Safe Haven (2013)

Safe Haven (2013) Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller A young woman with a mysterious past lands in Southport, North Carolina where her bond with a widower forces her to confront the dark secret that haunts her. Director:  Lasse Hallström Stars:  Cobie Smulders, Julianne Hough, Josh Duhamel, David Lyons

THE BUZZ: Lasse Hallström appears to have found safe haven translating the work of Nicholas Sparks into hit movies, and if this project does indeed land Keira Knightley, the actress should kick off 2013 with a box-office success after two previous artier endeavors,Seeking a Friend for the End of the World and Anna Karenina. Let's see, though, how audiences react to themes of domestic abuse, and I'm curious who will be cast to play the man from protagonist Katie's past.

A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)

A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)  Action | Crime | Thriller John McClane travels to Russia to help out his seemingly wayward son, Jack, only to discover that Jack is a CIA operative working to prevent a nuclear-weapons heist, causing the father and son to team up against underworld forces. Director:  John Moore Stars:  Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Patrick Stewart

THE BUZZ: If the Patrick Stewart casting rumors turn out to be true, John McClane's fifth outing might have a villain as iconic as Hans Gruber. Talk about a franchise we still love but would benefit from some vitality; as happy as we are to Jai Courtney in the role of McClane's son, the Die Hard saga needs more than youth to truly revitalize our interest. As The Expendables and Red have proved, aging action heroes can be more than just a box-office draw; they can be pop-cultural events, too.

Identity Thief (2013)

Identity Thief (2013) Comedy | Crime When a mild-mannered businessman learns his identity has been stolen, he hits the road in an attempt to foil the thief -- a trip that puts him in the path of a deceptively harmless-looking woman. Director:  Seth Gordon Stars:  Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy, John Cho, Amanda Peet

THE BUZZ: The industry was in a frenzy, trying to shape a project for Melissa McCarthy after her breakout performance in Bridesmaids. Similar to Kristen Wiig, she measured her big-screen options while enjoying elevated ratings for her TV show "Mike & Molly". But consider us a bit underwhelmed by the thought of her matching wits with Jason Bateman in his reunion with director Seth Gordon; their career comedy Horrible Bosses was hard-R formula at its most basic, and I fear we're in for another raunchy outing that doesn't play to McCarthy's true genius.

LUV (2012)

LUV (2012) - [Limited]  94 min   -   Drama Metascore: 52/100 (17 reviews) An 11-year-old boy gets a crash course in what it means to be a man when he spends a day with the ex-convict uncle he idolizes. Director:  Sheldon Candis Stars:  Common, Michael Rainey Jr., Dennis Haysbert, Danny Glover

THE BUZZ: Common is more of a brand than an actor or rapper these days, but we have heard good things about his co-star, Michael Rainey Jr., in his debut role. Rainey Jr. will next appear as the younger version of Forest Whitaker's title character in The Butler.

Sound City (2013)

Sound City (2013) Documentary A documentary on the fabled recording studio that was located in Van Nuys, California. Director:  David Grohl Stars:  Trent Reznor, Tom Petty, Mick Fleetwood

THE BUZZ: We pine along with Dave Grohl for the days when bands were comprised of musicians whose instruments were recorded onto tape, instead of all the digital wizardry that makes contemporary rock and pop sound so homogenous. But will the ultimately irony here be a major digital-release push?

Warm Bodies (2013)

Warm Bodies (2013)  97 min   -   Comedy | Horror | Romance After a zombie becomes involved with the girlfriend of one of his victims, their romance sets in motion a sequence of events that might transform the entire lifeless world. Director:  Jonathan Levine Stars:  Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, John Malkovich, Dave Franco

THE BUZZ: Better than The Wackness or even 50/50 is director Jonathan Levine's first film, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, so I'm happy to see him returning to the horror genre for what could be the next undead date movie -- the sub-genre introduced by Zombieland.

Knife Fight (2012) - Free Download

Knife Fight (2012) Drama A political strategist juggling three clients questions whether or not to take the high road as the ugly side of his work begins to haunt him. Director:  Bill Guttentag Stars:  Rob Lowe, Jamie Chung, Julie Bowen, Richard Schiff

THE BUZZ: "West Wing" devotees should note the reunion of Rob Lowe and Richard Schiff for this political comedy -- even if its marketing materials reveal the movie was set to be released in conjunction with the 2012 presidential election but was quietly slipped into the early 2013 calendar. Documentary vet Bill Guttentag directs and co-writes.