Because of various screeners and AFI Fest, I've already seen some of the movies that would otherwise be making a play for this list (such as Leviathan and Selma); they are nonetheless listed in the Other Notable Releases section at the bottom.
1. Inherent Vice (December 12) - Paul Thomas Anderson isn't merely one of the best directors working today; he's one of the best ever. He creates movies on a grand scale, with depth to match the breadth. Los Angeles has often been his setting of choice, serving as such a rich backdrop in Magnolia and Boogie Nights, and now again for Inherent Vice, based on the Thomas Pynchon novel of the same name. The film has received divisive reactions since its premiere in New York in October, which only makes me want to see it all the more. PTA has assembled an impressive cast, led by The Master frontman Joaquin Phoenix, and filled out with a wild array of names like Josh Brolin, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, and Reese Witherspoon, who is having a hell of a year herself. I cannot wait to indulge in this neon madness, and to see which camp I fall into.
2. Unbroken (December 25) - Louis Zamperini lived an amazing life, all the way up to his passing earlier this year. An Olympian turned POW turned zealous Christian, Zamperini's experiences are an assortment of such vivid and shocking occurrences that it's hard to believe they actually happened, and all to one man. Laura Hillenbrand wrote a beautiful account of Zamperini's life, and now it comes to the screen under Angelina Jolie's direction. Based on the trailers and murmurs online, it sounds like the film does the Torrence Torpedo justice, thanks to Jolie, breakout star Jack O'Connell (who is about to be everywhere), a screenplay by the Coens, and cinematography by the master himself, Roger Deakins. The trailer alone stirs me up and makes me cry; I'll likely be a mess when I see the whole thing.
3. Into the Woods (December 25) - There's nothing I love more than a great movie musical, and the current era was started by Rob Marshall's Chicago (though that was preceded by Moulin Rouge!), which went on to dominate the Oscars. Since then, we've had more misses than hits, and it feels like the genre might be petering out again. But Marshall is back, hoping to win back over the Broadway fans who didn't take kindly to Nine (I'm a fan) with an adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's fairy tale classic Into the Woods. There's been lots of buzz about whether the film will retain the darker themes and threads of the stage play, or whether it would be Disney-fied to cater to the masses. Word is that the film is mostly faithful (despite its PG rating), and the cast is to die for. Meryl Streep returns to the genre for the first time since Mamma Mia!, and other heavy-hitters like Emily Blunt, Johnny Depp, and Anna Kendrick also star. It looks (and sounds) like a gorgeous return to musical form for Marshall, and hopefully it can help usher in a new bounty of musicals in the years to come. (I guess Annie can try, too?)
4. The Interview (December 25) - The best comedy has bite, and The Interview apparently does. The comedy about a goofy talk show host (James Franco) and his producer (Seth Rogen) who are hired to assassinate Kim Jong Un (Randall Park) when they travel to North Korea to interview the dictator for their show. It's about as high a concept as one can hope to find, and should provide some wicked situations for Franco and Rogen to ham their way through. The real-world reaction only makes the film buzzier; North Korea has tried to block the film, but instead, Sony moved it to a weird Christmas Day release, rather than its original October window. It's a gutsy move, as R-rated comedies aren't generally holiday hits (just look at Horrible Bosses 2), but the likable leading men and great premise should draw in the crowds, and make it a worthwhile bit of counter-programming to all of the season's Oscar contenders and family fare.
5. Mr. Turner (December 19) - In his last two films - Another Year and Happy-Go-Lucky - Mike Leigh has directed some of my favorite performances in recent memory. Mr. Turner, by all accounts, is another acting showcase, namely for Timothy Spall, who always does great work in roles that don't win him the acclaim he deserves. (If you want a taste of what he can do, seek out The Damned United.) Here, Spall plays J.M.W. Turner, the British painter known for his impressive landscape paintings. Turner has been a regular in theaters this year, with a mention in The Theory of Everything and a dedicated scene in National Gallery, so it's only fitting that he receive the proper biopic treatment, and from such a masterful director as Leigh. The film looks lovely, only fitting considering the subject matter, and as a star vehicle for Spall, it's hard to imagine a better picture.Other Notable Releases: Wild (December 5), Still Alice (December 5), Life Partners (December 5), Pioneer (December 5), Concerning Violence (December 5), She's Beautiful When She's Angry (December 5), Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles (December 12), Exodus: Gods and Kings (December 12), Top Five (December 12), The Color of Time (December 12), Free the Nipple (December 12), The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (December 17), Annie (December 19), Winter Sleep (December 19), Song of the Sea (December 19), Two Days, One Night (December 24), Big Eyes (December 25), Selma (December 25), Leviathan (December 25), American Sniper (December 25), A Most Violent Year (December 31)
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