“Army of Shadows”(May 5)
Starring Lino Ventura, Simone Signoret, Paul Meurisse, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Claude Mann,
Christian Barbier, Serge Reggiani.
Director: Jean-Pierre Melville.
The idea: The 1969 World War II story of a simple man who fi nds himself involved in the French Resistance.
So? Illuminating.
May 12
“KEEPING UP WITH THE STEINS”
Starring Jeremy Piven, Jami Gertz, Garry Marshall, Doris Roberts, Larry Miller, Daryl Sabara Director: Scott Marshall
The idea: A Brentwood boy’s bar mitzvah gets supersized by his parents.
So? What’s unusual about that?
“POSEIDON”
Starring Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas, Richard Dreyfuss, Jacinda Barrett, Emmy Rossum, Mike Vogel, Mia Maestro, Jimmy Bennett, Andre Braugher
Director: Wolfgang Petersen The idea: Passengers struggle to reach the surface after their luxury ocean liner capsizes.
So? Not “Titanic,” and that’s probably a good thing.
“GOAL! THE DREAM BEGINS”
Starring Kuno Becker, Stephen Dillane, Anna Friel, Marcel Iures, Sean Pertwee, Alessandro Nivola Director: Danny Cannon
The idea: A Mexican- American from L.A. gets a shot at playing for Newcastle United in Britain’s top soccer league.
So? Talk about culture clash.
“JUST MY LUCK”
Starring Lindsay Lohan, Chris Pine, Faizon Love, Missi Pyle, McFly Director: Donald Petrie
The idea: A recent college graduate’s charmed life quickly sours after she kisses an unlucky stranger at a masquerade ball. So? Demographic-specific.
May 19
“DOWN IN THE VALLEY”
Starring Evan Rachel Wood, Edward Norton, David Morse, Rory Culkin, Bruce Dern Director: David Jacobson
The idea: An aimless San Fernando Valley teen befriends a drifter who romances her with his cowpoke charm, much to the consternation of her father.
So? Dysfunction junction.
“OVER THE HEDGE”
Starring voices by Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell, William Shatner, Avril Lavigne. Directors: Tim Johnson, Karey Kirkpatrick
The idea: An opportunistic raccoon tempts a cautious turtle with promises of “the good life” on the suburban side of the bushes. So? What’s not to like about animals out of their element.
“The Da Vinci Code” (May 19)
Starring Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Paul Bettany, Jrgen Prochnow, Jean Reno.
Director: Ron Howard.
The idea: Big-screen adaptation of the mega-seller about a murder at the Louvre and 2,000-year-old religious intrigue.
So? Unstoppable.
May 23
“CLEAN”
Starring Maggie Cheung, Nick Nolte, Martha Henry, Batrice Dalle Director: Olivier Assayas
The idea: A drug addict moves to Paris to straighten out her life after her fading rock-star husband overdoses.
So? Hope it’s more interesting than most movies about drug addict.
May 26
“X-MEN: THE LAST STAND”
Starring Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin, Kelsey Grammer, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Vinnie Jones, Ben Foster, Patrick Stewart Director: Brett Ratner
The idea: A potential “cure” threatens the mutants’ sense of identity and pits Charles Xavier against Magneto.
So? Busy-ness as usual.
“LADY VENGEANCE”
Starring Lee Young-ae, Choi Min-sik Director: Park Chan-wook
The idea: The vengeance trilogy concludes with a tale of a woman released from prison after 13 years — with a score to settle.
So? Revenge as an art form.
“WAH-WAH”
Starring Gabriel Byrne, Emily Watson, Julie Walters, Nicholas Hoult, Miranda Richardson Director: Richard E. Grant
The idea: A coming-of-age story set in Swaziland, in southeast Africa, as it begins independence and as a teenage boy’s family gradually dissolves.
So? It’s about to hit the fan.
“RUSSIAN DOLLS”
Starring Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, Kelly Reilly, Ccile de France Director: Cdric Klapisch The idea: A would-be novelist struggles in his career and at love in this sequel to “L’Auberge Espagnole.”
So? Heartbeats.
June 2
“AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH”
Starring Al Gore
Director: Davis Guggenheim
The idea: The science of global warming and the former vice president’s personal history as an environmental activist are interwoven with his multimedia presentation.
So? Depends on your orientation.
“The Break-Up” (June 2)
Starring Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Aniston, Joey Lauren Adams, Ann-Margret, Judy Davis, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jon Favreau, Cole Hauser, John Michael Higgins, Justin Long.
Director: Peyton Reed.
