Merry moviegoing!: Holiday movie preview

Hark! The showbiz minions buzz. Now’s the end-of-year crunch time when box office receipts and glowing reviews are the only Christmas presents Hollywood wants. The idea is to tempt shoppers from the mall to the multiplex with blockbusters, genre comedies, kids’ fare and actioners. At the same time, a flood of quality drama arrives to court favor from critics and Academy members with short memories in the few remaining weeks before awards season starts. Get ready to indulge on more than just holiday carbs. (Opening dates are subject to change.)
 

BIG TICKET ITEMS

AVATAR (Dec. 18)
» Stars: Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez
» Support: Legendary sci-fi director James Cameron
» Story: Blue extraterrestrials defend their planet as Earthling Avatars intervene in an epic battle for crucial resources — with a multicolored love story thrown in for good measure.
» Success? Can the guy who sank a cruise ship for record-breaking grosses and major accolades do it again after 12 years away?
» Our take: Expect titanic special effects. 
» Not yet rated

NINE (Dec. 25)
» Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Penélope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Fergie
» Support: “Chicago” director Rob Marshall
» Story: Based on the 1982 Tony Award-winning musical inspired by Federico Fellini’s autobiographical film “8 ½,” the movie’s about a womanizing filmmaker in a midlife crisis.
» Success? Oh, boy, but what an assemblage of estrogen. Led by the incomparable Day-Lewis singing, it’s all designed to rouse adults and critics.
» Our take: Could be a 10.
» Rated: PG-13

SHERLOCK HOLMES (Dec. 25)
» Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law,
» Rachel McAdams
» Support: Madonna ex Guy Ritchie directs
» Story: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s literary bromance has Downey as the famous detective and Law as his Watson in a Victorian-era adventure-mystery with modern-style action stunts.  
» Success? Ritchie brings the macho high energy while Downey brings in the “Iron Man” audience. 
» Our take: That’s more than elementary, my dear.
» Not yet rated

HO HO HO & HA HA HA

IT’S COMPLICATED  (Dec. 25)
» Stars: Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin
» Support: “Something’s Gotta Give” writer-director Nancy Meyers
» Story: This romp for the Viagra set has Streep as a divorcee being pursued by both her cheating ex-husband (Baldwin) and a suitable new suitor (Martin).  
» Success? With big-screen delights like these and an effective preview trailer, expect it to get a rise out of a certain demographic. 
» Our take: Looks simply hilarious.
» Not yet rated

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS? (Dec. 18)
» Stars: Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker
» Support: “Music and Lyrics” writer-director Marc Lawrence
» Story: The romantic comedy involves an unhappy couple of fancy New Yorkers who witness a murder and get their groove back while on the run in the Wyoming boondocks.
» Success? I’m not hearing much that sounds special about this twosome.
» Our take: Grant in a rom-com? Again?
» Not yet rated

EVERYBODY’S FINE (Dec. 4)
» Stars: Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell
» Support: “Waking Ned” director-writer Kirk Jones 
» Story: This English-language remake of Giuseppe Tornatore’s “Stanno Tutti Bene” has widower De Niro trying to bond with his issue-plagued grown children.
» Success? Based in satiric, character-driven humor, it will depend on positive reviews for momentum. 
» Our take: De Niro’s usually fine and dandy.
» Rated: PG-13

FOR BOYS AND GIRLS

PLANET 51 (Friday)
» Voice stars: Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel, Gary Oldman, John Cleese
» Support: Co-directed by Jorge Blanco, Javier Abad, Marcos Martinez
» Story: The Rock voices a human astronaut on a foreign planet with little green creatures in this fish-out-of-water animated comedy.
» Success? The PG cartoon —
like everything else — faces a challenge opening against “New Moon.”
» Our take: May alien-ate adults.
» Rated: PG

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE SQUEAKUEL (Dec. 23)
» Stars: Jason Lee, David Cross and voices of Justin Long, Jesse McCartney, Anna Faris, Amy Poehler
» Support: Journeyman comedy director Betty Thomas
» Story: This second feature based on the cartoon animal singing sensations blends live-action and CGI again, this time with new female counterparts, the Chipettes, included.
» Success? The ticket-buying universe can be divided between those who find high-pitched furry beasts adorable and those who find them horribly obnoxious. As for me ...
» Our take: Ugh.
» Rated: PG

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (Dec. 11)
» Voice stars: Anika Noni Rose, Oprah Winfrey, John Goodman, Terrence Howard
» Support: Co-directed by John Musker and Ron Clements
» Story: After five years, Disney resurrects the hand-drawn animation musical to present its first black fairy tale princess for a voodoo adventure set in New Orleans’ French Quarter. 
» Success: If the country can elect a black president, why wouldn’t it support black royalty?
» Our take: A ragin’ Cajun family fantasy. 
» Not yet rated

NO PEACE ON EARTH

INVICTUS (Dec. 11)
» Stars: Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon, Scott Eastwood
» Support: Director-producer Clint Eastwood
» Story: Based on the nonfiction book “Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation” by John Carlin, this political sports drama recalls how Mandela and South Africa’s 1995 rugby team helped overcome the remnants of apartheid.
» Success? Eastwood’s track record for making premium dramas has been unmatched in recent years.
» Our take: Critics should get a kick out of this one.
» Rated: PG-13

THE ROAD (Wednesday)
» Stars: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron
» Support: Australian director John Hillcoat
» Story: Based on Cormac McCarthy’s 2006 novel about surviving life after nuclear apocalypse, a father and son fight starvation and find salvation in each other as they navigate through a desolate, savage nightmare.
» Success? However accomplished, this very dark picture could be a tough sell on a cheerfully gluttonous Thanksgiving weekend.
» Our take: Paved with frightening images.
» Rated: R

TEARS BEFORE TINSEL

THE LOVELY BONES (Dec. 11)
» Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Rachel Weisz, Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Susan Sarandon
» Support: Directed and produced by Peter Jackson of “Lord of the Rings” fame
» Story: Alice Sebold’s best-selling novel comes to the big screen with “Atonement’s” Ronan as the ghost of a murdered girl who observes her family’s grief while her murderer (Tucci) prepares to kill again.
» Success? The much-admired book has ardent fans who will surely line up for this prestige production.
» Our take: No bones about it.
» Rated: PG-13

UP IN THE AIR (Dec. 4)
» Stars: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick
» Support: “Juno” director Jason Reitman
» Story: Clooney plays a smug frequent flier who fires people for a living and resists meaningful human relationships, until his traveling lifestyle is threatened and he meets his female counterpart in Farmiga. 
» Success? This already acclaimed, comedy-tinged drama plays off the timely issue of unemployment while showcasing Clooney in a role tailor-made for the real-life confirmed bachelor. 
» Our take: A grounded peek at modern life.
» Rated: R