“God’s Pocket”: “Mad Men” star John Slattery makes his directorial debut with this gritty drama taking place in blue-collar neighborhood of God’s Pocket. Mickey Scarpato’s crazy stepson, Leon, is killed in a construction “accident,” and Mickey quickly tries to bury the bad news with the body. But when a local columnist comes sniffing around for the truth, things go from bad to worse.
“Happy Christmas”: Joe Swanberg (“Drinking Buddies”) directs this drama and stars alongside Lena Dunham and Anna Kendrick, who play sister-in-laws who bond over their problems when one moves in before the holidays.
“Fishing Without Nets”: Shot in East Africa using Somali nonactors, filmmaker Cutter Hodierne’s first feature tells the mesmerizing and sobering story of the bandits from the Somali point of view. It’s based on Hodierne’s short film of the same name that won the Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.
“Infinitely Polar Bear”: Mark Ruffalo plays a bipolar dad who takes over primary parenting duties when his wife, played by Zoe Saldana, begins an 18-month MBA program in New York.
“The Skeleton Twins”: “Saturday Night Live” alums Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader play a pair of estranged siblings who reunite in their small New York hometown after a moment of crisis, and attempt to patch up their relationship while dealing with their own personal problems.
“Whiplash”: Miles Teller stars in director Damien Chazelle’s feature about a drummer at a cutthroat Manhattan music conservatory who gets pushed to the edge by a brutally savage music instructor (J.K. Simmons) who will stop at nothing to realize a student’s potential.
“The Internet’s Own Boy”: The Story of Aaron Swartz”: Brian Knappenberger’s documentary about a teenage computer-programming prodigy and internet activist who was indicted on multiple federal charges in 2011 and 2012, and committed suicide shortly after.
“Life Itself”: Steve James’ documentary recounts film critic Roger Ebert fascinating and flawed journey—from politicized school newspaperman, to Chicago Sun-Times movie critic, to Pulitzer Prize winner, to television household name, to the miracle of finding love at 50, and finally his “third act” as a major voice on the Internet when he could no longer physically speak.