Christmas 2012: What New Movies Will be Playing?

The holiday season also means the release of highly anticipated films—starting with The Hobbit on Dec. 14 and leading up to Christmas Day releases like Les Miserables.

Here is a look at what audiences have to look forward to this year, courtesy of moviefone.com:

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

• Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage
• Release date: Dec. 14
• MPAA rating: PG-13
• Plot: The first part of a new trilogy centering on Bilbo Baggins, a group of dwarves, their trip to The Lonely Mountain and their quest to retrieve the dwarves' treasure from the fire-breathing dragon, Smaug.

Les Miserables

• Starring: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen
• Release date: Dec. 25
• MPAA rating: PG-13
• Plot: Les Miserables is the motion-picture adaptation of the beloved global stage sensation seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages around the globe and still breaking box-office records everywhere in its 27th year.

The Guilt Trip

• Starring: Seth Rogen, Barbra Streisand, Kathy Najimy, Colin Hanks, Adam Scott
• Release date: Dec. 19
• MPAA rating: Not Rated
• Plot: After deciding to start a road trip with a quick visit at mom's, Andy Brewster is guilted into bringing her along for the ride. Across 3,000 miles of ever-changing landscape, he is constantly aggravated by her antics, but over time he comes to realize that their lives have more in common than he originally thought.

Django Unchained

• Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Kerry Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kurt Russell, Samuel L. Jackson
• Release date: Dec. 25
• MPAA rating: Not Yet Rated
• Plot: A slave's brutal history with his former owners lands him face-to-face with German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz. Schultz is on the trail of the murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django can lead him to his bounty. Success leads Schultz to free Django, though the two men choose not to go their separate ways. Instead, Schultz seeks out the South's most wanted criminals with Django by his side. Honing vital hunting skills, Django remains focused on one goal: finding and rescuing Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), the wife he lost to the slave trade long ago.

Parental Guidance

• Starring: Billy Crystal, Bette Midler, Marisa Tomei, Tom Everett Scott, Bailee Madison
• Release date: Dec. 25
• MPAA rating: PG
• Plot: Old school grandfather Artie, who is accustomed to calling the shots, meets his match when he and his eager-to-please wife Diane agree to babysit their three grandkids. But when 21st century problems collide with Artie and Diane’s old school methods of tough rules, lots of love and old-fashioned games, it’s learning to bend—and not holding your ground—that binds a family together.

Which films are you most looking forward to this holiday season?