A+E

Movies: There's something about December—the nasty scrum of holiday shopping, the pitched battles in the war on Christmas, too much "pah-rump-a-pum-pum"—that makes bloody tales of grim survival seem ... appropriate. So we'll probably be there on December 8 when Apocalypto opens, even though a.) Mel Gibson is a jerk; b.) the movie's dialogue is in Mayan; and c.) see A. It looks like a pure adrenaline rush: that poor Mayan dude racing through the jungle to save his family, pursued by bloodthirsty human-sacrificers and wild animals—hey, we can relate. A brutal fight against overwhelming odds is also the centerpiece of Rocky Balboa (December 22), in which Sly Stallone hobbles his classic character toward the bank for one last major deposit (until next year's Rambo sequel, we mean). If you want to experience a bleak test of your survival skills, we suggest sitting through The Holiday (December 8), a snowy love story featuring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and that abdominal snowman, Jack Black.

Music: Two words say all you need to hear about music this season: Ghostface Killah. His Fishscale was a critic's darling earlier this year, and he's back on December 12 with More Fish. Then again, Hip Hop Is Dead, according to Nas (December 19). It's his first disc for Def Jam, run by his onetime rival Jay-Z, who even guests on a track. It's sweet how the holidays bring people together like that.

If you have any affinity for breathtaking graphics, realistic licensed vehicles or the laws of physics, then steer clear of Excite Truck (Nintendo Wii, rated: E, 4 stars). But if you love insane, adrenaline-pumping, arcade-style racing, then grab your Wii remote. There isn’t a whole lot of depth to Excite Truck, but steering with the motion controller feels like using a steering wheel. So unless your car is operated with thumb-sticks, this should feel much more natural.