Now Playing            Planet 51 Starring: Dwayne Johnson (voice), Jessica Biel (voice), Justin Long (voice) Seann William Scott Release Date: March 10, 2010 Rated: PG Planet 51 is a galactic sized animated alien adventure comedy revolving around American astronaut Captain Charles "Chuck" Baker, who lands on Planet 51 thinking he's the first person to step foot on it. To his surprise, he finds that this planet is inhabited by little green people who are happily living in a white picket fence world reminiscent of a cheerfully innocent 1950s America, and whose only fear is that it will be overrun by alien invaders...like Chuck! With the help of his robot companion "Rover" and his new friend Lem, Chuck must navigate his way through the dazzling, but bewildering, landscape of Planet 51 in order to escape becoming a permanent part of the Planet 51 Alien Invaders Space Museum   Old Dogs Starring: John Travolta Robin Williams Kelly Preston Rita Wilson Release Date: March 09, 2010 Rated: PG Two best friends - one unlucky-in-love divorcee and the other a fun-loving bachelor - have their lives turned upside down when they're unexpectedly charged with the care of 7-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so-kid-savvy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins, leading to one debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-found understanding of what's really important in life.   Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire Starring: Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe Mo'Nique Paula Patton Mariah Carey Lenny Kravitz Release Date: March 09, 2010 Rated: R Precious Jones, an inner-city high school girl, is illiterate, overweight, and pregnant... again. Naïve and abused, Precious responds to a glimmer of hope when a door is opened by an alternative-school teacher. She is faced with the choice to follow opportunity and test her own boundaries. Prepare for shock, revelation and celebration.   Up in the Air Starring: George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, Vera Farmiga, Danny McBride Sam Elliott Release Date: March 09, 2010 Rated: R From Jason Reitman, the Oscar® nominated director of “Juno,” comes a dramatic comedy called “Up in the Air” starring Oscar® winner George Clooney as Ryan Bingham, a corporate downsizing expert whose cherished life on the road is threatened just as he is on the cusp of reaching ten million frequent flyer miles and after he’s met the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams.   2012 Starring: John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, Oliver Platt Release Date: March 02, 2010 Rated: PG-13 Dr. Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is part of a worldwide geophysical team investigating the effect radiation from unprecedented solar storms is having on the earth. Helmsley learns that the earth's core is heating up. He warns U.S. President Thomas Wilson (Danny Glover) that the crust of the earth is becoming unstable and unless they steps to prepare for saving a fraction of the world's population, the entire race is doomed. Meanwhile, writer Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) stumbles on the same information. While the world's leaders race to build "arks" to escape the impending cataclysm, Curtis struggles to find a way to save his family. Meanwhile, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes of unprecedented strength wreak havoc around the world.   Ponyo Starring: Noah Cyrus (voice, Matt Damon (voice) Tina Fey (voice), Cate Blanchett (voice), Liam Neeson (voice), Betty White (voice, Lily Tomlin (voice) Release Date: March 02, 2010 Rated: G Welcome to a world where anything is possible! Academy Award–winning director Hayao Miyazaki (2002, Best Animated Feature, Spirited Away) and legendary filmmaker John Lasseter together with Disney bring to life a heartwarming and imaginative telling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale The Little Mermaid. Plus, this 2-disc DVD and Blu-ray includes never-before-seen bonus features that take you on a journey deep into the film’s enchanted world. A young boy named Sosuke rescues a goldfish named Ponyo, and they embark on a fantastic journey of friendship and discovery before Ponyo’s father, a powerful sorcerer, forces her to return to her home in the sea. In defiance, Ponyo releases the magical water of life, and chaos reigns until balance is restored to the world they cherish. Ponyo will delight your family with its magnificent animation and timeless story.   Amelia Starring: Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor, Virginia Madsen. Christopher Eccleston Release Date: February 02, 2010 Rated: PG-13 Two-time Academy Award® Winner Hilary Swank delivers an unforgettable performance as Amelia Earhart, the legendary American aviatrix who boldly flew into the annals of history. Richard Gere co-stars as her charismatic business partner and adoring husband George Putnam. Bound by ambition and love, their enduring marriage could not be broken by Amelia's determination to fly -- nor her passionate affair with Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor). Equal parts gripping drama, stirring romance and epic adventure, AMELIA will take your breath away and send your spirit soaring!   12 Rounds Starring: John Cena, Ashley Scott, Steve Harris, Brian White, Aidan Gillen, Gonzalo Menendez, Release Date: June 30, 2009 Rated: PG-13 When New Orleans Police Detective Danny Fisher (John Cena) stops a brilliant thief from getting away with a multimillion-dollar heist, the thief's girlfriend is accidentally killed. After escaping from prison, the criminal mastermind enacts his revenge, taunting Danny with 12 rounds of near-impossible puzzles and tasks that he must somehow complete to save the life of the woman he loves   The Jonas Brothers Starring: Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas. Nick Jonas Release Date: June 30, 2009 Rated: G Pop singing sensations the Jonas Brothers make their feature-film debut in this three-dimensional concert experience. From their beginnings on the Disney Channel to the enormous fame that came after the 2007 release of their self-titled debut album, the New Jersey natives have followed a similar path to other tween pop idols like Miley Cyrus and Hilary Duff. But unlike those two, the real-life brothers have mostly appeared as themselves, not adopting on-screen personae like Cyrus'’s Hannah Montana. For a band so young, they take their music seriously and hold their fans dear. While they'’ve got producers working left and right to perfect their smooth look and sound, all three young men have a say in the band's creative direction.   Confessions of a Shopaholic Starring: Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Krysten Ritter Joan Cusack, , John Goodman, John Lithgow, Leslie Bibb, Kristin Scott Thomas Release Date: June 23, 2009 Rated: PG-13 Rebecca Bloomwood is a sweet and charming New York City girl who has a tiny, little problem that is rapidly turning into a big problem: she’s hopelessly addicted to shopping and drowning in a sea of debt. While Rebecca has dreams of working for a top fashion magazine, she can’t quite get her foot in the door—that is, until she snags a job as an advice columnist for a financial magazine published by the same company. Overnight, her column becomes hugely popular, turning her into an overnight celebrity. But when her compulsive shopping and growing debt issues threaten to destroy her love life and derail her career, she struggles to keep it all from spiraling out of control...and is ultimately forced to reevaluate what’s really important in life.   Inkheart Starring: Brendan Fraser, , Eliza Hope Bennett, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent Sienna Guillory Andy Serkis Rafi Gavron Release Date: June 22, 2009 Rated: PG Based on the best-selling book by Cornelia Funke, "Inkheart" is a fantasy adventure that sends a father and daughter on a quest through worlds both real and imagined. Mortimer "Mo" Folchart (Brendan Fraser) and his 12-year-old daughter, Meggie (Eliza Hope Bennett), share a passion for books. What they also share is an extraordinary gift for bringing characters from books to life when they read aloud. But there is a danger: when a character is brought to life from a book, a real person disappears into its pages. On one of their trips to a secondhand book shop, Mo hears voices he hasn't heard for years, and when he locates the book they're coming from, it sends a shiver up his spine. It's Inkheart, a book filled with illustrations of medieval castles and strange creatures--a book he's been searching for since Meggie was three years old, when her mother, Resa (Sienna Guillory), vanished into its mystical world. But Mo's plan to use the book to find and rescue Resa is thwarted when Capricorn (Andy Serkis), the evil villain of Inkheart, kidnaps Meggie and, discovering she has inherited her father's gift, demands that she bring his most powerful ally to life--the Shadow. Determined to rescue his daughter and send the fictional characters back where they belong, Mo assembles a small group of friends and family--some from the real world, some from the pages of books--and embarks on a daring and perilous journey to set things righ   The Pink Panther 2 Starring: Steve Martin, Jean Reno, Andy Garcia Aishwarya Rai, , Emily Mortimer, Molly Sims Release Date: June 22, 2009 Rated: PG When legendary treasures from around the world are stolen, including the priceless Pink Panther Diamond, Chief Inspector Dreyfus is forced to assign Inspector Clouseau to a team of international detectives and experts charged with catching the thief and retrieving the stolen artifacts.   Friday the 13th Starring: Amanda Righetti, Jared Padalecki Derek Mears, Danielle Panabaker, Aaron Woo, Jonathan Sadowski Release Date: June 16, 2009 Rated: R Searching for his missing sister, Clay Miller (Jared Padalecki) heads up to the eerie woods of legendary Crystal Lake, where he stumbles on the creaky remains of rotting old cabins behind moss-covered trees. And that's not the only thing lying in wait under the brush. Against the advice of police and cautions from the locals, Clay pursues what few leads he has in the search for his missing sister, Whitney (Amanda Righetti), with the help of Jenna (Danielle Panabaker), a young woman he meets among a group of college kids up for an all-thrills weekend. But they are all about to find much more than they bargained for. Little do they know, they've entered the domain of one of the most terrifying specters in American film history--the infamous killer who haunts Crystal Lake, armed with a razor-sharp machete... Jason Voorhees.   Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail Starring: Tyler Perry, , Derek Luke, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Tamela Mann, Ronreaco Lee Viola Davis Release Date: June 16, 2009 Rated: PG-13 At long last, Madea returns to the big screen in TYLER PERRY'S MADEA GOES TO JAIL. This time America's favorite irreverent, pistol-packin' grandmomma is raising hell behind bars and lobbying for her freedom...Hallelujer! After a high-speed freeway chase puts Madea (TYLER PERRY) in front of the judge, her reprieve is short-lived as anger management issues get the best of her and land her in jail. A gleeful Joe (TYLER PERRY) couldn't be happier at Madea's misfortune. But Madea's eccentric family members the Browns (DAVID and TAMALA MANN) rally behind her, lending their special "country" brand of support. Meanwhile, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Hardaway (DEREK LUKE) is on the fast track to career success. But Hardaway lands a case too personal to handle - defending young prostitute and former drug addict Candace Washington (KEISHA KNIGHT PULLIAM) - and asks his fiancée and fellow ADA Linda Holmes (ION OVERMAN) to fill in on his behalf. When Candace ends up in jail, Madea befriends the young woman, protecting her in a "motherly" way as only Madea can   Gran Torino Starring: Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney Her Christopher Carley, John Carroll Lynch, Geraldine Hughes, Release Date: June 09, 2009 Rated: R Retired auto worker Walt Kowalski fills his days with home repair, beer, and monthly trips to the barber. Though his late wife's final wish was for him to take confession, for Walt--an embittered veteran of the Korean War who keeps his M-1 rifle cleaned and ready--there's nothing to confess. And no one he trusts enough to confess to other than his dog, Daisy. The people he once called his neighbors have all moved or passed away, replaced by the Hmong immigrants he despises. Resentful of virtually everything he sees--the drooping eaves, overgrown lawns and the foreign faces surrounding him; the aimless gangs of Hmong, Latino and African American teenagers who all think the neighborhood belongs to them; the callow strangers his children have grown up to be--Walt is just waiting out the rest of his life. Until the night someone tries to steal his Gran Torino. Still gleaming as it did the day Walt himself helped roll it off the assembly line decades ago, the Gran Torino brings his shy teenaged neighbor Thao (Bee Vang) into his life when Hmong gang-bangers pressure the boy into trying to steal it. But Walt stands in the way of both the heist and the gang, making him the reluctant hero of the neighborhood--especially to Thao's mother and older sister, Sue (Ahney Her), who insist that Thao work for Walt as a way to make amends. Though he initially wants nothing to do with these people, Walt eventually gives in and puts the boy to work fixing up the neighborhood, setting into motion an unlikely friendship that will change both their lives. Through Thao and his family's unrelenting kindness, Walt eventually comes to understand certain truths about the people next door. And about himself. These people--provincial refugees from a cruel past--have more in common with Walt than he has with his own family, and reveal to him parts of his soul that have been walled off since the war...like the Gran Torino preserved in the shadows of his garage.   The International Starring: Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Brian F. O'Byrne, Ulrich Thomsen, Michel Voletti, Patrick Baladi, Release Date: June 09, 2009 Rated: R In The International, a gripping thriller, Interpol Agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) and Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts) are determined to bring to justice one of the world’s most powerful banks. Uncovering myriad and reprehensible illegal activities, Salinger and Whitman follow the money from Berlin to Milan to New York to Istanbul. Finding themselves in a high-stakes chase across the globe, their relentless tenacity puts their own lives at risk as their targets will stop at nothing – even murder – to continue financing terror and war. Directed by Tom Tykwer from an original screenplay written by Eric Warren Singer, The International was shot on location in Germany and throughout Europe   Defiance Starring: Daniel Craig, Alexa Davalos, Jamie Bell, Liev Schreiber, George McKay, ark Feuerstein Release Date: June 02, 2009 Rated: R Four Jewish brothers living in Nazi occupied Poland escape into the forest where they join up with Russian resistance fighters in battling the Nazis. Throughout the war they built a village inside the forest and saved the lives of more than 1200 other Jews. Based on a true story.   He's Just Not That Into You Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly Scarlett Johansson Bradley Cooper Ben Affleck Release Date: June 02, 2009 Rated: PG-13 Based on the wildly popular bestseller from "Sex and the City" scribes Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, "He's Just Not That Into You" tells the stories of a group of interconnected, Baltimore-based twenty- and thirtysomethings as they navigate their various relationships from the shallow end of the dating pool through the deep, murky waters of married life, trying to read the signs of the opposite sex... and hoping to be the exceptions to the "no-exceptions" rule.   Revolutionary Road Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, ichael Shannon, ,Kathy Bates, Ryan Simpkins, Zoe Kazan Release Date: June 02, 2009 Rated: R Frank and April, a married couple in the 1950s, have always seen themselves as special, different, ready and willing to live their lives based on higher ideals. So, as soon as they move into their new house on Revolutionary Road, they proudly declare their independence from the suburban inertia that surrounds them and determine never to be trapped by the social confines of their era. Yet for all their charm, beauty and irreverence, the Wheelers find themselves becoming exactly what they didn't expect: a good man with a routine job whose nerve has gone missing; a less-than-happy homemaker starving for fulfillment and passion; an American family with lost dreams, like any other. Driven to change their fates, April hatches an audacious plan to start all over again, to leave the comforts of Connecticut behind for the great unknown of Paris. But when the plan is put in motion, each spouse is pushed to extremes - one to escape whatever the cost, the other to save all that they have, no matter the compromises.   New in Town Starring: Renee Zellweger, Harry Connick Jr., j.K. Simmons, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, ces Conroy Release Date: May 26, 2009 Rated: PG A Miami businesswoman is transferred to rural Minnesota, and while she is there she re-evaluates her big-city values.   Valkyrie Starring: Tom Cruise,Kenneth Branagh,Bill Nighy,Tom Wilkinson,Stephen Fry,Carice van Houten,Eddie Izzard Release Date: May 19, 2009 Rated: PG-13 Based on the incredible true story of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Cruise) and his ingenious assassination plot targeting Adolph Hitler, this engrossing thriller reenacts the daring operation to eliminate one of the most evil tyrants the world has ever known.   Mall Cop Starring: Kevin James,Jayma Mays,Shirley Knight,Raini Rodriguez,Peter Gerety,Keir O'Donnell,Dylan Clark Marshall Release Date: May 19, 2009 Rated: PG A single, suburban dad tries to make ends meet as a security officer at a New Jersey mall. It's a job he takes very seriously, though no one else does. When Santa's helpers at the mall stage a coup, shutting down the megaplex and taking hostages (Paul's daughter and sweetheart among them), Jersey's most formidable mall cop will have to become a real cop to save the day.   Taken Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Katie Cassidy, Jon Gries, lilly Valance, Xander Berkeley. Release Date: May 12, 2009 Rated: PG-13 “I don’t know you who you are. I don’t know what you want. If you’re looking for a ransom, I can tell you, I don’t have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills acquired over a very long career in the shadows, skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that will be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don’t, I will look for you, I will find you. And I will kill you.” With these chilling words to a member of a band of kidnappers, former government operative Bryan Mills begins the longest 96-hours of his life – and the hunt for the fearsome organization that has taken his daughter Kim. Mills had only recently given up his government career as what he calls, a “preventer” – “I prevented bad things from happenings,” he says – to be near Kim, who lives with Bryan’s ex-wife Lenore and her new husband. To make ends meet, Bryan joins some former colleagues for special security details (like guarding a pop diva), but most of his time and energy are spent re-connecting with Kim. Bryan’s familial goal is nearly derailed when Kim requests his permission to spend time in Paris with a friend. All too aware of the dangers that could lie ahead for Kim in a foreign land, Bryan says no, but Kim’s disappointment leads him to very reluctantly relent. Bryan’s worst fears are realized when Kim and her friend Amanda are suddenly abducted – in broad daylight – from the Paris apartment at which they’ve just arrived. Moments before Kim is dragged away by the as yet unseen and unknown assailants, she manages to phone Bryan, who begins to expertly piece together clues that will take him to the darkness of Paris’s underworld, and to the City of Light’s plushest mansions. He will face nightmares worse than anything he experienced in black ops – and let nothing and no one stop him from saving his daughter.   Last Chance Harvey Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Liane Balaban, James Brolin, Kathy Baker, Richard Schiff Release Date: May 05, 2009 Rated: PG-13 New Yorker Harvey Shine (Dustin Hoffman) is on the verge of losing his dead-end job as a jingle writer. Warned by his boss (Richard Schiff) that he has just one more chance to deliver, Harvey goes to London for a weekend to attend his daughter’s wedding but promises to be back on Monday morning to make an important meeting — or else. Harvey arrives in London only to learn his daughter (Liane Balaban) has chosen to have her stepfather (James Brolin) walk her down the aisle instead of him. Doing his best to hide his devastation, he leaves the wedding before the reception in hopes of getting to the airport on time, but misses his plane anyway. When he calls his boss, he is fired on the spot. Drowning his sorrows at the airport bar, Harvey strikes up a conversation with Kate (Emma Thompson), a slightly prickly, 40-something employee of the Office of National Statistics. Kate, whose life is limited to work, the occasional humiliating blind date and endless phone calls from her smothering mother (Eileen Atkins), is touched by Harvey, who finds himself energized by her intelligence and compassion. The growing connection between the pair inspires both as they unexpectedly transform one another’s lives.   The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Starring: Brad Pitt,, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, Tilda Swinton, Elle Fanning, Julia Ormond Release Date: May 05, 2009 Rated: PG-13 “I was born under unusual circumstances.” And so begins “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards: a man, like any of us, who is unable to stop time. We follow his story, set in New Orleans from the end of World War I in 1918, into the 21st century, following his journey that is as unusual as any man’s life can be. Directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett with Taraji P. Henson, Tilda Swinton, Jason Flemyng, Elias Koteas and Julia Ormond, “Benjamin Button,” is a grand tale of a not-so-ordinary man and the people and places he discovers along the way, the loves he finds, the joys of life and the sadness of death, and what lasts beyond time.   The Spirit Starring: Gabriel Macht,Samuel L. Jackson,Scarlett Johansson,Eva Mendes,Paz Vega,Jaime King Release Date: April 14, 2009 Rated: PG-13 Adapted from the legendary comic strip, The Spirit is a classic action-adventure-romance told by genre-twister Frank Miller (creator of 300 and Sin City). It is the story of a former rookie cop who returns mysteriously from the dead as the Spirit (Gabriel Macht) to fight crime from the shadows of Central City. His arch-enemy, the Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson) has a different mission: he’s going to wipe out Spirit's beloved city as he pursues his own version of immortality. The Spirit tracks this cold-hearted killer from Central City’s rundown warehouses, to the damp catacombs, to the windswept waterfront... all the while facing a bevy of beautiful women who either want to seduce, love or kill our masked crusader. Surrounding him at every turn are Ellen Dolan (Sarah Paulson), the whip-smart girl-next-door; Silken Floss (Scarlett Johansson), a punk secretary and frigid vixen; Plaster of Paris (Paz Vega), a murderous French nightclub dancer; Lorelei (Jaime King), a phantom siren; and Morgenstern (Stana Katic), a sexy young cop. Then of course, there’s Sand Saref (Eva Mendes), the jewel thief with dangerous curves. She’s the love of his life turned bad. Will he save her or will she kill him?   The Day the Earth Stood Still Starring: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Kathy Bates, Jaden Smith, John Cleese Kyle Chandler Release Date: April 07, 2009 Rated: PG-13 renowned scientist (Jennifer Connelly) finds herself face to face with an alien called Klaatu (Keanu Reeves), who has traveled across the universe to warn of an impending global crisis. She quickly discovers the deadly ramifications of Klaatu’s claim that he is “a friend to the Earth.” Now she must find a way to convince the entity who was sent to destroy us that mankind is worth saving – but it may be too late.   Doubt Starring: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman Amy Adams, Viola Davis, Joseph Foster, Lloyd Clay Brown Release Date: April 07, 2009 Rated: R Set in 1964 at St. Nicholas Church in the Bronx, Fr. Brendan Flynn’s (Philip Seymour Hoffman) progressive views and charismatic presence have won him the respect and admiration of the congregation. At the parish school, principal Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep) keeps her students in line with old-fashioned fear and intimidation. When young Sister James (Amy Adams) shares with Sister Aloysius her concern that that Father Flynn has "taken an interest" in twelve-year-old Donald Miller (Joseph Foster), the school's "first Negro student," the older nun launches her own investigation. Determined to protect every one of her charges, Sister Aloysius attempts to use the evidence she discovers to have Flynn removed from the school. John Patrick Shanley’s finely shaded script takes audiences through a spectrum of truth, emotion and belief, and asks if any decision is ever free from doubt.   Bedtime Stories Starring: Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, Courteney Cox, Teresa Palmer, Guy Pearce, Richard Griffiths, Lucy Lawless Release Date: April 07, 2009 Rated: PG A family comedy about a guy (ADAM SANDLER) whose life changes when the lavish bedtime stories he tells his nephews start to magically come true.   Marley & Me Starring: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Alan Arkin, Eric Dane, Haley Bennett, Nathan Gamble, Haley Hudson, Lucy Merriam Release Date: March 31, 2009 Rated: PG As the snow falls on their wedding night, newlyweds John and Jenny Grogan (OWEN WILSON and JENNIFER ANISTON) decide to leave behind the harsh winters of Michigan and head south to begin their new lives in West Palm Beach, Florida. They obtain jobs as journalists at competing local newspapers, buy their first home, and begin to make their way through the challenges of a new marriage, new careers and, possibly, the life-changing decision to start a family. Unsure of his preparedness for raising children, John confesses his fears to his friend and fellow journalist Sebastian, who comes up with the perfect solution: John should get Jenny a puppy. "There's nothing to it," says Sebastian. "You walk 'em. You feed 'em, you let 'em out now and then." Then came Marley. The Grogans adopt the cute, twelve pound yellow Labrador, who in no time at all, grows into a 100-pound steamroller of unbridled energy that turns the Grogan home into a disaster area. He flunks obedience school, chews off dry-wall, takes a bite out of the sofa, overturns garbage cans, steals a Thanksgiving turkey, consumes pillows and flowers, drinks toilet water, and chases the UPS guy. Even a newly-purchased, expensive necklace isn't safe from Marley's voracious antics. Amidst the mayhem he generates through the years, Marley sees the Grogans through the ups and downs of family life, through job and home changes, and most of all, through the myriad challenges of a growing family. As John and Jenny come to realize, Marley - "the world's worst dog" - somehow brings out the best in them.   Bolt Starring: John Travolta (voice) Miley Cyrus (voice) Susie Essman (voice) Thomas Haden Church (voice) Susie Essman (voice) Chloe Moretz (voice) Diedrich Bader (voice Release Date: March 24, 2009 Rated: PG For super-dog BOLT (voice of JOHN TRAVOLTA), every day is filled with adventure, danger and intrigue -- at least until the cameras stop rolling. When the star of a hit TV show is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City, he begins his biggest adventure yet -- a cross-country journey through the real world. Armed only with the delusions that all his amazing feats and powers are real, and with the help of two unlikely traveling companions: a jaded, abandoned housecat named Mittens (voice of SUSIE ESSMAN) and a TV-obsessed hamster in a plastic ball named Rhino, Bolt discovers he doesn’t need superpowers to be a hero.   Twilight Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Reaser, Nikki Reed, Rachelle Lefevre, Justin Chon, Ashley Greene Release Date: March 24, 2009 Rated: PG-13 TWILIGHT is an action-packed, modern day love story between a vampire and a human. Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) has always been a little bit different, never caring about fitting in with the trendy girls at her Phoenix high school. When her mother remarries and sends Bella to live with her father in the rainy little town of Forks, Washington, she doesn’t expect much of anything to change. Then she meets the mysterious and dazzlingly beautiful Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a boy unlike any she’s ever met. Intelligent and witty, he sees straight into her soul. Soon, Bella and Edward are swept up in a passionate and decidedly unorthodox romance. Edward can run faster than a mountain lion, he can stop a moving car with his bare hands – and he hasn’t aged since 1918. Like all vampires, he’s immortal. But he doesn’t have fangs, and he doesn’t drink human blood; Edward and his family are unique among vampires in their lifestyle choice. To Edward, Bella is that thing he has waited 90 years for – a soul mate. But the closer they get, the more Edward must struggle to resist the primal pull of her scent, which could send him into an uncontrollable frenzy. But what will Edward & Bella do when James (Cam Gigandet), Laurent (Edi Gathegi) and Victoria (Rachelle Lefevre), the Cullens’ mortal vampire enemies, come to town, looking for her?   Quantum of Solace Starring: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Gemma Arterton, Jeffrey Wright Judi Dench, Giancarlo Giannini, Release Date: March 24, 2009 Rated: PG-13 Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal. Pursuing his determination to uncover the truth, Bond and M (JUDI DENCH) interrogate Mr. White (JESPER CHRISTENSEN) who reveals the organization which blackmailed Vesper is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined. Forensic intelligence links an Mi6 traitor to a bank account in Haiti where a case of mistaken identity introduces Bond to the beautiful but feisty Camille (OLGA KURYLENKO), a woman who has her own vendetta. Camille leads Bond straight to Dominic Greene (MATHIEU AMALRIC), a ruthless business man and major force within the mysterious organization. On a mission that leads him to Austria, Italy and South America, Bond discovers that Greene, conspiring to take total control of one of the world’s most important natural resources, is forging a deal with the exiled General Medrano (JOAQUIN COSIO). Using his associates in the organization, and manipulating his powerful contacts within the CIA and the British government, Greene promises to overthrow the existing regime in a Latin American country, giving the General control of the country in exchange for a seemingly barren piece of land. In a minefield of treachery, murder and deceit, Bond allies with old friends in a battle to uncover the truth. As he gets closer to finding the man responsible for the betrayal of Vesper, 007 must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists and even M, to unravel Greene’s sinister plan and stop his organization.   Elegy Starring: Penelope Cruz, Ben Kingsley, Patricia Clarkson, Dennis Hopper, Release Date: March 17, 2009 Rated: R Driven by Isabel Coixet’s visually assured and deeply observant direction, ELEGY charts the passionate relationship between a celebrated college professor and a young woman whose beauty both ravishes and destabilizes him. As their intimate connection transforms them—more than either could imagine—a charged sexual contest evolves into an indelible love story. With humanistic warmth, wry wit and erotic intensity, ELEGY explores the power of beauty to blind, to reveal and to transform.   Punisher: War Zone Starring: Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Julie Benz Kurt Sutter, Matt Holloway, Nick Santora Release Date: March 17, 2009 Rated: R Waging his one-man war on the world of organized crime, ruthless vigilante-hero Frank Castle sets his sights on overeager mob boss Billy Russoti. After Russoti is left horribly disfigured by Castle, he sets out for vengeance under his new alias: Jigsaw. With the "Punisher Task Force" hot on his trail and the FBI unable to take Jigsaw in, Frank must stand up to the formidable army that Jigsaw has recruited before more of his evil deeds go unpunished.   Cadillac Records Starring: Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Beyonce Knowles, Columbus Short, Gabrielle Union, Mos Def Release Date: March 10, 2009 Rated: R "Cadillac Records" chronicles the rise of Leonard Chess' (Adrien Brody) Chess Records and its recording artists including Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright), Little Walter (Columbus Short), Chuck Berry (Mos Def), Willie Dixon (Cedric The Entertainer) and the great Etta James (Beyonce Knowles). In this tale of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in Chicago of the 1950s and 60s, the film follows the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America's greatest musical legends.   Happy-Go-Lucky Starring: Sally Hawkins, Alexis Zegerman, Eddie Marsan, Sarah Niles, Kate O'Flynn, Andrea Riseboroug, Release Date: March 10, 2009 Rated: R From Academy Award nominated director Mike Leigh comes Happy-Go-Lucky, an irresistible cheerful, feel-great comedy about an irrepressibly optimistic young school teacher who always sees the glass half full.   Rachel Getting Married Starring: Anne Hathaway, Bill Irwin, Debra Winger Anna Deavere Smith, Rosemarie DeWitt, Mather Zickel Release Date: March 10, 2009 Rated: R Rachel Getting Married is a contemporary drama with an aggressive sense of humor about the return of an estranged daughter to the family home for her sister's wedding. Kym's (Hathaway) reemergence throws a wrench into the family dynamics, forcing long-simmering tensions to surface in ways both hilarious and heartbreaking.   Transporter 3 Starring: Jason Statham, Robert Knepper, Francois Berleand, Natalya Rudakova, Jeroen Krabbe, Alex Kobold, David Atrakchi Release Date: March 10, 2009 Rated: PG-13 Frank Martin has been pressured into transporting Valentina, the kidnapped daughter of Leonid Vasilev, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency for the Ukraine, from Marseilles through Stuttgart and Budapest until he ends up in Odessa on the Black Sea. Along the way, with the help of Inspector Tarconi, Frank has to contend with the people who strong armed him to take the job, agents sent by Vasilev to intercept him, and the general non-cooperation of his passenger. Despite Valentina's cynical disposition and his resistance to get involved, Frank and Valentina fall for each other, while escaping from one life-threatening situation after another.   Australia Starring: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, Bryan Brown, Jack Thompson, Bruce Spence Release Date: March 03, 2009 Rated: PG-13 AUSTRALIA is an epic and romantic action adventure, set in that country on the explosive brink of World War II. In it, an English aristocrat (Nicole Kidman) travels to the faraway continent, where she meets a rough-hewn local (Hugh Jackman) and reluctantly agrees to join forces with him to save the land she inherited. Together, they embark upon a transforming journey across hundreds of miles of the world's most beautiful yet unforgiving terrain, only to still face the bombing of the city of Darwin by the Japanese forces that attacked Pearl Harbor. With his new film, Baz Luhrmann is painting on a vast canvas, creating a cinematic experience that brings together romance, drama, adventure and spectacle.   Beverly Hills Chihuahua Starring: Piper Perabo, Drew Barrymore (voice),Jamie Lee Curtis,George Lopez (voice), Manolo Cardona Andy Garcia (voice), Cheech Marin (voice) Release Date: March 03, 2009 Rated: PG In the Disney comedy, SOUTH OF THE BORDER, a pampered Beverly Hills Chihuahua named Chloe (voice of DREW BARRYMORE) finds herself accidentally lost in the mean streets of Mexico without a day spa or Rodeo Drive boutique anywhere in sight. Now alone for the first time in her spoiled life, she must rely on some unexpected new friends—including a street-hardened German Shepherd named Delgado (voice of ANDY GARCIA) and an amorous pup named Papi (voice of GEORGE LOPEZ) -- to lend her a paw and help her to find her inner strength on their incredible journey back home.   