The end of every movie year can usually be summed up in a few words: blockbusters and Oscar bait. With all of the holiday-themed films already in theaters, Christmas time is reserved for some of the studio’s biggest movies and their final push before awards season. Though it’s always a bit hot-and-cold in terms of what you can expect, this year’s slate offers an enticing mix of popcorn and prestige films. (And in the case of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” both.) Though some of the more interesting award contenders won’t actually reach your hometown until January (if at all) due to a silly rule that only requires a movie open in a very limited engagement before December 31st, there’s enough good stuff here to keep you suitably entertained well into the new year.

Who: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Ciaran Hinds and Mark Strong
What: In the bleak days of the Cold War, veteran spy George Smiley is lured out of retirement to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6’s ranks.
When: December 9th
Why: I would pay to see just about anything starring Gary Oldman, but his new film from director Tomas Alfredson (who’s already proven himself as a master of suspense with the vampire cult hit, “Let the Right One In”) has gotten me particularly excited. Based on the bestselling novel by former spy turned author John le Carré, the movie looks like a throwback to those great, low-key political thrillers from the 1970s, and if that’s not enough to pique your interest, then a brief glance at the cast list – a veritable who’s who of the best British actors working today, including Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong and Benedict Cumberbatch of “Sherlock” fame – will almost certainly change your mind.

Who: Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, Patton Oswalt and J.K. Simmons
What: A fiction writer returns to her hometown in Minnesota looking to rekindle a romance with her high school flame, who is now married with kids.
When: December 9th
Why: “Juno” was one of my favorite films of 2007. In addition to an excellent star-making performance by Ellen Page, the movie marked the arrival of writer Diablo Cody onto the scene and cemented Jason Reitman’s status as one of Hollywood’s most promising young directors. Fast-forward four years later and you can understand why Reitman and Cody’s latest collaboration, “Young Adult,” is already garnering awards buzz. Charlize Theron is perfect for the role of the former mean girl (she has the looks and attitude to pull it off without being completely unlikeable), while Patton Oswalt is an inspired choice to play her unlikely confidant. Cody’s snarky dark humor is also on full display here, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she nabs another Oscar nomination come February.

Who: Jonah Hill, Ari Graynor, Sam Rockwell, Max Records and J.B. Smoove
What: A slacker college student gets caught up in a night of crazy hijinks involving a pair of vindictive drug dealers after he takes a job babysitting his neighbor’s kids.
When: December 9th
Why: Though its generic title makes the film sound like another family comedy starring an out-of-work action star, “The Sitter” actually appears to be a raunchier, R-rated version of the 1987 classic, “Adventures in Babysitting.” While the concept may be teeming with potential, however, I’m not entirely sold by the trailer. Jonah Hill (in his final pre-weight loss role) can be really annoying when he’s not kept on a short leash, and director David Gordon Green is notorious for doing the complete opposite. Sam Rockwell and J.B. Smoove make for an intriguing comedic pair as the film’s “villains,” but I have a feeling that the movie’s success is going to depend on the child actors. And if Elizabeth Shue doesn’t pop in for a cameo, I’m going to be extremely disappointed.

Who: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Eddie Marsan and Jared Harris
What: Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson join forces with a mysterious gypsy to outwit and bring down their fiercest adversary, Professor Moriarty.
When: December 16th
Why: He may not have been the most popular choice to helm a big screen reboot of the world’s most famous detective, but Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes” was a really fun popcorn flick that thrived on the chemistry between its two stars. Though I never thought that Ritchie would stick around for a sequel, it makes me more confident knowing that “A Game of Shadows” has retained the same creative team. I’m not sure how big of a role Rachel McAdams is going to play in this one (she’s absent from the trailer, but there’s no way she won’t factor into the story somehow), but as long as Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law still have a playful rapport, then audiences are in for another treat.

Who: Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly and Christoph Waltz
What: After two boys duke it out on a playground, the parents of the victim invite the parents of the bully over for a cordial meeting to work out their issues.
When: December 16th
Why: Based on Yasmina Reza’s Tony Award-winning play, “God of Carnage,” movies like this are every actor’s dream because it allows them to embrace the theatricality of the subject matter without the limitations of a stage. It’s no surprise, then, that director Roman Polanski has recruited four of the best actors in the business, including three Oscar winners and a former nominee. John C. Reilly may seem like the black sheep of the group, but he’s perhaps the most qualified due to his sharp improvisational skills. Though it’s a bit strange that Polanski would choose a project as stylistically simplistic as this, “Carnage” certainly has the goods to become a dark horse awards contender.

