Fans of filmmaker Tyler Perry rejoice with the arrival of “This Christmas,” the movie that Perry has been trying (and failing) to make for the past five years.

Here is a film that is smart and funny, full of holiday cheer and a likable cast that makes the somewhat predictable story go down easy.

“This Christmas” centers around the Whitfield family’s first holiday together in four years.

Ma’Dere (Loretta Devine) is delighted by the prospect of having all her children together, but everything is not rosy in the Whitfield family.

Lisa (Regina King) is stuck in a dead-end marriage and resentful of her free-spirited younger sister Kelli (Sharon Leal). Claude (Columbus Short) isn’t sure how to tell his family about his new bride Sandi (Jessica Stroup), while the oldest Whitfield, Quentin (Idris Elba), is still resentful that Ma’Dere has moved on after his father walked out on the family years ago.

Writer/director Preston A. Whitmore II doesn’t exactly tread new ground with this material, but it helps that he doesn’t try to overplay his hand, either (something that has been my biggest complaint with Perry’s films). Whitmore seems more content with delivering a solution in a simple manner and moving on to the film’s next crisis/resolution.

And any director confident enough to end his film with an extended dance sequence involving the whole cast gets bonus points from me.

“This Christmas” also benefits from a huge and talented cast that is capable of lifting the material above mediocrity. The standouts include Delroy Lindo as Ma’Dere’s long time boyfriend and de facto Whitfield head of the household Joe and R/B singer Chris Brown as the youngest member of the family who has aspirations on a singing career – something that he realizes his mother will not approve of.

“This Christmas” isn’t going to win any year-end awards and it isn’t a life-altering experience, but it is a safe and comfortable holiday diversion.

DVD dandy of the week

This week’s dandy is “Superbad,” (B) the delightfully raunchy teen comedy from the creators of “Knocked Up.”

In an era of political correctness, “Superbad” is a refreshing change of pace – a comedy that practically soaks itself in anti-PC situations. This is like watching a weird hybrid of John Hughes and the Farrelly Brothers – full of plenty of gross-out moments and laughs, but smart enough to have a pulse on what it’s like to be a teenager.

“Superbad” follows a pair of high school seniors, Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera), lifelong friends who are about to go to different colleges.

The boys haven’t been part of the in-crowd, but have one last chance when they agree to provide alcohol for a graduation party.

Their initial plan is to have a mutual friend named Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) use his new fake ID – claiming he is a 25-year-old named McLovin – to get the alcohol.

When that plan doesn’t go as smoothly as they hoped, Seth and Evan set out on a quest to correct the situation and get to the party so they can both get the girls of their dreams.

“Superbad” was written by Seth Rogan (the star of “Knocked Up”) and Evan Goldberg. It’s a smart screenplay full of laughs, but with a soft side as well. This film does feel a lot like “Knocked Up,” capable of balancing some rather disgusting humor with a sweet-natured conclusion that makes the audience realize how much they care about the characters.

Hill and Cera work well together, but the real star is Mintz-Plasse. The scenes where his character gets involved with a couple of inept cops (played by Rogan and Bill Hader) are as funny as anything in any other movie this year.

“Superbad” does kind of lag, especially in the middle third of the film, but there are enough laughs to make it worth your time. It may not be super good, but it is good enough, especially if you compare it to the majority of comedies released in 2007.

“Superbad” is rated R for pervasive crude and sexual content, strong language, drinking and some drug use and will be available on DVD on Tuesday.