Holiday Movie Round-Up
Tis the season for many a tradition. And one that continues to grow every year is the outpouring of major motion pictures that hit the local multiplex just in time for the holidays. Normally, I prefer to recommend movies a little off the beaten path, but seeing how December is the new July in terms of blockbusters, I thought I'd take a second to recommend a few heavy hitters that actually might be worth some of the cash you got from your Grandma for Christmas.
Let's break it down:
MOST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
Doubt
DIRECTOR > John Patrick Shanley
STARS > Meryl Streep, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams
OPENS > DEC 12
WHY SEE IT > There's already Oscar buzz for Streep (duh), Hoffman (no surprise) and Adams (really?) in this sordid tale of Catholic schooling gone awry. It's got the major players, so it's (probably) going to deliver the goods.
Revolutionary Road
DIRECTOR > Sam Mendes
STARS > Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Zoe Kazan, Kathy Bates
OPENS > DEC 19
WHY SEE IT > Come on! Jack and Rose, reunited on the silver screen! This period piece has been described as "devastatingly emotional," and who doesn't want to look at Leonardo DiCaprio while having a good old fashioned stress-relieving cry?
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
DIRECTOR > David Fincher
STARS > Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett
OPENS > DEC 25
WHY SEE IT > David Fincher (Zodiac, Se7en) is underrated as a director, and his treatment of a classic love story (boy loves girl, girl loves boy, but circumstances keep boy and girl apart) is refreshing under the fantastical premises of a man (Pitt) who ages in reverse. It's beautifully filmed, too, thanks to the cinematography of Claudio Miranda.
The Wrestler
DIRECTOR > Darren Aronofsky
STARS > Mickey Rourke, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei, Judah Friedlander
OPENS > DEC 17 (limited)
WHY SEE IT > If you are lucky enough to live in a city that's getting the limited release, don't miss out (plans for a nationwide release are set for early 2009). My sources tell my that Rourke might've turned in the definitive performance of his career (and Oscar should come knocking) as a retired professional wrestler struggling to come to grips with life after the ring.
GUARANTEED "WON'T MAKE YOU THINK" ENTERTAINMENT
Marley & Me
DIRECTOR > David Frankel
STARS > Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson, super cute puppy
OPENS > DEC 25
WHY SEE IT > Based on the book by Josh Grogan, a newly married couple learns a lot of about life and love while raising a new puppy. Awwww. The book's really great, so hopefully it will translate in the screenplay. Wilson is always fun, and the super cute puppy will probably make up for Aniston. Still, good, clean family fun!
The Spirit
DIRECTOR > Frank Miller
STARS > Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes, Jamie King
OPENS > DEC 25
WHY SEE IT > It's Frank Miller, filmed graphic-novel style a la Sin City. Nuff said.
ON THE FENCE
Valkyrie
DIRECTOR > Bryan Singer
STARS > Tom Cruise
OPENS > DEC 25
WHY SEE IT > This will either be a pretty decent film, or unintentionally hilarious. Cruise is undeniably talented, but his off-screen antics sorta taint the whole thing for me. Then there's the whole "no German accent" thing... Plus, Nazis and Christmas don't necessarily go hand-in-hand. I dunno. On the fence.
OTHERS TO CHECK OUT
Wendy And Lucy (out now)
Nothing Like The Holidays (Dec. 12)
Seven Pounds (mostly for Rosario Dawson; Dec. 19)
Bedtime Stories (perfect if you are stuck baby-sitting your little cousins; Dec. 25)
A BURRITO HAS MORE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE
The Day The Earth Stood Still (um, unless you consider Keanu Reeves an actor; Dec. 12)
Yes Man (just rent Liar Liar instead; Dec. 19)
Defiance (despite Daniel Craig, my sources tell me you'll really want the two hours of your life back; Dec. 31)
UPDATE:
Maybe there is a reason to see Yes Man, after all...
Let's break it down:
MOST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
Doubt
DIRECTOR > John Patrick Shanley
STARS > Meryl Streep, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams
OPENS > DEC 12
WHY SEE IT > There's already Oscar buzz for Streep (duh), Hoffman (no surprise) and Adams (really?) in this sordid tale of Catholic schooling gone awry. It's got the major players, so it's (probably) going to deliver the goods.
