At the movies – 12-12-14

The openings on this second weekend of December include:
“Diplomacy,” with Andre Dussollier and Niels Arestrup in an unrated drama that’s set in the summer of 1944 and follows a German officer ordered to destroy France at the end of the war and urged by a Swedish officer not to follow those devastating military commands. Volker Schlondorff (“The Tin Drum”) directed the French/German import.
“Exodus: Gods and Kings,” with Christian Bale and Joel Egerton as Moses and Ramses, respectively, in a Biblical epic that includes a digital Red Sea wave. Aaron Paul, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley and John Turturro co-star in the PG-13 religious epic. Ridley Scott (“Blade Runner”) directed.
“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” with Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Evangeline Lilly, Cate Blanchett and Orlando Bloom in an epic based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s work that begins with a Middle-earth dragon attack and rarely slow down. Peter Jackson, who has helmed all of the Tolkien installments, returns to direct this film. The PG-13 picture will be available in Imax 3-D, 2-D and 3-D. (Opens Dec. 17)
“Top Five,” with Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Rosario Dawson, Kevin Hart, Gabrielle Union, Whoopi Goldberg, Tracy Morgan, Cedric the Entertainer and Jerry Seinfeld in an R-rated comedy about an intense actor who agrees to allow his fiancé to air their wedding on her reality show. Rock (“Head of State”) also directed.
“Wild,” with Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern and Gaby Hoffmann in an R-rated outdoor drama about a young woman who commits herself to a 1,000 mile hike on the Pacific Crest Trail after her mother’s unexpected death. Jean-Marc Vallee (“Dallas Buyers Club”) directed.