ROTTEN TOMATOES: Holiday Movie Preview 2009

Holiday Movie Preview 2009

November 09, 2009

Ah, the holiday season. A time for family, peace, goodwill, and some of the best that Hollywood has to offer. From the hotly-anticipated (Avatar, The Twilight Saga: New Moon) to the family-friendly (The Princess and the Frog); from Oscar contenders (Invictus) to wild spectacles (2012), the holiday movie season has something for everyone. We at RT have prepared a handy guide of what will be invading the multiplex as the leaves turn, so read on for scoop on the season's slate, which includes new flicks from directors like James Cameron Peter Jackson, Clint Eastwood, and Wes Anderson, and stars like Robert Downey Jr., George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Robert DeNiro, and Penelope Cruz.

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(1-20 of 43 posts) | Reply

ARTaylor writes:
on Nov 10 2009 11:47 PM

Let's see... Obligatory opinions on movies I haven't seen yet:

2012 - I'm going to see it mostly for a good laugh. This one seems like Emmerich has finally gone over the top. The Day After Tomorrow got silly (running from the ice, anyone?). This looks 1000x times goofier (the car driving from the earthquake makes the ice running actually seem plausible). While I love Independence Day and Godzilla and enjoyed The Day after Tomorrow, this one looks like he finally went off the deep end. There is such as thing as too much and I can think of no better movie to prove it.

Planet 51 - It has an interesting premise (alien encounter seen from the other side), but I worry about it's execution. The only thing the trailers have offered is the one role-reversal joke and Dwayne Johnson being overly cocky. I hope there's more to the movie than that or else it'll quickly die off. By the way, it's nice that Johnson finally got serious and started using his real name in films, but I really wish he would stop doing the kiddy crap and do something serious, seriously.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon - Oddly enough every single girl I have heard from hates (not dislikes or is indifferent to) this series with a passion. So I have absolutely no idea who's watching or reading this crap.

Old Dogs - I loved Wild Hogs, but this does not seem funny at all. It doesn't seem to offer anything resembling originality. The whole premise of stuffy business people having to take car of kids has been done to death, including the aforementioned Dwayne Johnson. The jokes they show are stupid. And why is it the funniest thing they can show is a gorilla holding Seth Green? Is that the best they got? Cause it wasn't funny the first time I saw the preview. It's not funny after seeing it every commercial break. And I highly doubt it'll be funny in theaters.

Armored - Seems like everything that could be in the movie is in the trailers. There doesn't seem to be anything left for the movie to surprise us with except how it ends. Is there more to the story then guy with money problems agrees to steal and then turns back? It seems like it has a good cast with interesting characters, but I don't like to know the whole movie before I go in to see it.

The Princess and the Frog - Being a fan of classic Disney animation I'm really hoping this will be good. It has all the makings of being a decent movie. But ever since Pixar began releasing movies Disney just can't seem to come out with anything good, save for the occasional The Emperor's New Groove.

Avatar - I can't friggin' wait for this movie. I'll be there opening night. Beyond the fact that it looks so amazingly fantastic in every aspect, it seems like an incredibly interesting story. And this is James Cameron, he's like the Pixar of directors. Though my only concern is that a lot of the marketing is focused on this idea of it being an entirely new movie experience. But I got to ask how exactly? Motion capture? Done. Completely CGI environments? Done. 3D? Done. Fully integrated video game tie-in? Done. Completely new sci-fi universe? Done. Aliens good and humans bad? Done. While I'm sure it will be the hit of the season, I worry that it's promising just a little more than it can deliver.

Nine - Oh who won't complain about them remaking such a classic film. If I hadn't fallen asleep during that day in class I might be swayed either way on the subject. But since I found the original so boring I couldn't keep my eyes open, I could care less what the remake does. I'm sure fans and critics of the original will have a great time debating the merits of the new one.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel - First of all, such obvious puns in the title are not funny. Second, I love how the description drips with sarcasm. "Hotly-anticipated follow-up," "much-beloved blockbuster," and "Academy attention is assured." If I recall the first wasn't that great and didn't do that well. But hey, if you make it they will come. I just want to know if there's anything more to the story than the Chipmunks meeting the Chipettes.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - I hope people don't get all overexcited just because this is Heath Ledger's final movie. The Dark Knight was a great movie in it's own right. But this movie could still go either way. Just because Ledger is a good actor and this is his last movie doesn't mean it has an automatic A . After all, Bernie Mac's final film is Old Dogs and that looks terrible.

Sherlock Holmes - Looks really good. It looks like it has great humor, good story, fun action. I'm not a fan of Holmes, most of my experience is through Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation. But who knows, that could help either way. Either I'll be disappointed since I don't know the Holmes character as the movie relies too much on previous knowledge, or I'll love it since I'm not bogged down by fanboy love for the source material. But with Robert Downey Jr. there's sure to be some fun.

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willy j. writes:
on Nov 11 2009 12:38 AM

thank for ur comments i agree and waiting for these

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jake b. writes:
on Nov 11 2009 12:44 AM

I heard some inside information about Sherlock Holmes,
but maybe I should not reveal it here. LOL

Nice review, thanks.

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ledawg1138 writes:
on Nov 11 2009 12:44 AM

The Princess and the Frog - The fact that Disney is going back to what made them famous is enough is enough to put ledawg's a$s in the theater seat. Ebn if it isn't very good, it'll have a great visual look. And traditional animation shall always reign supreme. Disney has a lot to make up for (Home on the Range/ Meet the Robinsons/ Chicken Little/ Treasure Planet/ Every Pop Star they own...I could go on for a while.) Let this be the first step for a brighter future.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - I'd see this for one reason...Terry Gilliam directs it. That shall make it worth while. And no, I won't be seeing "Avatar", despite James Cameron. One reason I won't see it because it has fanboys already. And it looks...meh. Nuff about that, Gilliams film I'll rush to.

