Watch-worthy holiday flicks

OK, so the past couple of months have been something of a disappointment, movie-wise. And thanks to the writer's strike that put Hollywood on pause around this time last year, several highly anticipated flicks have been bumped to 2009 to fill empty release dates. (See ya next summer, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"!)

But it looks as if many of us still have a chance of finding films worth viewing between now and New Year's Day. Here are what multiplexes and art houses will be offering in the next few weeks.

Keep the faith -- I know I will!

NOVEMBER 26

Australia It's a movie starring Australian superstars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, directed by Australian director Baz Luhrmann, set in Australia, called "Australia." I hear every ticket purchased comes with a free can of Foster's, a Kylie Minogue CD and a really big knife.

Four Christmases -- Vince Vaughn, Fred Claus himself, once again goes for holiday do-re-mi with this comedy. He and Reese Witherspoon are a couple forced to spend Christmas with their families after they get busted going on vacation. Yeah, it's "Christmas with the Kranks" -- but with A-list leads!

Transporter 3 -- Jason Statham is back, transporting stuff. Yeah, I don't know why either. Happy Thanksgiving!

NOVEMBER 28

JCVD -- Jean-Claude Van Damme puts himself under the microscope in this much-talked-about meta-movie where he plays himself, going back to his birthplace and trying to keep his floundering career afloat.

DECEMBER 5

I've Loved You So Long -- Kristin Scott Thomas has been winning raves as an emotionally guarded, recently incarcerated woman who moves in with her estranged, young sister (Elsa Zylberstein) and her family in this French flick.

Let the Right One In -- As I mention elsewhere in this issue, this is the coming-of-age, vampire love story about a 12-year-old Swedish boy who befriends a bloodsucking girl that I'm more psyched about.

Punisher: War Zone -- So did you think the last "Punisher" movie -- with Thomas Jane as the vengeful ex-FBI man who goes after pipe-smoking baddie John Travolta -- um, reeked! Well, I'm not holding high hopes for this version, which has the Punisher (Ray Stevenson) going after underworld villains in a New York that looks like the city from "Streets of Fire"? Wait, does that mean Diane Lane will be around?

DECEMBER 12

The Day the Earth Stood Still -- Although it's another remake nobody asked for, I can't help wondering whether the casting of Keanu Reeves, as Earth-infiltrating alien Klaatu, is really just 20th Century Fox taking a dig at Reeves for his years of wooden, emotionless acting. If it is, this is certainly one expensive diss.

Delgo -- This animated feature has been in production for six years, and it stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt and Val Kilmer. Man, you're on your own with this one.

Milk -- Sean Penn goes for that Oscar gold one mo' time in his role as California's first openly gay elected official, who was assassinated in 1978 (wow, this couldn't have come along during a better time, huh?), in Gus Van Sant's latest.

Nothing Like the Holidays - Remember that black holiday movie "This Christmas" last year? Well, here's the Latino version, starring John Leguizamo, Freddy Rodriguez, Luis Guzman, Vanessa Ferlito and every other Latino actor who isn't on "Ugly Betty."

DECEMBER 19

A Christmas Tale -- Remember that black holiday movie "This Christmas" last year? Well, here's the French version, starring Catherine Deneuve and "Quantum of Solace" baddie Mathieu Amalric, directed by Arnaud Desplechin ("Kings & Queen").