Holiday Movie Mini-guide

As many of us enter the end of the year downtime for Christmas vacation, you may take part in one of my favorite past times - going to the movies. I've got two for the kids and two for grown ups to consider if you haven't seen them already.

First up is a movie that has been out for a while, but it is a good family movie if you haven't already see it. It amazes me that it has taken this long for Jerry Seinfeld to lend his voice to animated movies, but Bee Movie is flat out a hit. His over-exaggerated delivery is perfect for animation. This movie is a treat because many of the jokes are there for the adults, but there's enough silliness for the kids too. Everybody wins.

My other suggestion for a family flick is Alvin and the Chipmunks. While there is some modernization that I could have done without, this is an instant classic. I actually had a Chipmunk's Christmas on a 33 LP - for the kids, that's a record. Jason Lee would not have been my first choice for Dave. I had a hard time getting past the thought of, "This is the guy who plays Earl on that bad TV show." While it may be equally weird to have a star from Law and Order SVU, I would like to have seen Christopher Meloni take a crack at the role of Dave. He would be able to deliver the "ALVIN!" line in a much more convincing manner. The movie is really well done. For adults it will be a trip down memory lane while kids will enjoy it too.

For a grown up outing let's start with another movie that's been out for a little while - Beowulf. It is visually amazing, and it is an epic story for those who like adventure/action movies. I do recall sitting in the movie and thinking a couple of times, "I don't remember the story going like this." It has been over 10 years since I have read it so I tried to cheat and do some internet research. It seems that this movie version deviates a good bit from the original story, but I'm not really a purist when it comes to movie watching. Peter Jackson took a lot of liberties with his Lord of the Rings trilogy, but that did not make them any less good as movies. In some cases, it probably helped as it is truly rare for a book to translate verbatim to the screen. Whether you've read Beowulf or not, you can still enjoy a very well done show.

Finally I have something for those who like a little more suspense in their movies. The latest offering from the Coen Brothers is No Country for Old Men. Don't expect The Big Lebowski or The Ladykillers. There's not much humor, but there is also a noticeable lack of foul language which has become typical of Joel and Ethan's movies. There is a fair amount of cold blooded killing, but not on the level of Pulp Fiction. Tommy Lee Jones is good in his role Sheriff Ed Tom Bell although his is not one of the primary characters. I won't give it away, but the ending will not be what you expect - whatever that may be. I enjoyed the movie while I wished for a different ending. Christy didn't like it as much.

A bonus recommendation based on the previews alone is Charlie Wilson's War. It looks like a good mix of comedy and a compelling story. It is not a comedy, but there are some good one liners.

So there you have it. I'd love to hear what you think if you've seen any of these movies or any recommendations of your own.

Until next time...
PH