Wiki News/Holiday at the movies: FJI previews end-of-year diversions and award contenders

The holiday 2010 movie season once again mixes award contenders and light entertainment, unwrapping star packages boasting the likes of Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Matt Damon, Denzel Washington, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Downey, Jr., Russell Crowe, Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Jim Carrey, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg, Jack Nicholson, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Anne Hathaway, Jake Gyllenhaal and Jack Black. The roster includes new visits with the creatures of Narnia and the zany Focker family, and reboots of vintage titles like True Grit, Red Dawn and Tron. And audiences will be lining up as Harry Potter prepares for his final encounter with the evil Lord Voldemort. As the weather turns colder, we’re hoping for plenty of box-office heat.

OCTOBER HIGHLIGHTS

In Conviction, a woman goes to law school with the goal of exonerating her older brother, sentenced to life in prison for a murder she is convinced he did not commit. Hilary Swank stars as Betty Anne Waters, the Massachusetts woman who went on an 18-year journey to save her sibling (Sam Rockwell). Minnie Driver, Melissa Leo and Peter Gallagher co-star in the drama from director Tony Goldwyn. (Fox Searchlight, Oct. 15, limited)

Clint Eastwood returns to the director’s chair with Hereafter, which he calls a “chick flick” he hopes men like too. Matt Damon, who starred in Eastwood’s Invictus, leads the cast as an average Joe who can tap into the supernatural. The supporting characters have also brushed with the other side, including a journalist (Cécile de France) who narrowly escaped death by tsunami, and a young English boy suffering from the loss of his twin. (Warner Bros., Oct. 22)

Paranormal Activity 2 promises to scare audiences with grainy, night-vision recordings of things that go bump in the night. This time, at least according to the trailer, there are babies involved! What better way to crank things up than to imperil a would-be “Rosemary’s Baby”? Word-of-mouth propelled the first movie to the top, but the filmmakers will have to come up with some new tricks to replicate the first horror movie’s Blair Witch-like success. (Paramount, Oct. 22)

Be the “in-the-know” friend and catch the subtitled version of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, because work has started on the English-language adaptations. In America, director David Fincher is taking a crack at the film of the first novel, which is coming out next year, but the popular trilogy by the late Stieg Larsson has already been turned into a series of movies in Sweden. So why wait? The final film picks up with Lisabeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) on trial for a trio of murders, defending herself within a corrupt system that has already imperiled her life. Michael Nyqvist co-stars as a journalist and Salander’s friend. (Music Box, Oct. 29)

Now in its seventh installment, the Saw series is one of the most successful horror franchises of the decade—time for a “reunion.” Saw 3D assembles the survivors of the diabolical Jigsaw’s terrible games. As they attend sessions led by a self-help expert, they discover one of the group has a secret that puts their lives in jeopardy. Kevin Greutert, who edited the first five films and directed Saw VI, reprises his role in the director’s chair. (Lionsgate, Oct. 29)

In director Jake Scott’s Welcome to the Rileys, a young prostitute becomes an unlikely catalyst for change for a grieving suburban couple. Years after the death of his daughter, Doug Riley (James Gandolfini) befriends an exotic dancer (Kristen Stewart of Twilight) while on a business trip to New Orleans. His wife (Oscar nominee Melissa Leo) overcomes her fear of travel to track him down, forcing the couple to confront what they have so long buried. (Samuel Goldwyn, Oct. 29)

ALSO IN OCTOBER In Boxing Gym, veteran documentarian Frederick Wiseman trains his cameras on Lord’s Gym, an Austin, Texas facility that trains amateurs and professionals of all ages. (Zipporah Films, Oct. 22)

A family with a terminally ill child goes to Mexico to seek an illegal organ transplant in Inhale. While desperate to save their child, the couple (Diane Kruger and Dermot Mulroney) soon realizes the doctor’s criminal activities do not stop with surgery. (IFC Films, Oct. 22)

