Daily News Los Angeles
Posted: 11/06/2011 01:00:00 AM PDT
Updated: 11/06/2011 03:43:47 PM PST
In this image released by Warner Bros., Leonardo DiCaprio is shown in a scene from the upcoming film, "J. Edgar." (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Keith Bernstein)
Smell that?
That's promise. It's in the air around this time when Hollywood releases its most prestigious films of the year, along with some of its most highly anticipated blockbusters - sometimes they are even wrapped in the same holiday package.
It's when box-office fortunes can be made, and so can careers.
Look up! That's the Oscar race bearing down on you. And even if you don't care, the local cash drawers do. Reports have the Academy Award derby bringing in more than $130 million to the Los Angeles economy - with spending on ads, lavish parties, florists, dry cleaners and limos - as well as creating thousands of jobs.
Meanwhile, ABC reportedly sold around $80 million in advertising for last February's show, which after the Super Bowl is usually the second-highest-watched program on television each year.
An Oscar nomination, too, can bring a significant bump at the box office. For smaller films that can mean a lot. Some $20 million to $30 million extra may not seem much for a big film's bottom line, but if your little movie only cost $15 million to make, that's a pretty nice payday.
And who in the industry wouldn't mind having a little gold man adorning their mantel? Plus, it generates endless fodder for entertainment and news shows to debate who deserves the best-actress trophy.
So who and what will be generating excitement this holiday season?
The next couple of weeks will see the release of at least three best-picture contenders.
On Wednesday, there is Clint Eastwood's "J. Edgar," about the secret life of the infamous FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, played by Leonardo DiCaprio (in a lot of makeup as he ages).
Then comes "The Descendants" (Nov. 16), Alexander Payne's first film since "Sideways" in 2004. It stars George Clooney as a wealthy man trying to reconnect with his two daughters after his wife slips into a coma following a boating accident and he discovers she had been unfaithful to him.
An audience favorite at the Cannes Film Festival, "The Artist" (Nov. 25) is a black-and-white silent film from France that tells the story of a fading actor and a rising actress at the end of the silent-film era.
Other pictures expected to join the best-picture race are:
"War Horse" (Christmas Day) from Steven Spielberg. Adapted from a best-selling book, it tells the story of a young English farmhand who enlists during World War I in hopes of finding his beloved colt, who has been sold to the cavalry.
"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" (Christmas Day) from director Stephen Daldry ("The Hours"). It's based on Jonathan Safran Foer's novel about a young boy (Thomas Horn) grieving the loss of his father (Tom Hanks), who died in the World Trade Center attack on 9-11. With Sandra Bullock and James Gandolfini.
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" (Dec. 21). David Fincher ("Fight Club") brings the highly anticipated English-language version of the Swedish thriller to the big screen. Rooney Mara stars as computer hacker Lisbeth Salander, who comes to the aid of journalist Daniel Craig in his search for a long-missing woman.
"Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" (Dec. 9). Gary Oldman plays spymaster George Smiley in a new adaptation of the John le Carre novel, directed by Tomas Alfredson ("Let the Right One In") and with a cast that includes recent Oscar winner Colin Firth.
Of course, Oscar pundits are notoriously wrong and other films could move into contention, particularly if buoyed by an outstanding performance.
Michelle Williams is just brilliant in "My Week With Marilyn" (Nov. 23) as screen legend Marilyn Monroe. The ever-nominated Meryl Streep is expected to grab another best-actress nod, this time as British leader Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady" (Dec. 16).
Glenn Close plays a woman who passes for a man in 19th-century Ireland in "Albert Nobbs" (Dec. 21), a film she wrote. Former Oscar winner Charlize Theron is expected to be a contender for her role as an author in "Young Adult" (Dec. 9), which reteams director Jason Reitman and screenwriter Diablo Cody of "Juno."
