Holiday Movie Preview: 5 films to keep an eye on

There are plenty of Holiday movies that look good. The trouble is there are too many of them. We’re forced to sort through them; we wait to hear what critics have to say before we announce, “I have to see that!” The action blockbuster types we need little convincing on, but as for all the dramas, it’s a tough business, even for me, to predict the ones that are going to get the Oscar buzz come January.

There were more than a handful, but I’ve picked five films that will get wide releases and compete for your attention and money (and some of them have started already). As tempted as I was to include more artsy films, I’ve stuck mostly to the mainstream “?” movies.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wide on Nov. 25)

The Word: Dry/bizarre humor director Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited) takes his same crew of actors (Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman) and adds George Clooney and Meryl Streep to voice the cast of his first stop-motion animation project, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, based on the Roald Dahl book. We’ve seen better stop-motion before in Tim Burton-produced movies, but Anderson has given “Fox” a distinct look and it’s guaranteed that the humor you’ll get in this family movie will be unlike any you’ve seen before. Moving a dark comedy director into family movie territory seems risky, but this film could pay off, especially being released wide Thanksgiving week. (View trailer)

My View: Early reviews (many critics got a chance to see this film prior to its limited release on Nov. 13) have been positive for Wes Anderson, some calling it his best since Rushmore, so I’m game for seeing this movie amid all the Thanksgiving week clutter – once I see The Road of course. In a strange way I see how Anderson’s sense of humor can work at the family level and the trailer convinced me with the whispery weirdo voice of Schwartzman. Not being close to the source material or nostalgic about the film in general, it was hard to sneak this on to my list over The Princess and the Frog, but when all is said and done it could be just as deserving.

Twilight Saga: New Moon (Nov. 20)

The Word: The vampire craze that swept the nation post-Twilight last year at this time gets another boost. Kristen Stewart and Rob Pattinson might have become the most searched people on the Internet only, that move wasn’t good. Now, the series gets Chris Weitz (The Golden Compass), a guy who has experience doing fantasy and made “Compass” look beautiful to say the least. Could Twilight finally garner critical success to go with all the fan hype? It would be a tremendous step forward for the young Summit Entertainment to get a positive buzz around this film. Those who tried the film and not the books are probably in the “pass” column for this one, but some positive word of mouth would do wonders. (View trailer)

My View: Catherine Hardwicke’s Twilight was cheesy and half-assed, like a bad CW TV show. By virtue of the effort to get Chris Weitz, I respect New Moon that much more. I am still refusing to see this in theaters and probably will even if everyone says it’s so much better because I have no connection to the series, but for those of you who would consider it upon hearing it’s miles better, here’s your notice to pay attention come next Friday for those reviews.

Ninja Assassin (Nov. 25)

The Word: James McTeigue best known for V for Vendetta which based on how many people referenced this movie on Guy Fawkes Day this year over Facebook and stuff leads me to believe it could have cult status, directs the less verbose video game-based action movie Ninja Assassin, a typical revenge story only these guys have knives attached to chains. McTeigue served as assistant director on the last two “Matrix” movies, so that should explain where his action inspiration comes from. In other words, this could end up being the best-looking action movie of the season in terms of style. There are no serious actors here except for Naomie Harris (the crazy woman that gets tall in the “Pirates” sequels) unless you follow the Korean dance scene and have heard of main actor Rain before. (View trailer)

My View: The only real question here is the story. Matthew Sand is a rookie writer, but revenge stories can be some of the easiest. The success of this film rests solely on McTeigue’s shoulders and with that being the case, it could very well deliver. If you don’t love action thrills, then obviously this movie will be of little interest to you, but genre fans might get their best movie in some time with “Assassin.”