In Kalamity, a young man reunites with a troubled old friend and discovers suspicious, blood-stained objects among his possessions. Nick Stahl and Jonathan Jackson head the cast of writer-director James M. Hausler’s mystery-thriller. (Original 4 Films, Oct. 22)

A con artist enlists a gentle giant from an orphanage (wrestler Paul “Big Show” Wight) to earn big bucks at a fighting tournament in Knucklehead. But will he use the money to pay off the orphanage’s debts, as promised, or his own, as planned? (Samuel Goldwyn, Oct. 22)

A student lives in an apartment that serves as a mosque by day and the center of a hardcore Muslim punk rock scene at night. Based on an underground novel, The Taqwacores explores the struggles of being a young, Muslim and American. (Strand, Oct. 22)

Cult songwriter and musician Stephin Merritt is the subject of Kerthy Fix and Gail O’Hara’s documentary portrait, Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields. (Variance Films, Oct. 27)

An avant-garde, stylized film carried out in three movements (childhood, adolescence and adulthood), the French import Amer borrows from 1970s Italian horror movies as it experimentally portrays a woman’s carnal desires. Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani make their directing debut. (Olive Films, Oct. 29)

Inspector Bellamy is the final film from the prolific French director Claude Chabrol, who died on Sept. 12. Gérard Depardieu stars as a Paris police commissioner investigating a murder while on vacation. (IFC Films, Oct. 29)

A thriller, a romance, and an Eat Pray Love-style travelogue combine in director Gareth Edwards’ Monsters. A journalist agrees to find his boss’ daughter and lead her away from an “infected zone” in Mexico, a decimated area where armies and space monsters clash. (Magnolia, Oct. 29)

An assassin (Bill Nighy) can’t pull the trigger on an art thief (Emily Blunt) in Wild Target. His deviation from protocol sets off a hectic chain of events, as he must protect the girl, run from his client (Rupert Everett), and keep an eye on his apprentice (Rupert Grint). Jonathan Lynn (My Cousin Vinny, The Whole Nine Yards) directs the comedic caper. (Oct. 29)

NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s act of infamy was getting caught visiting high-priced call girls—all the more ironic for someone who made his name rooting out corruption. In the documentary Client-9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer, Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney ( Casino Jack, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Taxi to the Dark Side) explores the ruthless world of politics and the themes of power, hubris and corruption. (Magnolia, Nov. 5)

The hilarious Zach Galifianakis takes a road trip with Robert Downey, Jr. in Due Date. When a flight from ATL to LAX doesn’t pan out, Downey puts Galifianakis in the passenger seat and hits the gas, anxious to make it home in time for his pregnant wife’s delivery. Following in the tire tracks of movies such as Planes, Trains & Automobiles and Tommy Boy, director Todd Phillips will show if he can repeat the success of 2009’s blockbuster comedy The Hangover, which also featured Galifianakis. (Warner Bros., Nov. 5)

Director Doug Liman moves from the Bourne series to the world of real-life spies in Fair Game. Naomi Watts stars as Valerie Plame, whose identity as a CIA agent was exposed in a Washington Post op-ed. The reveal was not an accident, but a more complicated form of political retaliation. Sean Penn co-stars as her diplomat husband, whose own op-eds embarrassed the Bush administration and led to Plame’s outing as a spy. (Summit, Nov. 5)

Tyler Perry branches out from his Madea series with For Colored Girls, an adaptation of the 1970s play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf. An all-star female cast, including Janet Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, Thandie Newton, Macy Gray and Kerry Washington, relates the love and trauma that is part of the experience of being a black woman. Perry directed, adapted and produced the film. (Lionsgate, Nov. 5)

A bald, blue-headed villain (Will Ferrell) gets his wish and defeats the good-guy superhero Metro-Man (Brad Pitt) in DreamWorks Animation’s Megamind. Now what? Without a nemesis to provoke, Megamind’s evil antics just aren’t as fun. As Metro City falls into chaos and disrepair, the villain may have to do the unthinkable and help the city. Tina Fey voices a reporter and Megamind’s frequent hostage. (Paramount, Nov. 5)

