Year-end Flicks Coming to Town

Craig D. Lindsey - The News and Observer

Well, we have one more month left in the year, and it's time for the movie studios to hit us with all the holiday stuff they have.

That means moviegoers will be getting movies geared for the whole fam, or at least those family members who still bother to go to the multiplex together. Also, we'll be getting that heavy slate of films looking for award -- and when I say award, I mainly mean Oscar -- consideration. Unfortunately, you won't get to see most of those films until January. (See sidebar.)

Nevertheless, here's a quick rundown of the last films due to be released in 2007. Happy holidays -- and, if you have any self-respect, don't go see "Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem." You're so much better than that.

Dec. 7

"The Golden Compass" Nicole Kidman! Daniel Craig! Eva Green! The stars really came out for this already controversial adaptation (the Catholic League has called for a boycott and everything!) of Philip Pullman's first "His Dark Materials" novel. Could this be the start of another holiday movie franchise, a la "Rings" or "Narnia"? Of course -- as long as the first one makes enough cash.

"Sleuth" Since he did "Alfie" with mixed results, Jude Law takes another shot at remaking a Michael Caine movie, this time, with Michael Caine along for the ride. They both star in this do-over of the 1972 movie Caine did with Sir Laurence Olivier, with Law as the young playa who matches wits with Caine's crafty writer over Caine's wife.

Dec. 12

"The Perfect Holiday" Good-looking black actors Gabrielle Union and Morris Chestnut team up for the 400th time in this "Bad Santa"/"Are We There Yet?" mash-up, with Chestnut as a department store Santa looking to hook up with Union's single mom. Unfortunately, her children keep blocking a brotha.

Dec. 14

"Alvin and the Chipmunks" 20th Century Fox brought Garfield to computer-animated life, so why not do the same for those singing chipmunks. Jason Lee ("My Name is Earl") unfortunately gets roped into this 21st-century revamping.

"I Am Legend" It's the end of the world as we know it, and Will Smith does not feel fine. He spends his days in New York City as the last man standing after a virus wipes out most of the world in this postapocalyptic sci-fi thriller. (Is there any other kind?)

Dec. 21

"The Kite Runner" Marc Forster ("Finding Neverland") directs this adaptation of Khaled Hosseini's novel, about a California-based Afghan man who returns home to help the son of a childhood friend, bringing back some painful memories along with him.

"Margot at the Wedding" Nicole Kidman is a hopelessly, helplessly neurotic writer, coming back home to see her sister (Jennifer Jason Leigh) get married to a schlubby ne'er-do-well (Jack Black), in this latest bit of black-comic family dysfunction from writer-director Noah Baumbach ("The Squid and the Whale").

"National Treasure: Book of Secrets" Nicolas Cage returns to go on another history-filled adventure full of -- oh, who cares about all that junk? All that matters is that hot, Oscar-winning sexagenarian Dame Helen Mirren is in it!

"P.S. I Love You" It's pull-out-your-hankies time, as Hilary Swank plays a grieving widow who gets told by her deceased husband ("300" warrior Gerard Butler), through a series of letters, to live her life to the fullest.

"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" Johnny Depp sings! And who doesn't wanna see that?! Capt. Jack Scissorhands reteams with director/ol' buddy Tim Burton to bring the blood-soaked musical to the big screen.

"Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" Producer/comedy savior Judd Apatow ("Knocked Up," "Superbad") and director Jake Kasdan ("Orange County") lay the smackdown on musical biopics with the hopefully hilarious spoof, with Oscar nominee John C. Reilly as a hard-living musical icon who looks back on his hard-living musical life.

Dec. 25

"Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem" To quote former "SNL" fake newsman Norm MacDonald, Merry Christmas, Jesus -- hope you like crap!

"Charlie Wilson's War" Tom Hanks is a Texas congressman who teams up with the CIA (represented by a bushy-mustached Philip Seymour Hoffman) in arming Afghanistan during the Cold War. Julia Roberts is his smart, smokin' wife. Mike Nichols is the director. Aaron Sorkin wrote the script. Why didn't they just call this "The Movie That's Gonna Win All the Freakin' Oscars!"

"The Great Debaters" We've all gotten so caught up with "American Gangster" that we forgot Denzel Washington has another movie coming out. In his second based-on-a-true-story directorial effort (produced by Oprah!), he's a Texas professor who turns a ragtag group of kids into a first-rate debate team.

"Juno" This low-budget film rocked the Toronto Film Festival, and now, everyone's calling it the new "Little Miss Sunshine." So, will a persistently quirky film about a smart-aleck teenager (Ellen Page) who gets knocked up and decides to give her baby to a yuppie couple (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner) make it to Oscar night? We'll just have to wait and see.

"The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep" Ever thought of the Loch Ness Monster as a cute, cuddly, misunderstood creature? Well, this movie's just for you. This special-effects-heavy, kid-friendly flick is certain to do for Nessy what "Harry and the Hendersons" did for Bigfoot.

More movie news

Copyright 2012 by The News and Observer