The idea: An art dealer and her boyfriend can’t seem to split up properly and end up sharing their condo as antagonistic roommates.
So? Expensive script.
June 6
“THE OMEN”
Starring Julia Stiles, Liev Schreiber, Mia Farrow, David Thewlis, Pete Postlethwaite, Michael Gambon, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick
Director: John Moore
The idea: It looks like time’s up when Damien, the young son of a U.S. diplomat, turns out to be Satan’s spawn in this remake of the 1976 fi lm.
So? Devil’s advocate.
June 9
“CARS”
Starring Paul Newman, Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, “Larry the Cable Guy,” Cheech Marin, George Carlin, Richard Petty, Michael Keaton, Tony Shalhoub, John Ratzenberger, Michael Wallis, Paul Dooley, Jenifer Lewis
Director: John Lasseter
The idea: An ambitious rookie race car driver on his way to the big Piston Cup championship gets detoured to a sleepy hamlet off Route 66.
So? High gear.
“SKETCHES OF FRANK GEHRY”
Starring Frank Gehry, Philip Johnson, Ed Ruscha, Milton Friedman, Michael Eisner, Herbert Muschamp
Director: Sydney Pollack
The idea: A profi le of the noted architect responsible for the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
So? Star material.
“A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION”
Starring Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones, Garrison Keillor, Kevin Kline, Lindsay Lohan, Virginia Madsen, John C. Reilly, Maya Rudolph, Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin
Director: Robert Altman
The idea: A fictionalized version of the longtime public radio show originating from Lake Wobegon, Minn.
So? All-star Altman.
June 14
“THE HEART OF THE GAME”
Starring Darnellia Russell, Coach Bill Resler, narrated by Chris “Ludacris” Bridges.
Director: Ward Serrill
The idea: A Washington state high school basketball player battles on court and off to play the sport that could be her ticket to college.
So? Basketball dreams.
June 16
“THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT”
Starring Lucas Black, Bow Wow, Brian Tee, Sung Kang, Jason Tobin, Nathalie Kelly
Director: Justin Lin
The idea: The street-racing sequel moves to Japan, where a young American ex-pat challenges the local champ in the rubberburning, gliding world of drift.
So? Spinning.
“LOVERBOY”
Starring Kyra Sedgwick, Dominic Scott Kay, Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon, Marisa Tomei, Sandra Bullock
Director: Kevin Bacon
The idea: A single mother desperately tries to protect her gifted little boy from the pedestrian influences of the outside world.
So? Smotherly love.
“THE LAKE HOUSE”
Starring Sandra Bullock, Keanu Reeves, Dylan Walsh, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Christopher Plummer
Director: Alejandro Agresti
The idea: Time-separated lovers are connected by the enigmatic residence they each lived in.
So? Quantum leap.
“NACHO LIBRE”
Starring Jack Black, Ana de la Reguera, Hctor Jimenez, Richard Montoya, Peter Stormare
Director: Jared Hess
The idea: A cook at a Mexican orphanage moonlights as a masked wrestler to save the institution.
So? Devoutly funny.
June 23
“CLICK”
Starring Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Walken, David Hasselhoff, Henry Winkler, Julie Kavner, Sean Astin
Director: Frank Coraci
The idea: An overworked architect buys a magical remote control that begins to take over his life.
So? That’s not magic; it’s real
“PEACEFUL WARRIOR”
Starring Nick Nolte, Scott Mechlowicz, Amy Smart and Ashton Holmes
Director: Victor Salva
The idea: A college gymnast learns new powers of strength and understanding after he meets an enigmatic stranger.
So? Spiritual acrobatics
“GARFIELD’S TAIL OF TWO KITTIES”
Starring Breckin Meyer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Billy Connolly and the voice of Bill Murray
Director: Tim Hill
The idea: The big orange fur ball is mistaken for royalty when he follows his owner, Jon, to England. So? Phat cat phollies
“WORDPLAY”
Starring Will Shortz, Merl Reagle, Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, Jon Stewart, Ken Burns, Mike Mussina, the Indigo Girls
Director: Patrick Creadon
The idea: Inside look at the world of crossword puzzles and similar mental gymnastics with The New York Times puzzle editor and NPR puzzle-master Shortz and celebrity afi cionados.
So? Articulate
“WAIST DEEP”
Starring Tyrese Gibson, Meagan Good, Larenz Tate, the Game
Director: Vondie Curtis Hall
The idea: An ex-con trying to go straight is pulled back into the underworld by the kidnapping of his young son.
