Tuesday, November 22, 2011

The Holiday Movies on My List


I've been a bad movie fan, this year. I didn't get to see even half of the movies I wanted to. Of course, now that the Holidays are upon us, there are another slew of movies I really want to see. 

I love this time of year for movies because you get such a good variety of family films; Holiday tentpole movies and prestigious awards contenders. Best Picture nominees Black Swan; True Grit and winner The King's Speech,
were all Holiday releases.

I have Christmas week off from the day job, so I may just get to see a couple matinees, if I play my cards right (and get some AMC gift cards for Christmas). 

So, here the movies I most want to see this season:

Now Playing:


A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas. The Harold and Kumar movies are hardly works of artistic genius. But they're so ridiculous and outrageous, they can't help but be funny. Add the adorable and hilarious NPH playing a coked-up womanizing straight version of himself and you have comedy gold.



Melancholia. Director Lars van Trier got himself into trouble at Cannes this year, but his film about the End of the World is getting amazing reviews, including Oscar buzz for star Kirsten Dunst.



Immortals. Reviews have been mixed for Tarsem's take on Greek mythology starring Henry Cavill. I'm not ashamed to admit that I just want to see it for the eye candy (of all sorts).



The Descendants. Tons of Oscar buzz for Alexander Payne's (Election; Sideways) latest, starring dreamy George Clooney in a 'dramedy' about a man who discovers his comatose wife has been having an affair.



Opening This Week:

Hugo. Martin Scorcese's 3D adaptation of Brian Selznick's Steampunk YA novel "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" is being hailed as the first movie to actually make 3D work. It's also highest on my "Must See" list for the season.



The Muppets. Who doesn't love the Muppets? It's been many years since they've graced the silver screen, but thanks to star and co-writer Jason Segel, they're back in a movie currently rated 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.



A Dangerous Method. Dark genius David Cronenberg's latest film is about Freud (Viggo Mortensen), Jung (Michael Fassbender) and the very unusual patient (Keira Knightley) they share.



Coming Soon:

Shame. Director Steve McQueen's award-winning sophomore effort about a New Yorker (Fassbender) struggling with sexual addiction. Filmmakers worldwide are hoping the movie's NC17 rating won't overshadow it's message or apparent brilliance.



Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr) and Watson (Jude Law), face off against Holmes' arch-enemy, Dr. Moriarty (Jared Harris), joined by Holmes' brother Mycroft (Stephen Fry) and the Gypsy, Sim (...Dragon Tattoo star Noomi Rapace). D and I saw the first Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes movie and thoroughly enjoyed it. We're looking forward to it's sequel.



Carnage. Roman Polanski's adaptation of Yasmina Reza's (Art) tragically comic play God of Carnage, stars Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly and Christophe Waltz in a tale about two couples who meet to discuss the schoolyard fight between their sons. Said meeting devolves into a battle between the classes.



Whew! There are a few more, but I'm exhausted... I know that I'll be lucky to see four of these 10 films this season, but that doesn't lessen my desire to see all of them. And I didn't even get to Stephen Spielberg's Warhorse; Julia Leigh's Sleeping Beauty or Michel Hazanavicious' The Artist.

Send lots of AMC gift cards...

More, anon.
Prospero

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