In Cinemas: December 27 - January 2

CURRENT RELEASES:

* LIFE OF PI (2D/3D) starts properly this week, Tuesday the 1st of January. Ang Lee's adaptation of the best-selling book tells the tale of a dude getting trapped on a lifeboat with a tiger after his family tries to move their zoo from India to Canada. Lots of neon whales and buzzy shit happening in the trailer, could be worth a peek.

* RISE OF THE GUARDIANS (2D/3D) has already had its preview screenings and is due to start next Thursday. However both Event and Hoyts are now having Advanced Screenings, which, in effect, means it starts this coming Tuesday. Alec Baldwin voicing a tattooed Russian Santa, Jude Law as The Boogeyman, Hugh Jackman as The Easter Bunny…could be fine?

* With so little new, might as well mention the Boxing Day films again! Hilarious English black comedy SIGHTSEERS, Woody Allen's latest ensemble flick TO ROME WITH LOVE, some charming old folk in QUARTET, or the magical 3D animated film WRECK-IT RALPH (2D/3D), for people who love old video games as much as me or these dudes do:



* On top of that, there are some winners still clinging to the big screens; COMPLIANCE, ARGO, SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED, BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD and that James Bond flick are all still on too. DIANA VREELAND is still over at The Vic or alternatively has one more screening at 10:50 AM Monday at Rialto Newmarket. And I'm not really sure whether WELCOME ABOARD or YOU'VE BEEN TRUMPED are any good, but they haven't left cinemas yet either, if you're keen…

REPERTORY / ONE-OFF SCREENINGS:

* For fans of the Met Opera screenings; while the other cinemas have LA CLEMENZA DI TITO listed as a Feb 21st release and UN BALLO IN MASCHERA at March 7th, Bridgeway seems to have screenings of both this week. Not sure whether that's incorrect or just real early and fancy, but you can find them here and here.

* I'm writing this on Saturday, so I've missed today's free Rockumentary screening at the Art Gallery (if there was one), but I'm in time for Sunday's; STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN (2002) will play for FREE at 12 PM Sunday 30th. It's the story of The Funk Brothers, the uncredited studio musicians behind a squillion hits in and around the 60s. Here's one of the tunes they played on now;



* The Vic is still playing kids' films in 2D; Pixar's BRAVE, Aardman's ARTHUR CHRISTMAS and whatnot...

* And for those of you who wanna see Tom Cruise play the toughest little investigator around, there is a Members' Preview of JACK REACHER at Hoyts 8 PM next Wednesday.

Tune in next week for Walken, De Niro, Herzog and Chow-Yun Fat! I'll post my annual infographic before then too, dissecting the stack of films I've seen in the past 12 months. Here is last year's...

Oh, and early word on the $10 GANGSTER SQUAD preview screening at Event 16th of January, that could sell out...

All sessions above are accurate at the time of publication. Your best bet would be to check Flicks or the theatre website before attending. Please let us know in the comments if you spy anything we've messed up/missed out!