The Holidays are about family — I get it. This is a time of year where you can get together with those you normally don't see, be merry and eat lots of food. Let's be honest, though, after the fourth time little Sally decides to have a complete meltdown, you're as likely to become an axe murderer than have family fun.
In times like these what could be better than escaping to the multiplex for cinematic holiday cheer? If nothing else, you'll at least forget about your nephew spiking your luggage with itching powder, at least for a couple of hours.
"Arthur Christmas" - Wednesday
The secrets of Santa Claus are threatened and the only one who can save the day is one of Santa's sons.
From early trailers, this looks like your standard holiday movie fare. If you're looking for something fun for the entire family, however, you probably could do worse than this.
Chirpmeter: 2 and a half stars
"The Descendants" - Wednesday
A father (George Clooney) who has been detached from his children is forced to reconcile with them after his wife dies in an accident. This situation is further complicated when he discovers his wife had been cheating on him for some time, prior to her dying.
Director Alexander Payne ("Sideways") has been a critical darling in the past, so his presence is at least encouraging. Throw in George Clooney, who has a string of good movies released, and there is certainly reason to be excited about this film.
Chirpmeter: 4 stars
"Hugo"- Wednesday
Based on the novel "The Invention of Hugo Cabaret" by Brian Selznick, "Hugo" tells the story of Hugo (Asa Butterfield) an orphan growing up inside the walls of a train station in Paris during the early 1930s. One day Hugo stumbles upon a broken automaton and sets in motion a series of events that will take him on a fantastic adventure, but will also threaten the secrets him and his father (Jude Law) hold.
Obviously when you see the words "A Martin Scorsese Picture" your interest should be high; "Hugo," however, is decidedly un-Scorsese. The man who directed "Goodfellas" and "Taxi Driver" is not normally associated with family fun, but a great director is a great director. The cast also shows some promise, with Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Coen, Christoper Lee, and Jude Law all lending their talents. All in all, "Hugo" is a hard film to get a bead on, it could be an incredible fantasy or it could be a gigantic bust; being a fan of Scorsese, I obviously am gunning for the former.
Chirpmeter: 4 stars
"The Muppets" - Wednesday
The Muppets' old stomping grounds are being threatened by an oil tycoon; forcing the Muppets to reunite and save their old home.
It's the Muppets, what else do you want? Hopefully this can be a return to glory for the beloved characters, otherwise this could become a despised film pretty quickly.
Chirpmeter: 4 stars
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