On a clear day, you really COULD see Catalina Island. During a brisk jog along the sandy surf of Huntington Beach, the Surf City haze had lifted long enough to reveal both the island resort and the outline of the gi-normous Queen Mary II cruiseliner in the far-off docks of Long Beach. These were this writer’s last days in California and it was Christmastime to boot, so one last jog past the holiday-decorated storefronts on the way to the Main Street Pier seemed appropriate. The fact that these Winter-minded storeowners in their Bermuda shorts etched snowmen and snowflakes onto their windows in the 80-degree Pacific Coast heat always tickled this writer. Being a native of temperamentally temperate NEPA meant that snowmen and snowflakes were a winter reality, not just etchings…but sun-baked Surf City had become a home, of sorts.

 

You see, this writer had decided to embrace the benefits of PA Governor Rendell’s tax break for film projects. And during those final weeks of making plans, he ran into Jules, a good-hearted friend from his apartment complex. Though she would never talk about MTV’s The Real World at parties or get-togethers, she had been a cast member of this particular reality program about sometimes-randy tantrum-prone twenty-somethings living in a ridiculously well decorated house. Insomuch as she did not want to bite the hand that fed her, she also did not seem to want the program to define her identity. This writer and Jules were both packing out of our respective garages in the courtyard when she asked, “Where are you headed?”

 

“Back East…to make my movie,” came the reply. “How about you?”

 

“Can’t wait to see it,” she answered. “I’ve got this thing…in Mexico.” ‘This thing,’ of course, proved to be a spin-off of The Real World called The Inferno, which put these same sometimes-randy and tantrum-prone twenty-somethings through physical sports challenges. “But first, I’m headed home for the holidays,” she said. “My real home.”

 

“Me too,” seconded this writer.

 

She smiled. Surely, having been on a supposedly ‘Real’ program that put her in a camera-ready combustible living situation, Jules truly understood the significance of REALLY going home. And this writer smiled back as thoughts of The Electric City sunk in. It just proved one thing: No matter where life’s road meanders, it always seems to lead you home around the holidays—not just Wintry etched thoughts of home, either.

 

During their respective Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or Festivus, filmgoers must navigate a busy wintry road on their journey homeward. The holiday season, traditionally a period for which Humbug H’wood unveils its biggest prize-winning birds in storefronts, could shape up to be quite a corker (films must be released by Dec. 31 to be in contention for the 2009 Academy Awards). But there are plenty of unapologetically sugary treats for the sweet tooth as well!

 

So, as always, the popcorn pictures and the award-baiting pictures are marked accordingly because the gingerbread fairies at ec/dc world headquarters would never put out cookies while forgetting the milk during the holiday season.

 

Ninja Assassin (Nov. 25) - Popcorn

Rain, Rick Yune

 

In The Matrix Trilogy, the Wachowski Brothers used a technique called ‘wire fu’ to realize the movies’ many fight sequences. Made popular in Hong Kong martial arts cinema, this method involves the use of wire-work to perform kung fu stunts. Their assistant director on this project, James McTeigue, didn’t get to use a lot of this technique in his directorial debut, V for Vendetta…but Ninja Assassin should prove to be another matter altogether. In this R-rated martial arts actioner produced by the Wachowskis, a man raised in an orphanage (Rain) turns his back on tradition, enraging his clan and starting a war. The Plus: The players. Regardless of the ensuing critical scuttle, even The Matrix sequels turned a tidy profit. And as for the Wachowskis’ protégé, McTeigue…V for Vendetta was a damn impressive debut, visually speaking. The Minus: The odds. But the Wachowskis’ Speed Racer crashed and burned upon release.

 

The Other Line: “The previews have a slight ‘tongue-in-cheek’ quality that may make this serviceable.  That said, REALLY?  NINJA FREAKIN’ ASSASSIN?!?” – Sam Falbo, film and stage actor

 

“I’m surprised the Wachowski Brothers have the nerve to release ANYTHING after Speed Racer” – Greg Korin, local theater icon

 

“Ninjas!?!? I’ve always dreamed of being a stealthy ninja assassin, but the whole 6-foot-5, slow-footed thing got in the way. Anyway, count me in!” – Randy Shemanski, Electric City Editor-in-Chief

 

“Something tells me the Cinemark parking lot will be full of little 4 cylinders that didn’t cost as much as the drift car aftermarket tailpipes they’re sporting.” – John Webster, Rock 107 radio personality