And Kate Winslet will likely get consideration for "Carnage" (Dec. 16), Roman Polanski's
Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart star in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1." (Andrew Cooper)
adaptation of Yasmina Reza's Tony Award-winning play "God of Carnage."
Michael Fassbender has two intriguing roles coming up: First as Carl Jung in David Cronenberg's "A Dangerous Method" (Nov. 23), based on the Christopher Hampton play about the pioneers of psychoanalysis, and then in "Shame" (Nov. 30) as a sex addict whose life is complicated when his younger sister (Carey Mulligan) moves in with him, from director Steve McQueen ("Hunger").
Ralph Fiennes stars in and directs an updated version of one of Shakespeare's lesser-known works, "Coriolanus" (Nov. 30 in L.A. and New York City in an Oscar-qualifying run), with Gerard Butler, Vanessa Redgrave and Jessica Chastain, who deserves a best-supporting actress nomination for any number of films this year.
There will be big-budget 3-D, of course, two from distinguished directors for the first time.
Martin Scorsese gives us "Hugo" (Nov. 23) from the children's adventure book "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," with Sacha Baron Cohen, Ben Kingsley and Jude Law.
Spielberg offers his first film of the holiday season with "The Adventures of Tintin" (Dec. 21; "War Horse" follows four days later). Based on three stories from acclaimed Belgian graphic novelist Herg (Georges Remi), the film uses various forms of motion-capture to tell its tale.
Then there is the comic-book adventure "Immortals" (Friday), "Happy Feet 2" (Nov. 18) and the horror films "The Darkest Hour" (Christmas Day) and "Piranha 3DD" (Nov. 23).
Other dramas/dramedies to keep an eye on are "Rampart" (Nov. 23), based on a James Ellroy story about an L.A. cop, with Woody Harrelson; "We Need to Talk About Kevin" (Dec. 9) with Tilda Swinton; and "W.E." (Dec. 9) directed by Madonna. Cameron Crowe's first film since 2005 is "We Bought a Zoo" (Dec. 23), with Matt Damon as a guy who takes over a failing wildlife park while coping with raising his children after the death of his wife.
And what would the holidays be without a few big franchise gifts?
"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" (Nov. 18), directed by Bill Condon ("Gods and Monsters"), is the beginning of the end of the popular vampire series; Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law return as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" (Dec. 16) from director Guy Ritchie; Pixar director Brad Bird ("The Incredibles") moves to live action with "Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol" (Dec. 21), with Tom Cruise, of course; and Jason Segel brings back Kermit and the gang with "The Muppets" (Nov. 23).
- Rob Lowman, Staff Writer
Following are holiday-season releases. Dates are subject to change.
WEDNESDAY
J. Edgar: The secret life of J. Edgar Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio) as imagined by screenwriter Dustin Lance Black ("Milk") and directed by Clint Eastwood. With Naomi Watts, Judi Dench, Armie Hammer, Josh Lucas and Ken Howard.
The Love We Make: Albert Maysles and Bradley Kaplan directed this documentary that follows Paul McCartney around New York in the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks as he organizes a benefit, the Concert for New York City.
FRIDAY
The Conquest: Nicolas Sarkozy (played by Denis Podalydes) reflects on his life and marriage on the eve of his election to the French presidency in 2007. Xavier Durringer directed.
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within: Hugely popular in South America, Jose Padilha's follow-up to his hit "Elite Squad" follows a Brazilian police captain (Wagner Moura) as his reputation for brutality promotes him through the political system - to his increasing disgust.
The Greening of Whitney Brown: A spoiled preteen (Sammi Hanratty) readjusts when her parents lose their money and move to the country; a good horse helps. With Brooke Shields, Aidan Quinn and Kris Kristofferson; Peter Skillman Odiorne directed.
Immortals: Greek mythology, rendered in 3-D by the visually gifted Tarsem Singh ("The Fall"). With Henry Cavill as Theseus, Freida Pinto as Phaedra and Mickey Rourke as the Titan king, Hyperion.
