New this week

As the mercury plummets, things are really heating up on the movie front.

I already have seven movie reviews in the can, and have five more screenings lined up this week.

I'm really glad I undertook the trip to Chicago Thursday to catch "Avatar," since they were not screening in Indianapolis (or pretty much everywhere in the Midwest, except Chicago). Usually that's an indication a movie is a dog. But this time... well, you'll see.

I'll have reviews of "Up in the Air," "Avatar," "The Road" and possibly "Hachi," which may or may not be opening this week. "Have You Heard About the Morgans?" is a possibility, if I have the energy and the time.

I have a bonus video review today of the latest "Harry Potter" movie. On Tuesday, a review of the Blu-ray "Mel Brooks Collection" is primed to go.

For classic film fans, I have columns about "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" and "Lust for Life."