Opening this week on the big screen, Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts lead an ensemble cast in a major Oscar contender, Mark Wahlberg goes solo in a war movie, and Jessica Biel reminds her neighbor of her dead mother.
Note: Release dates are subject to change.
| 1. | The Legend of Hercules |
Opening: Jan. 9
Director: Renny Harlin
Starring: Kellan Lutz, Scott Adkins, Liam McIntyre, Liam Garrigan, Johnathon Schaech, Roxanne McKee, Gaia Weiss, Rade Serbedzija
Plot: Opening in 2-D and 3-D, Kellan Lutz stars as Hercules in this origin story of the half-god, half-man mythical creature. In this tale, Hercules battles in death matches and seeks to overthrow the king and restore peace.
Buzz/Tomato-meter: A “Twilight” heartthrob turns action star, bringing another legendary story to the big screen after his 2013 film, “Tarzan.”
Director: Renny Harlin
Starring: Kellan Lutz, Scott Adkins, Liam McIntyre, Liam Garrigan, Johnathon Schaech, Roxanne McKee, Gaia Weiss, Rade Serbedzija
Plot: Opening in 2-D and 3-D, Kellan Lutz stars as Hercules in this origin story of the half-god, half-man mythical creature. In this tale, Hercules battles in death matches and seeks to overthrow the king and restore peace.
Buzz/Tomato-meter: A “Twilight” heartthrob turns action star, bringing another legendary story to the big screen after his 2013 film, “Tarzan.”
| 2. | August: Osage County |
Opening: Jan. 10
Director: John Wells
Starring: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper, Abigail Breslin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale, Dermot Mulroney, Julianne Nicholson, Sam Shepard, Misty Upham
Plot: Based on the popular play, “August: Osage County” explores the dark, but often funny dysfunctional Weston family. After their father disappears, the family’s three adult daughters return home to help their mother (Meryl Streep).
Buzz/Tomato-meter: The film not only boasts an all-star cast, but also boasts two Golden Globe Awards nominations for Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts.
Director: John Wells
Starring: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper, Abigail Breslin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale, Dermot Mulroney, Julianne Nicholson, Sam Shepard, Misty Upham
Plot: Based on the popular play, “August: Osage County” explores the dark, but often funny dysfunctional Weston family. After their father disappears, the family’s three adult daughters return home to help their mother (Meryl Streep).
Buzz/Tomato-meter: The film not only boasts an all-star cast, but also boasts two Golden Globe Awards nominations for Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts.
| 3. | Lone Survivor |
Opening: Jan. 10
Director: Peter Berg
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster, Ali Suliman, Alexander Ludwig, Eric Bana
Plot: Based on Marcus Luttrell’s (played by Mark Wahlberg) memoir, “Lone Survivor” tells the true story of survival and heroism of four Navy SEALs who are ambushed by the enemy in the mountains of Afghanistan.
Buzz/Tomato-meter: Earned 68 percent favorable rating, with critics giving the film a 6.1 out of 10.
Director: Peter Berg
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster, Ali Suliman, Alexander Ludwig, Eric Bana
Plot: Based on Marcus Luttrell’s (played by Mark Wahlberg) memoir, “Lone Survivor” tells the true story of survival and heroism of four Navy SEALs who are ambushed by the enemy in the mountains of Afghanistan.
Buzz/Tomato-meter: Earned 68 percent favorable rating, with critics giving the film a 6.1 out of 10.
| 4. | The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box |
Opening: Jan. 10
Director: Jonathan Newman
Starring: Michael Sheen, Lena Headey, Sam Neill, Ioan Gruffudd, Aneurin Barnard
Plot: In this family-friendly film, 17-year-old Mariah Mundi’s life is turned upside down when his parents vanish and his younger brother is kidnapped.
Director: Jonathan Newman
Starring: Michael Sheen, Lena Headey, Sam Neill, Ioan Gruffudd, Aneurin Barnard
Plot: In this family-friendly film, 17-year-old Mariah Mundi’s life is turned upside down when his parents vanish and his younger brother is kidnapped.
| 5. | The Banshee Chapter |
Opening: Jan. 10
Director: Blair Erickson
Starring: Katia Winter, Ted Levine, Michael McMillian
Plot: A young journalist (Katia Winter) looks for her missing friend, but finds herself drawn into the dangerous world of top-secret government chemical research and the mystery of a disturbing radio signal of unknown origin.
Director: Blair Erickson
Starring: Katia Winter, Ted Levine, Michael McMillian
Plot: A young journalist (Katia Winter) looks for her missing friend, but finds herself drawn into the dangerous world of top-secret government chemical research and the mystery of a disturbing radio signal of unknown origin.
| 6. | Black Coffee |
Opening: Jan. 10
Director: Mark Harris
Starring: Lamman Rucker, Erica Hubbard, Darrin Dewitt Henson, Gabrielle Dennise, Christian Keyes
Plot: In this rom-com, Robert (Darrin Dewitt Henson) finds out how to make good out of a bad situation when he gets fired from his job, but runs into his soul mate.
