Who: Robert De Niro, Zac Efron, Julianne Hough and Aubrey Plaza
What: Right before his wedding, an uptight guy is tricked into driving his grandfather, a perverted former Army general, to Florida for spring break.
When: January 22nd
Why: Robert De Niro has proven himself quite adept at comedy over the years, but he’s almost always played the straight man, which is what makes “Dirty Grandpa” such an interesting choice for the actor, because it allows him to really let loose in ways that audiences have never seen before. While the movie seems like it’s trying a little too hard to earn the “dirty” in its title, the fact that it’s directed by “Da Ali G Show” veteran Dan Mazer gives me hope that this will be much better than anyone is expecting, especially with such a funny supporting cast.

Who: Chris Pine, Eric Bana, Ben Foster, Casey Affleck and Holliday Grainger
What: The Coast Guard makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952.
When: January 29th
Why: You know that Disney is running out of ideas for sappy, inspirational dramas when its latest movie is about “the most daring mission in U.S. Coast Guard history.” Nothing against the brave group of men that the film is about, but Disney has been using this tried-and-true formula for so long that it’s about time someone took it behind the barn and shot it. Every one of these movies plays out exactly the same, and judging from the trailers for “The Finest Hours,” this film is no different, save for the fact that it’s not about an underachieving sports team for once.

Who: Natalie Portman, Joel Edgerton, Noah Emmerich and Ewan McGregor
What: A woman asks her ex-lover for help in order to save her outlaw husband from a gang out to kill him.
When: January 29th
Why: Between “Slow West,” “The Hateful Eight” and “The Revenant,” 2015 was a very good year for the Western, and director Gavin O’Connor looks to carry that momentum into the new year with “Jane Got a Gun.” Though the movie went through a troubled production process that saw a number of shakeups in the cast and crew due to various issues, it could actually benefit from the delay now that there’s been a reignited interest in the genre. “Jane Got a Gun” was a lot more intriguing with its original creative team, but there’s enough talent here to deliver a really solid Western regardless.

Who: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Bryan Cranston, J.K. Simmons and Kate Hudson
What: Continuing his “legendary adventures of awesomeness,” Po must face two epic but different threats: one supernatural and the other a little closer to home.
When: January 29th
Why: The first two “Kung Fu Panda” movies were massive hits (especially overseas), so it seems a bit strange that the third installment is being released at the end of January instead of a more lucrative date like summer or during a holiday weekend. Has DreamWorks lost confidence in the film, or is it just a marketing move to cash in on the lack of kid-friendly titles during this time of year? It remains to be seen, but the trailers aren’t exactly encouraging, because “Kung Fu Panda 3” has the look of a franchise that’s scraping the bottom of the barrel for ideas.