Brothers (Dec. 4)

The Word: Tough to argue with a popular cast including Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey McGuire. Brothers is a story oddly similar to Pearl Harbor only this one I’m sure will be better. McGuire is married with kids to Portman and has been missing in Afghanistan. McGuire’s brother (Gyllenhaal) sort of helps out as man of the house and romance flares after Portman comes to terms with probably being a widow. Then guess who comes home? Jim Sheridan (My Left Food and In America) directs the script by David Benioff (The Kite Runner) based on a previous film by Danish director Susanne Bier called Brodre. (View trailer)

My View: The aforementioned “Pearl Harboresque” drama has me skeptical toward this film despite all the talent that went into it. Then again, I love Natalie Portman in way that make me not very objective, which actually means its impressive for me to say I’m on the fence about this one. Part of that hesitance is also because Brothers was not previously screened at any film festivals, which is the best way to build Oscar hype, so naturally this film has none. I’m sure it will be decent, but will it be great? I’ll wait for the critics’ word.

It’s Complicated (Dec. 25)

The Word: Find a more money actress than Meryl Streep right now. She can work drama or romantic comedies like It’s Complicated and generate you millions plus an Oscar. She’s beloved by anyone 40 and older and looked at as a consummate actress by anyone younger. So as much as It’s Complicated looks like 50-something actors awkwardly getting in touch with their younger, wilder side (omigod sex!) you can’t dismiss it. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin co-star, one an old favorite and the other having just revitalized his career with hit show 30 Rock. Everyone’s parents will want to see it, and many might go with them. (View trailer)

My View: Nancy Meyers isn’t exactly A-list but she has written and/or directed some of the most likable mediocre movies in the last twenty years from Father of the Bride to The Holiday. She knows exactly what the older crowd wants and nobody has the cred to argue with her. She doesn’t always spin out a hit, but the kind of movies people say were OK and then they end up re-watching the second they see them on TV a year or so later. It’s easy to imagine It’s Complicated will end up the same way if not fare better because of Streep and Baldwin.

Well, I hope you’re well armed as you sort through the movie section vigorously like most of us who love the Holiday movie season do this time of year. All I can say is go to the movies three or four times these next several weeks and you’ll be satisfied. I’ll try and get you as many reviews as I can. I’ll for sure see many and I’m pretty good about getting to all the Oscar favorites.

Holiday Movie Preview: 10 films worth seeing Pt.2

Here are the top five movies I recommend this coming Holiday season. If you missed numbers 6 – 10, CLICK HERE.

Keep in mind that Oscar-buzz movies got a bit of an advantage over the action blockbusters in this list.

5. Avatar (Dec. 18)

The Word: James Cameron, the father of technologically progressive filmmaking, returns with his first notable directorial effort since Titanic – and it’s in 3D. That’s right, live action 3D. Apparently production costs have reached the level of an unheard of $500 million dollars, so Fox is playing this one close to the chest. The film is also banking on star Sam Worthington, the Australian actor who Hollywood has unceremoniously anointed a star (he plays the lead, Perseus, in March’s Clash of the Titans) The film is a sci-fi adventure that takes place on the planet Pandora where Earth’s military is at odds with the native population, the Navi. Wheelchair-bound Lt. Sulley gets a chance to enter an Avatar of himself as a Navi to work his way in with the tall blue aliens. (View trailer)

My View: The anticipation of live-action 3D has always and might just be enough for Avatar to become the hit it absolutely needs to be. It’s a tough time to ask moviegoers to pony up the extra cash for 3D, especially when the premise isn’t based on any kind of source material or familiar concept, but Cameron has earned audiences trust when it comes to groundbreaking action movies. The hope is that even with a geeky sort of premise that Avatar will be remembered as a cinematic milestone. I can say, however, that it doesn’t easily land on my list if it’s not in 3D based on the trailer alone.

4. A Single Man (Ltd. on Dec. 11, Wide on Dec. 25)

The Word: If you have yet to hear about A Single Man, you’ll be as shocked as most people were to hear that Tom Ford, the fashion designer famous for making Gucci what it is today, directed and adapted this film about a gay English professor who suddenly loses his partner and struggles to go about business as usual. Star Colin Firth won best actor at the Venice Film Festival which jumpstarted Oscar talk and the buzz is also strong for co-star Julianne Moore. I probably don’t even need to mention that this ‘60s period drama is a surefire Best Costumes contender if not winner already, especially with the help it received from the Mad Men wardrobe department. (View trailer)

My View: The wordless trailer for this film, a late pick-up for The Weinstein Company, is breathtaking. If the ‘60s haven’t been deemed the pop culture retro fashion of the next decade yet thanks to Mad Men and the coincidentally similarly titled A Serious Man from the Coen brothers, they will be after this film makes some noise. If that’s not enough, A Single Man looks to finally bring homosexuality to the mainstream in a way that’s not too awkwardly forced (Brokeback Mountain) or issue-focused (Milk).

