December 2010 Movies

With Ben Affleck • Tommy Lee Jones • Kevin Costner • Maria Bello • Rosemarie DeWitt • Craig T. Nelson • Jason Berk • Chris Cooper • John Wells • Paula Weinstein • Claire Polstein • Matt Lane • Barbara A. Hall

The story centers on a year in the life of three men trying to survive a round of corporate downsizing at a major company - and how that affects them, their families, and their communities.

With Kate Bosworth • Geoffrey Rush • Danny Huston • Tony Cox • Ryan Kavanaugh • Jang Dong Gun • Michael Peyser • Barrie Osborne • Sngmoo Lee • Jooick Lee

Korean actor Jang Dong Gun plays an Asian warrior assassin forced to hide in a small town in the American Badlands.

With Anthony Mackie • Kerry Washington • Tanya Hamilton • Novella Nelson • Sean Costello • Jen Roskind • Samara Koffler

The film takes place in 1978 and focuses on the broken love affair between two former Black Panther members (Mos Def and Okonedo) and is told through the eyes of an adolescent girl.

With Winona Ryder • Natalie Portman • Darren Aronofsky • Mila Kunis • Vincent Cassel • Arnie Messer • Mark Heyman • Mike Medavoy • Brad Fischer • Eric Watson • Barbara Hershey • David Thwaites • John McLaughlin • Andres Heinz

Follows the story of Nina (Natalie Portman), a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her retired ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who zealously supports her daughter’s professional ambition. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

With Rose McGowan • Nick Stahl • Amy Smart • Omar Naim • Johnny Harrington • Justin Urich

Dylan (Nick Stahl) is haunted by his past. While searching for answers, he befriends a mysterious woman (Rose McGowan) and is reunited with an old love (Amy Smart) who seem to raise more questions than they answer. Now on the brink of madness, Dylan is transformed by supernatural forces and discovers that no one is who they seem.

With Ryan Gosling • Kirsten Dunst • Kristen Wiig • Jeffrey Dean Morgan • Michael London • Andrew Jarecki • Frank Langella • Marc Smerling • Marcus Hinchey

Set in the 1980s, a member of New York's real estate dynasty falls for a beautiful girl from the wrong side of the tracks. But the fairy tale ends when the girl disappears. As a down-and-out detective stumbles on info that may lead to the truth, the political stakes get higher and people close to the case end up dead.

With Tom Hanks • Robert Zemeckis • Steve Starkey • William Teitler • Peter Scolari • Michael Jeter • Chris Coppola • Eddie Deezen • Julene Renee • Steve Bing • Gary Goetzman • William Broyles • Malia Scotch Marmo

A young boy lies awake in his room one snowy Christmas Eve, excited and alert. Breathing silently. Hardly moving. Waiting. He's listening for a sound he's afraid that he might never hear—the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh. The time is five minutes to midnight. Suddenly, the boy is startled by a thunderous roar. Clearing the mist from his window he sees the most amazing sight—a gleaming black train rumbles to a stop right in front of his house, the steam from its powerful engine hissing through the night sky and the softly falling snowflakes. The boy rushes outside, clad only in his pajamas and slippers, and is met by the train's conductor who seems to be waiting just for him. Well, are you coming? the conductor inquires. Where? the boy asks. Why, to the North Pole—of course. This is the Polar Express! What unfolds is an an adventure which follows a doubting young boy, who takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole; during this ride, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery which shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.

With Jalmari Helander

On Christmas Eve in Finland, Santa Claus is unearthed in an archaeological dig. Soon after, children start disappearing, leading a boy and his father to capture Santa.

With Jim Carrey • Leslie Mann • Ewan McGregor • Rodrigo Santoro • John Requa • Glenn Ficarra • Andrew Lazar • Far Shariat • David Jensen

When a local Texas policeman, Steve Russell (Jim Carrey), turns to cons and fraud to allow him to change his lifestyle (in more ways than one), his subsequent stay in the state penitentiary results in his meeting the love of his life, a sensitive fellow inmate named Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor). What ensues can only be described as a relentless quest as Russell attempts escape after escape and executes con after con, all in the name of love.

With Steve Morris

After three years of answering phones and picking up laundry, a group of friends, who are working as assistants, conspire to greenlight a movie of their own.

With Rosamund Pike • Dustin Hoffman • Paul Giamatti • Minnie Driver • Scott Speedman • Rachelle Lefevre • Domenico Procacci • Robert Lantos • Richard Lewis • Michael Konyves • Lyse Lafontaine • Richard J. Lewis

A man leads a reckless life highlighted by three marriages, two children and being a "person of interest" in the mysterious disappearance of his bosom buddy.