Director: Mark Harris
Starring: Lamman Rucker, Erica Hubbard, Darrin Dewitt Henson, Gabrielle Dennise, Christian Keyes
Plot: In this rom-com, Robert (Darrin Dewitt Henson) finds out how to make good out of a bad situation when he gets fired from his job, but runs into his soul mate.
| 7. | Cold Comes the Night |
Opening: Jan. 10
Director: Tze Chun
Starring: Alice Eve, Bryan Cranston, Logan Marshall-Green, Ursula Parker, Leo Fitzpatrick
Plot: With “Breaking Bad” now over, Bryan Cranston gets to be bad again as a nearly blind career criminal who takes a motel owner (Eve) and her daughter (Parker) hostage.
Director: Tze Chun
Starring: Alice Eve, Bryan Cranston, Logan Marshall-Green, Ursula Parker, Leo Fitzpatrick
Plot: With “Breaking Bad” now over, Bryan Cranston gets to be bad again as a nearly blind career criminal who takes a motel owner (Eve) and her daughter (Parker) hostage.
| 8. | Divorce Corp. |
Opening: Jan. 10
Director: Joe Sorge
Starring: Dr. Drew Pinsky
Plot: Exploring the true cost of divorce, this compelling documentary examines the big business that is breaking-up in America today.
Director: Joe Sorge
Starring: Dr. Drew Pinsky
Plot: Exploring the true cost of divorce, this compelling documentary examines the big business that is breaking-up in America today.
| 9. | Loves Her Gun |
Opening: Jan. 10
Director: Geoff Marslett
Starring: Trieste Kelly Dunn, Ashley Spillers, Heather Kafka
Plot: Allie (Trieste Kelly Dunn) travels to Austin, Texas, after being attacked in New York, but she falls quickly into the Texas gun culture as a means of feeling safe.
Director: Geoff Marslett
Starring: Trieste Kelly Dunn, Ashley Spillers, Heather Kafka
Plot: Allie (Trieste Kelly Dunn) travels to Austin, Texas, after being attacked in New York, but she falls quickly into the Texas gun culture as a means of feeling safe.
| 10. | The Truth About Emanuel |
Opening: Jan. 10
Director: Francesca Gregorini
Starring: Kaya Scodelario, Jessica Biel, Alfred Molina, Frances O’Connor, Jimmi Simpson, Aneurin Barnard
Plot: A troubled girl (Kaya Scodelario), befriends her new neighbor (Jessica Biel), who just happens to bear a striking resemblance to her dead mother.
Director: Francesca Gregorini
Starring: Kaya Scodelario, Jessica Biel, Alfred Molina, Frances O’Connor, Jimmi Simpson, Aneurin Barnard
Plot: A troubled girl (Kaya Scodelario), befriends her new neighbor (Jessica Biel), who just happens to bear a striking resemblance to her dead mother.
| 11. | Different Drummers |
Opening: Jan. 10
Director: Don Caron, Lyle Hatcher
Starring: Brayden Tucker, Ethan Reed McKay, Colleen Carey
Plot: Two grade school friends, one in a wheelchair with muscular dystrophy, explore pain, love, and the Almighty together.
Director: Don Caron, Lyle Hatcher
Starring: Brayden Tucker, Ethan Reed McKay, Colleen Carey
Plot: Two grade school friends, one in a wheelchair with muscular dystrophy, explore pain, love, and the Almighty together.
| 12. | One Chance |
Opening: Jan. 10
Director: David Frankel
Starring: James Corden, Julie Waters, Mackenzie Crook, Colm Meaney, Jemima Rooper, Alexandra Roach
Plot: Winner of “Britain’s Got Talent” and the hearts of millions for his amazing performance, Paul Potts’ true story documents a shy and often bullied guy who dreamed of being an opera singer.
Director: David Frankel
Starring: James Corden, Julie Waters, Mackenzie Crook, Colm Meaney, Jemima Rooper, Alexandra Roach
Plot: Winner of “Britain’s Got Talent” and the hearts of millions for his amazing performance, Paul Potts’ true story documents a shy and often bullied guy who dreamed of being an opera singer.
| 13. | Raze |
Opening: Jan. 10
Director: Josh Waller
Starring: Zoe Bell, Rachel Nichols, Doug Jones, Sherilyn Fenn, Tracie Thoms, Bailey Borders
Plot: In a twist of the death matches of the Roman Coliseum days, “Raze” exposes the emotional and physical battles of 48 women required to kill each other in order to protect their loved ones.
Director: Josh Waller
Starring: Zoe Bell, Rachel Nichols, Doug Jones, Sherilyn Fenn, Tracie Thoms, Bailey Borders
Plot: In a twist of the death matches of the Roman Coliseum days, “Raze” exposes the emotional and physical battles of 48 women required to kill each other in order to protect their loved ones.