"Twilight" fans gave thanks last week -- and so did Summit Entertainment, which released the second saga based on Stephenie Meyer's best-sellers about vampires, werewolves and the girls who love them.

"New Moon" likely will still rise this week with return patrons who cannot get enough of Bella, Edward and Jacob.

Yesterday brought five new movies to Pittsburgh: "Old Dogs," a comedy with John Travolta and Robin Williams; "The Road," the long-anticipated version of Cormac McCarthy's novel shot partially in Pittsburgh; "Fantastic Mr. Fox," a delightful adaptation of Roald Dahl's children's book; "Ninja Assassin," starring Rain as one of the world's deadliest killers; and "The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day," a sequel to the 1999 cult film.

More come this way Friday, thanks to Pittsburgh Filmmakers, and December brings fresh Oscar bait with Christmas Day ushering in a handful of holiday treats.

As always, dates are subject to change:

"The Damned United" -- Set in 1960s and '70s England, this movie tells the confrontational and darkly humorous story of Brian Clough's doomed 44-day tenure as manager of the reigning champions of English football Leeds United. Michael Sheen, fresh from his vampiric turn in "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," stars.

"Ong Bak 2: The Beginning" -- Martial arts standout Tony Jaa stars in and directs this tale of revenge set hundreds of years in the past. An orphan boy raised by bandits is trained to be a killer and prophesied to be the conqueror of an empire.

"Everybody's Fine" -- Robert De Niro is an Elmira widower and retiree who hits the road to reconnect with his grown children (including Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell and Drew Barrymore) when they cancel a visit to see him. He learns their lives aren't what they seemed from afar in this remake of a 1990 movie starring Marcello Mastroianni.

"Brothers" -- When a decorated Marine goes missing overseas, his black-sheep younger brother cares for his wife and children at home, with consequences that will shake the foundation of the entire family. Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman star in this drama based on the Danish film of the same name by Susanne Bier and Anders Thomas Jensen.

"Armored" -- A crew of officers at an armored transport security firm hatch a scheme against their employer. As usual, though, a foolproof plan isn't, thanks to an unexpected witness in this action thriller with Matt Dillon, Jean Reno and Laurence Fishburne.

"Paris" -- An ailing Parisian who imagines his death suddenly gives new meaning to his life, other people's lives and the city of the title in this French film with Romain Duris and Juliette Binoche.

"Transylmania" -- Spoof of vampire movies, with American exchange students who discover their university is housed in a castle in Transylvania.

"The Princess and the Frog" -- Disney returns to hand-drawn animation (with music by Randy Newman) in this comedy set in New Orleans. When a beautiful girl and a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again share a fateful kiss, they embark on an adventure through the bayous of Louisiana.

"Invictus" -- Clint Eastwood directs this film, based on the book "Playing the Enemy," about how Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of South Africa's rugby team to help unite the country. Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon star.

"The Beaches of Agnes" -- One of 15 documentaries that recently advanced in the voting process for the 82nd Academy Awards. A contemplation of the life and career of Agnes Varda, a renowned figure in modern film history.

"Tony Manero" -- An obsessed fan of "Saturday Night Fever" in Santiago, Chile, is willing to do anything to become John Travolta's iconic character. Set in 1978, during the Pinochet regime.

"Avatar" -- After all the hype, James Cameron's movie about an ex-Marine (Sam Worthington), thrust into hostilities on an alien planet filled with exotic life forms, finally opens. The "Titanic" titan conceived of this 15 years ago and started work four years ago with a cast also including Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, and Sigourney Weaver.

"Did You Hear About the Morgans?" -- For those who haven't heard about "Avatar" or don't care, this comedy stars a successful Manhattan couple (Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker) whose marriage is collapsing when they witness a murder. The Feds ship them to a tiny town in Wyoming where their union is really put to the test.

"Endgame" -- A political thriller in which a businessman initiates covert discussions between the African National Congress and white intellectuals to try and find a peaceful solution to the Apartheid regime. William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jonny Lee Miller lead the cast.

