With the kids out of school until after New Year and the weather less than ideal, now is the perfect time to pack the family up for a trip to Huntsville’s movie theaters. The holiday release schedule has loaded the screens with lots of family-friendly options, including a number of pictures with deep roots in classic Hollywood tradition. Check online for showtimes at local theaters like the Rave, Monaco, and the Carmike.
Skip
Avoid brain-dead clunkers like “Chipwrecked,” an entirely unnecessary third installment in the CGI series that updates the classic TV and radio characters, Alvin and the Chipmunks. Yes, the kids might find it funny, but you’ll be wallowing in the dregs of the current offerings.
Consider
Fans of the first “Sherlock Holmes” reboot with Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law will probably want to see the new sequel, although it lacks the brighter palette and jauntier mood of the original. With a PG-13 rating for action sequences, the movie is not for the youngest members of the family but shouldn’t trouble kids 10 and up who enjoy explosions and fight scenes. The new movie is the latest in a long line of cinematic treatments of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s great detective. For more family-friendly Sherlock Holmes, try “Young Sherlock Holmes” (1985) and “The Great Mouse Detective” (1986).
Don’t miss
Go now if you want to see “Hugo” on the big screen. This gorgeous live-action adventure from director Martin Scorsese might, in fact, be the best picture of the year, and it’s a wonderful family film with engaging performances from Asa Butterfield, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Ben Kingsley. Steeped in silent film lore that pays tribute to the works of Georges Méliès, this is a movie for everyone who loves movies and believes in their power. If the kids become interested in silent film, check out the Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton movies currently available on Netflix Instant. (Full review)
“The Muppets” has been out since Thanksgiving but is still going strong in Huntsville theaters, thanks to a steady audience of families over the holiday season. If you haven’t already seen this charming reintroduction to Jim Henson’s classic characters, then be sure to include it in your family outings soon. Be ready to provide more Muppets for the kids after the show, starting with “The Muppet Movie” (1979). (Full review)
With a more recent release date, “The Adventures of Tintin” is currently on more Huntsville screens, but you’ll have to work harder to see it in IMAX 3D, which is the best way to experience this terrific, old-fashioned adventure. Adapted from the enormously popular Belgian comic books by Hergé, this film features characters who are beloved throughout Europe but less familiar to American audiences. Equal parts detective mystery and Indiana Jones, “Tintin” features great vocal performances and a unique CGI style. The cast and crew list is a who’s who for film fans, including director Steven Spielberg, writer Steven Moffat, and stars Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg, and Toby Jones.
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