The Great Debaters

In 1935, Mel Tolson (Denzel Washington) is a professor at Wiley College Texas who wants to encourage his students to have big dreams. So, he forms and coaches a local debating team that aggressively fights for the chance to engage Harvard's championship team in a match.

Cast: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Nate Parker, Jurnee Smollett, Denzel Whitaker, Jermaine Williams (more)
Director: Denzel Washington
Writer: Robert Eisele
Genre: Drama
Release Date: Dec. 25, 2007
Running Time: 123 minutes

Lust, Caution

In WWII-era Shanghai, Wong Chia Chi (Tang Wei) is a Chinese college student who gets involved with a drama club after meeting Kuang Yu Min (Want Leehom), a charismatic fellow classmate. While Wong is happy performing on the stage, Kuang asks her to take on a very dangerous role in real life. She is to transform herself into Mrs. Mak and make friends with the wife (Joan Chen) of a major Japanese collaborator, Mr. Yee (Tony Leung), only to ensnare him into an affair so that her Kuang and his cohorts can kill him. However, the plan fails to work out at the time, but after several years pass, Kuang re-enters Wong's life, whereupon he asks her to resume their deadly mission.

Cast: Tony Leung Ka Fai, Tang Wei, Joan Chen, Lee-Hom Wang (more)
Director: Ang Lee
Writer: Hui Ling Wang, James Schamus
Genre: Drama
Release Date: Sept. 28, 2007
Running Time: 157 minutes

The Golden Compass

A young student, Lyra Belaqua (Dakota Blue Richards), begins a mighty journey to save the universe after learning that a valuable microscopic particle is under attack. Based on the first book in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.

Cast: Nicole Kidman, Dakota Blue Richards, Sam Elliott, Eva Green, Daniel Craig, Tom Courtenay (more)
Directors: Chris Weitz, Robert Shaye
Writers: Chris Weitz, Tobias Emmerich, Paul Weitz
Genre: Drama
Release Date: Dec. 7, 2007
Running Time: 113 minutes

Sweeney Todd

In this adaptation of the classic musical, Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp) is a barber who is sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit. After his release years later, Sweeney opens up a new shop and plots revenge against the judge (Alan Rickman) who sent him behind bars. But, before he does, he practices his knife skills on unsuspecting customers who have their necks cut along with their hair. The bodies of his victims then fall into the possession of Sweeney's girlfriend, Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), who carves them into delicious meat pies that become the talk of the town.

Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Jamie Campbell Bower, Jayne Wisener (more)
Director: Tim Burton
Writer: John Logan
Genre: Musical
Release Date: Dec. 21, 2007
Running Time: 116 minutes

The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep

Angus MacMorrow (Alex Etel) is a young Scottish lad who finds a mysterious egg on the shore of a loch with his sister Kirstie (Priyanka Xi). When the egg hatches, an unusual creature is freed who gets so big, the only place it can live is under the water.

Cast: Emily Watson, Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, David Morrissey, Brian Cox (more)
Director: Jay Russell
Writer: Robert Nelson Jacobs
Genre: Family
Release Date: Dec. 25, 2007
Running Time: 111 minutes

Alvin and the Chipmunks

The classic cartoon brothers — Alvin, Simon and Theodore — get the CGI-animated treatment and create havoc for their "dad" David Seville (Jason Lee).

Cast: Jason Lee, David Cross, Cameron Richardson, Jane Lynch, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler (more)
Director: Tim Hill
Writers: Jon Vitti, Will McRobb, Chris Viscardi
Genre: Family
Release Date: Dec. 14, 2007
Running Time: 92 minutes

American Gangster

n 1970s Harlem, Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) is a quiet, unassuming driver to one of NYC's most notorious drug lords. When his boss suddenly croaks, Frank steps into the power vacuum to become an even bigger crime kingpin. Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) is the hardnosed cop determined to bring Frank to justice. Based on a true story.

Cast: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Josh Brolin, Chjwetel Ejiofor, Carla Gugino, Ted Levine (more)
Director: Ridley Scott
Writer: Steven Zallian
Genre: Drama
Release Date: Nov. 2, 2007
Running Time: 157 minutes

Awake

Clay (Hayden Christensen) is happily married to his wife (Jessica Alba) and comes from a wealthy family, but he suffers from a debilitating illness and only a risky surgical procedure can save him. However, even though he's put under anesthesia, he remains awake even though he can't move. Worse, he can hear the doctors plotting his death on the operating table. With his mind still functioning, Clay races through his memory to try to find out why anyone might want him dead.

Cast: Jessica Alba, Hayden Christensen, Terrence Howard, Lena Olin, Sam Robards, Arliss Howard (more)
Director: Joby Harold
Writer: Joby Harold
Genre: Drama
Release Date: Nov. 30, 2007
Running Time: 84 minutes

Bella

Jose (Eduardo Verastegui) used to be a superstar soccer player making millions of dollars. But, after falling on hard times, he's forced to work in his brother's Mexican restaurant. It's not all bad, though, especially when he falls for a pretty young waitress (Tammy Blanchard).

