At some point this holiday season, some day between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, you’re going to get sick of shopping at the mall. You’re going to need to escape. You’re going to need to decompress. One of the most favored, heavily traditional ways to do that is to sneak over to the movie theater and catch a nice matinee while your family is tied up at the perfume counter at Macy’s. So what will you have to choose from this winter? Whether you like Sylvester Stallone, Meryl Streep or Larry the Cable Guy, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.Keep in mind, all opening dates are subject to change.
Feature: Film Guide
Nov. 22Delivery ManIn this remake of a 2011 New Zealand comedy (named Starbuck), a middle-aged slacker finds out that a screw up at the fertility clinic has made him the biological father of 500 kids.Stars: Vince Vaughn, Cobie SmuldersPhilomenaStephen Frears (My Beautiful Laundrette, Dangerous Liaisons, High Fidelity) directs this sophisticated comedy-drama about a journalist trailing after a woman who is searching for the son she was forced to give up decades ago.Stars: Judi Dench, Steve CooganThe Hunger Games: Catching FireThis sequel to last year’s hit sci-fi franchise finds our heroine Katniss dealing with the fame of her victory in the Hunger Games.Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Liam HemsworthKill Your DarlingsDaniel Radcliffe (the Harry Potter films) takes a career turn, playing Beat poet Allen Ginsberg in this biopic about the infamous 1944 murder that brought Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs together.Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Michael C. Hall, David Cross
Feature: Film Guide
Oldboy
Nov. 27Black NativityThis bluntly titled musical drama finds a “streetwise teen from Baltimore” traveling to New York where he ends up more or less reenacting the Nativity, gospel-style. Based on the 1961 stage production by Langston Hughes.Stars: Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Jennifer HudsonThe Book ThiefDuring the horrors of World War II Germany, a little girl finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others. Based on the novel by Markus ZusakStars: Sophie Nélisse, Geoffrey Rush, Emily WatsonFrozenThe classic fairy tale of “The Ice Queen” gets the Disney animated treatment with an optimistic heroine, a selfless hero and a wacky snowman laboring to save a kingdom trapped in eternal winter.Stars: Kristen Bell, Josh GadHomefrontA former DEA agent moves to a small town, where he soon tangles with a local meth warlord. Sylvester Stallone wrote it.Stars: Jason Statham, Winona RyderOldboyChan-wook Park’s mind-bending South Korean thriller gets remade by Spike Lee, of all people. An ordinary man goes looking for vengeance on the mysterious people who kidnapped him, locked up for 20 years and then set free without a reason. Stars: Josh Brolin, Samuel L. Jackson
Feature: Film Guide
Dec. 6KhumbaIn this mash-up of The Lion King and Madagascar, a half-striped zebra embarks on a daring quest to earn his stripes after being rejected by his herd. From the makers of the similarly unheard-of African animal romp Zambezia.Stars: Liam Neeson, AnnaSophia RobbOut of the FurnaceWhen a young man mysteriously disappears, his older brother takes matters into his own hands to find justice.Stars: Christian Bale, Casey Affleck
Feature: Film Guide
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Dec. 13Tyler Perry’s A Madea ChristmasWell it’s more or less the last Madea movie, only this one’s got Christmas in it. Oh, and Larry the Cable Guy. What more could you ask for?Stars: Tyler Perry, Larry the Cable GuyThe Hobbit: The Desolation of SmaugPeter Jackson makes with the second film in his lengthy Hobbit trilogy. We may get to see the dragon in this one. Stars: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen
Feature: Film Guide
Dec. 18American HustleA con man and his seductive British partner are forced to work with a wild FBI agent to scam the New Jersey Mafia. From the maker of Silver Linings Playbook and Three Kings.Stars: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams
Feature: Film Guide
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
Walking with Dinosaurs 3D
Dec. 20Anchorman 2: The Legend ContinuesThe entire crew of the first, highly regarded Anchorman film returns. This time around, they’re stuck in the ’80s, the dawn of the 24 hour news channel.Stars: Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Christina ApplegateInside Llewyn DavisMad auteurs the Coen brothers (O Brother, Where Art Thou?; The Big Lebowski) dive into the world of the Greenwich Village folk music scene, circa 1961.Stars: Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, John GoodmanSaving Mr. BanksFilmmaker Walt Disney tries to sweet-talk British author P.L. Travers into letting him adapt her beloved children’s novel Mary Poppins in this light comedy-drama biopic.Stars: Emma Thompson, Tom HanksWalking With Dinosaurs in 3DThe popular BBC series (featuring plenty of computer-animated recreations of Jurassic life) gets remade with better graphics and more of a plot.Stars: Justin Long, Tiya Sircar
Feature: Film Guide
Dec. 2547 RoninKeanu Reeves breaks out some of his old Matrix martial arts moves for this fantasy-heavy remake of the classic Japanese tale of a band of samurai who unite to avenge the death of their master. Stars: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki SanadaAugust: Osage CountyThe hugely popular stage play about a family of strong-willed women whose paths converge during a family crisis in rural Oklahoma comes to the big screen with an award-winning cast.Stars: Meryl Streep. Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Benedict CumberbatchGrudge MatchThe star of Rocky and the star of Raging Bull go head-to-head in this gimmicky comedy about two aging boxers who face off 30 years after their legendary title fight.Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Robert De NiroJack Ryan: Shadow RecruitChris Pine (Star Trek) takes over for Alec Baldwin/Harrison Ford/Ben Affleck in this umpteenth reboot of Tom Clancy’s CIA superspy series. Stars: Chris Pine, Keira KnightleyThe Wolf of Wall StreetMartin Scorsese directs this crime drama based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, a wealthy stockbroker who lived the good life by defrauding clients in the high-flying ’90s.Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah HillThe Secret Life of Walter MittyBen Stiller remakes the 1947 comedy (starring Danny Kaye) about a daydreaming office worker who can’t separate fantasy from reality.Stars: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig
