Sunday, November 22, 2009
A+E, In this Issue..., Movies

2009 Holiday Movie Preview

From “Avatar” to “Sherlock Holmes,” we unwrap the season’s top 25 flicks

WETA
“Avatar”

Three flicks we’re not looking forward to

OLD DOGS: Robin Williams and John Travolta find themselves caring for a pair of 7-year-old twins. Do you have to ask? (Nov. 25)

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS? Squabbling Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker cope with life in witness protection in Wyoming after witnessing a murder. No, thanks. (Dec. 18)

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE SQUEAKQUEL: Studio execs scheduled this latest desecration of the beloved animated characters to open right before Christmas. What did parents ever do to them? (Dec. 23)—K.F.M.

It’s the time of year when Hollywood rolls out some of its biggest guns, from crowd-pleasing romantic comedies to kid-friendly fare, big-ticket blockbusters and prospective Oscar contenders. To help you keep track, we’ve made a list (and checked it twice) of year-end flicks—although only time will tell whether they’re naughty or nice. As always, release dates are subject to change.

NOV. 20 (IN THEATERS NOW)

THE BLIND SIDE
Sandra Bullock headlines this drama based on a true story.—Kevin Forest Moreau 

 
PLANET 51
This animated adventure stars Dwayne Johnson as an astronaut stuck on a distant planet inhabited by little green people who see him as a terrifying alien invader. Jessica Biel and Justin Long also lend their voices to this family-friendly offering.—Meghan Kotowski

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON
Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner return for the sequel to the blockbuster vampire film “Twilight.”—K.F.M. 

NOV. 25

FANTASTIC MR. FOX
Wes Anderson adapts Roald Dahl’s children’s book for his first stop-motion animated feature, and enlists his pals Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray to tell the story of a fox (George Clooney) who goes up against a trio of farmers. Cool trivia factoid: The voices were recorded outside instead of in a studio. Meryl Streep also stars.
—Muriel Y. Vega

THE MESSENGER
Recently returned from Iraq, Ben Foster is assigned to the Army’s Casualty Notification Service, delivering bad news to the families of fallen soldiers—and becomes attached to widow Samantha Morton. Woody Harrelson also stars in this effective drama.—M.K.

NINJA ASSASSIN
Korean pop star Rain plays Raizo, one of the deadliest assassins in the world, who seeks revenge on the very men who turned him into a killing machine. Produced by Joel Silver and the Wachowski Brothers. James McTeigue ("V for Vendetta") directs.—M.K.

RED CLIFF
John Woo directs this epic based on the historic Battle of Red Cliffs near the end of China’s Han Dynasty. The two-part saga ran more than four hours overseas, but is trimmed to two and a half hours for its U.S. release.—K.F.M. 

THE ROAD
Originally slated for November 2008, this adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s acclaimed novel—about a man (Viggo Mortensen) wandering a post-apocalyptic landscape with his son—was moved to December, then October 2009 before landing in its current slot. The Weinstein Company says the film wasn’t ready last year, and stands a better chance of exposure (and Oscar buzz) in its latest berth. Time will tell.—K.F.M. 

DEC. 4

ARMORED
Armored-truck guards Matt Dillon, Laurence Fishburne and Jean Reno concoct a scheme to steal $42 million from one of their own trucks. But the plan starts to unravel when they accidentally shoot a cop (Milo Ventimiglia).—M.K. 

BROTHERS
Black-sheep sibling? Check. Vulnerable widow? Check. Awkward situation in which hubbie Tobey Maguire, who’s been missing in Afghanistan, returns home to find his younger brother (Jake Gyllenhaal) has moved in to take care of the family—including his wife (Natalie Portman)? Check.—M.V.

EVERYBODY'S FINE
Widower Robert De Niro hits the road to spend the holidays with his children (Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell and Drew Barrymore).—M.K.

