Still Alice
When: December 5
Where: Theaters
Directors: Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland
Starring: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart
Why We’re Excited: Since premiering at the Toronto Film Festival a few months ago, Oscar buzz has brewed around Julianne Moore’s performance as a linguistics professor who is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. The emotionally charged drama from past Film Independent Spirit Award winners Glatzer and Westmoreland (they won the John Cassavetes Award in 2007 for Quinceanera) focuses on how her husband and children deal with the diagnosis. We love a good tear-jerker, with a strong female lead, and Moore has never failed to disappoint. She took home the Spirit Award for Best Female Lead in 2003 for her work in Todd Haynes’ Far From Heaven, and word in the street is this is “her year” to sweep awards season—she’s already been nominated for a Spirit Award for Still Alice.

Wild
When: December 5
Where: Theaters
Director: Jean-Marc Vallee
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Gaby Hoffmann
Why We’re Excited:  Another strong female performance this year comes from Winner Reese Witherspoon with her portrayal of international best-selling author Cheryl Strayed, whose heartbreakingly honest memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, chronicles her years of drug abuse, promiscuity and other life-changing events that led her on a seemingly insane journey to hike 1,100 miles up the PCT all alone. Shot digitally, with the feel of a documentary, Dallas Buyer’s Club director Jean-Marc Vallee’s latest is a passion project for all who were involved, including Witherspoon, who produced the film.

Comet
When: December 5
Where: Theaters/VOD
Director:  Sam Esmail
Starring: Justin Long, Emmy Rossum
Why We’re Excited: This debut feature from indie filmmaker Sam Esmail gives whole new meaning to the term star-crossed lovers. Set in a parallel universe, the romantic dramedy travels back and forth through time, over the course of a couple’s six year relationship.  Blending genres, the conceptual love story had its premiere at this year’s Los Angeles Film Festival and pairs the talents of its always charming and hilarious stars, Justin Long and Emmy Rossum.

Inherent Vice
When: December 12
Where: Theaters
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro, Reese Witherspoon
Why We’re Excited: We never know what to expect from writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson, but one thing we can count on is that it will always be something completely different from his previous film. The versatile filmmaker’s latest is another trip back to Los Angeles in the 70’s (Boogie Nights!) in this adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s crime novel.  Joaquin Phoenix stars alongside a plethora of talent, as a detective in search of his missing former girlfriend. At the 2015 Spirit Awards, the cast, P.T. Anderson and Cassandra Kulukundis will receive the Robert Altman Award, honoring its ensemble cast, director and casting director.

The Skeleton Twins
When: December 16
Where: DVD/VOD
Director: Craig Johnson
Starring: Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Luke Wilson
Why We’re Excited: Saturday Night Live alum Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader take a stab at much darker material than usual as estranged twins who haven’t spoken to each other in a decade, and are brought back into each other’s lives after both attempting suicide. Despite the melancholy subject matter, there are still laughs to be had, and it takes the comedic talents of the two leads to be able to make suicide, infidelity and sex with a minor a pleasant watching experience.

Mr. Turner
When: December 19
Where: Theaters
Director: Mike Leigh
Starring: Timothy Spall, Paul Jesson
Why We’re Excited: The latest film from Mike Leigh, the past Spirit Award Winning U.K. writer and filmmaker, paints a portrait of the last quarter century in the life of renowned artist  J.M.W. Turner. Leigh always delves deep into character, but he charters new territory with this biopic of the eccentric painter, exploring both his creative successes and multiple romantic relationships. Fans of Leigh’s will want to check out what will likely be another gem in his filmography.

Big Eyes
When: December 25
Where: Theaters
Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz
Why We’re Excited: There’s just no way of predicting what world the colorful and zany Tim Burton will bring us to next. His new film is also a bit out of the box for him as it’s a biopic of painter Margaret Keane. Past Spirit Award Winner Amy Adams plays Keane; the woman who created bright, audacious paintings that became widely popular in the ’50s and ’60s. The film follows Keane’s creative journey and legal battles with her grimy husband Walter (Christoph Waltz), who claimed he was the brains behind the big eye paintings. This is an exciting departure for Burton, who has been sticking to animation, children’s films, special effects and outlandish sets and characters for the past decade.

Selma
When: December 25
Where: Theaters
Director: Ava DuVernay
Starring: David Oyelowo, Tim Roth, Oprah Winfrey
Why We’re Excited: The extraordinary, inspiring life of Martin Luther King, Lyndon B. Johnson and the history-making march that forever changed the United States of America come to life in this powerful new film from past Spirit Award Winner Ava DuVernay, who she has been an inspiring face amongst her peers in independent film.. Featuring an all-star cast of newcomers and thespians, Selma is also one of this year’s big contenders at the upcoming 2015 Spirit Awards, having garnered nominations for Best Male Lead, (David Oyelowo for his portrayal of King) as well as Best Cinematography, Best Supporting Female (Carmen Ejogo), a Best Director nomination for DuVernay and Best Feature.

Leviathan
When: December 25
Where: Theaters
Director: Andrey Zvyagintsev
Starring: Elena Lyadova, Vladimir Vdovichenkov, Roman Madyanov
Why We’re Excited: This acclaimed film from Russia has been generating praise and buzz since premiering at Cannes. The intense and gripping drama tells the story of a man fighting against a corrupt mayor in order to save his house and business when the political villains attempt to take his land away. Inspired by a true story, the film is Russia’s official entry for the Academy Awards and is nominated for Best International Film at the upcoming Spirit Awards.

A Most Violent Year
When: December 31
Where: Theaters
Director: J.C. Chandor
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo
Why We’re Excited: In 1981, New York City experienced its most violent year in the city’s history. The latest film from Spirit Award Winning writer/director J.C. Chandor takes place during this time and centers around an immigrant (Oscar Isaac) who is fighting against all odds to keep his family safe and business thriving. Chandor’s film Margin Call won the Robert Altman Award and Best First Feature at the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards, and his latest film has just been nominated at the upcoming Spirit Awards as well, including Best Screenplay and a Best Supporting Female nomination for Jessica Chastain.

Chris Lombardi / Film Independent Blogger