Holiday movie preview

They're not holiday movies, just movies coming out during the holidays. Here are four upcoming releases I'm actually looking forward to:



Cadillac Records - December 5
The Plot: A chronicle of the rise and fall of Chess Records, the Chicago-based record label founded by Leonard Chess (Adrien Brody), whose musical ear and business savvy helped foster the careers of Etta James (Beyonce Knowles), Chuck Berry (Mos Def), and other rhythm-and-blues pioneers.

I'm really into classic R & B so I really hope this is good. I don't quite see Beyonce as Etta James but I think she is an extremely talented performer who does some incredibly crappy pop songs. It will be interesting to see what she does with some quality material. Plus, she's impossibly hot (as in "it's impossible for a human being to be that hot"). It probably won't open in Tampa until after the new year though.

The Day The Earth Stood Still - December 12

The Plot: Aliens land on Earth with an important message for its citizens.
Yeah, it's yet another remake. But at this point, being upset with Hollywood for producing remakes is a little like being upset with Smuckers for making jelly. The previews feature lots of stuff blowing up.

And Keanu Reeeves.

Well, I do so love watching stuff blow up!

The Spirit - December 25

The Plot: A rookie cop returns from the dead to fight crime from the shadows of Central City.

I'm a sucker for pulpy superhero epics (and comic books and alien invasions as well as baseball cards and wind-up tin robots...yes, I am 11 years old). This one is directed by Frank Miller who has never directed a movie before but as a comic book writer, gave us a noir take on Daredevil, "The Dark Knight Returns" and "Sin City".

Valkyrie - December 25
The Plot: Near the end of WWII, Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) leads a group of fellow German army colonels in an attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler.

I'm not one of the great horde who hates Tom Cruise for being a weirdo. First of all, he's a movie star. How could he not be a weirdo? The only movie star alive who isn't a weirdo is Tom Hanks...and nothing defines being a weirdo more than being the only one of something. "Yeah, but", people say, "did you see him on Oprah? He jumped on the couch!" I don't think it makes me more sophisticated and worldly than most people (at least I hope not) to say that this is not even close to making it into the top 100 psychotic and inappropriate things I have seen people do. I am by no means a fan of Scientology, but I'm probably not a fan of the spiritual/religious philosophies of most celebrities. I'm just not burdened (or is it blessed?) with the knowledge of what they might be.

No, my hatred of Tom Cruise stemmed from his insistence on making the same movie over and over again:

Cocky, young (high school football player/fighter pilot/bartender/race car driver/lawyer) must survive a tough life lesson in order to learn humility, live up to his potential and find true love.

But he's outgrown that so I have no problem for plunking down money for movies he's in that look like they might be interesting.