Holiday Movies: Coming Soon to a Theater Near You

Advice & Answers

If "great family movies" are at the top of your wish list this holiday season, you're in luck -- this fall, the multiplex will be packed over the holidays with kid-friendly characters, from dancing penguins (Happy Feet Two) and swashbuckling cats (Puss in Boots) to everyone's favorite Muppet gang and even a Twilight vampire or two for teens. We’ve provided detailed ratings and reviews below on everything from violence to sexual content, plus conversation starters so you can talk to your kids about what you see.

Puss in Boots
Target Age: Young Kids
What's the Buzz?: What could be more irresistible than a swashbuckling cat whom audiences already know and love as Shrek and Donkey's fierce feline sidekick? Antonio Banderas again voices the kick-butt kitty in this prequel to the Shrek adventures, which also features a host of new characters, including Salma Hayek as Kitty Softpaws.

Tower Heist
Target Age: Tweens and Teens
What's the Buzz?: This revenge comedy follows a group of hotel employees (led by Ben Stiller) who enlist a career criminal (Eddie Murphy) to help them rob the penthouse apartment of a corrupt financier (Alan Alda) who swindled them all. Stiller and Murphy alone will lure audiences, but the movie also stars Matthew Broderick and Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe.

Jack and Jill
Target Age: Kids and Tweens
What's the Buzz?: Adam Sandler is the kind of comedian who can swing between raunchy adult humor and kid-friendly hijinks. In this tween-targeted comedy, Sandler plays both Jack and his wacky female twin sister, Jill. Sandler in drag will definitely draw in his regular fanboys, plus young kids who think gender comedy is hilarious.

Happy Feet Two
Target Age: Young Kids
What's the Buzz?: The original Happy Feet made tap-dancing Mumble (voiced by Elijah Wood) a star, and the sequel also focuses on a young penguin -- Mumble's own son, Erik -- who marches to his own beat. Pop star Pink steps in for the late actress Brittany Murphy as Mumble's mate/singing partner, Gloria, and Robin Williams, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon play various cool creatures.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1
Target Age: Tweens and Teens
What's the Buzz?: OMG, haven't you heard? Bella and Edward are finally tying the knot! Unless you've lived in a cave for the past few years, you probably know at least one teen (or adult!) who's dying to see Bella and Edward's wedding (and honeymoon...) adapted for the big screen. Be warned, though, that this installment features more steamy content than the first movies, plus other intense scenes.

Arthur Christmas
Target Age: Young Kids
What's the Buzz?: From the animators responsible for Wallace and Gromit and Chicken Run comes this English holiday comedy about Father Christmas' (that's Santa to us Yanks) son Arthur (voiced by James McAvoy), who must find a way to use his father's state-of-the-art North Pole technology to deliver the correct present to one special little girl by Christmas morning.

Hugo
Target Age: Tweens
What's the Buzz?: Based on author Brian Selznick's award-winning illustrated novel, this is the first family film to be directed by legendary director Martin Scorsese. Set in 1930s Paris, the story follows young orphan Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) as he uncovers the mystery of his father's disappearance, all while living in the walls of a train station. An epic adventure from an Oscar-winning director, Hugo is one of the most highly anticipated movies of the season.

The Muppets
Target Age: Young Kids and Tweens
What's the Buzz?: Families will have plenty to choose from over Thanksgiving break as the first Muppet movie in 12 years hits the big screen. Starring the always adorable Amy Adams and Jason Segel -- not to mention everyone's favorite Muppet characters Kermit, Piggy, Fozzy, and the gang -- the live-action comedy is sure to be a crowd-pleaser for all ages.

New Year's Eve
Target Age: Tweens and Teens
What's the Buzz?: Like Valentine's Day, this multiple-storyline romantic comedy will feature more than a dozen characters (played by A-list stars, naturally) as they navigate New Year's Eve in New York City. Teens will especially be drawn to the stories starring Ashton Kutcher and Glee's Lea Michele, teen actress Abigail Breslin, and High School Musical's Zac Efron.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked
Target Age: Young Kids
What's the Buzz?: Alvin, Simon, and Theodore are back, and this time they're getting their vacation on with their long-suffering guardian Dave (Jason Lee) and the three Chipettes (from Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel). Plenty of song-and-dance numbers later, the 'munks and their gal pals wind up ashore on a deserted island. Your young elementary schoolers will squeal in delight.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Target Age: Teens
What's the Buzz?: Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law return for another Holmes-and-Watson adventure in this period drama sequel. Thanks to the well-received original, we know to expect fantastic chemistry between the two leads (and co-star Rachel McAdams, too), witty one-liners, and some impressive displays of Holmes' genius deductive-reasoning skills.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
Release Date: Dec. 21
Target Age: Teens
What's the Buzz?: See Tom Cruise run -- again and again -- as secret agent Ethan Hunt in this latest installment of the M:I franchise. Gadget-heads will love the high-tech toys, teen guys will get a kick out of the gorgeous agent played by Paula Patton, and everyone will be awed at the seemingly ageless Cruise again taking on the most prolific character of his career.

The Adventures of Tintin
Release Date: Dec. 21
Target Age: Tweens
What's the Buzz?: The timeless Belgian comic books come to life in this collaboration between filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson. The two Academy Award winners present a motion-capture adventure starring Jamie Bell as the voice of the titular reporter and Daniel Craig as his nefarious nemesis. With such talent behind the scenes, this is a sophisticated animated adventure for older kids and tweens.

We Bought a Zoo
Release Date: Dec. 23
Target Age: Teens
What's the Buzz?: Director Cameron Crowe isn't known for family films, but for his first movie in six years, he focuses on the true story of a man (Matt Damon) who uses his family's life savings to purchase a dilapidated zoo for them to restore and reopen. Featuring an amazing supporting cast and, as always, a hip soundtrack, Crowe's family drama should appeal to teens and parents.

War Horse
Release Date: Dec. 25
Target Age: Tweens and Teens
What's the Buzz?: Steven Spielberg's other movie this holiday season is based on a British children's novel and an award-winning stage play. Albert (rising star Jeremy Irvine) isn't old enough to enlist in World War I, but after his beloved horse Joey is sold to the English cavalry and shipped to France, Albert bravely follows to save his friend. Be ready for both tears and cheers.