INHERENT VICE
In theaters on January 9 (Expansion)
(Warner Bros. Pictures/IAC Films)
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Katherine Waterston, Reese Witherspoon, Benicio Del Toro, Martin Short, Jena Malone, Joanna Newsom
“Inherent Vice” is the seventh feature from Paul Thomas Anderson and the first ever film adaption of a Thomas Pynchon novel. When private eye Doc Sportello’s ex-old lady suddenly out of nowhere shows up with a story about her current billionaire land developer boyfriend whom she just happens to be in love with, and a plot by his wife and her boyfriend to kidnap that billionaire and throw him in a looney bin…well, easy for her to say. It’s the tail end of the psychedelic `60s and paranoia is running the day and Doc knows that “love” is another of those words going around at the moment, like “trip” or “groovy,” that’s being way too overused – except this one usually leads to trouble. With a cast of characters that includes surfers, hustlers, dopers and rockers, a murderous loan shark, LAPD Detectives, a tenor sax player working undercover, and a mysterious entity known as the Golden Fang, which may only be a tax dodge set up by some dentists… Part surf noir, part psychedelic romp – all Thomas Pynchon.
*******************************
AMERICAN SNIPER
In theaters on January 16 (Wide)
(Warner Bros. Pictures/Village Roadshow Pictures)
Director: Clint Eastwood
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Jake McDorman, Luke Grimes, Navid Negahban,
Keir O’Donnell
From director Clint Eastwood comes “American Sniper,” starring Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history. But there was much more to him than his skill as a sharpshooter. U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle is sent to Iraq with only one mission: to protect his brothers-in-arms. His pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and, as stories of his courageous exploits spread, he earns the nickname “Legend.” However, his reputation is also growing behind enemy lines, putting a price on his head and making him a prime target of insurgents. He is also facing a different kind of battle on the home front: striving to be a good husband and father from halfway around the world. Despite the danger, as well as the toll on his family at home, Chris serves through four harrowing tours of duty in Iraq, personifying the spirit of the SEAL creed to “leave no one behind.” But upon returning to his wife, Taya (Sienna Miller), and kids, Chris finds that it is the war he can’t leave behind.
*******************************
JUPITER ASCENDING
In 3D and 2D in select theaters and IMAX on February 6
(Warner Bros. Pictures/Village Roadshow Pictures)
Directors: The Wachowskis
Cast: Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, Douglas Booth, Tuppence Middleton
From the streets of Chicago to the far-flung galaxies whirling through space, “Jupiter Ascending” tells the story of Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis), who was born under a night sky, with signs predicting she was destined for great things. Now grown, Jupiter dreams of the stars but wakes up to the cold reality of a job cleaning other people’s houses and an endless run of bad breaks. Only when Caine (Channing Tatum), a genetically engineered ex-military hunter, arrives on Earth to track her down does Jupiter begin to glimpse the fate that has been waiting for her all along—her genetic signature marks her as next in line for an extraordinary inheritance that could alter the balance of the cosmos.
*******************************
FOCUS
In theaters and IMAX on February 27
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Directors: Glenn Ficarra & John Requa
Cast: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Rodrigo Santoro, Gerald McRaney
Will Smith stars as Nicky, a seasoned master of misdirection who becomes romantically involved with novice con artist Jess (Margot Robbie). As he’s teaching her the tricks of the trade, she gets too close for comfort and he abruptly breaks it off. Three years later, the former flame—now an accomplished femme fatale—shows up in Buenos Aires in the middle of the high stakes racecar circuit. In the midst of Nicky’s latest, very dangerous scheme, she throws his plans for a loop…and the consummate con man off his game.
This film has been rated R for language, some sexual content and brief violence.
*******************************
IN THE HEART OF THE SEA
In theaters and IMAX on March 13
(Warner Bros. Pictures/Village Roadshow Pictures/COTT Productions – Enelmar Productions, A.I.E.)
Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy, Tom Holland, Jordi Mollà, with Ben Whishaw and Brendan Gleeson
In the winter of 1820, the New England whaling ship Essex was assaulted by something no one could believe: a whale of mammoth size and will, and an almost human sense of vengeance. The real-life maritime disaster would inspire Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick. But that told only half the story. “Heart of the Sea” reveals the encounter’s harrowing aftermath, as the ship’s surviving crew is pushed to their limits and forced to do the unthinkable to stay alive. Braving storms, starvation, panic and despair, the men will call into question their deepest beliefs, from the value of their lives to the morality of their trade, as their captain searches for direction on the open sea and his first mate still seeks to bring the great whale down.
