Fun Friday: Holiday Time = Movie Time
Anyone who’s a consumer of movies—especially if you actually go watch them at the theater—know that blockbuster films release in the summer (with Memorial Day and July 4 being the two big weekends) but that the second big film-release season begins the weekend before Thanksgiving and runs through the first week of the New Year. There are three types of film that release during the holiday season: family-friendly (holiday themed or not), minor blockbuster (wouldn’t have competed during the summer, but now it’ll be the BFOC—big film on campus), and art/award film (those positioning themselves for Oscars, Golden Globes, etc., and those that would get lost at any other time of year). So, with that in mind, I thought I’d list a few films I really want to see in the next six to eight weeks. (Click on the title to view a trailer.)
- This is one of those films that falls into that third category (art/award film), and I happen to be going to see it tonight. It’s not one that I would have rushed out to see on my own, but it’s a girls’ night out, so I’m going. You can read the summary/review of it here.
- Unless someone decides they want to go see this one Friday evening next week, I’ll be going to an early show of this one on Friday. Y’all know me, I love football, and combining football with a feel-good movie (Sandra Bullock’s horrible southern accent notwithstanding) is a great way to get me to pay the moolah to see a film in the theater. Can’t wait!
- I know, I know, so sue me. But I enjoyed the first movie a lot more than I expected to. I may not go on opening weekend, but I’d like to see this one while it’s in the theater.
- This is the first Disney animated movie I’ve wanted to see in a very, very long time. I love it that they’re exploring new territory not only with a non-traditional fairytale like this but by using a majority African-American cast and setting it in Jazz-Age New Orleans. Of course, this, then, brings up the concern over the fake accents, which I know are going to bug the crap out of me. (I mean, really, it’s a cartoon—even if they’re unknowns, let’s cast people who are FROM New Orleans to voice these characters. People don’t go see these movies because of the actors who voice the characters!) But still, I’m really looking forward to seeing it.
- I think this is one I may wait for on DVD, because I’m not sure about the whole “Susie’s in the ‘In Between'” thing (reminds me a little too much of the movie What Things May Come from several years ago), but the whole murder mystery part of the story looks interesting.
Did You Hear about the Morgans?
- I’m not a huge fan of Hugh Grant or Sarah Jessica Parker, and this movie probably doesn’t break any new ground when it comes to the fish-out-of-water plot. And it’s likely that all the funny bits are in the trailer. But it still looks cute enough to at least make it onto my Netflix queue.
- American Anglophiles have been waiting for this movie to release throughout the U.S. for at least a year now. It’s supposedly going to release in December (limited—which means NY & LA only) but will hopefully then see a wide release a few weeks after that. Just based on the previews, this is one I will preorder as soon as the DVD gets listed on Amazon. I just hope I get to see it in the theater before that happens!
- I already know that Robert Downey Jr. and Rachel McAdams can NOT give a decent British accent, but the rest of the cast is so strong, and, though bordering on fantasy, the story looks great, so this one will probably be a theater-see for me.
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KayeDacus.com 
I enjoyed reading your list and will continue to read these. Thank You.
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I am so excited about seeing An Education tonight! 🙂 I’m also really looking forward to The Princess and the Frog and Sherlock Holmes, and I cannot WAIT to see The Young Victoria!! One other film that I’m looking forward to is Me and Orson Welles (http://www.meandorsonwellesthemovie.com/). I think it goes into wide release on December 11.
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Kaye:
If you haven’t seen Disney/Pixar’s UP, you absolutely have to! Jason and I loved it more than any Disney movie (which is saying a lot considering we worked for the mouse for a while and still do the family vacation thing there for a couple of weeks every year). We laughed and we cried hard.
I am looking forward to THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG, though. The characters and the setting seem a perfect fit for the animation style.
As for THE LOVELY BONES, I don’t know if I can watch it. The book was incredible, but took me forever to read because emotionally I could only handle it in small doses. I tend to be too hyper-sympathetic at times and internalize.
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I didn’t know about a couple of these – though I think I may have seen a scene from Young Victoria on The Graham Norton Show – but I didn’t remember it being Emily Blunt – but it was the lady playing Victoria that was there. Maybe there are two movies that came out at about the same time.
