Gallery Review Room

• REGION 1 DVD - NSTC

Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito are hilarious as two neighbors trying to put the "win" in "winter" in one of the year's funniest comedies! Determined to unseat Steve Finch's (Broderick) reign as the town's holiday season king, Buddy Hall (DeVito) plasters his house with so many decorative lights that it'll be visible from space! When their wives (Kristin Davis and Kristin Chenoweth) bond, and their kids follow suit, the two men only escalate their rivalry ­ and their decorating. It's anybody's guess whether the holidays will wind up jolly or jostled in this wild and woolly laugh-fest that the whole family will love!Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 10/04/2011 Run time: 93 minutes Rating: PgCHRISTMAS IN PARADISE
Two bereaved families take a holiday vacation to an exotic Caribbean island to escape the memories of Christmas past. Dan Cassidy s (Colin Ferguson, Eureka) ! wife has left him and his teen daughters for another man. Dana Shaw (Charlotte Ross, Glee) recently suffered the death of her husband, leaving her alone with their two teen sons. The parents and kids develop bonds on a cruise ship and their stay at a beach resort. When Dan's ex-wife shows up to reclaim her family, what promised to be a happy Christmas turns emotionally complicated as each character has to sort out their feelings and choose their own path.

DECK THE HALLS
Holly (Gabrielle Carteris, Beverly Hills, 90210) returns to her hometown with her eight-year old son, Ben, to work for her father's toy business. Soon after, Ben watches a man (Steve Bacic, Big Love) move in next door with a sleigh, red suit, and lots of Christmas goodies. Ben begins to believe that their new neighbor is Santa Claus, and devises a plan to set up his mom with Santa Claus.Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 10/04/2011 Run time: 93 minutes Rating: PgA slapstick comedy starring Matthew Brod! erick and Danny DeVito, Deck The Halls tackles the Chri! stmas sp irit with lights, music, and plenty o' pratfalls--none of which makes much sense in this floundering film. Steve Finch (Broderick) is a persnickety dentist who enjoys being the town's go-to guy when it comes to all things Christmas. Buddy Hall (DeVito) is his new neighbor--a car salesman who finds that decorating the exterior of his house in bright, garish decorations and lights makes him feel like the big man he never was. His goal is for his Lite-Brite house to be visible from space. Why? It's better not to ask, because there really is no logical explanation. As Buddy says, "Sometimes my stupidity astounds me." The same could be said for Steve and this movie. While the characters' wives (played by Kristin Davis and Kristin Chenoweth) are more relatable, their fast friendship is unbelievable--especially when they side with each other rather than their husbands. Though there are some funny moments (a dirty manger scene with a spitting camel comes to mind), Deck The Halls spends way too much time asking the audience to root for a pair of wannabe alpha males who have little redeeming value. Both DeVito (Get Shorty, Taxi) and Broderick (Election, WarGames) have formidable resumes and deserve better than this movie, which offers strong visuals but a barely-there plot. "How's it feel to be invisible?" Steve rhetorically asks. Sometimes, being invisible is better than just being bad. --Jae-Ha KimIn the tradition of such classic films as "Miracle On 34th Street", a hip, eccentric marketing genius teaches a widow and her son the miracle of Christmas.