Why not catch a movie with your crazy family or by yourself? Movie theaters seem to be getting more crowded on Christmas night, and with good cause.

Year after year it seems as though the holiday season has become less about family togetherness and more about devising a perfect plan on how to escape the madness.

Trying to peal yourself away from those grandmothers who paint your cheeks with their neon pink lipstick and almost put you into a coma with their Dollar Tree perfume is a tricky maneuver.

If you try to browse through the aisles at Walgreens for some sort of hearing aide that will tune out the southern drawl of your self-obsessed uncle who wears a leather Harley Davidson vest just because he is in Wisconsin for a week, good luck, because that device does not exist. Just use your iPod; he won’t know what it is anyway.

But what are you going to do after the presents are unwrapped, after the food has been devoured, after Mr. Whiskers climbs up the tree and knocks it down for the 20th time since it has gone up or after you have memorized every single line from watching “A Christmas Story” for the past 10 hours?

Why not catch a movie with your crazy family or by yourself? Movie theaters seem to be getting more crowded on Christmas night, and with good cause.

In the past such movies as “Cold Mountain” (2003) and “A Beautiful Mind” (2001) have premiered on Dec. 25 and have gone on to win numerous awards, including the Oscar.

So, does this trend of box office hits opening on Christmas have any significance for the movies that are opening this year on our beloved holiday? According to the critics, no.

The return of “Rocky Balboa” is amongst us this December, and no one could be happier than the star of the film himself, Sylvester Stallone. After only appearing on a boxing reality show in the past few years, this icon needed a job.

On Dec. 22, “Rocky Balboa” will come to a theater near you. When sitting down to view this film, you will have to be astonished at the 60-year-old boxing veteran making his comeback to the ring.

The New York Times said that, “Much of what is heard remains inaudible, thanks to the star’s own mumbling and the other actors’ way of following suit.”

Despite the reviews, I would rather sit through Sly’s mumbles and obviously fake black eyes than stare at my uncle’s vest for the remainder of my holiday.

No Christmas would be complete at the box office if there wasn’t a movie filled with murder and pretty girls prancing around trying to escape the murderer and then eventually, well, getting murdered.

Such is the case with “Black Christmas,” opening on Christmas Day. This movie is about sorority girls getting creepy phone calls claiming that they will die on Christmas. After all the freaking out that is expected, they die on Christmas.

Many critics ponder why this disaster of a whodunit was made. But for those of us with dysfunctional families, we know exactly why this movie was made.

This is not a film for grandma, or anyone who likes good cinema for that matter. However, if it’s an awkward moment you are looking for, bring Uncle Harley Davidson to the show. His old southern values will more than likely be uprooted by this film.

So, if you find yourself trapped under a Christmas sweater with battery-operated Christmas lights on the collar or are sick of watching your little brother play with his new PlayStation for hours, suggest a trip to your local movie theater.

You may be disappointed by the films, but for $10 or less, this Christmas will be a whole lot merrier.

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