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I’m anxious to hear what you thought of “An Education.” Very intriguing! “The Blind Side” sounds good, too. I know . . . Sandra Bullock probably shouldn’t attempt “Southern,” but what can you do? lol The story sounds great, though.
Thanks for the tips!
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Gotta say it, Kaye: On a disappointment scale of 1 to 10 I’m roughly pulling a 37 regarding your desire to see New Moon in theaters and catch The Lovely Bones on DVD. I can cope with the fact that you have a lingering interest it considering even I’m curious because of the new director (the guy that did the brilliant Hard Candy and the REAL vampire movie 30 Days of Night), but based on the fact that the first movie is one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen in my life, I’m almost offended that it would win out against Peter Jackson’s latest. Especially when Peter Jackson’s latest is supposed to be based on a legitimately good book rather than a book teenagers convince themselves is good. My girlfriend has literally forbid me from seeing New Moon with her in theaters just because of how much I hated the first one.
Plus, it’s Peter Jackson. Were you one of the people that hated the Lord of the Rings movies? I thought you were a fan, but maybe I’m just confusing your love of Karl Urban in general with an overall love of the series. Peter Jackson knows how to direct a movie, so I can’t wait to see The Lovely Bones.
Good call on Princess and the Frog. That movie is going to make or break Disney animation for me. Considering every trailer draws direct comparisons to The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Aladdin, it has a lot to live up to. Fortunately the directors of Aladdin and Little Mermaid are back and Randy Newman has promise in the soundtrack department. I’m really rooting for a return to greatness.
I’m also planning to see The Blind Side and Sherlock Holmes when they come out, and after watching that trailer for An Education, I have to admit it looks rather excellent.
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An Education was a good movie—a little bit too much of “we need to pull out a ‘happy’ ending” in the last fifteen or twenty minutes, but otherwise great—good humor, good (understated) acting, and a good level of emotional investment without becoming sappy or melodramatic. Alfred Molina was especially good. As we walked out of the theater, I remarked to my friends that Peter Sarsgaard is the near-sighted girl’s Ewan McGregor. This is a role I could have seen EMc in, yet Sarsgaard probably did a better job with keeping it very low-key and subtle. If it’s playing anywhere near you, I recommend it.
My not being sure I want to see The Lovely Bones in the theater has nothing to do with who directed it. It has everything to do with the story. I read about six pages of the book and put it down. (But yes, I know the premise of the story.) I’m just not interested in going to see films that set out to put viewers through an emotional ringer. I want to be entertained, not pushed to express emotions in public that I prefer to keep private (i.e., tears). And yes, I’m a fan of the LOTR films. But I’ll say it again: for me I’m more interested in the story presented in a film than in who directed it.
While I admit that the first Twilight movie was on the cheesy side, I now have this morbid fascination with the whole teen-vampire-romance genre. (I’m really enjoying the TV show The Vampire Diaries.) I’ve been drawing some very interesting parallels and contrasts between the ones I’ve seen, and, I fear, I’ve somewhat fallen prey to the hype surrounding this series. I’m not necessarily expecting it to be “good,” but I am expecting to be entertained. I don’t watch slasher films or most comedies, so this is my pointless-movie replacement for those.
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I’m looking forward to seeing Young Victoria.
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I’ve already had my tickets for New Moon’s opening night for WEEKS. I’m hosting a premier party at my house before we got to the theater to get in line. I almost never see movies in the theater. Like, maybe 3 times a year. We have a projector and a screen at home, and Netflix, so we much prefer to watch movies here. I only go to the theater if it’s a big deal, an event – like a Harry Potter movie or something where I know other fans will be lining up on opening night, in costume, having fun together. (Confession: I was Tonks for Half Blood Prince opening night, and I’ll be dressed as Alice for New Moon.) I did go see the new Star Trek at the IMAX, and I’m glad I did – that was totally worth it!
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I want to see Young Victoria so bad!!! But I’m going to have to keep waiting for a US DVD release. The chances of it being in a theater anywhere within 10 hours of me are slim-to-none.
I’m excited about The Princess and the Frog too, though I share your annoyance with the terrible accents. I’m ready to lynch that firefly already. But the villain… I’m impressed! I’ve seen and heard part of his song and he is truly a fitting companion for Ursula, Jafar, Maleficent and Cruella deVille. I just love a good Disney villain!
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