3. The Road (Nov. 25)

The Word: After being pushed around for a year and then scheduled to release in October 2009, The Weinstein Company moved The Road one more time to Thanksgiving week and relocating movie musical Nine to December. It looks like it’s finally staying put. Based on the Cormac McCarthy novel (author of No Country for Old Men), The Road stars Viggo Mortensen as a father and his son trying to survive after a fiery apocalypse chars the country. Director John Hillcoat’s film has won praise at film festivals, so The Road should be worth the wait.(View trailer)

My View: Finally. Having read the book a few months back followed by the praise at Toronto and other festivals, I’m really curious to see how this adaption of a very bleak novel pans out. This most recent trailer paints it as a feel-good film, which it really isn't, so don't go expecting that, please. If it constructs itself in powerful little moments between father and son like the book does, it could gain enough attention to land in the expanded ten-film Best Picture category at the Academy Awards. And we sure know the Weinsteins will try.

2. Invictus (Dec. 11)

The Word: For most super-early Oscar scouts, seeing the description “a Clint Eastwood directed biopic about Nelson Mandela starring Morgan Freeman” on the Holiday docket a year ago prompted us all to say “well, good luck to any films trying to compete with that.” If Invictus is anywhere near what critics expect, it could be a runaway Best Picture. The film is about how Mandela worked with a South African rugby team led by Matt Damon in attempt to unite post-Apartheid South Africa. (View trailer)

My View: You can’t challenge a single aspect of this film: Eastwood’s directing, Freeman as Mandela – it’s just not fair. Then again, Warner Bros. and Eastwood are setting their own bar extremely high for Invictus to be amazing (plus they changed the title to a Latin word – that’s badass). With a script from a relatively unknown Anthony Peckham, it will be interesting to see if a film with an unprecedented amount of Oscar hype can live up to the billing. Truthfully, however, we have no reason not to believe it will.

1. Up in the Air (Ltd. on Dec. 4, Wide on Dec. 25)

The Word: Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking, Juno) returns with his third buzz-generating film, which might be his most-rewarded when all is said and done. Up in the Air performed incredibly at Toronto and George Clooney is as hot (popularity-wise) as he’s ever been. Based on a Walter Kim novel, the every middle-aged woman’s fantasy stars as a corporate downsizing expert who travels all over the country and is about to hit 10 million or so frequent flyer miles when a young hot-shot (Anna Kendrick of Twilight) and the perfect frequent-flyer woman (Vera Fermiga from The Departed) enter the picture. (View trailer)

My View: Reitman’s films have been some of the best I’ve seen in the last five years. Juno is still the reigning indie comedy queen and “Smoking” revived the career of Aaron Eckhart. Toss Reitman a pro like Clooney and this seems like the perfect marriage of talents. Up in the Air promises comedy, romance and some new perspectives on life, a blend that we all dream for come the Holiday season. There are few guarantees in film, but this is one of them.

My honorable mentions will go up probably this weekend. I’m thinking Saturday would be a good time to check back.

Holiday Movie Preview: What Not to See

There aren’t as many bad eggs in the Holiday basket as there are at other times during the year. You can generally find some upside in just about any film.

With that said, I’m only really convinced that the top three movies on this list will be genuinely bad. The other two simply don’t match up to their competition in one way or another.

That’s really what red flags are all about during the holidays. It’s not so much that these films are low in quality, but that they won’t be as good as you might think, especially with the competition they’re up against.

