The Kansas City Star, Mo., Robert W. Butler column: Holiday movie guide | Here's something for everyone

By Robert W. Butler, The Kansas City Star, Mo.

Nov. 4--For young to old, funny to serious, our holiday movie guide is stuffed with gifts for all sorts:

For action/adventure junkies

More than any other film this holiday season, James Cameron's sci-fi opus "Avatar" (Dec. 18) has a huge buzz. For both good and bad reasons.

First, it's a return to the big screen by the man behind the first two "Terminators," "Aliens," "The Abyss" and "Titanic."

Second, "Avatar" will mark the debut of the new 3-D process Cameron has been working on for a decade.

Third, it stars Sam Worthington, maybe the best actor from Down Under since Russell Crowe.

Got you salivating yet?

The downside: Cameron seems to believe his "king of the world" stuff, so the film could take itself way too seriously. And early footage of the computer-generated aliens and battle scenes looks like a high-end video game -- fun but not convincing.

The world's most famous detective gets a radical do-over thanks to slam-bam director Guy Ritchie (the former Mr. Madonna) and star Robert Downey Jr. in "Sherlock Holmes" (Christmas Day).

The setting remains late 19th-century London, but add in pugilism (boxing) and kinky sex (the trailers show a naked Holmes tied to a brass headboard). Stir in Jude Law as Doctor Watson and Ritchie's proclivity for action and you have the potential for a crowd pleaser.

Roland Emmerich, who has made a career of trying to wipe out the human race ("Independence Day," "Armageddon," "The Day After Tomorrow") is back to his f/x-heavy tricks with "2012." Opening Nov. 13 (a Friday ... too perfect), it's an epic of destruction -- Earthquakes! Tidal waves! Storms! -- inspired by ancient Mayan doomsday prophecies. The spectacle should be first-rate, and the key players -- John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton -- are always watchable.

Another sort of spectacle will be provided by the Chinese-made "Red Cliff" (Dec. 11). Directed by Hong Kong action auteur John Woo, this epic tale of civil war and intrigue during the Han dynasty features the proverbial cast of thousands (as well as recognizable faces like Tony Leung). It's a prime example of kill-them-all theater.

The starless "Ninja Assassin" (Nov. 25) sounds like a dozen kung fu-ers we've already seen -- but we're mildly intrigued that James McTeigue ("V for Vendetta") is at the helm.

An armored car robbery goes seriously wrong in "Armored" (Dec. 4), directed by Nimrod Antal (of the horror motel entry "Vacancy") and starring KC native Columbus Short, Laurence Fishburne and Matt Dillon.

For hopeless romantics

Ain't love grand?

Except that in most of these films, love conquers only after some rough patches.

Fans are in a frenzy over the Nov. 20 opening of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon,"the second installment in Stephenie Meyer's vampire phenomenon. This time Bella (Kristen Stewart) is torn between the vampire Edward (Robert Pattinson) and her American Indian pal Jacob (Taylor Lautner) who, it turns out, is a werewolf. How lucky can a girl get?

Of course, some of us found the original "Twilight" a letdown. Perhaps new director Chris Weitz ("About a Boy," "American Pie," "The Golden Compass") will provide an edge.

In "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" (Dec. 18) an estranged NYC couple (Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker) are forced into an uncomfortable cohabitation when a witness protection program ships them to the Wyoming boonies. Marc Lawrence (who hit box office gold with the comedies "Miss Congeniality" and Grant's "Music and Lyrics") directs from his own screenplay.

And who says there's no romance once you're past a certain age? "It's Complicated" (Christmas Day) lives up to its title with a plot about a woman (Meryl Streep, always on a streak) who's being courted both by her ex (Alec Baldwin), who now has a young trophy wife, and longtime friend Steve Martin.

It's the brainchild of writer/director Nancy Meyers ("The Parent Trap," "Something's Gotta Give"), who corrals the female audience. But what about the guys?

Patterned after "Paris, J'taime," "New York, I Love You" (no opening date yet) finds several directors (Mira Nair, Natalie Portman, Brett Ratner) creating short films celebrating love in the Big Apple. Huge cast: Shia LaBeouf, Chris Cooper, Christina Ricci, Robin Wright Penn, Orlando Bloom, Ethan Hawke, etc.

And just so straights won't have all the fun, there's "A Single Man" (no opening date yet), an adaptation of Christopher Isherwood's novel about a day in the life of an English professor (Colin Firth) who's trying to carry on after the car crash death of his lover (Matthew Goode).

For horror hounds

Terror is always in season.

Hot on the heels of the "found footage" hit "Paranormal Activity" comes "The Fourth Kind" (Friday), which uses a similar faux documentary style to chronicle a long history of bizarre events in an isolated Alaskan community. Milla Jovovich stars.

