For your consideration - In a race for the Oscars and your movie-going dollars, studios are releasing a batch of year-end films.

Whether you lean toward sibling rivalries, alien planets, squeaky rodents, eccentric detectives, musicals or art-house fare, there should be a film in theaters to suit you this holiday season.

December is a good month to go to the movies: More people have time off, and studios are trying to get their Oscar contenders out before the New Year.

Here's a week-by-week rundown of the highlights (or, depending how they turn out, the low points) of the season.

Which ones will screen locally still remains to be seen.

December 4

Armored: Matt Dillon, Laurence Fishburne and Columbus Short star in this thriller about guards for an armored-truck company joining forces to steal a fortune.

Brothers: In this drama, a man (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his sister-in-law (Natalie Portman) find comfort in each others' arms when his brother/her husband (Tobey Maguire) is believed to have been killed in Afghanistan. But complications arise, as you might expect, when it turns out that the rumors of the first husband's death were greatly exaggerated.

Everybody's Fine: Robert DeNiro stars in this holiday comedy-drama about a widower trying to reconnect with his grown children. The cast also includes Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell and Drew Barrymore.

Transylmania: Following in the fine tradition of Transylvania 6-5000 and Scary Movie, this horror-comedy follows some college kids who go to Transylvania and run afoul of vampires, ghouls and, judging by the trailer, terrible jokes.

Up in the Air (limited release, goes wide on Dec. 25): George Clooney and his easygoing charm star in this comedy about a downsizing expert who has avoided making emotional commitments and spends much of his life flying around the country firing people. The supporting cast includes UNC School of the Arts alumnus Danny McBride and Wilkesboro native Zach Galifianakis.

Serious Moonlight (limited release): A woman scorned (Meg Ryan) takes her two-timing husband (Tim Hutton) hostage in this dark comedy. Kristen Bell co-stars as the other woman.

December 11

The Princess and the Frog: Disney goes for ethnic diversity, taking the classic fairytale and moving it to Jazz-Age New Orleans with a predominantly black cast. The movie met with some initial controversy because an early draft had the young heroine being a maid, but that was changed, and she is now an aspiring chef. John Musker and Ron Clements, whose previous works include The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, direct, with songs by Randy Newman.

Invictus: For your Oscar consideration, Clint Eastwood directs this drama starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon, about South Africa after the end of Apartheid. The focus is on Nelson Mandela (Freeman) trying to use the 1995 Rugby World Cup to unite his divided country.

The Lovely Bones: Also for your Oscar consideration, Peter Jackson leaves the hobbits and giant gorillas behind for this adaptation of the acclaimed novel about a girl who has been raped and murdered, but remains in spectral form watching over her family as they grieve.

The Slammin' Salmon: Most likely not for your Oscar consideration, but with a good chance of being funny, this is the latest film from Broken Lizard, the comedy troupe behind Super Troopers. Then again, they're also the guys behind Beerfest, so maybe it won't be so funny.

Crazy Heart (limited release): Too late for an Oscar consideration? Jeff Bridges plays a troubled country musician who bonds with a journalist (Maggie Gyllenhaal).

A Single Man (limited release, goes wide on Dec. 25): More Oscar fodder: This one has already won Colin Firth a best-actor award at the Venice Film Festival. He plays a gay college professor grieving the loss of his partner.

December 18

Avatar: James Cameron has been developing this movie -- about humans exploring an alien planet -- for more than 10 years, waiting for computer technology to reach the point where it can match his vision of photo-realistic aliens and otherworldly vistas. Will it be worth it? In trailers, the aliens are certainly visually stunning, but they still have that computer-game look to them.

Did You Hear About the Morgans? This one sounds like Green Acres if the Douglases had moved because of a hitman. A bickering New York couple (Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker) have to enter the witness- protection program after seeing a murder. And, of course, they are moved to small-town U.S.A. so that wackiness can ensue.

Nine (limited release, goes wide on Dec. 25) Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard and Penelope Cruz star in this musical from Rob Marshall, the director of Chicago.

The Young Victoria (limited release): Emily Blunt stars in this drama about the early days of Queen Victoria's reign.

December 23

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel: Those chirpy little chipmunks are back, as is Jason Lee. This time around, the 'munks run into a trio of female rival singing chipmunks.

December 25

It's Complicated: Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin compete for the attentions of Meryl Streep. See? That's not so complicated.

Sherlock Holmes: Director Guy Ritchie is best known for such energetic crime capers as Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Now, he takes on one of the most iconic British characters in literature … but casts an American in the role. Robert Downey Jr. plays the brilliant, unpredictable Holmes, with Jude Law as Dr. Watson.

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus: Heath Ledger died before he could complete this fantasy film from director Terry Gilliam, who is known for such surreal works as Brazil and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. The script was rewritten to have Ledger's character, Tony, transform into other bodies during the course of the story, allowing Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell to step in and help finish Ledger's final role rather than reshooting all of it with a different actor. The plot revolves around the members of a traveling circus taking on the devil himself (played by Tom Waits).