5. Armored (Dec. 4)

The Word: Vacancy director Nimrod Antal (there’s an accent above the “o,” but feel free to giggle anyway) gets a cast full of action badasses such as Lawrence Fishbourne and Jean Reno, but the attention is on Stomp the Yard star Columbus Short who plays the morally conflicted rookie of a group of armored car guards who decide to steal one of their shipments. (View trailer)

My View: This armored car inside-job heist film doesn’t look bad, but it lands on my list for being a tired genre film in a season full of more innovative action movies such as Avatar, Sherlock Holmes and arguably even Ninja Assassin. As free spending as we like to be during the Holiday season, I think a dirty officers heist film is something best reserved for an early summer DVD rental. It could be good, but I doubt good enough.

I debated between flagging this movie and Nicholas Cage dirty cop film Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans because I hate colon titles and it reunites the stars of the horrific Ghost Rider (Eva Mendes co-stars), but that film is directed by Werner Herzog and could serve to be a fresh genre twist by backing up a protagonist who enters a spiral of corruption. It’s also going to probably see very limited release, whereas Armored is competing only against dramas and will tempt a lot of filmgoers.

4. Everybody’s Fine (Dec. 4)

The Word: Robert DeNiro gets in touch with his soft side in a film about reconnecting with family during the Holidays. He has an impressive cast of children (Drew Barrymore, Sam Rockwell, Kate Beckinsale) in a film about a widower whose kids all cancel on coming in for Christmas for the first time who realizes his wife was his only real connection to the kids. The movie, a remake of the 1990 Italian film Stanno Tutti Bene, looks to tap into tear ducts as well as the wallets of senior citizens in the way that it feels very natural and true-to-life. Paul McCartney was also moved by a screening and wrote an original song with the help of Oscar-winning composer Dario Marianelli. (View trailer)

My View: Do me a favor. Watch the trailer and answer me this: where’s the conflict in this story? I’ve no doubt that this movie will reflect real life and showcase DeNiro in a unique role and offer some insight into family relationships, but I think the film will only alive at its title’s conclusion: everybody’s fine. I also think that its audiences will use the same adjective in describing it. I just don’t see the point in spending money on a film that doesn’t appear unique or challenging aka have a conflict. When I see a movie trailer where there appears to be no plot other than the set up itself (widower travels and reconnects with kids), I stay away. Remember last year’s Dustin Hoffman Holida-season film Last Chance Harvey? Few people do, because it was about the same thing. Miramax is just hoping to cash in on DeNiro and they very well could.

3. The Blind Side (Nov. 20)

The Word: Sandra Bullock cuts the klutz but puts on the Southern drawl for the latest inspirational sports story about how real life football player Michael Oher, currently a rookie tackle for the Baltimore Ravens, went from being a neglected teenager to a first-round NFL prospect when the Toughy family, wealthy conservatives, took him in. The film is directed by The Rookie director John Lee Hancock and is based on the book by Michael Lewis. (View trailer)

My View: Sandra Bullock has always been one of my least favorite actresses because she never does a good movie except for her role in Crash. Pretty much after the first time you see Miss Congeniality, you’ve seen all you need to see from her. Adding a Southern accent and having her give motivational speeches is just an extra deterrent. If you like Bullock, then realize this is just another motivational football movie and that there haven’t been any good ones since Remember the Titans and that alone was plenty. Considering Tim McGraw is playing the father as well, I’m not sure I can go anywhere near this movie.

2. Old Dogs (Nov. 25)

The Word: Robin Williams and John Travolta star in a comedy from director Walt Becker who made Wild Hogs a major hit a couple years ago and sold America on the idea that aging is funny, henceforth revitalizing the careers of actors like John Travolta. Williams plays an older man who suddenly receives a full-blown family when an old-flame re-enters his life with news that he fathered her children. Of course older people can’t make adjustments after living solo for so long, so he enlists the help of Travolta. Physical hijinks ensue as they try and be parents. (View trailer)

My View: If this were the mid-‘90s, then Robin Williams and John Travolta would be a heck of a duo. But this is 2009 and this is Disney. Sounds perfect if you’re still convinced those two are at the top of their game and have children who you’d like to take to something Thanksgiving weekend or during the day with the kids off school, but not for anyone else. The trailer shows a heavy leaning on physical humor and aging jokes and dogs that put their head down on cue expressing how silly it all is. If you can deal with the contrived formula behind the film or believe that adding Seth Green to the cast legitimately makes a connection to a “younger crowd,” then by all means go, but shopping at 6 a.m. on Black Friday sounds better than this.

1. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (Dec. 23)

The Word: The CGI-live action mix version of the chipmunks is back thanks to the commercial success of the original, which was making significant money from December 2007 until the following February, finishing with a $217 million take. (View trailer)

My View: Don't be fooled by the midget squirrels with the cheesy poofs. The rest of the movies you could make a case for seeing, but this film actually looks absurd. Talk about a movie that doesn’t deserve a sequel or a squeakuel. The trailer actually shows the chipmunks going to high school and playing sports and interacting with more humans than ever before. Could this be any dumber? There couldn’t be any clearer movie to avoid this Holiday season.

Check back tomorrow for the top 5 of my suggestions list and eventually my honorable mention films.

Holiday Movie Preview: 10 films worth seeing Pt.1

Magazines, newspapers and websites have all been publishing something they refer to as a “Winter Movie Preview,” lately. How strange, you wonder, that I’m posting something called a “Holiday Movie Preview.”

Let me explain. “Holiday Movie Preview” refers to the six weeks of awesomeness at the movie theaters from the weekend before Thanksgiving until the Christmas releases. This is the best 8.6 repeating percent of the year for movies. You might not get as many blockbusters as the lengthy summer season, but you get a handful of them plus all the Oscar-caliber films that never come out any other time of year.

This is different than winter. Entertainment publications will have you believe there are four movies seasons: Summer, Fall, Winter and Oscar. They ignore the crap that usually comes out between Jan. 1 and the Oscars because they know the only films people really care about are the ones getting nominated. Then they try and ignore the ones between the Oscars and May 1 thinking you’re so ready for summer.

I’m not going to deny that the early year movies aren’t crap or that the March/April gems are few and far between, but I’m not going to pretend they don’t exist. There will be Holiday season; there will be winter season; there will be Oscar season with predictions; there will be Spring. Between Christmas and New Years I will publish the winter preview, when Oscar nominations come out, that will get its due and as the Academy Awards approach, I’ll preview the spring.

Now that we’ve got that straight … Holiday movies. As with any Holiday season, it’s hard to pick a Top 10, but I feel good about this list.

To preface, in ranking these movies I went for Oscar-quality above entertainment. Sherlock Holmes for example, as excited as I will be when that movie comes out, is much lower on my list than Invictus.

I’m organizing this much like I did for the fall. Today are films 10 through 6 on my list. Tomorrow will be my red flags list. Thursday I will finish up with 5 through 1 and either later Thursday or Friday I will put up my honorable mentions. I've linked to the trailers on YouTube for you to compare your thoughts.

10. The Princess and the Frog (Ltd Nov. 25, Wide Dec. 11)

The Buzz: Walt Disney’s highly anticipated return to traditional animation musicals after a five-year hiatus. The new film features Disney’s first black princess in a story set in New Orleans during the Jazz Age. Tiana is a wealthy princess who ends up locking lips with a frog expecting him to turn back into a prince only she ends up a frog herself. The movie features songs from Disney collaborator Randy Newman as well as numerous amusing talking animals of the Cajun swamp variety. (View trailer)

My View: Has it only been five years since Disney last gave us a 2D product? If you’re talking quality, they haven’t delivered anything since 1999’s Tarzan. By the looks of the trailer, Disney appears to want to re-establish its early ‘90s dynasty, having dusted off that old formula of princess, prince, villain and singing animal sidekicks that it lost faith in ten years ago. But are they really committed to storytelling quality or are they just hoping we needed a break?

It’s hard to say right away if Disney will recapture any of the magic with “Frog,” but the effort appears to be there and the promise of reliving my childhood and that one-of-a-kind feeling one only gets from watching a Disney animated musical appears worth the risk. Critics will be an all important piece in determining whether this attempted comeback is a success and so will the children of today who’ve been spoiled with CGI.

