The holiday season is a prime time for movies. There are only a few things to do during frosty, December nights: warm up in front of the fireplace with some hot cocoa, sing Christmas carols (or the Adam Sandler "Chanukah Song," 1994) at your grand piano and go to the movies. You could also expose yourself and run around the Res Quad for all to see, but that's for one night only. Naturally, we opt to head to theaters, and whether we're looking for a family comedy, a holiday heart-warmer or an action-packed picture, we love watching films during winter break. Fortunately for film fanatics like us, this year appears to have some fantastic flicks in store, so quit decorating that tree, put down that dreidel and head over to the cinema!
James Cameron's upcoming "Avatar" tops our list of movies to see. This 161-minute epic entices us not because of its appeal or plot, but because of its $500 million budget and three-year production process. So, mark your Advent calendar or your — well, there's no Jewish equivalent — because "Avatar" promises to be either the flop of the century or another Cameron classic.
Staying on track with the action genre, "Sherlock Holmes" comes out Christmas Day and promises to excite audiences across the country with fight scenes, thrills and sultry British accents. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary title character has received a butt-kicking makeover with former drug addict Robert Downey Jr. starring as Holmes and nanny-lover Jude Law portraying his trusty sidekick, Watson. We've been disappointed by some of Guy Ritchie's recent films, but the ever-entertaining RDJ should be enough to win us over. Are we looking forward to this British murder mystery? The answer is elementary, my dear Watson.
"Youth in Revolt," coming out in January, features Michael Cera as (surprise!) the awkwardly lovesick teenager. What makes "Revolt" stand out is Cera's hilarious alter ego, Francois, a bad boy with a pedophile-style moustache. Jessie Eisenberg has usurped Cera as Hollywood's go-to alternative teen, so here's a chance for "Arrested Development" (2003) nerd George Michael to make a comeback.
In 2007, Jason Reitman directed "Juno," the little indie that could, and he is now collecting awards for his new dramedy "Up in the Air." Starring George Clooney as a man whose job consists of firing people, this film looks to be a spiritual follow-up of sorts to Reitman's breakout in "Thank You for Smoking" (2006).
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" has intrigued us since before the death of its lead actor, Heath Ledger. Director Terry Gilliam's films are known for fascinating (and frustrating) audiences. Upon Ledger's death, Gilliam turned the lead character, Tony, into a shape-shifter of sorts, hiring Jude Law, Johnny Depp and Colin Farrell to finish the job and give tribute to Ledger's original work. Will this change be jarring, or will it enhance the story? We'll have to see it to find out.
Finally, we have "Nine." Star Daniel Day-Lewis has the unique ability to dissolve into roles and has provided us with films like "My Left Foot" (1989) and "There Will Be Blood" (2007). So it should come as no surprise that his portrayal of a womanizing director, Guido Contini, is one of the main reasons to see "Nine." Oh, and a lingerie-clad Penelope Cruz is a nice little bonus too. With amazing cinematography and choreography, this colorful musical promises to make us wish we were Italian.
Let's face it: The next week is going to suck. With stress-inducing final exams and public displays of nudity taking the spotlight, we're going to need these movies to relax over break.
--
Zach Drucker and Chris Poldoian are sophomores who have not yet declared majors. They can be reached at Zachary.Drucker@tufts.edu and Christopher.Poldoian@tufts.edu, respectively.
