“Moana,” “Allied” and “Bad Santa 2” Among This Week's New Releases

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Image from “Moana”; Walt Disney Studios(NEW YORK) — Here’s a look at the new movies opening nationwide today:

* Moana — Newcomer Auli’i Cravalho provides the voice of the titular character, an adventurous teenager who sails off on a daring mission to save her people in this Disney animated musical. Along the way, Moana meets the legendary demigod Maui — voiced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson — who guides her on an adventure in which they battle impossible odds and enormous monsters. Moana also fulfills a personal quest: finding her own identity. Rated PG.

* Allied — Brad Pitt stars as World War II intelligence officer Max Vatan, who is stationed in North Africa where he encounters French Resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour — played by Marion Cotillard — on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Following a reunion in London, their relationship is tested by the pressures of war. Rated R.

* Bad Santa 2 — Billy Bob Thornton returns as Willie Soke, fueled by cheap whiskey, greed and hatred, in the sequel to 2003’s Bad Santa. He teams up once again with his angry little sidekick Marcus — played by Tony Cox — to knock off a Chicago charity on Christmas Eve. This time, Unaccompanied Minors‘ Brett Kelly, as chubby and cheery Thurman Merman, is along for the ride, to offer Willie a sliver of humanity. However, mommy issues arise when the pair are joined by Willie’s horror story of a mother, Kathy Bates, who raises the bar for the gang’s ambitions, while somehow lowering the standards of criminal behavior. Rated R.

* Rules Don’t Apply — Warren Beatty stars as Howard Hughes in this unconventional love story about an aspiring actress — played by Lily Collins — a devout Baptist who’s under contract to the eccentric billionaire. She arrives at the airport airport and meets her equally religious driver, Frank Forbes — portrayed by Alden Ehrenreich — and the to fall in love after two weeks on the job. The relationship not only puts their religious convictions to the test, but also defies Hughes’ number-one rule, which prohibits dating a contract actress. Rated PG-13.

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