With Angelina Jolie • Johnny Depp • Paul Bettany • Julian Fellowes • Christopher McQuarrie • Rufus Sewell • Roger Birnbaum • Steven Berkoff • Timothy Dalton • Jeffrey Nachmanoff • Lloyd Phillips • Gary Barber • Jonathan Glickman • Tim Headington • Florian von Donnersmarck

An American tourist (Johnny Depp) is used by an Interpol agent (Angelina Jolie) in an attempt to flush out a criminal with whom she once had an affair.

With Liam Neeson • Will Poulter • Simon Pegg • Michael Petroni • Andrew Adamson • Mark Johnson • Douglas Gresham • Ben Barnes • William Moseley • Philip Steuer • Georgie Henley • Michael Apted • Richard LaGravenese • Bob Beltz • Skandar Keynes

Return to the magic and wonder of C.S. Lewis’ beloved world – via the fantastic Narnian ship, the Dawn Treader. In this new installment of the blockbuster "The Chronicles of Narnia" motion picture franchise, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their cousin Eustace and their royal friend King Caspian, find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to the Dawn Treader. As they embark on an incredible adventure of destiny and discovery, they confront obstacles beyond imagination.

With Djimon Hounsou • Jeremy Irons • Geoffrey Rush • Alfred Molina • Russell Brand • Helen Mirren • Julie Taymor • Reeve Carney • Chris Cooper • Lynn Hendee • Robert Chartoff • Julia Taylor-Stanley

In Julie Taymor's version of "The Tempest," the gender of Prospero has been switched to Prospera. Shakespeare's play mixes romance with fraternal politics and the supernatural. As revised for the screen, it will center around Prospera (Mirren), her daughter Miranda (Jones) and a shipwrecked crew full of Prospera's enemies.

With Mena Suvari • Richard E. Grant • Matthew Modine • Jack Huston • Caterina Murino • Carmen Maura • John Irvin

A successful American writer and his beautiful wife go on an extended European honeymoon, but she becomes restless and draws an Italian girl into their lives.

With Mark Wahlberg • Christian Bale • Amy Adams • David Hoberman • Eric Johnson • Jenna Lamia • Scott Silver • Todd LIeberman • Dorothy Auferiero • Lewis Colick • Sue Costello • Jack McGee • Melissa Leo • David O. Russell • Paul Tamasy • Keith Dorrington • Leslie Varrelman

"The Fighter" is a drama about boxing champ “Irish” Micky Ward and his half-brother Dicky, a boxer-turned-trainer who rebounded after nearly being destroyed by drugs and crime.

With Claude Lanzmann

Twelve years in the making, Shoah is a nine hour epic on the Holocaust feauting interviews with survivors, bystanders and perpetrators in 14 countries.

With Steven Soderbergh • Amy Hobby • Joshua Blum

A portrait of monologist Spalding Gray, as described by his most critical, irreverent and insightful biographer: Spalding Gray.

With Mamoru Hosoda • Brina Palencia • Michael Sinterniklaas

Though math whiz Kenji Koiso is a social zero, his avatar flourishes in the online space of Oz -- until he accepts an e-mail request to solve a thorny equation, creating a conduit between the real and virtual worlds that may destroy both. Set in the not-too-distant future, this sci-fi anime thriller finds the shy Kenji coming out of his shell as he defends innocent citizens, and his honor, against a viral cyberspace menace.

With Stellan Skarsgard • Halle Berry • Simon DeKaric • Jonathan Watters • Shawn Williamson • Vincent Cirrincione • Phylicia Rashad • Joe Shrapnel • Geoffrey Sax • Cheryl Edwards • Chandra Wilson • Alex Diakun • Joanne Baron • Hassain Zaidi • Thomas Sigel • Marko King • Mary King • Anna Waterhouse

Frankie & Alice is inspired by the remarkable true story of an African American go-go dancer "Frankie" with dissociative identity disorder (DID) who struggles to remain her true self while fighting against two very unique alter egos: a seven-year-old child named “Genius” and a Southern white racist woman named “Alice.” In order to stop the multiple voices in her head, Frankie (Halle Berry) works together with a psychotherapist (Stellan Skarsgård) to uncover and overcome the mystery of the inner ghosts that haunt her.

With Olivia Wilde • Joseph Kosinski • Michael Sheen • Jeff Bridges • Brigham Taylor • Lee Sternthal • Serinda Swan • Garrett Hedlund • Bruce Boxleitner • James Frain • Don Hahn • Beau Garrett • Brian Klugman • Sean Bailey • Jeff Silver • Steven Lisberger

"Tron: Legacy" is a 3D high-tech adventure set in a digital world that's unlike anything ever captured on the big screen. Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), looks into his father's disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 25 years. Along with Kevin's loyal confidant (Olivia Wilde), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous.