Inni: The Icelandic art band Sigur Ros in performance, as filmed by Vincent Morisset.
Into the Abyss: Werner Herzog's documentary questions the death penalty as it is to be applied in a Texas case involving a triple homicide.
Jack and Jill: Adam Sandler in a double role: as a successful Los Angeles advertising executive and his neurotically needy twin sister. With Katie Holmes and Al Pacino; Dennis Dugan directed.
Jascha Heifetz: God's Fiddler: Filmmaker Peter Rosen continues his series of documentaries on musical subjects with a biography of the celebrated violinist.
London Boulevard: William Monahan, the screenwriter of "The Departed," directs his first feature, a London gangster film about an ex-con (Colin Farrell) who becomes involved with a movie star (Keira Knightley) hiding out from the press. With Ray Winstone, Ben Chaplin and Anna Friel.
Melancholia: An auspicious opening date - 11/11/11 - for Lars von Trier's apocalyptic drama, in which the members of a wedding party (Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Alexander Skarsgard, Charlotte Rampling, John Hurt, Stellan Skarsgard, Udo Kier) do their best to carry on while a rogue planet, metaphorically named Melancholia, heads for a collision with Earth.
A Novel Romance: New Yorkers (Steve Guttenberg and Milena Govich), each recovering from a loss, meet by chance, embark on a friendship and decide to help each other out. Allie Dvorin directed this romantic dramedy, also starring Shannon Elizabeth.
NOV. 16
The Descendants: In Alexander Payne's first film since "Sideways" (2004), George Clooney is a man who must renew his relationship with his estranged daughters when his wife is hospitalized after an accident. With Judy Greer, Beau Bridges, Matthew Lillard, Robert Forster and Mary Birdsong.
Tomboy: Vacationing with her family, a 10-year-old girl (Zoe Heran) is mistaken for a boy by the local residents and decides to spend the summer passing as one. From France; Celine Sciamma directed.
NOV. 18
Another Happy Day: A wedding day provides the background for a dark comedy about a dysfunctional family. Sam Levinson directed; with Ellen Barkin, Demi Moore, Kate Bosworth and Ezra Miller.
Buried Prayers: An archaeological team goes in search of personal belongings buried by survivors of the Warsaw ghetto uprising in the Majdanek death camp in a documentary directed by Steven Meyer.
Eames: The Architect and the Painter: A documentary by Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey that explores the personal and professional lives of Charles and Ray Eames over the 40-year life of their design studio in Los Angeles.
Garbo the Spy: The career of Joan Pujol Garcia, a double agent who was decorated by both the Allies and the Axis during World War II, is examined in a documentary by Edmon Roch.
The Greater Good: The controversial subject of government-mandated childhood vaccinations is examined in a documentary by Leslie Manookian, Kendall Nelson and Chris Pilaro.
Happy Feet 2: This sequel to the animated penguin musical is being presented in a stereoscopic 3-D process in select theaters. With the voices of Elijah Wood, Ned Beatty, Robin Williams and Pink; George Miller ("Mad Max") directed.
The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch: Based on the Belgian graphic novel series "Largo Winch," and directed by Jerome Salle, the adventure film centers on the murder of a billionaire, Nerio Winch (Miki Manojlovic) and the search by his deputy (Kristin Scott Thomas) to find his only heir, an adopted son (Tomer Sisley).
In Heaven, Underground: The Jewish Cemetery in Berlin-Weissensee: Britta Wauer's documentary explores the largest Jewish cemetery in Europe, which has miraculously remained intact for 130 years.
King of Devil's Island: Revolt in a Norwegian boys' prison, around 1900. With Stellan Skarsgard and Benjamin Helstad; Marius Holst directed.
Laredoans Speak: Voices on Immigration: The residents of a south Texas border town discuss immigration from their privileged vantage point in a documentary by Victor A. Martinez and Ryan L. Schafer.
