“The Golden Compass” adapts portions of Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials.”
Let’s keep it real:
1) There’s going to be an onslaught of Oscar-caliber, arty flicks coming out within a month’s time and none of them will hit Clemson by month’s end.
2) Even if they did come, your grandma is not going to watch movies about pregnant teenagers, oil tycoons or Nazi agents, and you’re going to be stuck with her. These images will confuse granny and she will start wondering about you. This will lead to grandma asking about your sex life. This is not good.
Luckily, big-name studios seem to put a little more care with December content that should enlighten you while keeping the relatives entertained. Start circling these movies on the local listings and make good arguments for them.
“The Golden Compass,” Dec. 7
They’re kind of like the Coca-Cola polar bears…in warfare!
Filling the fantasy void this month, “The Golden Compass” adapts portions of another famed trilogy. The first part of British writer Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy, called “Northern Lights” in the UK, it tells of an orphaned eleven-year-old girl’s quest to find a kidnapped friend with the help of a compass, among other items and creatures.
The trailer, marked with plenty of Nicole Kidman sound bites, plays with the “Lord of the Rings” grandeur of mystical backdrops, ambitious children and, yes, dueling polar bears.
Daniel “007” Craig and LOTR alum Ian McKellen co-star.
“I Am Legend,” Dec. 14
I think we can forgive Francis Lawrence, can’t we?
Yes, he made “Constantine,” which had decent special effects that couldn’t save a dreadful script littered with the worst one-liners since Ah-nuld destroyed the Batman franchise. However, that was the first film foray for Lawrence, whose previous work was limited to lush music videos for Seal and Jennifer Lopez, among others.
Now we have substantial material to work with — a 1954 novel by Richard Matheson about the last living man trying to survive a zombie-like pandemic.
Sci-fi hunk Will Smith (those who saw the “I, Robot” shower scene know that term is accurate) returns to the supernatural universe, roaming a now vacant New York City with a dog. By day he’s safe, but come nightfall he must defend himself from the freaks.
Vacationing with the folks in the city? Check to see if this one is playing at IMAX screens nearby.
“The Great Debaters,” Dec. 25
What, you thought I was going to write about how cool “Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem” is going to be? Yeah, have a good Christmas, freak!
I’m keeping away from crappy sequel variety to end the year, and I trust Denzel to take me there. He writes and directs. “The Great Debaters” deals with racism in 1930s Texas. It’s a true story. Start writing the acceptance speeches.
Washington plays a college professor who leads a revolutionary debate team headed to Harvard for a national championship. It should build up just the right amount of inspiration before Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood” crashes it down with tales of dark, corporate greed.
