New Year's Eve

Set on December 31, 2011, director Garry Marshall's unabashedly sentimental film follows several interconnected New Yorkers as they prepare for the New Year's countdown. In charge of the “ball drop” is nervous, newly promoted Vice President Claire Morgan (Hilary Swank) of the Times Square Alliance, aided by an NYPD officer (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges) and a recently laid-off employee (Hector Elizondo). Headlining rock-star Jensen (Jon Bon Jovi) is carrying a torch for celebrity cook Laura (Katherine Heigl), whom he jilted, and she's catering a posh media event hosted by an executive (Josh Duhamel) who's planning to meet a special woman at midnight. But Jensen's new backup singer (Lea Michele) is stuck in an elevator with a grumpy, cynical slacker (Ashton Kutcher). After a terrifying brush with mortality, meek-mannered secretary Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer) quits her job, determined to fulfill all her past New Year's resolutions with the help of inventive bike messenger Paul (Zac Efron). Meanwhile, 15-year-old Hailey (Abigail Breslin) tries to persuade her overprotective, divorced mother (Sarah Jessica Parker) to allow her to join friends in Times Square. In a nearby hospital, photojournalist Stan (Robert De Niro) is dying of cancer, tended by lonely nurse Aimee (Halle Berry). And in Brooklyn, two pregnant couples (Jessica Biel/Seth Meyers and Sarah Paulson/Til Schweiger) vie over who will give birth to 2012's first baby. Festive? Yes. Star-studded? Yes. Treacle? Yes. Recommended? No. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Garry Marshall, and a gag reel (11 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are deleted scenes (17 min.), the featurettes “The Magic of Times Square” (6 min.), “New Year's Eve Secrets of the Stars” (6 min.), and “Jon Bon Jovi & Lea Michele Rock New Year's Eve” (5 min.), the BD-Live function, and bonus DVD and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package on the Blu-ray version for this disappointing mess of a holiday film.] (S. Granger)