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Holiday-season movie releases

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WEDNESDAY, NOV. 6

A Case of You

A young writer smitten with the barista at his local coffee shop scours her Facebook profile for intel and tries to transform himself into her dream guy. With Justin Long and Evan Rachel Wood. Written by Long. Directed by Kat Coiro. IFC Films

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The Prime Ministers: The Pioneers

A documentary tracing six decades of Israel’s history, from its founding into the early 21st century. Directed by Richard Trank. Moriah Films

FRIDAY, NOV. 8

The Armstrong Lie

This documentary follows cyclist Lance Armstrong’s return from retirement in 2005 in an attempt to win an eighth Tour de France, and the eventual scandal that resulted from his admitting to the use of performance-enhancing drugs after a federal criminal investigation. Directed by Alex Gibney. Sony Pictures Classics

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Ass Backwards

Now grown up and living in New York City, two childhood best friends take a cross-country trip back to their hometown and try to win a beauty pageant that eluded them in their youth. With June Diane Raphael, Casey Wilson, Alicia Silverstone and Bob Odenkirk. Written by Raphael and Wilson. Directed by Chris Nelson. Gravitas Ventures

Billy and Buddy

An 8-year-old boy takes in an abandoned cocker spaniel and the two test their family’s patience in this film based on Jean Roba’s comic strip set in 1970s France. With Franck Dubosc, Marina Fois and Charles Crombez. Written and directed by Alexandre Charlot and Franck Magnier. In French with English subtitles. Via Solitaria

The Book Thief

A spirited young girl transforms the lives of those around her when she is sent to live with a foster family in Nazi Germany in this adaptation of the novel by Markus Zusak. With Sophie Nelisse, Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson. Written by Michael Petroni. Directed by Brian Percival. 20th Century Fox

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The Broken Circle Breakdown

In Belgium, two bluegrass enthusiasts — a tattoo artist and a banjo player — fall in love, but their relationship is tested by an unexpected tragedy. With Veerle Baetens and Johan Heldenbergh. Written by Carl Joos and Felix van Groeningen. Directed by Van Groeningen. In Dutch with English subtitles. Tribeca Film

Casting By

A documentary exploring the unsung role of casting directors in Hollywood moviemaking. Directed by Tom Donahue. Submarine Deluxe

Cinemability

A documentary examining the representation and portrayals of disabled and handicapped people in film and television. Narrated by Jane Seymour. Directed by Jenni Gold. Gold Pictures

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Finding Mr. Right

A pampered Beijing woman travels to Seattle to give birth to the son she hopes will help win over her rich, married boyfriend, but the trip doesn’t go quite as planned. With Tang Wei, Wu Xiubo and Hai Qing. Written and directed by Xue Xiaolu. In Mandarin with English subtitles. China Lion Film

How I Live Now

In the near future, an American teen sent to live with her relatives in the English countryside begins adjusting to her new surroundings, until an escalating conflict in Europe changes everything. With Saoirse Ronan, George MacKay and Tom Holland. Written by Jeremy Brock, Tony Grisoni and Jack Thorne. Directed by Kevin Macdonald. Magnolia Pictures

Medora

A documentary about the Medora Hornets, an underdog high school basketball team whose on-court struggles mirror the economic woes of its once-prosperous Indiana factory town. Directed by Andrew Cohn and Davy Rothbart. Beachside Films

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The Motel Life

Two hard-luck adult brothers go on the run in Nevada after one of them accidentally kills a boy with his car in the middle of the night. With Emile Hirsch, Stephen Dorff and Dakota Fanning. Written by Noah Harpster and Micah Fitzerman-Blue. Directed by Alan Polsky and Gabe Polsky. Polsky Films

Out Loud

In modern-day Lebanon, six free-spirited friends — some straight, some gay — form a unique bond and test the strictures of Middle Eastern society. With Rudy Moarbes, Ali Rhayem and Jad Hadid. Written and directed by Samer Daboul. In Arabic with English subtitles. Ariztical Entertainment

Paris Countdown

Six years after a botched drug deal that led them to testify against a vicious criminal, two middle-aged Parisian nightclub owners are forced to reckon with their past. With Olivier Marchal and Jacques Gamblin. Written and directed by Edgar Marie. French with English subtitles. Screen Media Films

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Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings

After being cursed by a vengeful drag queen, a lunkheaded jock finds himself turning gay, putting him on a collision course with a homophobic serial killer and a horde of flesh-eating zombies. With Martin Escudero, Lauren Young and Kerbie Zamora. Written by Raymond Lee, Michiko Yamamoto and Jade Castro. Directed by Castro. In Tagalog with English subtitles. Ariztical Entertainment

Running From Crazy

This documentary follows the actress Mariel Hemingway, granddaughter of the legendary writer Ernest Hemingway, as she explores her family’s disturbing history of mental illness and suicide. Directed by Barbara Kopple. OWN

Speciesism: The Movie

A documentary about factory farming and the notion of “speciesism,” the assumption of human superiority over animals. Directed by Mark Devries. Mark Devries Productions

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Symphony of the Soil

A documentary about the importance of fertile soil and the positive effect it can have on environmental issues such as climate change and water scarcity. Directed by Deborah Koons Garcia. Lily Films

Thor: The Dark World

The hammer-wielding demigod Thor battles to save Earth and his home world of Asgard from an ancient enemy in this sequel to the 2011 movie “Thor.” With Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston and Stellan Skarsgard. Written by Christopher L. Yost, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. Directed by Alan Taylor. In 3-D. Walt Disney Pictures

The Wind Rises

An animated biopic about Jiro Horikoshi, the designer of the Zero, Japan’s World War II fighter plane. With the voices of Hideaki Anno, Miori Takimoto and Hidetoshi Nishijima. Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. In Japanese with English subtitles. Walt Disney Pictures

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FRIDAY, NOV. 15

12-12-12

A concert documentary chronicling the Hurricane Sandy benefit concert at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 12, 2012. Directed by Amir Bar-Lev and Charlie Lightening. The Weinstein Co.

Aftermath

Returning home to Poland after many years living in Chicago, a man reconnects with his younger brother, and the two are drawn into investigating their village’s dark secrets. With Maciej Stuhr and Ireneusz Czop. Written and directed by Wladyslaw Pasikowski. In Polish with English subtitles. Menemsha Films

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At Berkeley

A documentary about the University of California at Berkeley and the administrative efforts to maintain its academic excellence, public role and student-body diversity in the face of drastic budget cuts. Directed by Frederick Wiseman. Zipporah Films

The Best Man Holiday

Old rivalries and romances resurface when old college friends reunite over the Christmas holidays in this sequel to the 1999 film “The Best Man.” With Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall and Terrence Howard. Written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. Universal Pictures

Charlie Countryman

Spurred by a vision of his late mother, a young man travels to Bucharest and falls for a beautiful cellist, only to learn she’s entangled in the Romanian underworld. With Shia LaBeouf, Evan Rachel Wood and Mads Mikkelsen. Written by Matt Drake. Directed by Fredrik Bond. Millennium Entertainment

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Cold Turkey

An eccentric family’s Thanksgiving get-together threatens to unravel when an estranged daughter makes a surprise visit home for the first time in 15 years. With Peter Bogdanovich, Cheryl Hines and Alicia Witt. Written and directed by Will Slocombe. FilmBuff Releasing

Dear Mr. Watterson

A documentary about cartoonist Bill Watterson and the effect of his beloved newspaper comic strip “Calvin & Hobbes.” Directed by Joel Allen Schroeder. Gravitas Ventures

The Ghosts in Our Machine

A documentary about the ethics of using animals for food, clothing, entertainment and biomedical research in the modern world. Directed by Liz Marshall. Ghosts Media

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Go for Sisters

When her son goes missing along the Mexican border, a parole officer enlists an old friend — a recovering addict who is also her latest parolee — and a former LAPD officer to help track him down in Tijuana. With Lisa Gay Hamilton, Yolonda Ross and Edward James Olmos. Written and directed by John Sayles. Variance Films

PHOTOS: Movie Sneaks 2013

In the Name Of

A Catholic priest who works with delinquent teenage boys in rural Poland grapples with his sexuality. With Andrzej Chyra and Mateusz Kosciukieweicz. Written and directed by Malgoska Szumowska. In Polish with English subtitles. Film Movement

Nebraska

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Having received a sweepstakes letter in the mail, a cantankerous old man thinks he’s struck it rich and wrangles his adult son into taking a road trip with him to claim the fortune. With Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb and Stacy Keach. Written by Bob Nelson. Directed by Alexander Payne. Paramount Pictures

Pad Yatra: A Green Odyssey

A documentary chronicling a 700-person trek across the Himalayas to call attention to the plight of the largest store of glaciers outside the polar ice caps, which are threatened by climate change. Directed by Wendy J.N. Lee. Jelly Bean Films

Sunlight Jr.

