Last week saw the arrival of the first holiday-themed film with Fred Claus. I enjoyed the film, but it clearly did not live up to expectations and seems unlikely to demonstrate strong legs as we steam towards Thanksgiving. For that matter, the other two wide releases failed to make much of a mark either, those being the Robert Redford-helmed Lions for Lambs and the gritty thriller P2.

Hopefully this week will get everyone back in the mood. This week features a highly anticipated animated epic and a family-oriented fantasy that seeks to inject some magical wonder into the hearts of its viewers. Sound interesting to you? I know I am interested.

Beowulf. (2007, 113 minutes, PG-13, action/adventure, trailer) Marketed as being the future of cinema, Beowulf will become, I believe, the widest digital 3D release so far. Now, I have not yet seen the film, but I have seen this type of 3D and this will be the only way to truly see this movie. As you read this I am en route to see it (in 3D, of course) on the gigantic screen of an IMAX theater. I can only hope that this motion capture animated feature does justice to the ancient story. Beowulf is based on one of the oldest surviving works of Anglo-Saxon literature, an epic poem of good versus evil. It has been adapted to the screen a number of times, most recently as Beowulf & Grendel, starring 300's Gerard Butler in the Beowulf role. This version stars Ray Winstone, Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, and Robin Wright Penn. It is directed by Robert Zemeckis working from a screenplay by Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. (2007, 93 minutes, G, fantasy, trailer) I have high hopes for this family-oriented fantasy. It stars Dustin Hoffman as the mysterious Mr. Magorium, the proprietor of the most magical toy store in the world. Mr. Magorium is readying his retirement and hands the reins over to his assistant, played by Natalie Portman. This is when things begin to change and Portman is charged with saving the store. The cast also includes Jason Bateman. The movie has a sense of magical wonder, not unlike the original version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I can only hope that the movie lives up to the hopes the trailer has inspired. Could this be the holiday film to bring families to the cinema? Fred Claus certainly did not fill the bill. This movie also marks Zach Helm's directorial debut. He came to prominence last year with his excellent script for the Will Ferrell movie Stranger than Fiction.