 4, 27 Paycom Center Enjoy plenty of home games with the OKC Blue. paycomcenter.com UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA MEN’S BASKETBALL Dec. 6, 17, 31 Lloyd Noble Center, Norman Enjoy the OU men’s basketball team as they take on regular season foes. soonersports.com OKC THUNDER BASKETBALL Dec. 14, 16-17, 19, 21, 23, 27 Paycom Center Don’t miss the state’s NBA team take the court against regular season adversaries. paycomcenter.com

COMMUNITY

FIRST FRIDAY GALLERY

WALK Dec. 2 Paseo Arts District Visitors can enjoy art openings, wine tastings, live music and other activities. thepaseo.org OPERA FAIRE Dec. 3 8421 N. Walker Ave. If you’re interested in metaphysical subjects, you’ll want to check out the Opera Faire in Oklahoma City. operaoklahoma.org/opera-faire JUNIOR BOTBALL CHALLENGE Dec. 3 OKC Fairgrounds Watch as sharp students across the state compete. okcfairgrounds.com SAINTS SANTA RUN Dec. 3 1000 N. Lee Ave. Take a festive walk or run through the streets of downtown Oklahoma City at the annual Saints Santa Run. downtownindecember. com/saints-santa-run WONDERS AND WISDOM Dec. 16-17 OKC Fairgrounds Enjoy this exciting arts and crafts show. okcfairgrounds.com THE POLAR EXPRESS Through Dec. 27 Oklahoma Railway Museum Get in the holiday spirit with a festive ride on the Polar Express. okcthepolarexpressride.com WINTER GLOW Through Dec. 30 Riversport OKC Head to Winter Glow, an indoor/outdoor, holiday-themed event at Riversport in Oklahoma City. riversportokc.org OPENING NIGHT Dec. 31 Various locations Opening Night is a New Year’s Eve celebration with music, dancing, theater and fireworks. artscouncilokc.com OKC ZOO SAFARI LIGHTS Through Jan. 1 OKC Zoo This winter, go wild and fill your holiday season with the magic of light! okczoo.org EDMOND ELECTRIC’S LUMINANCE: AN ENCHANTED STROLL Through Jan. 1 Mitch Park Experience the joy of the holidays during Edmond Electric’s Luminance - An Enchanted Stroll in Mitch Park. travelok. com CREST ON ICE Through Jan. 8 2550 Mt. Williams Dr., Norman Enjoy a holiday ice skating adventure in Norman. crestonice.com EDMOND ICE RINK Through Jan. 15 Mitch Park The Edmond Ice Rink returns for its 12th season. edmondicerink.com DOWNTOWN IN DECEMBER Through Jan. 27 Downtown Spend your holidays experiencing fun activities as downtown Oklahoma City is turned into a winter wonderland. downtownindecember.com DEVON ICE RINK Through Jan. 29 Myriad Botanical Gardens Get ready for another great winter of outdoor ice skating. downtownindecember.com

CHARITABLE EVENTS

50 SHADES OF PINK FUND-

RAISER Dec. 2 The Venue at Crew 50 Shades of Pink is a wine tasting fundraiser hosted by Locs of Strength. okcnp.org THE SANTA MARKET CRAFT SHOW FOR ALZHEIMER’S Dec. 2-3 OKC Fairgrounds Shop at a family-friendly market to help support Alzheimer’s research. okcfairgrounds.com ANNUAL SILENT AUCTION AND BBQ DINNER Dec. 9 Canadian Valley Vineyard and Winery, Lexington Enjoy the second annual silent auction and barbecue dinner. okcnp.org

THE STATE

PERFORMANCES

PAULS VALLEY OPRY Dec. 3

Pauls Valley High School The Pauls Valley Opry revived a 1960s and 1970s tradition built on traveling the state to play country, rock and folk music in a variety of clubs. travelok.com THE CEMENT OPRY Dec. 3 410 N. Main, Cement The Cement Opry is a monthly live variety show held in the Jesse James Ballroom, which is located above the Cement Museum. travelok.com THE SWINGLES: TOGETHER FOR THE HOLIDAYS Dec. 3 McKnight Center for the Performing Arts, Stillwater What better way to get into the holiday spirit than with songs of good cheer brought by The Swingles? mcknightcenter.org CTAC LIVE PRESENTS: ELEANOR DUBINSKY QUARTET Dec. 8 The Simmons Center, Duncan The Chisholm Trail Arts Council presents a series of seasonal concerts hosted at the Simmons Center in Duncan. chisholmtrailarts.com JOHN MULANEY Dec. 16 Choctaw Casino and Resort, Durant Well-known comedian John Mulaney visits Durant. choctawcasinos.com POLLARD THEATRE PRESENTS: A TERRITORIAL CHRISTMAS CAROL Through Dec. 23 Pollard Theatre, Guthrie Experience an Oklahoma tradition this season with Pollard Theatre’s performance of A Territorial Christmas Carol. thepollard.org

