Movie fans who pay attention to release dates know that the best movies are usually saved for the end of the year, while mediocre ones fill screens early in the calendar. And outside of the Sundance Film Festival, there’s not much happening in the year’s first months.

But of course film fans can find great movies year-round if they know how to look – and now is the time to catch up on awards contenders before the glitz of the ceremonies gets underway in earnest. Here are some of the more intriguing and anticipated for the first months of 2015.

Oscar contenders “The Imitation Game,” Clint Eastwood’s “American Sniper” and J.C. Chandor’s “A Most Violent Year” are coming to theaters this month. January will also bring Andrea di Stefano’s suspense-thriller “Escobar: Paradise Lost” starring Benicio del Toro and “The Hunger Games’” Josh Hutcherson. Sara Colangelo’s drama-mystery “Little Accidents” with Elizabeth Banks and Josh Lucas and Ewan McGregor and Alicia Vikander in Julius Avery’s action-crime feature “Son of a Gun” are also set for release.

After spending last year on the festival circuit, Canadian filmmaker Xavier Dolan’s highly praised “Mommy” will get a wider release as well.

Musical fans will finally get to see Richard LaGravenese’s screen adaptation of “The Last Five Years” with Jeremy Jordan and Anna Kendrick over Valentine’s Day weekend, and Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s awaited comedy-horror “What We Do In the Shadows” will be in theaters at the same time.

Later in February will bring the release of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa’s heist blockbuster “Focus,” which features Will Smith and Margot Robbie. March will kick off with John Madden’s “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” starring the same British and Indian cast of the first feature.

For comedy in March, Ken Scott’s raunchy farce “Unfinished Business” with Vince Vaughn and Dave Franco might be appropriate for fans of lowbrow humor.

For families or young viewers looking for the newest Disney flick, meanwhile, a live-action version of “Cinderella” by Kenneth Branagh and led by Cate Blanchett and Lily James in the title roles is two months away.

Ron Howard’s latest period piece, “In the Heart of the Sea,” starring Chris Hemsworth and Cillian Murphy, will also round out the month of March.

Bookending the spring movie season will be cult filmmaker Tarsem Singh’s sci-fi/thriller “Selfless” with Matthew Goode and Michelle Dockery. And Barry Levinson’s latest comedy “Rock the Kasbah,” starring Bruce Willis and Zooey Deschanel, will hit screens before the summer blockbuster season arrives.

[email protected]. Megan Bianco is a movie reviewer and also contributes other entertainment related features and articles.