Weekend Movie Preview: “Avatar,” “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” and More! (VIDEO)

By Jennifer Hudock on December 16th, 2009

Want to escape the holiday shopper madness at the mall this weekend? Why not duck into the movies and catch a matinee? Seven brand new films hit the big screen this week; so grab your popcorn and let’s find a good seat.

There’s nothing hotter than a down-on-his-luck country music singer living the lifestyle his lyrics portray. Jeff Bridges stars in “Crazy Heart” (R), a romantic drama about a country singer who’s crazy lifestyle has him feeling broken down and beaten by life. When a curious journalist digs into his life to discover the truth about the man behind the music, she sheds a little light into his life, and helps him figure out who he really is. This film hits theaters Wednesday, December 16.

Also in theaters Wednesday, December 16, is “Ricky” (Not Rated). When a single mom falls in love with her Spanish friend, the two conceive a unique baby born with strange markings on his back. As the baby, Ricky, grows, he develops a pair of angel-like wings, that bring chaos into the family’s life. Between fending off nosy reporters and trying to figure out how to keep the baby from flying away, “Ricky” promises to be a unique fantasy for those of us who want to believe.

Sam Worthington and Sigourney Weaver star in the anticipated James Cameron science fiction epic, “Avatar” (PG 13). When an ex-military soldier is outposted on a distant planet, he finds himself siding with an alien race in a war against his own species. “Avatar” will be showing in 3-D and IMAX 3-D, and features exciting new advances in motion-capture technology to provide lifelike animation.

I admit it. I think Daniel Day Lewis is one of the most underrated actors of our time. His performance as filmmaker Guido Contini in “Nine” (PG 13) promises to prove that he can literally slip into any role put before him and create a convincing character. Capturing the artistic vision and torrid love affairs that provide him with inspiration, Contini must find a balance between the two if he wants to realize his latest masterpiece.

“Did You Hear About the Morgans?” No? Neither did I until I saw the film poster hanging up in the subway station. Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant team up as the Morgans, a dysfunctional couple on the verge of divorce. Forced to put their differences aside after they witness a murder, the couple is put under witness protection and shipped off to a peaceful cabin in the Rocky Mountains. Can retreat from the hustle and bustle of every day life save their marriage? We’ll have to watch “Did You Hear About the Morgans” (PG 13) and find out.

History buffs will want to check out “The Young Victoria” (PG), which chronicles the early events in Queen Victoria’s life, including her marriage to Prince Albert, which eventually drove her to a life of mysterious seclusion.

That’s it for this week. I’ll be grabbing my 3-D glasses and heading out to see “Avatar” myself, so let me know if you want me to save you a seat!