Weekend Movies, Dec. 31, 2010

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

Starring Jason Lee, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Anna Faris, Christina Applegate, Amy Poehler, Justin Long, and Justin Long.

Before you could say, "Alvinnnnn!!!" talks began about a new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie. Not content to rest on their laurels, the 'Munks are preparing yet another "first": There have been many great movie sequels. There have even been prequels. Now, get ready for the world's first Squeakquel, in which Alvin, Simon and Theodore finally meet their match - and maybe more - in the newly arrived female trio, The Chipettes.

RATING: PG for some mild rude humor.

Sherlock Holmes

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan, and Kelly Reilly.

Sherlock Holmes has made his reputation finding the truth at the heart of the most complex mysteries. With the aid of Dr. John Watson, his trusted ally, the renowned "consulting detective" is unequaled in his pursuit of criminals of every stripe, whether relying on his singular powers of observation, his remarkable deductive skills, or the blunt force of his fists. But now a storm is gathering over London, a threat unlike anything that Holmes has ever confronted...and just the challenge he's looking for.

RATING: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some startling images and a scene of suggestive material.

Avatar

Starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Peter Mensah, Laz Alonso, Wes Studi, Stephen Lang, and Matt Gerald.

Jake Sully is a former Marine confined to a wheelchair. But despite his broken body, Jake is still a warrior at heart. He is recruited to travel light years to the human outpost on Pandora, where a corporate consortium is mining a rare mineral that is the key to solving Earth's energy crisis. Because Pandora's atmosphere is toxic, they have created the Avatar Program, in which human "drivers" have their consciousness linked to an avatar, a remotely-controlled biological body that can survive in the lethal air. These avatars are genetically engineered hybrids of human DNA mixed with DNA from the natives of Pandora... the Na'vi. Reborn in his avatar form, Jake can walk again. He is given a mission to infiltrate the Na'vi, who have become a major obstacle to mining the precious ore. But a beautiful Na'vi female, Neytiri, saves Jake's life, and this changes everything. Jake is taken in by her clan, and learns to become one of them, which involves many tests and adventures. As Jake's relationship with his reluctant teacher Neytiri deepens, he learns to respect the Na'vi way and finally takes his place among them. Soon he will face the ultimate test as he leads them in an epic battle that will decide the fate of an entire world.

RATING: PG-13 for intense epic battle sequences and warfare, sensuality, language and some smoking.

Visit the Anacortes Cinemas Web site for showtimes.