 

Old Dogs (Nov. 25) - Popcorn

John Travolta, Robin Williams

 

Sometimes, a title seems eerily appropriate. 58 year-old Oscar-winner Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting) went in for a successful round of heart surgery in March. 55 year-old two-time Oscar nominee John Travolta (Saturday Night Fever, Pulp Fiction), however, has had a tougher year astride in the march of time. Sadly, his son Jett passed away in January. And this all happened AFTER they wrapped production on a movie called Old Dogs. From Walt Becker, director of Wild Hogs, comes this PG-rated comedy about two friends and associates – one, an unlucky in love divorcee (Williams), and the other, a fun-loving bachelor (Travolta) – who find their lives turned upside down when 7 year-old twins are placed in their care on the eve of a big business deal. The Plus: The players. Travolta (The Taking of Pelham 1,2,3) and Williams (RV) have a slew of hits between them…even over the last few years. The Minus: The odds. But most of these hits proved to be ensemble projects (Travolta: Hairspray, Wild Hogs; Williams: Night at the Museum, Happy Feet). A lot of their recent starring efforts ended up in the doghouse (Travolta: Basic, Be Cool; Williams: Man of the Year, License to Wed).

 

The Other Line: “During the trailer the announcer says, “From the director of Wild Hogs.”  Why would anyone want to admit to directing that?  Wild Hogs was a painfully unfunny comedy.  Old Dogs will be more of the same.  The trailer looks highly unentertaining.” – Mike Evans, Rock 107 radio personality

 

“I think this was a better movie when it was called Father’s Day!” - Korin

 

“John Travolta and Robin Williams as middle aged guys who suuddenly have to take care of young twins….Wow…sounds about as exciting as a movie about three men and a baby….Oops…that’s right, there already WAS a movie like this….Love Travolta but this makes Wild Hogs actually sound “wild”! – Jumpin’ Jeff Walker, WKRZ-FM radio personality

 

Me and Orson Welles (Nov. 25) - Statuette

Zac Efron, Claire Danes

 

Legendary auteur Orson Welles famously spent his last days in H’Wood shilling wine, frozen peas, and voicing a gi-normous planet in 1986’s animated Transformers movie…a far cry from his days directing and acting in 1941’s classic Citizen Kane, believed by many critics to be the greatest film of all time. A filmmaker friend of mine once pointed out, however, that if Welles’s career was run in reverse (peas to praise), it would have played out like the perfect CV, ending up with his days at the Mercury Theater when he performed “War of the Worlds” on the radio and inspired the events portrayed in Me and Orson Welles. From Richard Linklater, director of Dazed and Confused and School of Rock, comes this PG-13-rated dramedy about the whirlwind week in 1937 when a young man (Efron) falls in love and gets cast in the Orson Welles’s historic staging of Julius Caesar. The Plus: The players. In addition to those films listed above, Linklater has given audiences Before Sunrise and Before Sunset—two of indie’s cinema best romantic dramas of the last 20 years. The Minus: The odds. But he has also given moviegoers The Bad New Bears remake and Fast Food Nation. Also, Efron has yet to prove himself in anything other than High School Musical (Hairspray and 17 Again weren’t REALLY a stretch for him). And this is shaping up to be one of film’s busiest holiday weekends.

 

The Other Line: “Zac Efron?  One word: DONE!  The only time Zac Efron and Orson Welles should be mentioned in the same sentence is the following: Zac Efron and Orson Welles have NOTHING in common.” – Falbo

 

“Is Zac Effron the new Keanu Reeves (I remember sitting through way too many Keanu films just because he inexplicably kept getting cast in all the best parts)? No matter, as long as Christian McKay gets his share of screen time. The British stage actor apparently played Welles off-Broadway in Rosebud, a show that was written for him. And screen tested well enough that Linklater (another reason to see this film) was able to keep him even though no one in Hollywood knew who he was. They will now.” – Alicia Grega, Electric City/ Diamond City and the570.com Current Event Editor

 

“Could be interesting from a ‘So that’s what 30’s radio was like’ angle. I wonder how far into it I’ll get before I see a mic or some other piece of period radio equipment and realize, ‘Hey, we still use the same kind!’” – Webster

 

The Princess and the Frog (Nov. 25) - Popcorn

Voices of Anika Noni Rose, Keith David

 

