Kam Williams Reviews Movies Opening Jan. 1, 2016

BIG BUDGET FILMS

The Hateful Eight (R for profanity, frontal nudity, graphic gore and a scene of eroticized violence) Quentin Tarantino directed this post-Civil War saga set in Wyoming revolving around a bounty hunter (Kurt Russell) whose stagecoach runs into trouble while bringing an apprehended fugitive (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to justice. Featuring Samuel L. Jackson, Channing Tatum, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, Tim Roth and Zoe Bell.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Anomalisa (R for profanity, graphic sexuality and frontal nudity) Adult-oriented animated adventure about an author (David Thewlis) who is unable to connect with other people until he hits it off with a stranger (Jennifer Jason Leigh) he meets on a business trip. Additional voices supplied by Tom Noonan.

The Himalayas (Unrated) Fact-based drama about Korea's top mountain climber (Jeong-min Hwang) who comes out of retirement to search for the body of the protege (Woo Jung) who disappeared during an expedition on Everest. With Sung-ha Jo, Mi-Ran Ra and In-kwon Kim.

Other People's Children (Unrated) Romance drama about a filmmaker (Diane Marshall-Green) who falls for the homeless subject (Chad Michael Murray) of her latest documentary while grieving the death of her father . Support cast includes Harrison Thomas, Michael Mosley and Alexandra Breckenridge.

Yosemite (R for sexuality, nudity and profanity) Coming-of-age tale, set in Palo Alto in 1985, revolving around the partially-overlapping misadventures of a trio of fifth graders (Everett Meckler, Alec Mansky and Calum John) living in a suburban community with a mountain lion on the loose. Based on the James Franco short story of the same name, and featuring Franco, Henry Hopper, Steven Wiig and Barry Del Sherman.