Holiday film preview: Geishas, cowboys in love, much more

Get ready — the holiday movie season is upon us, replete with gorillas, geishas, magic wardrobes and more. Here's what to expect in the coming weeks. Note that all dates are tentative and can change faster than a snowflake can melt on a windowsill.

Next Friday

"Aeon Flux." Oscar winners Charlize Theron and Frances McDormand join Oscar nominee Sophie Okonedo ("Hotel Rwanda") for a futuristic sci-fi adventure that is, mysteriously, not scheduled to screen in advance for reviewers. Hmm.

"Be Here to Love Me." Margaret Brown's documentary, at the Northwest Film Forum, profiles songwriter Townes van Zandt.

"Cafe Lumiere." The newest film from Hou Hsiao-hsien ("Millennium Mambo," "Flowers of Shanghai") is dedicated to and inspired by the Japanese master director Yasujiro Ozu.

"Christmas in the Clouds." A rare romantic comedy with a predominantly Native American cast, Kate Montgomery's film is a tale of mistaken identity that takes place at a Utah ski resort.

"First Descent." According to its tag-

line, this documentary is the story of the snowboarding revolution. Don't you hate it when there's a revolution and you miss it?

"The Overture." From Thailand, this drama from Itthi-sunthorn Wichailak is the tale of a musician's struggles against the Siamese government in World War II, which has outlawed traditional music.

"Pulse." From Japanese horror director Kyoshi Kurosawa ("Cure"), this drama features a dead man who begins to mysteriously reappear on computer and video images.

"Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic." The irreverent comedian offers an evening of politically incorrect stand-up, complete with musical numbers.

Dec. 9

"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." Tilda Swinton as Jadis, the White Witch? Sure, I can see it. This big-budget adventure about four children who stumble upon a magical kingdom, based on C.S. Lewis' popular series of children's books, kicks off a new fantasy-movie franchise — assuming it catches on at the box office. Stay tuned.

"Naked in Ashes." Filmmaker Paula Fouce profiles a group of yogis in India.

"Syriana." Written and directed by Stephan Gaghan (Oscar-winning screenwriter of "Traffic"), this drama set in the oil industry features a rather beefy George Clooney as a CIA agent in the Middle East. Matt Damon, Jeffrey Wright and Amanda Peet co-star.

Dec. 14

"King Kong." So, what's Peter Jackson been doing since wrapping his "Lord of the Rings" series? Working on this remake of the 1933 gorilla classic, with Jack Black, Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody and a host of special effects. Early trailers for this one, featuring a beautifully rendered 1930s New York, look promising.

Dec. 16

"Brokeback Mountain." Film-festival reviews have been glowing for Ang Lee's love story about two Wyoming cowboys, played by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana wrote the screenplay, from Annie Proulx's spare and lovely short story.

"The Conformist." Bernardo Bertolucci's 1971 drama, set in 1930s Fascist Italy, returns to the screen in a new 35mm — and in its uncut version.

"The Family Stone." Sarah Jessica Parker, surely tired of people asking what's next after "Sex and the City," stars in a comedy about a woman who doesn't exactly hit it off with her boyfriend's laid-back family. Diane Keaton, Claire Danes, Dermot Mulroney and Rachel McAdams co-star.

"It's a Wonderful Life." Every time a bell rings ... oh, you know how it goes. The Grand Illusion continues its happy holiday tradition with its 35th annual screening of Frank Capra's warmhearted classic, running through Dec. 29.

"Keane." Lodge Kerrigan's new film is a thriller about a troubled father (Damian Lewis) whose little daughter disappears at a bus terminal — or does she?

"Memoirs of a Geisha." Director Rob Marshall follows "Chicago" with something that will likely lack tap-dancing but should be lavish nonetheless: a screen rendering of Arthur Golden's best-selling novel about a famed geisha in pre-World War II Japan. Ziyi Zhang, Gong Li, Michelle Yeoh and Ken Watanabe star.

"Protocols of Zion." Troubled by the many people who blame the Jews for the tragedies of 9/11, documentarian Marc Levin examines religious fanaticism and bigotry.

Dec. 21

"Cheaper by the Dozen 2." Apparently there was a compelling reason for a sequel to last year's family comedy "Cheaper by the Dozen," which has virtually nothing to do with the beloved book of the same name. Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt return, for reasons known only to them and their accountants; Eugene Levy joins the cast.