Seven Pounds Starring: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson Michael Ealy, Woody Harrelson, Barry Pepper. Bill Smitrovich, Robinne Lee Elpidia Carrillo. Release Date: February 31, 2009 Rated: PG Will Smith stars as Ben Thomas, a man at a crossroads. He embarks on a journey to help change the circumstances of seven strangers who deserve a second chance in life. But when he opens his heart to a beautiful woman who needs his help, he risks everything he’s planned for one last chance at love.   High School Musical 3: Senior Year Starring: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, Olesya Rulin, Release Date: February 17, 2009 Rated: R “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” finds high school seniors Troy and Gabriella facing the prospect of being separated from one another as they head off in different directions to college. Joined by the rest of the Wildcats, they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about their future. With incredible new music and exciting dance numbers designed to take maximum advantage of the big screen, this motion picture extravaganza delivers plenty of high-energy entertainment from East High’s talented ensemble.   Body of Lies Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe,k Carice Van Houten, Vince Colosimo, Mark Strong, Release Date: February 17, 2009 Rated: R Based on Washington Post columnist David Ignatius\' 2007 novel about a CIA operative, Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio), who uncovers a lead on a major terrorist leader suspected to be operating out of Jordan. When Ferris devises a plan to infiltrate his network, he must first win the backing of cunning CIA veteran Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) and the collegial, but perhaps suspect, head of Jordanian intelligence. Although ostensibly his allies, Ferris questions how far he can really trust these men without putting his entire operation - and his life - on the line.   Miracle at St. Anna Starring: Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Laz Alonso, Omar Benson Miller John Turturro John Leguizamo Release Date: February 10, 2009 Rated: R MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA chronicles the story of four black American soldiers who are members of the US Army as part of the all-black 92nd “Buffalo Soldier” Division stationed in Tuscany, Italy during World War II. They experience the tragedy and triumph of the war as they find themselves trapped behind enemy lines and separated from their unit after one of them risks his life to save an Italian boy. Directed by Spike Lee from a screenplay written by James McBride, the author of the acclaimed novel of the same name, the film explores a deeply inspiring, powerful story drawn from true history, that transcends national boundaries, race, and class to touch the goodness within us all.   Nights in Rodanthe Starring: Diane Lane, Richard Gere, Scott Glenn, Christopher Meloni Mae Whitman Release Date: February 10, 2009 Rated: PG-13 Adrienne (Diane Lane), a woman still reeling from her husband's betrayal and struggling to rebuild a life without him, has just learned that he wants to come home. Torn by conflicting feelings, she welcomes the chance for escape when an old friend asks her to manage her inn in Rodanthe for a weekend. There, on a remote spot along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Adrienne hopes to find the tranquility she needs to rethink her life. It's the off-season and the inn would be shuttered but for the unlikely arrival of its solitary guest, Paul (Richard Gere), a doctor from the city. A man who long ago sacrificed his family to his career, Paul has come to Rodanthe to fulfill a difficult obligation and to face his own crisis of conscience. They are two strangers sharing the same roof. But as a major storm closes in, they turn to each other for comfort, and set in motion a life-changing romance that will resonate through the rest of their lives   Frozen River Starring: Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, Michael O'Keefe, Mark Boone Junior, Charlie McDermott Release Date: February 10, 2009 Rated: R Life in Massena is as harsh and barren as the frigid landscape. In this bleak terrain, two hardened single mothers are trying to make lives for their children. Lila is a widowed Mohawk whose mother-in-law "stole" her newborn son a year ago. Ray is a mother of two whose gambling-addicted husband just left town with the down payment for their new trailer home. Faced with little opportunity to make ends meet, Ray and Lila embark on an illegal venture transporting immigrants into the U.S. across Mohawk territory. With the money for the down payment within Ray's grasp, the women are determined to make one last run. When circumstances spiral out of control, the two women must make life or death decisions based on their friendship and love for their children   W. Starring: Josh Brolin, Richard Dreyfuss, Elizabeth Banks, Toby Jones, James Cromwell, Jeffrey Wright Release Date: February 10, 2009 Rated: PG-13 W. takes viewers through Bush's eventful life -- his struggles and triumphs, how he found both his wife and his faith, and of course the critical days leading up to Bush's decision to invade Iraq.   Blindness Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Julianne Moore, Gael Garcia Bernal, Danny Glover, Alice Braga Release Date: February 10, 2009 Rated: R A doctor's wife becomes the only person with the ability to see in a town where everyone is struck with a mysterious case of sudden blindness. She feigns illness in order to take care of her husband as her surrounding community breaks down into chaos and disorder. Based on a novel by Nobel Prize winner …   Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Starring: Ben Stiller (voice, Chris Rock (voice), Jada Pinkett Smith (voice), David Schwimmer (voice), Alec Baldwin (voice), Sacha Baron Cohen (voice) Release Date: February 06, 2009 Rated: PG-13 In the highly-anticipated sequel to Madagascar, Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria, King Julien, Maurice and the penguins and the chimps find themselves marooned on the distant shores of Madagascar. In the face of this obstacle, the New Yorkers have hatched a plan so crazy it just might work. With military precision, the penguins have repaired an old crashed plane—sort of. Once aloft, this unlikely crew stays airborne just long enough to make it to the wildest place of all—the vast plains of Africa, where the members of our zoo-raised crew encounter species of their own kind for the very first time. Africa seems like a great place…but is it better than their Central Park home?   Fireproof Starring: Kirk Cameron, Erin Bethea, Alex Kendrick, Ken Bevel Release Date: January 27, 2009 Rated: PG Lt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter's adage: Never leave your partner behind. Inside burning buildings, it's his natural instinct. In the cooling embers of his marriage, it's another story. After a decade of marriage, Caleb and Catherine Holt have drifted so far apart that they are ready to move on without each other. Yet as they prepare to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb's dad asks his son to try an experiment: The Love Dare. While hoping The Love Dare has nothing to do with his parents' newfound faith, Caleb commits to the challenge. But can he attempt to love his wife while avoiding God's love for him? Will he be able to demonstrate love over and over again to a person that's no longer receptive to his love? Or is this just another marriage destined to go up in smoke?   Lakeview Terrace Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington, Jay Hernandez, Eva La Rue, Bitsie Tulloch Release Date: January 27, 2009 Rated: PG-13 In Lakeview Terrace, a young couple (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington) has just moved into their California dream home when they become the target of their next-door neighbor, who disapproves of their interracial relationship. A stern, single father, this tightly wound LAPD officer (Samuel L. Jackson) has appointed himself the watchdog of the neighborhood. His nightly foot patrols and overly watchful eyes bring comfort to some, but he becomes increasingly harassing to the newlyweds. These persistent intrusions into their lives ultimately turn tragic when the couple decides to fight back   Pride and Glory Starring: Colin Farrell, Edward Norton, Noah Emmerich, Jon Voight, Lake Bell, Jennifer Ehle Release Date: January 27, 2009 Rated: R A gritty and emotional portrait of the New York City Police Department, the film follows a multi-generational police family whose moral code is tested when one of two sons on the force investigates an incendiary case involving his older brother and brother-in-law. The case forces the family to choose between their loyalties to one another and their loyalties to the department.   The Rocker Starring: Rainn Wilson, Christina Applegate, Emma Stone, Jeff Garlin, Josh Gad, Teddy Geiger Release Date: January 27, 2009 Rated: PG-13 In this rockin' mix of physical comedy, heart and garage band/power rock/heavy metal music, "The Office's" Rainn Wilson trades his paper company desk job for rock 'n' roll fame, taking on the role of a big, sweaty, out-of-control - and sometimes naked - drummer who gets a second chance at rock superstardom. He's joined by Christina Applegate ("Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy"), Jeff Garlin ("Curb Your Enthusiasm"), Josh Gad ("21"), pop star Teddy Geiger and Emma Stone ("Superbad").   RocknRolla Starring: Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Thandie Newton, Idris Elba, Chris Bridges Release Date: January 27, 2009 Rated: R When a Russian mobster orchestrates a crooked land deal, millions of dollars are up for grabs, and all of London's criminal underworld wants in on the action. Everyone from a dangerous crime lord to a sexy accountant, a corrupt politician and down-on-their-luck petty thieves conspire, collude and collide with one another in an effort to get rich quick. Gerard Butler stars as One Two, a street-smart mobster who has learned to play both sides of the fence. Two-time Oscar nominee Tom Wilkinson stars as the ruthless head mobster, Lenny Cole, part of London's old mob regime, which is quickly losing ground to the wealthier foreign mob. Thandie Newton stars as One Two's love interest, Stella, a smart and sexy accountant with ties to the underworld. Idris Elba stars as Mumbles, One Two's partner in crime and best friend. Chris "Ludacris" Bridges and Jeremy Piven star respectively as Mickey and Roman, two Americans trying to break into the music scene in London. Rounding out the main cast are Mark Strong as Archie, Lenny Cole's right-hand man, and Toby Kebbell as Johnny, a British punk rock star.   Max Payne Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Beau Bridges, Chris O'Donnell, Ludacris, Donal Logue Release Date: January 20, 2009 Rated: PG-13 Max Payne (Wahlberg) is a maverick cop with little regard for rules and nothing left to lose. Hell-bent on revenge, he's determined to track down those responsible for the brutal murder of his family, but his obsessive investigation takes him on a nightmarish journey where dark fantasy collides with stark reality. As the mystery deepens, Max is forced to battle enemies beyond the natural world... and face an unthinkable betrayal that will drive him to the edge of his own sanity.   Igor Starring: John Cusack (voice), Steve Buscemi (voice), Jeremy Piven (voice), Molly Shannon (voice), John Cleese (voice), Jennifer Coolidge (voice), Jay Leno (voice) Release Date: January 20, 2009 Rated: PG This hilarious animated twist on the classic monster movie is must-see family fun! Determined to prove he can create his own diabolical invention, a mad scientist’s (John Cleese) nice-guy assistant, Igor (John Cusack), creates a female Franken-monster. But his creation, Eva (Molly Shannon), is sweet and sings show tunes! That is, until she falls into the clutches of Dr. Schadenfreude (Eddie Izzard) and his shape-shifting girlfriend (Jennifer Coolidge). Now it’s up to Igor and his sidekicks (Steve Buscemi and Sean Hayes) to save Eva – and their country – from real evildoers, including sneaky Prince Malpert (Jay Leno)!   City of Ember Starring: Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau, Toby Jones, Marianne Jean-Baptiste Release Date: January 20, 2009 Rated: PG For generations, the people of the City of Ember have flourished in an amazing world of glittering lights. But Ember's once powerful generator is failing -- and the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker. Now, two teenagers in a race against time, must search Ember for clues that will unlock the ancient mystery of the city's existence, and help the citizens escape before the lights go out forever.   Saw V Starring: Meagan Good, Julie Benz, Tobin Bell, Scott Patterson, Costas Mandylor Release Date: January 20, 2009 Rated: R Hoffman is seemingly the last person alive to carry on the Jigsaw legacy. But when his secret is threatened, Hoffman must go on the hunt to eliminate all loose ends.   My Best Friend's Girl Starring: Dane Cook, Kate Hudson, Jason Biggs, Alec Baldwin Release Date: January 13, 2009 Rated: R Smart, beautiful and headstrong, Alexis is the girl of Dustin’s dreams. But after only five weeks of dating, the love-struck Dustin is coming on so strong that Alexis is forced to slow things down – permanently. Devastated and desperate to get her back, Dustin turns to his best friend, Tank, the rebound specialist. A master at seducing – and offending – women, Tank gets hired by freshly dumped guys to take their ex-girlfriends out on the worst date of their lives – an experience so horrible it sends them running gratefully back to their beaus.   Mirrors Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Paula Patton, Amy Smart, Jason Flemyng, Julian Glover Release Date: January 13, 2009 Rated: R Ben Carson (KIEFER SUTHERLAND) has seen better days. It's been nearly a year since the volatile detective was suspended from the NYPD for fatally shooting another undercover officer, an accident that not only cost him his job, but fueled the alcoholism and anger that has alienated his wife and kids and left him crashing on his sister's couch in Queens. Desperate to pull his life together and reconnect with his family, Carson takes a job as a night watchman at the burned-out ruins of the Mayflower department store. What once was a symbol of prosperity and grandeur now sits decaying in the darkness like a rotting ghost ship, destroyed by a massive fire that devoured numerous innocent lives. As Carson patrols the eerie, charred remains of the store, he begins to notice something sinister about the ornate mirrors that adorn the Mayflower walls. Reflected in the gigantic shimmering glass are horrific images that stun Carson. Beyond projecting gruesome images of the past, the mirrors appear to be manipulating reality as well. When Carson sees his own reflection being tortured, he suffers the physical effects of his fractured visions. Suddenly the troubled ex-cop finds himself battling his personal demons and the ones that have hijacked his reflection, tormenting him with convulsions, spontaneous bleeding and near suffocation. His sympathetic but skeptical sister Angela (AMY SMART) dismisses these bizarre "nightmares" as a consequence of his stress and guilt over the accidental shooting, but Carson's estranged wife Amy (PAULA PATTON), a no-nonsense NYPD medical examiner, is less forgiving. Her husband's increasingly erratic behavior frightens her, pushing his family farther away - and, she fears, it's putting their children in danger. But a much deadlier threat looms, trapped within the mirrors and reflective surfaces that pervade their everyday life. As Carson investigates the mysterious disappearance of a Mayflower security guard and its possible connection to his ghastly visions, he realizes that a malevolent, otherworldly force is using reflections as a gateway to terrorize him and his family. If he has any hope of saving his wife and children from a horrifying death, Carson must somehow uncover the truth behind the mirrors - and convince Amy to help him battle the greatest evil he has ever faced.   Appaloosa Starring: Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellweger, Jeremy Irons, Timothy Spall Lance Henriksen Release Date: January 13, 2009 Rated: R Set in 1882 in the Old West territory of New Mexico, "Appaloosa" revolves around city marshal Virgil Cole (Harris) and his deputy and partner Everett Hitch (Mortensen), who have made their reputation as peacekeepers in the lawless towns springing up in the untamed land. In the small mining community of Appaloosa, a ruthless, powerful rancher named Randall Bragg (Irons) has allowed his band of outlaws to run roughshod over the town. After the cold-blooded murder of Appaloosa's city marshal, Cole and Hitch are hired to bring the murderer to justice. While establishing new authority with equal parts grit and guns, Cole and Hitch meet provocative newcomer Allison French (Zellweger), whose unconventional ways threaten to undermine their progress and to destroy the two lawmen's decade-old partnership.   Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys Starring: Tyler Perry, Sanaa Lathan, Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard, Cole Hauser, Rockmond Dunbar Release Date: January 13, 2009 Rated: PG-13 Wealthy socialite Charlotte Cartwright and her dear friend Alice Pratt, a working class woman of high ideals, have enjoyed a lasting friendship throughout many years. Suddenly, their lives become mired in turmoil as their adult children's extramarital affairs, unethical business practices and a dark paternity secret threaten to derail family fortunes and unravel the lives of all involved. Alice's self-centered newlywed daughter Andrea is betraying her trusting husband Chris by engaging in a torrid affair with her boss and mother's best friend's son William. While cheating on his wife Jillian with a string of ongoing dalliances with his mistress Andrea, William's true focus is to replace the COO of his mother's lucrative construction corporation. Meanwhile, Alice's other daughter Pam, a kind but no nonsense woman married to a hard working construction worker, tries to steer the family in a more positive direction. While paternity secrets, marital infidelity, greed and unsavory business dealings threaten to derail both families, Charlotte and Alice decide to take a breather from it all by making a cross-country road trip in which they rediscover themselves and possibly find a way to save their families from ruin.   Swing Vote Starring: Kevin Costner, Madeline Carroll, Paula Patton, Kelsey Grammer, George Lopez Dennis Hopper Release Date: January 13, 2009 Rated: PG-13 SWING VOTE follows the story of Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner), an apathetic, beer-slinging, lovable loser, who is coasting through a life that has passed him by. The one bright spot is his precocious, over-achieving twelve-year-old daughter Molly. She takes care of both of them, until one mischievous moment on Election Day, when she accidentally sets off a chain of events which culminates in the election coming down to one vote...her dad’s. SWING VOTE is a comical look at the journey of one father and daughter who discover that everyone has the power to change the world.   Bangkok Dangerous Starring: Nicolas Cage, Charlie Young, Shahkrit Yamnarm, James With, Panward Hemmanee Release Date: January 06, 2009 Rated: R As a hired assassin, Joe (Nicolas Cage) is the best in the business, but the years of stone-cold murder have taken their toll. Joe's plan to make this current assignment in Bangkok his last takes a wild turn when he violates one of the most important rules of the game. Now the hunter is the hunted in this hard-driving, action-packed thriller.   Righteous Kill Starring: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Curtis Jackson, Carla Gugino, John Leguizamo, Donnie Wahlberg Release Date: January 06, 2009 Rated: R After 30 years as partners in the pressure cooker environment of the NYPD, highly decorated detectives "Turk" (De Niro) and "Rooster" (Pacino) should be ready for retirement. But, before they can hang up their badges, they are called in to investigate the murder of a notorious pimp, which appears to have ties to a case they solved years before.   Babylon A.D. Starring: Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, Gerard Depardieu, Charlotte Rampling Release Date: January 06, 2009 Rated: PG-13 It is the not-too-distant future. Thousands of satellites scan, observe and monitor our every move. Much of the planet is a war zone; the rest, a collection of wretched way stations, teeming megalopolises, and vast wastelands punctuated by areas left radioactive from nuclear meltdowns. It is a world made for hardened warriors, one of whom, a mercenary known only as Toorop (Vin Diesel), lives by a simple survivor's code: kill...or be killed. His latest assignment has him smuggling a young woman named Aurora from a convent in Kazakhstan to New York City.   Pineapple Express Starring: James Franco, Seth Rogen, Danny R. McBride, Amber Heard, James Remar, Bill Hader, Rosie Perez Release Date: January 06, 2009 Rated: R Lazy stoner Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) has only one reason to visit his equally lazy dealer Saul Silver (James Franco): to purchase weed, specifically, a rare new strain called Pineapple Express. But when Dale becomes the only witness to a murder by a crooked cop (Rosie Perez) and the city's most dangerous drug lord (Gary Cole), he panics and dumps his roach of Pineapple Express at the scene. Dale now has another reason to visit Saul: to find out if the weed is so rare that it can be traced back to him. And it is. As Dale and Saul run for their lives, they quickly discover that they're not suffering from weed-fueled paranoia; incredibly, the bad guys really are hot on their trail and trying to figure out the fastest way to kill them both. All aboard the Pineapple Express.   EAGLE EYE Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Rosario Dawson, Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Chiklis, Anthony Mackie Release Date: December 27, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Jerry Shaw (LaBeouf) and Rachel Holloman (Monaghan) are two strangers thrown together by a mysterious phone call from a woman they have never met. Threatening their lives and family, she pushes Jerry and Rachel into a series of increasingly dangerous situations – using the technology of everyday life to track and control their every move. As the situation escalates, these two ordinary people become the country's most wanted fugitives, who must work together to discover what is really happening – and more importantly, why.   Traitor Starring: Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Jeff Daniels, Neal McDonough, Archie Panjabi Release Date: December 19, 2008 Rated: PG-13 A rogue former US Special forces operative is aiding terrorists to carry out acts against the West; however, it’s unclear where the man’s loyalties lie.   Mamma Mia! The Movie Starring: Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski Release Date: December 16, 2008 Rated: PG-13 An independent, single mother who owns a small hotel on an idyllic Greek island, Donna (Streep) is about to let go of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), the spirited daughter she’s raised alone. For Sophie’s wedding, Donna has invited her two lifelong best girlfriends—practical and no-nonsense Rosie (Julie Walters) and wealthy, multi-divorcee Tanya (Christine Baranski)—from her one-time backing band, Donna and the Dynamos. But Sophie has secretly invited three guests of her own. On a quest to find the identity of her father to walk her down the aisle, she brings back three men from Donna’s past to the Mediterranean paradise they visited 20 years earlier. Over 24 chaotic, magical hours, new love will bloom and old romances will be rekindled on this lush island full of possibilities. Inspired by the storytelling magic of ABBA’s songs from “Dancing Queen” and “S.O.S.” to “Money, Money, Money” and “Take a Chance on Me,” Mamma Mia! is a celebration of mothers and daughters, old friends and new family found.   The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Starring: Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello, Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh, Luke Ford Release Date: December 16, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Explorer Rick O'Connell to combat the resurrected Han Emperor in an epic that races from the catacombs of ancient China high into the frigid Himalayas. Rick is joined in this all-new adventure by son Alex, wife Evelyn and her brother, Jonathan. And this time, the O'Connells must stop a mummy awoken from a 2,000-year-old curse who threatens to plunge the world into his merciless, unending service. Doomed by a double-crossing sorceress to spend eternity in suspended animation, China's ruthless Dragon Emperor and his 10,000 warriors have laid forgotten for eons, entombed in clay as a vast, silent terra cotta army. But when dashing adventurer Alex O'Connell is tricked into awakening the ruler from eternal slumber, the reckless young archaeologist must seek the help of the only people who know more than he does about taking down the undead: his parents. As the monarch roars back to life, our heroes find his quest for world domination has only intensified over the millennia. Striding the Far East with unimaginable supernatural powers, the Emperor Mummy will rouse his legion as an unstoppable, otherworldly force... unless the O'Connells can stop him first.   The Dark Knight Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman Release Date: December 09, 2008 Rated: PG-13 The follow-up to the action hit "Batman Begins," "The Dark Knight" reunites director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale, who reprises the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in his continuing war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham for good. The triumvirate proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as the Joker, who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces the Dark Knight ever closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante.   Horton Hears a Who! Starring: Jim Carrey (voice), Steve Carell (voice), Carol Burnett (voice), Isla Fisher (voice), Dane Cook (voice) Release Date: December 09, 2008 Rated: G With his signature evocative and rhyming text, writer and cartoonist Dr. Seuss, an American treasure whose books have delighted generations of young people, opens one of his most beloved tales, Horton Hears a Who! Now, over fifty years since Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, published this perennial favorite, the makers of ICE AGE and comedy giants Jim Carrey and Steve Carell, bring it to life in a way never before experienced. For the first time, a motion picture transports audiences into Dr. Seuss' incredible imagination, through state-of-the-art CG animation. DR. SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO! is Seuss as you want to experience his work at the movies - and as it was meant to be seen.   The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Starring: Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell Release Date: December 02, 2008 Rated: PG Based on the second novel in C.S. Lewis's beloved CHRONICLES OF NARNIA series, PRINCE CASPIAN finds the four Pevensie children--Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edmund (Skandar Keynes), and Lucy (Georgie Henley)--once again whisked away from WWII-era England into the realm of Narnia, where the siblings once ruled as royalty. However, the Pevensies soon discover that 1,300 years have passed since they left, and the world is now controlled by the Telmarines, humans who long ago banished the magical creatures of Narnia to the wilderness. When the heir to the Telmarine throne, Caspian (Ben Barnes), survives an assassination attempt plotted by his scheming uncle, Miraz (Sergio Castellitto), the noble youth stumbles across Narnia's exiled enchanted population, and decides to lead them in an uprising, aided by Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. Considerably darker and more action-packed than THE LION, THE WITCH & THE WARDROBE, this 2008 sequel, once again directed by Andrew Adamson, is driven by the struggle between the Telmarines and the banished Narnians, resulting in many fierce battle sequences. While the newcomer Barnes and the established quartet of Moseley, Popplewell, Keynes, and Henley are all in fine form, CASPIAN is largely enhanced by its supporting cast, which includes indie mainstay Peter Dinklage as the dour dwarf Trumpkin and revered British comedian Eddie Izzard as the voice of the swashbuckling mouse Reepicheep. Also briefly reprising their roles from the previous film are Liam Neeson, as the voice of Aslan, and Tilda Swinton, as the White Witch, actors who bring their familiar personas to this engaging and entertaining second chapter in the NARNIA saga.   Step Brothers Starring: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Mary Steenburgen, Richard Jenkins Release Date: December 02, 2008 Rated: R While nearly all Will Ferrell's films are enjoyable on some level, they tend to fire on all cylinders when Adam McKay is involved. McKay co-wrote and directed ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY and TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY, two of Ferrell's most popular and consummately hilarious films. McKay reteamed with not only Ferrell for STEP BROTHERS, but also Ferrell's co-star in TALLADEGA NIGHTS, John C. Reilly (who has steadily proven himself to be one of Hollywood's most versatile actors); and though STEP BROTHERS may be the most threadbare of the three movies on which the duo have collaborated, it's arguably their best. The plot is about as simple as they come: Brennan Huff (Ferrell) and Dale Doback (Reilly) are deadbeat man-children thrown together when the single parents with whom they live marry. The two initially despise one another, but become fast friends over a shared love of ninjas, COPS, porno mags, and the comforts of living in the fantasy world of a prolonged adolescence. What makes STEPBROTHERS so much fun, however, has nothing to do with story or script; rather, it's McKay's foresight to step back and let Ferrell and Reilly run wild. The duo kick and punch, fart and burp, laugh and cry, yet somehow elevate such banalities to a level of grotesque poetry, hitting upon what feels like an entirely new comedic language. When the pair act like children, they are not presenting themselves as immature adults, but are literally acting like children, meticulously duplicating everything from the fears and concerns to the speech patterns and awkward physicality of children. It sounds simple enough, but it requires a dexterity and sense of timing and delivery that is actually quite amazing. In the end, STEP BROTHERS is really nothing more than an absurd comedy; then again, isn't that what they called WAITING FOR GODOT?   Wanted Starring: James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Thomas Kretschmann Release Date: December 02, 2008 Rated: R Based upon Mark Millar’s explosive graphic novel series and helmed by stunning visualist director Timur Bekmambetov—creator of the most successful Russian film franchise in history, the Night Watch series—Wanted tells the tale of one apathetic nobody’s transformation into an unparalleled enforcer of justice. In 2008, the world will be introduced to a hero for a new generation: Wesley Gibson. 25-year-old Wes (James McAvoy) was the most disaffected, cube-dwelling drone the planet had ever known. His boss chewed him out hourly, his girlfriend ignored him routinely and his life plodded on interminably. Everyone was certain this disengaged slacker would amount to nothing. There was little else for Wes to do but wile away the days and die in his slow, clock-punching rut. Until he met a woman named Fox (Angelina Jolie). After his estranged father is murdered, the deadly sexy Fox recruits Wes into the Fraternity, a secret society that trains Wes to avenge his dad’s death by unlocking his dormant powers. As she teaches him how to develop lightning-quick reflexes and phenomenal agility, Wes discovers this team lives by an ancient, unbreakable code: carry out the death orders given by fate itself. With wickedly brilliant tutors—including the Fraternity’s enigmatic leader, Sloan (Morgan Freeman)—Wes grows to enjoy all the strength he ever wanted. But, slowly, he begins to realize there is more to his dangerous associates than meets the eye. And as he wavers between newfound heroism and vengeance, Wes will come to learn what no one could ever teach him: he alone controls his destiny.   The X-Files: I Want to Believe Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Peet, Xzibit Release Date: December 02, 2008 Rated: PG-13 THE X-FILES(TM): I WANT TO BELIEVE is a new motion picture based on the phenomenally popular, award-winning series The X-Files. Long-anticipated, the film reunites series stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson under the direction of series creator Chris Carter, who co-wrote the screenplay with Frank Spotnitz. In grand The X-Files tradition, the film's storyline is being kept under wraps, known only to top studio brass and the project's principal actors and filmmakers. This much can be revealed: The supernatural thriller is a stand-alone story in the tradition of some of the show's most acclaimed and beloved episodes, and takes the always-complicated relationship between Fox Mulder (Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Anderson) in unexpected directions. Mulder continues his unshakable quest for the truth, and Scully, the passionate, ferociously intelligent physician, remains inextricably tied to Mulder's pursuits. Months after shooting had wrapped, Carter remained as circumspect about the story as he was during its development and production. "Mulder and Scully are drawn back into the world of the X-Files by a case," is all he'll add about the plot. Perhaps more clues...to something....can be found in the film's title. "I Want to Believe" is a familiar phrase for fans of the series; it was the slogan on a poster that Mulder had hanging in his office at the FBI. "It's a natural title," says Chris Carter. "It's a story that involves the difficulties in mediating faith and science. It really does suggest Mulder's struggle with his faith." Carter is much more revealing about his goals for the film. "Simply put, we want to scare the pants off of everyone in the audience," he says. While the scale and scope inherent in the medium of film allowed the filmmakers to take the story and characters where the show couldn't go, Carter says THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE also marks a return to the series' roots, when it was the lone beacon on television for fans of thrillers, supernatural tales, and of horror stories. "The film encompasses all the best things people loved about the show. It's scary, creepy, and has a good mystery. With The X-Files, we often scared people by what they didn't show, and we use that device for the movie." Adds writer-producer Frank Spotnitz: "I think the best part of The X-Files was that it could make you afraid of anything. They didn't tell typical horror stories or adhere to popular genre conventions. And this movie is in that tradition of showing things that you would not see in most scary movies." Unlike the first The X-Files motion picture, released in 1998, Carter and Spotnitz's story for THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE does not require audiences to understand the series' complex mythology that stretched across its nine seasons on the air. "The first movie was kind of an epic episode of the show, but THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE is a real, stand-alone movie," explains Carter. "If the show hadn't existed, this is a story that still would have found its way to the big screen."   Hellboy II Starring: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Luke Goss Release Date: November 25, 2008 Rated: PG-13 HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY begs any number of referential mash-ups to be used as description of its outlandish tonal and stylistic qualities. It's a little like a romantic and sophisticated live-action Ninja Turtles movie imbued with a cracked version of H.P. Lovecraft's monster storytelling. It's a feature-length version of STAR WARS's Mos Eisley Cantina mixed with a scrappy, proficient passion for creature design reminiscent of Ray Harryhausen. It's also kind of director/co-writer Guillermo del Toro's HELLBOY (2004) wrapped in a blanket of his PAN'S LABYRINTH. This sequel is all these things, but none of them can accurately capture the singularity of a movie which, in some ways, stands alone in its ability to capture the crass and literary luridness of reading a comic book. It's filled with gross creatures bursting with humanity, dark poetry, and slapstick comedy; in one scene, an argument between Hellboy and Johann Krauss, a formless gas contained in a mobilized suit, escalates to the point of Tom-&-Jerry-like violence. As Hellboy himself, a heartfelt anti-hero who regularly eliminates supernatural threat as an agent for the U.S. Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense alongside girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair) and comrade Abe Sapien, Ron Perlman again embodies the role with the kind of pathos and humor that one can only expect from a horned, red-skinned Hell-spawn who loves kittens and acts like a hardboiled detective who happens to watch TV and drink a lot of canned beer. HELLBOY II's rather interesting antagonist, Prince Nuada, isn't just an evil dude. In the mold of the complex villains typically found in Hayao Miyazaki's animated fairy tales, his intentions of restoring control over Earth to an Elvish race by regaining the key to unlock the indestructible Golden Army are at least based on a legitimately noble sentiment before megalomania kicks in.   Space Chimps Starring: Andy Samberg, Cheryl Hines, Jeff Daniels, Patrick Warburton Release Date: November 25, 2008 Rated: G Circus monkey Ham III (voiced by Andy Samberg) works in a circus where he's regularly shot from a canon but he still lives in the shadow of his father's legacy (Ham I was the first chimp shot into space in 1961). A natural born rebel against authority, Ham the third is initially reluctant to go on a dangerous space mission to rescue a lost space probe, but away he goes, for lots of RIGHT STUFF-style astro-training alongside two highly prepared chimps, Luna and Titan (Cheryl Hines and Patrick Warburton). NASA's by-the-book methods jar with Ham's mischief-making of course, but once the space training ends, the mission begins, with myriad dangers along the way, including: a big-toothed monster and a run amok alien named Zartog (Jeff Daniels) whose harnessed the previous space probe for world-domination purposes, all good opportunities for Ham III to redeem himself. Despite all the fangs, parents shouldn't worry too much; not a hair on any chimp is seriously singed, and along the pratfall strewn way there's time for lessons about responsibility and realization of one's full potential. While the animation here is not quite up to Pixar level, it's still pretty and colorful, with a pleasing Candyland quality to the alien planet surface. Samberg brings a savvy zest to his vocal duties as the Ham, Stanley Tucci is a nefarious senator and--getting big laughs with flawlessly deadpan elan--Patrick Breen as one of the trio of egghead scientists. Kird De Micco directed; based on the computer video game.   Hancock Starring: Will Smith, Jason Bateman, Charlize Theron, Eddie Marsan Release Date: November 25, 2008 Rated: PG-13 There are heroes… there are superheroes… and then there’s Hancock (Will Smith). With great power comes great responsibility – everyone knows that – everyone, that is, but Hancock. Edgy, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood, Hancock’s well-intentioned heroics might get the job done and save countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw-dropping damage in their wake. The public has finally had enough – as grateful as they are to have their local hero, the good citizens of Los Angeles are wondering what they ever did to deserve this guy. Hancock isn’t the kind of man who cares what other people think – until the day that he saves the life of PR executive Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), and the sardonic superhero begins to realize that he may have a vulnerable side after all. Facing that will be Hancock’s greatest challenge yet – and a task that may prove impossible as Ray’s wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), insists that he’s a lost cause.   Tropic Thunder Starring: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey, Brandon T. Jackson Release Date: November 18, 2008 Rated: R When the box office champ Ben Stiller's comedic performances aren't a variation on a soft-spoken, put-upon everyman with an eventual fuse, he's usually playing a full-blown absurdist monster with an apoplectic Napoleon complex. These bizarre creations usually adorn films in which the funnyman provides the supporting work (DODGEBALL, HEAVYWEIGHTS), but, whenever he's directing, he's free to build an entire filmic universe around his asinine, ludicrously funny, culture-skewering characters and premises. His ZOOLANDER (2001) bit at the entertainment industry with silly abandon, but Stiller has firmly set TROPIC THUNDER within the realm of sophisticated Hollywood satire. In it, a desperate director named Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) trying to make a Vietnam war movie drops his pampered actors into the heart of the jungle. Cockburn's stars include Stiller as an action hero who's starting to make bad career choices, Jack Black as an insecure low-brow comedy star going through heroin withdrawals, and Robert Downey Jr. as an Australian Oscar winner so lost in his "craft" he underwent a procedure to become black for his role. In the jungle, they remain under the delusion that they are still being filmed even after they encounter a dangerous gang of druglords. The film's basic premise has popped up several times since Hollywood's 1970s golden age in films such as THREE AMIGOS! and GALAXY QUEST. Where those films simply blanketed a classic Overconfident Bumbling Idiot comedy showcase with a pop culture lexicon, however, TROPIC THUNDER could have only been made, as on-the-nose at is, by people who have been working in the Hollywood system for years, making cutting observations along the way. Simply put, this raucous satire knows big-budget filmmaking, the delusional narcissism of actors, and even the good points of those actors--perhaps why they're celebrated--like the back of its hand   The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants: 2 Starring: Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Blake Lively Release Date: November 18, 2008 Rated: PG-13 In this follow-up to THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS, the four heroines find themselves drifting apart the summer after their first year of college. Quirky Tibby (Amber Tamblyn, JOAN OF ARCADIA) is stuck taking summer school classes at NYU, while the commitment-phobe in her struggles with her relationship with Brian (Leonardo Nam). Independent Bridget (Blake Lively, GOSSIP GIRL) takes a break from playing soccer at Brown University to work on an archaeological dig in Turkey. Quiet Lena (Alexis Bledel, GILMORE GIRLS) still misses her Greek love, Kostos (Michael Rady), but her drawing classes at the Rhode Island School of Design--and the man she meets there--keep her distracted. Meanwhile Carmen (America Ferrera, UGLY BETTY), who had hoped to spend her summer with her best friends, begins working at a Vermont theater festival with some surprising results. As each of them takes her turn wearing the magical pants of the first film, they realize that it isn't just distance that is separating them. For fans of the Ann Brashares's novels on which this film and its predecessor are based, THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS 2 presents a welcome reunion with beloved characters. These are four well-drawn (and well-cast) young women who experience real problems that add depth to the film's comedy. But even with the drama, this is more GILMORE GIRLS than GOSSIP GIRL. Though there's plenty of talk of love à la SEX AND THE CITY, Tibby, Bridget, Lena, and Carmen have issues and identities outside of the men in their lives. But that doesn't mean that there isn't space for squeals and sighs when things do go right for the girls romantically.   Star Wars: The Clone Wars Starring: Ian Abercrombie, Anthony Daniels, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee Release Date: November 11, 2008 Rated: PG On the front lines of an intergalactic struggle between good and evil, fans young and old will join such favorite characters as Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padmé Amidala, along with brand-new heroes like Anakin’s padawan learner, Ahsoka. Sinister villains – led by Palpatine, Count Dooku and General Grievous – are poised to rule the galaxy. Stakes are high, and the fate of the Star Wars universe rests in the hands of the daring Jedi Knights. Their exploits lead to the action-packed battles and astonishing new revelations that fill STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS.   Kung Fu Panda Starring: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan Release Date: November 08, 2008 Rated: PG "Kung Fu Panda" features Jack Black as Po the Panda, a lowly waiter in a noodle restaurant, who is a kung fu fanatic but whose shape doesn't exactly lend itself to kung fu fighting. In fact, Po's defining characteristic appears to be that he is the laziest of all the animals in ancient China. That's a problem because powerful enemies are at the gates, and all hopes have been pinned on a prophesy naming Po as the "Chosen One" to save the day. A group of martial arts masters are going to need a black belt in patience if they are going to turn this slacker panda into a kung fu fighter before it's too late.   Get Smart Starring: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway,Dwayne Johnson, Terence Stamp, Alan Arkin, James Caan Release Date: November 04, 2008 Rated: PG-13 The action comedy "Get Smart" sends CONTROL agent Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) on his most dangerous and important mission: to thwart the latest plot for world domination by the evil crime syndicate known as KAOS. It also happens to be his very first mission. When the headquarters of secret U.S. spy agency CONTROL is attacked and the identities of its agents compromised, the Chief (Alan Arkin) has no choice but to promote his ever-eager analyst Maxwell Smart, who has always dreamt of working in the field alongside his idol, stalwart superstar Agent 23 (Dwayne Johnson). Smart is partnered instead with the only other agent whose identity has not been compromised: the lovely-but-lethal veteran Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway). As Smart and 99 get closer to unraveling KAOS' master plan--and each other--they discover that key KAOS operative Siegfried (Terence Stamp) and his sidekick, Shtarker (Ken Davitian), are scheming to cash in with their network of terror. With no field experience and little time, Smart--armed with nothing but a few spy-tech gadgets and his unbridled enthusiasm--must defeat KAOS if he is to save the day.   Journey to the Center of the Earth Starring: Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem Release Date: October 28, 2008 Rated: PG This 2008 movie update of Jules Verne's classic sci-fi/fantasy novel uses the 1864 tale as a template, with its hero, scientist Trevor Anderson (Brendan Fraser), referring to his missing brother's notes on the novel. His nephew Sean (Josh Hutcherson) in tow, Anderson travels to Iceland to investigate his sibling's theories, enlisting a fellow scientist's daughter, Hannah (Anita Briem), as a guide. Soon the trio's Icelandic mountain trek descends into a cave and, then deeper still to, naturally, the center of the earth, where dinosaurs and other strange prehistoric creatures still dwell. After many dangerous encounters with the native flora and fauna, Trevor, Sean, and Hannah must find a way back to the surface or face being stranded miles below the earth's crust. Directed by Eric Brevig, a veteran Hollywood visual effects supervisor (MEN IN BLACK, THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW), JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH clearly delights in unveiling eye-catching CGI creatures and landscapes. Presented in some theaters in 3D format, the film features lunging beasts and vertigo-inducing visions, which are effective even in 2D, while Fraser, working in the same amiable vein as the MUMMY movies, provides a human focus amidst the special effects. For fans of the ever-likable Fraser and/or the JOURNEY story, there is plenty to enjoy in this effects-heavy adventure film.   Indiana Jones - Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Starring: Harrison Ford, Ray Winstone, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett Release Date: October 21, 2008 Rated: PG-13 When we last saw Indiana Jones on screen, it was 1938, and the world stood on the brink of war as Dr. Jones chased down evildoers to find the Holy Grail. Nineteen years later, he’s cracking his whip again, and many things have changed ... but some have remained the same. Again, the world is at a precipice, this time caused by the specter of nuclear annihilation, and Indy’s struggle is once again to ensure that a precious, mysterious object remains safe from those bent on destroying humanity   The Strangers Starring: Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Gemma Ward, Kip Weeks Release Date: October 21, 2008 Rated: PG-13 For his film debut, director Brian Bertino has crafted a fantastically creepy horror flick based on the very simple premise of strangers who come knocking late at night. Kristen (Liv Tyler) and James (Scott Speedman) have arrived at a secluded vacation home in the woods after attending a friend's wedding. It's four in the morning, and they're both tearful and emotionally exhausted after a disagreement about their relationship. As they awkwardly try to navigate the long night together, they are distracted by the sound of a heavy knock at the door. They open it to find a dazed young woman hidden in the shadows. Assuming she is lost, James sends her away, but Kristen is disturbed by the late-night visit. When James leaves to go on a drive and pick up some cigarettes, Kristen is left alone, and we watch her move through the huge house in a painfully eerie silence, all the while knowing that she is being watched. By the time James returns, Kristen is in hysterics, and together they must face the terrifying fact that they are indeed in grave danger. Both Tyler and Speedman give excellent, understated performances that lend the film a truly frightening edge of realism. The story's simplicity is a refreshing change from over-the-top torture films like SAW, and the violence in the film is minimal, and much of it off camera. THE STRANGERS also lacks any big-budget special effects. You won't find any CGI creatures or armies of zombies. The only monsters depicted here are the very real human kind, which is what leaves you thoroughly spooked and shaken, and ready to push a chair against your own front door.   The Incredible Hulk Starring: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, Tim Blake Nelson Release Date: October 21, 2008 Rated: PG-13 The explosive, action-packed adventure in one of the all-time most popular superhero sagas unfolds with a cure in reach for the world's most primal force of fury: THE INCREDIBLE HULK. We find scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) living in shadows, scouring the planet for an antidote. But the warmongers who dream of abusing his powers won't leave him alone, nor will his need to be with the only woman he has ever loved, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler). Upon returning to civilization, our brilliant doctor is ruthlessly pursued by The Abomination (Tim Roth)--a nightmarish beast of pure adrenaline and aggression whose powers match The Hulk's own. A fight of comic-book proportions ensues as Banner must call upon the hero within to rescue New York City from total destruction. And on June 13, 2008...one scientist must make an agonizing final choice--accept a peaceful life as Bruce Banner or the creature he could permanently become: THE INCREDIBLE HULK   The Happening Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Betty Buckley Release Date: October 14, 2008 Rated: R M. Night Shyamalan directs this thriller about a science teacher (Mark Wahlberg) who tries to escape with his wife and friend's daughter after an apocalyptic event. THE HAPPENING costars Zooey Deschanel and John Leguizamo.   The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie Starring: Mike Nawrocki, Phil Vischer Release Date: October 14, 2008 Rated: PG From the creators of 2002's wildly successful Jonah--A VeggieTales Movie comes a new story of heroism in the beloved VeggieTales' world, The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything Now, we follow the comic misadventures of three animated veggie pals who reluctantly set sail for adventure and discover that real heroes don't have to be tall, strong, handsome...or even human. Garrrrr! Working at the Pieces of Ate Dinner Theater is less than exciting when you're a busboy. For three moping misfits-- Elliot, Sedgewick and George (Larry the Cucumber, Mr. Lunt and Pa Grape)-all they dream of is the day when they can ditch their dishrags and take stage to star in the big pirate show. But with Elliot's timidity, Sedgewick's laziness and George's lack of self-confidence, it seems as if the day to prove who they really are will never come... Things are about to change when a mysterious ball drops from the sky and lands at the unlikely seafarers' feet. A "Helpseeker" sent from the past in search of heroes, the artifact sets in motion a series of events that drags the friends back to the 17th century--and into the belly of certain danger. The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything must each face their fears--becoming unlikely heroes in a battle to rescue a royal family from an evil tyrant, and themselves from living the life of common couch potatoes. The latest in a franchise that has sold more than 50 million units since its 1993 inception, The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything--A VeggieTales Movie continues the hit series' values-based lessons in teaching kids what it really means to be a hero.   Don't Mess With Zohan Starring: Adam Sandler, John Turturro, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Nick Swardson Release Date: October 07, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Dennis Dugan (BIG DADDY, HAPPY GILMORE) directs this comedy co-written by Adam Sandler, Judd Apatow, and Robert Smigel. Disco- and hummus-loving Zohan (Sandler) is the Israeli army's best weapon. He can single-handedly take out terrorists and swim like a dolphin, and still find time to charm the ladies. But this lethal weapon is tired of fighting Palestinian terrorists like the Phantom (John Turturro). He has bigger dreams: he wants to cut and style hair. Unfortunately, once Zohan arrives in New York City with a new look straight out of the 1980s and an assumed identity after faking his own death, his lack of experience gets him laughed out of salon after salon. Finally, Dalia (Emmanuelle Chriqui), a Palestinian salon owner, gives him a shot, and the older patrons love him. But just as Zohan is hitting his stride, Salim, a Palestinian New York City cabbie (Rob Schneider) recognizes him, and suddenly the Zohan's dream is in jeopardy. To confuse matters more, there is a Trump-like developer (Michael Buffer) who is trying to clear out the Manhattan neighborhood where Israelis and Palestinians peacefully coexist in order to build a mall. A bulked-up Sandler is amusing as Zohan, and this is Schneider's best performance in years. Despite the extreme stereotyping, there is an underlying message about the futility of war and fact that people really are, after all, just people. The film is peppered with brief appearances from a menagerie of celebrities, including Chris Rock, Dave Matthews, Charlotte Rae, Kevin James, John McEnroe, Mariah Carey, George Takei, and Bruce Vilanch. Lainie Kazan and Nick Swardson also star in this film as a mother and son who befriend the new immigrant   Forgetting Sarah Marshall Starring: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Bill Hader Release Date: September 30, 2008 Rated: R Nicholas Stoller's FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL is a romantic disaster comedy produced by the same team that made such hits as THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN and KNOCKED UP, headed by writer, director, and producer Judd Apatow. When he gets suddenly and unceremoniously dumped by his longtime girlfriend, television star Sarah Marshall (VERONICA MARS lead Kristen Bell), composer Peter Bretter (FREAKS AND GEEKS alum Jason Segel) is devastated. Miserably depressed, he seeks solace in tawdry one-night stands, but he is desperate to win Sarah back. On the advice of his stepbrother, Brian (SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE's Bill Hader), Peter heads off to Hawaii for a much-needed vacation, but he gets even more freaked out when he discovers that Sarah and her new beau, wild and wacky British singing sensation Aldous Snow (comedian Russell Brand), are staying there as well. Mired in sadness, Peter is befriended by hotel employee Rachel Jansen (THAT '70S SHOW's Mila Kunis), who encourages him to get back his life and pursue his own dreams, which include staging a Dracula musical with puppets. But Peter is blinded by his desire for Sarah even as he grows closer to Rachel and starts hanging out with some of the hotel's odder personalities, including Chuck (Paul Rudd), a drug-addled surf instructor, and Matthew (SUPERBAD's Jonah Hill), a drug-dealing restaurant worker obsessed with Snow. Segel, who gets fully naked several times in the film, wrote the screenplay, a sharp blend of comedy and drama, and is solid in his first major starring role. Stoller, making his feature-film directorial debut, gets the most out of his diverse cast and beautiful setting, especially Jack McBrayer and Maria Thayer as a newlywed couple having some bizarre sexual problems, and Billy Baldwin as Sarah's costar in the television show CRIME SCENE: SCENE OF THE CRIME. FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL is an outrageously funny yet touchingly sweet movie.   Iron Man Starring: Robert Downey, Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard, Shaun Toub Release Date: September 30, 2008 Rated: PG-13 For both comic book fans and those who can't tell the Green Lantern from the Green Arrow, IRON MAN is the type of summer blockbuster whose appeal lasts far beyond the season. Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark, a billionaire playboy and genius who puts as much effort into chasing skirts as he puts into chasing his next big idea. A trip to Afghanistan to sell weapons quickly devolves into chaos, and Stark finds himself at the mercy of a warlord who wants him to build a missile. Instead, Stark creates a powerful suit of armor, turning him into Iron Man and allowing him to escape. When he returns to America, his assistant Pepper Pots (Gwyneth Paltrow), friend Rhodey (Terrence Howard), and right-hand man Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) all marvel at the change in the man they knew. IRON MAN is the first film to be self-financed by Marvel Studios, and they should be proud of their freshman effort. They didn't take any obvious routes with choosing the cast or crew, and it pays off. Director Jon Favreau, who also has a small role in the film, is best known for directing ELF, but his first action-driven effort is nearly flawless. Casting Downey was gutsy but inspired: this is his first big action picture as well, but the wit he displays in films such as the cult hit KISS KISS, BANG BANG works perfectly for the character of Stark. IRON MAN features nods to its beloved source material, as well as to the classic animated series of the 1960s. But even for the uninitiated, this film provides an interesting entry into the Marvel superhero's universe. Audiences who keep watching after the credits have rolled will be rewarded with a bonus scene.   Leatherheads Starring: George Clooney, Renee Zellweger, John Krasinski, Jonathan Pryce Release Date: September 23, 2008 Rated: PG-13 From his casual charm to his cleft chin, George Clooney has frequently drawn comparisons to an actor of another age: Cary Grant. With his third directorial effort, the Oscar winner pays homage to the style of films that helped make Grant famous, such as BRINGING UP BABY and HIS GIRL FRIDAY. In 1925, when LEATHERHEADS takes place, professional football is a joke, especially when compared to its more respected college cousin. Teams across the country are folding, and player Dodge Connelly (Clooney) will do anything to keep his own team, the Duluth Bulldogs, from folding. The enterprising (read: scheming) Dodge steals Princeton star and war hero Carter Ruthford (John Krasinski, THE OFFICE) from his school, and soon the Bulldogs are winning, but it's the game of football that is the real champion as fans pack the stadiums. Meanwhile, reporter Lexie Littleton (Renée Zellweger) begins investigating Rutherford's past, thanks to a tip from one of the star's old war buddies that he may not be all he seems. The pre-regulation football is dirty, but it's far cleaner than the action when Dodge and Carter vie for Lexie's affections. From the classic Universal logo that opens the film, Clooney firmly sets his film in the sepia-toned past. His lightning-fast dialogue is certainly reminiscent of the repartee between Grant and costars such as Katharine Hepburn and Rosalind Russell. But as much as he owes to the screwball comedies of the 1930s and '40s, he also is mining the same vein that his frequent collaborators, the Coen Brothers, did in films such as THE HUDSUCKER PROXY and INTOLERABLE CRUELTY. Clooney's previous directorial efforts--CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND and GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK--were also both stylish films set in the past, but LEATHERHEADS is a more fun, mainstream work.   Sex and the City - The Movie Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis Release Date: September 23, 2008 Rated: R The silver-screen version of SEX AND THE CITY is sure to inspire lust, though it may not be after its sexy male cast. Instead, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and her friends wear enviable fashions from the industry's biggest names such as Zac Posen, Louis Vuitton, and, of course, Manolo Blahnik, and their gorgeous clothes--and accessories--threaten to steal the show. But for fans of the series' wit, drama, and sex, there's plenty to like in this romantic comedy filled with familiar characters. Though four years have passed since the events of the series, not much has changed as the film begins: Carrie and Mr. Big (Chris Noth) are happy as they search for an apartment, Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is blissful with her husband (Evan Handler) and adopted daughter, Samantha (Kim Cattrall) is still with actor Smith Jerrod (Jason Lewis), and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is trying to balance life as a mother, wife, and lawyer as she lives in Brooklyn with Steve (David Eigenberg). But Carrie and Big's apartment hunt leads them down the road to marriage, and the destination may not be quite everything Carrie hoped for. Though the film runs nearly two and a half hours, it flies by the way a marathon of episodes would for the devoted. Even minor characters from the show--Vogue editor Enid Frick (Candice Bergen), beloved Carrie pal Stanford Blatch (Willie Garson), and hyper wedding planner Anthony Marentino (Mario Canton)--make fan-pleasing appearances. SEX AND THE CITY is full of glitz, glamour, and giggles, but be sure to have a tissue nearby. These characters have become like friends to fans, and it's tough not to tear up when things don't go exactly as they'd hoped.   Run, Fat Boy, Run Starring: Simon Pegg, Thandie Newton, Dylan Moran, Hank Azaria Release Date: September 23, 2008 Rated: PG-13 DENNIS (Simon Pegg) is an ordinary guy. He's a little overweight and he smokes, but he's nice, charming and unassuming. However, five years ago, Dennis did something that wasn't so nice. On his wedding day to his pregnant fiancé LIBBY... DENNIS (Simon Pegg) is an ordinary guy. He's a little overweight and he smokes, but he's nice, charming and unassuming. However, five years ago, Dennis did something that wasn't so nice. On his wedding day to his pregnant fiancé LIBBY (Thandie Newton), Dennis did a runner. He just couldn't go through with it. He didn't think he was good enough for Libby, so instead of ruining her life, he ruined her big day. Now, five years later, Dennis realizes he made a big mistake. He's still in love with Libby. He still sees her all the time because of JAKE (Matthew Fenton), their five-year-old son, but all romantic ties have been severed. Libby's now seeing WHIT (Hank Azaria), a charming professional from the City, and Dennis takes an immediate dislike to him. Whit is casual, easy-going, successful and good with Jake; much to Dennis's annoyance. How can Dennis compete with him? In direct contrast to Whit's sleek lifestyle in the City, Dennis is a mere security guard for a ladies retail store. He doesn't earn much money and he's well behind on his rent, something which his landlord, MR GHOSHDASHTIDAR (Harish Patel), doesn't take lightly. Mr G's daughter MAYA (India de Beaufort) is particularly intent on evicting Dennis and replacing him with a much more reliable tenant. Compared to Whit's effortless abilities, everything Dennis attempts seems to end in disaster. Even when he wants to take Jake to see "Lord of the Rings: The Musical," he finds himself in trouble with the police for trying to buy from a ticket tout. There is no help forthcoming from Dennis' feckless best friend GORDON (Dylan Moran), whose life is just as much of a mismatch. Gordon's main sources of interest are the poker games held at the back of a piano store with a bunch of misfits: GROVER, CLAUDINE and MICKEY, overseen by the imperious VINCENT (Simon Day). Dennis feels demoralized and overwhelmed by Whit's long list of achievements. In a last-ditch effort to prove to Libby that he's changed his ways, Dennis impulsively announces at her birthday party that he will run in the same London Marathon that Whit has been training for. But does Dennis have the stuff to trade his cold feet for running shoes? RUN, FAT BOY, RUN is a romantic comedy that affirms that true love isn't a sprint, it's a marathon.   88 Minutes Starring: Al Pacino, Alicia Witt, Amy Brenneman, Leelee Sobieski Release Date: September 16, 2008 Rated: R In 88 MINUTES, Dr. Jack Gramm (Al Pacino), a Seattle-based college professor and forensic psychiatrist, is informed by an enigmatic caller that he has exactly that amount of time to live. The threat is linked to Gramm's role in putting a... In 88 MINUTES, Dr. Jack Gramm (Al Pacino), a Seattle-based college professor and forensic psychiatrist, is informed by an enigmatic caller that he has exactly that amount of time to live. The threat is linked to Gramm's role in putting a convicted serial killer (Neal McDonough) behind bars nearly a decade earlier, and sends the scholar/consultant on a desperate run to avert his imminent demise. Entering into Gramm's dangerous orbit are his dutiful assistant (Amy Brenneman), an FBI agent (William Forsythe), and his admiring young students (most notably Alicia Witt), all of whom add layers to the tense mystery. Shelved for years, 88 MINUTES was finally released in U.S. theaters during 2008, marking director Jon Avnet's first feature-film project since 1997's RED CORNER. (Avnet was brought in as a replacement for original helmer James Foley.) Pacino clearly knows his way around a thriller (see HEAT and INSOMNIA), and approaches his beleaguered character with typical gusto, while his costars, particularly Forsythe and Witt, also offer up energetic turns. Though the high-concept plot is secondary to Pacino's agitated performance, even those who drift from the storyline will appreciate the Hollywood veteran's over-the-top acting, especially if they are diehard fans of the iconic actor.   Speed Racer Starring: Emile Hirsch, Susan Sarandon, Christina Ricci, John Goodman Release Date: September 16, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Based on the 1960s Japanese-manga-derived animated TV series of the same name, SPEED RACER follows the adventures of the title character (Emile Hirsch), a young race car driver who sits behind the wheel of the lightning-fast Mach 5 vehicle. Aided by his family, which includes Pops Racer (John Goodman) and Mom Racer (Susan Sarandon), and his devoted doe-eyed girlfriend, Trixie (Christina Ricci), Speed racks up victory after victory, but still lives in the shadow of his late older brother, Rex (Scott Porter), who died in a race. When Speed garners the wrath of Royalton Industries, he must team up with the enigmatic Racer X (Matthew Fox) to defeat the ruthless corporation. Written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, the masterminds behind the MATRIX films, SPEED RACER replaces the gritty techno patina of that blockbuster series with a polished, brightly hued virtual reality. Though the eye-popping visuals threaten to eclipse the acting, the fine cast gamely makes the most of their green-screen environment, particularly the likable Hirsch, who won acclaimed for his decidedly different INTO THE WILD role, and LOST's always-noble Fox. Adding to the movie's giddy mood are Paulie Litt and his chimp companion, who provide comic relief as Speed's playful younger brother, Spritle, and Chim Chim, respectively. While definitely a case of style over substance, SPEED RACER is a movie meticulously designed to appeal to families and kids, especially the Spritle-like young ones.   The Love Guru Starring: Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, Romany Malco Release Date: September 16, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Love, hockey, and Indian spirituality come together in this film that marks Mike Myers's return to live-action comedy. THE LOVE GURU costars Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, and Ben Kingsley.   Made of Honor Starring: Patrick Dempsey, Michelle Monaghan, Sydney Pollack, Chris Messina Release Date: September 16, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Patrick "McDreamy" Dempsey leads this big-budget romantic comedy, making optimal use of his many swoon-inducing charms. Dempsey is Tom, a wealthy womanizer living the high life in New York City. He happily hops from bed to bed, living by a firm set of rules that keeps him from becoming romantically entangled with anyone. The only woman he makes time for is his dear college friend, Hannah (Michelle Monaghan), whom he sees weekly, and whom he adores. When Hannah suddenly takes off for Scotland on a job assignment, Tom misses her terribly, and has a dramatic realization about their relationship. He makes a plan to tell her about it as soon as she gets back, but of course she returns with a handsome Scottish fiancé (Kevin McKidd) in tow. To make matters worse, she informs Tom that she must make wedding plans rather quickly, and would he please, please, please be her Maid of Honor? In typical rom-com fashion, the tale quickly escalates into over-the-top, barely believable plot twists, forcing the viewer to turn a blind eye to any holes in the story and instead focus on the pretty clothes and Dempsey's dimples. It shifts into full-on fantasy mode, with rugged lads on horseback, Scottish castles, and gargantuan New York apartments that only Bill Gates himself could afford. Monaghan is likeable and lovely in her role as the confused bride, but the star here is undoubtedly Dempsey. Despite being cast as a slick Casanova, he still manages to exude the fumbling charm from his CAN'T BUY ME LOVE days. His non-threatening grin will likely be put on repeat at slumber parties everywhere, charming yet another generation of teenage girls.   Baby Mama Starring: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Greg Kinnear, Sigourney Weaver Release Date: September 09, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Most romantic couples--onscreen or otherwise--would kill for the type of chemistry that Tina Fey and Amy Poehler share in the gyno-centric comedy BABY MAMA, even though the women are only playing friends. Fey stars as Kate, a 37-year-old vice president at an organic foods company whose womb starts a-kickin' every time she sees a baby. Though her career has kept her from marriage and children, she has decided that it's time for her to get pregnant. But multiple tries with in vitro fertilization leave her disappointed, and Kate turns to a surrogate mother. Enter Angie (Poehler), a high-school dropout desperate for the large check that comes with carrying someone's child. Though she agrees to be Kate's surrogate, it's clear that the women disagree on everything from music to the type of food Angie should be eating. When Angie leaves her apartment after a fight with her obnoxious common-law husband (Dax Shepard, EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH), she moves into Kate's posh Philadelphia apartment, and the women spend the rest of BABY MAMA alternately battling and bonding. Steve Martin appears in a small but enjoyable role as Kate's oily boss, and Oscar nominee Greg Kinnear gets good mileage out of playing her love interest. WEEDS star Romany Malco earns a bit more screen time--and plenty of laughs--as her over-involved doorman, but this is clearly Fey and Poehler's film. After several seasons of co-anchoring SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE's "Weekend Update" together, the pair is reunited, and it feels good--for both the talented actresses and the audience. BABY MAMA pays less attention to the serious issues of pregnancy and motherhood than its baby-driven contemporaries--JUNO, WAITRESS, and KNOCKED UP--but this is simply a comedy, and a very funny one, that succeeds on the merits of its two lead actresses and their comedic talents.   