Cast: Eduardo Verastegui, Tammy Blanchard, Manny Perez, Ali Landry, Angelica Aragon, Jaime Terelli (more)
Director: Alejandro Monteverde
Writers: Alejandro Monteverde, Patrick Million, Leo Severino
Genre: Drama
Release Date: Oct. 26, 2007
Running Time: 91 minutes

Beowulf

Based on the legendary epic poem, the great warrior Beowulf (Ray Winstone) must destroy the evil creature Grendel (Crispin Glover) who is terrorizing the Scandinavian countryside. And if that isn't difficult enough, Beowulf must also kill the monster's mommy (Angelina Jolie).

Cast: Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, Robin Wright, Brendan Gleeson, Crispin Glover (more)
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Writer(s): Neil Gaiman, Roger Avary
Genre: Family
Release Date: Nov. 16, 2007
Running Time: 115 minutes

Bee Movie

Recent bee graduate Barry B. Benson (Jerry Seinfeld) isn't thrilled at having just one option for a career, namely honey. After he befriends a human woman named Vanessa (Renée Zellweger) who saves his life, he finds out that humans eat lots of honey and decides to sue humanity for stealing from bees.

Cast: Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, Chris Rock, Alan Arkin (more)
Director(s): Steve Hickner, Simon J. Smith
Writer(s): Jerry Seinfeld, Spike Feresten, Barry Marder, Andy Robin
Genre: Family
Release Date: Nov. 2, 2007
DVD Release: Date March 11, 2008
Running Time: 90 minutes

Summer Palace

Yu Hong (Lei Hao) leaves her tiny village and her boyfriend behind to study at a university in Beijing. While in the big city, she falls passionately in love with a fellow student, Zhou Wei (Xiaodong Guo). The two lovebirds spend their time either studying, dating or protesting the government in the name of democracy and freedom. Eventually though, Zhou is sent to a military camp for his political beliefs, after which he flees to Berlin. Although Zhou gets caught up in the fight for freedom in Germany, he can't forget his former lover, so he eventually returns to China to find her.

Cast: Xueyun Bai, Lin Cui, Long Duan, Xiadong Guo, Lei Hao, Ling Hu, Chi Le, Xianmin Zhang
Director: Ye Lou
Genre: Drama
Release Date: Jan. 18, 2008 — New York; Feb. 8, 2008 —: Los Angeles
Running Time: 140 minutes

Juno

Juno (Ellen Page) is a smart teenager facing a tough decision: what to do after she gets pregnant from a classmate (Michael Cera). Deciding to give the baby up for adoption to a rich couple (Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner), she has the full support of both her parents (Allison Janney, J.K. Simmons). But is giving the child away really what she wants to do deep down in her heart?

Cast: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, J.K. Simmons (more)
Director: Jason Reitman
Writer: Diablo Cody
Genre: Comedy
Release Date: Dec. 5, 2007
Running Time: 92 minutes

Cloverfield

Rob Hawkins (Michael Stahl-David) has just gotten a new job, except he's going to have to move from NYC to Tokyo to take it. On the eve of his departure, Rob's brother Jason (Mike Vogel) throws a surprise going-away party that's interrupted when a giant monster attacks the city. Receiving a panicked phone call from his ex-girlfriend Beth (Odette Yustman), Rob races through the destruction with several of his friends to save her.

Cast: Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller (more)
Director: Matt Reeves
Writer: Drew Goddard
Genre(s): Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Release Date: Jan. 18, 2008
Running Time: 90 minutes

First Sunday

Two inept crooks plot the lowest crime imaginable — robbing their own church. But when their best laid plans inevitably fail miserably, the theives end up holding their fellow parishioners hostage, who all try to get the criminals back in God's good graces.

Cast: Ice Cube, Katt Williams, Tracy Morgan, Loretta Devine, Michael Beach, Keith David (more)
Director: David E. Talbert
Writer: David E. Talbert
Genre: Comedy
Release Date: Jan. 11, 2008
Running Time: 96 minutes

The Bucket List

Two men (Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman) who are dying from cancer escape their hospital together and go on a road trip to fulfill their final "to-do" list.

Cast: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Rob Morrow, Beverly Todd (more)
Director: Rob Reiner
Writer: Justin Zackham
Genre: Comedy
Release Date: Dec. 25, 2007 — limited; Jan. 18, 2008 — wide
Running Time: 97 minutes

27 dresses

Jane (Katherine Heigl) is the living embodiment of the old saying "always a bridesmaid, never a bride." Just when she thinks her life can't get any lonlier, her sister Tess (Malin Akerman) announces her engagement to the man of Jane's dreams. But which sibling will eventually end up standing at the altar first?

Cast: Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Malin Akerman, Edward Burns, Melora Hardin, Judy Greer
Director: Anne Fletcher
Writer: Aline Brosh McKenna
Genre: Comedy
Release Date: Jan. 18, 2008
Running Time: 107 minutes