The Lie: Joshua Leonard directed, was a co-writer and stars in this tale, based on a T. Coraghessan Boyle story, about a man who tells a fib to get out of work for a day, and finds his life irrevocably altered. With Jess Weixler and Mark Webber.
Rid of Me: A young newlywed (Katie O'Grady) moves to Portland, Ore., to please her husband, but his old friends don't like her. James Westby directed this black comedy; with John Keyser and Theresa Russell.
Silver Tongues: Lee Tergesen and Enid Graham play a couple who travel from town to town, changing identities and destroying lives as they go. Simon Arthur wrote and directed.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1: The fourth film in the popular vampire series follows Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) through the birth of their daughter. Bill Condon ("Gods and Monsters") directed; with Taylor Lautner.
Tyrannosaur: Hurtling into self-destruction, Joseph (Peter Mullan) finds hope in the form of a charity shop worker (Olivia Colman). With Eddie Marsan; Paddy Considine wrote and directed.
NOV. 23
Arthur Christmas: James McAvoy lends his voice to the title character, a son of Santa Claus who resents his older brother's high-tech makeover of the family business. Sarah Smith and Barry Cook directed in 3-D for Aardman Animation; with the voices of Bill Nighy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent and Imelda Staunton.
A Dangerous Method: David Cronenberg adapts Christopher Hampton's play "The Talking Cure," about tortured relationships among the pioneers of psychoanalysis: Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen), Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) and Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley). With Vincent Cassel and Sarah Gadon.
Hugo: Martin Scorsese turns his fine hand to filmmaking in 3-D, with a children's adventure story based on the book "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick. With Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Sacha Baron Cohen, Ben Kingsley, Jude Law, Ray Winstone, Christopher Lee, Helen McCrory, Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour, Emily Mortimer and Michael Stuhlbarg.
The Muppets: The Muppets reassemble for a fundraising event when their former theater is threatened with destruction. With Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones and a raft of guest stars; James Bobin ("Flight of the Conchords") directed.
My Week With Marilyn: A production assistant (Eddie Redmayne) takes Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams) on a tour of England during a break in the production of "The Prince and the Showgirl" (1957). With Kenneth Branagh (as Laurence Olivier), Judi Dench and Julia Ormond. Simon Curtis directed.
Piranha 3DD: The prehistoric, man-eating fish surface again, this time at a water park, in a sequel to the 2010 remake of Joe Dante's 1978 horror comedy. With Danielle Panabaker, Matt Bush, Chris Zylka, David Koechner and Meagan Tandy; John Gulager ("Feast") directed.
Rampart: Oren Moverman ("The Messenger") directed this drama, based on a story by James Ellroy, about a Los Angeles policeman (Woody Harrelson) with a controversial past who becomes bound up in a corruption scandal. With Anne Heche, Cynthia Nixon, Ben Foster, Robin Wright, Sigourney Weaver, Steve Buscemi and Ice Cube.
NOV. 25
The Artist: As the transition to talkies gets under way in 1927, a silent movie star (Jean Dujardin) who will soon be on his way down meets an extra (Berenice Bejo) who will soon be on her way up. Michel Hazanavicius wrote and directed this black-and-white film without spoken dialogue. With John Goodman, James Cromwell and Penelope Ann Miller.
Crazy Wisdom: The story of Chogyam Trungpa, a Tibetan monk who immigrated to the United States in 1970 and became an adviser to a group of prominent artists and intellectuals, including R.D. Laing and John Cage. Johanna Demetrakas directed.
Romantics Anonymous: The painfully shy director of a chocolate factory (Benoit Poelvoorde) becomes tentatively involved with a new employee, a talented chocolate maker (Isabelle Carre). Jean-Pierre Ameris directed this French-language film.
NOV. 30
The First Rasta: The story of Leonard Percival Howell, often considered the founder of the Rastafarian movement in Jamaica. Helene Lee directed.
