MoviefiedNYC’s Opening this Weekend – 12/13 & Wednesday 12/18

There is a chill in the air and holiday lights are twinkling everywhere, no one can believe it is December already. Especially the movie studios that have all their award contenders lining up one after the other for us to see this season, it’s now or never! We know that somewhere between shopping and holiday fun, you are going to sneak in a movie or two, you can’t let Meryl, Scorsese or Spike Jonze down, can you? So, whether you choose to check out that indie you heard so much about, the latest big studio release or the latest award winner, don’t forget to click on the movie title to view the trailer. We want to make sure you know what you are getting into before you head to the theater.

Happy Holidazes!

– – Myrna E. Duarte

December 13

The Hobbit:The Desolation of Smaug (3D)

The Hobbit:The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit, directed by Peter Jackson, is set in Middle-Earth 60 years before Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, was separated into three movies. The films, with screenplays by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson, were shot consecutively in digital 3D. In this, the second installment, the dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their epic quest to reclaim Erebor, their homeland, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug.

American Hustle (NY and LA Only) MoviefiedNYC’s Most Anticipated
New York Film Critics: Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence

Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremey Renner, Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle

Christian Bale stars along with Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Robert De Niro, Jeremy Renner and Louis C.K. in a fictional take on the 1970s FBI sting operation known as Abscam directed by David O. Russell (Flirting with Disaster, Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees, The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook). This sounds like a wonderful way to spend a winter afternoon.

Hours (Limited)

Paul Walker – Hours

The new indie drama Hours showcases, the recently deceased Paul Walker (Fast and the Furious franchise) as a man in a New Orleans hospital with his pregnant wife as she gives birth. But what should be a happy day turns out to be terrible as Hurricane Katrina begins devastating the hospital.

Saving Mr. Banks (Limited) MoviefiedNYC’s Most Anticipated

Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson – Saving Mr. Banks

Saving Mr. Banks is the true story of how Walt Disney brought Mary Poppins to the big screen. Emma Thompson plays author P.L. Travers who is not very impressed with Los Angeles or Disney himself (Tom Hanks), and even less excited about handing over the rights to her beloved creation. This looks like a real crowd pleaser with a supporting cast that includes Bradley Whitford, Paul Giamatti and Jason Schwartzman alongside B.J. Novak as the composing Sherman Brothers. Perfect holiday fare.

Some Velvet Morning (Limited)

Stanley Tucci and Alive Eve – Some Velvet Morning

Writer-director Neil LaBute (The Shape of Things, The Wicker Man and Lakeview Terrace) seems to be getting back to his theater roots. Some Velvet Morning follows Stanley Tucci (The Devil Wears Prada, The Hunger Games) and Alive Eve (She’s Out of My League, Star Trek Into Darkness) on a sexually tense game of cat and mouse after being estranged for four years. This all looks very compelling, and seems to take place during a confined time-frame and place. Maybe we will see it on Broadway someday?

Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas

Tyler Perry in A Madea Christmas

Madea gets coaxed into helping a friend pay her daughter a surprise visit in the country for Christmas, but the biggest surprise is what they’ll find when they arrive. It’s A Madea Christmas!

December 18 (Wednesday)

Her (NY and LA Only) MoviefiedNYC’s Most Anticipated
Los Angeles Film Critics: Best Picture: Tie Her and Gravity

Joaquin Phoenix – Her

Spike Jonze’s Her, stars Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara and Amy Adams in one of the first of many movies exploring the idea of love or a relationship with a digital entity (Transcendence, The Zero Theorem, Ex Machina will be coming up) and it also appears to have a lighter and sweeter touch, without the zany comedy angle. Phoenix plays a man in the near future who falls in love with his computer, Samantha, voiced by Scarlett Johansson. I love Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation and Where the Wild Things Are) films and this seems to be a change of pace and I’m totally into it.

Anchorman:The Legend Continues

Anchorman: The Legend Continues

Written and directed by Adam McKay, the man behind the original 2004 comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Step Brothers. San Diego’s top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), returns to the news desk. Also back are Ron’s co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), weather man Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), man on the street Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner) – All of whom won’t make it easy to stay classy…while taking New York’s first 24-hour news channel by storm. This one actually looks funnier than the original and I also feel I need to mention that I don’t remember any actor working any harder than Will Ferrell has to promote this film.