‘Nothing Like the Holidays’ Does Nothing to Stand Out From Christmas Movie Crowd

BrianTT — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:56:31 -0700

CHICAGO – When it was still called “Humboldt Park” and was probably more closely related to Chicago’s thriving Hispanic neighborhood, Alfredo De Villa’s “Nothing Like the Holidays” was probably a lot more interesting than the cookie-cutter dramedy that ended up on the big screen.

Rating: 2.5/5.0

Just as the title was turned more generic, “Holidays” became a film that we’ve seen dozens of times before. It’s a typical family holiday movie that lives and dies on the likeability of its extensive ensemble cast, but that, unfortunately, sacrifices its believable characters due to its emphasis on quantity over quality. Like last year’s “This Christmas”, every character comes to the dinner table not with a fruitcake but with a problem that audiences can expect to be resolved before the credits roll.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Nothing Like the Holidays” in our reviews section.

There’s something comforting about good holiday movies that make them such an annual staple. We’d all love to think that our family isn’t the only weird or troubled one out there and that the warmth of the holiday season will resolve everyone’s deepest issues just in time for the New Year. But when that believability is pushed to the breaking point with ridiculous behavior and unlikable characters, the subgenre falls apart.

‘Nothing Like the Holidays’ stars Alfred Molina, Elizabeth Pena, Freddy Rodriguez, Humboldt Park, Luis Guzman, Vanessa Ferlito, Melonie Diaz, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, and Jay Hernandez, ‘Nothing Like the Holidays,’ which was written by Alison Swan and Rick Najera and directed by Alfredo De Villa, opened on December 12, 2008.

Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Nothing Like the Holidays” review.

Freddy Rodriguez, John Leguizamo, and Vanessa Ferlito star in Nothing Like the Holidays.
Photo credit: Overture Films

Exclusive Red-Carpet Portraits: Luis Guzman, Freddy Rodriguez, Elizabeth Pena For ‘Nothing Like the Holidays’

HollywoodChicago.com — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:36:54 -0700

CHICAGO – Luis Guzman, Freddy Rodriguez and Elizabeth Pena were in Chicago on a snowy Dec. 1, 2008 for the red-carpet premiere of the new Chicago-filmed movie “Nothing Like the Holidays” at the Music Box Theatre. The HollywoodChicago.com lens captured their exclusive portraits.

“Nothing Like the Holidays,” which opens on Dec. 12, 2008 and was formerly called “Humboldt Park,” stars Debra Messing, John Leguizamo, Luis Guzman, Freddy Rodriguez, Elizabeth Pena and Alfred Molina. “Nothing Like the Holidays” follows a Puerto Rican family living in the area of Humboldt Park in west Chicago as they face what may be their last Christmas together.

Luis Guzman poses for the HollywoodChicago.com lens in Chicago on Dec. 1, 2008 at
the Music Box Theatre for the red-carpet premiere of “Nothing Like the Holidays”.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Freddy Rodriguez poses for the HollywoodChicago.com lens in Chicago on Dec. 1, 2008 at
the Music Box Theatre for the red-carpet premiere of “Nothing Like the Holidays”.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Elizabeth Pena poses for the HollywoodChicago.com lens in Chicago on Dec. 1, 2008 at
the Music Box Theatre for the red-carpet premiere of “Nothing Like the Holidays”.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com