The Forbidden Kingdom Starring: Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Michael Angarano, Crystal Liu Release Date: September 09, 2008 Rated: PG-13 East meets West and kung-fu legends collide as Jackie Chan and Jet Li square off in the fists-a-flying, family-friendly FORBIDDEN KINGDOM. Based on the classical Chinese novel JOURNEY TO THE WEST, the film begins in modern-day Boston. There, while teenage kung-fu flick enthusiast Jason (Michael Angarano) is buying bootleg DVDs from his favorite shopkeeper, Old Hop (Chan, aged by prosthetic makeup), he is drawn to an ancient golden staff. When a local bully forces weakling Jason to help rob Old Hop, Jason escapes with the staff and is magically transported to ancient China. He is soon rescued from the forces of the Jade Warlord by Lu Yan (Chan), a raggedy wanderer whose wine-guzzling ways conceal his kung-fu mastery. Yan reveals the truth of the staff, and that Jason is the fabled Seeker who must return it to the Monkey King (Li) to prevent the warlord's evil plans. The two are joined in their quest by a kung-fu master, Silent Monk (Li), and a beautiful orphan (Liu Yifei) who harbors her own personal vendetta. Despite their differences, the two masters teach Jason the ways of the kung-fu warrior. And when Lu Yan is gravely wounded by the warlord's sexy assassin, Jason must bring his newfound skills and courage to bear if he is to save one world and return to his own. Choreographed by action impresario Woo-ping Yuen (THE MATRIX, KILL BILL) and shot on location in China, FORBIDDEN KINGDOM is an appealing family adventure about the importance of working together and the value of believing in one's abilities.   Then She Found Me Starring: Helen Hunt, Bette Midler, Colin Firth, Matthew Broderick Release Date: September 02, 2008 Rated: R The move from actor to director can be a difficult one, but actress Helen Hunt makes the transition seem effortless with THEN SHE FOUND ME. Hunt, who also produced and cowrote the film, plays April Epner, a down-on-her-luck schoolteacher... The move from actor to director can be a difficult one, but actress Helen Hunt makes the transition seem effortless with THEN SHE FOUND ME. Hunt, who also produced and cowrote the film, plays April Epner, a down-on-her-luck schoolteacher who longs to have a child. April's chances of bringing a baby into the world are diminished when her husband, Ben (Matthew Broderick), leaves her, and more bad news follows when her adoptive mother dies. The beleaguered April subsequently forms an unexpected bond with her real mother, the overbearing TV host Bernice (Bette Midler), and takes tentative steps towards motherhood with a new man in her life, the bumbling Frank (Colin Firth). Hunt's film, which is based on the novel of the same name by Elinor Lipman, is likely to win over fans of classic rom-coms such as WHEN HARRY MET SALLY and YOU'VE GOT MAIL. At its heart the film poses some thoughtful observations on what a late-30s woman goes through when she is facing a possibly childless future. But Hunt also stirs some generous scoops of humor into the plot, providing light relief from her central character's plight, and also demonstrating her range as a writer/director. The cast members are uniformly excellent throughout, with Firth and Hunt giving strong performances that are helped along by a supporting cast that provides most of the comic relief. Hunt even finds time to provide a small role for the writer Salman Rushdie, who plays a doctor.   Married Life Starring: Chris Cooper, Pierce Brosnan, Patricia Clarkson, Rachel McAdams Release Date: September 02, 2008 Rated: PG-13 This melodramatic musing on the trials and tribulations of marriage features a small but talented ensemble cast that includes Patricia Clarkson, Chris Cooper, and Rachel McAdams. Set in 1949, the story opens into a picturesque, affluent suburb where Harry Allen (Chris Cooper) resides with his wife, Pat (Patricia Clarkson). But there's trouble brewing beyond the perfect picket fences. Harry has fallen deeply in love with a blonde beauty named Kay (Rachel McAdams). He confesses his secret to his longtime bachelor friend, Richard (Pierce Brosnan), and even introduces Richard to the lovely Kay. Unfortunately for Harry, Richard is instantly smitten, and makes up his mind that he will do whatever it takes to win Kay for himself. Harry, meanwhile, continues to plot ways to escape his marriage, though he fears leaving Pat will destroy her. He soon decides the most humane thing would be to dispose of her the old-fashioned way, with the aid of a little poison. While he debates on when to make his move, we learn that Pat actually has a few secrets of her own. Cooper and Clarkson both give charming, multi-layered performances, expertly revealing the tortured emotions that hide behind their well-mannered 1940s façades. The film's recreation of the era is mesmerizing in its detail, with gorgeous costumes and an elegant set design. MARRIED LIFE has all the ingredients for Hitchcockian thrills, including a delicate blonde bombshell and a methodical murder plot. Yet the film daintily dances between black comedy and noir thriller, leading to a tidy, if rather anticlimactic end. The movie keeps you on your toes, but some might find themselves longing for a bigger payoff by the time the credits roll.   What Happens in Vegas Starring: Cameron Diaz, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Dennis Farina, Michelle Krusiec Release Date: August 26, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher star as strangers who wake up a married couple after a crazy night in Las Vegas in director Tom Vaughn's (STARTER FOR 10) feature film. Joy (Diaz) is the type of woman who makes plans to make plans. She's expecting a marriage proposal, but her live-in boyfriend, Mason (Jason Sudeikis), has other ideas. When he dumps her, Joy heads to Vegas to forget her troubles with her friend Tipper (Lake Bell) and discovers her fun, spontaneous side. Unfortunately, she also wakes up with recently unemployed Jack (Kutcher) as her husband. The two quickly decide to divorce, but the plot thickens when Jack wins a $3 million slot jackpot using Joy's quarter. Since neither one of them wants to give up the cash, they each try to drive the other to file for divorce and give up the bounty. But love has a funny way of appearing when you least expect it, and in acting their worst, Joy and Jack actually bring out the best in each other. Diaz and Kutcher have nice onscreen chemistry and make a very photogenic couple. Treat Williams stars as Jack's difficult-to-please father, while Rob Corddry is Jack's best friend, Hater. Queen Latifah and Dennis Miller appear briefly as a marriage counselor and divorce court judge, respectively. The Vegas scenes are flashy and fun--just like Sin City--and the settings for the New York City scenes differentiate nicely between Joy's organized, structured life and Jack's less serious, happy-go-lucky attitude.   August Starring: Josh Hartnett, Naomie Harris, Adam Scott, Andre Royo, Emmanuelle Chriqui Release Date: August 26, 2008 Rated: R Josh Hartnett (30 Days of Night) stars in this drama from XX/XY director Austin Chick. Tom Sterling (Hartnett) finds that all aspects of his life are failing at once: he can't keep a romance with his girlfriend (Naomie Harris of the Pirates of the Caribbean series) alive, his business is going under, and his family continues to be a source of pain and struggle. Augustcostars David Bowie, Rip Torn, Adam Scott, and Emmanuelle Chriqui.   Redbelt Starring: Chjwetel Ejiofor, Tim Allen, Rodrigo Santoro, Emily Mortimer, Alice Braga Release Date: August 26, 2008 Rated: R Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor follows his turn in AMERICAN GANGSTER by taking the lead role in this thoughtful fight movie from writer/director David Mamet. Ejiofor plays Mike Terry, a man who runs his own Jiu-jitsu studio in Los Angeles. Terry's business is failing, causing tension between him and his wife, Sondra (Alice Braga). But their lives change drastically when Terry is compelled to come to the aid of an actor, Chet Frank (Tim Allen), during a bar fight. Frank befriends Terry and invites him to come and work as a consultant on a movie he is shooting. Just as Terry's fortunes seem to be changing, he finds himself caught up in a deceitful plan that has been carefully hatched by Frank's devious agent (who is played by Mamet regular Joe Mantegna). With his debts piling up, Terry decides to go against all his instincts and enter the competitive fighting world, where he stands to win a huge cash prize. But the good-natured fighter is in for a shock when he gets a close-up glimpse of the corruption that runs rife throughout the sport. REDBELT is full of the usual plot twists and fine performances that mark any Mamet movie. It's fascinating to watch the director draw on his longstanding passion for Jiu-jitsu to fill out the storyline, and Ejiofor does a convincing job as a man who draws on the discipline of the sport to stay calm during some testing times. As with many Mamet films, a series of cons are liberally sprinkled throughout the script, calling on viewers to remain alert as each strand of the storyline slowly unravels. The bulk of the movie is conversational, shying away from the action sequences that mark most fight movies, and making REDBELT an unusual and invaluable addition to the genre.   Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Starring: Miley Cyrus, Kenny Ortega, Billy Ray Cyrus Release Date: August 19, 2008 Rated: G Based on the hit Disney television show, HANNAH MONTANA/MILEY CYRUS: BEST OF BOTH WORLDS CONCERT TOUR 3-D provides dedicated fans an all-access pass to the Best of Both Worlds concert tour. Leaving behind character Miley Stewart, the concert instead splits time between pop phenom Hannah Montana and Cyrus, who assumes the role of Montana's "ordinary girl" alter ego. Footage of the concert is interspersed with numerous behind-the-scene vignettes. Among these are pre-tour rehearsals--orchestrated by HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL impresario Kenny Ortega--and a touching jam session with father Billy Ray Cyrus. Also included are ecstatic fan testimonials and the film's most humorous moment, in which fathers race each other in high-heeled shoes for the chance to win concert tickets and backstage passes. Montana/Cyrus is joined on stage by the Jonas Brothers, who whip up the crowd with their own brand of high-energy pop. The film employs most of its 3-D tricks in the opening credits then pulls back the reins to focus on giving viewers the next best thing to actually being at the show. Filled with fist-pumping anthems ("Girls Night Out," "Nobody's Perfect," and the title track), BEST OF BOTH WORLDS remains true to the television show's dual personality theme: through good times and bad, every girl is her own superstar. For fans and parents alike, it's a wholesome and empowering message wrapped up in pure infectious fun.   Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Starring: Frances McDormand, Amy Adams, Lee Pace, Ciaran Hinds, Shirley Henderson Release Date: August 19, 2008 Rated: PG-13 As in MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS and BEING JULIA, this period comedy brings wit and style to its depiction of 1930s London. Based on Winifred Watson's novel, MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY begins with the title character, a frumpy governess winningly played by Frances McDormand (FARGO), being turned away from her employment agency. After losing her job prospects and all her earthly possessions in a mishap, Guinevere Pettigrew isn't sure where her next meal is coming from. But some cleverness leads her to the door of aspiring actress Delysia Lafosse, a woman who needs a social secretary to juggle her three men: a nightclub owner (Mark Strong), a son of a theater producer (Tom Payne), and a piano player (Lee Pace). The first two offer her a chance at stardom, but the pianist can't give her anything but love. In a single day, Miss Pettigrew helps Delysia navigate the ever-stormy waters of love, while she learns that romance may not only be reserved for the young. With its witty script and jazzy score, MISS PETTIGREW may seem feather-light at times, but there's an undercurrent of sadness that gives the comedy a bit of weight. World War II is just about to come to London, and the echoes of the previous war still haunt those who can remember it. Unsurprisingly, McDormand gives a fantastic performance as the title character, but the effervescent Adams continues to surprise, even after turning in great work in JUNEBUG and ENCHANTED. As impressive as the two female leads are, there are some excellent performances from two male costars: Ciáran Hinds (MARGOT AT THE WEDDING) is perfectly warm as a lingerie designer Miss Pettigrew encounters, and Pace (PUSHING DAISIES) wins hearts as the faithful Michael. Costume designer Michael O'Connor also deserves praise for creating the film's eye-catching clothing.   Prom Night Starring: Brittany Snow, Idris Elba Release Date: August 19, 2008 Rated: PG-13 It's been three years since her family was murdered by a teacher obsessed with her, and Donna (Brittany Snow) is getting ready to go to the prom with her boyfriend, Bobby (Scott Porter). Now living with her aunt and uncle, Donna has just started having nightmares again about the tragedy, especially the part where she was hiding under the bed as she watched the teacher, Richard Fenton (Johnathon Schaech), kill her mother. On prom night, Detective Winn (Idris Elba), who handled the original case, is suddenly told that three days ago Fenton had broken out of the psychiatric hospital where he was imprisoned, and is now missing. With a strong suspicion that Fenton will be heading after Donna to fulfill what he believes is his destiny--to be with her--Winn and Detective Nash (James Ransone) go to the prom, which is being held in a lavish hotel, to keep their eyes on Donna and to watch out for Fenton. But Fenton is a crafty villain, already on another murderous rampage as he makes his way toward Donna, who he believes belongs to him and only him. Nelson McCormick's remake of the 1980 thriller PROM NIGHT, which starred scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis, has been completely reimagined by screenwriter J. S. Cardone. Instead of focusing on the body count and grisly methods of murder, McCormick--who has directed episodes of such hit television shows as E.R., COLD CASE, and HOUSE--delves more into the mind of the characters, especially Donna, Fenton, and Winn. The creepy mood is enhanced by cinematographer Checco Varese's shadowy photography and Paul Haslinger's eerie score. Dana Davis gives an excellent supporting performance as Donna's friend Lisa, who is determined to be named prom queen over snobby rich girl Crissy Lynn (Brianne Davis).   Smart People Starring: Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church, Ellen Page, Ashton Holmes Release Date: August 12, 2008 Rated: R Dennis Quaid stars as a bitter, washed out widower in SMART PEOPLE, a film that tackles the lives of several seriously unhappy people in surprisingly funny and touching ways. A hated literature professor at Carnegie Mellon, Lawrence Wetherhold has been earning the scorn of his students, colleagues, and family since the death of his wife several years ago. The only person on his side is his teenage daughter Vanessa (Ellen Page), whose loyalty and similarities to her father belie her tender age. Between running the Young Republicans club and aiming for a perfect SAT score, the over-achieving high school student knows no life beyond the insular world of family. When the film begins, the family dynamics are well established, with Lawrence merely going through the motions of his life, unable to muster up any passion for parenting or even his literary expertise. It takes a seizure, an unexpected visit from his adopted brother (Thomas Haden Church), and a new romantic interest (Sarah Jessica Parker) to shake things up and stir Lawrence from his constant misery. Driven by a clever script and fine performances, SMART PEOPLE is set in the land of academia, a place where both Lawrence and Vanessa have taken refuge and plunged themselves into as escape from the external world. In spite of their high IQs, both father and daughter are equally clueless when it comes to navigating relationships. This becomes obvious as Vanessa develops a line-blurring relationship with her uncle, and Lawrence stumbles in romancing his doctor. If Vanessa wants a shot at happiness and Lawrence wants to make things work in his love life, both will have to adopt new attitudes or risk further alienation. Church is hilarious as Chuck, Lawrence's adopted slacker brother, adding a funny but heartfelt element to the otherwise serious film.   Art of War II: The Betrayal Starring: Wesley Snipes, Lochlyn Munro, Lisa Marie Caruk, Athena Karkanis, Scott Heindl Release Date: August 12, 2008 Rated: R When Agent Neil Shaw (Snipes) comes out of hiding to vindicate his former mentor’s murder, he winds up on the trail of betrayal and lethal corruption. Under the charge of his friend and a senatorial candidate, his mission is to set things straight. But when more people turn up dead, Shaw realizes that he’s been set up as bait. Now he’s letting the fists fly to get to the bottom of an assassination conspiracy that everyone thinks he’s behind. It’s time to turn up the political heat and bask in the action of the martial arts master!   Nim's Island Starring: Jodie Foster, Gerard Butler, Abigail Breslin Release Date: August 05, 2008 Rated: PG Based on the popular children's novel of the same name by Wendy Orr, NIM'S ISLAND follows the adventures of Nim Rusoe (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE's Abigail Breslin), a spirited young girl who lives on a remote island with her scientist dad, Jack (300's Gerard Butler), and a host of animal companions, including an iguana, a sea lion, and a sea turtle. Nim's idyllic life gets shaken up, however, when her father goes missing while on an ocean outing. Seeking help to find Jack, Nim contacts her favorite literary hero, explorer Alex Rover (also played by Butler), who, in reality, is uptight--and distinctly unadventurous--author Alexa Rover (Jodie Foster). Against her better judgment, Alexa journeys to Nim's faraway home, setting a series of thrilling and funny moments in motion. Directed and written (in part) by the husband/wife team of Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett, NIM'S ISLAND revels in its fanciful premise, never getting hung up on its unrealistic plot points. (E-mail on an extremely secluded island?) While Breslin and Butler are charming, the real revelation is witnessing the oft-serious Foster ham it up in a role requires plenty of slapstick, fish-out-of-water moments. Although teens might roll their eyes at NIM'S unapologetically sugary scenes, younger children will enjoy the giddy mood present of the ISLAND.   The Counterfeiters Starring: August Diehl, Karl Markovics, Devid Striesow, Dolores Chaplin, August Zirner Release Date: August 05, 2008 Rated: R Winner of the 2008 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Stefan Ruzowitzky's THE COUNTERFEITERS is the first film from Austria to ever receive that prestigious honor. Based on the memoir by Adolf Burger, the film tells the inspiring story of a pre-World War II criminal whose cunning and fiery spirit enable him to overcome deadly odds and survive life in Germany's Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Before the war, Salomon Sorowitsch (Karl Markovics) was one of the world's most ingenious counterfeiters, until he was finally caught and arrested by Friedrich Herzog (Devid Striesow). Years later, as the Nazi movement is in full swing, the nefariously charming Herzog--now a Nazi leader--recruits Sorowitsch to lead an enormous counterfeiting project called Operation Bernhard. Placed in a horrific position of moral corruption, Sorowitsch is forced to decide whether or not to save his own life or prevent the Nazis from causing further damage on an even grander scale. His fellow prisoner Adolf Burger (August Diehl) is determined to sabotage the operation, but Sorowitsch understands how dangerous a proposition this is. While THE COUNTERFEITERS is based on real-life tragedy, it never loses its primary objective as a work of dramatic entertainment. This deft balancing act is what keeps Ruzowitzky's moving tale from becoming too bleak and depressing. The result is a deeply impressive work that addresses a topic not often explored in Holocaust cinema--the dilemma of victims who were forced to act immorally and illegally for the betterment of their captors. Powerfully acted by Markovics, THE COUNTERFEITERS is the type of film that the Oscars were made for.   Shine a Light Starring: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Ron Wood, Christina Aguilera Release Date: July 29, 2008 Rated: PG-13 The music of the Rolling Stones has lit up the soundtrack to so many Martin Scorsese films ("Gimme Shelter" has appeared in no less than three of his features--GOODFELLAS, CASINO, and THE DEPARTED) that it's little surprise to find the director teaming up with the legendary rockers for this concert recording. SHINE A LIGHT begins with a few glimpses of the preparation that went into the recording of the show, which was staged over two nights at New York City's Beacon Theatre in 2006. Scorsese also includes some candid footage of the Stones doing a pre-show meet-and-greet with guests Bill and Hillary Clinton, which highlights some of the different personality traits in the band. Keith Richards and Ron Wood are the clowns, always goofing around; Mick Jagger is the consummate professional, always polite to a fault; Charlie Watts caries a real air of dignity, as befits someone who enjoys a dual career as a noted jazz musician. The bulk of the movie is dedicated to the multi-camera shoot at the Beacon, which captures the Stones playing some of their biggest hits and a few lesser-known numbers. Special guests such as Jack White, Buddy Guy, and Christina Aguilera are ushered on at various points in the show, and the concert footage is broken up by some amusing vintage footage of the band. By using so many cameras, Scorsese captures a side of the Stones that is rarely seen, such as Watts turning to camera and puffing out his cheeks and Richards offering encouraging words to Jack White as he exits the stage. SHINE A LIGHT provides a welcome glimpse into the Stones' world at this advanced stage in their career, and continues Scorsese's obsession (see also: NO DIRECTION HOME and THE LAST WALTZ) with documenting some of the most influential characters in rock & roll.   Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay Starring: Kal Penn, John Cho, Rob Corddry, Neil Patrick Harris, Roger Bart Release Date: July 29, 2008 Rated: R America's favorite pothead pals, Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn), return with an uproariously un-PC sequel that skewers everything from racial prejudice to the president of the United States. HAROLD & KUMAR ESCAPE FROM GUANTANAMO BAY picks up shortly after the first film, cult favorite HAROLD & KUMAR GO TO WHITE CASTLE, as the boys plan an impromptu trip to the Mecca of Marijuana: Amsterdam. There, Harold will unite with the love of his life and Kumar will achieve cannabis bliss. The two soon find themselves in hot water when Kumar sneaks a bong onto the flight and is mistaken for a bomb-wielding terrorist. Indeed, after a run-in with racist Homeland Security agent Ron Fox (Rob Corddry of THE DAILY SHOW), the two land in the hottest water of all: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. After escaping from prison and fleeing back to the U.S., the two set out across country to get help from Harold's politically connected former classmate, who is also marrying the girl that Kumar let get away. Along this oddball odyssey they will encounter incestuous rednecks, the KKK, gun-toting prostitutes, and a drugged-out Neil Patrick Harris (HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER). But when the ex-classmate turns the two over to the authorities, Harold and Kumar must use their wits--plus a dash of luck and a dose of humility--to earn their freedom, win back their respective loves, and save their friendship. Original writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg return for both screenwriting and directing credits, ensuring that the budding franchise retains the same subversive sensibility while upping the audacity of its satire. Frequently raunchy but reveling in the bonds of acceptance and friendship, HAROLD & KUMAR ESCAPE FROM GUANTANAMO BAY is a madcap romp that delivers plenty of humorous highs.   Doomsday Starring: Rhona Mitra, Sean Pertwee, Bob Hoskins, MyAnna Buring, Adrian Lester Release Date: July 29, 2008 Rated: R Writer/director Neil Marshall earned the respect of horror devotees with his first two features, DOG SOLDIERS and THE DESCENT, refreshing and scary twists on the werewolf and expedition-gone-wrong genres. Where those works exemplified a respect for pure horror, devoid of the tension-spoiling comedy that infects most fright films, DOOMSDAY is Marshall's love letter to the post-apocalyptic action-exploitation films of the 1980s. Bubbling over with action, gore, and dark humor, his third film has all the bases covered for a fun, knowingly corny viewing experience. After a deadly plague results in the quarantine of the entire country of Scotland (in a scene reminiscent of I AM LEGEND), a wall is built around the country preventing anyone from going in or out. Thirty years later, the British government believes everyone within the wall to be dead, but when they find signs of life and learn of the possibility of a cure, a team of specially trained agents led by Eden Sinclair (Rhona Mitra) become the first outsiders to venture inside the country since the epidemic. They discover that there are plenty of survivors who have splintered into fierce, warlike tribes, living in a lawless society where cannibalism and murder are the order of the day. Astute viewers will have a blast playing "spot the influence," with loving, obvious nods to ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, ALIENS, 28 DAYS LATER, and the MAD MAX films. At the film's halfway point, Marshall switches gears, transforming the film from a punk-informed futuristic action film into a medieval-style chase film, utilizing Scotland's castles and sumptuous green landscapes to the fullest. Mitra is an exciting physical presence as Eden, a female version of NEW YORK's Snake Plissken, and the great supporting cast includes Bob Hoskins and Malcolm McDowell.   Never Back Down Starring: Sean Faris, Djimon Hounsou, Amber Heard, Cam Gigandet, Evan Peters Release Date: July 29, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Set against the action-packed world of Mixed Martial Arts, Never Back Down is the story of Jake Tyler, a tough kid who leads with his fists, and, often, with his heart. Jake Tyler, played by Sean Faris, is the new kid in town with a troubled past. He has recently moved to Orlando, Florida with his family who has relocated to support his younger brother’s shot at a professional tennis career. Jake was a star athlete on the football team at home, but in this new city he is an outsider with a reputation for being a quick tempered brawler. Making an attempt to fit in, at the invitation of a flirtatious classmate, Baja (Amber Heard) Jake goes to a party where he is unwittingly pulled into a fight with a bully named Ryan McDonald (Cam Gigandet). While he is defeated and humiliated in the fight, a classmate introduces himself to Jake and tells him about the sport known as Mixed Marshall Arts (MMA). He sees a star in Jake and asks that he meet with his mentor, Jean Roqua, played by Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond, In America). It is immediately apparent to Jake that MMA is not street fighting, but rather an art form he wants to master. Roqua will take Jake under his wing, but it is up to Jake to find the patience, discipline, willingness and reason within him to succeed. For Jake, there is much more at stake than mere victory. His decision will not just settle a score; it will define who he is.   21 Starring: Kevin Spacey, Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne Release Date: July 22, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Inspired by a true story, 21 mixes Las Vegas casino wheeling and dealing with college-kid angst: think OCEAN'S ELEVEN via THE PAPER CHASE. Kevin Spacey is crafty MIT professor Micky Rosa, who trains brainiac students to count cards and then flies them out to Vegas to raid the blackjack tables between classes. At first they rake in a bundle, but then catch the unwanted attention of tough-guy security chief, Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne) who wants to prove himself before he's replaced by face recognition software. Super math genius Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) originally joins the ring in order to come up with the $300,000 he needs for tuition money, but he's also gaga over the ring's resident babe, Jill (Kate Bosworth). When he finds out Professor Rosa hasn't been dealing entirely from a straight deck, Ben's high-end shopping spree dreams turn sour (though card counting is not illegal) and the battle of wits is on, no second chances given. Spacey is in his preternaturally calm, morally compromised element, stealing scenes left and right; Fishburne brings the hangdog depth; and everything bubbles over the 24-karat rocks, courtesy of director Robert Luketic (LEGALLY BLONDE). 21 is based on the bestseller BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE by Ben Mezrich.   The Bank Job Starring: Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows Release Date: July 15, 2008 Rated: R Inspired by the infamous 1971 robbery that took place at the Lloyds Bank in Marylebone London, LIONSGATE's ® The Bank Job stars Jason Statham (Transporter, Snatch, Crank, Italian Job) and Saffron Burrows (Klimt, Enigma). The highly-charged heist thriller tautly interweaves high-level corruption, murder and sexual scandal in 1970s England. A car dealer with a dodgy past and new family, Terry (Statham) has always avoided major-league scams. But when Martine (Burrows), a beautiful model from his old neighborhood, offers him a lead on a foolproof bank hit on London's Baker Street, Terry recognizes the opportunity of a lifetime. Martine targets a roomful of safe deposit boxes worth millions in cash and jewelry. But Terry and his crew don't realize the boxes also contain a treasure trove of dirty secrets - secrets that will thrust them into a deadly web of corruption and illicit scandal that spans London's criminal underworld, the highest echelons of the British government, and the Royal Family itself...the true story of a heist gone wrong...in all the right ways.   Step Up 2 the Streets Starring: Briana Evigan, Robert Hoffman, Will Kemp, Cassie Ventura, Adam G. Sevani Release Date: July 15, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Jon Chu directs this feel-good sequel about pursuing what you love and finding yourself along the way. Andie (Briana Evigan, daughter of actor Greg Evigan) is a tough Baltimore teen who grew up dancing and is now part of the 410, the hottest dance crew in the city and reigning champions of the Streets, an underground dance competition. Unable to control Andie's rebellious ways, her guardian, Sarah (Sonja Sohn), has decided to send her to Texas to live with her aunt. But Andie has one last chance to stay with her crew in her beloved Baltimore: the Maryland School of the Arts (MSA). Unfortunately, maintaining her studies at MSA means less time with the 410. To make matters worse, Andie is having a hard time fitting in at her new high school, where tradition is revered and being outside the box is frowned upon. Luckily, she has a partner in crime in classmate Chase Collins (Robert Hoffman), whose stuffy brother, Blake (Will Kemp), is the school's director and a constant thorn in his younger brother's side. When the 410 boots Andie out, she and Chase find their own crew of overlooked MSA dancers and take it all the way to the Streets. The real star of STEP UP 2: THE STREETS is the amazing dancing and there's plenty of it. From the opening scene in a Baltimore subway to the playground to studio rehearsals to the Streets, these kids give it everything they've got. Channing Tatum briefly reprises his role as Tyler Gage, who knows Andie from the neighborhood. All of the MSA and 410 dancers are exceedingly talented, but Mari Koda's few lines as Jenny Kido are scene-stealers.   College Road Trip Starring: Raven-Symone, Martin Lawrence, Donny Osmond Release Date: July 15, 2008 Rated: G Directed by Roger Kumble (THE SWEETEST THING, JUST FRIENDS), the 2008 comedy COLLEGE ROAD TRIP stars Martin Lawrence as Chicago cop James Porter, an overprotective father who wants to keep his college-bound daughter, Melanie (Raven-Symone), close to home. When the smart, assertive Melanie declares her intention to attend Georgetown instead of Northwestern, James insistently sets out with her on a cross-country car journey to Washington D.C., hoping to dissuade her along the way. En route, of course, plenty of hijinks ensue, including scenarios involving a precocious pig and, oddly enough, Donny Osmond, who turns up as an eeriely cheery dad also on a college-touring campaign. With its broad, slapstick humor and enegetic leads, COLLEGE ROAD TRIP is a perfect vehicle for Lawrence and Raven, who both play to their well-established personas--the former a cranky bumbler, the latter a headstrong teen. Osmond, in his first film role in decades, ideally embodies Ned Flanders-like enthusiasm, stealing plenty of scenes with the aid of his equally giddy on-screen offspring (Molly Ephraim). Although it's far from high-minded cinema, TRIP is a fun, family-oriented road movie that easily appeals to a wide audience, and offers up many silly and appalling moments of parental embarrassment.   Penelope Starring: Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara, Reese Witherspoon, Peter Dinklage Release Date: July 15, 2008 Rated: PG Like Tim Burton's EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and the TV show PUSHING DAISIES, PENELOPE is a modern fairy tale, complete with candy colors and whimsical cinematography. PENELOPE begins with a generations-old curse by a jilted lover: the next girl in the aristocratic Wilhern family will be born with a pig's snout and ears. Though ages pass, the bad luck finally manifests itself in young Penelope (Christina Ricci) much to the shame of her mother (Christopher Guest favorite Catherine O'Hara). In an effort to break the curse, her mother and father (Richard E. Grant, WITHNAIL AND I) try to bring in a series of blue-blooded suitors. But when they see her face, the men all run screaming. Enter Max (James McAvoy), a down-on-his-luck gambler who connects with Penelope. But when he is exposed as a fraud, the heartbroken girl escapes into the surrounding city. Though she hides her face with a scarf, Penelope gets to experience life outside her family's mansion for the first time. Pig nose and all, Ricci is adorable as the title character, excellent in alternating between naïveté and independence. Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon succeeds in double duty as both a producer and in a small acting role as Penelope's first friend in the big city. But it's McAvoy, a standout in ATONEMENT and THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, who threatens to steal hearts. The pair's romance is believable, and it makes the film good viewing for fairy tale fans of all ages. The PG rating should appeal to families, as should the film's message about the importance of inner beauty and self confidence.   