* "Nothing Like the Holidays" Grade B+: There's every reason to be skeptical about the new holiday feature. The track record over the past few years in regard to holiday films has been mostly candidates for the naughty list: "Fred Claus," "Christmas With the Kranks," "Deck the Halls," etc.
But in "Nothing Like the Holidays" we finally have a holiday film that deserves a spot on the nice list.
This is a touch-your-heart warm, make-you-ache funny and cause-you-to-think smart movie about a family's annual reunion for Christmas.
While this happens to be a Hispanic family, the themes of this sweet comedy will connect with anyone who has spent even a second with family at a holiday.
* "Orphan" Grade F: The film proves you can wrap child pornography and abuse in the pretty wrappings of a big-budget Hollywood film and it is still stomach-turningly repugnant.
Director Jaume Collet-Serra drains all of the scares out of the film with his hackneyed style.
He opts to shoot scenes with a hand-held camera for no reason. And he teases scares so often that when the few real ones come along, the thrill is gone.
All of this goes to make "Orphan" nothing more than a loathsome, nauseating, offensive and reprehensible example of the worst kind of filmmaking.
Also new ...
Coming to DVD Tuesday:
* "Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure": Tinker Bell puts all of Pixie Hollow in jeopardy in this new animated film.
* "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs": The prehistoric gang is animated in 3-D this time.
* "Il Divo": Toni Servillo plays Giulio Andreotti, a man who held sway over the Italian political landscape for decades.
* "SciQ: Volumes 1 and 2": Test your knowledge of snow, flight and other science topics.
* "Battlestar Galactica: The Plan": Tricia Helfer stars in this film based on the cable series.
* "The Guardian: The First Season": Simon Baker's series about a man who works as a child advocate at Legal Aid Services.
* "Barbara Stanwyck Show: Volume 1": Includes 15 episodes of the anthology TV series.
TV and movie critic Rick Bentley can be reached at rbentley@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6355.
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