With the passing of Ollie Johnston in April, 2008, Walt Disney Studios marked the passing of an era. Johnston proved to be the last of Disney’s Nine Old Men, a group of cartoonists who shaped the face of animation in H’Wood, from 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs through 1977’s The Rescuers. Though Disney cartoons are now mostly associated with computer animation and Pixar (the Mouse House acquired the Toy Story and Finding Nemo production house in 2006), Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter is paying tribute with this completely hand-drawn affair. In this G-rated musical from the Disney team that brought audiences The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, a Frog Prince (David) courts a young woman (Rose) in New Orleans’ French Quarter. The Plus: The players. Lasseter is the Chief Creative Officer of Disney animation AND Pixar, which just produced blockbuster Up right on the heels of WALL*E. Based on the cool-looking trailer, this throwback proves that the Mouse House may be getting its groove back. The Minus: The competition. Pixar aside, competitors DreamWorks (Kung Fu Panda) and Sony (Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs) have also taken a big bite out of Disney’s cheese, which only puts that much MORE pressure on The Princess and the Frog to succeed.

 

The Other Line: “Haven’t seen a Disney animated film since my kids were little so we’re talking Lion King, Aladdin. It’s a good excuse for adults to see a Disney cartoon. I enjoyed the movies as much as my kids did.” - Webster

 

The Road (Oct. 16) - Statuette

Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron

 

No doubt, writer Cormac McCarthy has wowed readers (Blood Meridian, his ‘Border Trilogy’). In 2007, however, his No Country for Old Men – as adapted and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen - also wowed American filmgoers—to the tune of $74 million and a Best Picture Oscar. In this R-rated adaptation of his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, director John Hillcoat (The Proposition) presents the epic tale of a father and son’s (Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee) journey across a barren post-Apocalyptic landscape that was laid waste to by an unnamed cataclysm. The Plus: The players. McCarthy is one matter, but the industry players involved are another altogether. The brilliant Australian western The Proposition was one of 2006’s most over-looked films. Hillcoat’s stark aesthetics should paint the perfect picture for this landscape. Also, Mortensen became a bone fide movie star with The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but gained considerable critical plaudits with A History of Violence and Eastern Promises, which only increases this picture’s Oscar potential. The Minus: The material. McCarthy hasn’t always translated well to the screen (All the Pretty Horses). Also, the film failed to meet the original deadline its studio, Dimension, had set—November, 2008. Hillcoat publicly stated that the film simply wasn’t ready for release. Some insiders, however, have taken this delay as an indication that the studio was worried as to The Road’s bleak tone and how it will fare with audiences.

The Other Line: “Esquire has called this “the most important movie of the year” and not that I put a ton of stock in Esquire’s opinion, but that endorsement made me really curious about this movie.  The more I read and see about it, the more I can’t wait for this movie.  Look at the pedigree: John Hillcoat (The Proposition) directs Viggo Mortensen (Lord of the Rings) in a film inspired by a Cormac McCarthy (No Country for Old Men) novel with music by Nick Cave!  AND instead of using CGI to establish the post-apocalyptic feel needed for the movie they used actual locations, what a novel approach to filmmaking.  You know, I might have to retract some of the nasty things I’ve said about Esquire over the years.” – Falbo

Up in the Air (Dec. 4) - Statuette

George Clooney, Vera Farmiga

 

With two critically hailed films under his belt (Thank You for Smoking, Juno), director Jason Reitman exudes the confidence of a much older filmmaker…say, possibly, his father, Ivan (Meatballs, Stripes, Kindergarten Cop, Dave)? According to his Twitter account, Reitman the Younger has been asked about directing Ghostbusters III a lot while promoting his latest flick, Up in the Air. Seeing as his pop helmed the first two chapters of that legendary series, Jason would have some big shoes to fill were he to bust some ghosts. In Jason’s latest, a much-buzzed-about R-rated dramedy, a corporate downsizing expert (Clooney) gets his dreams threatened on the eve of reaching ten million frequent flyer miles and meeting the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams (Farmiga). The Plus: The players. Reitman’s was nominated for an Academy Award for directing Juno. Clooney’s actually won for Best Supporting Actor (Syriana) and been nominated for directing and screenwriting as well (Good Night, And Good Luck). Timely material in such acclaimed hands smacks of Oscar. The Minus: The odds. The hipness and PG-13 rating of Juno helped to bring filmgoers young and old out in droves, but an R-rated tale of a hatchet man may be a hard sell at the box office, giving Up in the Air a potentially short release.