Sherlock Holmes - I'll see this one, but I have serious doubts. But there's enough good stuff for me to see it. Plus, I'm a huge fan of the book series. So, I kind of have to see it.

That's it for ledawg. And that's enough to please him.

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susan o. writes:
on Nov 11 2009 01:36 AM

well, i agree completely with ledawg glad they are getting bact to their roots

weeeeeeeeeeeeeee

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BatsInTheBelfry writes:
on Nov 11 2009 02:13 AM

Oddly enough, the movie I'm most excited for is The Road. Great book if you haven't read it, not that that means the movie will be good, but I have my hopes.

Sherlock Holmes I'm unsure of. It seems like another "updating" of a classic series, but by "updating" they mean "make more things go boom". I didn't care much for the new Star Trek, and I'm afraid this movie is going to be very similar. Now, that's good news for SH, because that means it will make a large amount of money, but I'm on the fence.

Avatar I'll see, but I'm neither really excited nor really against it. I seem to be one of the very few people not swayed one way or the other yet.

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baby d. writes:
on Nov 11 2009 02:31 AM

Only One word to characterize such a great watch %u201CWOW%u201D that was a very interesting watching.again
http://www.prlog.org/10409108-muscle-might-review-does-muscle-might-free-trial-work.html

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Barnaby T. writes:
on Nov 11 2009 02:36 AM

I love the sarcasm on the Alvin and the Chipmunks page.

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De4ective Detectiv3 writes:
on Nov 11 2009 04:24 AM

Not the most exciting holiday movie lineup, but I'll take it. I geuss nobody wanted to compete w/ Avatar. Ninja Assassin, Up in the Air, The Road; those are the only movies I plan to see in theatres. Armored looks interesting, like a non-conventional take on a heist movie - hell, it can't be any worse than the Pelham remake. Plus, Skeet Ulrich needs work. Imaginarium just looks like a train wreck, like Gilliam turned the over indulgence to 11. I think I'll be able to wait for Sherlock Holmes on DVD, haven't been to impressed w/ Guy Ritchies movies lately.

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bondfreak writes:
on Nov 11 2009 05:45 AM

looks like its going to be an entertaining holiday season :) Cannot wait to see if Avatar can live up to the hype

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blattman writes:
on Nov 11 2009 07:05 AM

I was quick to dismiss the twilight saga, till I gave it a fair shot and read it. They are fun books designed for adults, but sold toward a tween audience. I work with a lot of younger women and they have all read it and loved it. Full moon should be a fun trip (other then the serious depression that starts the journey).
Sherlock Holmes seems to take a few liberties with the books, but who cares. It brings the worlds greatest detective to a whole new generation. Holmes is a great character and Watson is not the bumbling fool he was in the original movies.
I am looking forward to Princess and the Frog, but really upset that Randy Newman is still doing their music. His "memorable" music pales in comparison to when Menkin/Ashman ruled. They might want to consider someone like Walter Murphy (family guy) or Danny Jacobs (phineas and ferb). Newmans work is kind of stale.

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Tony S. writes:
on Nov 11 2009 07:10 AM

I like the comments. One small note: "Nine" is not a remake. It is based on the Broadway musical Nine which in turn was based on the movie 8 1/2 (which was not a musical). Although I can't say the new movie won't be boring, if it is it will be in a completely different way than 8 1/2 was.

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Kami no Shi writes:
on Nov 11 2009 07:40 AM

Avatar will be great, Doctor parnassus looks really out there in a fun way.

Sherlock Holmes looks interesting.and so many others 2009 is going to close on great note .

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August M. writes:
on Nov 11 2009 07:42 AM

Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Princess and the Frog, and Avatar are the only movies I'm looking forward to.

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Escapefromalcatraz writes:
on Nov 11 2009 08:02 AM

Gordon Franklin Terry Sr rant in all caps in exactly 3.2.1...

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MiguelAntilsu writes:
on Nov 11 2009 08:20 AM

The Lovely Bones and Avatar are prime contenders for Oscars. New Moon and Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 are prime contenders for Razzies.

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Shatter24 writes:
on Nov 11 2009 08:43 AM

My thoughts on the top 12 blockbusters of the holiday season and whether they'll be a smash or crash at www.thereelguy.com, under ReelXtra. My choices and Rotten Tomatoes are surprisingly similiar. I think Lovely Bones will be a stand-out picture this December, whereas Avatar might be a good picture but audiences are likely to stay away. I just don't see the broad appeal here that a $250 million film needs to make money.

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Salty Gritts writes:
on Nov 11 2009 11:24 AM

Most of the big release movies look crappy so I'll probably be sticking with the smaller releases this winter. Sherlock Holmes, Avatar, and 2012 all look so-so to total crapfest. The Lovely Bones and Fantastic Mr. Fox both look like winners. Ninja Assassin has a shot a being a guilty pleasure.

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Cormacolinde writes:
on Nov 11 2009 01:16 PM

Avatar & Sherlock Holmes look interesting. But I'm a big Gilliam fan and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is sure to be either crazy and good, or crazy and great, and I really want to see it.

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tomwaitsjr writes:
on Nov 11 2009 01:43 PM

UP IN THE AIR looks like the best film of the year. . .

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