Also opening Friday is "The Box," in which James Marsden and Cameron Diaz are presented with a magical box that can grant their wishes. All it costs is the life of a stranger. Frank Langella co-stars.

For serious souls

This time of year, Hollywood embraces the dramas it has no time for in the rest of the popcorn-littered year.

"The Road" (Nov. 25) is not a pretty picture. It's based on Cormac McCarthy's Pulitzer-winning novel about the post-apocalyptic trek of a father and son. An emaciated, coughing Viggo Mortensen struggles to find a safe haven for his boy (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and a reason to go on living.

It's brilliant and would have gone in our "Oscar snob" category, except I suspect Hollywood is terrified of this subject matter.

"The Blind Side" (Nov. 20) is based on a true story of a pampered suburban mom (Sandra Bullock, taking a break from romantic comedy) who adopts a hulking, homeless African-American boy (Quinton Aaron) and turns his life around with a lot of love and bit of football.

Director John Lee Hancock ("The Rookie") has an affinity for sports stories. And people are already sobbing just for the trailer. Based on Michael Lewis' best-seller.

Opening the same day is "The Messenger," in which an Iraq war hero (Ben Foster) is ordered to spend the final weeks of his enlistment informing families that their loved ones have been killed in action. Woody Harrelson is the hard-bitten veteran who teaches him the ropes; Samantha Morton is the mourning Army wife with whom he begins an ill-advised flirtation.

A 1990 Italian film starring Marcello Mastroianni is the inspiration for "Everybody's Fine" (Dec. 4), in which widower Robert De Niro travels around the country visiting his estranged children.

Good director (Kirk Jones, who did "Nanny McPhee" and "Waking Ned Devine") and fine supporting players (Sam Rockwell, Kate Beckinsale, Drew Barrymore, Melissa Leo), but the Italian original was a downer. Hope this one has more uplift.

"Brothers" (Dec. 4) is an American version of a celebrated Danish film of the same name.

When a soldier (Tobey Maguire) is reported missing in action in Afghanistan, his ne'er-do-well brother (Jake Gyllenhaal) straightens up to look after his distraught sister-in-law (Natalie Portman) and the kids. To his amazement he discovers he loves the responsibility ... and his brother's wife. It might be the rare remake that can stand up to the original.

In his dotage Clint Eastwood continues to conquer new territory. "Invictus" (Dec. 11) is the true story of how newly elected South African president Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) united his country through its national soccer team. Shot on location in South Africa, it co-stars Matt Damon as the coach.

"The Lovely Bones" (not opening here till Jan. 15) is a heavy-duty fantasy based on the best-seller, in which a murdered girl (Oscar nominee Saoirise Ronan) watches her distraught family (Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz) and her murderer/rapist (Stanley Tucci) from the hereafter. After years of big-budget spectacles (the "Rings" trilogy, "King Kong") it will be interesting to see director Peter Jackson return to the emotional intensity of 1994's "Heavenly Creatures."

Comedy for the moderately jaded

After all that holiday joy and good cheer, some of us need to hunker down with a bit of dark comedy. Happy to oblige.

Opening Friday is "The Men Who Stare at Goats," a wacky comedy based on a nonfiction book about the U.S. military's attempt to harness psychic and supernatural powers. George Clooney and Ewan McGregor star.

"Pirate Radio" (Nov. 13) is about the off-shore radio stations that in the 1960s beamed rock 'n' roll into Great Britain (the BBC was too stuffy to satisfy a tune-hungry public). Among the wacky characters on the boat are Philip Seymour Hoffman and Bill Nighy; Kenneth Branagh plays the bureaucrat determined to bring them down.

The makers of "Napoleon Dynamite" are back with "Gentlemen Broncos" (Nov. 25), a comedy about a nerdy young sci-fi writer who goes on the warpath when an established novelist ("The Flight of the Conchords' " Jemaine Clement) steals one of his yarns. In case you were wondering, "broncos" are the sci-fi characters.

Director Jason Reitman, who wowed us with "Juno," soars back with "Up in the Air" (Christmas Day) about a corporate downsizing expert (George Clooney) who lives out of suitcases and never really comes to earth. His own job is threatened just as he discovers what could be the perfect woman (Vera Farmiga).

For the whole family, Grandma on down

In the old days, every Hollywood movie was fit for the entire family.

Not so much any more.

But the holidays are always a reliable source of family entertainment -- usually animated.

Things kick off Friday with Disney's 3-D animated take on Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" featuring the voices of Jim Carrey (as Scrooge and the ghosts who visit him), Colin Firth and Bob Hoskins. Robert Zemeckis wrote the screenplay and directs. (Read more on Page 10.)

In the animated "Planet 51" (Nov. 20) an astronaut lands on a remote planet, only to find that life there is a little-green-man version of Earthly suburbia ... and that the residents regard him as an invading alien. Duane "The Rock" Johnson heads the voice cast.