A hard-working convenience store clerk and her disabled boyfriend struggle to stay afloat and keep their young family together. With Naomi Watts, Matt Dillon and Norman Reedus. Written and directed by Laurie Collyer. Gravitas Ventures / Samuel Goldwyn Films

FRIDAY, NOV. 22

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Approved for Adoption

An autobiographical documentary tracing the unconventional upbringing of the Korean writer and artist Jung Henin, who was adopted by a Belgian family after the end of the Korean War. Directed by Henin and Laurent Boileau. In French with English subtitles. GKids

The Christmas Candle

As the dawn of the electric age threatens a centuries-old legend in a small English town, a progressive young minister finds himself at odds with a fiery candlemaker. With Susan Boyle, Samantha Barks, Hans Matheson and Lesley Manville. Written by Candace Lee and Eric Newman. Directed by John Stephenson. EchoLight Studios

Contracted

A directionless twentysomething woman dealing with relationship troubles and an overbearing mother has a one-night stand with a mysterious man and begins suffering from a mysterious infection. With Najarra Townsend, Alice Macdonald and Katie Stegeman. Written and directed by Eric England. IFC Midnight

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Delivery Man

An affable underachiever has to confront his past when he learns that his anonymous donations to a fertility clinic 20 years earlier have resulted in more than 500 children. With Vince Vaughn, Chris Pratt and Cobie Smulders. Written and directed by Ken Scott. Walt Disney Pictures

Frozen

An optimistic princess sets off on a journey with a rugged mountain man to find her sister, whose icy powers have trapped their kingdom in an eternal winter. With the voices of Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad. Written by Jennifer Lee. Directed by Lee and Chris Buck. In 3-D. Walt Disney Pictures

Geography Club

A high school football player struggling with his homosexuality discovers a surreptitious after-school group for gay teens. With Cameron Deane Stewart, Alex Newell and Scott Bakula. Written by Edmund Entin and Brent Hartinger. Directed by Gary Entin. Breaking Glass Pictures

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The Great Beauty

When his 65th birthday coincides with a shock from the past, a roguish Roman journalist finds himself unexpectedly taking stock of his hedonistic life. With Toni Servillo. Written by Paolo Sorrentino and Umberto Contarello. Directed by Sorrentino. In Italian with English subtitles. Janus Films

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The young warrior and reluctant revolutionary Katniss Everdeen returns to the arena for another battle to the death in this second film of a series adapting Suzanne Collins’ “Hunger Games” book trilogy. With Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth and Woody Harrelson. Written by Simon Beaufoy and Michael deBruyn. Directed by Francis Lawrence. Lionsgate

Philomena

An Irish woman enlists a journalist to help her track down the out-of-wedlock son she was forced by her Catholic community to give away for adoption in this drama based on Martin Sixsmith’s 2009 book, “The Lost Child of Philomena Lee.” With Steve Coogan and Judi Dench. Written by Coogan and Jeff Pope. Directed by Stephen Frears. The Weinstein Co.

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WEDNESDAY, NOV. 27

Black Nativity

A streetwise Baltimore teen raised by a single mother journeys to New York City to spend Christmas with his estranged relatives in this contemporary adaptation of the Langston Hughes musical. With Jacob Latimore, Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett and Tyrese Gibson. Written and directed by Kasi Lemmons. Fox Searchlight Pictures

Homefront

A widowed former DEA agent retires to a small town for the sake of his 10-year-old daughter, only to cross swords with a local meth kingpin. With Jason Statham, James Franco, Winona Ryder and Kate Bosworth. Written by Sylvester Stallone. Directed by Gary Fleder. Open Road Films

Oldboy

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A man who has been kidnapped and held hostage for nearly 20 years in solitary confinement — for no apparent reason — is abruptly released without explanation and embarks on a mission to find out who imprisoned him and why. With Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Sharlto Copley and Michael Imperioli. Written by Mark Protosevich. Directed by Spike Lee. Film District

FRIDAY, NOV. 29

Bettie Page Reveals All

A biographical documentary about the pinup queen Bettie Page, based on interviews recorded before her death in 2008. Directed by Mark Mori. Music Box Films

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

A biopic chronicling the life, struggles and work of South African President Nelson Mandela, based on his autobiography of the same name. With Idris Elba, Naomie Harris, Tony Kgoroge and Riaad Moosa. Written by William Nicholson. Directed by Justin Chadwick. The Weinstein Co.

