There's an old saying that Buffalo only has two seasons - construction and winter. It can also be said that Hollywood has just two seasons - summer and Oscar.
There is no clear-cut date to when the latter starts, but most will agree that it begins around Thanksgiving. From that day until the Academy Awards, Hollywood releases everything it has left in their storage rooms to see how many Oscar nominations they can get.
"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" (Dec. 9)
The first big movie is Andrew Adamson's adaptation of C.S. Lewis' classic "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe." Riding on the coattails of successful films adapted from novels, Adamson tries to recapture the success he had with "Shrek" and "Shrek 2," with his first live-action movie. "Narnia" seems to be a safe bet to hold the number one spot until a few days later when the most anticipated film of the year is released.
"King Kong" (Dec. 14)
Kong is not the only the big name attached to this film. It is directed by the remarkable Peter Jackson ("Lord of the Rings"), and stars Jack Black, Naomi Watts and Adrien Brody. Modern CGI interpretations of Kong rescuing the blonde beauty from a T-Rex and swatting at airplanes on top of the Empire State Building makes this one a must-see.
"All the King's Men" (Dec 16)
Another film with Oscar potential is "All the King's Men," starring the respectable Sean Penn as a corrupt governor. The film is loosely based on Louisiana governor Huey Long and is the story of an honest man's fall into corruption. The biggest buzz surrounding this film will be whether co-star Jude Law can finally get an Oscar. His partnership with Penn might help him win this year.
"Munich" (Dec. 23)
"Munich," directed by Steven Spielberg, is about the aftermath of the tragic murders of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics. It follows the head detective (Eric Bana of "The Hulk") who hunts down the murderers. No one can retell history quite like Spielberg has with flicks like "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan."
"The Matador" (Dec. 23, limited)
"The Matador" might be the sleeper film of the season. It stars a post-Bond Pierce Brosnan as a hit man who is having a career crisis. It also stars Greg Kinnear ("As Good As It Gets") as a family man who hesitantly gets involved with Brosnan's character. The success of this film totally hinges on plot development and chemistry between these B-list actors.
"The New World" (Dec 25 limited)
Colin Farrell's film "The New World" is about one of first confrontations between European settlers and Native Americans. Farrell stars as John Smith and 15-year-old Q'Orianka Kilcher plays Pocahontas. Renowned director Terrance Malick ("The Thin Red Line") should bring a fresh perspective to the classic story.
"Brokeback Mountain" (Jan. 13)
"Brokeback Mountain" is hands-down the most controversial film this season. Directed by Ang Lee ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), "Brokeback," based on the short story of the same name, deals with two cowboys (Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger) and their secret relationship as lovers. The film covers several years as they each struggle with their personal dilemmas. The controversial subject matter might turn some people away but Lee has an uncanny ability to move audiences, no matter what the film's content.
If these films don't live up to their hype, you can always rely on TNT's Christmas Eve marathon of "The Christmas Story."
