(opening dates are tentative) Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, not yet rated Will Ferrell reprises his role as a “legendary” top-rated San Diego newsman who, with the ’70s behind him, is still looking to stay classy while he and his colleagues take the nation’s first 24-hour news channel by storm. With Christina Applegate, Steve Carell, David Koechner, Paul Rudd, Kristen Wiig, James Marsden, Dylan Baker, Harrison Ford, Greg Kinnear, Vince Vaughn, Luke Wilson;
directed by Adam McKay.
Opens Wednesday American Hustle, R A rogue FBI agent (Bradley Cooper) forces a brilliant con man (Christian Bale) and his equally cunning and seductive British partner (Amy Adams) into an enchanting but dangerous world of Jersey power brokers and mobsters. With Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence; directed by David O. Russell. Dec. 20 Angels Sing, PG Thirty years after a tragic accident crushed his childhood Christmas spirit, a man must make amends with his past when tragedy looms for his young son. With Harry Connick Jr., Connie Britton, Chandler Canterbury, Fionnula Flanagan, Lyle Lovett; directed by Tim McCanlies. Dec. 20 The Armstrong Lie, R Documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney shelved the filmhe was working on about Lance Armstrong’s comeback to cycling in 2009 after doping allegations aimed at his subject snowballed, but he picked the film back up this year after Armstrong’s confession. Dec. 20 Last Days on Mars, PG-13 On the last day of the first manned mission to Mars, a crew member believes he has made an astounding discovery - fossilized evidence of bacterial life that may not actually be extinct and may not be friendly.
With Liev Schreiber, Elias Koteas, Romola Garai, Olivia Williams, Tom Cullen;
directed by Ruairi Robinson.
Dec. 20 Nebraska, R After receiving a sweepstakes letter in the mail, a cantankerous father (Bruce Dern), believing he’s struck it rich, wrangles his son (Will Forte) into a road trip to claim the “fortune.” With Stacy Keach, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk;
directed by Alexander Payne.
Dec. 20 Saving Mr. Banks, PG-13 Tom Hanks plays Walt Disney, who, in trying to keep his promise to his daughters to turn the beloved book Mary Poppins into a movie, comes up against curmudgeonly and intransigent P.L. Travers’ (Emma Thompson) refusal to let her iconic nanny get the Disney treatment. With Colin Farrell, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, Bradley Whitford, Annie Rose Buckley, Ruth Wilson, B.J.
Novak, Rachel Griffiths, Kathy Baker; directed by John Lee Hancock. Dec. 20 Walking With Dinosaurs, PG An underdog dinosaur triumphs against all odds to become a hero for the ages. Animated.
Directed by Barry Cook, Neil Nightingale. Dec. 20
MovieStyle, Pages 40 on 12/13/2013