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Reaching for the Moon

A dramatic account of the unlikely romance between the American poet Elizabeth Bishop and the Brazilian architect Lota de Macedo Soares in the 1950s and ‘60s. With Miranda Otto, Gloria Pires and Tracy Middendorf. Written by Matthew Chapman and Julie Sayres. Directed by Bruno Barreto. Wolfe Releasing

Sweet Dreams

A documentary about the women of Ingoma Nshya, a female drumming troupe for survivors of the Rwandan genocide, and their efforts to open the nation’s first ice cream shop. Directed by Lisa Fruchtman and Rob Fruchtman. In English and Kinyarwanda, with English subtitles. International Film Circuit

These Birds Walk

A documentary about a high-spirited boy living in a house for runaways in Karachi and the young ambulance driver trying to help him find a permanent home. Directed by Omar Mullick and Bassam Tariq. In Urdu with English subtitles. Oscilloscope Laboratories

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NOVEMBER TBA

Paradise: Hope

An overweight Austrian teen spends her summer vacation at a strict diet camp and falls in love with the camp director, a doctor 40 years her senior. In German with English subtitles. With Melanie Lenz, Joseph Lorenz and Michael Tomas. Written by Ulrich Seidl and Veronika Franz. Directed by Seidl. Strand Releasing

FRIDAY, DEC. 6

Adventures of the Penguin King

A documentary following a young king penguin as he sets out to find a mate, settle down, raise a chick and survive in the Antarctic. Narrated by Tim Allen. Directed by Anthony Geffen. Cinedigm

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California Scheming

Three Malibu teens get mixed up with the new girl in town, who introduces them to drugs and misdemeanors and may have more in store for them. With Gia Mantegna, Devon Werkheiser and Spencer Daniels. Written and directed by Marco Weber. Rapid Eye Film

Crave

Haunted by the violence and urban decay around him, a downtrodden photographer struggles to keep his dark fantasies from becoming reality. With Josh Lawson, Emma Lung and Ron Perlman. Written by Robert Lawton and Charles de Lauzirika. Directed by de Lauzirika. Phase 4 Films

Expecting

After years of struggling to conceive with her husband, a woman is almost ready to give up hope of being a mother when an opportunity arises in the form of her best friend, who is newly pregnant after a one-night stand. With Michelle Monaghan, Radha Mitchell, Jon Dor and Michael Weston. Written and directed by Jessie McCormack. Tribeca Film

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Inside Llewyn Davis

Amid the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961, an aspiring musician navigates a series of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, some of which are of his own making. With Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman and Garrett Hedlund. Written and directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen. CBS Films

A Journey to Planet Sanity

A documentary following two men on a cross-country journey to debunk outlandish claims about aliens, psychics and all things paranormal. Directed by Blake Freeman. Wunderkind Pictures

The Last Days on Mars

On the eve of their return to Earth, the crew of an exploratory expedition to Mars discovers fossilized evidence of life, with disastrous consequences. With Liev Schreiber, Romola Garai and Elias Koteas. Written by Clive Dawson. Directed by Ruairi Robinson. Magnet Releasing

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Out of the Furnace

When his brother goes missing under shady circumstances shortly after returning home from Iraq, a blue-collar steel worker seeks justice on his own terms. With Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson and Forest Whitaker. Written by Brad Ingelsby and Scott Cooper. Directed by Cooper. Relativity Media

Swerve

An honest guy driving through the Australian outback witnesses a car crash that leaves behind a shaken woman, a dead man and a briefcase full of cash, and soon he becomes entangled in a dangerous scheme. With David Lyons, Emma Booth and Jason Clarke. Written and directed by Craig Lahiff. Cohen Media Group

