L-R: Jude Law, Robert Downey Jr. and Rachel McAdams star in “Sherlock Holmes” {thanks, WARNER BROS.}

How about a little estrogen-heavy musical for the holidays? A dash of Sherlockian intrique? Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela? A dead girl navigating the afterlife? Ah, the holidays. Here are some films to look forward to the rest of the year — if you need a break from all that shopping, partying, tree-trimming and under-the-mistletoe-kissing. And — bonus! — the majority aren’t sentimental holiday flicks. What a nice present, Hollywood. MATT PAIS, METROMIX.COM

Fantastic Mr. Fox Wednesday
“The Darjeeling Limited” indicated Wes Anderson (“Rushmore”) needed a change of pace. This stop-motion animated film, based on Roald Dahl’s book and featuring the voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Owen Wilson, Bill Murray and lots more, should do the trick. Probably.

The Road Wednesday
First John Hillcoat’s (“The Proposition”) adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s (“No Country for Old Men”) novel was a potential late 2008 Oscar contender, then it was pushed back to early this year, and now here it is. Whatever. The post-apocalyptic tale, starring Viggo Mortensen, should be pretty badass, and a lot more chilling than “2012.”

Invictus Dec. 11
What, you thought there would be a holiday movie season without a Clint Eastwood movie? (Bet you wouldn’t say that to the director’s face, though.) Nope, after his surprisingly funny turn in front of and behind the camera for “Gran Torino,” Eastwood helms this adaptation of John Carlin’s book about Nelson Mandela’s (Morgan Freeman) experiences after the fall of apartheid in South Africa. Matt Damon co-stars as South African rugby star Francois Pienaar.

Avatar Dec. 18
Tough to know how to feel about James Cameron’s (“Titanic”) super long-awaited sci-fi flick, since the just-OK trailer footage will undoubtedly look a whole lot better through the filmmaker’s revolutionary use of 3-D. (He developed his own Fusion Camera System, blending live action and performance capture technology, and polarized glasses are required for viewing). The movie, starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver, still has a lot to live up to.

It’s Complicated Dec. 25
Fluff veteran Nancy Meyers (“The Holiday”) may have a winner with this late-stage romantic comedy about a man (Alec Baldwin) cheating on his younger wife (Lake Bell) with his ex (Meryl Streep). Add Steve Martin and John Krasinski and this holiday treat may actually taste better than stale Halloween candy.

Sherlock Holmes Dec. 25
Robert Downey Jr. (still full of “Iron Man” awesomeness) tries to continue his resurgence by starring in this muscular-but-funny take on the legendary sleuth, with Jude Law as trusty assistant Watson. Only reason for doubts: director Guy Ritchie (“Revolver”).

The Lovely Bones Dec. 25
Going smaller in scope than in his last movie (“King Kong”), “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson takes on Alice Sebold’s novel about a murdered girl (Saoirse Ronan of “Atonement”), her time in the afterlife, and her parents’ (Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz) search for justice.

Nine Dec. 25
Talk about daring. Director Rob Marshall (“Chicago”), who hasn’t made a movie since the awful “Memoirs of a Geisha,” delivers this hugely anticipated adaptation of the Broadway musical (an interpretation of Federico Fellini’s “8½”), starring a cast that sounds like guests at an Oscar winners party: Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench and Nicole Kidman. Um, Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson also appears, plus Kate Hudson turns up in a possible return to credibility.

Up in the Air Dec. 25
In a lighter white-collar role than his brilliant work in “Michael Clayton,” George Clooney plays a corporate downsizing expert looking for love. Director/co-writer Jason Reitman is hot off “Juno” and “Thank You for Smoking,” and we’re psyched to see whether he can go three for three. METROMIX.COM. OPENING DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE

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