Holiday Movie Guide: The December Movies to Check Out (Part 1/2)

With a vast selection of movies coming out in December, AceShowbiz offers this movie guide to aid you in choosing which film to be checked out in theaters this holiday season.

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When holiday season comes around, Hollywood offers a lot of great movies to be enjoyed. With so many to watch this December, it is easy to be distracted when choosing the ones that fit you best. But, confuse no more as AceShowbiz has compiled this two-part holiday movie guide to aid you in selecting which movies are worth your while in the month of festivity.

Part I highlights on some of the much awaited movies of the year, whereas Part II includes heart-warming films and those designed for fun. In this part, AceShowbiz presents two categories of movies, "A Definite Must-See" and "Watch Only to Kill Time". Fascinating movies with various genres from the action-packed "Sherlock Holmes" to the inspiring drama "Invictus" can all be found here.

A DEFINITE MUST-SEE

"Avatar"

Release Date: December 18

Avatar" is no typical sci-fi film. First conceived by Academy Award-winning director James Cameron 14 years ago, the movie that marks his return to his sci-fi roots takes 4 years of actual production work and specially designed cameras for production to finally be ready for the big screen. It promises to bring its viewers to a spectacular new world beyond their imagination with its eye-popping 3-D and impressive CGI. Don't forget the amazing cast ensemble this movie has in store. "Aliens" star Sigourney Weaver, "Terminator Salvation" lead actor Sam Worthington and "Star Trek" beauty Zoe Saldana are only some of them. All in all, as Weaver said back in 2009 Comic-Con, "This is the movie you've been waiting for."

"Sherlock Holmes"

Release Date: December 25

Most adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's "Sherlock Holmes" personifies the legendary detective as the man capable of solving crimes with his wit alone. But, Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" has something more to offer. It will see a perfect combination of wit and brute as his Holmes has a martial art background and prefers to fight using his knuckles than gun. With Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law behind Holmes and Watson, you won't get an ordinary partnering for a touch of comedy will be at disposal as well. If a sight of the smart detective being tied to a bed naked isn't enough to crack a smile, there will be plenty other moments in this movie that'll be amusing.

"Nine"

Release Date: December 25

Having earned his first Academy Award-nomination through 2002's "Chicago", director Rob Marshall is ready to serenade moviegoers once again with "Nine". While "Chicago" is a jazzy noir that focuses on two criminals-of-passion who fight for fame, his new film is a provocative musical that centers around a forty-year-old director as he faces a midlife crisis and at the same time juggles numerous women in his life. What makes this movie even more tantalizing is the fact that it brings together six Oscar-winning actors, Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, and Sophia Loren; one Oscar nominee Kate Hudson; and one Grammy winner Stacy Ferguson.

More 'Definite Must-See' movies :
"Brothers"
"Up in the Air"

WATCH ONLY TO KILL TIME

"Armored"

Release Date: December 4

Throughout the years, Hollywood has come out with many clever and captivating heist movies, naming some are Quentin Tarantino's 1992 "Reservoir Dogs" and Steven Soderbergh's "Ocean's" series. This December, director Nimrod Antal attempts to deliver one with his crime thriller "Armored". Enlisting Matt Dillon, Jean Reno and Laurence Fishburne among its cast, it will revolve around a crew of officers at an armored transport security firm who plans on making a fortune against their own company. But, someone interferes their seemingly fool-proof plan. Although the premise looks good, this film does sound like many other heist-gone-wrong movies before it.

"Invictus"

Release Date: December 11

Put Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon together in one team and you'll get "Invictus". An adaptation to John Carlin's book "Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation", this movie picks up the story on how the then newly-elected president of South Africa uses the 1995 Rugby World Cup as a vehicle to bring his people together after the fall of apartheid. With Freeman and Damon in the starring roles and under the direction of five-time Oscar-winning Eastwood, it promises to be one inspiring drama. But, this biographical film seems to be a little too serious for a holiday movie.

More 'Watch Only to Kill Time' movies :
"Serious Moonlight"
"A Single Man"
"Everybody's Fine"

» Continue to Part II