Who: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Stellan Skarsgard and Christopher Plummer
What: Journalist Mikael Blomkvist enlists the aid of young computer hacker Lisbeth Salander to uncover the mystery behind the disappearance of a girl 40 years ago.
When: December 21st
Why: Remakes are rarely accepted with such open arms, but there’s a good reason for all the excitement surrounding the upcoming Hollywood adaptation of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” and his name is David Fincher. Don’t get me wrong: the original Swedish version was a solid thriller that did justice to Steig Larrson’s bestselling novel and featured a remarkable performance by Noomi Rapace. But just from that awesome teaser trailer alone, you can tell that Fincher’s movie is going to be even better. Though I’m still not entirely convinced that Daniel Craig is the right person to play Blomkvist, or that newcomer Rooney Mara has the range to match Rapace’s pitch-perfect portrayal of the emotionally scarred Salander, but if there’s one man that can pull it off, it’s Fincher.

Who: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton and Ving Rhames
What: The IMF is shut down when it’s implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, forcing Ethan Hunt and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization’s name.
When: December 21st
Why: There are a lot of people who didn’t like the last “Mission: Impossible” film, but quite frankly, I think it was the best installment in the series. It might not hold that title for much longer, however, based on what I’ve seen of “Ghost Protocol,” which replaces Maggie Q and Jonathan Rhys Meyers on the IMF team with Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton. Those aren’t the only personnel changes, either, as director Brad Bird (best known for “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille” ) is stepping in for J.J. Abrams behind the camera. But while this might be Bird’s first live-action movie, between his ensemble cast, the guiding hand of Abrams as producer, and the decision to shoot some of the film on IMAX, you would be crazy to expect anything less than non-stop entertainment.

Who: Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost
What: Tintin and Captain Haddock set off on a quest to find the sunken remains of the Unicorn ship and notorious pirate Red Rackham’s treasure.
When: December 21st
Why: As someone who isn’t a particularly big fan of Steven Spielberg or the art of motion-capture movies, it might seem strange to admit that I’m actually looking forward to “The Adventures of Tintin.” I’ve never even read any of the popular Hergé comics that the film is based on, but just seeing who’s involved in the movie is enough to get me excited. In addition to its great cast (which includes mo-cap maestro Andy Serkis as Captain Haddock and Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as the bumbling Thompson Twins), the script was written by Edgar Wright (“Shaun of the Dead,” “Hot Fuzz”) and Joe Cornish (“Attack the Block”), and Peter Jackson even had a hand in the project. It’s safe to say that if there’s one Spielberg film to rush out and see this December, it’s “Tintin.”

Who: Thomas Horn, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis and Max von Sydow
What: A young boy searches New York for the lock that matches a mysterious key left by his father after he’s killed in the September 11th attacks.
When: December 23rd
Why: Out of all the tear-jerker Oscar bait being released this season (here’s looking at you, “War Horse”), director Stephen Daldry’s latest drama looks to be the most tolerable of the bunch. That’s not to say that it won’t make the waterworks flow, but as long as it’s done sparingly, then you should be able to bring your mom along without being too embarrassed. The big question mark, however, is whether newcomer Thomas Horn, whose only previous experience is as a contestant on “Jeopardy!,” has what it takes to carry a movie. This isn’t the first time that Daldry has taken such a risk (although it paid off for him with Jamie Bell in “Billy Elliot”), but he was still smart to surround Horn with a cast of screen veterans, all of whom will be angling for a Supporting Actor nomination.

Who: Emile Hirsh, Olivia Thirlby, Rachel Taylor, Max Minghella and Joel Kinnaman
What: While stranded in Moscow, a group of college students lead the charge against an alien race that has attacked Earth using the planet’s power supply.
When: December 23rd
Why: I’m not entirely sure why Chris Gorak’s sci-fi thriller has been tossed to the wolves, so to speak, by being released during a time of year where it stands no chance of succeeding, but it’s a real shame, because The Darkest Hour” had the potential to be a sleeper hit. Best described as “Red Dawn” meets “Independence Day” and featuring a cast of young up-and-comers, what makes the film so unique from every other alien invasion movie are the aggressors themselves: seemingly invisible entities powered by electricity that can incinerate anything with a single touch. The special effects alone look really good for a movie that only cost a reported $40 million to make, although with the always resourceful Timur Bekmambetov attached as a producer, it isn’t that surprising.

As a film critic, you learn to keep your expectations to a minimum, because more often than not, the movie in question is never as good as you hoped. That doesn’t change the fact that there are still some movies that you want to see more than others, and as long as you don’t mind the possibility of disappointment, it’s okay to let your inner fanboy out every once in a while. This year certainly has plenty of movies to get excited about – at least, that’s what Hollywood is banking on with an upcoming slate that includes “Pirates of the Caribbean 4,” “Cars 2,” “Green Lantern,” “Captain America: The First Avenger” and “Thor” – but there’s a lot more great stuff out there than just the usual summer tentpole films. To give you a better idea of what’s coming to theaters this year, I’ve assembled my 11 most anticipated movies of 2011 with the hope that you might discover one or two titles to add to your own must-see list.

Who: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig and Jason Bateman
What: Two British sci-fi geeks on a cross-country road trip through the U.S. encounter a real-life alien named Paul who needs help getting back to his home planet.
When: March 18th
Why: The trailer may not instill a whole lot of confidence with its heavy dose of juvenile humor, but as a fan of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (who also co-wrote the film), it’s hard to imagine them disappointing their fanbase. I wouldn’t necessarily expect anything as great as “Shaun of the Dead” or “Hot Fuzz,” but between all the geeky sci-fi references and the awesome supporting cast (including Jason Bateman as the FBI agent on their trail and Seth Rogen as the voice of the titular alien), it’s safe to say that “Paul” will be every bit as funny as it sounds.

Who: Saorsie Ronan, Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett and Olivia Williams
What: A girl raised by her father to be the perfect assassin is sent on a mission across Europe while eluding operatives under the command of a ruthless CIA agent.
When: April 8th
Why: Director Joe Wright may be best known for sappy period dramas like “Pride and Prejudice” and “Atonement,” but I can’t wait to see what he can do in a completely different genre – especially one that provides him with a bigger playground to work within. The trailer seems to suggest that “Hanna” will be more than just your average action-thriller, with Wright aiming for something a little more thought provoking. And with a cast that includes Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett, and one of the best young actresses in the business in Saorsie Ronan, this could be the surprise hit of the season.

Who: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Lawrence, Rose Byrne, January Jones, Nicholas Hoult, Lucas Till and Jason Flemyng
What: The story of Charles Xavier (Professor X) and Erik Lehnsherr (Magneto) as young men learning to control their powers, and how they worked together with a band of mutants to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known.
When: June 3rd
Why: Apart from the fact that it takes place in the 1960s and serves as a prequel to the original trilogy, details on “X-Men: First Class” are pretty scarce. But after walking away from the directing gig on the last “X-Men” film, I think that most fans are curious to see what Matthew Vaughn can do with the franchise. The retro setting definitely has my interest piqued, and using the relationship between Xavier and Lehnsherr as a parallel to Martin Luther King and Malcolm X is brilliant. That hasn’t stopped Internet forums from stirring up bad buzz in response to the recently leaked photos and rumors that Vaughn is feeling pressed for time, but he doesn’t have a bad movie to his name yet, so it’s probably better to just let the film speak for itself.

Who: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Alan Rickman and Ralph Fiennes
What: Harry returns to Hogwarts with Ron and Hermione to find and destroy Voldemort’s remaining Horcruxes, leading to the inevitable battle between the Boy Who Lived and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.
When: July 15th
Why: The real question is, who isn’t looking forward to this movie? The previous seven films have grossed over $6 billion worldwide, and where most franchises tend to lose steam around the third installment, this series has only gotten better over time. They’ve also gotten progressively darker, and “Deathly Hallows: Part Two” promises to be the darkest yet, with the massive Battle of Hogwarts resulting in the death of several major players – some good, some bad, and some whose allegiance remains a secret. I’m still holding out hope that the movie will dive a little further into Dumbledore’s past, because “Part One” covered so much of the book that the only thing left is the battle.

Who: Jim Cummings, John Cleese, Craig Ferguson and Tom Kenny
What: A collection of classic Winnie the Pooh stories including “In Which Eeyore Loses a Tail and Pooh Finds One” and “In Which Rabbit Has a Busy Day.”
When: July 15th
Why: Of all my selections, this is undoubtedly the one that will raise the most eyebrows, but there’s a certain nostalgic factor that has me really excited about a new “Winnie the Pooh” film – especially one created using traditional, hand-drawn animation. The art design looks incredible (polished but respectful to the original characters) and the trailer suggests a clever, breaking-the-fourth-wall angle to the story that involves the real world bleeding into the storybook world. And if that’s not enough to win you over, Zooey Deschanel will be lending her bubbly-twang voice to the classic “Winnie the Pooh” song. It’s just too bad that it won’t have a chance to find an audience, because Disney has foolishly decided to open the film on the same weekend as the final installment of the “Harry Potter” saga. Oh bother, indeed.

