OPENING FRIDAY
At The Orion
“The Hobbit,” “Skyfall” and “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2,” all in digital. See show details below.
OPENing friday
“THE HOBBIT” (digital at The Orion and The Majestic, 3-D at Yakima Cinema) — Director Peter Jackson (“The Lord of the Rings”) returns to Middle-earth with this first installment in a $500 million trilogy of films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel. Martin Freeman plays the young Bilbo Baggins, who accompanies the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and a gang of dwarves on a series of adventures. Also starring Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Martin Freeman and Elijah Wood. (PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images.)
“SMASHED” — A young married couple whose bond is based on a shared love of alcohol have their relationship tested when the wife decides to get sober. Starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Paul, Octavia Spencer and Nick Offerman. Directed by James Ponsoldt. (R for alcohol abuse, language, some sexual content and brief drug use.)
OPENING WEDNESDAY
“THE GUILT TRIP” — Seth Rogen is an inventor who has to take his annoying mom (Barbra Streisand) on the road with him as he tries to sell his latest invention. Also starring Kathy Najimi and Adam Scott. Directed by Anne Fletcher. (PG-13 for language and some risque material.)
“MONSTERS INC.” (3-D) — John Goodman and Billy Crystal’s cartoon creature-feature is back on the big screen, this time in 3-D. Also featuring the voices of Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn and Jennifer Tilly. Directed by Pete Doctor, David Silverman and Lee Unkrich. (G for general audiences.)
HELD OVER
“ARGO” — Director Ben Affleck also stars in this riveting, fact-based thriller about a CIA agent charged with getting a small group of Americans out of Iran during the hostage crisis in 1979. Also starring Bryan Cranston, John Goodman and Alan Arkin. (R for language and some violent images.)
“FLIGHT” — Director Robert Zemeckis’ first live-action movie since 2000’s “Cast Away” stars Denzel Washington as an airline pilot whose past comes back to haunt him after he becomes a hero for saving the lives of his passengers during a disastrous flight. Also starring Don Cheadle, Melissa Leo, John Goodman and Kelly Reilly. (R for drug and alcohol abuse, language, sexuality/nudity and an intense action sequence.)
“HERE COMES THE BOOM” — A biology teacher (Kevin James) becomes a mixed martial arts fighter to raise funds and save the school’s music program — and discovers he’s pretty good at beating other guys up. Also starring Salma Hayek, Henry Winkler and Greg Germann. Directed by Frank Caraci. (PG for bouts of MMA sports violence, some rude humor and language.)
“HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA” (digital) (ends Tuesday) — Adam Sandler, Kevin James and Andy Samberg provide the voices for this animated comedy about a boy who discovers that Dracula is real — also real protective — and falls in love with his daughter, Mavis. Also featuring the voices of Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Steve Buscemi and Molly Shannon. Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky. (PG for some rude humor, action and scary images.)
“KILLING THEM SOFTLY” — Brad Pitt reunites with writer-director Andrew Dominik (“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”) for this violent drama about a mob enforcer investigating the heist hijinks that went down during a high-stakes poker game. Also starring James Gandolfini, Ray Liotta, Ben Mendelsohn and Richard Jenkins. (R for violence, strong language, sexual references and some drug use.)
“LIFE OF PI” (digital and 3-D) — Director Ang Lee’s latest directorial vision hurtles an Indian zookeeper’s son on an epic life journey after he becomes marooned in a lifeboat with a 450-pound Bengal tiger. Based on Yann Martel’s best-selling novel. Starring Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Adil Hussain and Tabu. (PG for emotional thematic content throughout, and some scary action sequences and peril.)
“LINCOLN” — Director Steven Spielberg’s film biography reveals a president (Daniel Day-Lewis) in the midst of a crucial few weeks near the end of the Civil War, when the abolition of slavery wasn’t considered good politics. The script by Tony Kushner is based on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s critically acclaimed book, “Team of Rivals.” Also starring Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader, Tommy Lee Jones and Hal Holbrook. (PG-13 for an intense scene of war violence, some images of carnage and brief strong language.)
“PITCH PERFECT” (ends Tuesday) — Young Beca (Anna Kendrick) enters the cutthroat world of college a cappella in her first year at school by revamping her group’s singing arrangements to include mash-ups. Also starring Rebel Wilson and Brittany Snow. Directed by Jason Moore. (PG-13 for sexual material, language and drug references.)
“PLAYING FOR KEEPS” — A one-time soccer star with a raging case of arrested development returns home, tries to win back his ex and fends off some hot-and-bothered housewives after he begins coaching his son’s soccer team. Starring Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Uma Therman. Directed by Gabriele Muccino. (PG-13 for some sexual situations, language and a brief intense image.)
“RED DAWN” (digital) — This remake of the Reagan-era commie-invasion thriller features Chris Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson and Josh Peck in a tale of high school kids who lead a revolt against the North Koreans after they invade ... wait for it ... Washington state! Also starring Adrianne Palicki and Isabel Lucas. Directed by Dan Bradley. (PG-13 for sequences of intense war violence and action, and for language.)
“RISE OF THE GUARDIANS” (35mm, digital and 3-D) — The Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman), the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), Jack Frost (Chris Pine) and others team up to save Santa (Alec Baldwin) from the evil Pitch (Jude Law), a bogeyman who threatens to infiltrate the dreams of children, in this animated holiday comedy. Directed by Peter Ramsey. (PG for thematic elements and some mildly scary action.)
“SKYFALL” (digital and 35mm) — Daniel Craig returns as James Bond in the 23rd installment of the longest-running film franchise. The safety of MI6 headquarters is in danger from a slippery mastermind played by Javier Bardem, and Agent 007 must destroy the threat. Also starring Judi Dench as M, Ben Whishaw as Q, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe and Albert Finney. Directed by Sam Mendes. (PG-13 for intense violent sequences throughout, some sexuality, language and smoking.)
“TAKEN 2” — This sequel has retired CIA agent Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson), whose daughter was kidnapped in “Taken,” kidnapped himself in Istanbul, along with his ex-wife. Also starring Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, D.B. Sweeney and Leland Orser. Directed by Olivier Megaton. PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sensuality.
“THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN, PART 2” (digital and 35mm) — It’s an end of an era for Twihards as the vampire romance series wraps up its final installment, with vampire Edward and werewolf Jacob fighting on the same side — along with Bella, naturally. Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and Michael Sheen. Directed by Bill Condon. (PG-13 for sequences of violence including disturbing images, some sensuality and partial nudity.)
“WRECK-IT RALPH” (digital) — There’s trouble in the arcade when a longtime video-game villain (voiced by John C. Reilly) who wants to be a hero breaks out and starts sneaking into other video games. Look for cameos from Pac-Man, Sonic, Frogger and Q*Bert. Directed by Rich Moore. Also with the voices of Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch. (PG for some rude humor and mild action/violence.)
— Compiled by the Yakima Herald-Republic