 

The Other Line: “Clooney’s a busy man. Hopefully this one lives up to the hype.” - Shemanski

 

“I got bored reading the description.” – Webster

 

Did You Hear About the Morgans? (Dec. 18) - Popcorn

Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker

 

Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker might be romantic comedy regulars (Grant: Notting Hill, Bridget Jones’ Diary, Love Actually; Parker: The Family Stone, Failure to Launch, Sex and the City), but so is their director, Marc D. Lawrence. Having cut his teeth as a screenwriter in this genre (Miss Congeniality and its sequel), he made the transition to director with rom-coms Two Weeks Notice and Music and Lyrics—both with Grant. In this as-yet-unrated romantic comedy, a feuding New York City couple on the verge of divorcing (Grant, Parker) find themselves relocated to small town Wyoming after witnessing a murder. The Plus: The players. Grant threatens to retire every few years, but he keeps coming back in comedies, some of which proves successful (About a Boy, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason). Parker is still burning red-hot after the success of Sex and the City and buzz regarding its forthcoming sequel. For Lawrence, Music and Lyrics was a modest hit. The Minus: The competition. The holiday season is a busy time for movies in all genres. Even after even if this flick passes the muster against Invictus and The Lovely Bones, next week brings Avatar and Nine, a musical which will target much the same demographic as Did You Hear About the Morgans?

 

The Other Line: “Will they be passing out barf bags?” - Grega

 

“Great, another storyline with Sarah Jessica Parker playing a woman struggling with love issues. I’d rather have my fingers smashed like Leonardo DiCaprio in Body of Lies.” - Shemanski

 

“Hugh Grant wishes his first name was Cary. Pass.” – Webster

 

Invictus (Dec. 11) - Statue

Matt Damon, Morgan Freeman

 

Though Clint Eastwood hinted that Gran Torino would be his acting swan song, the 79-year-old H’Wood legend is showing no signs of slowing down. He is already at work on his next project for Warner Brothers, the supernatural thriller The Hereafter scripted by Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/Nixon). Steven Spielberg is executive producing and the cast includes Cecile de France (High Tension, Russian Dolls) and the star of his latest, Matt Damon.  ereafterHHIn this PG-13-rated drama based on real events, director Eastwood looks at the life of newly elected President Nelson Mandela (Freeman) after the fall of apartheid in South Africa when he and a South Africa rugby captain (Damon) campaigned to host the World Cup as an opportunity to unite his countrymen. The Plus: The players. With the blockbuster Gran Torino, Eastwood just racked up the top-grossing film of his career. Damon is sure to rack up some nominations for his critically hailed performance in The Informant! Oscar winner Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby, also directed by Eastwood), however, loved this story so much that he produced it. The Minus: The competition. Between The Road, Nine, and a host of other pedigreed dramas, Invictus will face stiff opposition on the awards front…and Eastwood’s last contender Changeling didn’t fare well with Oscar nods or box office despite critical acclaim.

 

The Other Line: “Great director — check. Great actors — check. Great story — ch … oh wait. Sure, Nelson Mandela’s life is a great story, but will this storyline in particular attract anyone outside of the 14 soccer fans in the U.S.?” - Shemanski

 

“It’s directed by Clint Eastwood so I want to like it…but if I’m being realistic, Zzzzzzz.” - Webster

 

The Lovely Bones (Dec. 11) - Statuette

Mark Wahlberg, Susan Sarandon

 

