January is not traditionally a busy time at the movies, but this coming weekend is bringing a flurry of new and noteworthy titles to local screens.

It won't break any box office records like the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon, but a handful of Oscar favorites as well as a few popcorn titles are heading to movie theaters and home viewing platforms this weekend.

Many of them are awards season hopefuls that opened in select markets for Oscar consideration at the end of 2024.

Here's a quick guide to the movies opening this week. Check your local theaters for times and specific days.

'The Brutalist'

Director Brady Corbet's 3 1/2 hour epic about an architect (Adrien Brody) who comes to America post-WWII picked up several Golden Globe awards (including Best Motion Picture — Drama, Best Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama and Best Director) earlier this month, and is likely to pick up several Oscar nods when nominations are announced on Jan. 19.

'Wolf Man'

Director Leigh Whannell, who offered up a modern update of "The Invisible Man" in 2020, takes on another classic tale from the Universal Monster catalog with this update on the "Wolf Man" story, starring Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner. (Opens wide on Thursday.)

'Nickel Boys'

Writer-director RaMell Ross makes his feature film debut with this uniquely told story about two young men sent to an abusive reform school in 1960s Florida. The film has a shot at earning a nod in the highly competitive Best Picture race at the Oscars.

'One of Them Days'

Detroiter Lawrence Lamont, who got his start making music videos for Big Sean, makes his feature film debut with this Los Angeles-set comedy about two friends trying to make enough money to pay their overdue rent. Starring Keke Palmer and SZA. (Opens wide on Thursday.)

'September 5'

Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro and Ben Chaplin star in this tick-tock recreation of the sports crew at ABC's coverage of the hostage situation at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. The movie was nominated for Best Motion Picture — Drama at the Golden Globes and has an outside chance of making Oscar's Best Picture cut. (Opens wide on Thursday.)

'Back in Action'

Cameron Diaz stars in her first movie in more than 10 years — she hasn't made a movie since 2014's "Annie" — in this Netflix original, in which she and Jamie Foxx star as former CIA spies called, well, back into action. (Streams starting Friday on Netflix.)

'Sing Sing'

After a micro-release in late summer, one of 2024's best movies returns to the big screen to capitalize on awards season buzz; the film, about a theater program for prison inmates, is favored to pick up a Best Picture nomination and a Best Actor nomination for its lead actor, Colman Domingo.

'The Room Next Door'

Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton and John Turturro star in the latest from Pedro Almodóvar, the filmmaker's English language debut, about two friends connecting after years apart. Swinton was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama for her role. (Opens wide on Thursday.)

'Hard Truths'

The latest from Mike Leigh stars Marianne Jean-Baptiste — it's their first collaboration since 1996's "Secrets & Lies" — in which she plays a deeply combative personality suffering from depression. Jean-Baptiste has won awards from several critics groups for her performance, and has an outside shot at picking up an Oscar nomination.

'Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat'

Director Johan Grimonprez's documentary about the 1961 assassination of Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba has been shortlisted for the Academy Awards' Best Documentary prize and is expected to be nominated in the category.

'A Different Man'

This black comedy about a man who undergoes facial reconstruction surgery to fix a disfigurement won star Sebastian Stan a Golden Globe, and he has a chance of grabbing a nomination in the Best Actor category at the Academy Awards. (After a very small theatrical release in the fall, the film moves to streaming Friday on Max.)

'Unstoppable'

This inspirational sports drama about a wrestler with one leg stars Jennifer Lopez in a supporting role. (Starts streaming Thursday on Amazon Prime Video.)

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