Twice Born

Years after escaping war-torn Sarajevo, a woman visits the city with her teenage son and tries to reconcile with him while coping with her past. With Penelope Cruz and Emile Hirsch. Written by Sergio Castellitto and Margaret Mazzantini. Directed by Castellitto. eOne Films

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FRIDAY, DEC. 13

American Hustle

Two con men are compelled to work with a wild federal agent to concoct a sting targeting New Jersey power brokers and the mafia in this drama based on the FBI’s Abscam operation of the 1970s. With Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner. Written by Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell. Directed by Russell. Columbia Pictures

The Crash Reel

A documentary about the American snowboarder Kevin Pearce, his traumatic injury in 2009 and his long road to recovery. Directed by Lucy Walker. Phase 4 Films

Here Comes the Devil

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A couple’s preteen son and daughter inexplicably reappear after being lost overnight on a desolate, cave-ridden mountainside and begin exhibiting strange behavior. With Laura Caro, Francisco Barreiro and Michele Garcia. Written and directed by Adrian Garcia Bogliano. In Spanish with English subtitles. Magnet Releasing

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The reluctant hero Bilbo Baggins continues his quest to face the fearsome dragon Smaug and help 13 dwarfs reclaim their lost kingdom in this second installment of a film trilogy adapting J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit.” With Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage and Benedict Cumberbatch. Written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson. Directed by Jackson. In 3-D, HFR and Imax. Warner Bros. Pictures

Hours

When Hurricane Katrina ravages the hospital where his newborn daughter has just been delivered with complications, a father desperately tries to keep the child alive. With Paul Walker and Genesis Rodriguez. Written and directed by Eric Heisserer. Pantelion Films

Narco Cultura

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A documentary about the rising pop-culture influence of Mexican drug cartels on both sides of the border via narcocorridos, or drug ballads. Directed by Shaul Schwarz. In Spanish and English, with English subtitles. Cinedigm

Saving Mr. Banks

A biographical drama about filmmaker Walt Disney’s attempts to acquire the screen rights to “Mary Poppins” from the unwilling novelist P.L. Travers. With Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Paul Giamatti and Jason Schwartzman. Written by Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith. Directed by John Lee Hancock. Walt Disney Pictures

Some Velvet Morning

After four years apart, a middle-aged lawyer shows up on the doorstep of his young, beautiful former mistress trying desperately to rekindle their romance. With Stanley Tucci and Alice Eve. Written and directed by Neil LaBute. Tribeca Film

Tim’s Vermeer

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A documentary about a Texas-based inventor trying to figure out and re-create how the 17th century Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer painted photorealistic images 150 years before the invention of photography. Directed by Teller. Sony Pictures Classics

Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas

Coaxed into helping a friend pay her daughter a surprise holiday visit, the stern, sassy matriarch Madea shakes up a small rural town preparing for its annual Christmas Jubilee. With Tyler Perry, Kathy Najimy, Chad Michael Murray and Anna Maria Horsford. Written and directed by Perry. Lionsgate

The Unknown Known

A documentary profile of former Secretary of Defense and Iraq war architect Donald Rumsfeld, who discusses his career in Washington from his days as a congressman in the early 1960s to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Directed by Errol Morris. Radius-TWC

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 18

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Her

In near-future Los Angeles, a lonely writer trying to recover from a failed relationship downloads an advanced new operating system and begins to fall in love with his virtual companion. With Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara and Scarlett Johansson. Written and directed by Spike Jonze. Warner Bros. Pictures

FRIDAY, DEC. 20

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

The bumbling news anchor Ron Burgundy and his cohorts join the nation’s first 24-hour news channel in this 1980s-set sequel to the 2004 comedy “Anchorman.” With Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and Christina Applegate. Written by Ferrell and Adam McKay. Directed by McKay. Paramount Pictures

The Past

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An Iranian man returns to Paris to finalize a divorce from his estranged wife so she can remarry, and he soon finds himself drawn into a household of tangled relationships. With Berenice Bejo, Tahar Rahim and Ali Mosaffa. Written and directed by Asghar Farhadi. In French and Persian, with English subtitles. Sony Pictures Classics

Salome

Rebuffed by an imprisoned John the Baptist, the spoiled princess Salome entices her stepfather, King Herod, to grant her revenge. With Al Pacino and Jessica Chastain. Written by Oscar Wilde. Directed by Pacino. Big Air Studios

