By Kam Williams

All the early Academy Award buzz has swirled around Jamie Foxx after his phenomenal performance as Ray Charles. Still, you might want to check out some of his competition set to arrive in theaters in the coming weeks. For the studios strategically hold back their Oscar hopefuls for release late in the year.

Sadly, a few of the offerings are obvious imitations attempting to trade on the success of earlier Academy favorites. Thus, we have films with plotlines that sound suspiciously similar to such recent winners as “Hannibal,” “A Beautiful Mind” and “Mystic River.” However, others are unique, and among the acclaimed directors competing for attention in a very crowded field are Lasse Hallstrom, Oliver Stone, James L. Brooks, Clint Eastwood, Mike Nichols and Steven Soderbergh.  

So, before you assume a “Ray” sweep, consider the following features, since some very talented people went to the trouble of bringing them to the silver screen.

“Alexander” (11/24) Three-time Academy Award-winner Oliver Stone directs this costume drama chronicling the life of Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.). Colin Farrell handles the title role as the young King of Macedonia who by the age of 25 had conquered 90 percent of the known world. Big-name cast includes other Oscar-winners in Anthony Hopkins and Angelina Jolie, plus Rosario Dawson, Val Kilmer and Jared Leto.

“Christmas with the Kranks” (11/24) Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis star in this Scrooge-themed comedy based on “Skipping Christmas,” an uncharacteristic holiday novel by John Grisham about a couple whose plans to ignore the holidays are disrupted by the unexpected arrival of their daughter (Julie Gonzalo). Supporting cast includes Dan Aykroyd, Jake Busey, Cheech and Tom Poston.

“Closer” (12/3) Oscar-winner Mike Nichols directs this adaptation of the Patrick Marber play of the same name. Leading ladies Julia Roberts and Natalie Portman appear opposite Brits Clive Owen and Jude Law in this relationship drama about the effect of chance, instant attraction and casual betrayal on two couples.

“Blade: Trinity” (12/8) The curtain comes down on this grisly trilogy with Wesley Snipes reprising his title role as a vampire hunter. This final installment has him as the last hope who can save humanity from hordes of undead bloodsuckers. With Kris Kristofferson, Parker Posey and Jessica Biel.

“Ocean’s Twelve” (12/10) Original ensemble cast returns for sequel, expanding gang to accommodate the addition of Danny’s (George Clooney) wife (Julia Roberts). This go-round, the dirty decide to pull a trio of heists in Rome, Paris and Amsterdam. Fresh faces include Catherine Zeta-Jones-Douglas, Bruce Willis and Peter Fonda.

“The Aviator” (12/17) Martin Scorcese tapped Leonardo DiCaprio to play Howard Hughes in this bio-pic about the enterprising, eccentric playboy who parlayed a modest inheritance into a massive fortune. With Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner, Cate Blanchett as Kate Hepburn, Jude Law as Errol Flynn, Gwen Stefani as Jean Harlow, Jane Lynch as Amelia Earhart, Stanley DeSantis as Louis B. Mayer and Michael-John Wolf as Cary Grant.

“Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” (12/17) Jim Carrey narrates this adaptation of the popular children’s book series as a greedy Count who adopts three orphaned distant relatives with hope of stealing the kids’ inheritance.

“Million Dollar Baby” (12/17) Clint Eastwood directs and stars in this fight flick about an ex-boxer who grudgingly decides to train a woman (Hilary Swank) who wants to be a contender. Back cast features Morgan Freeman.

“Spanglish” (12/17) Triple Academy Award-winner James L. Brooks (Terms of Endearment) directs this cross-cultural comedy about the effect of the arrival of an attractive, Mexican immigrant housekeeper (Paz Flor) on the family of a famous chef (Adam Sandler) and his insecure wife (Tea Leoni). 

“The Flight of the Phoenix” (12/22) Remake of the 1965, ensemble piece with Jimmy Stewart, Ernest Borgnine, Peter Finch, Richard Attenborough, and disaster-flick staple George Kennedy. This colorized update offers Dennis Quaid as the captain of an ill-fated cargo plane that crashes in the Mongolian desert.

“The Phantom of the Opera” (12/22) Joel Schumacher brings the Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway hit musical to the big screen. Set in Paris in the 19th century, this romantic epic revolves around a disfigured genius (Gerard Butler) who pines for the love of a beautiful young soprano (Emmy Rossum). With Minnie Driver and Alan Cumming.

“Meet the Fockers” (12/24) Sequel to “Meet the Parents” introduces Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman as the very ethnic parents of Ben Stiller. Plot has Robert DeNiro and Blythe Danner, returning as protective parents of the bride (Teri Polo), now venturing to Detroit to size-up their daughter’s soon to be in-laws.
“Proof” (12/24) “A Beautiful Mind” revisited. Anthony Hopkins stars in this adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name by David Auburn about a celebrated but mentally-ill math professor who may have had some help on a brilliant proof from his devoted daughter (Gwyneth Paltrow).

“An Unfinished Life” (12/24) Lasse Hallstrom directs this dysfunctional family drama about an abused woman (Jennifer Lopez) who takes her temperamental 12 year old to the tiny town of Marion, Iowa, to live with her reluctant father-in-law (Robert Redford), a rough-edged rancher. Cast includes Morgan Freeman.

“The Woodsman” (12/24) “Mystic River”-lite. Kevin Bacon and his wife, Kyra Sedgwick, star in this claustrophobic crime drama adapted from the Steven Fechter play about a paroled pedophile who returns to his hometown after a dozen years in the slammer for molesting little girls. 

“Fat Albert” (12/25) Hey! Hey! Hey! Kenan Thompson handles the title character in this live action adaptation of Bill Cosby’s television cartoon series about the misadventures of a bunch of boys from the same Philly neighborhood. Distaff cast members include Kyla Pratt and Raven Symone.

“The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” (12/25) Moby Dick update. Bill Murray stars in the title role of this comic adventure as a revenge-minded oceanographer who sets out on an expedition to hunt down the jaguar shark which killed his partner. Along for the ride are Steve’s estranged wife (Anjelica Huston), a journalist (Cate Blanchett), and an airline pilot (Owen Wilson) who might be his son.

“The Assassination of Richard Nixon” (12/29) Sean Penn stars in this 9/11 inspired drama, set in 1974, about a frustrated salesman who tries to kill Tricky Dick by hijacking a plane and crashing it into the White House. With Don Cheadle and Naomi Watts.

“Beyond the Sea” (12/29) Kevin Spacey directed and stars in this adoring bio-pic chronicling the life and times of crooner Bobby Darin. Kate Bosworth plays wife Sandra Dee, while John Goodman, Greta Scacchi, Bob Hoskins and Brenda Blethyn round out the principal cast.

“In Good Company” (12/29) Dennis Quaid stars in this comedy of errors as a demoted corporate middle manager whose new young boss (Topher Grace) starts dating his 18-year-old daughter (Scarlett Johansson). 

“A Love Song for Bobby Long” (12/29) This triangulated drama, set in New Orleans, features John Travolta in the title role as an ex-literature professor presently squatting in the home of a recently deceased friend with a young protege (Gabriel Macht). The men’s rent-free nirvana is interrupted by the arrival of the dead woman’s headstrong daughter (Scarlett Johansson).