"Fun with Dick and Jane." Since his misguided outing as Count Olaf in last year's "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," Jim Carrey appeared to be lying low — but now he's back, starring with Téa Leoni as a husband-and-wife robbery team in a remake of the 1977 Jane Fonda/George Segal comedy.

Dec. 23

"Breakfast on Pluto." The latest from Irish director Neil Jordan ("The Crying Game," "The End of the Affair") features Cillian Murphy ("Batman Begins," "Red Eye") as a transvestite cabaret star in swingin' '60s London.

"Hoodwinked." Anne Hathaway voices Red in this family-friendly (but perhaps slightly twisted) animated take on Little Red Riding Hood, also featuring Glenn Close, Patrick Warburtin and Andy Dick.

"Munich." Steven Spielberg is hurrying to finish this one in time for the holiday season. Shot just this past summer, it's the fact-based story of terrorism at the 1972 Olympics. Eric Bana and Daniel Craig (aka the new James Bond) star.

"The Ringer." Produced by the Farrelly brothers (the "There's Something About Mary" guys, who caused us all never to look at hair gel the same way again), this comedy is the tale of a nondisabled man (Johnny Knoxville) who enters the Special Olympics.

"Transamerica." Felicity Huffman (best known as Lynette on TV's "Desperate Housewives") stars as a pre-op transsexual in Duncan Tucker's film, which screened here earlier this fall at the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.

Dec. 25

"Casanova." The busy Heath Ledger, also onscreen this season in "Brokeback Mountain," here plays the legendary lover. Sienna Miller, Jeremy Irons and Lena Olin co-star; Lasse Hallström ("The Cider House Rules," "Chocolat") directs.

"Rumor Has It ... " OK, so supposedly this is not really a sequel to "The Graduate," but it sure sounds like one. Jennifer Aniston — maybe you've heard of her — stars as a woman who learns that her family may have been the inspiration for the Dustin Hoffman film. Shirley MacLaine, Kevin Costner and Mark Ruffalo co-star.

"Mrs. Henderson Presents." Every holiday season seems to bring something for the Anglophiles, and this fact-based tale of a British society matron (Judi Dench) who became a theater impresario (of an all-nude revue) during the war years should fill the bill. Stephen Frears directs; Bob Hoskins co-stars.

"The Producers." First it was a movie (a great 1968 Mel Brooks comedy), then a stage musical (a nifty recent Broadway hit, with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick), and now it's a movie again, with Lane and Broderick reprising their stage roles. Will Ferrell and Uma Thurman join in.

"Wolf Creek." Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without an Australian slasher film, now would it? This one, about a homicidal nutcase in the remote outback, is written and directed by Greg McLean.

Coming to Seattle in early 2006

(But Oscar-eligible for this year; they'll open in New York or Los Angeles before New Year's):

"Caché." Michael Haneke, whose harrowing "The Piano Teacher" is still fresh in my memory, returns with another dark drama, about a French family man threatened by a mysterious stalker. Daniel Auteuil and Juliette Binoche star. (Jan. 20)

"The Libertine." Johnny Depp dons period garb to play the 17th-century Earl of Rochester, a poet and rogue. Sound intriguing? John Malkovich, Samantha Morton and the lovely Rosamund Pike (Jane in the new "Pride & Prejudice") co-star. (Jan. 13)

"The Matador." This one sounds irresistible: Pierce "Bond" Brosnan, who has a knack for sly comedy, stars as a down-on-his luck hit man. The film, a favorite at Sundance, was written and directed by Richard Shepard. (Jan. 6)

"The New World." Terrence Malick's films are few and far between ("Badlands," "Days of Heaven," "The Thin Red Line") — and always worth a look. This one tells the story of 17th-century English explorer John Smith (Colin Farrell) and his clashes with Native Americans in the New World. (Jan. 13)

"The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada." Tommy Lee Jones makes his feature-directing debut in a drama about a ranch hand (played by Jones) who fulfills a promise to bury a dead friend in Mexico. (Feb. 10)

"The White Countess." The final film from producer Ismail Merchant (who died last spring) is a drama set in 1930s Shanghai, starring Ralph Fiennes, Allan Corduner and a host of Redgrave women (Lynn, Vanessa and daughter Natasha Richardson). (Jan. 13)

"The World's Fastest Indian." Anthony Hopkins stars as a New Zealander who set a world land-speed record for motorcycles. Roger Donaldson ("Thirteen Days") directs. (Feb. 3)

Moira Macdonald: 206-464-2725 or mmacdonald@seattletimes.com