*******************************
GET HARD
In theaters on March 27
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Director: Etan Cohen
Cast: Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Alison Brie, and Craig T. Nelson
When millionaire hedge fund manager James (Will Ferrell) is nailed for fraud and bound for a stretch in San Quentin, the judge gives him 30 days to get his affairs in order. Desperate, he turns to Darnell (Kevin Hart) to prep him for a life behind bars. But despite James’ one-percenter assumptions, Darnell is a hard-working small business owner who has never received a parking ticket, let alone been to prison. Together, the two men do whatever it takes for James to “get hard” and, in the process, discover how wrong they were about a lot of things – including each other.
*******************************
HILLSONG: LET HOPE RISE
In theaters on April 1
(Alcon Entertainment)
Director: Michael John Warren
Cast: Hillsong UNITED
Alcon Entertainment’s full-length feature film “Hillsong – Let Hope Rise” chronicles the spectacular and unlikely rise to prominence of the Australia-based Christian band, Hillsong UNITED. The music of Hillsong is so popular it is estimated that on any given Sunday, more than 50 million churchgoers around the world are singing their songs. Routinely performing to sold-out stadiums, the 11-member band, led by Joel Houston, are all volunteers or employees of Hillsong Church, founded by Joel’s parents, Brian and Bobbie Houston. With more than 16 million albums sold, music and merchandise sales enable Hillsong Church—which spans 12 global locations with more than 100,000 weekly attendees, including thriving congregations in New York and Los Angeles—to support both local and worldwide charity that includes feeding and educating children in the slums of India, holistic community development in Africa, rescuing and rehabilitating victims of human trafficking and sponsoring children living in poverty around the world
*******************************
RUN ALL NIGHT
In theaters on April 17
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Cast: Liam Neeson, Joel Kinnaman, Vincent D’Onofrio, Bruce McGill, Genesis Rodriguez,Boyd Holbrook, Holt McCallany, with Common, and Ed Harris
Brooklyn mobster and prolific hit man Jimmy Conlon (Liam Neeson), once known as The Gravedigger, has seen better days. Longtime best friend of mob boss Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris), Jimmy, now 55, is haunted by the sins of his past—as well as a dogged police detective who’s been one step behind Jimmy for 30 years. Lately, it seems Jimmy’s only solace can be found at the bottom of a whiskey glass. But when Jimmy’s estranged son, Mike (Joel Kinnaman), becomes a target, Jimmy must make a choice between the crime family he chose and the real family he abandoned long ago. With Mike on the run, Jimmy’s only penance for his past mistakes may be to keep his son from the same fate Jimmy is certain he’ll face himself…at the wrong end of a gun. Now, with nowhere safe to turn, Jimmy just has one night to figure out exactly where his loyalties lie and to see if he can finally make things right.
*******************************
THE WATER DIVINER
In theaters on April 24 (Limited)
(Warner Bros. Pictures/RatPac Entertainment and Seven Network Australia/ Megiste, DC Tour, EJM Productions, Axphon)
Director: Russell Crowe
Cast: Russell Crowe, Olga Kurylenko, Yilmaz Erdogan, Cem Yilmaz, Jai Courtney, Ryan Corr, James Fraser, Ben O’Toole, Isabel Lucas
Russell Crowe’s directorial debut, “The Water Diviner,” is an epic and inspiring tale of one man’s life-changing journey of discovery. Crowe plays Australian farmer Joshua Connor, who, in 1919, goes in search of his three missing sons, last known to have fought against the Turks in the bloody Battle of Gallipoli. Arriving in Istanbul, he is thrust into a vastly different world, where he encounters others who have suffered their own losses in the conflict: Ayshe (Olga Kurylenko), a strikingly beautiful but guarded hotelier raising a child alone; her young, spirited son, Orhan (Dylan Georgiades), who finds a friend in Connor; and Major Hasan (Yilmaz Erdoğan), a Turkish officer who fought against Connor’s boys and who may be this father’s only hope. With seemingly insurmountable obstacles in his path, Connor must travel across the battle-scarred Turkish landscape to find the truth…and his own peace.
*******************************
UNTITLED REESE WITHERSPOON/SOFIA VERGARA FILM
In theaters on May 8
(New Line Cinema/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures)
Director: Anne Fletcher
Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Sofia Vergara, John Carroll Lynch, Rob Kazinsky
An uptight and by-the-book cop (Reese Witherspoon) tries to protect the sexy and outgoing widow (Sofia Vergara) of a drug boss as they race through Texas pursued by crooked cops and murderous gunmen.
