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If the holiday season is Hollywood’s main course for audiences, this year it’s stuffed with serious dramas, garnished with comedies, and served with actioners, biopics and family flicks on the side. And, for dessert: the first helping of a three-part honey-cake fantasy epic.
So don’t doze off after Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, every week there’s another must-see event opening. Here’s a quick sleigh ride through the next six weeks of moviegoing.
‘Life of Pi ’ (Nov. 21)
Adapted from the best-selling novel by Yann Martel, this spiritual parable tells of Pi (played by Suraj Sharma as a teen and Irrfan Khan as an adult), who survives a shipwreck and endures months alone on a boat with a tiger as his only companion. Rafe Spall co-stars as a journalist listening to the incredible tale.
The Bottom Line: Director Ang Lee (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Brokeback Mountain”) brings his signature blend of spirituality and strong-mindedness to this tale of faith and adversity. Visually, it’s one of the most gorgeous movies this year.
Red Dawn’ (Nov. 21)
No one wants their movie to idle unseen for years, as happened to this remake of 1984’s Cold War thriller. First MGM faced bankruptcy, and then postproduction alterations were required to change key plot points. But at least leads Chris Hemsworth (“The Avengers”) and Josh Hutcherson (“The Hunger Games”) are now stars. They join Adrianne Palicki and Connor Cruise (Tom’s kid) as teens fighting against military invasion.
The Bottom Line: Can the film itself possibly be more interesting than its troubled history?
‘Rise of the Guardians’ (Nov. 21)
When the Boogeyman decides it’s time to destroy children’s sweet dreams once and for all, it’s up to Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and punk kid Jack Frost to save the day.
The Bottom Line: Jude Law, Hugh Jackman and Alec Baldwin are three of the voices here. It remains to be seen if a kick-ass Santa is what kids want to see coming down the chimney this year.
‘Hitchcock’ (Nov.23)
Suspense has been building since Sacha Gervasi (“Anvil: The Story of Anvil”) announced this period biopic about the making of “Psycho.” Sounds like he got the right man in Anthony Hopkins, whose Hitch is supported by Helen Mirren (as the director’s wife) and Scarlett Johansson (as Janet Leigh).
The Bottom Line: True-life tales are notoriously difficult to pull off, but rapturous reviews out of London suggest audiences are already spellbound.
Killing Them Softly’ (Nov. 30)
Brad Pitt and James Gandolfini star in this satirical crime thriller about thugs. Their target: a two-bit criminal who stole from a mobster’s poker game. The director is Andrew Dominik (“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”).
The Bottom Line: Pitt — a character actor wearing a marquee actor’s facial hair — usually gives his films serious thought. This wry genre-twister likely has its trigger finger on some kind of pulse.
‘Hyde Park on Hudson’ (Dec.7)
Roger Michell’s lighthearted biography explores the rumors that FDR (Bill Murray) romanced his cousin, Margaret Suckley (Laura Linney), even as First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt (Olivia Williams) was hosting the King of England at their country estate.
The Bottom Line: This historical jaunt is all about Murray, who has a fine time playing President.
Lay the Favorite’ (Dec. 7)
A Vegas stripper-turned-waitress (Rebecca Hall) with a skill at predicting winners falls in with a shifty gambler (Bruce Willis) and his wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones). The chips fall in bad places when the waitress takes up with the gambler’s snake-eyed protégé (Vince Vaughn). Directed by Stephen Frears (“Dangerous Liaisons,” “High Fidelity”).
The Bottom Line: Willis, Vaughn and Zeta-Jones are all safe bets. The wild card is Hall, a sexy almost-star overdue to come in first at the finish line.
‘Playing for Keeps’ (Dec. 7)
Gerard Butler stars in this traditional-sounding romance about a divorced athlete who reconnects with his son by coaching soccer. Hot moms Catherine Zeta-Jones and Uma Thurman are ready to score, though he clearly still has feelings for his ex (Jessica Biel). Dennis Quaid co-stars.
The Bottom Line: Despite steady work, the ever-gruff Butler hasn’t yet proven himself a viable romantic lead. At least he has a strong team playing backup.
‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ (Dec. 14)
Nervous Middle Earther Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) becomes a reluctant adventurer on a journey with a team of dwarfs to retrieve a treasure from a dragon. This prequel to J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” features cameos from many of the “LOTR” cast; two more “Hobbits” are due in the coming years.
The Bottom Line: Co-writer-director Peter Jackson is not about to let his cash cow be slaughtered. In other words, even if everyone spoke Elvish, he knows his audience.
‘Stand Up Guys’ (Dec. 14)
Actor Fisher Stevens has been expanding his interests for years, most successfully as a producer (the documentary “The Cove”). Here he directs Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin as ex-cons who reignite their partnership late in life, despite the secrets that could ruin them.
The Bottom Line: All three Oscar winners are mercurial enough to keep us guessing. Will they challenge themselves and remind us why they’re among the greats?
The Guilt Trip’ (Dec. 19)
Seth Rogen is an inventor who goes on a cross-country road trip with his annoying mother (Barbra Streisand) when he has to sell his latest invention. Kvetching and comedy ensue.
The Bottom Line: People who need to take their in-laws to see this may be the unluckiest people in the world. But it’s easy enough to see Rogen and Babs as blood relations.
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