Peter Jacksons’s three-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings books, of course, is now the stuff of H’Wood legends (over a billion dollars at the world box office; Best Picture Oscar for the third part, Return of the King). Writer/director Jackson could have had his pick of the H’Wood litter project wise, but chose to direct 2005’s remake of 1933 classic King Kong, produce 2009 summer hit District 9, and co-direct a trilogy based on kid-lit classic Tintin with none other than Steven Spielberg…and all before producing Tolkien’s Rings-prequel The Hobbit, that is. Before Tintin and The Hobbit, however, comes Jackson’s PG-13-rated adaptation of the best-selling Alice Sebold novel about a murdered young girl (Saoirse Ronan) who watches over her family (Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz) – and killer (Stanley Tucci) - from heaven. The Plus: The players. Jackson’s aforementioned credentials aside, he first gained critical plaudits for Heavenly Creatures, another murder-tinged thriller involving little women. Actors Rachel Weisz (Oscar winner, The Constant Gardener), Wahlberg (The Departed), Sarandon (Oscar winner, Dead Man Walking), Ronan (Atonement), Tucci (Julie & Julia), and Michael Imperioli (TV’s The Sopranos) only raise the film’s pedigree. The Minus: The odds. The film has a reported budget of $65 million. If it doesn’t garner any Golden Globe or Oscar nods, this DreamWorks and Paramount co-production had better make its bones upon initial release or it won’t get re-released in come awards time.

 

The Other Line: “This would be a great name for a porn movie. Unfortunately Wahlberg’s presence likely means it’ll be less entertaining.” - Shemanski

 

“Sounds creepy and not just because Susan Sarandon’s in it.” - Webster

 

Avatar (Dec. 18) - Popcorn

Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana

 

Always a harbinger of cutting edge cinema, director James Cameron made a name for himself with Terminator, but he solidified his H’Wood status with sequels Aliens and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Fitting then, that his latest big budget sci-fi actioner comes on the heels of Terminator 4 (Salvation)’s theatrical bow and the news that Ridey Scott will return to his Alien roots with a prequel. Avatar, however, may prove to be a hard act to follow. In this as-yet-unrated 3-D sci-fi actioner, Cameron, brings moviegoers the futuristic story of a paraplegic ex-Marine (Worthington) who, through a scientific process funded by the U.S. government, appears as a blue-skinned indigenous being on an alien world housing an extremely rare and profitable element.  The Plus: The technology. His other franchises aside, Cameron directed the biggest grossing blockbuster film of all time, Titanic—the picture for which he also won an Oscar. Worthington (hot off of Salvation) and Saldana (hot off of Star Trek) should help to solidify this as geek classic, but the much buzzed-about 3-D IMAX-ready bells and whistles will keep moviegoers coming back. The Minus: The budget. Reportedly up to $500 million after marketing costs, Avatar will have to break Titanic’s U.S. box office record of $600,743,440 to even be considered a modest hit.

 

The Other Line: “500 million dollars.  That’s the reported budget for this film.  To put that in perspective for you, if there was one guy financing this film, that guy would have to spend 500 million dollars to make a movie with thinly veiled social commentary and mutated smurfs.  Seems like a deal doesn’t it?  So did TARP.” - Falbo

 

“$500 million dollars! Holy crap, this movie is nuts! Go, James Cameron! - Marko Marcinko, musician/educator

 

“Saw a trailer for this during NFL games recently and it looks incredible. Not sure if the story is all that riveting, but who the heck cares when it looks so damn cool?!?” - Shemanski

 

“James Cameron has had some success making movies. I love a bizarre plot. A paraplegic US Marine who plays a blue alien on the blue alien planet…in 3D. Gimme!” - Webster

 

Nine (Dec. 18) - Statuette

Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman

 

If American-bred John Q. Filmgoer wants to stray from the HWood machine, Federico Fellini’s oft-critically-discussed 1963 film 8 ½ pretty much defines ‘classic’ so far as world cinema goes. The film, which stars Marcello Mastroianni as a film director who retreats into fantasies and memories of the women in his life to escape his creative block, won Best Foreign Language Film at the 1963 Academy Awards and inspired Arthur Kopit, Mario Fatti, Maury Yeston’s Broadway musical Nine. Opening in 1982 with Raul Julia in the lead, the film went on to garner five Tony Awards. In Rob Marshall’s PG-13-rated musical based on this legendary Broadway show, a film director (Day-Lewis) finds himself stuck in neutral while trying to make a movie while haunted by the demands of the many women in his life (Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Marion Cotillard, Sophia Loren). The Plus: The players. Marshall’s last H’Wood musical, 2002’s Chicago, went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture. Lewis (Oscar winner, My Left Foot) has been hailed by critics as the greatest film actor currently working in the business—this critic included. Oscar winners Kidman (The Hours), Dench (Shakespeare in Love), Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Cotillard (La Vie en Rose), Loren (Two Women) gives the film a pedigree that may prove impossible to beat come awards time. And oh yeah, The Black-Eyed Peas’ Fergie is in it too. The Minus: The odds. But few of these performers (save for Kidman in Moulin Rouge and Coitillard in La Vie en Rose) have sung on screen before. Also, filmgoers have seen star-studded, supposedly sure-fire Oscar winners miss their target before (Wyatt Earp, Evening).

