Frost/Nixon: Frank Langella and Michael Sheen reprise their stage roles as President Richard M. Nixon and TV interviewer David Frost in director Ron Howard's adaptation of the acclaimed play, about the events leading up to the two men's historic televised chit-chat. Based on a screenplay by Peter Morgan, who adapted his own play by opening it up nicely for the screen.

Nothing Like the Holidays: John Leguizamo, Alfred Molina, Freddie Rodriguez, Luis Guzman and Jay Hernandez are part of the large ensemble cast of this holiday-themed comedy about an extended Hispanic family celebrating las pascuas.

DEC. 19

Seven Pounds: Will Smith puts aside the superheroes and special effects for this melancholy drama about an IRS agent driven to change the lives of seven strangers (including Rosario Dawson and Woody Harrelson). Directed by Gabriele Muccino (The Pursuit of Happyness).

Slumdog Millionaire: Widely expected to be in the running for a Best Picture Oscar next year, director Danny (Trainspotting) Boyle's comedy about an Indian teenager (Dev Patel) who became a contestant on that country's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? has been delighting audiences since its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September.

Tales of Desperaux: Emma Watson, Dustin Hoffman, Matthew Broderick and Sigourney Weaver provide the voices for this animated adaptation of Kate DiCamillo's book about a spunky mouse in love with a human princess.

Yes Man: In his first comedy since the 2005 dud Fun with Dick and Jane, Jim Carrey plays a harried businessman who says no to everything, until he decides to turn his drab life around by saying yes to any proposal whatsoever. The comic possibilities are strong with this one, yes.

DEC. 25

Bedtime Stories: Adam Sandler stars as a man startled to discover the outlandish bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew each night are all coming true.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: The Oscar buzz is high around director David Fincher's adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story about a man (Brad Pitt) who is born as an 80-year-old and ages backward. Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson and Tilda Swinton co-star in what is rumored to be a Forrest Gump-ish tearjerker.

Doubt: Q: What is scarier than Meryl Streep in a habit? A:Nothing. The actress stars as the unforgiving principal at a Bronx Catholic school in 1964 who suspects the new priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) may be taking an unhealthy interest in one of his students (Joseph Foster). Written and directed by John Patrick Shanley, from his own play.

Marley & Me: See story, Page 6.

The Reader: Director Stephen Daldry and screenwriter David Hare, who collaborated so effectively on The Hours, take on the film adaptation of another ''difficult'' bestselling novel, this one by Bernhard Schlink. Ralph Fiennes stars as a man in post-World War II Germany who discovers a startling secret about the older woman (Kate Winslet) he had an affair with when he was a teenager.

The Spirit: After writing so many of the graphic novels that spawned hit films (Sin City, The Dark Knight, 300), the legendary Frank Miller takes a stab at directing a comic-book adaptation, this one based on Will Eisner's iconic hero (played by Gabriel Macht), who returns from the dead to battle the nefarious Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson). Eva Mendes and Scarlett Johansson co-star.

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