This year’s winter movie line-up looks to be as good as ever, featuring everything from Russell Crowe in the kidnapping capital of the world to Tom Hanks befriending a volleyball. Here are some of the most widely anticipated holiday releases.

Drama:

Cast Away

Starring Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt

Directed by Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Back to the Comedy:

What Women Want

Starring Mel Gibson, Helen Hunt

Directed by Nancy Meyers (The Parent Trap)

Release date: December 15

Chicago business executive Nick Marshall (Mel Gibson), is given the power to read women’s minds as a result of a fluke accident. At first he is overwhelmed with information but he soon realizes that it can be used to his advantage, especially with his new boss Darcy McGuire (Helen Hunt).

(Paramount)Future)

Release date: December 25

Federal Express employee Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) finds himself on a deserted island after surviving a plane crash. He spends much of his time in conversation with Wilson, a volleyball. After three years on the island, he gets back to “civilization” where he must re-adjust to his old life. The producers of the film say that Cast Away will emphasize solitude, and will not be similar to the survival stories that have come before it.

(Twentieth Century Fox)

Action:

Proof of Life

Starring Meg Ryan, Russell Crowe

Directed by Taylor Hackford (The Devils Advocate)

Release date: December 15

Meg Ryan plays the wife of an American engineer who hires a “kidnap and ransom specialist” (Russell Crowe) to negotiate the release of her husband who was kidnapped in Columbia. A king-sized monkey wrench is hurled into their plans when Ryan and Crowe begin to fall in love. “Columbia is the kidnap capital of the world,” said Director Taylor Hackford in Premiere on-line of the films setting. Hackford said that the hostage negotiation business has been an emerging profession since the ’90s.

Christmas Comedy:

Dr. Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas

Starring Jim Carrey

Directed by Ron Howard (Apollo 13)

In theaters

The Grinch has turned out to be the most popular Christmas film of the season and will be continuing in theaters well into winter break. It features Jim Carrey fully immersed in a green rubber suit as Dr. Seuss’s famous Grinch character as he reaps havoc on hapless “Whoville.”

(Universal)