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The last four months of the year are pretty exciting for movie buffs. From September through December, big-name directors pair with big-name casts to release their best award contenders—while, at the same time, others pull out all the stops to release the biggest, most thrilling holiday hits.
Last week, we took a look at September and October—and what a thrilling couple of months they were! Now that we’ve all had a little bit of time to rest and recuperate and build up strength for the second half of our fall movie preview, it’s time to pick things back up again for November and December.
NOVEMBER 4:
My mom always pulls out her Christmas music on November first—so I guess it’s no big deal that A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas hits theaters on November 4th. Kal Penn and John Cho return for more stoner antics as they try to replace Harold’s father-in-law’s prize Christmas tree.
Meanwhile, speaking of franchises that just won’t die, Shrek’s feisty feline gets his own spin-off as Antonia Banderas voices Puss in Boots.
Also this week, Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy team up for Brett Ratner’s Tower Heist, an action comedy about a bunch of employees in a swanky NYC apartment building who decide to get revenge on the man who lost their pensions in a Ponzi scheme.
And, in limited release, Michelle Williams stars in My Week with Marilyn, and Ellen Barkin stars in the family drama Another Happy Day.
Kristin’s Pick: I can’t resist the dirt-dishing drama of My Week with Marilyn—especially with Kenneth Branagh in the role of Laurence Olivier.
NOVEMBER 11:
Award season regular Clint Eastwood kicks the weekend off early—on the 9th—with J. Edgar, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the man who helped to create the FBI before going on to rule it with an iron fist.
For a little more action, there’s Immortals, starring Superman-to-be Henry Cavill as a mortal man who goes to battle for the gods, facing off against Mickey Rourke.
And, on the lighter side, there’s Adam Sandler’s Jack and Jill, in which the funnyman dons a dress to play the main character and his twin sister.
And, finally, in limited release, Cannes-winning actress Kirsten Dunst stars in controversial director Lars von Trier’s apocalyptic drama, Melancholia.
Kristin’s Pick: Though Eastwood’s last few movies haven’t earned him any Oscar nods, I wouldn’t dream of picking against The Man with No Name. I’m hoping for great things from J. Edgar.
NOVEMBER 18:
Teenage girls and their shrieking moms have been waiting all year for this weekend—because, this weekend, the first part of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, hits theaters.
Meanwhile, dads can take the little kids to see Happy Feet Two, once again starring Elijah Wood as the dancing penguin, Mumble, who now has to teach his own son to get by in the penguin world.
Kristin’s Pick: Hmmm… I’ve lost interest in the whole moody vampire thing—and I didn’t even like the first Happy Feet. So I think I’m going to have to take a bye this week.
NOVEMBER 23:
There’s plenty for the whole family to be thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend. I may not be looking forward to the new Twilight movie, but I’ve been eagerly awaiting The Muppets all year. Jason Segel and Amy Adams team up with Piggy, Kermit, and the gang to save the Muppet Theater from destruction.
Meanwhile, Martin Scorsese tries his hand at family entertainment (in 3D, no less!) with Hugo, starring Asa Butterfield (of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas) as an orphan who lives in a train station in 1930s Paris.
Or, for a little holiday entertainment, there’s Arthur Christmas, an Aardman Animations film starring James McAvoy as the voice of Santa’s son, who sets out on an important Christmas mission.
For the grown-ups, there’s director Alexander Payne’s The Descendants, starring George Clooney as a wealthy Hawaiian who decides to confront the man who’s been sleeping with his wife. You can also choose David Cronenberg’s latest, A Dangerous Method, starring Michael Fassbender and Viggo Mortensen as Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud. Or, for a little taste of nostalgia, there’s the festival darling The Artist, a black and white silent film that depicts the romance between a movie star and a young dancer.
Or, if award season dramas aren’t your thing, perhaps you’d prefer Piranha 3DD.
Kristin’s Pick: This week’s new releases are worthy of a holiday weekend movie marathon—but my top pick has got to be The Muppets. I can’t wait for the old gang to get back together again.
DECEMBER 2:
After a weekend full of big new releases, December begins with a big nothin’. So far, there isn’t a single wide release scheduled for the first weekend of the month. There are, however, a few limited releases this week, including Ralph Fiennes’s directorial debut—the Shakespearian drama, Coriolanus, starring Fiennes, Gerard Butler, and (who else?) Jessica Chastain.
Also in limited release, We Need to Talk About Kevin stars Tilda Swinton as a mother who tries to deal with her guilt and grief after her son goes on a killing spree at his school by contacting his father, played by John C. Reilly.
Kristin’s Pick: Both of this week’s films caught my eye as I perused this year’s Toronto International Film Festival line-up. But since Tilda Swinton creeps me out even more than Voldemort does, I’ll pick Coriolanus.