 

The Other Line: “Daniel Day-Lewis has had quite a career.  The man just seems to have a sixth sense about what roles to take.  But I think this may be the end of that streak.  Who wants to see Daniel Day Lewis sing?  I mean, would There Will Be Blood been as good if there was a musical interlude when Daniel Day Lewis sang Kelis’ ‘Milkshake’?  Hmmm, maybe!” - Falbo

 

“That’s one smokin’ trailer. Way hotter than Chicago. Bubbling over with burlesque intrigue. Is it possible that Sophia Loren IS STILL GORGEOUS? What did she do sell her soul? I’ve got my doubts about Fergie but … This is looking like one I’m going to see more than once.” - Grega

 

“5, 6, 7, 8…Nine is absolutely fine.” –Marcinko

 

“I’d find this more interesting if the many women in the director’s life were played by Jessica Biel, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Alba and Charlize Theron.” - Shemanski

 

“Nein. A movie based on a Broadway show based on a Fellini movie. I might just choose the bewilderment of the original though I bet some kind of pop tune or two slithers out of this thing.” - Webster

 

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (Dec. 25) - Popcorn

Jason Lee, David Cross

 

Wake the kids and call the neighbors. This holiday, moviegoers are going to feast upon the genius of Ross Bagdasarian! No your reviewer does not have fruitcake on the brain. Bagdasarian, better known by the stage name ‘David Seville,’ kick-started his career by recording the number-one hit novelty tune “Witch Doctor” in 1958. It was in recording the Grammy-winning Christmas ditty “The Chipmunk Song,” however, that he gained pop culture immortality and birthed the subjects of this movie. In this PG-rated family-friendly sequel from director Betty Thomas (Howard Stern’s Private Parts, The Brady Bunch), the world famous singing trio (voices of Justin Long, Jesse McCartney, Matthew Gray Gubler) contend with school, success, and competition from a female singing chipmunk trio (voices of Anna Faris, Christina Applegate, Amy Poehler). The Plus: Franchise potential. Somehow someway, the first movie managed to make over $217 million at the U.S. box office. The Minus: The material. The first movie had a tired premise and potty jokes so old that the script had mice, which is saying a lot for a family comedy about, well, singing chipmunks. Somehow someway, moviegoers are going to have to choose between this novelty sequel and a legion of other family movies this holiday season.

 

The Other Line: “The first film’s trailer had a joke that showed one of the chipmunks eating the other’s turd.  And that’s what the first film was—a giant chipmunk turd.  I’m assuming this one will be as well.  Remember when “family movies” were actually well written with developed characters and compelling stories?  It’s been awhile.” - Evans

 

“I liked Jason Lee in My Name Is Earl and I don’t blame him for taking the money and running. Did the first Jason Lee Chipmunk movie make money or did they just have extra footage and figure ‘Why not?’” - Webster

 

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Dec. 25) - Popcorn

Heath Ledger, Christopher Plummer

 

With Heath Ledger’s untimely death this past January, director Terry Gilliam (Monty Python and the Holy Grail) was left with a solemn dilemma. Ledger, who would posthumously win the Best Supporting Actor for The Dark Knight months later, had not yet finished shooting The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Actors Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law stepped in, however, to help Gilliam realize Ledger’s unfinished role. In this PG-13-rated fantasy, Ledger and company play a young rogue who helps to save the daughter (Lily Cole) of a traveling theater owner (Plummer) from the clutches of The Devil (Tom Waits). The Plus: The players. Leading back to his days as animator for Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Gilliam has given filmgoers a mix of cult favorites (Brazil, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), critical gems (The Fisher King, 12 Monkeys), and wannabe blockbusters (The Brothers Grimm). The buzz for his Imaginarium and the brilliant casting has been quite good. The Minus: The odds. Gilliam has often had trouble pulling filmgoers. Beyond Ledger’s final performance curiosity seekers, Imaginarium may find its audience to be rather limited.