Khodorkovsky: Cyril Tuschi directed this documentary on the erstwhile Russian oligarch Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, who took on the Putin government and has been in prison since 2003.
The Story of Lover's Rock: Filmmaker Menelik Shabazz tells the story of a romantically inflected form of reggae that emerged from Britain's black club scene in the late 1970s.
Answers to Nothing: The abduction of a child provides the background for six interweaving stories set in Los Angeles. With Elizabeth Mitchell, Dane Cook, Julie Benz and Barbara Hershey; Matthew Leutwyler wrote and directed.
Caitlin Plays Herself: The story of a Chicago performance artist whose stage nudity upsets her boyfriend. With Caitlin Stainken (whose life inspired the film), Frank V. Ross and Spencer Parsons.
Coriolanus: Ralph Fiennes directs himself as Shakespeare's ambitious but politically inept Roman general. With Gerard Butler, Vanessa Redgrave, Brian Cox and, in her sixth film of 2011, Jessica Chastain. (One-week Oscar-qualifying run.)
Knuckle: Ian Palmer's documentary examines the world of Irish bare-knuckle boxing, focusing on the 44-year-old retired champion James Quinn McDonagh.
Outrage: Takeshi Kitano returns to his roots as a filmmaker with a violent tale of two clashing Yakuza clans.
Shame: Michael Fassbender plays a Manhattan office worker who finds relief in casual sex; his life gets complicated when his troubled younger sister (Carey Mulligan) moves in with him. Directed by Steve McQueen ("Hunger").
Sleeping Beauty: A university student (Emily Browning) finds part-time work in a strange brothel, where she is required to be sedated into unconsciousness. Gradually, she starts to wonder what's going on while she's out. Julia Leigh directed this Australian feature.
Under Control: Volker Sattel's documentary examines the challenges surrounding the deployment of nuclear power in Germany.
DEC. 9
I Melt With You: Tragic consequences ensue when three high school friends (Thomas Jane, Rob Lowe and Jeremy Piven) meet for their annual reunion. With Carla Gugino and Sasha Grey; Mark Pellington ("The Mothman Prophecies") directed.
In Darkness: A one-week Oscar-qualifying run for this Agnieszka Holland film about a sewer worker in Nazi-occupied Poland who enters into an arrangement with a group of Jews trying to escape the ghetto. With Robert Wieckiewicz, Benno Furmann, Agnieszka Grochowska, Maria Schrader and Herbert Knaup.
New Year's Eve: Garry Marshall follows up his ensemble comedy "Valentine's Day" with a look at another group of diverse characters on New Year's Eve 2012. With Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Jon Bon Jovi, Abigail Breslin, Chris Bridges (aka Ludacris), Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel, Zac Efron, Hector Elizondo, Katherine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher, Seth Meyers, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Til Schweiger, Hilary Swank and Sofia Vergara.
Red Hook Black: Luis Landivar directs an adaptation of his play about a Brooklyn family threatened by illness and hard times. With Kyle Fields, James Jackson, Danielle Lozeau and Victoria Negri.
Seducing Charlie Baker: An out-of-work actor (Stephen Barker Turner) allows what's left of his career to slip away when he allies himself with an ambitious newcomer (Heather Gordon). Amy Glazer directed.
The Sitter: Jonah Hill as an unemployed college student who doesn't know what he's in for when he agrees to baby-sit for three bratty kids. With Sam Rockwell and Ari Graynor; David Gordon Green ("Pineapple Express") directed.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: Gary Oldman plays the master spy George Smiley, a role made famous by Alec Guinness in the 1979 television adaptation of John le Carre's novel. With Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, John Hurt and Toby Jones; Tomas Alfredson ("Let the Right One In") directed.
W.E.: Madonna directed the time-shifting story of a contemporary New York woman (Abbie Cornish) fascinated by the romance of King Edward VIII (James D'Arcy) and the American divorcee Wallis Simpson (Andrea Riseborough).