The Ruins Starring: Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone, Shawn Ashmore, Laura Ramsey, Joe Anderson Release Date: July 08, 2008 Rated: R Author Scott Smith adapts his own popular 2006 novel in this unsettling and surprising horror yarn. In its first half hour, THE RUINS seems to be cut from the same "body-count-of-young-Americans-abroad" cloth as HOSTEL and TURISTAS, but the film has a supernatural element not present in either of those works, keeping it clear of the overpopulated slasher and torture genres. A talented young cast also ensures that Smith's tale reaches the screen with plenty of genuine chills intact. While vacationing on the Yucatan Peninsula, 20-something Americans Jeff (Jonathan Tucker), Amy (Jena Malone), Eric (Shawn Ashmore), and Stacy (Laura Ramsey), befriend German traveler Mathias (Joe Anderson), who invites them to accompany him into the jungle to meet up with his archaeologist brother at an "off the map" Mayan temple. They agree, but once they arrive, angry locals shoot one of their party and refuse to allow them to leave. The Americans and Mathias retreat to the top of the temple, only to find the archaeological camp deserted. Mathias falls into the temple and is badly injured, but that is only the beginning of their troubles, as it soon becomes apparent that the vines covering the temple are alive in a way that goes beyond normal vegetation. It may be tempting to summarize THE RUINS by saying that it's about killer plants, but that would be undermining its strong points. The latter two thirds of the film play out like a very grim five-character stage play about survival, with large servings of death and desperation, without resorting to the fake scares that many horror films use as a crutch. The gore, while often quite nasty, is also necessary to the story, which takes on a heavy psychological component as the characters begin to fear for their lives.   Stop-Loss Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Abbie Cornish, Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ciaran Hinds Release Date: July 08, 2008 Rated: R After serving his tour of duty in Iraq, a young American soldier who is ordered to return to the front lines as part of the military's controversial stop-loss policy opts instead to go AWOL in a thought-provoking military drama directed by Kimberly Peirce. Sgt. Brandon King (Ryan Philippe) is a decorated Iraq War veteran who once served his country with pride. After his tour of duty comes to an end, King returns to his Texas hometown and attempts to pick up where he once left off with a little help from his family, as well as long-time best friend and war buddy Steve Shriver (Channing Tatum). But just as Brandon, Steve, and the rest of their war buddies begin to settle back into civilian life, Uncle Sam comes calling on them once again. Suddenly ordered back into active duty, the disillusioned war veteran begins to question not just his ties to family and his longtime friendships, but his capacity for love and his sense of honor as well.   Vantage Point Starring: Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Forest Whitaker, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt Release Date: July 01, 2008 Rated: R A presidential assassination attempt is told from multiple points of view in Pete Travis's directorial debut, VANTAGE POINT. U.S. president Ashton (William Hurt) is in Salamanca, Spain (though much of the film was actually shot in Mexico), to announce plans for a major global summit on terrorism. But as he stands behind the podium in front of an adoring crowd (with protesters blocked off from the stage), he is shot twice, followed shortly by a small explosion and then a massive blast. Secret Service Agents Barnes (Dennis Quaid), Taylor (Matthew Fox), and Holden (Richard T. Jones) immediately jump into action, trying to find the terrorists responsible amid all the chaos. The thriller first shows the events through the eyes of television news producer Rex Brooks (Sigourney Weaver), and then the film rewinds, replaying the action from a different point of view. Each perspective reveals a few more clues, then rewinds again, taking the audience through the assassination attempt and its aftermath again. VANTAGE POINT has the feel of the 1950 Akira Kurosawa classic RASHOMON, told with the speed of the television show 24. The all-star cast also includes Forest Whitaker, who gives another fine performance, playing an American tourist recording everything on his video camera. The rewind device--reminiscent of the Bill Murray comedy GROUNDHOG DAY--could have been gimmicky, but instead Travis and first-time screenwriter Barry L. Levy make it work, as more details are revealed with each flashback, leading to a pulse-pounding chase and surprising finale.   Drillbit Taylor Starring: Owen Wilson, Leslie Mann, Danny McBride, Josh Peck, Troy Gentile Release Date: July 01, 2008 Rated: PG-13 DRILLBIT TAYLOR tells the story of three nerdy adolescents who, on their very first day of high school, find themselves the target of a merciless, near psychotic bully. The friends band together and pool their funds to hire a personal bodyguard, Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson). Taylor, a homeless beach bum and AWOL army soldier, plans to con the kids just long enough to pull together the money needed to amscray off to Canada. A momentary flash of a conscience and a growing crush on a teacher at the boys' high school, however, compels Drillbit to stick around, do the right thing, and ultimately save the day. The movie is fluff to the extreme, and because it's from the duo of Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow it's easy to long for more. There's a remarkably talented comic cast here, though, that includes, among others, Upright Citizens Brigade veteran Matt Walsh, former Daily Show correspondent Beth Littleford, and indie favorite Frank Whaley. And while it never reaches the near poetic heights of vulgarity to be found in SUPERBAD and KNOCKED UP, one can sense Rogen and Apatow's supreme wit poking around the edges of the film. Where DRILLBIT does succeed, however, is as a fun movie for pre- and early-adolescent boys. KNOCKED UP and 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN deal with some adult subject matter, meaning the plots are driven by issues that 13-year-olds most likely can not relate to, and SUPERBAD is raunchy to the point where parents might not want their kids to see it until they can at least drive. DRILLBIT, on the other hand, strikes a nice middle ground, as it deals with the age-old problem of the high school bully and throws in just enough raunch & roll to keep the sleepover rowdy until dawn.   Meet the Browns Starring: Angela Bassett, Tyler Perry, David Mann, Tamela Mann, Lance Gross Release Date: July 01, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Adapted from the stage play, TYLER PERRY'S MEET THE BROWNS is a touching family drama and very funny romantic comedy rolled into one. Angela Bassett gives one of the best performances of her career as Brenda, a single mother trying to raise three children, from three different men, in the Chicago projects. After the plant where she works with her best friend, Cheryl (Sofia Vergara), closes down, she can no longer afford her rent, electricity, or day care. But when a surprise letter arrives telling her that the father she never knew has died, and inviting her to the reading of the will and the funeral in Georgia, she has nowhere else to go, so she and her kids, Michael (Lance Gross), Tosha (Chloe Bailey), and Lena (Mariana Tolbert), head down south to meet her half-sisters and -brothers. Her newfound extended family includes the overemotional Vera (Jenifer Lewis), who is suspicious of Brenda; the wacky Leroy Brown (David Mann), who mangles the English language and wears some hysterical outfits; and the steady L.B. (Frankie Faison), who is married to the sweet and caring Sarah (Margaret Avery) and has become the patriarch now that Pops Brown has died. In the meantime, Michael, a high school basketball star, is being pursued by Harry (Rick Fox), a talent scout who is also interested in Brenda. Bassett is outstanding as the dedicated mother who sacrifices her personal life in order to do whatever she can for her children. But Mann nearly steals the show as the wild and crazy Leroy, especially during the funeral scene (outtakes of which run during the closing credits). Perry, the creator of such hit films as DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN and MADEA'S FAMILY REUNION as well as the television series HOUSE OF PAYNE (all of which feature recurring characters), also appears in the film as Uncle Joe and, in a riotous subplot, Madea, who is on the run from the law.   10,000 B.C. Starring: Steven Strait, Camilla Belle, Cliff Curtis, Omar Sharif, Tim Barlow Release Date: June 24, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Director Roland Emmerich weaves myth and legend together in this epic love story. As the Ice Age is ending, the Yagahl people are struggling to survive. When Evolet (Camilla Belle), a young, blue-eyed girl is found and brought back to the tribe, their esteemed elder, Old Mother (Mona Hammond), realizes that the child is fulfilling a prophecy and will be instrumental in saving the Yagahl. D'Leh (Steven Strait) swore his heart to Evolet when she first came to the tribe, and after many years claims her as his own. But no sooner are the young lovers together, than they are torn apart by mysterious men arriving on horseback who kidnap many of the Yagahl, including Evolet, for slave trade. Determined to save his love and their people, D'Leh embarks on a rescue mission with his father figure Tic'Tic (Cliff Curtis). Along the way, they encounter different lands, new people, and strange creatures including giant birds akin to a killer ostrich. Mixing history and fantasy, there is little (if anything) that is historically accurate in this film. Rather, Emmerich weaves together myths and legends to unite people from different lands into one force and bring down a great evil that threatens all of their civilizations. Emmerich also tackles multiple universal themes: the redemption of an outsider, the coming of age of a boy who becomes a leader, the importance of loyalty, and the discovery and understanding of new cultures. Ultimately, he tackles the age-old saga of star-crossed lovers and the power of love. Omar Sharif narrates this love story that spans mountains, valleys, deserts, and rivers.   Definitely, Maybe Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Derek Luke, Abigail Breslin, Rachel Weisz Release Date: June 24, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Ryan Reynolds and a bevy of excellent actresses star in this smart and touching romantic comedy about a little girl trying to understand her father's complicated history with women. Will Hayes (Reynolds) is in the midst of a divorce, and his 11-year-old daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin) wants... Ryan Reynolds and a bevy of excellent actresses star in this smart and touching romantic comedy about a little girl trying to understand her father's complicated history with women. Will Hayes (Reynolds) is in the midst of a divorce, and his 11-year-old daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin) wants to understand what went wrong with her parents' relationship. She begs her father to tell her the entire story of how he met her mother. Will begrudgingly agrees, but changes the names of everyone involved, leaving it up to Maya to decipher who in the story is her mother. Thus Will begins his tale, weaving a romantic and amusing maze of missed connections and bad timing with the likes of three beautiful women: Summer (Rachel Weisz), April (Isla Fisher), and Emily (Elizabeth Banks). Will bounces from relationship to relationship, misunderstandings and confusion thwarting him every step of the way. Who will he end up with? Which woman is ultimately right for him? The film keeps Maya and the viewer guessing right until the very end, with a bittersweet but ultimately triumphant surprise twist tying it all together. Reynolds has long outgrown his VAN WILDER days, and does an excellent job of holding his own with the talented Fisher, Weisz, and Banks. The film is certainly a stand-out from the current crop of romantic comedies, in that the women are intelligent, well-drawn characters, and the relationships are painted with a funny, but realistic eye. And blessedly, it doesn't end with the standard blowout wedding that has become the hallmark of such films. DEFINITELY, MAYBE is a smart and sexy take on the complexities of love, and still manages to be kid friendly, while sending a very positive, honest message to children of divorce.   The Spiderwick Chronicles Starring: Freddie Highmore, Mary-Louise Parker, Nick Nolte, Joan Plowright, David Strathairn Release Date: June 24, 2008 Rated: PG Based on the bestselling series of children's fantasy novels of the same name by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES follows the adventures of the Grace family, newly transplanted from New York City to an inherited home in the remote New England woods. Angry with his mother (Mary-Louise Parker) about the move, the sulky Jared (Freddie Highmore) begin to explore the strange old house, and discovers a magical tome written by his great, great uncle Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn). Soon Jared and his twin brother, Simon (also played by Highmore with the aid of seamless special effects), are drawn into a realm of goblins, boggarts, and ogres--a reality that coexists with the human world. By the time the boys' older sister, Mallory (Sarah Bolger), is in on their secret, the siblings are steeped in a conflict with the evil shape-shifting ogre Mulgarath (Nick Nolte), who will stop at nothing to get Spiderwick's book. Directed by Mark Waters (THE HOUSE OF YES, MEAN GIRLS) and scripted in part by lauded filmmaker John Sayles (THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH), SPIDERWICK succeeds as an engaging kid-oriented movie that also offers up genuine thrills and chills for adults. Highmore and Bolger impressively mask their British and Irish accents, respectively, and display a convincing brother/sister bond, while Martin Short and Seth Rogen provide comic relief as the voices of unlikely CGI allies. Intentionally smaller in scope than other like-minded literary adaptations such as THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA and THE GOLDEN COMPASS, SPIDERWICK is rooted in a beautifully earthy, antique aesthetic that provides the perfect setting for its likable protagonists and bizarre-yet-naturalistic creatures.   Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins Starring: Martin Lawrence, Margaret Avery, Joy Bryant, Louis C.K., Michael Clarke Duncan Release Date: June 17, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Actor-comedian Martin Lawrence (BAD BOYS, BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE) aims for the heartstrings and funny bones in WELCOME HOME ROSCOE JENKINS, a raucous helping of family soul food. Lawrence plays R.J. Stevens (in truth, Roscoe Steven Jenkins), a Hollywood self-help sensation whose fame has netted him a reality television star fiancée (Joy Bryant) while simultaneously alienating his young son. Having been away from his family for nine years, prodigal son R.J. returns to Georgia to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of his parents (James Earl Jones and Margaret Avery). Upon his arrival, R.J. is given a rude awakening by his none-too-impressed siblings (Mike Epps, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Mo'Nique). R.J. must also contend with his ultra-competitive cousin Clyde (Cedric the Entertainer), the family's presumptive "golden boy" and a long-time rival who stole the affections of R.J.'s childhood sweetheart, Lucinda (Nicole Ari Parker). As the celebration weekend rolls on, R.J.'s craving for his father's respect and an inflated sense of self threaten family harmony and his opportunity to reconnect with Lucinda, and--worst of all--his relationship with his own son. Lawrence makes Roscoe a genuinely sympathetic foil to the comedic antics of Mo'Nique and Epps, both of whom are given room to riff by director Malcom D. Lee (UNDERCOVER BROTHER, ROLL BOUNCE). Frequently bawdy but thoroughly entertaining, WELCOME HOME ROSCOE JENKINS is also a warmhearted reminder that you are where you come from, and that when searching for yourself no one can put you straight better than a loving family.   Fool's Gold Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland, Ewen Bremner, Alexis Dziena Release Date: June 17, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Having proven themselves a magnetic pair in 2003\'s HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS, Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey team up once again as two fun-loving, bickering exes in this action-packed, violent, and sexy treasure hunt. Part romantic comedy, part deep-sea diving adventure, FOOL\'S GOLD is set in the beautiful seas and sunny shores of Key West, where Tess (Hudson) and Finn (McConaughey) are set to meet for divorce proceedings. Fed up with Finn\'s money-squandering lifestyle, Tess can\'t wait to be rid of him so she can return to the academic pursuits she abandoned seven years earlier, when the two lovebirds embarked on a romantic globe-spanning hunt for rumored treasure. But as fate would have it, Tess just happens to work aboard a yacht owned by Nigel Honeycutt (Donald Sutherland), the same rich man Finn has his sights on as a prospective benefactor for his latest diving debacle. Suspecting this, Tess encourages Nigel to sail off as soon as the divorce papers are in her hands, but their departure is delayed when Nigel\'s spoiled heiress daughter, Gemma (Alexis Dziena), arrives. Using his sex appeal and daredevil charm, Finn maneuvers his way aboard the ship and into Gemma\'s heart, not even knowing that Tess, whom he hopes to win back, is also on deck. Once the secret is out, the two must decide whether to part ways or to use a fresh clue to find the treasure they\'ve been seeking for a decade. With Gemma\'s youthful naiveté, Nigel\'s aging wisdom, death threats from some villain gangster rappers, treasure hunting competition, and lots of sexual chemistry driving them, the two succumb to the spontaneity that runs through their blood and go for the gold in more ways than one. FOOL\'S GOLD boasts lively performances from a solid cast that brings the film\'s clever, quick humor to life.   Be Kind Rewind Starring: Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, Mia Farrow, Melonie Diaz Release Date: June 17, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Music-video-director-turned-auteur Michel Gondry continues to charm with his low-tech offering, BE KIND REWIND. Set in dreary Passaic, New Jersey, the comedy centers on two of the town's residents: trouble-making Jerry (Jack Black) and well-meaning Mike (Mos Def). Mike works in a video store in an age where the VHS is long dead, but the store's owner, Mr. Fletcher (Danny Glover), doesn't seem to be in any hurry to change. When Mr. Fletcher leaves town for a trip, he entrusts his store to Mike with one piece of advice: don't let Jerry in the store. But after some mischief, Jerry returns to the store in a strange state. Not only is he weirder than usual, but he's also magnetized, which causes the entire store's stock to be erased. In order to keep the struggling business afloat, Mike and Jerry begin remaking the films in the store one by one. Their hilariously low-budget versions of films such as GHOSTBUSTERS and RUSH HOUR 2 soon begin to draw attention and business to the store, but that creates a whole new set of problems for the pair. Though Gondry's three previous fiction films--HUMAN NATURE, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, and THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP--were all essentially love stories, BE KIND REWIND captures another kind of romance. Both the writer-director and his characters are in love with the cinematic medium itself, and their devotion shows. BE KIND REWIND doesn't reach the heights of ETERNAL SUNSHINE, but it doesn't seem to be aiming for that genius. This is simply a hilarious comedy, fun for film fans of all stripes, which celebrates the sheer joy of watching and making films.   The Bucket List Starring: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Rob Morrow, Beverly Todd Release Date: June 10, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Academy Award winners Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman star in the comedy drama "The Bucket List," directed by Rob Reiner, a touching, no-holds-barred adventure that shows it's never too late to live life to its fullest. A long time ago, Carter Chambers' (Morgan Freeman) freshman year philosophy professor suggested that his students compose a "bucket list," a collection of all the things they wanted to do, see and experience in life before they kicked the bucket. But while Carter was still trying to define his private dreams and plans, reality intruded. Marriage, children, myriad responsibilities and, ultimately, a 46-year job as an auto mechanic gradually turned his concept of a bucket list into little more than a bittersweet memory of lost opportunities and a mental exercise he occasionally thought about to pass the time while working under the hood of a car. Meanwhile, corporate billionaire Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) never saw a list without a bottom line. He was always too busy making money and building an empire to think about what his deeper needs might be beyond the next big acquisition or cup of gourmet coffee. Then life delivered an urgent and unexpected wake-up call to both of them. Carter and Edward found themselves sharing a hospital room with plenty of time to think about what might happen next--and about how much of that was in their hands. For all their apparent differences, they soon discovered they had two very important things in common: an unrealized need to come to terms with who they were and the choices they'd made, and a pressing desire to spend the time they had left doing everything they ever wanted to do. The list wasn't just a mental exercise anymore. It was an agenda. So, against doctor's orders and all good sense, these two virtual strangers check themselves out of the hospital and hit the road together for the adventure of a lifetime--from the Taj Mahal to the Serengeti, the finest restaurants to the seediest tattoo parlors, the cockpit of vintage race cars to the open door of a prop plane--with just a sheet of paper and their passion for life to guide them. Adding and crossing items off their list while taking in the grandeur and beauty of the world, they will grapple with the difficult questions and the even more difficult answers that plague all of us. And, without even realizing it, become true friends. With humor, insight, heart...and a fair amount of attitude. Sometimes you just need a deadline to get your life in gear.   Jumper Starring: Hayden Christensen, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson, Samuel L. Jackson, Diane Lane Release Date: June 10, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Based on Steven Gould's critically acclaimed novel, JUMPER leaps onto the screen courtesy of director Doug Liman. David (Hayden Christiansen) has inexplicably been given the power to teleport himself, or jump. He can jump into a bank vault, then to the top of the Sphinx, then back to his luxury Manhattan apartment. But despite all his power, he still misses his childhood love, Millie (Rachel Bilson, THE O.C.). When the opportunity arises, David jets off to Rome with Millie, but it's not all romance in the Italian city. David's unique abilities place him in the middle of a war between the jumpers and the paladins, a secretive group intent on hunting down the teleporters. Led by Roland (Samuel L. Jackson), the paladins track David and fellow jumper Griffin (Jamie Bell) across the world, and Millie may be caught in the crossfire. JUMPER moves as fast as its teleporting hero, condensing the novel into a slim, action-packed offering. The slick special effects and impressive locations are certainly on par with Liman's previous work in THE BOURNE IDENTITY and MR. AND MRS. SMITH, but JUMPER bears a closer resemblance to comic book adaptations. Like Spider-man and most other costume-clad protagonists with unearthly abilities, David grapples with his newfound talents. But unlike his tights-and-cape-wearing brethren, David doesn't use his ability for the greater good. Instead, it gets him piles of money and, perhaps, the girl he's been dreaming of since he was five years old. Though most action films are driven by the struggle between good and evil, JUMPER interestingly offers up a central character who lies somewhere in the middle. Slightly less ambiguous is the film's ending that leaves the option for a sequel completely open.   The Other Boleyn Girl Starring: Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana Release Date: June 10, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Based on the best selling novel by Philippa Gregory, The Other Boleyn Girl is an engrossing and sensual tale of intrigue, romance, and betrayal set against the backdrop of a defining moment in history. Two sisters, Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson) Boleyn, are driven by their ambitious father and uncle to advance the family’s power and status by courting the affections of the King of England (Eric Bana). Leaving behind the simplicity of country life, the girls are thrust into the dangerous and thrilling world of court life – and what began as a bid to help their family develops into a ruthless rivalry between Anne and Mary for the love of the king. Initially, Mary wins King Henry’s favor and becomes his mistress, bearing him an illegitimate child. But Anne, clever, conniving, and fearless, edges aside both her sister and Henry’s wife, Queen Katherine of Aragon, in her relentless pursuit of the king. Despite Mary’s genuine feelings for Henry, her sister Anne has her sights set on the ultimate prize; Anne will not stop until she is Queen of England. As the Boleyn girls battle for the love of a king – one driven by ambition, the other by true affection – England is torn apart. Despite the dramatic consequences, the Boleyn girls ultimately find strength and loyalty in each other, and they remain forever connected by their bond as sisters.   The Eye Starring: Jessica Alba, Parker Posey, Alessandro Nivola Release Date: June 03, 2008 Rated: PG-13 THE EYE adapts the influential 2002 Hong Kong ghost tale by the Pang brothers into a star vehicle for Jessica Alba. While it remains faithful to the original story, this version ups the number of jolts for thrill-seeking Western audiences. Writing/directing team David Moreau and Xavier Palud, creators of the popular 2006 French thriller THEM, make their U.S. debut with a screenplay by Sebastian Gutierrez (SNAKES ON A PLANE), putting a few new twists on a cult favorite. Concert violinist Sydney Wells (Alba) has been blind since she was five, when an accident involving firecrackers damaged her corneas. Now in her mid-20s, she has just undergone a transplant, a risky procedure that is not always successful. When the bandages come off, her sight slowly returns, and everything she sees is a new experience. A happy occasion becomes terrifying, though, when she begins to see horrifying visions of the dead. Fearing that she's losing her sanity, she enlists the help of Dr. Paul Faulkner (Alessandro Nivola), who uncovers the identity of the donor of her new corneas and travels with her to Mexico to unravel the mystery of her horrific visions. Spare and effective, THE EYE retains the two most startling sequences from the original film--a truly chilling floating dead man in an elevator and an elaborate, explosive set piece at the conclusion. Moreau, Palud, and Gutierrez jazz the story up in other spots, with quick scares, sharp music cues, and twitchy apparitions reminiscent of those in JACOB'S LADDER, but the essence remains the same. Alba is fine as damsel in distress Sydney, and the always-enjoyable Parker Posey is uncharacteristically low-key as her airline hostess sister. With no gore or anything else objectionable, the film may also be good choice for younger viewers who enjoy a good scare.   Meet the Spartans Starring: Sean Maguire, Carmen Electra, Ken Davitian, Kevin Sorbo, Diedrich Bader Release Date: June 03, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Writers/producers/directors Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer (DATE MOVIE, EPIC MOVIE) use the film 300 as the basis for their latest spoof. Born to be the perfect Spartan, Leonidas (Sean Magiure) faces numerous trials en route to becoming a man, including a face-off with the penguin from HAPPY FEET. Once he has proven himself, Leonidas not only becomes king, but also marries superhot (and slightly slutty) Margot (Carmen Electra). When Leonidas learns that Persia's King Xerxes (Ken Davitian, BORAT) plans to make Sparta his own, he has his captain (Kevin Sorbo, HERCULES) recruit Sparta's finest and prepare them for battle against invading Persian forces. Unfortunately, that amounts to only 13 half-naked men with painted-on abs who literally prance to their destination. To make matters worse, Spartan councilman Traitoro (Diedrich Bader) is, well, a traitor. Still, Leonidas and his men face their enemy in battle, riffing on STOMP THE YARD, GHOST RIDER, TRANSFORMERS, and numerous other films along the way, as well as the video game GRAND THEFT AUTO. Freidberg and Seltzer poke fun at virtually every recent cultural phenomenon and pop culture personality, including Britney Spears, Kevin Federline, Paris Hilton, DANCING WITH THE STARS, AMERICAN IDOL, and DEAL OR NO DEAL. Even UGLY BETTY makes an appearance. Be prepared for an abundance of gross-out humor, spurts of bodily fluids, some sexual innuendo, and multiple jokes about homosexuality. Stick around after the musical finale as the credits start to roll: the deleted scenes prove to be some of the most amusing in the film.   Semi-Pro Starring: Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, Will Arnett, André Benjamin, Rob Corddry Release Date: June 03, 2008 Rated: R Over the course of a string of successful comedies that includes TALLADEGA NIGHTS and BLADES OF GLORY, Will Ferrel has perfected a type of swaggering, machismo-fueled character, heavy on ego and severely lacking in intellect of any kind. Typically set in the world of sports, these movies have allowed Ferrel free range to both mock and celebrate idiot masculinity. SEMI-PRO, Ferrell's homage to the wild, afro-picked splendor of the short-lived American Basketball Association, continues this trend, and finds him embodying yet another larger-than-life hunk a burnin' love in the form of Jackie Moon, R&B singer-turned-owner/player/coach of the hapless Flint, Michigan Tropics. As sports movies go, SEMI-PRO's story should be more than familiar to even the most casual fan. The Tropics are a lackluster franchise that place good times and flash over winning. However, when the league announces that they will be merging with the NBA and only taking the top four teams along, the Tropics buckle down and give true ballin' a shot. SEMI-PRO follows the comedic formula of other Ferrell movies and contains an equal amount of satire (tame-but-effective ‘70s goofs), slapstick (on-court brawls, zany stunts), and surreal non-sequiturs (an improvised poker game provides one of the film's most deliciously bizarre scenes), but it's not exactly interchangeable with Ferrell's other movies. Though the actor cuts loose as Jackie Moon, the film is decidedly an ensemble picture, with Woody Harrelson providing the movie's true protagonist, in washed up former NBA player Monix, and Andre Benjamin offering a charming turn as flashy NBA wannabe Clarence "Coffee" Black. Perhaps most interestingly, however, is SEMI-PRO's surprising attention to detail, though the Flint Tropics are a fictional team, the real ABA was every bit as wacky, unhinged, and, yes, entertaining as SEMI-PRO itself.   The Air I Breathe Starring: Kevin Bacon, Forest Whitaker, Brendan Fraser, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Andy Garcia Release Date: May 27, 2008 Rated: R Solid performances from an all-star cast bring this ensemble drama to life. As parallel stories unfold, the viewer discovers unlikely connections between several seemingly unrelated people. Though the film is divided up into segments entitled "Happiness," "Pleasure," "Sorrow," and... Solid performances from an all-star cast bring this ensemble drama to life. As parallel stories unfold, the viewer discovers unlikely connections between several seemingly unrelated people. Though the film is divided up into segments entitled "Happiness," "Pleasure," "Sorrow," and "Love," the mood is melancholy overall. Splattered with violent acts, THE AIR I BREATHE touches on the aforementioned themes and more, pondering the meaning of life and death through characters who live on the edge and risk everything for the thrill of joy, chance, and escape, even if that means death. The film begins with Forest Whitaker playing a bored and frustrated nine-to-fiver who feels stuck in his routine. After taking a huge risk on a whim and losing it all, the doomed businessman has the unlucky fortune of meeting with Brendan Fraser's character, a numb hit-man who feels no remorse until crossing paths with a troubled pop star (Sarah Michelle Gellar). At the center of much of this chaos is Fingers (Andy Garcia), a ruthless villain intent on killing anyone who gets in the way of his success. Though the plot at times feels contrived with all its strategically placed coincidences, writer-director Jieho Lee anchors the film with clever editing and a thoughtful script, which is careful to cover events from multiple points of view. Julie Delpy and Emile Hirsch give dimension to the stories as secondary characters whose actions become central to the plot.   Rambo Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz, Matthew Marsden, Graham McTavish, Rey Gallegos Release Date: May 27, 2008 Rated: R Twenty years after the last film in the series, John Rambo (SYLVESTER STALLONE) has retreated to northern Thailand, where he's running a longboat on the Salween River. On the nearby Thai-Burma (Myanmar) border, the world's longest-running civil war, the Burmese-Karen conflict, rages... Twenty years after the last film in the series, John Rambo (SYLVESTER STALLONE) has retreated to northern Thailand, where he's running a longboat on the Salween River. On the nearby Thai-Burma (Myanmar) border, the world's longest-running civil war, the Burmese-Karen conflict, rages into its 60th year. But Rambo, who lives a solitary, simple life in the mountains and jungles fishing and catching poisonous snakes to sell, has long given up fighting, even as medics, mercenaries, rebels and peace workers pass by on their way to the war-torn region. That all changes when a group of human rights missionaries search out the "American river guide" John Rambo. When Sarah (JULIE BENZ) and Michael Bennett (PAUL SCHULZE) approach him, they explain that since last year's trek to the refugee camps, the Burmese military has laid landmines along the road, making it too dangerous for overland travel. They ask Rambo to guide them up the Salween and drop them off, so they can deliver medical supplies and food to the Karen tribe. After initially refusing to cross into Burma, Rambo takes them, dropping off Sarah, Michael and the aid workers... Less than two weeks later, pastor Arthur Marsh (KEN HOWARD) finds Rambo and tells him the aid workers did not return and the embassies have not helped locate them. He tells Rambo he's mortgaged his home and raised money from his congregation to hire mercenaries to get the missionaries, who are being held captive by the Burmese army. Although the United States military trained him to be a lethal super soldier in Vietnam, decades later Rambo's reluctance for violence and conflict are palpable, his scars faded, yet visible. However, the lone warrior knows what he must do...   Cleaner Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Ed Harris, Eva Mendes Release Date: May 27, 2008 Rated: R An all-star cast rounds out this crime thriller about Tom Carver (Samuel L. Jackson), a former cop who has been spending his recent years working as a crime scene decontaminator. After a brutal shooting goes down in a wealthy suburban home, Tom is called in to clean up the mess...only to realize he may have inadvertantly "cleaned up" crucial evidence. Ed Harris and Eve Mendes co-star in this dark, gritty crime drama helmed by director Renny Harlin (CLIFFHANGER, DEEP BLUE SEA).   Strange Wilderness Starring: Steve Zahn, Allen Covert, Jonah Hill, Kevin Heffernan, Ashley Scott Release Date: May 20, 2008 Rated: R From the production team that brought you HAPPY GILMORE and BILLY MADISON comes this amiable, foul-mouthed "nature" comedy. Steve Zahn--sporting his best burned-out surfer dude drawl--leads a ragtag crew of wasted nature documentarians deep into the Ecuadorian forest on a quest for the... From the production team that brought you HAPPY GILMORE and BILLY MADISON comes this amiable, foul-mouthed "nature" comedy. Steve Zahn--sporting his best burned-out surfer dude drawl--leads a ragtag crew of wasted nature documentarians deep into the Ecuadorian forest on a quest for the legendary Bigfoot. Constantly being rousted for their drunken ineptitude and ill-informed voiceover narrations, the boys need a break to boost their ratings and Bigfoot might be it; all they have to do is remember to load the camera and not get eaten (especially by a certain turkey). Allen Covert, SUPERBAD's Jonah Hill, Justin Long, and Kevin Heffernan are the crew. Harry Hamlin is a rival bigfoot tracker. Ashley Scott (INTO THE BLUE) provides the ubiquitous foxy babe interest. Ernest Borgnine, Robert Patrick, and Joe Don Baker show up in bit parts. A sort of low-rent LIFE AQUATIC, WILDERNESS is such a fall-down farce that viewers might forget they're not cracking jokes while watching ANIMAL PLANET with their cronies instead of seeing a real movie, but maybe that's a good thing. Former SNL scribe Fred Wolf (JOE DIRT) directs, keeping it as ramshackle and rough around the edges as the law will allow. STRANGE WILDERNESS may not be pretty, but it earns a load of laughs through its sheer mullet-headed recklessness.   