The Good Dinosaur
Release Date: Nov. 25
Directed by: Peter Sohn
Starring: Raymond Ochoa, Frances McDormand, Anna Paquin
For the first time, Pixar will release two movies in the same year and all of a sudden, it seems that all is right in the world. After a few years of average titles compared to previous work, the studio made a triumphant comeback with this summer’s “Inside Out,” a sweet tale of emotions that hit all the right ones. This November, they aim to duplicate that success with “The Good Dinosaur,” a movie about a dinosaur that unexpectedly befriends a young human boy. Early reviews rate it below “Inside Out,” but there’s still plenty of good to look forward to in “The Good Dinosaur.”

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Release Date: Dec. 18
Directed by: J.J. Abrams
Starring: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Harrison Ford
Arguably the most anticipated movie of the last decade, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” raises the franchise from its 10-year slumber with the help of director J.J. Abrams, some returning faces and a bevy of new characters, including Daisy Ridley’s Rey, John Boyega’s Finn and Adam Driver’s evil Kylo Ren. Not much is known about this seventh entry in the “Star Wars” saga and that’s a good thing. Once Dec. 18 rolls around, the masses won’t know what’s coming for them.

The Hateful Eight
Release Date: Dec. 25
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh
It’s the eighth film from Quentin Tarantino, the man responsible for “Pulp Fiction,” “Kill Bill” and “Inglourious Basterds.” Tarantino’s filmography is uniquely his own. It’s hard to categorize his films into a certain genre, unless “Tarantino-esque” is a genre. Set in a Post-Civil war Wyoming, “The Hateful Eight” takes a page from the director’s last film, “Django Unchained,” and focuses on bounty hunters. We’ll see if recent controversy surrounding Tarantino and police officers affects the film’s success, but until this point, Tarantino has largely been untouchable.

The Revenant
Release Date: Dec. 25
Directed by: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson
Following Iñárritu’s Oscar win for directing last year’s “Birdman,” which also won best picture, the filmmaker is back with another Oscar hopeful. Shot in nothing but natural light, “The Revenant” could very well win Iñárritu his second consecutive directing Oscar. DiCaprio stars as a frontiersman in the 1820s, abandoned after a bear attack, who sets out on a path of revenge against those who left him for dead. Oscar talk for DiCaprio is also making waves. Could this be his year?

Jessica Jones
Release Date: Nov. 20
Network: Netflix
Starring: Krysten Ritter, David Tennant, Mike Colter
The next installation of Netflix’s slow rise to “The Defenders,” is about a former super hero who has decided to revamp her life and become a private investigator. The show has already released multiple trailers for the program and there is no way to get viewers anymore hyped. Many online reviewers who have already had the chance to see the program claim it is even darker than its predecessor “Daredevil.” Darker doesn’t always mean better, but in terms of a Netflix superhero show, it will be interesting to see how they play with the characters in this darker sense.

A Very Murray Christmas
Release Date: Dec. 4
Network: Netflix
Starring: Bill Murray, George Clooney, Miley Cyrus
The special will be about Murray and his concern over his show as the weather in New York gets worse. Trailers have premiered online, and although there are no laugh out loud moments, one cannot question the great work that Murray has done in terms of comedy. It will be interesting to see how the actor, as well as Netflix, tackles an over-done topic like a Christmas special and make it into something enjoyable.

The Man in the High Castle
Release Date: Jan. 15
Network: Amazon
Starring: Alexa Davalos, Luke Kleintank, Rupert Evans
This series is a story of an alternate history in which the United States loses World War II to the Nazis and what life might have been like following the war. So far the show has received incredible reviews and, as it continues, there is no doubt that audiences will remain impressed. Alexa Davalos (“Mob City”) and Luke Kleintank (“Max”) are two that stand out in the cast. If you have the service, watch the pilot as you get ready for the rest to be released.

Sherlock: The Abominable Bride
Release Date: Jan. 1
Network: PBS and BBC
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman
If you have not watched “Sherlock” you need to hop on Netflix as soon as you can to get caught up. The show is incredibly well done, presenting the characters of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. John Watson and James Moriarty in a modern day telling. The special however, will be set in olden England, during the time the original books were set. Benedict Cumberbatch (“Black Mass”) and Martin Freeman (“The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies”) both play off of each other brilliantly and their on screen chemistry is portrayed perfectly in the trailer. Watching it should be elementary.