Upcoming Releases — December


We've reached the final month of the year, which offers a mix of holiday films, event films, and those movies that want to vie for the big awards. Sometimes one release will be all three!

Wednesday, December 3:
Wild — This is the true life story of Cheryl Strayed, but it's probably a bigger deal because of the performance of Reese Witherspoon. Witherspoon is at the top of a lot of Best Actress nominations list because of her fierce performance here.

Friday, December 5:
Top Five — It's been a little while since Chris Rock really headlined a hit, but this might do it. This feels like a good starring vehicle for Rock, and a film that allows him to make some observations about his career and the industry. The trailer also looks pretty funny.

The Dying of the Light — Nicholas Cage plays an aging CIA agent hunting for his nemesis before he retires. Um, nothing to see here… move along.

The Pyramid — Well, they can't all be winners. This is a low-budget horror film set on an archeological dig at a pyramid. Shopping for Christmas presents never looked so good!

Friday, December 12:
Exodus: Gods and Kings — Sure, we all got excited about "Noah" only for it to bite us in the butts. But I'm still excited for this. Ridley Scott made "Gladiator," after all, and Christian Bale could be an inspired choice for Moses.

Inherent Vice — Say what you will about his stories, but Paul Thomas Anderson always makes interesting films. This one, a black comedy starring Joaquin Phoenix, looks quirky and fun. I'm kind of excited to see what this film is like.

Wednesday, December 17:
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies — After three years and nearly six hours of screen time, Peter Jackson finally gets around to telling the end of "The Hobbit," a children's book that has inexplicably been stretched into three feature films. Hopefully this one will be more about the action…

Friday, December 19:
Annie — We all know the story and we all know what to expect. This is the perfect kind of film for the holidays, and it looks like Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx will be a lot of fun in this. But am I the only one who thinks of Jay-Z every time "Hard Knock Life" plays in this trailer?

A Night at the Museum: The Secret of the Tomb — This is the third installment in this family-friendly franchise, and it looks to be on par with the rest. This will be good family entertainment for the holidays, and it's one of Robin Williams' final performances.

The Gambler — This looks like a fascinating drama with a great cast, including Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Lange, and John Goodman. This is some more adult counter programming close to Christmas.

Thursday, December 25:
Unbroken — This film, directed by Angelina Jolie, tells the amazing true story of Louis Lamperini. This is the holiday movie I'm most excited to see.

The Interview — James Franco and Seth Rogen look like they have a lot of fun with each other, and they look like they had a lot of fun making this movie about a news team trying to kill the leader of North Korea. It seems an odd choice for Christmas day, but there are worse options.

Into the Woods — This movie adaptation of a popular Broadway musical has its fans. The source material is a dark, edgy take on these classic fairytale stories, but the Disney-fied film has been rated PG. Something changed…

Big Eyes — This dramatic film from Tim Burton looks to have his unique visual style applied to a story tailor-made for Oscar season. This could yield results for Amy Adams, a perennial favorite, and Christoph Waltz, a two-time winner.

American Sniper — Clint Eastwood's summer film about the Four Seasons was a bit of a flop. This film, about a sniper played by Bradley Cooper, looks more like an Oscar contender.

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