This week's movie releases (Rotten Tomatoes)

This week's movie releases (Rotten Tomatoes)

Beyond the Lights (1,789 theaters; 85% positive reviews; PG-13). "Beyond the Lights is the story of Noni, the music world's latest superstar. But not all is what it seems, and the pressures of fame have Noni on the edge - until she meets Kaz Nicol, a young cop and aspiring politician who's been assigned to her detail. Drawn to each other, Noni and Kaz fall fast and hard, despite the protests of those around them who urge them to put their career ambitions ahead of their romance. But it is ultimately Kaz's love that gives Noni the courage to find her own voice and break free to become the artist she was meant to be."

Dumb and Dumber To (3,153 theaters; 25% positive reviews; PG-13). You all know what this is.

Rosewater (371 theaters; 71% positive reviews; R). "Rosewater is based on The New York Times best-selling memoir "Then They Came for Me: A Family's Story of Love, Captivity, and Survival," written by Maziar Bahari. The film marks the directorial debut of 'The Daily Show' host Jon Stewart, and stars Gael García Bernal. Rosewater follows the Tehran-born Bahari, a broadcast journalist with Canadian citizenship. In June 2009, Bahari returned to Iran to interview Mir-Hossein Mousavi, who was the prime challenger to president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. As Mousavi's supporters rose up to protest Ahmadinejad's victory declaration hours before the polls closed, Bahari endured personal risk by sending footage of the street riots to the BBC. Bahari was arrested by police, led by a man identifying himself only as 'Rosewater,' who tortured and interrogated him over the next 118 days. With Bahari's wife leading an international campaign to have her husband freed, and Western media outlets keeping the story alive, Iranian authorities released Bahari on $300,000 bail and the promise he would act as a spy for the government."

Saving Christmas (410 theaters; 0% positive reviews; PG). "Every year at Christmas time it seems the baby in the manger takes more and more of a backseat to retail sales, Santa Claus, and political correctness. With "Merry Christmas" being replaced by "Seasons Greetings" and court ordered removal of public nativity scenes, the fruit of Mary's womb is falling on hard times. But this year, Kirk Cameron is taking back Christmas with his engaging new movie."


Whiplash (419 theaters; 97% positive reviews; R). Possible Oscar nominee. "Andrew Neyman is an ambitious young jazz drummer, single-minded in his pursuit to rise to the top of his elite east coast music conservatory. Plagued by the failed writing career of his father, Andrew hungers day and night to become one of the greats. Terence Fletcher, an instructor equally known for his teaching talents as for his terrifying methods, leads the top jazz ensemble in the school. Fletcher discovers Andrew and transfers the aspiring drummer into his band, forever changing the young man's life. Andrew's passion to achieve perfection quickly spirals into obsession, as his ruthless teacher continues to push him to the brink of both his ability-and his sanity."

Box office:

The new films are not expected to be able to compete with Big Hero 6, last week's #1, which is expected to pull in another $30M or more. Dumb and Dumber To is expected to finish second with a gross in the high twenties. Beyond the Lights should finish fourth, behind those two and Interstellar. It will come in somewhere around $10M. The other three new films will not be in enough theaters to challenge the leaders.