DECEMBER 9:
This week, all eyes are on Let the Right One In director Tomas Alfredson. The Swedish director’s John le Carré adaptation, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy stars Gary Oldman as a spy who comes out of semi-retirement to hunt for a Russian mole within MI6. Also starring Oscar winner (and one of my personal favorites) Colin Firth and Tom Hardy, it promises to be one of the must-see thrillers of the season.
If you prefer something with a little more holiday flavor, there’s New Year’s Eve. Director Garry Marshall’s follow-up to Valentine’s Day is another big-ensemble rom-com starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Biel, Aston Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, and many, many more.
Or, for something less girly, there’s The Sitter, a comedy starring Jonah Hill as a college kid who agrees to babysit his neighbor’s kids.
In limited release, Charlize Theron stars as a divorced author who heads home in Young Adult, which reunites director Jason Reitman with Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody. In I Melt with You, a group of 40-something college buddies get together for a wild and crazy weekend. And Madonna directs W.E., which follows the love affair between American Wallis Simpson (played by Andrea Riseborough) and England’s King Edward VIII (James D’Arcy). So if The King’s Speech left you wondering about Bertie’s brother, you’ll want to check it out.
Kristin’s Pick: I’ve already gotten caught up in the Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy buzz—so it’s a no-brainer for my pick this week.
DECEMBER 16:
Award season just wouldn’t be award season without George Clooney…or Meryl Streep. This week, Streep stars as Margaret Thatcher in the historical drama, The Iron Lady, helmed by her Mamma Mia! director, Phyllida Lloyd.
For more award season fare, there’s Roman Polanski’s latest, Carnage, which stars Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet, and Christoph Waltz as two sets of parents who decide to meet after their kids get into a fight at school.
Or, for some thrilling holiday action, there’s Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, once again starring Robert Downey, Jr. as the legendary sleuth. This time, with the help of Watson (Jude Law), he faces off against his arch nemesis, Moriarty (Jared Harris).
And, for the kids, there’s Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked, the third Chipmunks adventure, which follows the singing rodents as they accidentally get thrown off their cruise ship and end up stranded on a tropical island.
Kristin’s Pick: Though I love Guy Ritchie, I’ve got to go with Meryl this week. There’s just no point in picking anything but The Iron Lady.
DECEMBER 21-25:
The week around Christmas generally brings all kinds of cheery, family-friendly movies about things like Nazis and dead dogs. This year, however, we get Russians, hackers, and a zoo.
On the 21st, David Fincher releases his follow-up to The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, starring Rooney Mara in the role that made people want to figure out how to pronounce “Noomi Rapace.”
Also this week, The Incredibles director Brad Bird tries his hand at live-action thrills with Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, once again starring Tom Cruise as super-spy Ethan Hunt—with Jeremy Renner stepping up to (reportedly) take over the franchise.
And, for kids, there’s Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin, a motion-capture animated adventure starring everyone from Jamie Bell and Daniel Craig to Simon Pegg and Nick Frost—and, of course, Andy Serkis. Though many American viewers may not be familiar with the Belgian comic, the cast alone should make it worth checking out.
On the 23rd, Cameron Crowe releases We Bought a Zoo, starring Matt Damon as a widowed dad who decides to fix up a struggling zoo.
On Christmas Day, The Reader’s Stephen Daldry releases Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, about a young boy who searches for a lock to match the key left behind by his father (Tom Hanks) before he was killed on 9/11.
And, in limited release, Angelina Jolie directs the Bosnian War drama, In the Land of Blood and Honey. And newcomer Dee Rees releases her Sundance favorite urban drama, Pariah.
Kristin’s Pick: Though the holiday weekend is once again packed with [heavy] new releases, I’ll pick The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo—because I’m hoping that David Fincher can do the original justice.
DECEMBER 30:
The last weekend of the year is typically a pretty quiet week for new releases—and this year is no exception. But just a matter of days after Steven Spielberg releases Tintin, he also releases War Horse, the story of a boy who enlists in WWI after his beloved horse is sold to the cavalry.
And, in limited release, A Separation tells the story of a married couple in Tehran who must choose between leaving the country to protect their child and staying behind to care for an ailing parent.
Kristin’s Pick: This week’s pick isn’t exactly a whole-hearted one. War Horse’s trailers have left me feeling less than impressed—but, since it’s either that or Iranian family drama, I’ll give Spielberg my year-end pick.
And, with that, we’ve come to the end of another award season—a thrilling time of the movie-going year, filled with action, adventure, and blatant Oscar bait. Only time will tell which releases fall into which categories—but you can rest assured that your friends here at N&W.com will be here to fill you in.
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