Some families cook together, others hike, some go on road trips, my family goes to the movies. We do other things too, but going to the movies together will always be prominent in my childhood and young adult life. I went to my first movie with my parents when I was three weeks old – I don’t remember much. My mom and dad took me to see artsy movies before I could appreciate artsy movies – I thank them now. In the two weeks I was home for the holidays, my parents and I saw ten movies. Here are my brief reviews:

I highly recommend Silver Linings Playbook. Of all the movies we saw, this is the first one I would see again. I would even consider buying it when it becomes available on DVD. The sweet, quirky, crazy reality of two, not “broken,” but maybe “bent” people trying to make their way. Who do we love? Who loves us? How do we recover?

Lincoln. This movie will make you wish you paid more attention in history class. Powerful and intense, you witness the skill of a true statesman. A somewhat ironic juxtaposition to the recent debacle of the fiscal cliff. Our country survived a civil war, that puts things in perspective.

A classic. I have seen Les Miserables both in theater and on the big screen, both were moving. Do you believe people can change? Can a broken soul be healed with love? Also, let this be an illustration to any country that lets the gap between rich and poor grow too large.

I could not miss The Hobbit. This was definitely a Dad and Carly movie. Middle earth, dragon, trolls, orcs, goblins, wizards, elves, dwarfs, and hobbits made for three hours of visually stunning adventure. I must confess, during the movie I forgot that it was Part 1, and I kept thinking, ‘we better hurry up and get to the mountain.’ If you consider yourself an adventure movie connoisseur, you need to see this movie.

With Quentin Tarantino as its director, Django Unchained was guaranteed to have a healthy dose of bloody violence, and it delivered. At times, I found myself cringing or looking away from the screen. Not a movie for the squeamish.

The combination of Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, and Justin Timberlake peaked my interest in Trouble with the Curve. The movie had poignant moments, but tried to tell too many stories at the same time. I recommend as a RedBox.

As someone who has enjoyed the entire Bourne series, catching up with latest installment was only natural. The Bourne Legacy followed the same winning format – kick ass, rogue, genetically-enhanced hero saves super-smart-but-kind-of-clueless female from evil government spy programs and epic-proportion, multi-modal chases ensue. I enjoyed it.

We saw Guilt Trip and Wanderlust on the same day, both had sweet funny moments Family and love will make people do strange things. Maybe you’ll reconsider a road trip with your mom or living on a commune, or maybe not. Good for light viewing and easy laughs.

For something completely different, watch Beasts of the Southern Wild. Like Les Miserables, it will make you confront the haves and the have-nots, but unlike Les Mis, you will see a people who do not lust after the haves, but rather see those outsiders as the enemy. I think I may have missed something in this movie because for me it was rather strange.