Remember that news story about a hiker who cut off part of his arm to free himself from a boulder? With an ordinary camping knife? That incredible true story has been turned into 127 Hours, starring James Franco as the intrepid, risk-taking mountain climber Aron Ralston. Trapped for almost five days, Ralston reflects on life and love, and tensely contemplates a path to survival. Director Danny Boyle, who has dabbled in drama, romance, horror, crime and sci-fi, tackles yet another genre with his follow-up to 2008 award-winner Slumdog Millionaire. (Fox Searchlight, Nov. 5)

The behind-the-scenes atmosphere at news shows hasn’t gotten much coverage since 1976’s Network. Morning Glory, a romantic comedy-drama written by Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada), brings us back to that workplace. An ambitious young producer (Rachel McAdams) is hired at the low-rated “Daybreak” and matches up a legendary hard-news anchor (Harrison Ford) with the reigning soft-news host (Diane Keaton), leading to some epic clashes—even on-air. Meanwhile, her relationship with a colleague (Patrick Wilson) is going down the tubes, as are the show’s ratings. J.J. Abrams ( Star Trek) produced and Roger Michell ( Notting Hill) directs. As an added bonus, Jeff Goldblum pops up as McAdams’ wry co-worker. (Paramount, Nov. 12)

A runaway train filled with explosive chemicals must be halted in Unstoppable. Denzel Washington re-teams with director Tony Scott ( The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3) as a veteran railway engineer who just might come up with a crazy plan to save local townspeople from a 40-mile radius of destruction. Chris Pine (Star Trek) co-stars as a young conductor who joins the nail-biting mission. (20th Century Fox, Nov. 12)

Kids will be just kids as the superheroes will continue until the final battle of the faith in Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush: Part I. Danny and his buddies Rebecca and Alec search throughout three different places in the city of Cincinnati to find three powerful subjects in order to destroy the Final Rush once and for all. Director James Calvin celebrates the series finale of the most popular book franchise of all-time, which is coming to IMAX everywhere. (Paramount, Nov. 12)

Audiences will make their penultimate trip to Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I. Young wizard Harry and his pals Ron and Hermione search throughout the magical world for the arch-villain Voldemort’s hidden Horcruxes. Finding and destroying these items, which contain parts of the evil lord’s soul, will be key to stopping his rise. Director Davd Yates celebrates his third Harry Potter outing with this film, which will be screened in theaters and IMAX. (Warner Bros., Nov. 19)

A woman is torn from her family and tried for a murder her husband knows she didn’t commit in The Next Three Days. After the last appeal is rejected, the husband (Russell Crowe) decides to free his spouse (Elizabeth Banks) from prison himself. Liam Neeson co-stars. Paul Haggis ( Crash) directs his screenplay adaptation of a French thriller. (Lionsgate, Nov. 19)

A backstage musical starring Cher and Christina Aguilera? Raise the curtain! Burlesque features pop-music powerhouse Aguilera as a small-town girl who tries to land a spot on the stage of a famous dance theatre headed up by Cher and Stanley Tucci (far, far away from his pedophile/murderer character in The Lovely Bones) Her dance skills may be naught, but just wait until they hear her sing. Eric Dane (“Grey’s Anatomy”) plays a hunky love interest, and Kristen Bell is on board as Aguilera’s rival. (Screen Gems, Nov. 24)

Ten years in prison did nothing to quiet Dwayne Johnson’s need for revenge in Faster. Armed with a gun and a to-do list, Johnson seeks out those responsible for his brother’s murder during the bank robbery that landed him in prison. But two cops (Billy Bob Thornton, Oliver Jackson-Cohen) are hot on his trail. George Tillman, Jr. ( Notorious) takes the director’s chair. (CBS Films, Nov. 24)

