Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! As is the tradition, Hollywood gets a head start on the holiday by opening new releases on Wednesday, gaining two extra days. Last year the Thanksgiving box office was topped by Disney's Enchanted — what a delightful movie that was. What will it be this year? The holdover phenomenon that opened last weekend or something new? Perhaps a period epic or an action-filled sequel? The biggest question is where will you have your post-Thanksgiving binge? Movie theaters seem like as good a place as any.

Australia. (2008, 165 minutes, PG-13, drama, trailer) Director Baz Luhrman recently spoke about not being sorry for spending more than $100 million on this production, saying that it is a feel good film that will help those feeling the economic crunch be a little bit happier. What's wrong with that? Also, I am sure that money helped employ a good number of people for the duration of the production. Anyway, Nicole Kidman plays an English aristocrat who inherits a vast ranch in Australia. When she is threatened by cattle barons she teams with Hugh Jackman to drive a herd of cattle across the ranch, with the threat of the Japanese (this is WWII era) not far away. I think the film looks excellent and I am looking forward to checking it out.

Four Christmases. (2008, 82 minutes, PG-13, comedy, trailer) This is the first official Christmas film of the season. Will it be a winner? I think it looks like it could be fun, although the jury is still out on whether it will be good. Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon star as a couple who gleefully avoids their families during the holidays. Unfortunately, grounded planes force them face to face with four family gatherings, all set to provide comedic fodder that is sure to bring emotion into play. Will it work? One can only hope.