With Mark Wahlberg • Christian Bale • Amy Adams • David Hoberman • Eric Johnson • Jenna Lamia • Scott Silver • Todd LIeberman • Dorothy Auferiero • Lewis Colick • Sue Costello • Jack McGee • Melissa Leo • David O. Russell • Paul Tamasy • Keith Dorrington • Leslie Varrelman

"The Fighter" is a drama about boxing champ “Irish” Micky Ward and his half-brother Dicky, a boxer-turned-trainer who rebounded after nearly being destroyed by drugs and crime.

With Winona Ryder • Natalie Portman • Darren Aronofsky • Mila Kunis • Vincent Cassel • Arnie Messer • Mark Heyman • Mike Medavoy • Brad Fischer • Eric Watson • Barbara Hershey • David Thwaites • John McLaughlin • Andres Heinz

Follows the story of Nina (Natalie Portman), a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her retired ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who zealously supports her daughter’s professional ambition. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

With Reese Witherspoon • Paul Rudd • Kathryn Hahn • Owen Wilson • Jack Nicholson • Andrew Wilson • James L. Brooks • Tara Subkoff • Paula Weinstein • Laurence Mark • Julie Ansell

Lisa (Witherspoon) is a woman whose athletic ability is the defining passion of her life, having been her focus since early childhood. When she is cut from her team, everything she has ever known is suddenly taken from her. Not knowing what to do, she stumbles toward regular life. In this mode, she begins a fling with Matty (Wilson), a major league baseball pitcher, a self-centered ladies man – a narcissist with a code of honor.

George Madison (Rudd) is a straight-arrow businessman whose complicated relationship with his father, Charles (Nicholson), takes a turn when George is accused of a financial crime, even though he’s done nothing wrong. Though he may be headed to jail, George’s honesty, integrity, and unceasing optimism may be his only path to keeping his sanity.

Before Lisa’s relationship with Matty takes root, she meets George for a first date on the worst evening of each of their lives: she has just been cut, and he has just been served. When everything else seems to be falling apart, they will discover what it means to have something wonderful happen.

With Justin Timberlake • Anna Faris • Dan Aykroyd • T.J. Miller • Tom Cavanagh • Jon Berg • Karen Rosenfelt • Jeffrey Ventimilia • Donald De Line • Christine Taylor • Eric Brevig • Andrew Haas • Joshua Sternin • Jim Dyer • Nate Corddry • Brad Copeland • Andy Daly • Peter James

When a corrupt mayor turns failing Jellystone Park into a logging facility, Yogi and Boo Boo team with Ranger Smith and a wildlife documentarian to expose the mayor’s plot to destroy a near extinct turtle whose presence in the park should trigger its reclassification as a nature preserve.

With Nicole Kidman • Miles Teller • Giancarlo Esposito • Dianne Wiest • Aaron Eckhart • Per Saari • Jon Tenney • Julie Lauren • Tammy Blanchard • Sandra Oh • Gigi Pritzker • John Cameron Mitchell • Linda McDonough • Leslie Urdang • David Lindsay-Abaire • Dean Vanech • Dan Revers • Geoff Linville • Patricia Kalember • William Lischak • Brian O'Shea • Caroline Jaczko

Becca and Howie Corbett (Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart) are returning to their everyday existence in the wake of a shocking, sudden loss. Just eight months ago, they were a happy suburban family with everything they wanted. While Becca finds pain in the familiar, Howie finds comfort. The shifts come in abrupt, unforeseen moments. Becca hesitantly opens up to her opinionated, loving mother (Dianne Wiest) and secretly reaches out to the teenager involved in the accident that changed everything (Miles Teller); while Howie lashes out and imagines solace with another woman (Sandra Oh).

With Amber Heard • Karl Urban • Greg S. Little • Jennifer Derwingson • Odette Yustman • Adriana Barraza • Karen Lauder • Lizzie Friedman • Deborah Marinoff • Marcos Efron

Stephanie (Amber Heard) and Ellie’s (Odette Yustman) vacation to an exotic village in Argentina is a perfect ‘girl’s getaway’ to bask in the sun, shop and flirt with the handsome locals. After a long night of bar-hopping, the girls get into an argument, and Stephanie heads out alone in the morning to cool off. But when she returns, Ellie has disappeared. Finding signs of a struggle, Stephanie fears the worst, and turns to the police for help. But the local authorities have their hands full already - with a string of unsolved kidnappings targeting young female tourists. Skeptical of the sheriff’s competency, she enlists help from Michael (Karl Urban), an American ex-pat staying at their hotel. Together they go on a frantic search for Ellie, but Stephanie soon realizes that trusting his seemingly good intentions may drag her farther from the truth.

With Kevin Spacey • George Hickenlooper • Barry Pepper • Christian Campbell • Kelly Preston • Jon Lovitz • Richard Rionda • Gary Howsam • Bill Marks • George Vitezakis • Norman Snider • Conrad Pla • Yannick Bisson

Disgraced Washington power broker Jack Abramoff's bribery schemes and fraudulent dealings with Indian casinos ultimately land him in jail.