In The King’s Speech, pronouncing “The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain” is something the highest aristocrat must be t-t-t-taught. Second-in-line for the throne, the future King George VI (Colin Firth) must cure himself of his stutter in order to give radio addresses. He enlists the help of an unconventional Australian tutor (Geoffrey Rush), who shows little regard for the frivolous manners of the crown. Helena Bonham Carter plays George’s wife Elizabeth, and Guy Pearce the future king’s older brother. Tom Hooper (“John Adams,” The Damned United) directs. (Weinstein Co., Nov. 24)

Romantic comedies are known for their odd couplings, but the duo in Love and Other Drugs just might be genuinely edgy. Anne Hathaway plays a looker with Parkinson’s disease, and thus uninterested in commitment, while Jake Gyllenhaal hawks Viagra back when the blue pill was a newly discovered gold mine. Director Ed Zwick ( Defiance) tackles lighter fare with this adaptation of a pharmaceutical rep’s memoir, but expect some shots at a medical culture where doctors can be seduced by a sales pitch. (20th Century Fox, Nov. 24)

In the ultimate story of youthful wish fulfillment, a group of teens (including hunk Chris Hemsworth from Star Trek) save their town from Chinese and Russian soldiers inRed Dawn. The Cold War may be over, but the remake of the 1984 thriller will play like the Berlin Wall never fell. (MGM, Nov. 24)

Rapunzel may be the most passive of fairy-tale princesses, but in Disney’s CG-animated reboot Tangled, she wields her 70-foot mane with power and purpose. When a bandit (Zachary Levi) stumbles by her tower, Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) uses him to escape her stone tower and head out on an adventure, with a cute chameleon and white horse in tow. Popping out in 3D, the animated movie also includes a whole new set of songs. (Disney, Nov. 24)

Filmmaker Lena Dunham captures the humor and mindset of educated twenty-somethings everywhere in Tiny Furniture. Dunham plays a version of herself, a post-grad living in her family’s New York City apartment, with a disaffected and quietly humorous panache. The recipient of “Emerging Filmmaker” awards, Dunham shows immense talent, and it’s no surprise this player-to-watch recently signed on for an HBO pilot to be produced by Judd Apatow. (IFC Films, Nov. 25)

ALSO IN NOVEMBER

French actress and singer Jeanne Balibar is profiled in acclaimed Portuguese director Pedro Costa’s documentary, Ne Change Rien. (Red Star Cinema, Nov. 3)

Shot on black-and-white 16mm and starring talented trumpeter Jason Palmer, Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench follows the titular couple’s love and loss, set against original music led by Palmer. (Variance Films, Nov. 5)

Tempers flare between Russian technicians at an isolated Arctic meteorological outpost in How I Ended This Summer, directed by Alexei Popogrebsky. (Film Movement, Nov. 5)

A modern western and thriller set in a dusty corner of Australia, Red Hill stars Ryan Kwanten (“True Blood”) as a newbie cop who has a run-in with an escaped prisoner seeking revenge. (Strand, Nov. 5)

John Waters, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith and Gus Van Sant are among the talking heads in William S. Burroughs: A Man Within, a documentary about the groundbreaking author of Naked Lunch. (Oscilloscope Pictures, Nov. 5)

In Helena from the Wedding, a group of thirty-something friends assemble at a New Year’s Eve party at an isolated cabin. A young woman forces them to examine what they have lost as they have grown up and paired off. (Film Movement, Nov. 12)

Aliens have invaded Earth! That’s the premise of Skyline, which has special effects that look like an even slicker version of Independence Day. Evil spaceships are hoovering up humans who deign to look at their bright lights, and it’s up to a chosen few to save the human race. (Rogue, Nov. 12)

Civil war threatens an African coffee plantation in White Material, the latest drama from acclaimed French director Claire Denis. Isabelle Huppert, Christopher Lambert and Isaach De Bankolé head the cast. (Wild Bunch, Nov. 17)

Social change comes to working-class England in Made in Dagenham. Set in the 1960s, the spirited movie follows a group of women auto workers who decide to unionize. Sally Hawkins and Rosamund Pike lead the cast, with Nigel Cole (Calendar Girls) directing. (Sony Pictures Classics, Nov. 19)

Laura is neurotic. Daniel has Down’s syndrome. The two co-workers fall in love in the Spanish-language drama Me, Too. (Olive Films, Nov. 19)

An aimless traveler (Lotte Verbeek) befriends a man (Stephen Rea) living alone in the Irish countryside inNothing Personal. (Olive Films, Nov. 19)

In Kawasaki’s Rose, a Czech documentary filmmaker discovers that his celebrated father-in-law may have been allied with the secret police during the Communist era. Jan Hrebejk (Divided We Fall) directed. (Menemsha Films, Nov. 24)

The Legend of Pale Male chronicles a New York City sensation, a red-tailed hawk which nested atop an Upper East Side apartment building. (Balcony Releasing, Nov. 24)

A holiday perennial joins the 3D wave as veteran Russian filmmaker Andrei Konchalovsky (Runaway Train) directs The Nutcracker in 3D, a musical version of the Christmas fable with new songs by Tim Rice. Elle Fanning and Nathan Lane head the cast, with John Turturro as the Rat King. (Freestyle Releasing, Nov. 24)

Making the Boys documents the influence of the 1968 play The Boys in the Band, which heralded the gay-rights movement and introduced mainstream audiences to gay characters. (First Run, November)

DECEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

The Venice Film Festival was abuzz about Natalie Portman’s performance inBlack Swan as a woman whose life is consumed by ballet. Portman’s character starts to bend under the pressure to show more emotional range for a role, withering under the influence of her mother (Barbara Hershey) and becoming obsessed with a more passionate rival (Mila Kunis). Director Darren Aronosky has compared this movie to his last, The Wrestler, which featured a similar brutalization of the body. (Fox Searchlight, Dec. 1)

Freida Pinto of Slumdog Millionaire stars as the titular Palestinian radical in Miral, a multigenerational tale of Israeli-Palestinian strife. After growing up in an orphanage, Miral must decide if she wishes to pursue her education or the radical path paved by her PLO boyfriend. The semi-autobiographical tale was adapted from a novel by journalist Rula Jebreal and directed by Oscar nominee Julian Schnabel ( The Diving Bell and the Butterfly). (Weinstein Co., Dec 3)

The third adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ classic series comes to life in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Drawn back to the enchanted land of Narnia by a magical painting, Lucy, Edmund, and their cousin Eustace end up aboard the ship The Dawn Treader. On their journey to the end of the world, they encounter sea creatures as well as King Caspian, various witches, and their guiding force, the lion Aslan. (20th Century Fox, Dec. 10)

The recession comes to the silver screen inThe Company Men, written and directed by industry veteran John Wells (“ER”). Ben Affleck stars as a man fired from his slick corporate job. Unable to find work in his chosen profession, he keeps up the sports-car-and-golf routine until he’s forced to take a construction job offered by his brother-in-law (Kevin Costner). Tommy Lee Jones and Chris Cooper co-star as executives past their prime. (Weinstein Co., Dec. 10)

Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale spar in The Fighter, the story of a real-life boxing brothers. After losing his chance at being a contender due to drugs, Dick Ward (Bale) trains his half-brother “Irish” Mickey (Wahlberg) to be a champion. Amy Adams supports as Mickey’s love interest. David O. Russell ( I Heart Huckabees) directs. (Paramount, Dec. 10)

Shakespeare’s play about sorcerers, forbidden love and shipwrecks, The Tempest, is headed to movie theatres, with Helen Mirren in the gender-switched role of Prospera. Director Julie Taymor (Broadway’s The Lion King, Across the Universe) brings her imaginative visual style to the tale, and Russell Brand and Alfred Molina round out the cast. (Touchstone/Miramax, Dec. 10)

Johnny Depp’s on the rebound in Europe when he meets Angelina Jolie in The Tourist. The mysterious Jolie is being watched, and pursues Depp as if he is her former lover, a wanted criminal. With such close contact, though, there’s bound to be sparks—and a few chases. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck ( The Lives of Others) makes his second spy movie with this remake of the French film Anthony Zimmer (Columbia, Dec. 10).

