Pop Culture Pulse: From Keira Knightley's Surprising Holiday Movie to Olivia Colman's Emotional New Role

'Tis the season to be jolly, but don't worry if you're not feeling 100 percent festive yet: there's plenty to enjoy in our guide to the month's TV, movie, and music highlights. 
1. A HOLIDAY MOVIE LIKE NO OTHER
Silent Night
This holiday movie from writer-director Camille Griffin
is anything but cozy. Though it begins with an extended family coming together for Christmas dinner at a fancy country estate, the festivities are cut short when they learn the world is on the brink of an environmental apocalypse. Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste lead the cast in a topical horror comedy that's surely destined to become an alternative festive favorite.
Silent Night premieres Friday, December 3 on AMC+.
2. A HISTORICAL MINISERIES THAT DOES THINGS DIFFERENTLYAnne Boleyn
This three-part miniseries tells the story of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, in a more progressive way than we've seen on screen before. Starring Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim), it's a taut thriller exploring the way that patriarchal Tudor England brought about her downfall. Even if you remember how her life ended from school history classes, Anne Boleyn should be a riveting watch. 
Anne Boleyn begins Thursday, December 9 on AMC+, with new episodes premiering weekly.
3. AN OLIVIA COLMAN MOVIE WITH A DARK SIDEThe Lost Daughter
Adapted from an Elena Ferrante novel, this psychological thriller is building Oscar buzz for Olivia Colman and director Maggie Gyllenhaal. Colman stars as a rather abrasive woman who becomes a little too interested in a young mother (Dakota Johnson) at her summer vacation resort. Through flashbacks in which Colman's character is played by Jessie Buckley, we gradually find out why. It would be a shame to say more, but let's just say there's a reason this movie isn't coming out on Mothers’ Day.
The Lost Daughter opens in select theaters Friday, December 17. 
4. A NEW TV SHOW GUARANTEED TO SPARK JOY
The Larkins
If this warmhearted comedy-drama sounds familiar, that's because it's based on H. E. Bates' novel The Darling Buds of May, which was previously adapted into an iconic series starring David Jason and Catherine Zeta Jones. This time around, Joanna Scanlan and Doctor Who favorite Bradley Walsh play Ma and Pop Larkin, a loving couple hustling to provide for their kids in postwar England. Expect to be charmed and thoroughly comforted from the start.
The Larkins premieres Monday, December 13 on Acorn TV.
5. A COMIC BOOK MOVIE WITH A SPRING IN ITS STEPThe King's Man
Director Matthew Vaughn's Kingsman movies have injected the comic book genre with a generous dose of British wit. If you haven't seen them yet, they're well worth a stream. This prequel starring Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, and Matthew Goode is set during the early 20th century and promises to explore the origins of the fictional Kingsman secret service organization. Expect things to get pretty chaotic as they deal with "a collection of history's worst tyrants."
The King's Man opens in theaters Wednesday, December 22.
6. A COMPLETELY ADDICTIVE BRITISH CRIME SERIESThe Pact
Set in south Wales, this six-part mystery series has an instantly gripping premise. When a brewery owner is found dead, four of his employees form a pact to keep quiet about what really happened. This leaves a local police officer who just happens to be married to one of the secretive foursome to uncover the truth. Factor in a classy cast led by Laura Fraser, Julie Hesmondhalgh, and Eddie Marsan and The Pact will soon have you rapt.
The Pact premieres Thursday, December 2 on Sundance Now and AMC+.
7. AN ALBUM YOU CAN REALLY LUXURIATE WITH Alicia Keys: Keys
Alicia Keys is known for her impressive musicianship and this album – her eighth – should really show it off. It's actually a double LP featuring two different versions of each song: one lush and fully produced, the other stripped-down and intimate. For a taster, check out Keys' ace recent single "Best of Me," a slinky slow-burner that samples Sade's "Cherish the Day."
Keys is released Friday, December 10 via RCA.
8. A PSYCHOLOGICAL SERIES THAT WILL REALLY KEEP YOU GUESSINGClose to Me
This six-episode miniseries pivots on trust. Connie Nielsen plays Jo, a woman who wakes up after falling down the stairs with post-traumatic amnesia. Because she can't remember anything that happened during the last year of her life, she has to rely on husband Rob (Doctor Who favorite Christopher Eccleston) to fill her in. However, it soon becomes apparent that he might not be quite as selfless as he seems, setting the scene for a gripping psychological thriller. Who will you believe?
Close to Me premieres Thursday, December 16 on Sundance Now and AMC+.
9. A SUPERHERO MOVIE EVEN FANS COULDN’T MAKE UPSpider-Man: No Way Home
Tom Holland's third standalone Spider-Man movie is keeping the internet guessing. Will he really – as some fans believe – come face to face with previous incarnations of the character played by Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire? We'll have to wait to find out, but we do know he'll be flanked by Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange as he fends off classic baddies played by Alfred Molina and Jamie Foxx. Bring it on!
Spider-Man: No Way Home opens in theaters Friday, December 17. 
10. A POTENTIAL NEW HOLIDAY ANTHEMEd Sheeran and Elton John: "Merry Christmas" 
Coming up with a new holiday song to rival Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" and Wham!'s "Last Christmas" is a tall order. But, if anyone can do it, it's super-shrewd hitmaker Ed Sheeran and beloved pop stalwart Elton John. No one has heard their festive duet yet, but the fact that Sheeran teased it with a Love Actually-themed social clip is a promising sign. Let’s just hope it doesn’t overdo the sleigh bells.
"Merry Christmas" by Ed Sheeran and Elton John drops Friday, December 3. 
What are you looking forward to watching and listening to this month?