Posted on: Friday, November 16, 2007
The winter season turns to epic films ...
By James Ward
Visalia (Calif.) Times-Delta
The last several weeks of the year often bring Hollywood's finest offerings. That's when studios roll out the films they hope will earn Oscar nominations come late January.
The studios also release lots of family-friendly films to draw Mom, Dad, the kids and the grandparents to movie theaters.
This year is no different. Both family films and prestige projects will fill the multiplexes this holiday season.
Remember, release dates sometimes change.
TODAY
"Beowulf" — Director Robert Zemeckis ("Forrest Gump") tackles the ancient adventure tale.
"Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" — Dustin Hoffman and Natalie Portman star in this family film about a magical New York City toy shop.
"Love in the Time of Cholera" — An adaptation of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's classic novel about love and loss.
WEDNESDAY
"Enchanted" — Fairytale characters come to life in New York City. Amy Adams and Patrick "McDreamy" Dempsey star in this Disney film that's fit for kids and parents.
"No Country for Old Men" — The Coen brothers go back to their gritty crime roots with this thriller starring Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem. Buzz is that the film is even better then the Coens' "Fargo," which is saying a lot.
"The Mist" — Frank Darabont ("The Shawshank Redemption," "The Green Mile") adapts another Stephen King story, this one about bloodthirsty monsters that terrorize a small town.
"Hitman" — Yet another movie based on a video game. This one is about a hired killer.
"August Rush" — Freddie Highmore ("Finding Neverland") plays a musical genius trying to find his parents (Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers) who gave him up for adoption. Robin Williams also stars. This film made its O'ahu debut at the recent Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival.
"Christmas in Wonderland" — Patrick Swayze plays a dad who moves his children from Los Angeles to Edmonton, Alberta.
NOV. 30
"Awake" — Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba and Terrence Howard star in this thriller about a man suffering from "anesthetic awareness" during a heart operation.
"Home For Christmas" — A film biography of painter Thomas Kinkade.
DEC. 7
"Atonement" — This adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel about a man accused of a crime he did not commit is an early favorite for several top Oscars. Keira Knightley, James McAvoy and Brenda Blethyn costar.
"The Golden Compass" — A big-screen adaptation of Philip Pullman's fantasy novel about a girl's epic quest to battle evil. Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig costar.
DEC. 14
"I Am Legend" — Will Smith battles vampires in a post-apocalyptic world. Based on the classic Richard Matheson novel.
"The Perfect Holiday" — Gabrielle Union, Morris Chestnut and Queen Latifah star in this family film about a girl searching for a new husband for her mother.
"Alvin and the Chipmunks" — A live-action/CGI version of the famous singing rodents.
DEC. 21
"National Treasure: Book of Secrets" — Nicolas Cage is back searching for more historic artifacts. This time it's the diary of John Wilkes Booth. Co-stars Oscar-winner Helen Mirren.
"P.S., I Love You" — Hilary Swank stars as a widow whose dead husband influences her through love letters written before his death.
"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" — Tim Burton's adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's musical about a murderous 19th-century London barber and his female accomplice, who turn their victims into meat pies. Stars Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen of "Borat" fame.
"Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" — John C. Reilly stars in this spoof of musical biopics such as "Ray" and "Walk the Line."
DEC. 25
"Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem" — An utterly unnecessary sequel to the sci-fi series about battling aliens.
"Charlie Wilson's War" — A based-on-true-events drama about how the CIA funded the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan after the Soviet Union invaded. Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman star. Mike Nichols ("The Graduate") directs.
"The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep" — A lonely boy discovers the Loch Ness monster.
