When it comes to Christmas films, I’m generally a Scrooge. For the most part, I find films centered around the holidays to be contrived and uninteresting (the current hit “Four Christmases” is a perfect example).

So, imagine my surprise with the latest Yuletide release “Nothing Like the Holidays” – a predictable, yet enjoyable addition to the Christmas catalogue that works, thanks to a very talented cast that makes it easy to overlook the film’s shortcomings.

“Nothing Like the Holidays” centers around the Rodriguez family, who are reuniting at the family home in the Humbolt Park neighborhood in Chicago.

The siblings return at different points in their lives. Mauricio (John Leguizamo) is a successful attorney desperately trying to convince his wife, Sarah (Debra Messing), to start a family. Roxanna (Vaneess Ferlito) is a struggling actress hoping to get a role for a TV series that could be her big break.

Meanwhile, the youngest son, Jesse (Freddy Rodriguez), has just returned from Iraq, looking to heal the wounds from war as well as rekindle a relationship with the girl (Melonie Diaz) he abruptly left behind.

But all the siblings’ troubles take a back seat when their mother, Anna (Elizabeth Pena), announces she is divorcing their father, Eduardo (Alfred Molina).

Alison Swan and Rick Najera’s screenplay doesn’t exactly cover new ground. In fact, the story unfolds in a rather predictable manner.

Still, much like last year’s underappreciated “This Christmas,” I found the characters growing on me. It was refreshing to see a largely Latino cast create realistic, intriguing characters without resorting to typical Hollywood stereotypes.

Of course it helps to have a cast talented enough to keep you interested. Molina anchors the film well. Leguizamo gives his best performance in years, while Ferlito, Rodriguez and Pena are good as well. (It also helps to have the always likable Luis Guzman in a small role as a distant cousin).

I’ll concede that “Nothing Like the Holidays” isn’t in the same category as classics like “A Christmas Story” and “It’s a Wonderful Life,” but if you’re in the mood for a little holiday cheer, this is a film that will satisfy your needs.

DVD dandy of the week

This week’s dandy is “Burn After Reading” (B), Joel and Ethan Coen’s follow-up to their Oscar-winning film, “No Country For Old Men.”

This is a star-studded, offbeat comedy that fans of the Coens’ films “Raising Arizona,” “O’ Brother Where Art Thou?” and “The Big Lebowski” should find quite entertaining.

“Burn” tells the story of a pair of bumbling gym employees, Linda and Harry (Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt), who find a disk that contains the memoirs of a CIA agent (John Malkovich).

Before long, Linda and Harry find themselves wrapped up in a sticky web that includes a federal marshal (George Clooney), who is having an affair with the CIA agent’s wife (Tilda Swinton), Russian diplomats trying to get government secrets and a CIA superior (J.K. Simmons) trying to make sense of the whole ordeal.

This is rather trivial territory for the Coens and the cast, but everyone involved is clearly having a good time.

McDormand is adorable as Linda, a shallow gal just trying to get some cosmetic upgrades.

Clooney’s and Pitt’s performances are also a lot of fun – and a refreshing change of pace from their previous films “Michael Clayton” and “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.”

Malkovich, Swinton and Richard Jenkins – as the owner of the gym who has a secret crush on Linda – also add to the talent with some very positive results.

The Coens seem to be having just as much fun and this proves to be the perfect showcase for the duo’s lighter side.

“Burn After Reading” is rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and violence, and will be available Sunday on DVD.

— Sportswriter/movie reviewer Micheal Compton is rubber and you’re glue – so bounce on over to your computer and write to mcompton@bgdailynews.com.