Marley and Me

Director: David Frankel

Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson, Haley Bennett, Eric Dane, Alan Arkin

(Fox; US: 26 Dec 2008)

Official Site

26 December
The Surrounding Din
Marley and Me

John Grogan’s memoir about the family dog has created its own cottage industry. A quick Google and the web illustrates such marketing measures rather well. So it’s no big surprise that Hollywood should come calling. What is interesting is the decision by The Devil Wears Prada director David Frankel to make this his next film. The material seems too fluffy for his metropolitan moxie. Besides, Jennifer Aniston is one of the stars—and her less than impressive track record as a film icon doesn’t bode well for the end result.

Bedtime Stories

Director: Adam Shankman

Cast: Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, Guy Pearce, Teresa Palmer, Courteney Cox, Lucy Lawless, Russell Brand

(The Walt Disney Company; US: 26 Dec 2008)

Official Site

26 December
The Surrounding Din
Bedtime Stories

Adam Sandler teaming with Disney? What’s next—Judd Apatow scripting an update of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm? While the premise has possibilities—our comic kingpin is a frustrated dad who discovers that the stories he tells his kids are magically coming to life—and director Adam Shankman has lots of leftover Hairspray buzz, it’s just tough to see this working. Sandler has his soft side, but until a trailer drops, this one is going to be a true family film unknown.