With Matt Damon • Hailee Steinfeld • Josh Brolin • Steven Spielberg • Jeff Bridges • Joel Coen • Ethan Coen • Scott Rudin • Barry Pepper • Megan Ellison • Adam Goodman

14-year-old Mattie Ross's (Hailee Steinfeld) father has been shot in cold blood by the coward Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), and she is determined to bring him to justice. Enlisting the help of a trigger-happy, drunken U.S. Marshal, Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), she sets out with him -- over his objections -- to hunt down Chaney. Her father's blood demands that she pursue the criminal into Indian territory and find him before a Texas Ranger named LeBoeuf (Matt Damon) catches him and brings him back to Texas for the murder of another man.

With Robert De Niro • Jessica Alba • Ben Stiller • Dustin Hoffman • Laura Dern • Owen Wilson • Harvey Keitel • Blythe Danner • Ryan Kavanaugh • Daniel Lupi • Larry Stuckey • Jay Roach • Jane Rosenthal • Teri Polo • Barbra Streisand • John Hamburg • Paul Weitz • Andrew Miano • Colin Baiocchi • Daisy Tahan • Meghan Lyvers • Nancy Tenenbaum

It has taken 10 years, two little Fockers with wife Pam (Teri Polo) and countless hurdles for Greg (Ben Stiller) to finally get “in” with his tightly wound father-in-law, Jack (Robert De Niro). When Greg and Pam’s entire clan — including Pam’s lovelorn ex, Kevin (Owen Wilson) — descends for the twins’ birthday party, Greg must prove to the skeptical Jack that he’s fully capable as the man of the house.

With Katrina Kaif • Akshay Kumar • Farah Khan

A master thief and his gang attempt the heist of valuable antiques from a moving train.

With Michelle Monaghan • Benicio Del Toro • Francis Ford Coppola • Sofia Coppola • Chris Pontius • Roman Coppola • Stephen Dorff • G. Mac Brown • Fred Roos • Paul Rassam

A bad-boy actor stumbling through a life of excess at the Chateau Marmont is forced to reexamine his life with an unexpected visit from his 11-year-old daughter.

With Leighton Meester • Gwyneth Paltrow • Jenno Topping • Tobey Maguire • Tim McGraw • Garrett Hedlund • Shana Feste

A rising young singer-songwriter becomes involved with a fallen country singer. As they embark on a career resurrection tour with her husband and manager and a beauty queen-turned singer, romantic entanglements and old demons threaten to derail them all.

With Chang-dong Lee

A mother moves with her son to the birthplace of dead husband. As she tries establish a new beginning, another tragedy overturns her life.

With Bruno Dumont

Hadewijch, a novice nun, shocks the mother superior of her convent with her ecstatic blind faith, and is kicked out of the order. Hadewijch becomes Celine again, a young Parisian girl and daughter of a diplomat, and is led down dangerous paths in the real world, balancing between grace and madness in her rage and passionate love for God.

With Emily Blunt • Jack Black • John Davis • Billy Connolly • Amanda Peet • Jason Segel • Nicholas Stoller • Rob Letterman • Joe Stillman • Chris O'Dowd • Catherine Tate • Ben Cooley • James Gorden

Jack Black is bigger than ever…as Gulliver, a perpetual underachiever and wannabe travel writer at a New York newspaper. When he finally makes an effort to actually venture out the city to write a travel piece, a storm-tossed voyage lands him on an island inhabited by tiny folks called Lilliputians. After a rocky beginning, the gargantuan Gulliver becomes an inspiration to his new six-inch-tall friends. He brings them modern-day wonders like a PDA and music video game – while they help him kick it old-school during his travels through this unforgettable world.

With Sylvain Chomet • Jacques Tati

The film details the story of a dying breed of stage entertainer whose thunder is being stolen by emerging rock stars. Forced to accept increasingly obscure assignments in fringe theaters, garden parties and bars, he meets a young fan who changes his life forever.

With Jim Broadbent • Imelda Staunton • Lesley Manville • Stuart McQuarrie • David Bradley • Mike Leigh • Ruth Sheen • Gail Egan • Georgina Lowe

An happily married couple and their troubled friends deal with the emotions of getting old.

With Ryan Gosling • Lynette Howell • Michelle Williams • Derek Cianfrance • Mike Vogel • Cami Delavigne • Alex Orlovsky • Jamie Patricof • Joey Curtis • John Doman • Faith Wladyka

On the far side of a once-passionate romance, Cindy (Michelle Williams) and Dean (Ryan Gosling) are married with a young daughter. Hoping to save their marriage, they steal away to a theme hotel. We then encounter them years earlier, when they met and fell in love—full of life and hope. The film begs the question, where did their love go?