It begins: Your guide to school holiday movie season

'Tis the time to be jolly and hide the red snakes; school holiday movie season is upon us. After a lacklustre year for family audiences with critical and commercial flops like Yogi Bear and Mars Needs Moms, all of the major film studios have blockbusters aimed at claiming the family dollar. The first cat out of the ranks is Puss In Boots, a spin-off from the hugely successfully Shrek franchise by DreamWorks Animation. Having already grossed $204 million at the international box office, the animated film is expected to be a big hit in Australia where Shrek has a loyal following.

Boxing Day is traditionally the biggest day of the year for movie goers and it won't disappoint for the family crowd in 2011 with Happy Feet Two, We Bought A Zoo, War Horse and The Adventures Of Tintin. Legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg directs both War Horse and Tintin, the former based on the novel and hit Broadway play that follows a boy and a horse's friendship through WWI.
With Herge's Tintin comic strips first appearing in 1929 and a popular animated series in the nineties, the Tintin mythos is more familiar to the older crowd. But the intrepid reporter is set to find a whole new generation of fans thanks to Spielberg and Peter Jackson who are together helming a 3D feature length version of the story. The technology means a higher ticket price, yet Jackson said audiences will get their money's worth with Tintin.
``After Avatar, 3D survived for a while as the premium experience but audiences have now come to realise there are bad movies being made in 3D too,'' he said.
``On top of that you're paying an increased ticket price to see a film that was worse than something in 2D.
``But when done right, 3D can make a good film, a great film.''

Both Spielberg and Jackson serve as executive producers on the film with Spielberg also directing and Jackson first assistant director. The film utilises the groundbreaking motion capture technology developed by Jackson's WETA Digital studio and used in films such as Avatar, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes and The Lord Of The Rings. Spielberg said although 3D isn't appropriate for every type of film - "little love stories shouldn't be in 3D'' - Tintin was an ``event movie'' that would blow audiences away.
``As a filmmaker, delving into the world of Tintin in 3D was the most amazing experience and I know that feeling will be shared by audiences,'' he said.
``I think five minutes into this movie people will see it's not the medium, it's the message.
``How it's made will be the least of your concern, you'll only want to have a good time.
``I'm certainly hoping 3D gets to the point where people stop noticing it and it becomes just a tool.'' If the first film is successful, Spielberg said Jackson will direct the second Tintin feature and he will serve as first assistant director. With Spielberg and Jackson considered two of the greatest directors in modern cinema, another great - Martin Scorsese - is throwing his hat into the three dimensional ring. Scorcese will make his debut with the technology early in the new year, January 12, with the release of period adventure film Hugo 3D. Beloved family favourites The Muppets will also be making a triumphant return on January 12. As well as starring in the film alongside Amy Adams (The Fighter), How I Met Your Mother actor Jason Segel was the writer and executive producer. Segel said his love of the wise-cracking puppets started when he was a kid.
``The Muppets were my first comic influence and I was in love with puppetry.
``I just thought it was an amazing art form.''

Best known for raunchy comedies such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Knocked Up, Segel said the beauty of The Muppets was their uplifting nature.
``Modern comedy makes jokes at other people's expense,'' he said.
``The Muppets never make fun of anybody. They're all about being good and nice and trying to make the world a better place.
``It's easy to get a laugh out of making fun of somebody, but the Muppets never relied on that.''


AT A GLANCE: KIDS FLICKS OF THE 2011 HOLIDAY SEASON

Puss In Boots (out Thursday)
Rating: PG
Stars: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis
Plot: A story about the events leading up to the sword fighting cat's meeting with Shrek and his friends.

Dolphin Tale (Dec 15)
Rating: PG
Stars: Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Harry Connick Jr
Plot: A story centred on the friendship between a boy and a dolphin whose tail was lost in a crab trap.

The Adventures Of Tintin (Dec 26)
Rating: PG
Stars: Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost
Plot: Tintin and Captain Haddock set off on a treasure hunt for a sunken ship commanded by Haddock's ancestor.

Happy Feet Two (Dec 26)
Rating: TBA
Stars: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Pink
Plot: Mumble's son, Erik, is struggling to realise his talents in the Emperor Penguin world. Meanwhile, Mumble and his family and friends discover a new threat their home.

War Horse (Dec 26)
Rating: M
Stars: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, Tom Hiddleston
Plot: Follows the bond between a young man named Albert and his horse, Joey, after he's sold to the cavalry and sent to the trenches of World War One.

We Bought A Zoo (Dec 26)
Rating: TBA
Stars: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson
Plot: Set in Southern California, a father moves his young family to the countryside to renovate and re-open a struggling zoo.

Alvin and the Chipmunks 3: Chipwrecked (Jan 1)
Rating: G
Stars: Jason Lee, Justin Long, Anna Faris,
Plot: Playing around while aboard a cruise ship, the Chipmunks and Chipettes accidentally go overboard and end up marooned in a tropical paradise.

Hugo (Jan 12)
Rating: TBA
Stars: Chloë Grace Moretz, Jude Law, Sacha Baron Cohen
Plot: Set in 1930s Paris, an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station is wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.

The Muppets (Jan 12)
Rating: TBA
Stars: Miss Piggy, Kermit, Jason Segel, Amy Adams
Plot: With the help of three fans, The Muppets must reunite to save their old theatre from a greedy oil tycoon.