Who: Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Nick Swardson and Aziz Ansari
What: A small-town pizza delivery boy is kidnapped by two wannabe criminals and forced to rob a bank.
When: October 5th
Why: This one almost missed the cut solely because of Danny McBride’s involvement – whose arrogant redneck shtick is really starting to get on my nerves – but I’m willing to give the film the benefit of the doubt if only because it reunites Jesse Eisenberg with “Zombieland” director Ruben Fleisher. It’s really nice to see that Eisenberg isn’t taking his career too seriously, because he’s just as great in comedies as he is in more serious fare like “The Social Network.” The wild cards are McBride, Aziz Ansari and Nick Swardson – all funny men who sometimes try too hard for a laugh – but if Fleisher can rein them in, “30 Seconds or Less” has the potential to be this year’s “The Hangover.”

Who: Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte, Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Morrison
What: The son of a former boxer is trained by his alcoholic father to compete in a mixed martial arts tournament where he’ll face off against his older brother.
When: September 9th
Why: The rise of MMA has already ushered in a few movies about the popular combat sport (“Redbelt,” “Never Back Down”), but none of them have really done it any justice. Granted, it’s still a little early to know whether “Warrior” will be any different, but it certainly has the right ingredients to become the next great fight film, and it all starts with Tom Hardy. If the British-born actor isn’t a huge movie star in the next few years, then Hollywood has gotten it all wrong, because this guy just oozes charisma. It’s no “Inception,” but “Warrior” looks to be yet another great stepping stone for one of the most promising actors in the business.

Who: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Ron Perlman, Albert Brooks and Christina Hendricks
What: A Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a wheelman discovers that a contract has been put out on him after a heist gone wrong.
When: November 9th
Why: It might sound like a direct-to-DVD action movie starring Cuba Gooding Jr., but you needn’t look any further than the amazing cast that director Nicholas Winding Refn has assembled to realize that there’s probably more to “Drive” than meets the eye. Ryan Gosling, in particular, has a pretty good track record when it comes to picking interesting projects, and I find it hard to believe that he’d follow up his award-nominated performance in “Blue Valentine” with some ordinary genre flick. That doesn’t mean it isn’t possible, but even if “Drive” is just your run-of-the-mill action-thriller, at least we know it’ll be entertaining with the people involved.

Who: Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Paul Rudd and Chris Cooper
What: Gary and his Muppet roommate, Walter, team up with Kermit the Frog and Co. to save their old theater from an evil oil tycoon.
When: November 23rd
Why: Jim Henson’s Muppets have had their share of ups and downs over the years, but a comeback has been cultivating for quite some time now (due in part to a series of viral videos starring the motley crew), and a feature film is exactly the push they need. As a fan, it’s nice to see that the new movie will be in good hands as well, written by Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel, who proved their own Muppet love by featuring Henson-styled puppets in their comedy, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” and being directed by James Bobin of “Flight of the Conchords” fame. Additionally, Conchords member Bret McKenzie will be providing music for the movie, and the list of cameos already includes the likes of Zach Galifianakis, Ricky Gervais, Billy Crystal, Emily Blunt, and some that are so top secret not even Segel himself will divulge the details. What’s not to be excited about?

Who: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton and Josh Holloway
What: Super-spy Ethan Hunt enlists a new recruit for help in his most dangerous mission yet.
When: December 16th
Why: There’s so little known about the latest installment of “Mission: Impossible” that I had to fake my way through the above plot summary. In fact, the only thing we do know is that the movie will act as a passing-of-the-torch of sorts between Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner, with the latter intended to become the new face of the franchise should they decide to make any more. And although “Mission: Impossible 3” is arguably the best film in the series, with J.J. Abrams returning as executive producer (as well as conceiving the story), Pixar alumni Brad Bird directing, and a cast that includes Cruise, Renner, Simon Pegg and “Lost” favorite Josh Holloway, “Ghost Protocol” looks like it could easily take over that spot.

Who: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Stellan Skarsgaard, Robin Wright, Joely Richardson and Christopher Plummer
What: A disgraced journalist investigates the disappearance of the niece of a wealthy business magnate with the help of a young female hacker.
When: December 21st
Why: Hollywood remakes of foreign films aren’t usually met with a whole lot of enthusiasm, but in the case of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (which is technically being adapted from the bestselling Steig Larsson novel of the same name), everyone is waiting to see how David Fincher puts his own stamp on the material. It’s already been confirmed that the movie is shooting in Sweden, but will the actors speak with Swedish accents, and can Rooney Mara live up to the impossible expectations of playing one of this generation’s most iconic heroines only a few short years after Noomi Rapace’s career-making performance in the same role? I’m certainly curious to find out, because if anyone can improve upon the Swedish version (a solid thriller in its own right, but not definitive by any means), it’s Fincher.