Numb Starring: Matthew Perry Release Date: May 13, 2008 Rated: R Matthew Perry (FRIENDS) stars in this delirious comedy about a man who tries to find the right therapist to treat his rapidly deteriorating mind. As the movie unfolds, Perry's character, Hudson Milbank, soon discovers that the people placed in charge of treating him are actually crazier than he is.   Untraceable Starring: Diane Lane, Billy Burke, Colin Hanks, Joseph Cross, Mary Beth Hurt Release Date: May 13, 2008 Rated: R Directed by Gregory Hoblit (FRACTURE, PRIMAL FEAR), UNTRACEABLE follows F.B.I. cybercrimes specialist Jennifer Marsh (Diane Lane) as she attempts to track down a serial killer who brazenly displays his murderous deeds on the Internet. Aided by fellow agent Griffin Dowd (Colin Hanks) and local detective Eric Box (Billy Burke), Marsh tenaciously hunts for the elusive criminal in rainy Pacific Northwest settings, but as she closes in on her target, he deviously finds ways to get closer to her, all the while killing his victims in increasingly faster fashion. Clearly referencing a number of renowned thrillers--most notably the SAW films, SEVEN, and SILENCE OF THE LAMBS--UNTRACEABLE is far from an original cinematic exercise. However, Lane's steely, smart, and beautiful heroine ably anchors the film, which also benefits from its appropriately gloomy Portland, Oregon, backdrop. As with any effective suspense movie, the thrill is in the chase, with the cold-blooded killer proving to be quite adept at disguising his real location, even as his disturbingly popular site remains prominently on the web (hence the picture's title). Though not up to par with classics such as SEVEN and SILENCE, UNTRACEABLE is a well-crafted genre film that easily eclipses other like-minded fare, particularly FEARDOTCOM and the SAW sequels.   Mad Money Starring: Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, Katie Holmes, Ted Danson, Stephen Root Release Date: May 13, 2008 Rated: R Academy Award® winner Diane Keaton (Something’s Gotta Give), Oscar® nominee Queen Latifah (Chicago) and Katie Holmes (Thank You for Smoking) star in Mad Money, a comedy about three ordinary women who form an unlikely friendship and decide to do something extraordinary—rob one of the most secure banks in the world. Mad Money is directed by Academy Award® winner Callie Khouri (screenwriter of Thelma and Louise, director of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood), from a script by Glen Gers (Fracture). Bridget Cardigan (Diane Keaton) is shocked to learn that she is on the verge of losing her home and comfortable upper middle class lifestyle when her husband Don (Ted Danson) is downsized from his job. Armed only with a decades old English degree and years as a dedicated mother and corporate wife, Bridget is forced into the unfamiliar labor market with no job skills. Finally, she accepts the only position she can find— janitor at the Federal Reserve Bank. The one-time suburban mom soon discovers she has more in common with her new co-workers than she thought. Bridget forges an unexpected bond with Nina (Queen Latifah), a hard-working single mom with two kids to raise, and Jackie (Katie Holmes), an exuberant free spirit with nothing to lose. Caught up in a system that underestimates their talents and keeps their dreams just out of reach, Bridget, Nina and Jackie set out to even the score. After a lifetime of playing by the rules, the three devise a plan to smuggle soon-to-be destroyed currency out of the supposedly airtight Reserve. As the unlikely crime syndicate amasses piles of cash, it looks like they have pulled off the perfect crime—until a minor misstep alerts the authorities. With more money than they know what to do with, the women are pushed to the limits of their ingenuity to stay one step ahead of the law!   Over Her Dead Body Starring: Eva Longoria Parker, Paul Rudd, Lake Bell, Lindsay Sloane, Stephen Root Release Date: May 06, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Screenwriter Jeff Lowell makes his directorial debut with the slightly unconventional romantic comedy OVER HER DEAD BODY. Overbearing bridezilla Kate (Eva Longoria Parker) is reviewing final details at the reception venue on her wedding day when the unthinkable happens: she's crushed by an ice sculpture of an angel before she makes it to the altar. A year later, her fiancé, Henry (Paul Rudd), is still devastated. To appease his concerned sister, Chloe (Lindsay Sloan), he visits Ashley (Lake Bell), a caterer and sometime psychic, in an attempt to contact Kate in the afterlife and gain some closure. Henry and Ashley hit it off, but misguided spirit Kate hasn't quite made it to heaven yet, and takes to haunting Ashley to protect her ex-fiancé from his potential new love interest. Will this otherworldly interference keep Henry from moving on with Ashley? Or will Kate realize that the best gift she can give Henry is happiness with someone new? Jason Biggs stars as Dan, Ashley's best friend and catering partner, who is a hiding a big secret from her. Rudd is his usual likable self as Henry, a veterinarian who manages to find humor in every situation despite his lingering sadness. Watch for a very amusing scene with his pet parrot. Longoria looks great as a very fashionable ghost, sporting a new hairdo and a new white outfit almost every time she appears on screen. Bell exudes an air of earnestness and optimism as Ashley, who decides that love is worth being haunted by a ghost. Character actor Stephen Root appears as the ice sculptor.   P.S. I Love You Starring: Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Gina Gershon, Lisa Kudrow, Harry Connick Release Date: May 06, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Two-time Oscar winner Hillary Swank tries her hand at romantic comedy in this touching film based on the bestselling Irish novel. Holly Kennedy (Swank) and her charming Irish husband Gerry (Gerard Butler) are a young couple struggling to get by in New York City. Their marriage is 10 years strong, and they are madly in love, but the fates soon step in, when Gerry develops cancer and dies. Holly is completely devastated, and her friends Denise (Lisa Kudrow) and Sharon (Gina Gershon) do their best to console her. Her mother (Kathy Bates) and sister, Rose (Nellie Mckay), also offer their support, but it seems nothing can pull Holly out of her grief. Then one day, she begins to receive love letters Gerry penned before his death. The letters are filled with various stories and instructions, and one of them even contains a plan that sends her and her friends on a trip to Ireland. As Gerry's posthumous letters buoy her up, Holly slowly begins to piece her life back together. His letters help her to celebrate their special love story, and remind her that she must continue to live her life, and seek out happiness. The film's stellar cast delivers many tearjerker moments, and P.S. I LOVE YOU does a fine job of yanking on the heartstrings. However, the tone often shifts so abruptly, it at times feels as though they couldn't quite decide if Holly was a steel magnolia, a Bridget with a diary, or a devil in search of some Prada. But the strong performances manage to hold the tale together, and the story is ultimately moving, and yes, romantic.   First Sunday Starring: Ice Cube, Katt Williams, Tracy Morgan, Loretta Devine, Michael Beach Release Date: May 06, 2008 Rated: PG-13 David E. Talbert makes his directorial debut with this comedy about Durell (Ice Cube) and LeeJohn (Tracy Morgan), childhood friends with a knack for getting into trouble. Despite his continual bad decisions, Durell gets one thing right: he's a good father to his adolescent son. When he learns that the boy's mother, his ex-girlfriend, Omunique (Regina Hall), needs $17,000 to buy her beauty shop or she'll leave Baltimore and move to Atlanta, he's determined to get her the money to keep his son in his life. Meanwhile, LeeJohn needs big money fast to pay off some bad guys. Durell and LeeJohn decide that the collection plate of their local church holds the answer to their money woes. But their attempt to rob the church is foiled in progress: the money is already missing, and the would-be burglars didn't realize there would be people at the church. Finding themselves with a group of parishioners and choir members at their mercy, Durell and LeeJohn have to make some decisions about exactly what kind of men they want to be. FIRST SUNDAY also makes a statement about the role of the church in urban areas and its importance within the community. Keith David is Deacon Randy, who has grandiose plans for moving the church to a "less urban" neighborhood. Chi McBride stars as Pastor Mitchell, and Malinda Williams is his strong-willed daughter, Tianna, who wants First Hope Community Church to stay right where it is and expand its services. Loretta Devine is Sister Doris, the parish secretary and foster mother with a heart of gold. Ice Cube and Morgan have good rapport as the bickering buddies, with Morgan's silliness providing loads of comic relief, but Katt Williams is the scene-stealer as Rickey, the flamboyant choir director with something to say about everything and everyone.   Bella Starring: Eduardo Verastegui, Tammy Blanchard, Manny Perez, Ali Landry, Angelica Aragon Release Date: May 06, 2008 Rated: PG-13 BELLA opens with a flashback to a confident young man named Jose (Eduardo Verastegui) who is poised to become a major soccer star. The film then flashes forward to the present day, and we see Jose working as a chef in his brother Manny's (Manny Perez) restaurant. A swaggering athlete no more, he has camouflaged his striking looks with long hair and a thick beard. When his hot-tempered brother fires a waitress for showing up late, Jose makes the spontaneous decision to walk off the job and go check on her. He catches the young woman, Nina (Tammy Blanchard), just as she is about to board the subway, and she reveals to him that she is pregnant. Worried for her, Jose suggests they spend the day together, and the two set off for a long, meandering jaunt around New York City. Previously only workmates, they slowly open up to each other over the course of the day. He brings her out to Long Island, where she meets his warm and loving family, and it's there that he tells the tragic story about what derailed his once promising athletic career. They bond with each other in a deeply intimate, though platonic way, and by the film's end, Jose and Nina have a lifelong connection to one another. Director Alejandro Gomez Monteverde paints a gritty but lively picture of New York City, and he peppers the film with scenes of subway turnstiles, sidewalk artists, and corner bodegas. In doing so he creates a rough but very real portrait of the city. While BELLA grapples with some pretty heavy themes, it is ultimately a feel-good tale, with a strong emphasis on the importance of family, and on the human potential for change and atonement.   The Golden Compass Starring: Nicole Kidman, Dakota Blue Richards, Sam Elliott, Eva Green, Daniel Craig Release Date: April 29, 2008 Rated: PG-13 THE GOLDEN COMPASS is an adaptation of the first book in the beloved but controversial fantasy series by Phillip Pullman. The story opens with Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) an orphan girl who lives in an alternate world that is similar to earth, but where people's souls exist outside of their bodies in animal form. The people are ruled by a shadowy and oppressive council known as the Magisterium, which is doing it's best to keep everyone from getting information about what is called "Dust." Lyra's Uncle Asriel (Daniel Craig) has been researching Dust, and he has seen to it that Lyra is given safe shelter at Jordan College. But when the visiting Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) arrives, she asks Lyra to accompany her on a trip to the North to meet the Panserbjorne, a race of armored bears. Before Lyra leaves, the Headmaster gives her a golden compass, a device which only she can read, and from which she can intuit the truth. Lyra leaves with Mrs. Coulter, but when she learns that her friends have been kidnapped by "Gobblers," she heads out to find them, and soon joins forces with the nomadic Gyptians, some witches, and an armored bear called Iorek Byrnison (voice by Ian McKellen). Lyra finds her friends, and so discovers the evil plans the Magisterium has cooked up for the world's children. By the film's end, she has vowed to track down her Uncle Asriel, and to discover the true power of Dust. Hollywood had a tricky time of taming this tale, as Pullman's books portray religion - the Catholic Church in particular - in a less than flattering light. The film version carefully steers clear of these themes, and instead puts its enormous budget into creating visually stunning effects. While fans of the books may find fault with this streamlined version, children are sure to revel in the many talking animals and whimsical airships.   27 Dresses Starring: Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Malin Akerman, Edward Burns, Melora Hardin Release Date: April 29, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Jane is idealistic, romantic and completely selfless – a perennial bridesmaid whose own happy ending is nowhere in sight. But when younger sister Tess captures the heart of Jane’s boss -- with whom she is secretly in love – Jane begins to reexamine her “always-a-bridesmaid….” lifestyle.   The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Starring: Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josee Croze, Anne Consigny, Patrick Chesnais Release Date: April 29, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Celebrated painter and filmmaker Julian Schnabel's third feature finds him reaching new artistic heights with this audacious and personal biopic, based on the best-selling memoir of the same name. The film tells the remarkable tale of Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric), the world-renowned editor of French ELLE magazine, who suffered a stroke and was paralyzed by the inexplicable "locked in" syndrome at the age of 43. Bauby's only way of communicating with the outside world was by blinking with one eye, and after several dedicated helpers--a string of impossibly beautiful women (Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josee Croze, Olatz Lopez Garamendia, Anne Consigny)--helped him to speak through this seemingly irrelevant gesture, he began to produce the words that would form his memoir. Along the way, as he swam in and out of consciousness, memories from his past swelled into the present, resulting in a cinematic experience that is at once heartbreaking and hopeful. Schnabel somehow manages to convey Bauby's internal life with remarkable clarity, employing first-person perspective, striking cinematography (by the always great Janusz Kaminski), and Amalric's pained, life-affirming monologues. The result is a wholly original experience, a painful and tender portrait of a life that is made all the more exhilarating because of its close proximity to death.   Charlie Wilson's War Starring: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Ned Beatty Release Date: April 22, 2008 Rated: R Charlie Wilson's War is the true story of how a playboy congressman, a renegade CIA agent and a beautiful Houston socialite joined forces to lead the largest and most successful covert operation in history. Their efforts contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, with consequences that reverberate throughout the world today. Oscar® winners Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman team with Academy Award®-winning director Mike Nichols and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin to bring George Crile's best-selling book to the screen. Charlie Wilson (Hanks) was a bachelor congressman from Texas who had a habit of showing up in hot tubs with strippers and cocaine. His "Good Time Charlie" exterior, however, masked an extraordinary mind, a deep sense of patriotism and a passion for the underdog, and in the early 1980s the underdog was Afghanistan--which had just been brutally invaded by the Russians. Charlie's longtime friend and patron and sometime lover was Joanne Herring (Roberts), one of the wealthiest women in Texas and a virulent anti-communist. Believing the American response to the Russian invasion was anemic at best, she prods Charlie into doing more for the Mujahideen (Afghan freedom fighters). Charlie's partner in this uphill endeavor is CIA Agent Gust Avrakotos (Hoffman), a blue-collar operative in a company of Ivy League blue bloods. Together, the three of them--Charlie, Joanne and Gust--travel the world to form unlikely alliances among the Pakistanis, Israelis, Egyptians, arms dealers, law makers and a belly dancer.   Cloverfield Starring: Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas Release Date: April 22, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Director Matt Reeves (THE PALLBEARER) and producer J. J. Abrams (LOST, ALIAS) turn a mysterious monster loose in Manhattan in the disaster flick CLOVERFIELD. The movie begins at a party for Rob (Michael Stahl-David), who has accepted a promotion that will send him to Japan. Hud (T. J. Miller) is entrusted with the responsibility of videotaping the party--and as the trouble grows, he holds on to the camera, recording everything that happens. In fact, the entire movie is seen through the lens of his camera, reminiscent of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. As terrified people in a post-9/11 New York City take to the streets, Rob decides to head uptown to try to save Beth (Odette Yustman), the woman he loves, though he's afraid to tell her so. Rob is joined by his brother Jason (Mike Vogel), Jason's girlfriend Lily (Jessica Lucas), Lily's friend Marlena (Lizzy Caplan), and Hud, who has a thing for Marlena. Rob is determined not to give up, even after almost being crushed by the Statue of Liberty's head and as the military shows up to force evacuation of the city. Reeves and first-time screenwriter Drew Goddard, who previously has written television episodes of such series as BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL, ALIAS, and LOST, focus in on the central aspect of the story: people trying to survive the monster attack. Very little else is explained, since the story is told completely through the video camera. And there is no additional score to heighten the drama; the only music is that which is picked up by Hud and the camera's microphone, including snippets of songs by Kings of Leon, Parliament Funkadelic, Of Montreal, and others. The anticipation of CLOVERFIELD's release was enhanced by a viral marketing campaign that included Web sites built around the main characters and even the fictional drink Slusho.   One Missed Call Starring: Shannyn Sossamon, Edward Burns, Ana Claudia Talancon, Ray Wise, Azura Skye Release Date: April 22, 2008 Rated: PG-13 n the tradition of THE RING, THE GRUDGE, DARK WATER, and PULSE, ONE MISSED CALL is yet another moody Japanese ghost story to be adapted for American screens. Originally made by cult director Takashi Miike in 2003 from Yasushi Akimoto's novel CHAKUSHIN ARI, this American version retains the elements that are sure to please J-Horror fans--jerky apparitions, ghostly children, desperate messages from beyond the grave, possessed electronic devices, and strong female characters. While this remake, which is the debut English-language film from French director Eric Valette, dispenses with some of the freakiness of Miike's version, the creepiness remains. Shannon Sossamon is Beth, a developmental psychology student who has plenty of cause for concern after her friend Leann (Azura Skye) receives a panicked cell phone message from herself days in the future. After Leann falls in front of a train at the same date and time on the message, Beth suspects that she may be next. Beth's fear seems even more justified after her friend Taylor (Ana Claudia Talancon) befalls a similar fate as her phone message is being investigated by a reality TV host (Ray Wise) who specializes in unexplained phenomena. With the help of police chief Jack Andrews (Ed Byrnes), Beth discovers a link between the calls and a deceased mother and daughter. A slow burning ghost tale, ONE MISSED CALL establishes a mood of creepiness before the opening credits and sustains it right through to the conclusion. Instead of major shocks or gore, we're given subtle glimpses of ghostly figures or slightly distorted faces that are effective in creating unease. Sossamon makes a pleasing heroine, and the always excellent Wise makes the most of his small role. Almost old-fashioned in its restraint, the film is a good candidate for family viewing--and spooky enough to give all but the most jaded horror fan goose bumps.   The Savages Starring: Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco, Peter Friedman, Gbenga Akinnagbe Release Date: April 22, 2008 Rated: R Director Tamara Jenkins made audiences sit for nearly a decade for her follow-up to the hilarious dark comedy SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS, but it's been worth the wait. Like her previous film, THE SAVAGES is a sometimes-funny, sometimes-sad look at family dynamics, but this time around the sense of humor is more wry than riotous. Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman play Wendy and Jon Savage, a pair of siblings on the cusp of middle age. She's earning money in New York City as a temp as she writes an autobiographical play about their childhood, while he lives in Buffalo, teaching college and finishing a book on Bertolt Brecht. Their estranged father (Philip Bosco) lives across the country, but the Savages reluctantly rush to see him when they learn that he may not be able to take care of himself any longer. Jon and Wendy bicker over problems old and new as they try to figure out what's best for a man they barely know. Like Noah Baumbach in THE SQUID AND THE WHALE and MARGOT AT THE WEDDING, writer-director Jenkins knows how to mine family dysfunction for both comedy and drama. Jon and Wendy tear into each other as only people connected by blood can, but their fighting feels entirely genuine, largely thanks to the performances of Linney and Hoffman. Though they'll get most of the buzz for their roles, character actor Bosco is heartbreaking as their aging father. Though his decline is difficult to watch, the actor's performance is absolutely mesmerizing.   National Treasure 2 : Book of Secrets Starring: Nicolas Cage, Jon Voight, Diane Kruger, Harvey Keitel, Ed Harris Release Date: April 20, 2008 Rated: PG Treasure hunter Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) embarks on a new adventure in director Jon Turtletaub's sequel to NATIONAL TREASURE. Ben and his father, Patrick (Jon Voight), take great pride in their ancestors and their family's devotion to the United States. When Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris)... Treasure hunter Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) embarks on a new adventure in director Jon Turtletaub's sequel to NATIONAL TREASURE. Ben and his father, Patrick (Jon Voight), take great pride in their ancestors and their family's devotion to the United States. When Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris) produces a page from the diary of Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth allegedly linking Ben's great-great grandfather to the plot, Ben and Patrick set out on a path to clear their family's name. Ben also believes that the diary page contains hints to the whereabouts of a treasure map leading to an ancient city made of gold, and soon the hunt is on. Tech expert Riley Poole (Justin Bartha) and Ben's now ex-girlfriend Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger) join the Gates in their quest, which takes them from Washington, DC, to Paris, London and the Black Hills of South Dakota. It's true that the storyline and the actions of Gates and his team--which include breaking into the Queen's study at Buckingham Palace, sneaking into the Oval Office, and kidnapping the President of the United States--are completely unbelievable. But with a storyline built on true, interesting trivia and great locations, this film is an amusing, family-friendly romp. Cage has some great moments as Gates-- loyal, patriotic, fair to a fault, and very funny as he goads on Buckingham Palace security. Harris plays Wilkinson with just the right air of mystery and menace: is he after fortune, or does he just want to leave his own mark in history? Helen Mirren fits the bill as Ben's mother and Patrick's estranged ex-wife, Emily, a scholar and historian in her own right.   Juno Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney Release Date: April 15, 2008 Rated: PG-13 The word \\\"quirky\\\" has become the quick and easy way to describe films such as LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE and LARS AND THE REAL GIRL that straddle the lines between indie and studio films and comedy and drama. While JUNO fits into that same category, this distinctive dramedy is in a class all its own. Ellen Page (X-MEN: THE LAST STAND) stars as Juno, a witty teenage girl whose boredom doesn\\\'t lead her to the mall. Instead, she makes a one-time trip into the arms of her best friend Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). When Juno discovers that she\\\'s pregnant, she\\\'s forced to grow up fast as she tries to find adoptive parents for her quickly growing child. JUNO might have a lot of strengths--Page\\\'s award-worthy performance, a pitch-perfect soundtrack, excellent direction from Jason Reitman--but it\\\'s the screenwriting debut of writer Cody Diablo that makes this such a winning film. Famous for her blog and her book CANDY GIRL: A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF AN UNLIKELY STRIPPER, Diablo has a unique voice and an incredible ear for dialogue. But even the nearly perfect script wouldn\\\'t sound so good if it weren\\\'t for the talents of these actors, particularly Page. She won raves for her first major role in HARD CANDY, but this performance proves it wasn\\\'t a fluke. The rest of the cast, especially J.K. Simmons as Juno\\\'s dad, is just as worthy of attention. JUNO continues Cera\\\'s cinematic ascent after his success with the hit comedy SUPERBAD, and his ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT costar Jason Bateman uses his dry delivery to great effect as a potential parent for Juno\\\'s baby. Songs from Kimya Dawson perfectly capture the film\\\'s tone with the music\\\'s sweet, smart, and funny sounds.   Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem Starring: Steven Pasquale, Reiko Aylesworth, John Ortiz, Ariel Gade, Johnny Lewis Release Date: April 15, 2008 Rated: R ALIEN VS. PREDATOR relegated its intergalactic grudge match to Antarctica, keeping most of humankind gleefully ignorant. This time around, though, the destruction takes place in suburban America, and those who have been waiting for it finally get to witness facehuggers, alien hybrids, and the dreadlocked Predator wreak some homeland havoc. Directors Colin and Greg Strause (billed as "The Brothers Strause") don’t seem concerned with achieving the tension of the original ALIEN and PREDATOR films, instead using their visual effects backgrounds to create a steady stream of monsters, gore, and goo. Picking up where AVP ended, REQUIEM sees Predator on a homebound spacecraft when a baby alien/Predator hybrid bursts from his chest, causing the ship to crash in the Colorado woods. Several facehugger specimens escape, planting eggs down the throats of a hunter and his son. Soon, baby aliens emerge from their bodies and head for town, where ex-con Dallas (Steven Pasquale), Iraq War vet Kelly (Reiko Aylesworth), pizza delivery boy Ricky (Johnny Lewis), high school heartthrob Jesse (Kristen Hager), and sheriff Morales (John Ortiz) have their own separate encounters with the creatures. The dead Predator’s home planet receives a transmission of the alien outbreak, and a fellow denizen of his world is dispatched to clean up the multiplying aliens, eventually causing enough death and destruction for government intervention. This is essentially a slasher film (or FREDDY VS. JASON with aliens), and the characters in REQUIEM are secondary to the creature effects. Fans of the comic books and videogames will appreciate the Strauses‘ adherence to the lore of the series, but others will probably just find thrills in the copious special effects, which are frequent and well-done (if often occurring in darkness). There is also a significant amount of indiscriminant gore in this rightfully R-rated film. A government conspiracy plot thread and an ambiguous ending ensure that this battle isn’t over yet.   Lars And The Real Girl Starring: Ryan Gosling, Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner Release Date: April 15, 2008 Rated: PG-13 As the title character, Ryan Gosling is a strange but likeable young man who manages to keep down a job but keeps mostly to himself. He only leaves the garage where he lives when his older brother Gus (Paul Schneider) and loving sister-in-law Karin (Emily Mortimer) drag him to their house next door for dinner. Lars doesn't take well to questioning, so the disturbing level of his isolation is never openly discussed. It's only when he announces he has a girlfriend in the form of an anatomically correct doll he purchased via the Internet that everyone must admit his precarious mental state. No one quite knows how to help Lars, so they play along, careful not to do anything that might push him or Bianca (his plastic fiancée) over the edge. The results are touching efforts on the part of all those who love him to help Lars through what his psychologist (Patricia Clarkson) assures them may be only a stage. Kelli Garner shines as Margo, the real, live girl who Lars seems incapable of seeing. Despite being ignored, Margo hangs in there, hopeful Lars will come around to sanity and to her. Craig Gillespie's LARS AND THE REAL GIRL is a sweet love story and a film which deals with mental illness in surprisingly subtle ways. With a formula that could easily have manipulated for cheap laughs, the film achieves quirky humor in parts but mostly touching observations about the nature of delusions themselves. The film's talented cast gathers around Lars, a sensitive character who the film respects and who Gosling (THE NOTEBOOK, HALF NELSON) brings fully to life.   Before the Devil Knows You're Dead Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei, Albert Finney, Rosemary Harris Release Date: April 15, 2008 Rated: R From the unexpectedly graphic opening shot, director Sidney Lumet proves he hasn't lost any of his bite with age. BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD is a riveting suspense thriller that retains the director's classic approach to storytelling while updating it at the same time. Working from an intense, expertly woven script by playwright-turned-screenwriter Kelly Masterson, Lumet establishes his tragic tone immediately. The story concerns a New York family with a roiling undercurrent of dysfunction. The eldest son, Andy (Philip Seymour Hoffman), is a frustrated, drug-abusing stockbroker who is unable to satisfy his gorgeous wife (Marisa Tomei). The youngest son, Hank (Ethan Hawke), is passive and struggles to make alimony payments. Their parents (Albert Finney and Rosemary Harris) live in Westchester and operate a small jewelry store. Their lives begin to unravel when Andy approaches Hank about pulling off a heist that will seemingly solve all of their monetary problems. Everything about this idea is risky, yet Andy convinces his timid younger brother that this is his only way out of his current situation. Naturally, their plan falls apart, resulting in a series of tragedies that they never could have predicted. BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD belongs beside such Lumet classics as DOG DAY AFTERNOON, NETWORK, and SERPICO. The cinematography and editing and score are all excellent, but the performances are what launch the film into the stratosphere. Oscar-winner Hoffman (CAPOTE) and Finney have never been better, and the rest of the cast--Hawke, Tomei, Michael Shannon--rise to the occasion with unforgettable results.   Resurrecting the Champ Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Josh Hartnett, Kathryn Morris, Rachel Nichols, David Paymer Release Date: April 08, 2008 Rated: PG-13 In RESURRECTING THE CHAMP, Samuel L. Jackson sheds the cooler-than-thou persona he’s perfected in films such as PULP FICTION. But even previous turns as the downtrodden characters in CHANGING LANES and BLACK SNAKE MOAN are nothing compared to the role of Champ in this film from director Rod Lurie (THE LAST CASTLE). Jackson transforms into a homeless man, completely changing his voice and carriage to reflect someone who has lived on the street for years. When the audience first meets Champ, he is being attacked by a group of 20-something men. A sports journalist named Erik Kernan (Josh Hartnett, THE BLACK DAHLIA) happens upon the scene and rescues Champ from a brutal beating. But it’s Erik who needs rescuing as well: his job at the Denver Times is in jeopardy as a result of his pedestrian prose, and his marriage to a fellow journalist (Kathryn Morris, COLD CASE) is on equally shaky ground. In finding Champ, he’s found his story. Champ isn’t an average man living on the street. Instead, he boasts of being famed boxer Battling Bob Satterfield, and he hands Erik a Pulitzer-worthy story of a life gone wrong. Based on a true story, RESURRECTING THE CHAMP is less a typical sports movie than it is an engaging drama. There’s enough boxing history and action to satisfy sports fans: Satterfield is said to have battled big names such as Jake La Motta of RAGING BULL fame, and bouts are fought and won throughout the film. But it’s Erik’s internal conflict that makes this an interesting film. He is a man forever caught in the shadow of his father, a famed sports broadcaster he never really knew, as he tries to raise his own son.   Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story Starring: John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Tim Meadows, Kristen Wiig Release Date: April 08, 2008 Rated: R Somewhere between pitch-perfect parodies from Christopher Guest and Co. (such as THIS IS SPINAL TAP and A MIGHTY WIND) and slapstick spoofs (such as AIRPLANE and the NAKED GUN) resides the farcical biopic WALK HARD: THE DEWEY COX STORY. Taking the critically lauded Johnny Cash biopic WALK THE LINE as its most obvious inspiration, WALK HARD plows its way through every rock star cliché--from drug use and rampant sex to artistic self-indulgence and spiritual redemption--laying waste to all of them with unremitting blasts of brilliantly lowbrow comedy. Written by Judd Apatow and starring Jon C. Reilly in the title role, WALK HARD is a deliciously basic synthesis of any number of ponderous biographical narratives with the poetic raunchiness of Apatow films, such as SUPERBAD and KNOCKED UP, and the most lovably inane aspects of Reilly’s role as Cal Naughton Jr. in TALLEDEGA NIGHTS. In fact, fans will have a blast spotting the endless array of cameos by the gifted comic actors who pepper all of those films, including Jonah Hill, Kristin Wiig, Ed Helms, and Jack McBrayer, among many others. Although Reilly (whose comedic chops are nearly on par with his skills as a dramatic player) is hilarious as the hapless rock-&-roll icon Cox, and Jenna Fischer is utterly charming and slyly multifaceted as Darlene Madison (June to Dewey’s Johnny), it’s the ensemble cast that makes the film so much fun. WALK HARD is the cinematic equivalent of a rock-&-roll jam session: a basic, yet entertaining and fairly interesting idea gets tossed into the creative arena and everyone gets a chance to play along, riff on the idea, and mug for the camera. Though it’s certainly no masterwork, fans will relish the good times as much as the actors so clearly do.   