Entertainment: Holiday Movies
Holiday season films are always a mixed bag. First, you have the typical family films that are expected to capitalize on Thanksgiving and Christmas family exoduses to the local cinema. That’s this year’s “Fred Clause.” What a way for the director of “Wedding Crashers” to follow up: make a completely inane parody of the Santa Clause legend by having his completely normal and “hip” brother (Vince Vaughn) make an unexpected visit, causing hilarious havoc to ensue.
But there are at least a few entertaining films that range from the studio blockbuster to the art film to the big Oscar contender, which should satisfy the taste buds of movie fans all alike. Here are a few worth noting:
1. “I Am Legend”
Will Smith is making a career out of saving the world, and he’s putting himself to the test again when a biological terror wipes out all of the humans on earth, leaving Smith the only survivor. I’m sure a “welcome to earth” is due for any enemies Smith encounters, but why does he still find himself bogged down in these epic effects pictures that are essentially clones of one another? I guess everyone needs to pay the mortgage. On another note, rumor has it the “Dark Knight” trailer will be shown with “Legend,” which might give Batman fans a peak of Heath Ledger as the Joker.
2. “National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets”
Yes, they made a sequel to “National Treasure”! I’m sorry, it blew my mind when everyone flocked to the theatres in 2004 for the first one, and I thought that plot was eye-rolling quality. Well, this time I’m full out laughing at the absurdity. Apparently Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) has an ancestor who was a principal part in the supposed conspiracy to kill Abraham Lincoln. To clear the family name, Gates hatches an even better plan than stealing the Declaration of Independence. That’s right, “I’m going to kidnap the president.” I’m sure everyone that went ga-ga over the first one will feel the same sort of awe for this December sequel. Then again, who am I to judge? They’re releasing a sequel to “Alien vs. Predator” on Christmas Day that I’ll have a guilty pleasure to see.
3. “There Will Be Blood!”
Any time Daniel Day Lewis is appearing in a new film, you have to get excited to see it. The guy only does a movie every five years and rarely does he make a bad choice. Alright, maybe “The Crucible” and maybe “The Boxer.” But no one can deny he’s one of the best actors of his generation and, now, he might be in line for another Oscar run for Best Actor. Directing is Paul Thomas Anderson of “Boogie Nights,” “Magnolia” and
“Punch Drunk Love” fame. “Blood!” looks less arty than the aforementioned, but it looks every bit as reverberating. Lewis plays a Texas oil tycoon in the early 20th century who discovers the “crude” money to be had. It’s based on an Upton Sinclair novel and should carry analogous connotation to the oil wars going on today.
4. “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
It’s time to get another dose of Johnny Depp’s eccentric character acting. With the “Pirates of the Caribbean” trilogy finally at movie’s end, we can see Depp get back to doing good movies. With “Sweeney Todd,” Depp teams up with favorite director Tim Burton for a December musical that tells the story of a barber who returns to London after a lengthy exile, seeking revenge on the ones who did him wrong. Oh, and he wants to get his daughter back. Can’t miss that detail. And I can’t leave out that Alan Rickman plays the villain. Anyone who ever liked “Die Hard,” rejoice. Hans Gruber walks again. When it comes to great movie villains, Rickman is like the reliable closer you can call out of the bullpen for the last inning of a big game because you know he’ll deliver the goods.
5. “Lions For Lambs”
Robert Redford directs and stars in this multifaceted story about the war in Afghanistan. It centers on two soldiers, their college professor (Redford), a journalist (Meryl Streep), and a hot-shot U.S. senator (Tom Cruise). Cruise seems to be gathering huge buzz for his performance, and it seems coincidental that this is the first we’ve really heard of Cruise since the hysterics that surrounded 2005’s summer of couch jumping. And the story of “Lambs” is poignant enough to make people curious. It’s very relevant with the current events, and it comes back to Oscar-winning Redford as director. The guy’s got chops.
