From December 26

“Tower Heist” (M)

A CONCIERGE (Casey Affleck), lift operator (Michael Peña), former resident (Matthew Broderick), and Jamaican cleaning woman (Gabourey Sidibe) enlist a petty criminal (Eddie Murphy, to brighten a well-worn plot with a few laughs) to train them to burgle the apartment where they believe the staff pension fund manager (Alan Alda) is hiding part of the fund for his nest egg.  Brett Ratner’s caper thriller set in a high-rise New York apartment building looks like being a well-performed potboiler.

“We Bought a Zoo” (PG)

SCARLETT Johansson and Matt Damon head the cast of writer/director Cameron Crowe’s family comedy based on Benjamin Mee’s memoir about buying the dilapidated Dartmoor National Park and its 200 exotic animals. The implication is that the Mee family faced a steep learning curve. This has interesting filmic possibilities. From the trailer I infer that nobody connected with the film, from director down, knows much about keeping animals. I hope I’m wrong.

“The Iron Lady” (M)

IN the third cinema feature directed by Phyllida Lloyd (best known in Britain for directing opera, best known here for “Mamma Mia”) and written by Abi Morgan (writer of the series “The Hour” currently on ABC1), Meryl Streep plays Margaret Thatcher. Jim Broadbent plays Denis. The film focuses on how her job-choice affected their private life. That should be enough information to help your viewing choice. Australia sees it before the rest of the world.

“Albert Nobbs” (M)

IN the famine and poverty of 19th century Ireland, Albert is fortunate to find work in an English viscount’s country house. For three decades Albert serves loyally. Then everything comes unstuck.  For Albert is in fact female. Mia Wasikowska, Jonathan Rhys-Myer, Brendan Gleeson and Janet McTeer play important roles in Rodrigo Garcia’s film. Glenn Close plays Albert. She also wrote the screenplay adapting a short novel by George Moore.

“The Skin I Live In” (MA)

Quotes from iconoclastic film-comment website Rotten Tomatoes about a film in which a plastic surgeon (Antonio Banderas) invents an artificial skin after his wife is disfigured in a car crash:  “a fascinating and quite disturbing story about insanity, desire and obsession”;  “…lacks Almodovar’s famously charged romance, replaced with a wonderfully bizarre and unpredictable detour into arthouse ick.” Note that director’s name. Seventy-nine per cent audience rating. What more need be said?

“Happy Feet Two” (PG)

ANOTHER penguin picture by George Miller.  Mumble (Elijah Wood) now has a son Erik (Ava Acres). Mumble tends to play it safe. Erik is a risk taker. Brad Pitt and Matt Damon voice a pair of krill. A big iceberg has blocked access to the ocean. There’s danger and scary bits. This sequel won’t be competing for an Oscar.

“The Adventures of Tin Tin” (PG)

STEVEN Spielberg directed this performance-capture CG animation based on three of Belgian cartoonist Herge’s early 1940s comic books.  Jamie Bell voices Tin Tin, Andy Serkis does Captain Haddock, Daniel Craig is the villainous Sakharine and his ancestor Red Rackham. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are the two bumbling Scotland Yard detectives.  Peter Jackson’s CG images look good.  Adventure for kids of all double-digit ages.

“War Horse” (M)

Apart from a gallant but futile Polish cavalry charge against Hitler’s Panzers, the 1914-1918 war was the last in which horses played a military role. Fifteen-year-old Albert (Jeremy Irvine) has a close bond with his horse Joey. Joey gets requisitioned for army use. Albert lies about his age and enlists to save his beloved friend. Steven Spielberg both directed (for Disney) and digitally edited. I suspect the film may distress horse lovers, indeed animal lovers generally, which is no reason to avoid it.

From December 29

“Alvin and the Chipmunks” (G)

ALVIN and his pals get chip-wrecked on a tropical island where reality is different from what’s in the cruise line’s brochures. Strictly for the younger fry. Anna Farris and Christina Applegate are among the voices. The name of the cruise ship captain is Corelli. Wanna bet he plays the mandolin?

From January 5

“Sherlock Holmes, Two” (M)

DID Arthur Conan Doyle write the source of this comedy thriller?  Husband-and-wife team Michelle and Keiran Mulroney certainly wrote the screenplay. Robert Downey Jr plays Sherlock Holmes, Jude Law plays Dr Watson. Guy Ritchie’s film brings Holmes and his arch-foe Moriarty to battle once again above the Reichenbach Falls. Noomi Rapace, whose original Lisbeth Salander with the dragon tattoo should rank high on anybody’s list of heroines, plays Sim. Is Sim a goodie? Or a baddie?

From January 12

“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” (MA)

THIS version is for American audiences unable to read the subtitles of the original Swedish version. The cast includes Daniel Craig, Robin Wright, Christopher Plummer, and lots more. David Fincher (“Social Network”, “Benjamin Button”, “Fight Club”) directs. Filmed in Sweden, Norway, Los Angeles. Much will depend on Steven Zaillian’s adaptation of Steig Larsson’s novel and Rooney Mara’s portrayal of Lisbeth.

“The Descendants” (M)

HAWAIIAN land baron Matt (George Clooney) takes his three daughters, whose mother is on life support after a boating accident, to confront the man with whom Matt believes she was having an affair. Written and directed by Alexander Payne, whom I most remember for “About Schmidt” with Jack Nicholson.

“The Muppets” (G)

A human cast joins the Muppets to foil Tex Richman’s plan to drill for oil under the Muppet Theatre. Nothing more needs to be said. Even I might like it!

“The Secret World of Arrietty” (M)

JAPANESE anime with the tag-line: “Do not be seen by humans. That’s been the law of children of the underfloor”.  A family of people 10-centimetres tall living under the floor of a house “borrows” necessities from the full-sized people above, who are unaware of their guests until their son discovers 12-year-old Arrietty. Comes well recommended.

Release dates correct at time of going to press.