Ho! Ho! Ho! It’s your movie gal pal here with the holiday movie rundown. After “Avatar” stormed the box office last weekend, you better believe Hollywood has a few tricks up their sleeves for Christmas day. It’s a holiday tradition to gather and hit the theatre after the Christmas hype dies down and the dinners are done. If you’re planning on heading out to the movies on Christmas day, here’s what you can expect to find.
Everybody’s favorite furry musical trio are back on the big screen in “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel” (PG). Alvin, Simon and Theodore are shipped off to live with Dave’s nephew, Toby. As they get involved in their new school’s music program, they discover the department is about to belt out its last note. Being the helpful, competitive chipmunks they are, they decide to enter into a local battle of the bands to win the money to save the music program, but they’ve got some real competition: The Chippettes. “The Squeakuel” hits theatres December 23, so if you’re looking for a little quiet time with the kids before the Christmas mayhem ensues, this promises to be jam-packed with family film.
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” (PG-13) will inspire and delight the imagination of the fantasy lovers out there. Dr. Parnassus once made a deal with the devil that won him immortality. He made a second deal that offered up his firstborn child, who in the present day has just turned sixteen. In order to keep his daughter, Valentina, out of the hands of Mr. Nick, Parnassus makes a third wager with the devil. The first one of them to seduce five souls keeps Valentina, and Parnussus quickly offers up his daughter’s hand in marriage to anyone who can help mend the mistakes he made in the past. With a stellar cast, including Christopher Plummer, Lily Cole, Tom Waits, Johnny Depp and a host of other big names, I can’t wait to see this film.
Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin star in the romantic comedy, “It’s Complicated” (R), about a divorced couple who rekindle the spark between them ten years after their divorce. While that might not sound so bad, both of them are involved in other relationships, complicating the nature of the reunion. Should they follow their impulse to reunite, or break it off before things spiral out of control and they wind up hurting the people they love?
They have been playing trailers for “Sherlock Holmes” (PG-13) since early summer, pumping up the hype so much that I am personally about to burst if I don’t see this movie. Starring Robert Downey Jr. as detective Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law as his faithful sidekick, Watson, the duo must discover the mystery behind a recent rash of murders attributed to demised sorcerer, Lord Blackwood. With Guy Ritchie in the director’s seat on this one, you can guarantee it will be action packed with a righteous twist of comedy.
If you’re itching for something to do after you’ve opened all your presents this Christmas, look for me at the movies. I’ll be the one in the Santa hat, rabidly debating between “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnussus” and “Sherlock Holmes” outside the theatre. Better yet, let’s make it a double feature. Happy Holidays!
Our holidays aren’t complete until we see a movie, but we don’t rush out Christmas night. I had only heard of Sherlock out of this list. Sounds like I would like the Imaginarium of Dr P. However I have no wish to see Its Complicated. And I’d rather have a second Christmas with my inlaws than see the Chipmonks. Where are the good dramas, hoping for Oscar nods?