In 1982, the wife of a wealthy real estate heir was murdered. Though police suspected the husband, he was never tried and her body was never found. Director Andrew Jarecki turns fact into fiction with All Good Things, which stars Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst and Frank Langella. Jarecki’s first fiction film expands on his fascination with moral shades of grey—he directed Capturing the Friedmans, a documentary about suspected pedophiles, and produced Catfish, which follows a mysterious Internet relationship. (Magnolia, Dec. 17)

Writer-director James L. Brooks ( As Good as It Gets) assembles a sporty love triangle in How Do You Know. Reese Witherspoon leads the cast, playing a softball player in a relationship with a baseball player (Owen Wilson) who finds herself drawn to a corporate type (Paul Rudd) caught up in a scandal. Jack Nicholson supports as Rudd’s father. (Columbia, Dec. 17)

In Rabbit Hole, Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart play a couple dealing with the tragic death of their young son. John Cameron Mitchell ( Shortbus) directs David Lindsay-Abaire’s screen adaptation of his acclaimed stage play. Sandra Oh and Dianne Wiest co-star. (Lionsgate, Dec. 17)

Kids have watched Yogi Bear steal pic-a-nic baskets in Jellystone Park for over 50 years. Now, the Saturday-morning cartoon favorite of generations is moving to the big screen in a 3D movie that mixes live-action with CGI. With development threatening Jellystone, Yogi Bear (Dan Aykroyd), his sidekick Boo Boo (Justin Timberlake) and his former enemy Ranger Smith band together to save the park. (Warner Bros., Dec. 17)

The original Tron wasn’t a major hit when it opened in 1982, but Tron: Legacy hopes to bring the videogame-world adventure to a much larger audience. Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges, reprising his ’80s role) has been trapped yet again in a computer realm. It’s up to his 27-year-old son (Garrett Hedlund) and the warrior Quorra (Olivia Wilde) to investigate his disappearance, fighting their way through a cyber-world enhanced by 20 years of advancements in computer graphics. The special-effects behemoth will release in 3D and IMAX. (Disney, Dec. 17)

There’s a whole album’s worth of crooning material in Country Strong. Waning country star (Gwyneth Paltrow) is attracted to an up-and-coming singer (Garrett Hedlund) and the two go on tour together, organized by the star’s manager and, whoops, husband (Tim McGraw). Also in the mix is a beauty queen-turned-singer (Leighton Meester of “Gossip Girl”). Shana Feste (The Greatest) directs from her own screenplay. (Screen Gems, Dec. 22)

It’s Jack Black versus the Lilliputians in Gulliver’s Travels. In the adaptation of Jonathan Swift’s classic satire, Black plays a travel writer caught within the vagaries of the Bermuda Triangle. Captured by the little people, including the queen (Emily Blunt) and Horatio (Jason Segel), Black must learn how to negotiate life in a dollhouse world. (20th Century Fox, Dec. 22)

When the intimidating, slightly crazy father-in-law (Robert De Niro) from Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers becomes a grandfather, he puts Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) through a whole new barrage of tests. Little Fockers picks up shortly after Focker and his wife (Teri Polo) give birth to twins, and comes to a head during an overblown family event—the kids’ birthday party. The truly all-star cast also includes Barbra Streisand, Owen Wilson, Dustin Hoffman and new additions Jessica Alba, Harvey Keitel and Laura Dern. Paul Weitz steps in to direct, taking the reins from producer Jay Roach. (Universal, Dec. 22)

An aimless actor (Stephen Dorff) and his child (Elle Fanning) converge at Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont in Somewhere. With nowhere else for his daughter to go, the two start living a Hollywood star’s life together, complete with foreign award shows, chic sunglasses and room service. According to some early buzz, writer-director Sofia Coppola replicates the moody listlessness she mastered in Lost in Translation. With such a keen eye for these moments, you wonder if the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola has lived them herself. (Focus, Dec. 22)