CONCERTS

ELF IN CONCERT WITH THE TULSA SYMPHONY ORCHES-

for the Performing Arts, Stillwater Experience your favorite Christmas film transformed with the music of a live symphony orchestra. mcknightcenter.org TRAVIS TRITT Dec. 2 Choctaw Casino and Resort Durant See the crooner with special guest Trea Landon. choctawcasinos.com CLAY WALKER Dec. 9 Choctaw Casino and Resort Durant Country singer Clay Walker visits Durant. choctawcasinos.com REO SPEEDWAGON Dec. 10 Choctaw Casino and Resort Durant One of the most beloved rock bands of all time visits the Choctaw Casino and Resort. choctawcasinos.com

SPORTS

TACKY SWEATER 5K Dec. 3

Chandler Park, Purcell Find your ugliest Christmas sweater and head to Purcell’s Chandler Park for the annual Tacky Sweater 5K. pruittqualityhomes.com/tackysweater5k OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Dec. 3, 6, 18, 20, 31 Gallagher-Iba Arena The women’s basketball team plays regular season foes this month. okstate.com OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY MEN’S BASKETBALL Dec. 6, 20 Gallagher-Iba Arena The men’s basketball team plays at home this month. okstate.com DANGERZONE BULL RIDING WORLD FINALS Dec. 31 Claremore Expo Center Witness the DangerZone Bull Riding World Finals in Claremore on New Year’s Eve. travelok.com

COMMUNITY

SANTA’S WORKSHOP Dec.

2-3 Ardmore Regional Park For one special weekend, Santa lets visitors inside his workshop at Ardmore Regional Park. ardmorecity.org MINCO HONEY FESTIVAL Dec. 3 Minco High School Satisfy your sweet tooth at the Minco Honey Festival with pure Oklahoma honey. minco-ok. com/minco/festival A TERRITORIAL CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION Through Dec. 10 Historic District Downtown, Guthrie Historic authenticity meets holiday festivity during A Territorial Christmas Celebration, a tradition for over 35 years. guthriesterritorialchristmas.com WOOLAROC WONDERLAND OF LIGHTS Through Dec. 18 Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve, Bartlesville Visitors to this much-loved event are invited to ride a wagon or stroll the grounds to enjoy a spectacular display of more than 750,000 glistening lights. woolaroc.org MERRY MAIN STREET Through Dec. 18 Downtown Stillwater Get in the holiday spirit with the help of Merry Main Street over the course of four weekends in downtown Stillwater. visitstillwater.org FANTASY LAND OF LIGHTS Through Dec. 30 Johnstone Park, Bartlesville Bring the family out for this drive-through Christmas light show. fantasylandoflights.com

A JAM-PACKED FINALE

2022 still has a few surprises up its sleeve as a selection of anticipated lms release this month.

December is here, it’s stacked, and I don’t have time for an intro because there are too many lms!

First up is Pinocchio, a stop-motion animated musical from Guillermo del Toro. Starring newcomer Gregory Mann as Pinocchio, the lm looks to retell the 1883 story made famous by the 1940 Disney adaptation. e rest of the cast is A-list, with Ewan McGregor, Tilda Swinton, Christoph Waltz and Cate Blanchett rounding out the ensemble. It was released in limited theaters in November, but hits Net ix on Dec. 9.

Next up is a romantic drama, Empire of Light. Written and directed by Sam Mendes (1917), the lm follows a love story revolving around an English movie theater during the 1980s. Olivia Colman and Michael Ward lead the cast that also includes Colin Firth and Toby Jones. e trailer indicates some beautiful cinematography is in store when it hits the cinema on Dec. 9.

If you want a more bleak psychological drama, check out e Whale. Starring Brendan Fraser and directed by Darren Aronofsky, the plot sees a 600-pound man trying to reconnect with his seventeen year old daughter (Sadie Sink), years after he abandoned his family. Early reviews have been extremely positive about Fraser’s performance, so we’ll see if that can hold everything else together when it releases on, yet again, Dec. 9.

If you’ve been clamoring for a sequel to a movie from thirteen years ago, strap in for Avatar: e Way Of Water. Directed by James Cameron, the lm is a follow up to his commercially and nancially successful 2009 lm Avatar, and follows the family of Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and their troubles a decade after the original story. Cameron hopes to recapture the magic (read: money) of the original when this blockbuster hits theaters on Dec. 16.

For your murder mystery x, look no further than Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Written and directed by Rian Johnson and a sequel to his 2019 lm Knives Out (although it can easily be a standalone), this story sees the return of Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) as he attempts to solve another whodunit. Featuring an all-star cast on an island getaway in Greece, the movie welcomes Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn and Dave Bautista, among many others, and aims to follow up the original with more thrills, twists and turns when it hits Net ix on Dec. 23.

For your epic period piece, make sure to see Babylon. Written and directed by Damien Chazelle (La La Land), the story takes place in 1920s Hollywood and follows a Mexican-American actor (Diego Calva) pursuing his dreams. With Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Tobey Maguire leading a huge ensemble cast, the trailer indicates a large-scale delight with beautiful cinematography and music to compliment the plethora of famous faces. It comes out on Dec. 25.

Lastly, your foreign lm to see is Broker. Written and directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda and starring Song Kang-ho (Parasite), the plot follows characters associated with baby boxes – places people can abandon babies to be cared for by others. It releases on Dec. 26 in the U.S. DREW JOSEPH ALLEN