January Movie Preview

Haunted House and Meagan Good help ring in the New Year.

Texas Chainsaw 3D - As Oscar contenders attempted to claw their way to the top of the box office in early January, this slasher thriller stole their thunder with a $23 million opening, thanks in huge part to Trey Songz. Exit polling at theaters showed that audiences came out in droves to the see the sexy singer in his first big screen role. (Photo: Lionsgate)

1 / 10

Texas Chainsaw 3D: January 4 - This sequel of sorts picks up where the 1974 classic horror film left off in Newt, Texas. In this installment, a woman travels to collect her inheritance but, of course, she encounters a chainsaw-carrying killer in the process. (Photo: Lionsgate)

A Haunted House - Tween vampire dramas and Michael Bay's special effects extravaganzas may be sure bets at the box office, but once in a while a film comes along that confounds analysts and studio heads. Our list of box office surprises starts with A Haunted House, Marlon Wayans' parody homage to "found footage" horror films. The independently financed comedy scored an $18.8 million opening weekend earlier this month, knocking prestige piece Gangster Squad to third place. (Photo: Wayans Brothers Entertainment)

2 / 10

Haunted House: January 11 - The creators of Scary Movie have turned their funny spoof-filled lens on the Paranormal Activity franchise. Newlyweds (Marlon Wayans and Essence Atkins) move into their dream house and the laughs arise when they discover it’s spooked by relationship baggage and other spirits. Watch a clip of the film here. (Photo: Wayans Brothers Entertainment)

Photo By Wayans Brothers Entertainment

Gangster Squad: January 11 - This period action drama follows a mob king (Sean Penn) circa 1940s Los Angeles, who runs the city with prostitution, drugs, guns and gambling. It also chronicles the dedicated Los Angeles Police Department cops (Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling and Anthony Mackie) who try to take him down. (Photo: Warner Bros Pictures)

3 / 10

Gangster Squad: January 11 - This period action drama follows a mob king (Sean Penn) circa 1940s Los Angeles, who runs the city with prostitution, drugs, guns and gambling. It also chronicles the dedicated Los Angeles Police Department cops (Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling and Anthony Mackie) who try to take him down. (Photo: Warner Bros Pictures)

Storage 24: January 11 - In this sci-fi horror film, a military plane crashes and the city of London immediately goes into lock-down mode. Unfortunately, a group of people also becomes trapped in a storage facility with an unwanted guest in the midst of the chaos.  (Photo: Unstoppable Entertainment)

4 / 10

Storage 24: January 11 - In this sci-fi horror film, a military plane crashes and the city of London immediately goes into lock-down mode. Unfortunately, a group of people also becomes trapped in a storage facility with an unwanted guest in the midst of the chaos.  (Photo: Unstoppable Entertainment)

Zero Dark Thirty: January 11 - Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow (Hurt Locker) helms this drama about the international elite team of intelligence and military operatives who found and killed Osama Bin Laden. The film also stars Harold Perrineau. (Photo: Columbia Pictures)

5 / 10

Zero Dark Thirty: January 11 - Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow (Hurt Locker) helms this drama about the international elite team of intelligence and military operatives who found and killed Osama Bin Laden. The film also stars Harold Perrineau. (Photo: Columbia Pictures)

ADVERTISEMENT
Broken City: January 18 - Director Allen Hughes helms this drama thriller that stars Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe and Catherine Zeta-Jones. It’s the story of a private investigator (Wahlberg) hired to spy on a Mayor’s wife (Zeta-Jones) and discovers much more than he bargained for. The film also stars Jeffrey Wright. (Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Pictures)

6 / 10

Broken City: January 18 - Director Allen Hughes helms this drama thriller that stars Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe and Catherine Zeta-Jones. It’s the story of a private investigator (Wahlberg) hired to spy on a Mayor’s wife (Zeta-Jones) and discovers much more than he bargained for. The film also stars Jeffrey Wright. (Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Pictures)

Luv - Common's teaches Michael Rainey, Jr. all about manhood. Take a look at Common's other films roles. 

7 / 10

LUV: January 18 - In this indie drama, an 11-year-old boy (Michael Rainey Jr.) glimpses the idea of what is means to be a man after spending the day with his uncle (Common). This coming-of-age story features an all-star cast including Danny Glover, Lonette McKee, Meagan Good, Charles S. Dutton and Dennis Haysbert. (Photo: Luv Films 5)

Mama: January 18 - This supernatural thriller centers on two young girls who were left alone in a forest for five years. When their uncle and his girlfriend (Jessica Chastain) try to integrate them into a normal life, they realize a presence of evil surrounds them all. (Photo: Toma 78)

8 / 10

Mama: January 18 - This supernatural thriller centers on two young girls who were left alone in a forest for five years. When their uncle and his girlfriend (Jessica Chastain) try to integrate them into a normal life, they realize a presence of evil surrounds them all. (Photo: Toma 78)

The Baytown Outlaws: January 18 - Billy Bob Thorton and Eva Longoria star in this action comedy about an ex-husband (Thorton) who shoots his former wife (Longoria) in the gut and kidnaps her godson. His ex-wife fights back equally dirty by hiring three redneck brothers to help get the child back. (Photo: Slate Street Pictures)

9 / 10

The Baytown Outlaws: January 18 - Billy Bob Thorton and Eva Longoria star in this action comedy about an ex-husband (Thorton) who shoots his former wife (Longoria) in the gut and kidnaps her godson. His ex-wife fights back equally dirty by hiring three redneck brothers to help get the child back. (Photo: Slate Street Pictures)

Movie 43: January 25 - From the producers of Hall Pass and There’s Something About Mary, this outrageous screwball comedy features the biggest names in Hollywood and jaw-dropping intertwined story lines. The all-star cast includes Halle Berry, Common, Richard Gere, Terrence Howard, Emma Stone, Kate Winslet, Naomi Watts, Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber.  (Photo: Relativity Media)

10 / 10

Movie 43: January 25 - From the producers of Hall Pass and There’s Something About Mary, this outrageous screwball comedy features the biggest names in Hollywood and jaw-dropping intertwined story lines. The all-star cast includes Halle Berry, Common, Richard Gere, Terrence Howard, Emma Stone, Kate Winslet, Naomi Watts, Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber.  (Photo: Relativity Media)