A dusted-off script from the late French comedy legend Jacques Tati comes to life in The Illusionist. Sylvain Chomet ( The Triplets of Belleville) uses his signature hand-drawn animation style to tell the story of a magician who competes for stage time with a preening rock band. He finds a girl captivated by his magic and takes her under his wing, their relationship unfolding with the stage as a backdrop. Tati’s own daughter was the original recipient of this story, written as an expression of parental love. (Sony Pictures Classics, Dec. 25)

Joel and Ethan Coen return to No County for Old Men territory with their remake of the 1969 western True Grit. Jeff Bridges stars in the role that won John Wayne an Oscar, playing a U.S. marshal who reluctantly helps a girl (Hattie Steinfeld) track down her father’s murderer (Josh Brolin). Her goal: Find him and seek revenge before a Texas Ranger (Matt Damon) nabs the man, who is wanted for yet another murder. The Coen Brothers directed and adapted the script, and the production was shepherded by Scott Rudin. (Paramount, Dec. 25)

The slice-of-life comedy-dramaAnother Year follows a group of Londoners over four seasons. Writer-director Mike Leigh ( Happy-Go-Lucky) introduces us to a happily married couple and documents their interactions with their two boozy, unhappy single friends, their adult son, and his new girlfriend. Sony Pictures Classics acquired the movie at its Cannes Film Festival debut. (Sony Pictures Classics, Dec. 29)

Javier Bardem won the Best Actor prize at Cannes for his starring role in Biutiful, the new film from 21 Grams and Babel director Alejandro González Iñárritu. Bardem plays a Barcelona crook and father of two children who receives a bleak cancer diagnosis. (Roadside Attractions, Dec. 29)

Kevin Spacey stars as ethically challenged Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff in Casino Jack, the second film this year to focus on the D.C. high-roller. Director George Hickenlooper’s drama also features Barry Pepper, Kelly Preston and Jon Lovitz. (ATO Pictures, Dec. 29)

Sixty-something Helen Mirren plays an aging Mossad agent in The Debt. Thirty years prior, she was part of a trio assigned to capture a Nazi war criminal. When someone claiming to be him resurfaces, the three band together to “fix” the problem. The adaptation of the Israeli film Ha-Hov jumps between the past and the present. Sam Worthington plays one of the young agents, and Tom Wilkinson and Ciarán Hinds are Mirren’s aging counterparts. John Madden (Shakespeare in Love) directs the thriller. (Miramax, Dec. 29)

Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams play a married couple in an endangered relationship in Blue Valentine. Flashbacks show the couple when they were once in love, but do not fully explain how they went from point A to point B. A favorite at the Sundance Film Festival, where it was acquired, the romance was directed by Derek Cianfrance. He last directed a documentary about a different form of contact in Cagefighter. (Weinstein Co., Dec. 31)

ALSO IN DECEMBER

Jim Carrey gives an unbridled performance in I Love You Phillip Morris, the fact-based story of a slippery con man who falls in love with his cellmate, played by Ewan McGregor. Bad Santa writers Glenn Ficarra and John Requa penned the screenplay and directed. (Roadside Attractions, Dec. 3)

An ex-Black Panther (Anthony Mackie) returns to his old Philadelphia neighborhood in Night Catches Us. He pursues a romance with a friend (Kerry Washington) and tries to overcome suspicions among fellow Panthers that he is responsible for a mysterious death. (Magnolia, Dec. 3)

A young ex-patient of a psychiatric hospital contemplates her life and her relation to others in You Won’t Miss Me, authored by indie filmmaker Ry Russo-Young. (Factory 25, Dec. 10) Acclaimed French documentarian Nicolas Philibert (To Be and To Have) takes an intimate look at Nénette, a beloved 40-year-old orangutan in Paris’ Jardin des Plantes Exotiques too. (Kino International, Dec. 22)

All release dates are subject to change.