9. The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus (Dec. 25)

The Buzz: Heath Ledger’s final performance in former-Monty Python surrealist Terry Gilliam’s most talked-about film in at least ten years. Ledger died during filming, so Johnny Depp, Colin Ferrell and Jude Law stepped in to complete the project, playing various incarnations of Ledger’s character when he enters the imaginarium. In a plot that’s hard to summarize, Christopher Plummer stars as the doctor who’s made a deal with the devil for immortality and has a traveling stage show that offers its audience more than meets the eye. (View trailer)

My View: The story sounds mysterious, intriguing and altogether quite fascinating. But, like other Gilliam films, will this one end up being more about visual creativity that borders on insanity, or will the story be just as rewarding as the beautifully imaginative images presented in the trailer? The film will certainly benefit from the star power and magic dust Ledger’s death has still somehow left behind. I’ll even admit that the prospect of seeing Ledger’s talents on the screen again is tempting. All in all, the ceiling is very high for Gilliam’s latest cinematic Dali painting, which was well-received at the fall festivals.

8. Sherlock Holmes (Dec. 25)

The Buzz: With the red-hot Robert Downey Jr. in to play a more masculine ass-kicking incarnation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s literary detective, “Holmes” has been the holiday season’s most anticipated film for some time now and it finally lands under the tree on Christmas Day. The film co-stars the immaculate Rachel McAdams, Jude Law – who has been scarce of late – as Watson, as well as Mark Strong who ought to be a household name in the near future. Directed by English cult action comedy director Guy Ritchie and written in part by Mr. and Mrs. Smith scribe Simon Kinberg, the film appears to offer the same action comedy feel but with much less cliché. (View trailer)

My View: I’m not cracking up at the trailer, but neither am I bored by it. We also know next to nothing about the plot and the extent to which the elements of mystery are valued by it, so it’s too hard to make a judgment call that goes beyond the hype and the talent putting this film together. At the same time, do you need much more proof? There isn’t a bad or stale actor in this cast and it looks action-packed and rich with period detail. I normally would never have pegged Ritchie for a mainstream American action movie, but he deserves his chance.

7. Nine (Dec. 18)

The Buzz: Nine? The real number here is five – five Oscar-winning actresses: Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, Judi Dench and Sophia Loren. Plus one who’s been nominated (Kate Hudson). Oh, and Fergie too. And I almost forgot, the Oscar-winning lead, Daniel Day-Lewis as Guido Contini, in the musical based on the Fellini film 8 ½. Did I mention that Chicago director Rob Marshall was behind the camera? The trailer gives us that distinct Chicago vibe set to one of the songs, "Be Italian."Contini is a famous film director being pressured to make another masterpiece while reconciling his scandalous personal life with his career. (View trailer)

My View: All the elements of success are here, now its up to Michael Tolkin and the late Anthony Minghella’s adaptation of the Tony-award-winning-but-then-forgotten Broadway show to prove that it’s worthy of all that talent. Nevertheless, the high-quality Holiday movie musical is a rarity these days and that alone makes Nine worth a look, even if you could argue (which you can’t) against the most decorated female ensemble maybe in movie history.

6. The Lovely Bones (Dec. 11)

The Buzz: Whoever thought that Alice Sebold’s best-selling novel, the one that became the centerpiece of women’s book clubs everywhere would be given big-screen life by Peter Jackson and his Lord of the Rings writing team? Suddenly dorks everywhere have turned their heads and given this tragedy about a young girl (Saoirse Ronan from Atonement) who is murdered but watches her family from “the in-between” a second glance for its potential fantasy value. (View trailer)

My View: After The Lord of the Rings and District 9, it’s hard to ignore a Peter Jackson endorsement let alone a directorial project. The man could go on a commercial promoting Extenze and I would actually start believing I needed to consider enhancing my manhood. With the additional talents of Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci, the film should hold its own in that regard too. I’m not so sure about the fantasy-crime drama-thriller vibe I get from the trailer – it actually appears to go from a Jodi Picoult adaptation to What Dreams May Come to a slasher film all in two minutes – but that Peter Jackson tag is just so damn hard to ignore.

Check back all week for more Holiday previews. The rest of my Top 10 will come out Thursday.