January 2013 Preview!

In the same way that September is the Box Office's post-summer nap, January is Hollywood's response to the crazy hooplah of the holiday season. That is, at least concerning new releases. For most of January, the city is preparing for its biggest night of the year (which yours truly will be enjoying from the comfort of his own living room and blogging about both here and at roblovesmovies.tumblr.com.)

So here is the short list of films I plan to see in January:

The Impossible (Nationwide: 1/4/13)
Yes, I'm starting off the list with a 2012 release. In my defense, Ewan McGregor's English-language Spanish film about the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami has only been shown in sixteen theaters, so I haven't really had any opportunities to see it yet. The Impossible has already generated a fair amount of awards season buzz for both McGregor and co-star Naomi Watts, and was given a perfect four-star rating from film critic Roger Ebert.

Zero Dark Thirty (Nationwide: 1/11/13)
It's another 2012 release going nationwide in early January (the day after Oscar nominations) that has been generating massive amounts of awards season buzz, as well as praise (and controversy) from critics. I would be surprised if Thirty's nationwide expansion doesn't follow on the heels of several Oscar noms, including Kathryn Bigelow's directing and lead actress Jessica Chastain (who just happens to be my favorite for that award.) Who says a little torture is a bad thing?

Quartet (1/11/13)
Here's the first new release of 2013 that I'm interested in seeing, although the films I'm most interested in seeing are the afore-mentioned 2012 releases. Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut is a quirky comedy about a retirement home for former opera singers whose annual Verdi tribute concert gets disrupted by the arrival of Jean, a new resident and old diva. Starring Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, and Billy Connolly. Quartet won't be getting much of a release (or make much of a splash at the box office), but it looks to be an enjoyable outing to the theater for those interested. And as an added bonus, you'll get to hear Professor McGonagall drop an f-bomb.

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (1/25/13)
The last of the month's reduced slate of films is the newest re-imagining of the classic tale about the brother and sister who get tricked into a witch's ginger bread house and almost wind up on her dinner table. This time, Hansel and Gretel give the old witch a taste of her own medicine and then devote their lives to ridding the world of pesky evil witches. This should be funny, action-y, dark, and very violent (times ten if you see it in IMAX.) I also predict that at least half an hour of the film will be comprised of low-angle butt shots, and hopefully not just of Jeremy Renner.

Are you going to see any of the month's new releases? Or will you be catching up on the last of 2012's releases? Let me know which movies you plan to see!