Wilde Salome

A documentary capturing actor-director Al Pacino’s efforts to stage a production of Oscar Wilde’s play “Salome.” With Pacino, Jessica Chastain and Kevin Anderson. Directed by Pacino. Big Air Studios

Walking With Dinosaurs: The 3D Movie

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In this animated film, a young pachyrhinosaurus comes of age and tries to protect his herd on a great migration. With the voices of John Leguizamo, Justin Long and Tiya Sircar. Written by John Collee. Directed by Barry Cook and Neil Nightingale. 20th Century Fox

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 25

47 Ronin

After a treacherous warlord kills their master and banishes their kind, a band of leaderless samurai vows to seek vengeance and restore honor to their people. With Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada and Tadanobu Asano. Written by Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini. Directed by Carl Rinsch. Universal Pictures

August: Osage County

When a family crisis brings them back to the Oklahoma house they grew up in, three sisters confront the dysfunctional woman who raised them. With Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor and Chris Cooper. Written by Tracy Letts. Directed by John Wells. The Weinstein Co.

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Grudge Match

Two old boxing rivals come out of retirement after 30 years to settle the score once and for all. With Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Kevin Hart and Alan Arkin. Written by Tim Kelleher and Rodney Rothman. Directed by Peter Segal. Warner Bros. Pictures

The Invisible Woman

A dramatic account of Charles Dickens’ affair with the 18-year-old actress Ellen “Nelly” Ternan amid the strict, whispering society of Victorian England. With Ralph Fiennes, Felicity Jones and Kristin Scott Thomas. Written by Abi Morgan. Directed by Fiennes. Sony Pictures Classics

Labor Day

On a back-to-school shopping trip, a reclusive single mother and her 13-year-old son encounter and take in a man in need, who turns out to be an escaped convict but also bonds with them both. With Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, Gattlin Griffith and Tobey Maguire. Written and directed by Jason Reitman. Paramount Pictures andrea_sumpter@paramount.com

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The Wolf of Wall Street

A biopic charting the rise and fall of the hard-living New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort, who founded the infamous boiler-room brokerage Stratton Oakmont and cheated investors out of as much as $200 million in the early 1990s. With Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie and Matthew McConaughey. Written by Terence Winter. Directed by Martin Scorsese. Paramount Pictures

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Displeased with his mundane existence, a daydream-prone Life magazine photo editor gets out from behind his desk and travels across the globe in search of a missing negative. With Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Shirley MacLaine and Adam Scott. Written by Steven Conrad. Directed by Stiller. 20th Century Fox

FRIDAY, DEC. 27

Lone Survivor

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Four Navy Seals on a covert mission to take down a high-level Al Qaeda operative are ambushed in the mountains of Afghanistan and face insurmountable odds. With Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch and Ben Foster. Written and directed by Peter Berg. Universal Pictures

One Chance

A biopic telling the story of Paul Potts, a Welsh cellphone salesman and amateur opera singer who became an overnight sensation via the reality TV series “Britain’s Got Talent.” With James Corden, Alexandra Roach, Julie Walters and Mackenzie Crook. Written by Justin Zackham. Directed by David Frankel. The Weinstein Co.

FRIDAY, JAN. 10

The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box

When his parents vanish and his younger brother is kidnapped, a 17-year-old boy follows a trail of clues to a mysterious hotel and discovers a dangerous supernatural realm. With Michael Sheen, Lena Headey and Sam Neill. Written by Christian Taylor and Matthew Huffman. Directed by Jonathan Newman. RLJ Entertainment

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Banshee Chapter

On the trail of a missing friend who had been experimenting with mind-altering drugs, a young journalist is drawn into a dangerous world of shadowy government chemical-research programs. With Katia Winter, Ted Levine and Michael McMillian. Written and directed by Blair Erickson. XLrator Media

Dumbbells

A former college sports star turned trainer finds new purpose when his gym’s new owner tries to turn the neglected business into a reality show. With Brian Drolet, Hoyt Richards and Nic Nicotera. Written by Drolet and Richards. Directed by Chris Livingston. GoDigital

The Truth About Emanuel

A troubled teenage girl becomes preoccupied with her mysterious new neighbor, who bears a strikingly resemblance to her dead mother. With Jessica Biel, Kaya Scodelario, Alfred Molina and Frances O’Connor. Written and directed by Francesca Gregorini. Tribeca Film

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