Most of the films released over Christmas had a serious case of the winter blahs. Those with potential failed to deliver, and a few small gems thrown in to the lineup ran away with Santa's sack.

For anyone who has not seen these films, never fear: Some are still showing in town, others will come later on campus, and still others will be released on video shortly. What follows is a brief recap of the winter season, ranked in order of box-office figures as of last week.

Home Alone The clear box-office champ in this Christmas season, beating out the No. 2 flick by $100 million dollars. Macaulay Culkin has stolen the hearts of a nation in his attempt to thwart thieves. Culkin has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and support for the young guy has been voiced through a full-page ad in a major newspaper. The unlikely story has become the surprise hit of the season.

Dances With Wolves Kevin Costner's epic showed the Old West from a new and welcome perspective: that of the American Indian. Despite being the most risky film of the Christmas season, with no big names besides Costner's, a three-hour-plus running time and extensive subtitling, the film turned out to be a worthy investment. Incredible cinematography and Costner's appeal seemed to overcome the obstacles that worried studio executives. Because Costner's film has done so well, there is hope that other powerful actors will continue to bring a diverse world view to the big screen. Unfortunately, this film has not made it to town theaters, but will be shown on campus later this semester.

Three Men and a Little Lady The three hunkish bachelors are back in a far funnier film than the first. While this film veers off onto an unnecessary comic detour, the film is entertaining, and thankfully, sans bathroom jokes. The three men have come and gone, but will be appearing in video stores shortly.

Kindergarten Cop Arnold Schwarzenegger seems as though he will never be able to escape roles which play on his size, but at least in this film he is allowed to be almost self-parodic. His interplay with the classroom of wisecracking kids is always charming and funny. One of the finest examples of this comes as Arnie croons "Old MacDonald" in a ragged straw hat and bandana, surrounded by a sea of beaming faces. While bringing the kids is not a very good idea, adults can enjoy this action comedy more than most of the current flicks.

The Godfather III Andy Garcia turns in an incredible performance as the young upstart and newly appointed don of the Corleone clan, giving his role stark realism. Director Francis Ford Coppola has been again criticized for his nepotistic casting, most heavily for casting his daughter, Sofia, in the large role of Mary, Michael Corleone's daughter. The director countered his critics by saying that his daughter was doing him a favor by taking on the role, after the sudden illness of the already cast Winona Ryder.

Misery Definitely one of the year's best, this film features near-perfect performances from Kathy Bates and James Caan. Rob Reiner can do no wrong, as he shows his deftness at switching genres to create this terrifying and funny film. Based on a Stephen King novel, the film places more emphasis on psychological suspense than slice 'em-dice 'em horror. Each time Bates (as Annie) appears on screen, her demeanor is never predictable. She pours lighter fluid on Paul (Caan) with the same cheery smile as she toasts his glass of Dom Perignon.

Edward Scissorhands This wonderful fairy tale is the best entry from the mediocre holiday season, with Johnny Depp making a beautiful and tragic title character. Vincent Price appears in a small role as the cookie-loving inventor of Edward, who dies before he can bestow him with his most wanted gift: a pair of human hands. Breathtaking cinematography and the unmatched imagination of Tim Burton's direction make Edward's story funny and magical, without drowning the searing message of the film. The film will play on campus this semester.

Look Who's Talking, Too This sequel to the highly successful first installment has been universally panned as one of the year's worst. As one colleague put it, "When Roseanne Barr is the funniest part of a movie, you know you're in trouble." Barr is a new edition from the first, signed on to do the voice of Mikey's newborn sister. Hopefully it's the last we'll see of Travolta, Alley and company.

Mermaids Cher and incredibly busy Winona Ryder star in this slice-of-bizarre-life film. Cher plays an unconventional mother and Ryder her prissy daughter who share a close relationship despite being at odds. Bob Hoskins of Who Framed Roger Rabbit fame also stars as Cher's only source of stability. Mermaids has never been to town, but there is still hope.

The Russia House John LeCarre's novel of espionage and loyalty came to the screen among a flurry of mixed reviews. Expectations of an action-packed spy thriller were not met, as instead the film concentrated on the relationship between beautiful Michelle Pfeiffer and dapper Sean Connery. Whether we in State College will ever see this film remains to be seen.

These films were the most popular of the holiday season, but they do not tell the whole story. For example, Bonfire of the Vanities, which did not make the Top 10 despite its stellar cast and a bestselling novel as its source, was expected to be big, but a barrage of terrible reviews and poor word of mouth killed any life this film could have had. We can only look forward to the new year, in the hope that mediocrity will be the exception instead of the rule.