We Need to Talk About Kevin: Lynne Ramsay ("Ratcatcher") directed this adaptation of Lionel Shriver's novel, in which a mother (Tilda Swinton) tries to understand why her son has become a mass murderer. With John C. Reilly and Ezra Miller.
Young Adult: Jason Reitman directs a Diablo Cody screenplay about a writer of young-adult books (Charlize Theron) who returns to her hometown in a misguided attempt to rekindle her relationship with her now-married high school sweetheart (Patrick Wilson). But another former classmate (Patton Oswalt) enters the picture.
DEC. 14
Addiction Incorporated: Charles Evans Jr.'s documentary tells the story of Victor DeNoble, a researcher for Philip Morris whose discovery of addictive ingredients in cigarettes led to federal regulation of the tobacco industry.
DEC. 15
Sleepless Nights Stories: A new diary film from the 88-year-old avant-gardist Jonas Mekas, covering travels through Paris, Reykjavik and downtown Manhattan.
DEC. 16
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked: A cruise ship disaster leads to life on a desert island for the singing rodents. With Jason Lee, David Cross, Jenny Slate, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Amy Poehler, Anna Faris and Christina Applegate; Mike Mitchell directed.
Carnage: Set in Brooklyn but shot in Paris, Roman Polanski's adaptation of Yasmina Reza's play "God of Carnage" stars Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly as two pairs of parents who meet to discuss a schoolyard fight between their children.
Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel: A documentary about Roger Corman, the wildly prolific and influential director of low-budget movies. Alex Stapleton directed; featuring interviews with Martin Scorsese, Jack Nicholson, Ron Howard, Jonathan Demme, Robert De Niro, Peter Fonda, Bruce Dern, David Carradine (who died in 2009), Pam Grier, Catherine Hardwicke, Eli Roth and Paul W.S. Anderson.
Iron Lady: Meryl Streep is Margaret Thatcher in a biographical film directed by Phyllida Lloyd ("Mamma Mia!"). With Jim Broadbent, Anthony Head and Richard E. Grant.
Saviors in the Night: How farmers in the German region of Munsterland hid a Jewish family from 1943 to 1945, saving them from the concentration camps. Ludi Boeken directed this adaptation of the memoirs of Marga Spiegel.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) goes another round with Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris) when the crown prince of Austria is found dead. With Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Eddie Marsan and Stephen Fry; Guy Ritchie directed.
DEC. 21
The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn: Or the Adventures of Steven Spielberg in the Third Dimension, as the distinguished filmmaker tackles stereoscopy for the first time in this adaptation of three stories from the venerated Belgian graphic novels by Herg (Georges Remi). With, in various degrees of motion-captured stylization, Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Gad Elmaleh, Toby Jones and Mackenzie Crook.
Albert Nobbs: Glenn Close plays the title character, a woman who passed as a man for 30 years in 19th-century Ireland. With Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Johnson, Janet McTeer, Brendan Gleeson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Brenda Fricker and Pauline Collins. Rodrigo Garcia directed.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara star in the English-language adaptation of the first book in Stieg Larsson's unstoppable "Millennium Trilogy." David Fincher directed a cast that includes Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgard, Robin Wright and Joely Richardson.
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol: Animation specialist Brad Bird ("The Incredibles") directs flesh-and-blood performers in this new addition to the "Mission: Impossible" franchise. With Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Josh Holloway, Michael Nyqvist, Vladimir Mashkov, Lea Seydoux and Anil Kapoor.
DEC. 23
In the Land of Blood and Honey: Angelina Jolie wrote and directed this drama about a Serbian (Goran Kostic) and a Bosnian Muslim (Zana Marjanovic) who fall in love shortly before the outbreak of the 1992 ethnic conflict.
Pina: Wim Wenders' tribute to the late German choreographer Pina Bausch uses 3-D to capture the physicality and spatial complexity of her dances.
