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By Sandra Olmsted

While some highly anticipated films are opening in time for the Thanksgiving weekend, many more are slated for later in December. Here’s a heads up on what’s in theaters for those who will avoid shopping or have it done, and what’s coming out later in the holiday season.

OPENED NOV. 21

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 (Lionsgate)

THE BUZZ: The third of four films adapted from the trilogy by Suzanne Collins, this film has action and strong character development to drive the plot, but ultimately, it function more as a 123-minute set up for the final film. Fortunately, Jennifer Lawrence returns as Katniss Everdeen and carries the film. Stars: Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Stanley Tucci. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images and thematic material.

OPENING NOV. 26

Penguins of Madagascar (Fox/Dreamworks Animation)

THE BUZZ: Terrific performances, great animation, nonstop slapstick and puns, and 92 minutes of holiday fluff will entertain parents and kids. Foolishly fearless Skipper, quick-thinking Kowalski, loose-canon Rico, and long-suffering Private (voices of Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Conrad Vernon, & Christopher Knights, respectively) finally get their own feature film.

The wild plot has these penguin Marx Brothers facing Dr. Octavius Brine aka Dave (voice of John Malkovich), who blames the Penguins for stealing zoo-goers’ attention and plans to mutate all penguins using his fellow octopi and a secret formula. The Penguins join North Wild, inter-species secret agents dedicated to protecting animals. Classified (voice of Benedict Cumberbatch), a gray wolf, leads North Wind’s harp seal demolition expert Short Fuse, snowy owl intelligence analyst Eva, and brawny polar bear Corporal (voices of Ken Jeong, Annet Mahendru, & Peter Stormare, respectively). Werner Herzog narrates. Rated PG for mild action and some rude humor.

Horrible Bosses 2 (Warner Bros.)

THE BUZZ: Moments of hilarity and even occasional absurdity feel like a series of gags rather than a solid plot. If Nick (Jason Bateman), Dale (Charlie Day) and Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) have to work for horrible bosses, then they’ll be those bosses.

The inept trio looks for investors for their “shower buddy” only to have their invention stolen by conniving CEO Bert Hanson (Christoph Waltz). In a hair-brained scheme to get their company back, they team up with Dean “MF” Jones (Jamie Foxx), get advice from Nick’s ruthless former boss Dave Harken (Kevin Spacey), and kidnap Hanson’s manic, entitled son Rex (Chris Pine). Jennifer Aniston returns as Dale’s cussing, sex-addicted former boss. 108 minutes. Rated R for strong crude sexual content and language throughout.

The Homesman (Roadside Attractions)

THE BUZZ: Well worth seeing for the genre-bending take on westerns, surprising plot twists, and nuanced performances and direction. Tommy Lee Jones directs and stars in this 1854 road trip. Tough, spirited pioneer, Mary Bee Cuddy (Hilary Swank) escorts three women, whose mental health has been adversely effected by the rigors of the Nebraska Territories, back to the safety of Iowa.

Along the way, she rescues George Briggs (Jones), who was left tied to his horse with a hanging rope around his neck, and enlists his help on a mission which no man would take. Based on Glendon Swarthout’s novel The Homesman. Meryl Streep’s daughter Grace Gummer, Miranda Otto, and Sonja Richter play the women locked in a paddy-wagon stage coach. John Lithgow, James Spader, and Meryl Streep also star. 122 minutes. Rated R for violence, sexual content, some disturbing behavior and nudity.

Here’s a heads up on December and January releases! It looks like the week of Christmas and New Year’s will see plenty of films to cheer and warm everyone.

OPENING DEC. 5:

The Pyramid (Fox) In this horror film, archaeologists tamper with a pyramid and release an insidious creature bent on revenge. Stars: Denis O’Hare, Ashley Hinshaw, and James Buckley.

OPENING DEC. 12:

Exodus: Gods and Kings (Fox) Director Ridley Scott’s retelling of Moses (Christian Bale) saving enslaved Jews from Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses (Joel Edgerton). Deadly Plagues and the parting of the Red Sea get modern special effects treatment. Also stars: Ben Kingsley, Sigourney Weaver, and John Turturro.

Top Five (Paramount) Writer/director Chris Rock plays Andre Allen, a comedian who tries to make it as a serious actor when his fiancé (Gabrielle Union) talks him into broadcasting their wedding on her reality-TV show. Rumor has it that this is the comedy to see this holiday season.Also stars: Adam Sandler, Rosario Dawson, and Whoopi Goldberg.

Wild (Fox Searchlight), which played at the St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) November 14, chronicles Cheryl Strayed’s (Reese Witherspoon) 1,100-mile solo hike and recovery from her beloved mother Bobbi’s (Laura Dern) death at the age of 45. Cheryl’s descent into sex and heroin addiction ends her marriage. Jean-Marc Vallée solid direction and Witherspoon’s strongest performance in years make this a must see. Told in flashbacks and based on Strayed’s memoir: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. Also stars: Gaby Hoffmann.

The rest of December will see the release of The Hobbits: The Battle of the Five Armies on 12/17 (Warner Bros.) and, on 12/19, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (Fox), Annie (Sony) and Foxcatcher (Sony Pictures Classics) which played at SLIFF November 14. Other films without solid release dates for December 2014 or January 2015 include Inherent Vice (Warner Bros), The Gambler (Paramount), American Sniper (Warner Bros.), Selma (Paramount), A Most Violent Year (A24), and Mr. Turner (Sony Pictures Classics) which played at SLIFF November 16.

On Thursday, 12/25 Unbroken (Universal), Into the Woods (Disney), The Interview (Sony), Big Eyes (The Weinstein Co.), and The Imitation Game (The Weinstein Co.) which also played at SLIFF November 15, all open for the last holiday week/weekend of 2014.

It’s Happy New Year from the motion picture industry!

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