Coming to Theaters Near You: 'The Forest,' 'The Revenant,' and More

– By Beau Behan, Film Critic

Looking for something new at the movie theater? Here are this week’s new releases:

· “45 Years”

· “Anomalisa”

· “Mustang”

· “The Forest”

· “The Revenant”

And here’s what they’re all about:

“45 Years” (Limited, Jan. 5)

WATCH the above movie trailer.

R, 95 min, Drama, Romance

Director: Andrew Haigh

Writers: David Constantine, Andrew Haigh

Stars: Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, Dolly Wells

There is just one week until Kate Mercer’s (Charlotte Rampling) 45th wedding anniversary and the planning for the party is going well. But then a letter arrives for her husband (Tom Courtenay). The body of his first love has been discovered, frozen and preserved in the icy glaciers of the Swiss Alps. By the time the party is upon them, five days later, there may not be a marriage left to celebrate. – Sundance Selects

“Anomalisa” (Limited, Jan. 5)

WATCH the above movie trailer.

R, 90 min, Animation, Comedy, Drama

Directors: Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman

Writer: Charlie Kaufman

Stars: David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Noonan

A beautifully tender and absurdly humorous dreamscape, from the brilliant minds of Charlie Kaufman (“Synecdoche,” “New York”) and Duke Johnson (“Community” episode, “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas”), “Anomalisa” features the vocal cast of Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Noonan and David Thewlis and a stirring strings-based score by Carter Burwell. This stop-motion animation wonder is the darkly comedic and surreal stop-motion journey of a man’s long night of the soul. – Paramount Pictures

“Mustang” (Limited, Jan. 5)

WATCH the above movie trailer.

PG - 13, 97 min, Drama

Director: Deniz Gumze Erguven

Writers: Deniz Gumze Erguven., Alice Winocour

Stars: Gunes Sensoy, Doga Zeynep Doguslu, Elit Iscan

Early summer in a village in Northern Turkey, five free-spirited teenaged sisters splash about on the beach with their male classmates. Though their games are merely innocent fun, a neighbor passes by and reports what she considers to be illicit behavior to the girls’ family. The family overreacts, removing all “instruments of corruption,” like cell phones and computers, and essentially imprisoning the girls, subjecting them to endless lessons in housework in preparation for them to become brides. As the eldest sisters are married off, the younger ones bond together to avoid the same fate. The fierce love between them empowers them to rebel and chase a future where they can determine their own lives. – Cohen Media Group

“The Forest” (Nationwide, Jan. 5)

WATCH the above movie trailer.

PG - 13, 95 min, Horror

Director: Jason Zada

Writers: Nick Antosca, Sarah Cornwell,

Stars: Natalie Dormer, Eoin Macken, Stephanie Vogt

When her twin sister disappears in Japan, a young American named Sara (Natalie Dormer) becomes determined to find out what happened to her. Sara’s investigation leads her to the legendary Aokigahara Forest, located at the base of Mount Fuji. Accompanied by expatriate Aiden, she enters the mysterious wilderness after being warned to “stay on the path.” Her investigation plunges her into a dark world where the angry and tormented souls of the dead prey on those who dare to explore the forest. – Gramercy Pictures

“The Revenant” (Nationwide, Jan. 8)

WATCH the above movie review and learn more about the powerful silence of “The Revenant,” and why DiCaprio deserves an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

R, 182 min, Action, Adventure, Drama

Director: Alejandro Gonzalez, Inarritu

Writers: Mark L. Smith, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Stars: Leonardo Di Caprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson

Inspired by true events, “The Revenant” is an immersive and visceral cinematic experience capturing one man’s epic adventure of survival and the extraordinary power of the human spirit. In an expedition of the uncharted American wilderness, legendary explorer Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is brutally attacked by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team. In a quest to survive, Glass endures unimaginable grief as well as the betrayal of his confidant John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). Guided by sheer will and the love of his family, Glass must navigate a vicious winter in a relentless pursuit to live and find redemption. – Fox

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