film
by david vera
Ah, you gotta love the season of warmth and togetherness. The banter...
the memories...the utter lack of alone-time! But in case you’ve had your
absolute nauseating limit of togetherness, might I suggest a quick es-
cape to the cinema? Your Christmas stocking isn’t the only thing that’s
jam-packed with treats. This month’s blockbuster lineup literally has
too many great titles to name! ...but I’ll take a crack at it anyway.
GOOD OLD-FASHIONED FAMILY VALUES
December 4 introduces us with the ghost of Christmas future in Everybody’s
Fine—a star-studded holiday dramedy about a hard-working widower (Robert
De Niro) whose family has grown apart—thousands of miles apart! Riddled with
giggles and great life lessons throughout, this light-hearted tale should remind
you what the holidays are all about. On the other hand, if you’re looking for an
intense and crushing war drama that makes you grateful for the family you have,
consider Brothers. Meet Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal)—the overshadowed brother
of Sam, a highly decorated war hero who has just been reported killed-in-action.
Hoping to prove his worth, Tommy helps his greiving sister-in-law (Natalie Port-
man) and her children deal with their loss and takes his place as a father figure—
but also as a mate for the recent widow. A seemingly perfect fit is made until the
“deceased” Sam resurfaces and returns home to confront his two closest family
members.
December 11 ...I’m not one for gossip, but...Did You Hear About The Morgans?
Come into the lives of a New York couple (Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant)
who stumble upon a murder and fall into the reticle of a contract killer. Forced into
SO MUCH IMAGINATION, SO LITTLE POPCORN
the witness protection program, this jaded couple is whisked away to a Wyoming
December 18 gives us fantasy in its greatest forms—first with James Cameron’s
town where their spoiled lifestyles and mutual quarrels will have to make way for
revolutionary Avatar. In the future, a lush alien world and its peaceful inhabit-
romance.
ants threatened when humans discover valuable indigenous minerals there and
imperiously lay claim. The inhumanity of this act incites sympathy within Earth
forces and the plots ensue to stop the impending destruction. But if special effects
aren’t on your wishlist, there is plenty of magic to enjoy in Nine. Guido Contini
(Daniel Day-Lewis) is a world famous film director on the verge of a mid-life crisis.
Creative and personal worlds collide and he struggles to balance the boatload of
women of his life: his wife (Marion Cotillard), his mistress (Penelope Cruz), his film
star muse (Nicole Kidman), his confidant and costume designer (Judi Dench), an
American fashion journalist (Kate Hudson), the whore from his youth (Fergie) and
his mother (Sophia Loren).
December 11 takes us back to the world of 2-D in Disney’s long-anticipated The
Princess and The Frog. The beautiful Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) befriends a frog who
claims to be prince—one who desperately wants to be human again. We know
about the fateful kiss but Disney has injected some mystical flair and Louisiana
bayou flavor into this classic.
WHO DUNNIT???
December 11 ...If you had just been murdered, what would YOU do? The Lovely
Bones is the gripping story of a young girl who is slain and now watches over her
family from the afterlife—and her killer as well. Torn bewteen the well-being of
her family and her boiling need for revenge, she must choose her actions carefully
if she is to allow her loved ones to cope. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz,
Susan Sarandon and Stanley Tucci.
December 25 switches gears and shows us a Sherlock Holmes that we’ve never
before seen. Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his partner Watson (Jude Law) are
a much bolder duo than in previous incarnations of the story. The film presents
as its primary antagonist, the enigmatic “Blackwood.” This action-adventure also
stars Rachel McAdams.
16 RAGE monthly | December 2009
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