Newlyweds (2011)  Drama

Directors: Edward Burns

Writers: Edward Burns

Stars:

 Edward Burns, Caitlin Fitzgerald and Kerry Bishé
THE BUZZ:

Newlyweds Buzzy and Katie find their blissful life disrupted by the arrival of his half-sister and news of her sister's marriage troubles.




Jodaeiye Nader az Simin (2011)  Drama

Directors: Asghar Farhadi

Writers: Asghar Farhadi

Stars:

 Peyman Maadi, Leila Hatami and Sareh Bayat
THE BUZZ: Writer-director Asghar Farhadi's drama was a major (and surprise) winner at the Berlin Film Festival, where it scooped up 3 Golden Bears (best picture, actor, and actress) and 2 other awards; a slew of other festival wins have followed as Sony Pictures Classics gears up for Oscar season.


Pariah (2011)  Drama

Directors: Dee Rees

Writers: Dee Rees

Stars:

 Adepero Oduye, Kim Wayans and Aasha Davis
THE BUZZ: With a prestigious and eye-brow raising release date, it seems as though Focus Features has complete faith in Dee Rees' Sundance winner, a feature-length expansion of her 2007 short. Ever since it kicked off Sundance 2011, the reviews here have been nearly universally strong; those some have taken its Hype Williams-style aesthetic to task, the story and performances are the focus here. And, personally, I love how stacked this month is with films directed by women...


The Darkest Hour (2011)  Horror

Directors: Chris Gorak

Writers: Jon Spaihts (screenplay), Leslie Bohem (story)

Stars:

 Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby and Max Minghella
THE BUZZ:

In Moscow, five young people lead the charge against an alien race who have attacked Earth via our power supply.



Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011)  Drama

Directors: Stephen Daldry

Writers: Eric Roth (screenplay), Jonathan Safran Foer (novel)

Stars:

 Thomas Horn, Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock
THE BUZZ: No scooters this Christmas for Tom Hanks; instead, he takes a backseat to "Teen Jeopardy" champ Thomas Horn, making his film debut as the precocious pre-adolscent at the center of Jonathan Safran Foer's 9/11-set mystery/adventure. It's a fact that Stephen Daldry-directed films always earn Oscar nominations, and Warner Bros. obviously is going for a major push here. Hanks and Sandra Bullock, who play Mr. and Mrs. Schell, are destined for Supporting Actor/Actress nominations, and since this is shaping up to be the Year of Viola Davis, look for her name to be a part of the mix, too.


War Horse (2011)  War

Directors: Steven Spielberg

Writers: Lee Hall (screenplay), Richard Curtis (screenplay)

Stars:

 Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson and David Thewlis
THE BUZZ: I am falling asleep while trying to write the buzz for War Horse, though kudos to Steven Spielberg for taking on the challenge of trying to one-up a play that features life-size puppets. Tony award wins for the play should help solidify older-audience interest here.


The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)  Thriller

Directors: David Fincher

Writers: Steven Zaillian (screenplay), Stieg Larsson (novel)

Stars:

 Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara and Stellan Skarsgård
THE BUZZ: Has there ever been a more widely accepted remake than this? What excites me most, other than how amazing Rooney Mara looks as Lisbeth, is the fact that David Fincher is releasing two films in as many years, since we all know how meticulous the director has been with his other, earlier films. And, okay, Fincher and Mara (and others) have made it clear their adaptation of Stieg Larsson's novel differs from Niels Arden Oplev's international smash. I love the original film trilogy -- although I feel like the first is the best in the series -- but is it rude to indicate that it's Fincher's version that makes me want to (finally) read the novels ahead of time?


Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel (2011)  Documentary

Directors: Alex Stapleton

Writers: Alex Stapleton, Gregory Locklear

Stars:

 Roger Corman, Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino
THE BUZZ: The King of the Bs gets The Kid Stays in the Picture treatment from a cast of Hollywood tastemakers past and present that would make for the best sequel to New Year's Eve ever!


Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked (2011)  Animation

Directors: Mike Mitchell

Writers: Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger

Stars:

 Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney
THE BUZZ: Funny how The Squeakquel made more money than The Tourist. Fox might be going to the den one too many times with Alvin, Simon, poor Jason Lee, and Theodore, but kids around the world are making this franchise increasingly popular while rival studios mine TV archives for competitors.


Carnage (2011)  Comedy

Directors: Roman Polanski

Writers: Yasmina Reza (screenplay), Roman Polanski (screenplay)

Stars:

 Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz
THE BUZZ: Roman Polanski and Yasmina Reza have updated her one-act play from the version that was lengthened and translated by celebrated writer Christopher Hampton for European audiences. Polanski's son Elvis plays one of the children whose altercation puts the narrative in motion, and what follows has been referred to by many as Virginia Woolf hysterics in a tastefully appointed set, styled to indicate a New York City apartment. Sure to entice older audiences (a group to which I know belong), thus far the early reviews say there's wicked fun to be had here, though the Broadway production (which featured James Ganolfini, Marcia Gay Hardin, Jeff Daniels, and Hope Davis) might remain the preferred American version.


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