By Ricky Simpson

Four Christmases

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn

In this festive romantic comedy, lovers Brad (Vaughn) and Kate (Witherspoon) live an unconventional relationship with no inspirations for marriage or building a family. With both of them coming form divorced families, the couple has nothing but bad impressions of family commitment and traditionally spend their Christmas by telling their families they are too busy with charity work to make the trip home, only to jump on a plain for a tropical destination.

When all flights out of San Francisco are canceled, Brad and Kate are forced to spend Christmas with their separated families. As the couple travel from Christmas to Christmas, they begin to realize they do not know each other or themselves as well as they had first believed.    

Vaughn brings his offbeat humor to the project, which keeps this Christmas tale from being a repetitive mush of affection we have seen before.

The message, which emerges from the picture, intertwines with the season and brings to the forefront what really matters in the end.

This film runs 82 minutes and is rated PG-13 for language and adult innuendos. Like so many other Christmas classics, there is always that lurking theme of family and finding happiness in the most obvious of places. “Four Christmases” plays these cords nicely with a lovable flair of its own. Grade: B- Playing At: Cinemark Fayette Mall, Regal Hamburg Pavilion, Cinemark Movies 10 Woodhill, Lexington Movie Tavern

Opening Today

The Day the Earth Stood Still

Starring:  Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates

The Plot: Aliens land on planet Earth with a warning for its inhabitants.

The Scoop: This film will probably manage a top box office ranking, but is still a great example of “don’t fix it if it’s not broke.” The 1951 original has a wonderful, old-school atmosphere. It seems the Scott Derrickson-directed flick will have little to add to the original classic.

Doubt (Limited)

Starring:  Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams

The Plot: A rigid schoolhouse nun (Streep) accuses a well-liked priest (Hoffman) of performing the most unholy of acts with the residential boys. Meanwhile a young nun, Sister James (Adams) is pulled apart by both sides while piecing together the truth.

The Scoop: Everyone knew this film was coming for a while and Academy voters have been waiting. With a royalty cast like this, it commands attentions. Despite the dramatically heavy subject matter, I am pretty excited about this one, not because I have an enormous crush on Amy Adams, but because it is adapted from the widely heralded Broadway play that has the honor of being the fifth-longest running play ever.

Gran Torino (Limited)

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang

The Plot: A stern Korean War veteran, Walt (Eastwood), attempts to take back his neighborhood from growing gangs, meanwhile, to his resistance, finds himself growing a bond with his Asian neighbors.

The Scoop: “Torino” was not due to release till next year and is still not out nationally for another month. The early limited release can mean only one thing, Eastwood’s grumpy old man performance is fishin for an Oscar nod. With his dreary, “Changeling” being thrown by the way side, Eastwood may be looking for “Torino” to punch his ticket to the big dance.