The Oscar contest generally sees the big contenders in November and December, but with the advancing of the Oscar ceremony by one month to February, studios are cranking out heavy hitters earlier this year.

The month of October sees several hopefuls, including Jamie Foxx playing Ray Charles in the biopic "Ray." Buzz is hot and early for Foxx. There is good word, too, for Jude Law in "Alfie," a remake of classic 1967 movie that starred Michael Caine in the title role of the womanizer.

Computer animated family comedy "Shark Tale," kicks off October. For adult laughs, "South Park" creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker bring out "Team America: World Police" with marionettes who turn into superheroes. Also "Three Kings" director David O. Russell has offbeat comedy, "I Heart Huckabees."

On the horror front, Sarah Michelle Gellar stars in "The Grudge."

Two of the fall’s most anticipated movies debut in November with Disney/Pixar computer animated film "The Incredibles," from the same producers who brought audiences "Finding Nemo," and "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason," starring Renee Zellweger as the British woman on the hunt for the perfect man.

At mid-month, "Finding Neverland," has Johnny Depp looking for Oscar gold portraying "Peter Pan" author J.M. Barrie, and "Alexander" has Colin Farrell in an epic film based on the "great" Macedonian conqueror.

Nicolas Cage hunts for gold, too, but not the Oscar kind. He looks for want Hollywood really wants, box office booty, with adventure "National Treasure." Finally, the month includes digital Christmas tale "Polar Express."

From Silive.com :

HORROR

OCT. 1

Saw

You wake up to find yourself in a dingy room with your arm chained to the floor and nothing but a bone saw at your disposal. What would you do? You don’t have to answer that, but the characters in this gratuitously disturbing horror flick do.

OCT. 22

Sarah Michelle Gellar finds life after "Buffy" in a horror flick about a mysterious supernatural curse that’s a remake of a Japanese film that actually sports the same director. Horror flick — hmm, must be time for Halloween.

NOV. 10

Seed of Chucky

Maybe we’ve inserted this horror sequel into our list just because we like saying "Seed of Chucky." But also, star Jennifer Tilly’s career needs all the help it can get.

From Computercrowsnest.com :

The Japanese have their own traditions of ghost and demon stories. Frequently they do little short punchy ghost stories. (Aside: There is a traditional ceremony in Japan of telling 100 ghost stories at night by the light of 100 candles. After each story a candle is blown out. By the end the group is in total darkness and is just about ready to freak out. These guys KNOW how to throw a party.

But then I am a ghost story fan.) Last year I saw at a film festival a Japanese film that had not so much a single plot as a collection of related stores. It had some very startling and non-traditional images of ghostly happenings. I thought THE GRUDGE was quite effective even without much plot. It is tough to scare me with a film, but this certainly had me tense. It is only a few months old, but it has already been remade. THE GRUDGE (American version) was filmed in Japan and stars Sarah Michelle Gellar of BUFFY fame, no stranger to facing the dead.

Don’t expect a lot of plot, but if it is like the original it should have jaded horror fans grabbing for the arms of their seats. Again I ask, why bother to remake a good film? Are subtitles THAT scary? (Another aside: if you like original scary films, don’t look to Carpenter and Romero. Better stuff is coming from Japan.)