The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep Starring: Emily Watson, Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, David Morrissey, Brian Cox Release Date: April 08, 2008 Rated: PG Based on the novel by BABE author Dick King-Smith, THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF THE DEEP is set in Scotland during World War II, and focuses on Angus (Alex Etel), a young boy who discovers an unusual egg at Loch Ness. When the egg hatches to reveal a dinosaur-like creature, Angus finds that he has a unique pet--a mythical "water horse," which he names Crusoe. Complicating matters are Crusoe's fast growth rate and soldiers stationed near the lake, factors that make it very tricky to keep the friendly beastie a secret. A thoroughly likable family film directed by Jay Russell (TUCK EVERLASTING), THE WATER HORSE provides an intriguing spin on the classic boy-and-his-dog tale. While Etel, who won over audiences in MILLIONS, ably carries the movie, he is supported by a topnotch ensemble that includes Emily Watson as his mother, newcomer Priyanka Xi as his sister, and Ben Chaplin as a good-natured handyman. Primarily sharing the screen with Etel, however, is the Loch Ness Monster-in-the-making, which is wonderfully rendered by Weta, the company behind the digital effects for THE LORD OF THE RINGS films. Both cute and--in his larger state--intimidating, Crusoe strikes up a surprisingly believable relationship with Angus, providing the heart of this beautifully photographed story.   Lions for Lambs Starring: Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise, Michael Peña, Andrew Garfield Release Date: April 08, 2008 Rated: R Robert Redford directs and stars in this provocative ode to political activism. Boasting a powerhouse cast that also includes Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise, the film features three storylines centered on the Iraq war. Cruise is Jasper Irving, a rising Republican senator who has summoned Janine Roth (Streep), the head journalist at a large news corporation, to sell her on the government's new military strategy. It's his hope that she in turn will sell the public on the idea. Meanwhile, a history professor (Redford) is trying to convince one of his more promising students to strive to make a difference in the world. Professor Malley believes Todd Hayes (Andrew Garfield) to be a bright young man, and he wants to know why Todd has become so apathetic about his schoolwork, and, after the two banter back and forth about the nature of activism, Malley tells him about two of his former students, Ernest and Arian (Michael Pena and Derek Luke), both of whom are currently serving in Iraq. Unbeknownst to Malley, at that very moment, Ernest and Arian are engaging in the exact military strategy that Senator Irving is discussing with Roth. Their mission has just gone terribly awry, and the men have fallen into enemy territory. So the senator and journalist argue, the professor and student debate, and all the while the wounded soldiers wait desperately for rescue. These disparate storylines slowly build and converge, culminating in a blaring statement about civic responsibility and social conscience. Cruise and Streep are a delight to watch, and their battle of words gives the most heat to the film. As one might expect, it casts an extremely critical eye at the current state of American politics. However, it veers toward hope, and a call to action. Redford, himself a longtime activist, appears to be sending an open letter to America: turn off the celebrity coverage and get involved.   Alvin and the Chipmunks Starring: David Cross, Jason Lee, Cameron Richardson, Jane Lynch, Justin Long Release Date: April 01, 2008 Rated: PG This live-action/computer-animated update of Ross Bagdasarian's squeaky-voiced cartoon characters finds the chipmunks (in CGI form) transported from their woodland habitat to the city, where they wind up in the home of Dave Seville (Jason Lee). Dave, a down-on-his-luck songwriter, realizes the potential of a singing chipmunk pop act, and becomes an unlikely mentor/father figure to feisty Alvin, brainy Simon, and dopey Theodore. Meanwhile, the threesome causes chaos in his life, leading to plenty of fun, frenetic scenarios. When a devious record executive (David Cross) enters the picture, however, Alvin and the Chipmunks must deal with both the trappings of fame and their loyalty to the amiable, hapless Dave. Directed by Tim Hill (GARFIELD: A TALE OF TWO KITTIES), ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS simultaneously modernizes and pays tribute to the classic title characters, who first appeared in the late 1950s and became wildly popular in the '60s. While Lee (MY NAME IS EARL) is well cast as the perpetually exasperated Dave, Long (LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD) steals the show as the voice of Alvin, who provides the group's lively spirit. Though some older viewers may wince at the prospect of their beloved Chipmunks rapping, the movie is generally respectful of the franchise's long legacy, and will easily win over a younger generation.   Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Jamie Campbell Bower Release Date: April 01, 2008 Rated: R With its rivers of blood, this adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim musical isn't for the faint of heart--or stomach. But thanks to the black humor, impeccable production design, and gorgeous music, Tim Burton fans will want to sing after seeing SWEENEY TODD. For his sixth collaboration with the director, Johnny Depp stars as Benjamin Barker aka Sweeney Todd, a barber falsely imprisoned by Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). After leaving prison, he comes back to Victorian London to find his wife poisoned and his daughter held captive. As he plots his revenge, Sweeney joins forces with Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), and while he preys on clients asking for a shave, his new partner turns the bodies into baked goods. But the judge still lives, and the razor-wielding madman wants his vengeance. Though it's a musical, SWEENEY TODD has more in common with Italian horror films such as SUSPIRIA than it does with CHICAGO. Even the horror-musical hybrid LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS pales in comparison to the darkness found here. Previous Burton-Depp pairings have veered toward the macabre, but this reaches a glorious new level. Though they've made excellent films apart, their partnership has produced some of their best work, including EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, ED WOOD, and now SWEENEY TODD. Depp demonstrates his rock-band roots as the antihero of the title with another amazing performance, while Bonham Carter is both hilarious and heartbreaking as the eager Mrs. Lovett. But credit also belongs to production designer Dante Ferretti, director of photography Dariusz Wolski, and, of course, Burton, for showing a sooty London that is just as dark as the film's subject matter. Source composer Sondheim should also be recognized for the haunting songs that threaten to stick in viewers' heads, but the film as a whole also deserves to be remembered for its beauty and brutality.   What Love Is Starring: Cuba Gooding, Sean Astin, Matthew Lillard, Mars Callahan, Anne Heche Release Date: April 01, 2008 Rated: R "What Love Is" is a sincere, insightful, and unapologetically frank romantic comedy for men about a man who finds out, during the course of one very important night in his life, what love truly is. The story opens on Tom Riley as he nervously has one drink at his neighborhood bar in order to steady himself before he heads home to ask his long-time girlfriend, Sara, if she will marry him. It's Valentine's Day and he's got the ring, he's got the flowers and now that he has his one drink, he's got the courage. He tells his group of best friends at the bar to meet him at his house for a surprise celebration. He grabs a bottle of champagne and heads home only to find that his girlfriend has left him. His friends soon arrive. The night is filled with beautiful strippers, intelligent women, sensitive men, a gay wedding announcement and a very real look at what the sexes say about each other when the opposite sex is not around and what happens when they are.   The Good Night Starring: Martin Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Penelope Cruz, Simon Pegg, Danny De Vito Release Date: April 01, 2008 Rated: R Jake Paltrow directs his sister Gwyneth in this take on the midlife crisis. Gary (Martin Freeman) was once riding high as the member of a successful pop band. Now, seven years later, the band is no more and he pays the bills by composing mediocre music for commercials. To further add to his unhappiness, his relationship with his girlfriend, Dora (Paltrow), appears to be on its last legs. The only thing Gary looks forward to anymore is sleeping--so that he might have a reoccurring dream about a beautiful mystery woman he calls Anna (Penelope Cruz). He even goes so far as to take dream workshops taught by a scruffy eccentric named Mel (Danny Devito), in the hopes of prolonging his experiences in his subconscious. He soon becomes obsessed with escaping into his dreamworld, and his real life begins to fall apart. Depressed and confused, he finally has a revelatory dream wherein he realizes he needs to make a major change and return to reality. He plots a grand romantic gesture to get his life back on track, but the plan backfires with rather shocking and tragic results. Martin Freeman gives an endearing performance as the befuddled Gary, and Gwyneth Paltrow is splendidly obnoxious as the nagging, frowning Dora. Viewers should take note, while THE GOOD NIGHT is billed as a romantic comedy, it's definitely not standard fare. It certainly has its share of laughs and feel good moments, but it also has some pretty dark undertones that one doesn't usually find in the rom-com genre.   Atonement Starring: Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Romola Garai, Saoirse Ronan, Vanessa Redgrave Release Date: March 18, 2008 Rated: R On a sultry summer day in 1935, an upper-class British family prepares for a dinner party at their country estate. The players: Briony Tallis (newcomer Saoirse Ronan), a precocious preteen writer; her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley), Cambridge graduate and femme fatale; Robbie Turner (James McEvoy), the housekeeper's mensch-y son, who carries a torch for Cecilia; and various visitors and family members. A series of misperceptions, fueled by the summer heat and Briony's childish hurts and fevered imagination, lead to a dramatic false accusation that lands Robbie in jail. We meet all three characters five years later in the thick of World War II, as foot soldier Robbie prepares for the Dunkirk evacuation and the two estranged sisters train as nurses in London. Director Joe Wright (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE) deserves high praise for translating Ian McEwan's highly internalized, multilayered tale of guilt, redemption, and the power and limits of the artistic imagination, into a sumptuous visual feast that not only conveys the intricate plot points of the novel, but dives headfirst into the emotional subtleties that make the story so wrenching. Whether any of the characters' actions are ultimately atoned for by the end of the film is a matter of perception, but Wright's sympathetic eye ensures that every player gets a fair trial. The young director favors long, lingering close-ups that trace every flicker of feeling--Ronan's luminous blue eyes clouding over with righteous gravity; the tremors of hurt and anger and love in McEvoy's sensitive face; the defiant jut of Knightley's jaw as it melts into tender affection. The honey-drizzled look of the first two thirds of the film contrasts achingly with the tension and seriousness of the action unfolding (and the grim intensity of the wartime sections), and the scenes on the beach at Dunkirk include some of the most masterly camera work of any recent film. ATONEMENT is a powerful story, retold in a way that even diehard fans of the book will appreciate.   I Am Legend Starring: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Dash Mihok, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Willow Smith Release Date: March 18, 2008 Rated: PG-13 In I AM LEGEND, Will Smith joins the ranks of Vincent Price (in 1964's THE LAST MAN ON EARTH) and Charlton Heston (in 1971's OMEGA MAN) as the star of an adaptation of Richard Matheson's 1954 novel of the same name. Often surprising in its focus on loneliness and loss, this thoughtful, eerie, and restrained sci-fi horror film provides a parade of startling visuals, but never allows special effects to overcome the human element. Smith, in a strong performance very different from his usual persona, is Robert Neville, the lone survivor in a New York City where streets are overgrown and deer gambol among deserted automobiles. Following an epidemic, the Earth's population has been turned into an army of nocturnal zombies. Immune to the virus, military scientist Neville searches for a cure in his Washington Square townhouse. Haunted by visions of his family leaving quarantined Manhattan two years prior, he drives through the city with his German Shepherd, Sam, by day and barricades his home from the monsters nightly. But when Anna (Alice Braga)--another immune stranger-finds him, they will have to fight the onslaught twice as hard. Akiva Goldsman and Mark Protosevich's emotionally-charged script showcases the charisma of Smith, who commands the screen alone for most of the picture (aside Abbey, a talented German Shepherd). Director Francis Lawrence (CONSTANTINE) uses music minimally, wisely allowing the eerie cityscapes to remain mostly silent. The set pieces, including an overgrown, deserted Times Square and a lion hunting a deer in the Flatrion District, are goosebump-inducing moments of stark beauty. Though some may question the rendering of the monsters in CGI instead of using actors, it does allow them to be frighteningly acrobatic. A chilling and effective adaptation of a horror classic, I AM LEGEND is also a thought-provoking piece of Hollywood filmmaking.   Enchanted Starring: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Susan Sarandon, Timothy Spall Release Date: March 18, 2008 Rated: PG With a fine cast and fun in-jokes, Disney’s ENCHANTED is sure to cast a spell over both children and adults. It begins with a 2-D animation sequence reminiscent of the company’s beloved past. Surrounded by dozens of cute animals, Giselle (voiced and later played by Amy Adams) sings about her desire to find her one true love. Meanwhile, a handsome prince (James Marsden) overhears her, and they meet and fall in love. In many Disney movies, this is where the story ends, but ENCHANTED is just starting out on its journey. The prince’s wicked stepmother (Susan Sarandon) can’t stand to lose her throne, so she pushes Giselle down a well, and the beauty ends up in the real world. Gone is the animated fantasy, and a live-action Giselle lands in the middle of Times Square in New York City. Her optimism and perkiness put her at odds with the New Yorkers she encounters, but she gets help from a cynical divorce lawyer (Patrick Dempsey) as she waits for her prince to rescue her. Fans of Disney classics from SLEEPING BEAUTY to BEAUTY AND THE BEAST will be glad to see their favorite films referenced in ENCHANTED. Jodi Benson (the voice of Ariel in THE LITTLE MERMAID) makes a brief appearance, and the evil queen threatens to kill Giselle with a poisoned apple à la SNOW WHITE. Though it reminds the audience of past favorites, ENCHANTED boasts its own script that is at once intelligent and heartwarming. But the true highlight of the film is the acting by the fairy tale couple. Marsden (HAIRSPRAY) couldn’t be funnier as the charming prince, while Adams (an Oscar nominee for 2005’s JUNEBUG) gives dimension to the heroine. As a result, ENCHANTED is a film that deserves to sit on a shelf with Disney’s classics.   No Country for Old Men Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Kelly MacDonald, Woody Harrelson Release Date: March 11, 2008 Rated: R With NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, the Coen Brothers have found a perfect match in Pulitzer Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy. Their adaptation of McCarthy's praised novel is a staggering masterpiece. In this almost impossibly faithful adaptation, the film takes place in a small Texas border town in 1980. Sheriff Bell (a never-been-better Tommy Lee Jones) has ruled the land for years without the use of a gun, but a new brand of reckless lawlessness has taken over his town. Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) is an innocent Everyman with a devoted wife, Carla Jean (Kelly Macdonald), but when he stumbles across a drug deal gone deadly and finds two million dollars, he's determined to keep it for himself. There's only one problem. He's being pursued by one of the most amoral, evil psychopaths that the big screen has ever seen. Wearing an absurd haircut and brandishing a pressurized weapon that's used to murder cattle, Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) creeps forward on his mission to track Moss down and return the money to its rightful owners to save his own skin. As the tension mounts, the body count begins to rise, confirming Sheriff Bell's inability to battle this new wave of modern brutality. The most striking thing about the Coen Brothers' thriller is their masterly use of silence to create an almost unbearable level of tension. Cinematographer Roger Deakins is once again at the top of his game, beautifully capturing this stark and lonely world. The well-rounded cast is clearly excited to be a part of such a stellar production--particularly Bardem, whose Chigurh is a freakishly mysterious monster, and is certain to haunt viewers long after the final credit has rolled. In a career filled with striking achievements, this might very well be the Coen Brothers' finest. It is filmmaking at its best.   Dan in Real Life Starring: Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, John Mahoney, Emily Blunt Release Date: March 11, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Just as LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE did in 2006, DAN IN REAL LIFE reveals that Steve Carell is an actor who can do more than just comedy. He’s won both accolades and awards as bumbling boss Michael Scott on THE OFFICE, but there’s a greater depth to this performance as a single father and man in love. Advice columnist Dan Burns (Carell) has his hands full with three daughters that he’s not willing to let grow up. The girls still grieve for their mother who died four years ago, and Dan hasn’t made any attempts to date. So he’s pleasantly surprised when he meets Marie (Juliette Binoche) at a bookstore when he goes to his parents’ Rhode Island home for the annual family reunion. But his joy is short-lived when he discovers that she is dating his brother (Dane Cook), forcing Dan to hide his feelings and chemistry with Marie. Carell adeptly balances his role’s humor and heartache, while Binoche (CHOCOLAT) is radiant as ever. Comedian Cook (GOOD LUCK CHUCK) shows surprising talent as the third leg of their love triangle. Through his duties as director and co-screenwriter, Peter Hedges deserves much of the credit for creating a film that is sweet without being sappy. Even though he’s working with a far bigger budget than he did for his directorial debut, PIECES OF APRIL, he still maintains the feelings of intimacy and honesty that made that film such a critical favorite. What could have been a standard romantic comedy of errors turns into a strong film that goes deeper than many of its peers in the genre. DAN IN REAL LIFE also succeeds thanks to its soundtrack from Norwegian indie pop musician Sondre Lerche. The singer’s compositions, both originals and favorites from his career, perfectly suit the film’s tone and moods.   Bee Movie Starring: Jerry Seinfeld, Renee Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, Chris Rock Release Date: March 11, 2008 Rated: PG Touted as Jerry Seinfeld's first major project since the 1998 end of his long-running eponymous TV series, 2007's computer-animated BEE MOVIE stars the popular comedian as the voice of Barry B. Benson, a young bee eager to explore the world outside of his hive. As he discovers how people live in New York City, he befriends a human florist, Vanessa Bloome (Renee Zellweger), and becomes outraged at the selling of honey, leading to a lawsuit and, of course, plenty of Seinfeldian misadventures. Helmed by directors Steve Hickner (THE PRINCE OF EGYPT) and Simon J. Smith (a member of the SHREK creative team), BEE MOVIE lightens Seinfeld's notoriously stinging humor for a family audience, while staying true to its inherent New York-bred quirkiness. This leaves room for the film to feature impressive (if anatomically incorrect) bug-oriented CGI animation and a solid supporting cast that includes Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, Chris Rock, and Ray Liotta (who plays a honey-peddling animated version of himself). Although it inhabits some of the same insect-populated territory as A BUG's LIFE and ANTZ, BEE MOVIE also nods to THE GRADUATE (admittedly a Seinfeld favorite) in its restless protagonist, resulting in a playful and thoroughly entertaining film that even manages to work an environmental message into its colorful palette.   Hitman Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko, Robert Knepper, Ulrich Thomsen Release Date: March 11, 2008 Rated: R Based on the popular Playstation 2 game, HITMAN chronicles the frame-up and retribution-packed odyssey of Number 47 (Timothy Olyphant), a bald assassin raised from birth to be a killer and tattooed with a barcode on the back of his head. There's lots of BOURNE SUPREMACY-style flash-edits and superhuman stunt work as 47 seeks to find out why moderate Russian presidential nominee Belicoff (Ulrich Thomsen) was the client for his own assassination, a hit that 47 pulled off perfectly, except for one hitch: the target's still alive. For romantic interest we have Olga Kurylenko as a foxy Russian prostitute sold into slavery by the evil Belicoff. She and 47 wind up on the lam together but they'll never be safe as long as Belicoff is still alive. Meanwhile, Interpol agent Mike Whittier (Dougray Scott) has been tracking 47 for years; he's on the scent and about to close in. Luc Besson was the producer on this, and fans of his TRANSPORTER, THE PROFESSIONAL and LA FEMME NIKITA films will eat it up, as it's got the same narrative arc, same hyper-kinetic shoot-em-up flavor, vividly saturated colors, swooping camerawork, tightly choreographed fights, and lots of blood flying from the copious bullet wounds. Vin Diesel executive produced, and one wonders what stopped his big bald head from filling the screen in the lead, but no matter, as Olyphant does a thorough job, speaking in a measured drawl that recalls, of all people, Clint Eastwood in his DIRTY HARRY days.   Nancy Drew Starring: Emma Roberts, Josh Flitter, Max Thierot, Rachael Leigh Cook, Tate Donovan Release Date: March 11, 2008 Rated: PG Legendary teenage sleuth Nancy Drew enters the 21st century in this feature film from director Andrew Fleming (NIXON, THE CRAFT). In Nancy’s (Emma Roberts) latest mystery, she and her father (Tate Donovan) make a temporary move from rural River Heights to Los Angeles. Determined to make the most of her stay, Nancy has chosen them a rental home with a notorious past: the mysterious death of its owner, starlet Dehlia Draycott, in the early 1980s. The closer Nancy edges towards the truth, the more trouble she encounters from someone who clearly doesn’t want the mystery solved. To make matters worse, old-fashioned Nancy doesn’t quite fit in with the cool kids--or anyone else--at Hollywood High, except for younger would-be Romeo Corky (Josh Flitter). Screenwriters Fleming and Tiffany Paulsen do not try to make over this beloved character into a modern teen. Instead, they make earnest Nancy simply a girl who likes old-fashioned things: outfits that include penny loafers and coordinated knee socks, headbands, and homemade knee-length dresses; her classic roadster convertible; impeccable manners; and, her housekeeper’s homemade baked goods. Roberts--the daughter of Eric Roberts and niece of Julia Roberts--is affable as Nancy. Even Bruce Willis (playing himself in a cameo) can’t resist her charms. Rachel Leigh Cook, Barry Bostwick, and Marshall Bell also star as characters whose lives will change significantly if Nancy can solve the mystery, and Max Thieriot plays her smitten hometown boyfriend, Ned Nickerson. This is a fun blast from the past for women who grew up reading Carolyn Keene’s classic novels, as well as for young girls who are enjoying THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK or THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE for the first time.   August Rush Starring: Freddie Highmore, Robin Williams, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Terrence Howard Release Date: March 11, 2008 Rated: PG AUGUST RUSH is part romance, part gentle fantasy, but this sweet drama is all heart. When young cellist Lyla (Keri Russell) and rock musician Louis (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) meet at a party in the mid 1990s, it’s love at first sight, and they spend the night in each other’s arms. But Lyla’s father forces them apart, even though she later learns she’s pregnant. Later, an accident lands Lyla in the hospital, and though her father tells her that her baby died, the child survives and is given up for adoption. AUGUST RUSH jumps to the present and begins to follow Evan (Freddie Highmore), an 11 year old who has grown up in a boys’ home. As Evan embarks on a crusade to find his parents, he imagines he can communicate with them through his gift for music. His journey to New York City brings him into contact with Wizard (Robin Williams), a man eager to capitalize on the child prodigy’s talent. Wizard gives Evan the name August Rush as he begins performing all over the city, but the boy’s ultimate goal is to find the parents he has never met. From FINDING NEVERLAND to CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, Highmore has displayed an almost prodigious talent himself. He’s a gifted young actor, and this emotional story is the perfect venue for his acting. AUGUST RUSH isn’t a film for the cynics, but even the hard-hearted in the audience will have difficulty not being touched by this sentimental film. As in Evan’s life, music plays a central role in AUGUST RUSH, and it’s tough not to let your heart soar along with the melodies. Though it could draw comparisons to OLIVER! and ANNIE, this is a unique and heartwarming film.   Into the Wild Starring: Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Jena Malone, Catherine Keener, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart, Hal Holbrook, Zach Galifianakis Release Date: March 04, 2008 Rated: R Jon Krakauer's bestselling nonfiction book about the life of Chris McCandless is finally brought to the big screen in INTO THE WILD. Directed by Sean Penn, the film opens in 1992, when Chris (Emile Hirsh) is a promising college graduate. Shortly after graduation, Chris gives his life savings to charity, burns all of his identification, and begins hitchhiking across America, his ultimate goal being Alaska. Citing passages from his heroes, Thoreau and Jack London, he is determined to escape society and get back to nature. He blows from town to town like a tumbleweed, hopping trains, camping with aging hippies (Catherine Keener and Brian Dierker), working briefly with a farmer (Vince Vaughan), and befriending a widowed leather worker (Hal Holbrook). He revels in his newfound freedom, but meanwhile, his parents (Marcia Gay Harden and William Hurt) have no idea where he is, and are sick with worry. While their relationship with Chris was already troubled, they are nonetheless devastated by his disappearance. Chris's sister, Carine (Jane Malone), narrates much of the film, offering her reflections on the effect Chris's absence has on his family. Chris finally makes it to Alaska, where he hikes out to a remote campsite and discovers an abandoned bus. He manages to survive there for a few months living off the land, but he eventually runs out of supplies and becomes trapped, leading to his tragic end. INTO THE WILD bounces around chronologically, jumping back and forth from the start of Chris's journey to his final few weeks living aboard the bus. This works to great effect as the storylines begin to merge and the tension and dread mount, and we see the fate that will eventually befall Chris. Penn obviously had great admiration for his subject, and while the film appears to differ from the book in places, it nevertheless paints a heartbreaking portrait of this young man's short but fascinating life.   Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman Release Date: March 04, 2008 Rated: G In writer-director Zach Helm's whimsical 2007 film, MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM, veteran actor Dustin Hoffman plays the title character, a 243-year-old toy-store owner who is ready to pass his enchanted business on to his beloved assistant, Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman). However, when Molly, a former composer and pianist, has doubts about taking over the (literally) magical store, and an uptight accountant (Jason Bateman) appears to assess the establishment, the many inhabitants of the Wonder Emporium begin to rebel, resulting in a chaotic situation that can be fixed only with the help of a shy, lonely boy (Zach Mills). A first-time director best known for his inventive STRANGER THAN FICTION screenplay, Helm ably--ahem--helms EMPORIUM, which clearly nods to the WONKA and TOY STORY movies without seeming derivative. Always one to dive gamely into a quirky role (see TOOTSIE, RAIN MAN, HOOK, etc.), Hoffman makes Magorium both silly and endearing, while Portman charms as his earnest protégé, and Bateman provides an enjoyable level of skepticism while enduring the nickname "The Mutant." Although the film's playful quality could veer toward excess, its thoughtful script and able actors allow it to stand out as a highly entertaining production.   Things We Lost in the Fire Starring: Halle Berry, Benicio Del Toro Release Date: March 04, 2008 Rated: R Danish director Susanne Bier gained international acclaim when she was nominated for an Oscar for 2006’s AFTER THE WEDDING, but before that she had strong ties to the hyper-realistic, documentary style of the Dogme 95 group. In her U.S. debut, THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE, Bier effectively brings together her tendency towards soapy subject matter and her signature vérité style, creating characters with a depth and a human fallibility that are rare in Hollywood. Halle Berry (X-MEN, THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD) stars as Audrey Burke, the stay-at-home wife of well-to-do real estate broker Brian (David Duchovny, TRUST THE MAN). They enjoy what is to all appearances a perfect marriage and family life, with two adorable children (Alexis Llewelyn and Micah Berry) and a fabulous house. Audrey’s life is shattered when Brian is killed attempting to intervene in a domestic dispute. In her grief, Audrey reaches out to an unlikely ally: her husband’s childhood friend, Jerry (Benicio del Toro, TRAFFIC, 21 GRAMS), a 40-something heroin addict whose relationship with Brian Audrey has always resented. After Brian’s death, Jerry goes straight, and Audrey invites him to move into her home, where he bonds with Audrey’s kids and begins to heal. The uneasy, tense, and tender relationship that develops between Audrey and Jerry is the heart of the film, with del Toro’s charismatic performance suggesting realms of human experience previously uncharted on film: his portrayal of withdrawal symptoms rivals Ewan McGregor’s memorable TRAINSPOTTING scene. Berry takes more subtle risks with her role, testing the viewer’s sympathy with a somewhat prickly character. Allison Lohman (FLICKA) is a strong supporting character as a Narcotics Anonymous attendee with a crush on Jerry.   American Gangster Starring: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Josh Brolin, Chjwetel Ejiofor, Carla Gugino, Ted Levine, John Hawkes, RZA, Ruby Dee, Cuba Gooding, Armand Assante, John Ortiz, Common, T.I. Release Date: February 26, 2008 Rated: R Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Brian Grazer and Ridley Scott team to tell the true juggernaut success story of a cult figure from the streets of 1970s Harlem in American Gangster. Nobody used to notice Frank Lucas (Oscar® winner Washington), the quiet driver to one of the inner city's leading black crime bosses. But when his boss suddenly dies, Frank exploits the opening in the power structure to build his own empire and create his own version of the American Dream. Through ingenuity and a strict business ethic, he comes to rule the inner-city drug trade, flooding the streets with a purer product at a better price. Lucas outplays all of the leading crime syndicates and becomes not only one of the city's mainline corrupters, but part of its circle of legit civic superstars. Richie Roberts (Oscar® winner Crowe) is an outcast cop close enough to the streets to feel a shift of control in the drug underworld. Roberts believes someone is climbing the rungs above the known Mafia families and starts to suspect that a black power player has come from nowhere to dominate the scene. Both Lucas and Roberts share a rigorous ethical code that sets them apart from their own colleagues, making them lone figures on opposite sides of the law. The destinies of these two men will become intertwined as they approach a confrontation where only one of them can come out on top. Washington (Training Day) and Crowe (Gladiator) lead a spectacular cast of accomplished and rising stars--Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Josh Brolin, Ted Levine, Armand Assante, John Ortiz, John Hawkes, RZA, Common and T.I.--in this blistering tale of a true American entrepreneur directed by Oscar® nominee Ridley Scott (Gladiator) and produced by Academy Award® winner Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind) and Scott from a screenplay by Academy Award® winner Steven Zaillian (Schindler's List).   The Darjeeling Limited Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson Release Date: February 26, 2008 Rated: R Wes Anderson, the creator of RUSHMORE and THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, offers another quirky, melancholic riff on familial ties and father issues in THE DARJEELING LIMITED. Francis (Owen Wilson) has invited his brothers, Jack (Jason Schwartzman) and Peter (Adrien Brody), to join him on a train trip for a spiritual quest through India. The brothers have been estranged since their father's sudden death, and each is now embroiled in his own personal drama. Jack is being toyed with by his two-timing girlfriend, Peter's wife is about to give birth, and Francis recently survived a car crash that nearly killed him. As the train chugs its way across India, the brothers try to reconnect, but mainly end up arguing and sharing pharmaceuticals. Francis admits that the real reason he lured them there is because he wants them to visit their mother (Anjelica Huston), who is living in a convent in the Himalayas. Peter and Jack are none too pleased with this plan, and immediately want to go home. The trip hits another snag when they are kicked off the train for a series of offenses. Stranded with their mountain of matching luggage, Peter and Jack are now insistent upon leaving. However, they suddenly find themselves brought together by an deadly accident involving some Indian children. The tragedy unites them, and they decide to continue on to their mother. Their visit with her proves revelatory, and they begin their journey homeward free of both their literal and metaphorical baggage. The film bears all of Anderson's trademark touches--stilted comedic dialogue, blunted emotions, and bizarre set pieces that pay subtle homage to the 1970s. Though the film is a bit quieter and less madcap than his previous work, it is still sure to delight his many fans.   30 Days of Night Starring: Josh Hartnett, Melissa George Release Date: February 26, 2008 Rated: R Based on the graphic novel by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith, 30 DAYS OF NIGHT works overtime to pump fresh life into the vampire genre. Director David Slade (HARD CANDY) has created a series of pulse-pounding sequences, ripe with carnage, employing few tricks to keep his vision from getting lost in the seemingly tireless undertow of "undead" films. Located in the northernmost part of Alaska, the town of Barrow experiences a complete lack of sunshine for an entire month once a year. The town is populated with tough, hardworking, and generally law-abiding citizens, so there hasn’t been much for Sheriff Eben Olesen (Josh Hartnett) to do except brood over his separation from his fire marshall wife, Stella (Melissa George). As darkness descends for its annual 30-day day, though, a series of bizarre discoveries rocks the town--and very soon vampiric Marlow (Danny Huston) and his minions arrive, slaughtering and sucking on everyone they can catch, safe in the knowledge that they have much longer than usual until sunup. Eben, his little brother Jake (Mark Rendall), Stella, and a handful of others are forced to hide and fight for their lives until the sun returns. Clearly inspired by the sprinting zombies of Danny Boyle’s 28 DAYS LATER and Zach Snyder’s DAWN OF THE DEAD, Slade makes these vampires lightning-fast creatures of destruction. With ratlike makeup design indebted to NOSFERATU, they are effectively spooky. This is as much an action film as a horrific one. The lead-in time until the tale’s initial fireworks is brief, and the pace thereafter is relentless. The script, co-written by Niles, is tense and avoids tension-killing humor that ruins so many contemporary studio horror efforts. 