Lego video games have been released for a long time, some of the most popular being spins on popular, well-known media. In these games, you get to play through the Lego world of Harry Potter or Indian Jones as your favorite characters, collecting items and breaking blocks along the way. These Lego games have found great popularity – they make for simple enjoyment and easy gameplay for anyone interested.

The newest game, Lego Star Wars: the Skywalker Saga, was released in early April, paying homage to the previous Lego Star Wars games. In the new saga, you can play through all nine of the main movies either by yourself or with a partner.

As you play there are over 300 characters to collect and you can play as anyone you want while you visit famous locations and collect studs and Kyber bricks. After playing through the main missions, the map opens up, allowing you to visit anywhere in the galaxy to explore. 

For those who played the previous games, the new saga is an upgraded version of a very nostalgic experience. And for those, like me, who didn’t know Lego games like this existed, it’s a surprising amount of fun. The puzzles are simple but engaging, sometimes causing you to switch characters in order to use a certain machine or speak a different language. Personally, I’ve enjoyed playing as Darth Vader, breaking everything with the force as I run around.

The new saga is a great game and one I highly recommend. If you’ve ever wanted to run through the Star Wars universe, this Lego version is a wonderful way to do it. I also recommend taking advantage of the co-op options and playing with a partner. Overall, playing this game has been surprisingly enjoyable and is currently one of my favorite things to do. 

Star Wars: The Force AwakensThe expected franchise to beat in terms of ticket sales is “Star Wars,” with its newest installment, “The Force Awakens,” hitting theaters Dec. 18. “The Force Awakens” marks a new beginning for the film series in more ways than one: not only is it the first “Star Wars” to be released since Disney’s acquisition of the franchise, but it will also be the first not directed by George Lucas. J.J. Abrams, known for his work on the “Star Trek” reboot films and the television series “Lost,” has stepped up to the role of directing all movies in the new projected trilogy, with Lucas staying on the crew as a correspondent. While Disney has kept the specifics of the plotline under close guard, the general premise will follow three new characters 30 years after “Episode VI” and their interactions with the original cast. New players in the saga include Lupita Nyong’o, Adam Driver, John Boyega and Max von Sydow.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay: Part 2As one franchise reopens in the winter 2015 season, another prominent one makes its curtain call: namely, “The Hunger Games,” which released its final film, “Mockingjay: Part Two,” on Thanksgiving weekend. Projected to stay in the box office ratings for several weeks in the tradition of its predecessors, the film follows Jennifer Lawrence’s now-iconic role of Katniss Everdeen in her final battle against the tyrannical Capitol government, led by President Snow, played by Donald Sutherland. Rumored to have a single major change to the subject material, the finale is being promoted as the action-based counterpart to its predecessor, “Mockingjay: Part One,” which focused more on the behind-the-scenes political battle between the rebels and Snow.

The Hateful EightAnother attention-drawing release, this one far outside the realm of franchise films, is “The Hateful Eight,” the latest Quentin Tarantino Western. Set to release Christmas Day, it stars Kurt Russell and Jennifer Jason Leigh as a post-Civil War bounty hunter and his fugitive. As they are en route to the town of Red Rock, Ark. where Russell is set to bring Leigh to justice, the two travelers come across a group comprised of renegade sheriffs, generals and other bounty hunters. After a snowstorm, all eight take shelter in a haberdashery on a mountain pass and end up stranded in the harsh Wyoming landscape. “The Hateful Eight” is expected to carry the same sort of intense violence and blood-soaked atmosphere Tarantino has become known for and is likely to follow the success of his past films.

The Big ShortAmong the December arthouse releases vying for Oscar nomination is “The Big Short,” based on Michael Lewis’s bestselling account of the 2000s housing and credit bubble. Its plot hinges on a quartet of financial outsiders who attempt to game the system created by the government banking system in the name of profit, played by an all-star combination of Brad Pitt, Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling and Christian Bale. Geared towards docudrama enthusiasts and intellectual moviegoers, it is set to release Dec. 11 in some theaters before its nationwide release Dec. 23.

CarolAlso vying for an Oscar is “Carol,” a 1950s period romance concerning a topic that continues to dominate modern discussion. Cate Blanchett plays a woman trapped in a loveless marriage who finds a new fascination in a Manhattan department store clerk, portrayed by Rooney Mara. The two women struggle with their increasing feelings for each other and with Blanchett’s husband’s increasing suspicions. Adapted from the 1952 novel “The Price of Salt,” it hit theaters Nov. 20 and is already attracting attention for its depiction of hot-button LGBT issues.

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