*******************************
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
In 3D and 2D in select theaters on May 15
(Warner Bros. Pictures/Village Roadshow Pictures)
Director: George Miller
Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Nathan Jones, Josh HelmanRosie Huntington-Whiteley, Riley Keough,Zoë Kravitz, Abbey Lee, Courtney Eaton,John Howard, Richard Carter, iOTA, Angus Sampson, Jennifer Hagan, Megan Gale, Melissa Jaffer, Melita Jurisic, Gillian Jones, Joy Smithers
From director George Miller, originator of the post-apocalyptic genre and mastermind behind the legendary “Mad Max” franchise, comes “Mad Max: Fury Road,” a return to the world of the Road Warrior, Max Rockatansky. Haunted by his turbulent past, Mad Max (Tom Hardy) believes the best way to survive is to wander alone. Nevertheless, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa (Charlize Theron). They are escaping a Citadel tyrannized by the Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, the Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane Road War that follows.
*******************************
SAN ANDREAS
In 3D and 2D in select theaters on May 29
(New Line Cinema/Village Roadshow Pictures)
Director: Brad Peyton
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, Ioan Gruffudd, Archie Panjabi, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Art Parkinson, and Paul Giamatti
After the infamous San Andreas Fault finally gives, triggering a magnitude 9 earthquake in California, a search and rescue helicopter pilot (Dwayne Johnson) and his estranged wife make their way together from Los Angeles to San Francisco to save their only daughter. But their treacherous journey north is only the beginning, and when they think the worst may be over…it’s just getting started.
*******************************
ENTOURAGE
In theaters on June 5
(Warner Bros. Pictures/Home Box Office)
Director: Doug Ellin
Cast: Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, and Jeremy Piven, Billy Bob Thornton, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Rhys Coiro, Alan Dale, Rex Lee, Debi Mazar, Scott Mescudi, Haley Joel Osment, Emily Ratajkowski, Perrey Reeves, Ronda Rousey, Constance Zimmer, Nora Dunn
Movie star Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier), together with his boys, Eric (Kevin Connolly), Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) and Johnny (Kevin Dillon), are back…and back in business with super agent-turned-studio head Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven). Some of their ambitions have changed, but the bond between them remains strong as they navigate the capricious and often cutthroat world of Hollywood.
*******************************
MAGIC MIKE XXL
In theaters on July 1
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Director: Gregory Jacobs
Cast: Channing Tatum, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Kevin Nash, Adam Rodriguez, Gabriel Iglesias, Amber Heard, Donald Glover, Michael Strahan Elizabeth Banks, with Andie MacDowell, and Jada Pinkett Smith
Picking up the story three years after Mike (Channing Tatum) bowed out of the stripper life at the top of his game, “Magic Mike XXL” finds the remaining Kings of Tampa likewise ready to throw in the towel. But they want to do it their way: burning down the house in one last blow-out performance in Myrtle Beach, and with legendary headliner Magic Mike sharing the spotlight with them. On the road to their final show, with whistle stops in Jacksonville and Savannah to renew old acquaintances and make new friends, Mike and the guys learn some new moves and shake off the past in surprising ways.
*******************************
THE GALLOWS
In theaters on July 10
(New Line Cinema)
Director: Chris Lofing, Travis Cluff
Cast: Cassidy Gifford, Ryan Shoos, Reese Mishler, Pfeifer Brown
Twenty years after an accident during a small town high school play results in death, students at the school resurrect the failed stage production in a misguided attempt to honor the anniversary of the tragedy – but ultimately find out that some things are better left alone.
*******************************
PAN
In 3D and 2D in select theaters and IMAX on July 24
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Director: Joe Wright
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Garrett Hedlund, Rooney Mara, Adeel Akhtar, Levi Miller, Taejoo Na, Nonso Anozie, Kathy Burke, Kurt Egyiawan, Lewis MacDougall, Leni Zieglmeier, and Amanda Seyfried
From director Joe Wright comes “Pan,” a live-action feature presenting a wholly original adventure about the beginnings of the beloved characters created by J.M. Barrie.Peter (Levi Miller) is a mischievous 12-year-old boy with an irrepressible rebellious streak, but in the bleak London orphanage where he has lived his whole life those qualities do not exactly fly. Then one incredible night, Peter is whisked away from the orphanage and spirited off to a fantastical world of pirates, warriors and fairies called Neverland. There, he finds amazing adventures and fights life-or-death battles while trying to uncover the secret of his mother, who left him at the orphanage so long ago, and his rightful place in this magical land. Teamed with the warrior Tiger Lily (Rooney Mara) and a new friend named James Hook (Garrett Hedlund), Peter must defeat the ruthless pirate Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman) to save Neverland and discover his true destiny—to become the hero who will forever be known as Peter Pan.