 

The Other Line: “Who needs Christmas presents? If the preview’s any indication, this is going to be the movie of the decade. And you can’t say Hollywood’s jumped on the steampunk bandwagon because Terry Gilliam was steampunk before steampunk was cool. It’s so refreshing to see what unbridled creativity looks like.” - Grega

 

“Terry Gilliam, great. Tom Waits as the Devil? PERFECT. Johnny Depp, Christopher Plummer, Heath Ledger. How can this miss?” - Webster

 

It’s Complicated (Dec. 25) - Popcorn

Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin

 

This movie serendipitously came up with what is, perhaps, the greatest marketing plan of all time: Get two of your stars to host the upcoming Oscars. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on November 3^rd that Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin will co-host the 82^nd Annual Academy Awards Show in February—the first time that multiple hosts have been used since 1987. How, you ask? It’s Complicated, dear readers. In this R-rated romantic comedy from writer/director Nancy Meyers (Something’s Gotta Give), a couple divorced for over a decade (Streep, Baldwin) scandalizes their family (Lake Bell) and lovers (Steve Martin) when they have an affair together. The Plus: The players. Streep’s career is certainly cooking. Not only has she won two Oscars (Best Supporting, Kramer Vs. Kramer; Best Actress, Sophie’s Choice), Streep has also had a particularly lucrative run commercially (The Devil Wears Prada, Mamma Mia!, Julie & Julia) and critically (Doubt, The Fantastic Mr. Fox) as of late. Baldwin I enjoying a successful run on the Emmy-sweeping sitcom 30 Rock. The Minus: The competition. It’s Christmas week and a busy time at the cinemas to boot, people…which could complicate things for indecisive moviegoers.

 

The Other Line: “Ladies and Gentleman, your typical sappy, lovey-dovey comedy that just happens to premiere on Christmas. There isn’t enough alcoholic eggnog in the 570 to get me to see this.” – Shemanski

 

“Dreck. Meryl Streep is in the Robert DeNiro stage of her career it seems. “How much? Why not?’” - Webster

 

Sherlock Holmes (Dec. 25) - Popcorn

Robert Downey, Jr., Jude Law

 

After he came out guns a-blazing with the double-barrel success of Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, writer/director Guy Ritchie admittedly made a bad career misfire - working with then-wife Madonna on the romantic dud Swept Away and following it with the pseudo-psychoanalytical caper Revolver. With the brilliant RocknRolla, however, Ritchie evidenced a welcome return to form. His update of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic Sherlock Holmes detective books should erase any stuffy drawing room thoughts of Basil Rathbone in a deer-stalking cap from moviegoers’ minds. In Ritchie’s as-yet-unrated detective adventure, Holmes (Downey) and Watson (Law) investigate an American socialite (Rachel McAdams) and mysterious adversary (Mark Strong) in Victorian London. The Plus: The players. Ritchie aside, the Man of the Hour is definitely Downey. Following up his career-resuscitating turn in the popcorn blockbuster Iron Man with his Oscar-nominated turn in the smash hit Tropic Thunder doesn’t put him on the A-list—it MAKES him the A-list. The Minus: High expectations. Reportedly, Brad Pitt makes an appearance as Holmes’ nemesis Moriarity to set up the sequel. If Ritchie can’t pull a Christopher Nolan and reinvent Sherlock a la Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, however (read: big box office AND good reviews), this potential franchise could sink under its own weight.

 

The Other Line: “People ask the question, what’s a rock n’ rolla detective?  And I tell ‘em: This movie.  I’ve heard the complaints about how it isn’t true to the character or the books or the…wait a minute the trailer is on…yeah, the high-brow literary criticism doesn’t make this movie look any less awesome.  I’ll probably being unwrapping presents at the first showing.” - Falbo

 

“Oh, wait. Maybe Hollywood has jumped on the steampunk bandwagon. But what eye candy! And a shtick twist? How could I hope to resist?” - Grega

 

“I was never into Sherlock Holmes, but this could be pretty good. The trailer on television shows just enough action to pique my interest.” - Shemanski

 

“Robert Downey, Jr, outstanding actor. Guy Ritchie, director. Uh-oh.” - Webster

 

Also, be sure to look under the mistletoe for these holiday lovelies: Armored (Dec. 4), Brothers (Dec. 4), Everybody’s Fine (Dec. 4), Serious Moonlight (Dec. 4), Broken Embraces (Dec. 11), The Young Victoria (Dec. 18), and A Single Man (Dec. 25).

3 comments