30 DAYS OF NIGHT never plays it safe; primary characters bite the dust, children fall into harm’s way, and a lot of pretty white scenery turns red before our eyes.   Rendition Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon Release Date: February 19, 2008 Rated: R Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal star in this nail-biting political thriller from director Gavin Hood (TSOTSI). Showing the price and behind-the-scenes drama of post 9/11 anti-terrorist security policies, the film focuses on the controversial U.S. practice of transporting suspected terrorists to locations outside the U.S. for intense interrogation and, as the film suggests, torture. Here, it is Egyptian-born Anwar El-Ibrahimi (Omar Metwally), an engineer and family man, who becomes a CIA target. On his way home to Chicago from business in South Africa, Anwar disappears at the Washington, D.C., airport. The records show he boarded the plane, but he never returns to his pregnant wife, Isabella (Witherspoon), and small son. As Anwar is taken to an undisclosed location for questioning, several other plotlines are introduced. After his partner is killed by a suicide bomber, Douglas Freeman (Gyllenhaal), a young and relatively inexperienced CIA analyst, must step in to observe the brutal torture and interrogation of Anwar at the hands of the brutish Abasi Fawal (Igal Naor), whose own daughter has run away with the brother of a potential terrorist. RENDITION tackles serious issues with an all-star cast that also includes a typically flawless Meryl Streep as a steely government official responsible for approving Anwar’s kidnapping, and Peter Sarsgaard as old friend of Isabella who uses his political position to help her. RENDITION never delves too deeply into any one character, focusing instead on the important ways in which multiple storylines intersect and the personal stakes that each character has in the case. Clever editing and solid writing contribute to the film’s success by encouraging the audience to view events from multiple points of view and by never becoming preachy or one-sided.   Michael Clayton Starring: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson Release Date: February 19, 2008 Rated: R Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is what is known in the legal world as a "fixer," or in the character's own pejorative version, a "janitor" who cleans up legal messes for VIPs and corporations on behalf of a prestigious New York City law firm. A former litigator, Clayton has found a niche that capitalizes on his legal acumen and shrewd people skills, and yet, after 13 years on the job, finds himself increasingly disgusted with his clientele. The film covers four pivotal days of his life, in which a midlife crisis and a crisis of conscience neatly converge when he is called in to "fix" a situation unfolding in one of his firm's hottest cases. Brilliant lawyer Arthur Edens (another powerhouse performance by Tom Wilkinson), representing a huge agro-chemical corporation being hit by a class action suit, has a bipolar breakdown, compounded by guilt over his defense of a company that is probably in the wrong, but is wealthy enough to buy its innocence either way. The company's CEO (Tilda Swinton) will stop at nothing to keep Edens from sinking the case. Clayton must decide how much of Edens's mad rebellion against the company is sheer mental illness, how much is true, and how much it will cost him to do the right thing. Clooney delivers a rich performance as a hangdog and haunted man who wants to stay on the side of good, but is a little too skilled at moral margin-walking to make that an easy choice in every situation. Swinton glows as a secretly frail Amazon who somehow won't let a tortured conscience prevent her from getting ahead. The final third of the film is as suspenseful as any courtroom drama, without ever resorting to legal-thriller cliches.   In the Valley of Elah Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Frances Fisher, Susan Sarandon, Jason Patric, James Franco, Josh Brolin Release Date: February 19, 2008 Rated: R Tommy Lee Jones plays Hank Deerfield, a retired military man investigating the mysterious disappearance of his soldier son, Mike, in this somber mystery-drama from director Paul Haggis (CRASH). Charlize Theron is the civilian homicide cop in the small town near the base where Mike recently returned from a term of combat in Iraq. When this unlikely pair ends up investigating the mystery together, they encounter some suspicious covering-up from the army. Deerfield gets access to his son’s camera phone which contains startling video footage from combat overseas. Using a muted palette of military browns and greens, Haggis shows the same sharp eye for humanistic detail that served him so well in CRASH, infusing desolate scenes of civilian life--sterile concrete barracks, sleazy strip clubs, homey but empty diners, drugs, fast food joints, and ghostly motels--with vivid detail. Performances are all Oscar-worthy: Jones\\\\\\\'s craggy, weather-beaten face hiding grief and anguish beneath a steely facade until they threatens to boil over. His mug becomes a symbol for an America with no other choice but to confront its own grave flaws if it\\\\\\\'s ever to find any answers. Susan Sarandon bring the pain to the surface as the anguished mother waiting at home, and Theron is strong and sure, as a single mother who bravely faces, among other challenges, harassment in the workplace. Josh Brolin is her ex, the chief of police, and Jason Patric and James Franco are among the impassive faces of the military.   Gone Baby Gone Starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, John Ashton, Amy Ryan, Amy Madigan, Titus Welliver Release Date: February 11, 2008 Rated: R Based on the novel by MYSTIC RIVER author Dennis Lehane, GONE BABY GONE marks the directorial debut of actor Ben Affleck. Featuring a solid cast that includes Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, and Affleck's brother Casey in the lead role as a private detective, GONE BABY GONE centers on the disappearance of a young girl in the working class neighborhood of Dorchester in South Boston. With plenty of twists and turns, the movie works as a solid crime thriller, but it's as a study of a place--and one's ability to either accept and embrace or ultimately break free from it--that the film flowers. Beneath the movie's street-tough justice and cop shop politics sits a very complicated view of the world, which Affleck delves into unflinchingly, thanks in large part to his ability to extract some excellent performances from his cast. Casey Affleck offers a nice mix of both steely resolve and vulnerability, while Harris presents a strong performance as a conflicted, emotionally tortured cop. Of particular note is Amy Ryan as the mother of the abducted girl. Her character's outrageous foul-mouthed demeanor ultimately ends up feeling both tragic and pathetic, with the only appropriate reactions being either pity or rage. It makes for an uncomfortable but affecting dichotomy. GONE BABY GONE signifies a confident and impressive turn behind the camera for one of Hollywood's more contentious stars. A Boston native himself, Affleck takes great care in evoking his city's entirety, from its undeniably ugly underbelly, to what feels like an almost primordial sense of community. It speaks to Affleck's substance as a director, and of good things to come.   We Own The Night Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Robert Duvall Release Date: February 11, 2008 Rated: R Director James Gray (THE YARDS) posits two distinctly different brothers--Joseph (Mark Wahlberg) and Bobby Grusinsky (Joaquin Phoenix)--as the central characters in this crime-infested thriller. Joseph and Bobby inhabit two conflicting worlds in late 1980s New York, the former becoming a cop and the latter running a nightclub. Bobby spends his evenings in a den of iniquity, indulging in drugs, alcohol, and gambling, and his model-like girlfriend Amada (Eva Mendes) is never far from his arm. Their two worlds meet when the father of the two men, Burt (Robert Duvall), who is also a cop, gets together with Joseph to ask Bobby for information about a patron of the club named Vadim (Alex Veadov). Vadim is the nephew of the club's owner, and also a dangerous member of the Russian criminal underworld. Bobby sides with Vadim, and the tension in Gray's brother-versus-brother potboiler reaches melting point as Joseph goes after both his sibling and his Russian foe. Wahlberg, Phoenix, and Duvall all deliver high-caliber performances throughout, and Gray suffuses the plot with enough twists and turns to provide a few surprises. New York City is perfectly utilized as a backdrop to the action, and cinematographer Joaquin Baca-Asay manages to get the balance between moody, atmospheric shots and explosive action sequences just right. WE OWN THE NIGHT ultimately resembles an old-fashioned cop film with a little Scorsese-like drama thrown in for good measure, and is likely to gain a following among movie fans seeking retro crime thrills.   Becoming Jane Starring: Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy Release Date: February 11, 2008 Rated: PG BECOMING JANE is based on an incident in the life of the beloved writer Jane Austen, and follows the real-life romance that inspired her classic novels. Like many of her heroines, Jane (Anne Hathaway, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA) is bright, strong-willed, and unwilling to marry merely for money, even though her family is struggling financially. Though many of her friends wish her to pair up with the nephew of a rich woman (Maggie Smith, HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX), Jane wants something more. When she meets the Irish rogue Tom Lefroy (James McAvoy, THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND), she initially can’t stand him, but their romance blooms, serving as the inspiration for PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Director Julian Jarrold (KINKY BOOTS) is no stranger to literary fare. Though BECOMING JANE is only his second feature film, he directed several productions for British television, including GREAT EXPECTATIONS, CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, and WHITE TEETH. At times, BECOMING JANE feels exactly as it should: a long-lost Austen novel that’s just been rediscovered. The themes and characters here seem familiar, as they’ve appeared in Austen’s work many times. There’s the devoted father, difficult mother, loving sister, and, of course, the charming young man with whom the protagonist initially clashes but later falls for. As Tom, McAvoy proves he deserves the attention he received for roles in THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND and STARTER FOR TEN. He’s the perfect choice for a romantic lead in an Austen film, taking his place next to Matthew McFadyen in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and Hugh Grant in SENSE AND SENSIBILITY. As Austen, Hathaway exudes intelligence and energy, playing exactly the sort of woman who appeared in the writer’s work. For those who can’t wait for the next adaptation of Austen’s work to arrive, BECOMING JANE is an engaging look at the writer’s life and love.   Why Did I Get Married? Starring: Tyler Perry, Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Denise Boutte, Richard T. Jones, Sharon Leal, Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Malik Yoba Release Date: February 11, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Tyler Perry has ascended to the status of media mogul on the strength of his combination of Christian morality, slapstick comedy, and soap-operatic melodrama. In 2005, his play DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN was adapted for the screen and became the surprise hit of the season. With positive portrayals of black characters and family-friendly--but decidedly not boring--themes, the film appealed to a broad audience, and gave rise to numerous spin-offs. Madea is absent from Perry’s most recent film, WHY DID I GET MARRIED? but the subject matter is just as universal, and features an engaging cast that counts Perry among its members. Four couples who have been friends since college take a therapeutic getaway to a Colorado bungalow, where they plan to take stock of their relationships. They are led by successful psychiatrist Patricia (Janet Jackson), who has a picturesque marriage to Gavin (Malik Yoba). Nothing is perfect, however, and secrets and old scars soon emerge, pitting friend against friend and spouse against spouse. R&B singer Jill Scott shines as Sheila, the oft-derided, overweight wife of Mike (Richard T. Jones, GIRLFRIENDS), who arrives on the scene with a sexy young "friend" (Tasha Jones, YOU, ME, AND DUPREE) to shake things up a bit. Retribution and forgiveness follow, with the requisite admonitions and apologies made realistic by the skill of the cast.   No Reservations Starring: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, Abigail Breslin, Patricia Clarkson, Jenny Wade, Bob Balaban Release Date: February 11, 2008 Rated: PG A master chef, Kate (CATHERINE ZETA-JONES) lives her life like she runs the kitchen at upscale 22 Bleecker Restaurant in Manhattan--with a no-nonsense intensity that both captivates and intimidates everyone around her. With breathtaking precision, she powers through each hectic shift, coordinating hundreds of meals, preparing delicate sauces, seasoning and simmering each dish to absolute perfection. More at ease behind the scenes, she only leaves the sanctuary of her kitchen to accept compliments for one of her signature dishes, or, on rare occasions, to tangle with a customer who dares question her expertise. After work, most nights find her in bed before midnight, set to rise at dawn to beat her competition to the fish market for the next day's freshest selections. Kate's perfectionist nature is put to the test when a brash new sous-chef joins her staff, the high-spirited and freewheeling Nick (AARON ECKHART). A rising culinary star himself, Nick favors opera while working and loves to make everyone around him laugh. His casual approach to both life and cuisine couldn't be more different from Kate's, yet the chemistry between them is undeniable...as is the discord, like forks clanging off a granite countertop. It might be easier to deal with this turbulence at work if Kate wasn't already off-balance at home, struggling to connect with her nine-year-old niece, Zoe (ABIGAIL BRESLIN), who has recently--and very unexpectedly--come to live with her. A bright, perceptive child, more comfortable with fish sticks than foie gras, Zoe is clearly out of place in Kate's routine but Kate is determined to make a home for her...just as soon as she figures out how. As the weeks progress, Kate is not sure what steams her more--that Nick's talent scores big points with 22 Bleecker's owner, Paula (PATRICIA CLARKSON), and its discriminating clientele, or that his easygoing charm quickly wins over the shy Zoe, who finds it easier to open up to him than to her aunt. But when he challenges the boundary between rivalry and romance, Kate finds herself questioning, for the first time in years, some of the choices and beliefs that have made her so self-sufficient and so safe. If she wants to forge a real bond with Zoe, find happiness with Nick and rediscover her appetite for life, Kate will have to try something bold and new, and learn to express herself outside the realm of her kitchen. That would be like trying to cook without a recipe. But, as Kate discovers, sometimes the best recipes are the ones you create yourself.   The Brave One Starring: Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Naveen Andrews, Nicky Katt, Mary Steenburgen Release Date: February 04, 2008 Rated: R For Erica Bain (Jodie Foster), the streets of New York are both her home and her livelihood. She shares the sounds and the stories of her beloved city with her radio audience as the host of the show "Street Walk." At night, she goes home to the love of her life, her fiance David Kirmani (Naveen Andrews). But everything Erica knows and loves is ripped from her on one terrible night when she and David are ambushed in a random, vicious attack that leaves David dead and Erica close to it. Though Erica's broken body heals, deeper wounds remain--the devastation of losing David and, even more overwhelming, a suffocating fear that haunts her every step. The city streets she had once loved to roam, even places that had been warm and familiar, now feel strange and threatening. When the fear finally becomes too much to bear, Erica makes a fateful decision to arm herself against it. The gun in her hand becomes a tangible way to protect herself from an intangible enemy...or so she thinks. The first time she shoots someone, it is kill or be killed. The second time is also in self-defense...or did she make a choice not to take herself out of harm's way? The fear that had once paralyzed her has been replaced by something else...something that drives her to reclaim the life that was taken from her that night...something that Erica does not even recognize in herself. Stories of an anonymous vigilante grip the city, and NYPD detective Sean Mercer (Terrence Howard) becomes increasingly determined to track down the killer. As he pieces together the clues, the evidence begins to point not to a guy with a gun...but a woman with a grudge. With Mercer closing in and her own conscience trying her, Erica must decide whether her quest for some form of justice, and even vengeance, is truly the right path, or if she has become the very thing she is hunting. Two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster ("The Silence of the Lambs," "The Accused") and Academy Award nominee Terrence Howard ("Hustle & Flow," "Crash") star in "The Brave One."   The Jane Austen Book Club Starring: Kathy Baker, Maria Bello, Marc Blucas, Emily Blunt, Amy Brenneman, Hugh Dancy, Maggie Grace, Jimmy Smits, Kevin Zegers, Lynn Redgrave, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Gwendoline Yeo, Nancy Travis Release Date: February 04, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Life imitates art in this adaptation of Karen Joy Fowler’s bestselling novel about a book group reading the work of Jane Austen. Each of the people in the group is at a different stage of life: there’s Sylvia (Amy Brenneman), whose husband has just left her for another woman, and her daughter Allegra (Maggie Grace), who’s looking for a woman herself. Bernadette (Kathy Baker) has six marriages under her belt, while Jocelyn’s (Maria Bello) most significant relationship is with her dog. New to the group of friends are Prudie (Emily Blunt), a teacher who is unhappy with her marriage, and Grigg (Hugh Dancy), the group’s only man--a sci-fi fan invited by Jocelyn to take Sylvia’s mind off her failed marriage. As they make their way through Austen’s novels, they discover that the writer’s work is just as relevant in the 21st century as it was in the 19th. The group has its own Emma, and a sparring would-be couple bears striking resemblance to Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy. THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB succeeds largely thanks to the strength of its cast. Bello is better known for dramatic roles in films such as THE COOLER and THE HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, but she does an excellent job with this film’s lighter tone. As know-it-all Prudie, Blunt steals just as many scenes as she did in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA. Though it might seem like a clubhouse with a "No Boys Allowed" sign, the men in the movie hold their own with the female cast. Jimmy Smits, Marc Blucas, and Kevin Zegers play supporting roles, but it’s Dancy who deserves the most praise. As Griggs struggles to woo one of the women in the group, Dancy easily wins the heart of the audience with his geeky charm.   Elizabeth: The Golden Age Starring: Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush Release Date: February 04, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Reprising the roles they originated in seven-time Academy Award®-nominated Elizabeth, Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush return for a gripping historical thriller laced with treachery and romance--The Golden Age. Joining them in the epic is Clive Owen as Sir Walter Raleigh, a dashing seafarer and newfound temptation for Elizabeth. Elizabeth: The Golden Age finds Queen Elizabeth I (Oscar®-winner Cate Blanchett) facing bloodlust for her throne and familial betrayal. Growing keenly aware of the changing religious and political tides of late 16th century Europe, Elizabeth finds her rule openly challenged by the Spanish King Philip II (Jordi Molla)--with his powerful army and sea-dominating armada--determined to restore England to Catholicism. Preparing to go to war to defend her empire, Elizabeth struggles to balance ancient royal duties with an unexpected vulnerability in her love for Raleigh. But he remains forbidden for a queen who has sworn body and soul to her country. Unable and unwilling to pursue her love, Elizabeth encourages her favorite lady-in-waiting, Bess (Abbie Cornish), to befriend Raleigh to keep him near. But this strategy forces Elizabeth to observe their growing intimacy. As she charts her course abroad, her trusted advisor, Sir Francis Walsingham (Academy Award® winner Geoffrey Rush), continues his masterful puppetry of Elizabeth's court at home--and her campaign to solidify absolute power. Through an intricate spy network, Walsingham uncovers an assassination plot that could topple the throne. But as he unmasks traitors that may include Elizabeth's own cousin Mary Stuart (Samantha Morton), he unknowingly sets England up for destruction. Elizabeth: The Golden Age tells the thrilling tale of an era...the story of one woman's crusade to control love, crush enemies and secure her position as a beloved icon of the western world.   Across the Universe Starring: Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood Release Date: February 04, 2008 Rated: PG-13 The Beatles' songs may have provided the soundtrack for the lives of those coming of age in the 1960s, but their extensive catalogue acts as the literal soundtrack in this romantic musical from visionary director Julie Taymor. Newcomer Jim Sturgess stars as Jude, a young man working on the docks in Liverpool. Eager to escape, he travels to Princeton where he meets Max (Joe Anderson). But it’s his meeting with Max’s younger sister Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood) that changes him. They quickly fall in love, but their relationship is tested by the chaos of the late 1960s and Max’s unwilling tour in Vietnam. Throughout the film, characters burst into classics from the Beatles: frat boys sing "With a Little Help from My Friends," while Uncle Sam bursts from a recruitment poster with strains of "I Want You (She’s So Heavy)." U2’s Bono makes a cameo as a counterculture leader and croons "I Am the Walrus," and actor-comedian Eddie Izzard provides a trippy rendition of "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite." Sturgess has the voice, charm, and good looks to fill Shea Stadium with hordes of screaming young women. As Jude, he’s earnest and certainly capable of carrying the film. Wood capably balances Lucy’s naiveté and knowledge, easily moving between her love for Jude and her passion for her cause. Though the performances are strong, it’s Taymor’s gifted direction that makes ACROSS THE UNIVERSE so fascinating to watch. As in FRIDA and Broadway’s THE LION KING, she proves herself an artist with creativity few can match. Director of photography Bruno Delbonnel also deserves praise for his contribution to the striking visuals. He has worked with Jean-Pierre Jeunet on AMELIE and A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT, and he brings the same sense of romance and whimsy to this unique musical.   The Invasion Starring: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig Release Date: January 29, 2008 Rated: PG-13 Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman ("The Hours") and Daniel Craig ("Casino Royale") star in the science fiction action thriller "The Invasion," a nightmarish journey into a world where the only way to stay alive is to stay awake. The mysterious crash of the space shuttle leads to the terrifying discovery that there is something alien within the wreckage. Those who come in contact with it are changing in ominous and inexplicable ways. Soon Washington, DC psychiatrist Carol Bennell (Nicole Kidman) and her friend, Dr. Ben Driscoll (Daniel Craig), learn the shocking truth about the growing extraterrestrial epidemic: it attacks its victims while they sleep, leaving them physically unchanged but strangely unfeeling and inhuman. As the infection spreads, more and more people are altered and it becomes impossible to know who can be trusted. Now Carol's only hope is to stay awake long enough to find her young son, who may hold the key to stopping the devastating invasion. "The Invasion" also stars Jeremy Northam ("The Tudors," "Gosford Park") and Jeffrey Wright ("Casino Royale," "Angels in America"). The film is directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel ("Downfall") from a screenplay by David Kajganich, based on the novel The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney. Joel Silver (the "Matrix" trilogy) produced the film, with Roy Lee, Doug Davison, Susan Downey, Steve Richards, Ronald G. Smith and Bruce Berman executive producing. The behind-the-scenes creative team was lead by director of photography Rainer Klausmann, production designer Jack Fisk, editors Joel Negron and Hans Funck, costume designer Jacqueline West and composer John Ottman. "The Invasion" is a Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, of a Silver Pictures Production, in association with Vertigo Entertainment. "The Invasion" has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for "violence, disturbing images and terror."   Feel the Noise Starring: Omarion Grandberry, Zulay Henao, James McCaffrey, Kellita Smith, Malik Yoba, Melonie Diaz, Victor Rasuk, Giancarlo Esposito, Rosa Arredondo Release Date: January 29, 2008 Rated: PG-13 The street beats of New York City and Puerto Rico meet in this film from Alejandro Chomski (TODAY AND TOMORROW). Born and bred in New York City, Rob (Omarion Grandberry) dreams of making it as a rapper. When he becomes a wanted man in his neighborhood, Rob’s loving mother (Kellita Smith) sends him to Puerto Rico to stay with a father he never knew existed (Giancarlo Esposito). In an instant, Rob not only acquires a father, but a stepmother (Rosa Arredondo) and a stepbrother (Victor Rasuk), Javi, who also has dreams of making it big in the music world. Together, Rob and Javi are determined to put their imprint on the widely popular world of reggaeton, a musical genre combining reggae, rap, salsa, and bomba. With the help of Rob’s love interest, beautiful dancer C.C. (Zulay Henao), the duo just might hit the big time. Jennifer Lopez is one of the producers of this ode to Puerto Rico and its culture, which showcases reggaeton and hot dance moves. Grandberry shows the softer side of Rob, who has good intentions at heart even though trouble seems to follow him everywhere. But Rasuk is the scene-stealer as Javi, Rob’s guide to all things Puerto Rican and reggaeton, and a talented musician in his own right. James McCaffrey appears as a big-time record executive who has more on his mind than music, and Melonie Diaz plays C.C.’s friend, MiMi.   Adrift in Manhattan Starring: Heather Graham, Victor Rasuk Release Date: January 22, 2008 Rated: NR A lush meditation on isolation and intersection in the big city, Alfredo de Villa's Adrift in Manhattan is the layered story of three characters who find courage to move to the next stage of life through profound encounters with strangers they meet on their daily routes. Rose, an optometrist paralyzed by crushing grief after the death of her infant, has built a wall around herself, unable to relate to her estranged husband or anyone else. When an elderly patient, a painter losing his eyesight, begins to visit her office unannounced, Rose registers how alone he is, urging him to reach out and ask for help -- something neither does easily. Meanwhile Simon, a late-blooming teenager with an overbearing mother, photographs people at a distance with a borrowed long lens. One day, Rose, beautiful and melancholy in a vibrant scarf, comes into focus in his camera sight. The pictures he shoots become a conduit for each of them to touch something deep within and expand their confining existence. With raw, exacting performances by a top-notch cast, including Heather Graham, Dominic Chianese, Elizabeth Peña, and Victor Rasuk (of Raising Victor Vargas fame), Adrift in Manhattan wields fertile metaphors and a sophisticated sense of psychology to penetrate the subtle process of human transformation and the possibilities for meaningful interchange lying dormant in contemporary urban life.   The Game Plan Starring: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Madison Pettis Release Date: January 22, 2008 Rated: PG A film that marks Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's first leading role in a family-friendly comedy, THE GAME PLAN finds the former pro wrestler starring as Joe Kingman, a popular NFL quarterback happily entrenched in a carefree single lifestyle. Kingman's world is turned upside-down, however, when a young girl named Peyton Kelly (Madison Pettis) appears from out of the blue, claiming to be his daughter from a brief former marriage. Reluctantly, Kingman must learn how to shake his self-absorption and become a father, leading to hijinks that involve the inevitable clash of macho-man and little-girl cultures. Directed by Andy Fickman (SHE'S THE MAN), this likable Disney movie is hoisted up by the muscular Johnson, who finally gets a chance to showcase his winking charm and impressive comic timing at length. Although Johnson is no stranger to portraying football players (see 2006's GRIDIRON GANG), THE GAME PLAN is far lighter fare than his previous films, opening up at another door in his intriguing WWE-to-Hollywood career. The comedy also features an excellent supporting cast, most notably, the precocious Pettis, along with Morris Chestnut, who plays Kingman’s thoughtful teammate Travis Sanders, and Kyra Sedgwick, on leave from her hard-hitting role in THE CLOSER TV show as Kingman’s workaholic agent. Nodding to Disney live-action comedies of yore while conveying a 21st-century sheen, THE GAME PLAN hits all of its intended goals, making it one of 2007’s most enjoyable family movies.   Blonde Ambition Starring: Jessica Simpson, Luke Wilson Release Date: January 22, 2008 Rated: NR Jessica Simpson (EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH) stars alongside Luke Wilson and Rachel Leigh Cook in this romantic comedy about a young woman who faces constant humiliation upon moving to bustling New York City from her native small town. Like a slapstick twist on the classic WORKING GIRL, the film follows Katie (Simpson), a clumsy girl who moves up the corporate ladder almost by accident. Once on the top, she meets an array of interesting characters, including ones played by heartthrob Wilson and comedian Andy Dick. Legendary musician Willie Nelson, Simpson's costar from THE DUKES OF HAZZARD, makes a cameo appearance.   Mr. Woodcock Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Seann William Scott, Susan Sarandon, Ethan Suplee, Amy Poehler Release Date: January 15, 2008 Rated: PG-13 For students at Forest Meadow Middle School, P.E. class is not playtime, but rather an exercise in mental and physical humiliation administered by the tough as gristle Mr. Woodcock (Billy Bob Thornton). Run more like a military boot camp than a gym class, Woodcock’s physical education class takes on a new meaning where no child’s flaws or weaknesses are safe from the torture and embarrassment that follow the sound of the despised teacher’s whistle. For John Farley (Seann William Scott), author of the national bestseller Letting Go: Getting Past Your Past, the painful memories of being in Mr. Woodcock’s class have since been replaced by the self confidence gained from becoming a successful writer and motivational speaker. When a last minute cancellation on his book tour gives him an unexpected day off, John returns home to surprise his mother, Beverly (Susan Sarandon), with the news that he will be awarded the small town’s prestigious “Corn Cob Key” during its annual Cornival Festival. John’s jubilation quickly turns to angst when he discovers his mother has fallen in love with Mr. Woodcock. Forced to spend time with his old nemesis, John must endure the familiar sting of his former teacher’s sharp tongue and intimidation tactics all over again. Ignoring the pleas of his hard-nosed book publicist Maggie (Amy Poehler) to get back on tour, John extends his visit in an effort to disrupt the relationship between his mother and Woodcock, but with each passing day he finds himself regressing deeper into the insecurities and awkwardness that plagued his youth. Mortified and panic-stricken by the inevitability of his mother marrying the one man he truly despises, John enlists the help of his old school mate, Jay Nedderman (Ethan Suplee), in a last-ditch attempt to take down Mr. Woodcock. The result is a series of hilarious confrontations that lead John to discover that one’s past is often hard to escape.   Shoot 'Em Up Starring: Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Monica Bellucci Release Date: January 01, 2008 Rated: R Clive Owen stars in this gritty, over the top action thriller as Mr. Smith, a gun-toting badass with a hair trigger and an unknown past. He's far from a doctor and farther from a parent, but when he unwittingly discovers an innocent woman delivering a baby right in the middle of a gunfight, Smith enters the fray to save her and though the woman expires, he is the one left in care of the orphaned child. He thinks that the killers were after the woman, but soon he realizes that they had a far more unlikely target: the baby. Smith's regular company is a seedy underworld full of unsavory characters, so he takes the child to the closest thing he knows to a mother: a sultry prostitute played by Monica Bellucci, who specializes in clientele with a mommy fetish. Teamed with his hot but unlikely partner, Smith unloads barrel after barrel to protect the mysterious baby from Mr. Hertz, a ruthless criminal mastermind played by Paul Giamatti. Smith plans to figure out why Hertz and his thugs are after the baby, but if he can't uncover the truth, he'll settle for leaving them all dead in the process.   Resident Evil: Extinction Starring: Milla Jovovich, Oded Fehr, Ali Larter Release Date: January 01, 2008 Rated: R Director Russell Mulcahy takes over for the third chapter in the Resident Evil film franchise, which finds genetically altered Alice (Milla Jovovich) joining forces with Carlos (Oded Fehr) and L.J. (Mike Epps) to take down the Umbrella Corporation once and for all. Upon emerging from her hideout in the Nevada desert, Alice is quickly joined by old friends Carlos and L.J., as well as survivors Claire (Ali Larter), K-Mart (Spencer Locke), and Nurse Betty (Ashanti). Now instilled with super-human strength, senses, and dexterity as a result of the biogenetic experimentation conducted on her by the Umbrella Corporation, Alice and the rest of the survivors set out to eliminate a virus that threatens to turn every living human undead, and ensure that the mysterious organization pays the price for their horrific crimes against humanity.   War Starring: Jet Li, Jason Statham, John Lone Release Date: January 01, 2008 Rated: R An FBI agent whose partner and family were killed by a notorious assassin sets out for revenge as the elusive trigger-man sparks a sprawling gang war between the Triads and the Yakuza in the feature debut from prolific music video director Phillip Atwell. FBI Agent Jack Crawford (Jason Statham) is a man driven by vengeance. After his partner Tome Lone (Terry Chen) and his family fell to bullets fired by infamous hit-man Rogue (Jet Li), Crawford makes it his life mission to ferret out the slippery killer. Complications arise when it begins to appear as if Rogue has a mission of his own to carry out, and as Triad boss Chang (John Lone) prepares for all out war against Yakuza boss Shiro (Ryo Ishibashi), Crawford and Rogue also come face to face as the secrets of the past emerge in a hail of gunfire.

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