"It's a Wonderful Life" -- Learn why Harry Bailey calls his big brother George the richest man in town. Pittsburgh Filmmakers brings this annual favorite, about a small-town man who thinks he's worth more dead than alive, to the Regent Square Theater for free shows through Dec. 22. Yes, free (now you can afford the best popcorn in town).

"Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" -- Alvin, Simon and Theodore must put aside music superstardom to return to school and try to save its music program by winning the $25,000 prize in a battle of the bands. But they meet their match in the female Chipettes.

"Nine the Musical" -- Former Pittsburgher Rob Marshall ("Chicago") directs this big-screen adaptation of the Broadway play about an Italian director and the many women in his life. The knockout cast features Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren, Kate Hudson, Penelope Cruz, Fergie and Judi Dench.

"Sherlock Holmes" -- Guy Ritchie brings his signature flair to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous character, played by Robert Downey Jr. The cast also includes Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan and Kelly Reilly.

"It's Complicated" -- An adult comic love triangle, starring Meryl Streep as a divorced mother of three who starts an affair with her ex-husband (Alec Baldwin), who is remarried to a much younger woman. On the fringes is Steve Martin as an architect who takes a shine to Streep. In other words, he's the Jacob Black of the trio. Minus the muscles.

"The Lovely Bones" -- Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan from "Atonement" plays the murdered girl in Peter Jackson's adaptation of Alice Sebold's novel. She watches her family -- and killer -- from heaven in this movie also starring Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Stanley Tucci, Susan Sarandon, Michael Imperioli and Rose McIver.

"The Young Victoria" -- Emily Blunt plays the queen in her earliest years, as the teen who ascends to the throne and finds love with Albert (Rupert Friend) and learns who to trust inside and outside the palace.

"Bronson" -- A true story inspired this drama about the metamorphosis of Mickey Peterson into Britain's most dangerous prisoner. Tom Hardy, late of "Warrior," stars.

"Rashomon" -- Restored 35mm print of 1951 Japanese classic. Directed by Akira Kurosawa, it tells the story of a crime as seen by three different witnesses, each of whom offers a completely different account of what happened.

"Up in the Air" -- George Clooney should earn a Best Actor Oscar nomination as a high-flying corporate downsizer in this movie also starring Anna Kendrick as a young colleague and Vera Farmiga as a fellow frequent flyer. It examines love, loyalty, work, family, and what and where you call home. (December)

"35 Shots of Rum" -- Choices and changes for a long-widowed train conductor and his college student daughter living in Paris form the heart of this arthouse film from Claire Denis. (Jan. 1)

"A Single Man" -- Director Tom Ford's elegant portrait of a Brit in 1962 Los Angeles, mourning his partner of 16 years killed in a car accident miles away. Colin Firth could earn his first Oscar nomination as the grieving gay professor. (Jan. 8)

"Youth in Revolt"-- Adaptation of C.D. Payne's novel of the same name, starring Michael Cera as the California teen. (Jan. 8)

"Broken Embraces" -- Pedro Almodovar's latest, starring favorite Penelope Cruz, is set partially in the world of filmmaking and leans on notions of doubles, stand-ins, pseudonyms, long-held secrets and parent-child relationships. It's the story of "amour fou" and we see how crazy, fevered love drives men and women to embraces, unbroken and broken. (Jan. 15)

"Book of Eli" -- It's the end of the world, yet again. This time, Allen and Albert Hughes direct a post-apocalyptic thriller starring Denzel Washington. (Jan. 15)

"Antichrist" -- Psychosexual thriller, from Lars von Trier, starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg as a grieving couple who retreat to "Eden," an isolated woodsy cabin, where things go awry. (Jan. 22)

"Crazy Heart" -- Jeff Bridges is a broken-down country singer searching for redemption in this version of Thomas Cobb's novel and co-starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and Robert Duvall with original music by T Bone Burnett. (January)

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