The first weekend of the all-important Holiday Movie Season kicks off with appropriately enough, "A Christmas Carol" from Disney.  Starring Jim Carrey and directed by the brilliant Robert Zemeckis ("Forrest Gump," "Polar Express"), the film is a visual tour-de-force that is further enhanced by the fully immersive IMAX 3-D treatment.  This classic Dickens tale is taken to the next level through not only a perfect use of the 3-D technology, but also terrific performances by Jim Carrey and Gary Oldman. Carrey plays Ebenezer Scrooge (and about three other roles!) and Gary Oldman stars Bob Cratchit, Marley and the voice of Tiny Tim.

Moviegoers may feel as if they are seeing the story for the first time as the combination of the stunning visuals, terrific score, great acting and writing take the viewer on an amazing journey.  The 3-D treatment is breathtaking in this context as snowflakes surround the viewer, action sequences are heightened and the overall experience gets a major upgrade from all previous versions of the film.  Top that off with the visual and aural impact of the IMAX treatment and this becomes an instant holiday classic that will play well through the end of the year.

On the other end of the genre spectrum is yet another big screen adaptation of an earlier work as Warner Bros. "The Box" brings the Richard Matheson short story "Button, Button" to a bigger screen and a broader audience. The original incarnation was a "Twilight Zone" episode back in the 1986 version of the series which Matheson originally wrote as a story that appeared in the June, 1970 issue of Playboy. 

This feature film version is directed by none other than "Donnie Darko" helmer Richard Kelly and stars Cameron Diaz and James Marsden as a married couple presented with a major dilemma.  The great Frank Langella (Richard Nixon in "Frost/Nixon") portrays a very unusual messenger in this psychological thriller.  A different kind of thriller also debuts as Universal's "The Fourth Kind" presents a story of alien abduction within a horror/sci-fi framework.  This fact-based film may benefit from the sudden interest in paranormal activities of all types and the always intriguing idea of unexplained phenomenon.

This crowded weekend would not be complete without the first of three Holiday films featuring George Clooney ("Fantastic Mr. Fox" & "Up in the Air" being the other two).  The instant conversation piece that is the film's title, "The Men Who Stare at Goats" from Overture Films, is a black war comedy that boasts a terrific cast including Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey and the suddenly ubiquitous Stephen Lang.  The film, directed by actor Grant Heslov, has garnered strong critical praise and was shown at the Toronto Film Festival and most recently at the ShowEast movie convention.  Also screened to a strong positive reaction at ShowEast was "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire.  Despite a jaw-dropping downbeat subject matter involving incestual rape, child abuse and the roughest elements of inner-city life, the film is an incredible and ultimately uplifting tale of perseverance and redemption.  As shepherded by both Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, the film boasts Oscar-worthy turns from much of the cast and comedian Mo'nique is a revelation as possibly the worst mother in cinematic history since Norman Bates' dear old mum in "Psycho." 


Last , but certainly not least is a little film that I had the pleasure of seeing earlier this year called "That Evening Sun."  Based on the short story "I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down" by William Gay and directed by Scott Teems, the film is yet another showcase for the brilliant Hal Holbrook who turns a performance that rivals his tremendous work in the Sean Penn directed "Into the Wild."  Check this film out if you have the opportunity during its NYC run this weekend or in its expanded run in Los Angeles on November 20.

A formidable weekend in store as numerous newcomers and strong hold-overs kick off the final movie-going season of the year.  Comparisons to last year will be tough since "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" and "Role Models" generated nearly $83.5 million in collective box-office.  However Jim Carrey, his "The Mask" co-star Cameron Diaz and George Clooney may have something to say about that as their films prepare to do battle this weekend.