OPENING CHRISTMAS DAY

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AP Photo/Evan Agostini

Actor Tom Cruise attends the world premiere of ‘Valkyrie’ at the Time Warner Center on Monday, Dec. 15, 2008 in New York.

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AP Photo/Warner Bros., Anthony Michael Rivetti

In this image released by Warner Bros. Pictures, Clint Eastwood is shown in a scene from, ‘Gran Torino.’

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AP Photo/Joel Ryan

U.S. actor Adam Sandler arrives for the British premiere of ‘Bedtime Stories’ at a west London cinema, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008.

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AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, Merrick Morton

In this image released by Paramount Pictures, Brad Pitt is shown in a scene from, ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.’

“Bedtime Stories”: Adam Sandler stars as a man startled to discover the outlandish bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew each night are all coming true.

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”: The Oscar buzz is high around director David Fincher’s adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story about a man (Brad Pitt) who is born as an 80-year-old and ages backward. Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson and Tilda Swinton co-star in what is rumored to be a “Forrest Gump”-ish tearjerker.

“Gran Torino”: At the age of 78, Clint Eastwood continues to make you look like a lazy slacker. In his second film as a director this year (after “Changeling”), Eastwood also stars as a crotchety (and quite possibly racist) Korean War veteran out to teach the punks who tried to steal his beloved car a lesson.

“Marley & Me”: A family learns important life lessons from their adorable, but naughty and neurotic dog. Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson star.

“The Reader”: Director Stephen Daldry and screenwriter David Hare, who collaborated so effectively on “The Hours,” take on the film adaptation of another “difficult” best-selling novel, this one by Bernhard Schlink. Ralph Fiennes stars as a man in post-World War II Germany who discovers a startling secret about the older woman (Kate Winslet) he had an affair with when he was a teenager.

“The Spirit”: After writing so many of the graphic novels that spawned hit films (“Sin City,” “The Dark Knight,” “300”), the legendary Frank Miller takes a stab at directing a comic-book adaptation, this one based on Will Eisner’s iconic hero (played by Gabriel Macht), who returns from the dead to battle the nefarious Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson). Eva Mendes and Scarlett Johansson co-star.

“Valkyrie”: Controversy and bad buzz have dogged director Bryan Singer’s fact-based drama about the efforts by Nazi Col. Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) to assassinate Adolf Hitler. But considering Singer’s recent track record, along with the fact that the movie marks his reunion with “Usual Suspects” screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie, we’re going to reserve judgment until we see the film.

OPENING IN JANUARY

“Defiance”: Actor Daniel Craig finds out if his box-office clout as James Bond carries over to more serious pictures, playing one of three Jewish brothers who escape Nazi-occupied Poland and join the Russian resistance. Directed by Edward Zwick, who excels at blending action with social commentary.

“Notorious”: Jamal Woolard plays Notorious B.I.G., Anthony Mackie is Tupac Shakur, Derek Luke is Sean Combs and Naturi Naughton is Lil Kim in director George Tillman Jr.’s drama about the life and death of the famed rap artist.

“Revolutionary Road”: “Titanic” co-stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet reunite for the story of another sinking ship, this one a marriage. Sam Mendes (“American Beauty”) directs this adaptation of Richard Yates’ novel about a young couple’s marital woes in 1950s Connecticut.

“The Wrestler”: Mickey Rourke returns in a big way as the star of Darren Aronofsky’s raucous drama about an aging professional wrestler attempting to mount a comeback.

The Golden Globe nominations announced last week were studded with movies and performances that most moviegoers haven’t had a chance to see. Until now.

Hollywood is unleashing its biggest and most serious award contenders, with the hope that at least a few of them also happen to become box office sensations.

Several are opening today, including “Doubt,” “Seven Pounds,” “Yes Man” and “I’ve Loved You So Long.”

Here is a list of the major films opening on Christmas Day and beyond, including some that will spill over into January. Release dates are subject to change.