Who: Johnny Depp, Ewan McGregor, Paul Bettany, Gwyneth Paltrow and Olivia Munn
What: Art dealer Charles Mortdecai searches for a stolen painting that’s reportedly linked to a lost bank account filled with Nazi gold.
When: January 23rd
Why: Based on the first of four novels in Kyril Bonfiglioli’s Charles Mortdecai series, the movie finds Johnny Depp trying his hand at goofball comedy as an Inspector Clouseau-type character with franchise potential. Though the actor has earned some criticism lately for his habit of playing eccentric oddballs, he seems to be having a lot of fun here, as does the rest of the cast, especially Paul Bettany as Mordecai’s butler/muscle. There’s still a good chance that it won’t live up to its amusing trailer, but as long as the film is more Peter Sellers “Pink Panther” than Steve Martin “Pink Panther,” it could be the first real surprise of 2015.

Who: Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn, Scoot McNairy and Michael Smiley
What: A submarine captain takes a job with a shadowy backer to search the depths of the Black Sea for a German U-boat rumored to be loaded with gold.
When: January 23rd
Why: Submarines are the perfect setting for a thriller – they’re dark, claustrophobic and offer no hope of escape – which is why it’s so surprising that there aren’t more movies that take advantage of them. (How has someone not made a submarine-based slasher film yet?) The movie has already opened in the UK to pretty solid reviews, and with the one-two punch of director Kevin Macdonald and star Jude Law, it’s easy to see why. “Black Sea” appears to be a real return to form for Macdonald, while Law’s latest career reinvention has not only resulted in some of his best work, but reaffirms him as one of the more underrated actors in the business.

Who: Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Guzman, Kristin Chenoweth and John Corbett
What: A divorced woman falls in love with the young man who moves in next door and finds he has a dark secret.
When: January 23rd
Why: Rob Cohen has never been what you’d call an A-list director, but even he must be desperate for work if he has to resort to making films like “The Boy Next Door,” which looks more like a schlocky Lifetime movie of the week than something deserving of a theatrical run. There doesn’t appear to be a single original idea in the film, shamelessly aping other thrillers about obsessive lovers like it’s checking items off a list. At this point, I’m not sure how Jennifer Lopez is still getting work as an actor, but it’s probably because she’s the only person famous enough willing to star in such a shitty movie.

Who: James Marsden, Karl Urban, Wentworth Miller, Rhona Mitra and Isabel Lucas
What: Five friends who share a loft for their extramarital affairs begin to question one another after the murdered body of an unknown young woman is found in the property.
When: January 30th
Why: This remake of the 2008 Belgian thriller of the same name – and directed by original helmer Erik Van Looy – has been delayed numerous times on its way to theaters, which is never a good sign, especially considering it was filmed all the way back in 2011. Though it features a strong ensemble cast that includes James Marsden, Karl Urban and Matthias Schoenaerts (reprising his role from the Belgian version), it’s hard to have much confidence in the movie when the studio itself doesn’t even know what to do with it. The film would have fared much better on VOD, because as it stands, it’s destined for the Wal-Mart bargain bin.