Holiday movie-goers have a wonderfully diverse group of films to select from this holiday season.
For family fare, there’s “The Princess and the Frog,” Walt Disney Studios’ first hand-drawn animated film in six years. Although it had a slower start than the studio would have liked, it’s gotten good word of mouth and will likely gain momentum over the holidays.
Another movie geared to the young set is “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.” That opens on Christmas Day.
Moviegoers seeking a thoughtful film will want to check out the South African apartheid drama “Invictus,” already in theatres. Directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon, “Invictus” has gotten off to a slow start at the box office, but it’s gotten good word of mouth and will probably see stronger numbers as the holiday season wears on.
Perhaps the most highly anticipated new release is “Avatar,” the years-in-the-making science fiction epic by “Titanic” director James Cameron.
Opening Friday, “Avatar” is the story of an ex-Marine who finds himself on an alien planet with exotic life forms.
Also highly hyped is the sure-to-be-action-packed”Sherlock Holmes,” set to open Dec. 25. Starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, this action/adventure movie is rated PG-13 .
For fans of the big, flashy musical, there is the Rob Marshall film “Nine,” starring Nicole Kidman and a host of other luminaries.
George Clooney fans are looking forward to the wide release of “Up in the Air,” the latest from “Juno” director Jason Reitman.”Up in the Air” ó which features Clooney as a frequent-flyer executive whose fort is down-sizing ó has gotten a slew of Golden Globe nominations and plenty of critical acclaim.
Fans of Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin are awaiting the Dec. 25 release of “It’s Complicated,” a romantic comedy.
Those looking for a Christmas-themed movie need look no further than “A Christmas Carol.” Although it’s been out for a while, it’s still attracting audiences.
For new releases in Salisbury, go to www.cinemark.com and type in a local zipcode.