Vettai: From India, a Tamil-language action film directed by N. Linguswamy.
We Bought a Zoo: Matt Damon takes over a dilapidated wildlife park in an attempt to reconnect with his children after his wife dies of cancer. Cameron Crowe directed. With Thomas Haden Church, Elle Fanning, Colin Ford and Scarlett Johansson.
DEC. 25
The Darkest Hour: Four attractive young people find themselves trapped in a suddenly underpopulated Moscow after an alien attack. With Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, Max Minghella and Rachael Taylor; Chris Gorak directed in 3-D.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: A young boy (Thomas Horn) searches New York City for a final message from his father (Tom Hanks), who died in the World Trade Center attack. With Sandra Bullock, James Gandolfini, Zoe Caldwell, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright and Max von Sydow; Stephen Daldry directed from a screenplay by Eric Roth adapted from Jonathan Safran Foer's novel.
War Horse: When his beloved horse is pressed into service in World War I, a British boy (Jeremy Irvine) enlists and heads off to France to save him. Steven Spielberg directed. With Emily Watson, Peter Mullan, Niels Arestrup and David Thewlis.
DEC. 28
El Sicario, Room 164: A Mexican hit man tells the story of his life in a documentary directed by Gianfranco Rosi.
Pariah: An African-American teenager (Adepero Oduye) is determined to make a life for herself as a lesbian in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Dee Rees wrote and directed this feature, an expansion of her 2007 prize-winning short film. With Pernell Walker, Aasha Davis and Charles Parnell.
DEC. 30
Angels Crest: A 3-year-old disappears during the first snowstorm of the year, sending the residents of a rural community into anxiety and despair. With Jeremy Piven, Kate Walsh, Thomas Dekker, Lynn Collins, Mira Sorvino and Elizabeth McGovern. Gaby Dellal directed.
A Separation: An Iranian couple divorces after 14 years of marriage in a social drama directed by Asghar Farhadi. With Leila Hatami, Peyman Moaadi and Sarina Farhadi.
JAN. 4
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia: Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan's study of a group of men searching for a missing person in the Anatolian steppes.
JAN. 6
Beneath the Darkness: Dennis Quaid is a mortician with a shady past in a thriller directed by Martin Guigui. With Aimee Teegarden.
The Devil Inside: Paramount is looking for another "Paranormal Activity" with this DIY horror film directed by William Brent Bell ("Stay Alive") and starring Fernanda Andrade as a young woman involved in unsanctioned exorcisms.
Roadie: Ron Eldard bulked up to play an aging rock star who gets involved with a friend's wife, an aspiring singer-songwriter (Jill Hennessy). With Bobby Cannavale, Lois Smith, David Margulies and Catherine Wolf. Michael Cuesta directed.
JAN. 13
Beauty and the Beast: After the unexpected success of Disney's 3-D conversion of "The Lion King," the studio offers a stereoscope release of the 1991 animated hit directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise.
Contraband: When his brother-in-law gets in trouble with a ruthless crime lord (Giovanni Ribisi), a retired smuggler (Mark Wahlberg) is forced back into the game, running a boatload of counterfeit money from Panama to New Orleans. With Kate Beckinsale, Ben Foster, Caleb Landry Jones, Diego Luna and J.K. Simmons; Baltasar Kormakur directed.
The Divide: Lauren German, Milo Ventimiglia, Michael Biehn, Rosanna Arquette and Courtney B. Vance are among the strangers who take refuge in a bomb shelter after a nuclear attack on New York. Xavier Gens directed.
Joyful Noise: Discord threatens the championship-winning Divinity Church choir when the tradition-bound director (Queen Latifah) declines to implement the modernizing changes requested by one of her star singers (Dolly Parton). With Keke Palmer, Courtney B. Vance, Jeremy Jordan and Kris Kristofferson; Todd Graff wrote and directed.
The New York Times contributed to this report.
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