A set of mystical rings. A trip to a mysterious planet. Or a chance to become a real boy.
Movie-goers will find a variety of offerings under the tree this season.
Though Harry Potter has been working his cinematic magic for the last two weeks, the holiday movie season unofficially kicks off this weekend.
Many films will be regifted, as the studios falls back on the tried and true, releasing a slew of sequels, remakes and adaptations. But over the next month the stockings will bulge with as Santa leaves behind an assortment of big names and dazzling visuals.
"The Lord of the Rings:
The Two Towers"
Opens Dec. 18
In this second installment to J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth trilogy, Elijah Wood and Sean Astin as Frodo and Sam respectively, venture deeper into Mordor on their quest to destroy the One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron. If the success of last year's "The Fellowship of the Ring" is any indicator, (the movie grossed more than $300 million and received 13 Oscar nominations) the Hobbits will celebrate a very Merry Christmas.
"Gangs of New York"
Opens Dec. 20
A goateed Leonardo DiCaprio stars as an Irish immigrant who sets out to avenge his father's murder, after spending 15 years in jail. Martin Scorsese's period piece on the rise of organized crime in the Big Apple, finally hits theaters after nearly a year of delays (the movie actually finished production in April of last year.) An adaptation of Herbert Asbury's book.
"8 Crazy Nights"
Opens Nov. 27
Adam Sandler in animated form stars in this musical about a 33-year old slacker, Davey, who is forced to referee a youth basketball league as part of his community service. Sandler provides the vocals for three characters including Davey and his good supervisor Whitey Duvall. Expect to hear Sandler regular Rob Schneider as well. Should be worth a viewing, for, if nothing else a new rendition of Sandler's famed "Chanukah Song."
"Analyze That"
Opens Dec. 26
Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal, reprise their roles as an emotionally needy gangster and his all too-eager-to-please psychotherapist, from 1999's "Analyze This." "The Sopranos" has glamorized the relationship between organized crime and psychiatry in the years since the original, but the two actors will conjure a few more laughs than James Gandolfini, without drawing as much blood.
"Two Weeks Notice"
Opens Dec. 20
Sandra Bullock is a high-powered real estate lawyer, but can no longer stand the overbearing ways of her dashing but patronizing boss, played by Hugh Grant. Yet she remains addicted to his charms behind. Bullock is doing what she does best, romantic comedy. Should be a popular date movie.
"Maid in Manhattan"
Opens Dec. 13
Jennifer Lopez stars as a modern day Cinderella in this tale of a Bronx maid who hooks up with the wealthy heir to a political dynasty (played by Ralph Fiennes). The film, which some have likened to "Pretty Woman" could well break Lopez's string of recent box failures. She has the right people on her side. Julia Roberts' longtime agent, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas helped develop the project.
"Treasure Planet"
Opens Nov. 27
This adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's high seas tale takes its pirates into space. Jim Hawkins journeys across the heavens as a shipmate aboard a solar wind driven space galleon. Disney faces little competition in the kiddy market this holiday season, but has struggled in recent with films lacking the Pixar label.
"Pinocchio"
Opens Dec. 25
Roberto Benigni, in first outing since 1998's Academy Award winning "Life is Beautiful" stars as the title character in this retelling of the classic Italian fable. The movie has already broken box office records in Italy, and American audiences bucked the trend of staying away from foreign films, when they made his previous picture a hit.
"Solaris"
Opens Nov. 27
Steven Soderbergh directs this remake of the 1972 Soviet cult classic of the same name. George Clooney stars as engineer Chris Kelvin, whose visions of a long dead wife begin materializing while on a rescue mission to a distant space station. The original, based on the novel by Stanislaw Lem, catered to those who thought "2001: A Space Odyssey" wasn't cerebral enough, and Soderbergh is one of the few American directors who can pull off this project without compromising the values of its predecessor.
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