Based on a story by Roald Dahl (of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" fame), "Fantastic Mr. Fox" (Nov. 25) has an unusual pedigree: It's a stop-motion animated fantasy from Wes Anderson ("Rushmore," "The Royal Tenenbaums") with George Clooney providing the voice of the sly fox who always eludes the farmers bent on his demise. Great supporting voice cast: Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Michael Gambon.

For something different, try Disney's "The Princess and the Frog" (Dec. 11), a retelling of the bedtime classic that here is rendered in good old-fashioned cell animation (you know, the way cartoons looked before "Toy Story"). And here's a Disney first: The heroine, a girl living in '20s New Orleans, is African-American.

On the live action front is "Old Dogs" (Nov. 25), in which business partners John Travolta and Robin Williams are saddled with 6-year-old twins. "Two Men and a Baby"? It's directed by Walt Becker of "Wild Hogs" fame (we'll let you decide if that's a good thing).

And finally, live action and animation blend in "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" (Christmas Day), reuniting the singing critters with human pal Dave (Jason Lee). Will the fans who made the first film into a $217 million smash come back for more?

For Oscar snobs

There's no guarantee that any of these films will get any Academy Award nominations. But they have the sort of stars and subject matter that Oscar responds to.

"Coco Before Chanel" (Friday) finds the adorable Audrey Tautou ("Amelie") portraying fashion giant Coco Chanel in the early 20th century.

"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" (Nov. 20) has wowed audiences at Sundance and beyond. This story of an obese, illiterate young woman (Gabourey Sidibe) carrying her own father's child has oomph both behind the camera (Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry co-produced) and on the screen (Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz). Lee Daniels directs. It might be this year's "Slumdog."

Before she became a stuffy gray lady on coinage, Britain's Queen Victoria was a hottie. Or at least she had a fairly normal sex life. That's the allure of "The Young Victoria" (Christmas Day), which features Emily Blunt as Her Highness, Rupert Friend as her beloved Prince Albert and a strong supporting cast that includes Amanda Richardson, Paul Bettany and Jim Broadbent.

"Nine" (Christmas Day) has Oscar written all over it. This musical adaptation of Federico Fellini's classic "8 1/2 " features Oscar-winner Daniel Day-Lewis reminiscing and singing about the many women in his life: Kate Hudson, plus Oscar winners Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Sophia Loren, Nicole Kidman and Judi Dench. That's plenty to croon about. (Which raises the question: Can he sing?)Oh, yeah. It's directed by Rob Marshall who won an Oscar his first time out with "Chicago."

"Nine" sounds intriguing. But with its obscure (for the "Matrix" generation, anyway) source material, unknown score and grown-up sensibilities, can it possibly match the popular success of "Chicago"?

For art house habitues

You know who you are. While others are flocking to see that latest romantic comedy at the megaplex, you're holed up in a "specialty" theater watching movies with subtitles.

This season you've got some interesting titles to choose from.

"An Education" (Nov. 20) promises to make a star of young Brit actress Carey Mulligan, who plays a schoolgirl initiated into sex by a middle-aged man (Peter Sarsgaard). It's got a good supporting cast -- Olivia Williams, Alfred Molina -- and is directed by Lone Scherfig, who was behind the sublime "Italian for Beginners."

Michael Sheen (Tony Blair in "The Queen," David Frost in "Frost/Nixon") tackles another real-life character in "The Damned United" (Nov. 13). Early reviews suggest he's brilliant as Brian Clough, the controversial manager of a Brit soccer team in the '70s. Apparently you needn't be versed in English football to like this one.

In the documentary "The Horse Boy" (Dec. 4) an American family travels to Mongolia in search of a mysterious shaman who may be able to heal their autistic son. This film delves into the strange world of autism, horses, shamanism, and Mongolia.

Director Cedric Klapisch, who made the enchanting "When the Cat's Away," gives us "Paris" (Nov. 27), a tale of a dancer awaiting a heart transplant who spends his days studying the lives of others from his Paris balcony. Sounds tres French.

In "Crude" (Dec. 4) documentarist Joe Berlinger ("Brother's Keeper," "Paradise Lost") provides an inside look at the $27 million lawsuit by thousands of Ecuadorans against Chevron over the oil company's alleged contamination of the Amazon River.

Pedro Almodovar's "Broken Embraces" (no opening date yet) is about a former movie director (Lluis Homar), now blind, who mourns his dead love (Penelope Cruz) while being cared for by a colleague (Blanco Portillo) and her son.

Finally there's "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" (no opening date yet) featuring the last screen performance of the late Heath Ledger. Terry Gilliam's cinematic fantasies have always been more art house than mainstream, but perhaps a last chance to see Ledger will push this one over the edge.

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