'Tis the season for movie watching

Another year of Hollywood and independent Oscar predictions with reviews of Holiday films

Holiday season is underway and this scribe understands that you can only see so many films. Let's face it: sometimes you want your Oscar film, and sometimes you just want a fun popcorn film. So, here, in alphabetical order, are some reviews and some previews of all the season's movies, complete with predictions on which films will be the big blockbusters and which will likely have a presence during the upcoming award season.


Big Fish (3.5 out of 4)
Dir. Tim Burton

Tim Burton's wonderfully imaginative and engrossing tale about a young man (Billy Crudup) who must discover whether his dying father's (Albert Finney) tall tales are true are not, is Oscar worthy in every way. Finney, Jessica Lange who plays his wife, and Ewan McGregor who plays the father as a young man, are all terrific.

Calendar Girls
Dir. Nigel Cole

Based on a true story, this mix of comedy and heart-tugging emotion centres on Annie (Julie Walters) and Chris (Helen Mirren), of bucolic Yorkshire, who belong to the Women's Institute (WI). In an effort to raise money for the local hospital, the ladies decide to pose nude for a calendar while performing traditional activities like baking and gardening. Good chances that Mirren will garner a nomination.

Cheaper by the Dozen (2.5 out of 4)
Dir. Shawn Levy

A lame remake of the classic Hollywood comedy about a father (Steve Martin) who gets in way over his head with 12 kids with wifeBonnie Hunt. not particularly funny, but some parents will get a kick out of it.But certainly not Oscar calibre.

Cold Mountain
Dir. Anthony Minghella

Oscar-winning Anthony Minghella (The English Patient) is hoping to repeat his success with this Civil War drama based on the best-selling novel about a soldier's (Jude Law) arduous journey back home to North Carolina, and the equally arduous struggle of his wife (Nicole Kidman) back home. The film also stars Renee Zellweger and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Gothika (2 out of 4)
Mathieu Kassovtiz

A pretentious and horribly written thriller about a brilliant and respected criminal psychologist, Dr. Miranda Grey (Halle Berry) who wakes up one day in the psychiatric ward accused of killing her husband (Charles S. Dutton). There was early talk of Oscars for Berry and co-stars Robert Downey Jr. and Penelope Cruz, but very doubtful.

The Haunted Mansion (2.5 out of 4)
Dir. Rob Minkoff


Another movie based on a Disneyland attraction (The Pirates of the Caribbean) features Eddie Murphy as a pater familias who drags his family to a haunted house in order to close a real-estate deal. While some of the effects are pretty cool, the story overall is lame and tedious. My three-year-old daughter wasn't scared one bit. No Oscars here.


Honey
Dir. Bille Woodruff

A romantic drama that stars Jessica Alba as a music video choreographer who shakes up her life after her mentor propositions her. Mekhi Phifer and a not-so-little-anymore Lil' Romeo co-star. No prizes here.

House of Sand and Fog (3 out of 4)
Dir. Vadim Perelman

Ben Kingsley will most likely get nominated in this heart-wrenching tale about an immigrant Iranian family who is harassed by a troubled woman (Jennifer Connelly) who believes their house belongs to her. Very powerful and very troubling.

In America (3.5 out of 4)
Dir. Jim Sheridan

Writer-director Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot) tells the autobiographical story of an Irish immigrant and his family, overcoming obstacles and tragedy when they move into a fleabag New York apartment. Paddy Considine and Samantha Morton co-star as the parents of two young girls who are still grieving from the death of their young son. Wonderfully engrossing and also humourous, there's a good chance the film will get nominated as best picture, and perhaps earn Sheridan and the stars some nods as well. You never know.

The Last Samurai
Dir. Edward Zwick

This is one of the season's big-buzz films, starring Tom Cruise as a successful Civil War officer recruited to teach modern western battle methods to Japanese samurai. Directed by Edward Zwick, this opulent epic hopes to attract Oscar to Cruise who hasn't had a worthy role for nearly a decade.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (4 out of 4)
Dir. Peter Jackson

It's finally here, the last chapter of Peter Jackson's superb three-part adaptation. Considering that contenders for Oscar this season are pretty scarce, there's a good chance that this last installment will finally get the prize that the previous two films weren't able to earn, despite the many nominations. Exceptional.

Love Don't Cost a Thing
Dir. Troy Beyer

A remake of 1987's Can't Buy Me Love, this low-brow romantic comedy stars high-school loser Nick Cannon who pays a popular cheerleader (Christina Milian) to date him so he'll appear to be cool. Same ole, same ole.

The Missing (3 out of 4)
Dir. Ron Howard

An uneasy and not particularly pleasant Western drama, Ron Howard's The Missing is a raw and scathing document of harsh prairie life in the late 1880s. Despite exceptional technical values, and some decidedly horrific situations, this earnest retelling of Thomas Eidson's novel (The Last Ride) is too long and weighty. Oscars will most likely mention Howard and stars Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones.

Mona Lisa Smile
Dir. Mike Newell

A prep-school heart-tugger in the Goodbye Mr. Chips/Dead Poets Society tradition, this tearjerker stars Julia Roberts as a teacher at a girl's school in the '50s, determined to inspire her pupils to more than a good marriage. The film also stars Julia Stiles and Maggie Gyllenhaal as her students. The producers may want Roberts to earn at least a nomination, but early world of mouth makes this highly doubtful.


Paycheck
Dir. John Woo

A futuristic fable about a man (Ben Affleck) who has had part of his memory erased. He struggles to rediscover the last two years of his life. Adapted from a novel by Philip K. Dick (of Blade Runner fame) and directed by John Woo. Action fun for the holidays but don't expect the Academy to come knocking.

Peter Pan
Dir. P.J. Hogan

Rumours make this the most exquisite rendition of James M. Barrie classic tale about the boy (Jeremy Sumpter) who refuses to grow up, and the evil Hook (Jason Isaacs) who wants to catch him. Good chances for technology Oscars being spread among the crew.

Something's Gotta Give
Dir. Nancy Meyer

A romantic comedy starring Jack Nicholson as an older guy who's dating a younger woman (Amanda Peet). However, after he suffers a heart attack at the girl's mother's house, he finds himself falling for the mom (Diane Keaton). Doubtful Nicholson will repeat the Oscar experience of About Schmidt and As Good As It Gets this time around.

The Statement (2.5 out of 4)
Dir. Norman Jewison

Michael Caine may be in the running for Oscar in this very disjointed tale based on Brian Moore's novel. Directed by Norman Jewison the film follows a Nazi war criminal on the run in France from those who want to bring him to justice.

Stuck on You
Dir. Farrelly Brothers

The latest movie from brothers Bobby and Peter Farrelly features Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear as conjoined twins. Their lives turn crazy when one of them gets a job on Cher's TV show. (Cher plays herself.) Expected are plenty of laughs, but so far the Farrelly have eluded Oscar and chances are this pic will prove too quirky for the studios.

Timeline
Dir. Richard Donner

Paul Walker and Frances O'Connor co-star in the latest sci-fi thriller to be adapted from the works of Michael Crichton (Jurassic Park). When one of their professors is mistakenly transported back to the middle-ages, the students decide to get him back. Oscar won't come knocking here.

Publication Date: 2003-12-07
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