 DEC. 11

BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS
Nicolas Cage is a drug-addicted cop in the post-Katrina Crescent City in this—remake? reimagining?—of the 1994 film “Bad Lieutenant.” Early reports are that Cage’s performance veers between mesmerizing and disastrous. Eva Mendes also stars.—K.F.M. 

INVICTUS
Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) works with a South African rugby star (Matt Damon) to unite their divided country in the days after apartheid in this surefire Oscar contender based on a true story and directed by Clint Eastwood.—K.F.M. 

ME AND ORSON WELLES
Zac Efron (“High School Musical”) plays a young actor cast in a Broadway production of “Julius Caesar,” directed by an unknown Orson Welles (Christian McKay). Claire Danes also stars. Richard Linklater (“Dazed and Confused,” “Before Sunset”) directs.—K.F.M.  

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
Disney’s return to hand-drawn animation starts out traditionally enough: Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos) turns into a frog and tries to find a princess to kiss him to break the spell. What isn’t ordinary is that the princess (Anika Noni Rose) turns into a frog, too.—Sarah Bakhtiari

UP IN THE AIR
Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) lives out of a suitcase, flying from city to city to downsize corporate employees. But his cozy lifestyle is threatened by fresh college graduate Natalie (Anna Kendrick of "Twilight" fame), who brings new ideas (like firing people via the Internet). Jason Reitman (“Juno”) directs this oh-so-topical comedy-drama. —M.K.

DEC. 18

AVATAR
James Cameron, who hasn’t done a big film since “Titanic,” returns to larger-than-life moviemaking with this special-effects-laden science-fiction epic about a soldier (Sam Worthington) caught up in a conflict between humans and aliens on a far-flung planet. This highly anticipated feature promises to be bigger than big.—M.V.

SERIOUS MOONLIGHT
Meg Ryan ties up philandering husband Timothy Hutton with duct tape. Then things get weird.—K.F.M.

DEC. 25

BROKEN EMBRACES
Pedro Almodóvar’s latest film follows a blind writer who shares the story of his former life—a past filled with jealousy, treachery and guilt, involving the accident that took his sight and the love of his life (Penélope Cruz).—S.B.

IT’S COMPLICATED 
Romantic comedies invade multiplexes by the dozen at this time of year, but few of them sport the bizarre love triangle that drives this latest from director Nancy Meyers (“Something’s Gotta Give,” “What Women Want”). Meryl Streep finds herself the “other woman” when she begins an affair with ex-husband Alec Baldwin. Steve Martin is the architect also vying for her affections.—S.B.

THE LOVELY BONES
Director Peter Jackson adapts Alice Sebold’s best-selling novel about a murdered girl (Saoirse Ronan) who watches from beyond as her family comes to grips with her death and her killer (Stanley Tucci) prepares to strike again.—M.V.

NINE
Musicals aren’t for everyone, but when you get “Chicago” director Rob Marshall involved, things change. Expect a full-on, star-studded spectacle in this adaptation of the Broadway play based on Frederico Fellini’s “81/2,” with Daniel Day-Lewis as a director struggling with his latest film and the women in his life—including Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Kate Hudson, Judi Dench and Nicole Kidman.—M.V.

SHERLOCK HOLMES
Thinking man’s action hero Robert Downey Jr. stars in this adrenalized update of the legendary detective, with Jude Law as his sidekick Watson. Guy Ritchie directs.—K.F.M.

A SINGLE MAN 
Based on the novel by Christopher Isherwood, the film concerns a gay professor (Colin Firth) coping with the death of his longtime lover. The directorial debut from fashion designer Tom Ford is already garnering critical praise and Oscar buzz. Julianne Moore also stars.—S.B.

THE YOUNG VICTORIA 
This biopic paints the early years of Queen Victoria’s reign as a time not only of 15-pound petticoats and horse-drawn carriages, but also steamy passion. Emily Blunt stars as Victoria, who assumed the throne of England at age 18 and entered into a romance with Prince Albert (Rupert Friend). Miranda Richardson and Jim Broadbent also star.—S.B.