*******************************
POINT BREAK
In 3D and 2D in select theaters and IMAX on July 31
(Alcon Entertainment)
Director: Ericson Core
Cast: Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey, Ray Winstone, Teresa Palmer, Delroy Lindo
In “Point Break,” a young FBI agent infiltrates an extraordinary team of extreme sports athletes he suspects of masterminding a string of unprecedented, sophisticated corporate heists. Deep undercover, and with his life in danger, he strives to prove these eco-activists are the architects of the mind-boggling crimes that are devastating the world’s financial markets. The film marks some of the most daring stunts ever committed to film. Extreme sports featured include snowboarding, wingsuit flying, free rock climbing, high-speed motorcycle stunts and surfing 70-foot waves.
*******************************
THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
In theaters on August 14
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Director: Guy Ritchie
Cast: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, with Jared Harris, and Hugh Grant
A fresh take on the hugely popular 1960s television series,“The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” is set against the backdrop of the early 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” centers on CIA agent Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) and KGB agent Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer). Forced to put aside longstanding hostilities, the two team up on a joint mission to stop a mysterious international criminal organization, which is bent on destabilizing the fragile balance of power through the proliferation of nuclear weapons and technology. The duo’s only lead is the daughter of a vanished German scientist, who is the key to infiltrating the criminal organization, and they must race against time to find him and prevent a worldwide catastrophe.
*******************************
MAX
In theaters on August 21
(Warner Bros. Pictures/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures)
Director: Boaz Yakin
Cast: Josh Wiggins, Lauren Graham, Thomas Haden Church
A coming-of-age story about a young teen from a family dealing with loss, who finds friendship, comfort and adventure with the heroic military dog of his fallen brother, a United States Marine who served his country on the frontlines of the war in Afghanistan.
*******************************
UNTITLED WHITEY BULGER FILM
In theaters on September 18
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Director: Scott Cooper
Cast: Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, Rory Cochrane, David Harbour, Dakota Johnson, , Sienna Miller, Julianne Nicholson, Jesse Plemons, James Russo, Adam Scott, Corey Stoll, Juno Temple, W. Earl Brown, Bill Camp, Brad Carter, Jeremy Strong
In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) persuades Irish mobster James “Whitey” Bulger (Johnny Depp) to collaborate with the FBI and eliminate a common enemy: the Italian mob. The drama tells the true story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Whitey to evade law enforcement, consolidate power, and become one of the most ruthless and powerful gangsters in Boston history.
*******************************
THE INTERN
In theaters on September 25
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Director: Nancy Meyers
Cast: Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway, Anders Holm, Rene Russo, Andrew Rannells, Adam DeVine, Celia Weston, Nat Wolff, Linda Lavin, Zack Pearlman, Reid Scott, Jason Orley, Christina Scherer
In “The Intern,” Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro) is a 70-year-old widower who has discovered that retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Seizing an opportunity to get back in the game, he becomes a senior intern at an online fashion site, founded and run by Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway).
*******************************
VACATION
In theaters on October 9
(New Line Cinema)
Director: Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley
Cast: Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann, Beverly D’Angelo, Skyler Gisondo, Steele Stebbins, with Chris Hemsworth, and Chevy Chase
The next generation of Griswolds is at it again—and on the road for another ill-fated adventure. Following in his father’s footsteps and hoping for some much-needed family bonding, a grown-up Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) surprises his wife, Debbie (Christina Applegate), and their two sons with a cross-country trip back to America’s “favorite family fun park,” Walley World.
*******************************
MIDNIGHT SPECIAL
In theaters on November 25
(Warner Bros. Pictures/ Faliro House Productions)
Director: Jeff Nichols
Cast: Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, Jaeden Lieberher, Bill Camp, Scott Haze, Paul Sparks, and Sam Shepard
In “Midnight Special,” the latest sci-fi thriller from acclaimed writer/director Jeff Nichols, Roy (Michael Shannon) is a father who goes on the run to protect his son, Alton (Jaeden Lieberher) who has special powers.