2008 Winter Movie Guide

The Pitch
BFFs Liv and Emma have been in synch all their lives, even down to getting engaged on the same day. Both brides-to-be happily plan their weddings, each booking New York's Plaza Hotel for the big event. But warfare erupts big-time when they discover their weddings have been set for the same date.

The Scoop
Look, to mine hilarity out of this lame premise, you need a script crafted with extraordinary wit and style, not to mention a director who can turn silly into effervescent comedy soufflé. OK, forget wit: "Bride Wars" was penned by Greg DePaul, who spawned "Killer Bud." Despite Hathaway's much-touted maturity (the princess played a recovering drug addict in "Rachel Getting Married," doncha know?), she is not a comedically light-footed actress (see "Get Smart"). And Hudson may be cute as a button, but cute doesn't guarantee laffs. But maybe Gary Winick can -- he did helm the giggler "13 Going on 30" (2004).

The Pitch
A successful, no-nonsense corporate type, Lucy (Zellweger), loves living in Miami. But, sadly, she's sent off to a small town in Minnesota, where she must close down a factory -- and deal ruthlessly (and romantically) with a sexy union leader (Connick).

The Scoop
We're hoping to snuggle up to culture-shock yoks and an engaging cast that includes Nathan ("Firefly") Fillion (who will, we firmly believe, find deserved stardom some day). And maybe Zellweger will get her comedic chops back in "Miami," although Connick isn't exactly the type to strike romantic sparks. (Directing his first American movie, Jonas Elmer won Hollywood's attention for 2004's "Nynne," dubbed as the Danish Bridget Jones.)

The Pitch
Bad weather prevents Kate (Witherspoon) and Brad (Vaughn), a happily unhitched couple, from taking off to exotic climes for the holidays. Instead, they find themselves in hell, dragged from one (divorced) family Christmas Day to the next -- times four! Needless to say, this traumatic journey through familial dysfunction, generational ties that bind and kid-infested environs freaks out the duo -- but in very different ways!

The Scoop
Sit down to a feast of folks who can do "family" to a fare-thee-well: Mary Steenburgen, Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Jon Favreau and the adorable Kristen Chenowith (TV's "Pushing Daisies"). Vaughan (back for more holiday cheer after last year's "Fred Claus") is one of the funniest human beings on earth, especially when he's under pressure from clans of aliens (see "Wedding Crashers"). Blessings on St. Nick for Witherspoon, whose porcupine cutes should play well with her co-star's W.C. Fields-like horror of all things familial. Seth Gordon ("The King of Kong") directs.

The Pitch
A dude (Rudd) who's getting married feels inadequate: Whereas his fiancée has a host of friends to invite, he doesn't even have a bud for best man. Man-dating like mad, he finally finds a fellow spirit (Segal).

The Scoop
Wedding hijinks are, on the comedy front, what inspirational sports sagas have become in the category of drama: a glut on the market -- and wake-me-up-when-it's-over tiresome! Still, Rudd and Segel are Judd Apatow pards ("Knocked Up," "Forgetting Sarah Marshall") in producing an endless supply of the male equivalent of comedy chick flicks. John Hamburg, responsible for the debacle of "Along Came Polly," helms.

The Pitch
"A family learns important life lessons from their adorable, but naughty and neurotic, dog."

The Scoop
The above official tagline for "Marley & Me" is just the sort of sentimental drool that makes even a dog-lover like me want to cuddle up with supercool, self-absorbed felines. And those huge "Marley" promo boards of the film's adorable yellow Lab pup already adorning movieplex lobbies only pile on the sugar. Still, this adaptation of John Grogan's popular memoir does feature Owen Wilson, a dab hand at playing funny-sensitive, and helmer David Frankel ("The Devil Wears Prada") may add some bite to the bland. Too bad Aniston gets dimmer and duller in every movie she makes.

The Pitch
'Tis the season for families to gather for yuletide cheer -- and psychodrama!

The Scoop
The twist is the Rodriquez family is Puerto Rican, inspiring an urgent casting call for every Italian- and Latino-American in Hollywood and New York. Either Debra Messing's the token honky or a PR closet-queen. Head on over to Chicago's Humboldt Park for big servings of ethnic dramedy.

The Pitch
Paul Blart has a funny name. He has a silly job. When bad guys invade his mall, a lot of funny stuff happens. Paul Blart finally gets some respect. The End.

The Scoop
"The King of Queens" stars as Blart, so a lot depends on how hilarious you find Kevin James. Otherwise, we'd ditch the mall and head for outlet stores. (Adam Sandler produced, and Steve Carr, who helmed the 2007 cinematic disappearing act "Are We Done Yet?", directs.)

The Pitch
In the wake of a future catastrophe, GeneCo, an organ-harvesting company, has become richer than Midas. When customers can't pay, the Repo Man arrives to make fatal foreclosures. As their CEO-dad (Sorvino) lies dying, the rotten Rotti heirs battle over GeneCo's big bucks, and one repo man (Head) grows an inconvenient conscience.

The Scoop
Some years back, Bousman directed this comedy-horror-rock musical as a play -- before he fell under the malignant spell of the prolific "Saw" franchise. Intertwined weird tales, Paris Hilton as a wacko Rotti who sings and beloved Giles (Anthony Head's character on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") as Jack the Ripper? Could be a hoot -- or just another ho-hum freakfest like "Southland Tales."