Whereas a true Leap Year only comes around once every four years, "Leap Year" is no different from typical, romantic comedy films released year after year. With only slightly varied characters and plot, "Leap Year" is a guilty pleasure movie rather than a cinematic work of art. Unfortunately, the overall plot progression of "Leap Year" is quite obvious and too plain to offer any tender, memorable romanticism.

With a Christmas Day release, director Rob Marshall's "Nine" practically launches itself into the arms of the Academy. The film, Marshall's third after his critically acclaimed and wildly popular works "Chicago" and "Memoirs of a Geisha," is packed with accomplished actors sure to catch the eyes of the Academy – but falls short in one major aspect: plot.

Director and co-writer Jason Reitman, best known for the hilarious "Thank You for Smoking" and the adorable "Juno,"; works his magic again in this high-flying hit. Reitman bases his film around the cliché of "finding yourself," and yet the final product is surprisingly refreshing - a closer look at what it would be like to simply fly through life without baggage.

Roald Dahl has style. His beloved children's books are sprinkled with eccentricities like obese characters and supernatural events and saturated with his characteristically dark humor. So, it's only fitting that visionary filmmaker Wes Anderson, of "The Royal Tenenbaums" fame, direct the film adaptation of Dahl's "The Fantastic Mr. Fox."

There is something endearing about a world where vampires, werewolves and over-the-top teenage libidos mix to create a fusion of magic and intense sexual tension. "New Moon" is a perfect breed of drama, suspense and, let's face it, teen romance. But surprisingly enough, the movie has something for all preferences - it isn't your typical "chick flick," and in fact contains darker undertones and action scenes that will keep even the "Transformers" crowd entertained.

Very few films have enough bite to divide people. Only a dim pool of films can cause heartbreak and simultaneously saturate with dark humor - but one film does all in vampire-galore. It's the long-awaited sequel in the "Twilight Saga," "New Moon." With comedy-gold Director Chris Weitz, "New Moon" glorifies the essence of the supernatural, angst-ridden teen novel more truthfully than its predecessor through a more threatening, mature film.

Although several apocalyptic stories have hit the big screen within the past couple years, "2012" stands out with higher quality and an advanced plot. Director Roland Emmerich captures audiences' imagination with a multi-layered plot and visually stunning special effects. This epic adventure critiques the humanity of the governments of the world's most powerful nations by assessing how the world would respond to an apocalypse.

Horror films like "The Fourth Kind” have solidified the horror industry's move from gore and sadism to the kind of psychological thriller that made Alfred Hitchcock a household brand. With a recurring style of imposing suspense and cinematography over gruesome and gaudy storylines, the meaning of hardcore thriller is being redefined and "The Fourth Kind" is more than enough proof that change is good.

Director and screenwriter Richard Kelly has been known for thought-provoking thrillers such as "Donnie Darko" and "Southland Tales." With "The Box" he deviates from his original story telling and creates an adaptation of the Richard Matheson short story, "Button, Button." The result is bland and slow and epitomizes what a thriller should not be.

Outside, the leaves are turning golden and floating to the ground, which means only one thing for films: it's Oscar time. That's right, the crop of films released at the end of the year – just in time for Academy Award consideration – has commenced and among the most buzzed-about is Lone Scherfig's "An Education," which hit nationwide release last Friday.