Revolutionary Road
DIRECTOR > Sam Mendes
STARS > Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Zoe Kazan, Kathy Bates
OPENS > DEC 19
WHY SEE IT > Come on! Jack and Rose, reunited on the silver screen! This period piece has been described as "devastatingly emotional," and who doesn't want to look at Leonardo DiCaprio while having a good old fashioned stress-relieving cry?
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
DIRECTOR > David Fincher
STARS > Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett
OPENS > DEC 25
WHY SEE IT > David Fincher (Zodiac, Se7en) is underrated as a director, and his treatment of a classic love story (boy loves girl, girl loves boy, but circumstances keep boy and girl apart) is refreshing under the fantastical premises of a man (Pitt) who ages in reverse. It's beautifully filmed, too, thanks to the cinematography of Claudio Miranda.
The Wrestler
DIRECTOR > Darren Aronofsky
STARS > Mickey Rourke, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei, Judah Friedlander
OPENS > DEC 17 (limited)
WHY SEE IT > If you are lucky enough to live in a city that's getting the limited release, don't miss out (plans for a nationwide release are set for early 2009). My sources tell my that Rourke might've turned in the definitive performance of his career (and Oscar should come knocking) as a retired professional wrestler struggling to come to grips with life after the ring.
GUARANTEED "WON'T MAKE YOU THINK" ENTERTAINMENT
Marley & Me
DIRECTOR > David Frankel
STARS > Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson, super cute puppy
OPENS > DEC 25
WHY SEE IT > Based on the book by Josh Grogan, a newly married couple learns a lot of about life and love while raising a new puppy. Awwww. The book's really great, so hopefully it will translate in the screenplay. Wilson is always fun, and the super cute puppy will probably make up for Aniston. Still, good, clean family fun!
The Spirit
DIRECTOR > Frank Miller
STARS > Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes, Jamie King
OPENS > DEC 25
WHY SEE IT > It's Frank Miller, filmed graphic-novel style a la Sin City. Nuff said.
ON THE FENCE
Valkyrie
DIRECTOR > Bryan Singer
STARS > Tom Cruise
OPENS > DEC 25
WHY SEE IT > This will either be a pretty decent film, or unintentionally hilarious. Cruise is undeniably talented, but his off-screen antics sorta taint the whole thing for me. Then there's the whole "no German accent" thing... Plus, Nazis and Christmas don't necessarily go hand-in-hand. I dunno. On the fence.
OTHERS TO CHECK OUT
Wendy And Lucy (out now)
Nothing Like The Holidays (Dec. 12)
Seven Pounds (mostly for Rosario Dawson; Dec. 19)
Bedtime Stories (perfect if you are stuck baby-sitting your little cousins; Dec. 25)
A BURRITO HAS MORE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE
The Day The Earth Stood Still (um, unless you consider Keanu Reeves an actor; Dec. 12)
Yes Man (just rent Liar Liar instead; Dec. 19)
Defiance (despite Daniel Craig, my sources tell me you'll really want the two hours of your life back; Dec. 31)
UPDATE:
Maybe there is a reason to see Yes Man, after all...
3 Comments:
Valkyrie has my interest. I like that they won't do bad accents, so as not to steal from the film. But I agree, Cruise's off camera stuff just makes it weird to watch him act...unless he's in a fat suit!
Also Day the Earth Stood Still is being broadcast out to space. Which doesn't make sense becuase A) it will probably suck and our first film sent to aliens should be good, and B) They are so worried about us stealing movies that they will send it out to space for them to see for free? Idiots.
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Valkyrie lost me from the get go. I can see exactly how this movie came about.
Scene: Office of a Hollywood studio head.
Players: Studio Head, Tom Cruise, Stuido Flak
Tom Cruise: Man, I went pretty f'n crazy the past couple of years.
Studio Head: Yeah, you're untouchable at the box these days. We *must* restore your image!
TC: Yeah! But.. how?
Studio Flak: We need to make a movie that'll make you likable to everyone again... how can we do it?
TC: It should be a movie about someone everyone hates.
SH: Yeah.. who's the most despicable person of all time?
SF: I don't know, George Bush? Robert Mugabe?
SH: No, Stone beat us with "W" and there was that movie about an African dictator last year. We need something fresh.
TC: Man, this is really hard.
SF: What about Hitler?
SH: That's it! Tom Cruise must kill Hitler! That's the only way to restore his image!
TC: Who's Hitler? Was he a pal of L. Ron?
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