So? Twist of fate
June 30
“THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA”
Starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci, Simon Baker, Emily Blunt, Adrian Grenier
Director: David Frankel The idea: A high-maintenance fashion magazine editor makes life hell for her fresh-out-of college assistant.
So? Guess who, thinly disguised
“SUPERMAN RETURNS”
Starring Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, James Marsden, Frank Langella, Eva Marie Saint, Parker Posey, Sam Huntington, Kal Penn
Director: Bryan Singer
The idea: The Man of Steel is back after being away for several years and discovers that the world — and Lois Lane — may have learned to survive without him.
So? Remember what Edna Mode said about capes.
July 05
“LITTLE MAN”
Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans Starring Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Kerry Washington, John Witherspoon, Tracy Morgan, Lochlyn Munro, Chazz Palminteri, Molly Shannon
The idea: A man is so desperate to be a father that he mistakes a childlike fugitive for his newly adopted son.
So? Big laughs.
July 07
“A SCANNER DARKLY”
Director: Richard Linklater; based on the novel by Philip K. Dick Starring Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder, Rory Cochrane
The idea: An undercover cop in futuristic Orange County fi nds himself in a downward spiral of paranoia.
So? High hopes.
“STRANGERS WITH CANDY”
Starring Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, Paul Dinello, Greg Hollimon, Deborah Rush, Dan Hedaya, Allison Janney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kristen Johnston, Justin Theroux, Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sir Ian Holm Director: Paul Dinello
The idea: In this prequel to the Comedy Central TV series, a 47-year-old woman returns home after 32 years and decides to pick up where she left off as a high school freshman.
So? High school, the sequel.
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (July 7)
Starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Stellan Skarsgrd, Bill Nighy, Jack Davenport, Kevin R. McNally, Jonathan Pryce.
Director: Gore Verbinski. The idea: Captain Jack embarks on a high-seas sequel.
So? Jolly, Roger.
July 14
“THE GROOMSMEN”
Starring Ed Burns, John Leguizamo, Matthew Lillard, Donal Logue, Jay Mohr, Brittany Murphy Director: Ed Burns
The idea: A week away from the big day, a man and his four friends hash out life’s big questions.
So? Slick.
“LEONARD COHEN: I’M YOUR MAN”
Starring Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Martha Wainwright, Beth Orton, Linda Thompson, Teddy Thompson, Jarvis Cocker, the Handsome Family, Antony, Julie Christensen, Perla Battala Director: Lian Lunson
The idea: Interviews and performances pay tribute to the Canadian poet and infl uential singer-songwriter.
So? Endurance.
“ONCE IN A LIFETIME: THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF THE NEW YORK COSMOS”
Starring Pele, Marv Albert, Henry Kissinger, Mia Hamm, narrated by Matt Dillon Directors: Paul Crowder, John Dower
The idea: The rise and fall of the star-studded North American Soccer League franchise in the 1970s.
So? Swift kickers.
“YOU, ME AND DUPREE”
Starring Owen Wilson, Kate Hudson, Matt Dillon, Seth Rogen, Amanda Detmer, Michael Douglas Directors: Joe Russo and Anthony Russo
The idea: A newlywed lets his unemployed pal crash on his couch, but the arrangement turns out to be longer than temporary.
So? Crass ‘course.
July 21
“THE AMATEURS”
Starring Jeff Bridges, Ted Danson, William Fichtner, Patrick Fugit, Lauren Graham, Tim Blake Nelson, Joe Pantoliano, Isaiah Washington, Jeanne Tripplehorn Director: Michael Traeger
The idea: A man in midlife crisis gathers his friends and associates to make an adult movie.
So? Sticky situation.
“LADY IN THE WATER”
Starring Paul Giamatti, Bryce Dallas Howard, Bob Balaban, Jeffrey Wright, Sarita Choudhury, Freddy Rodriguez, Bill Irwin, Jared Harris
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
The idea: Tenants of a dilapidated apartment complex pull together to help an enigmatic nymph elude the ferocious beings blocking her return to the fairy-tale realm.
So? Judgment reserved.
“MONSTER HOUSE”
Starring Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner, Spencer Locke and the voices of Steve Buscemi, Nick Cannon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kevin James, Jason Lee, Catherine O’Hara, Kathleen Turner, Fred Willard
Director: Gil Kenan
The idea: A neighbor’s creepy home turns out to be a living, breathing creature for three kids on Halloween.
So? Intriguing idea.
“MY SUPER EXGIRLFRIEND”
Starring Uma Thurman, Luke Wilson, Anna Faris, Eddie Izzard, Rainn Wilson, Wanda Sykes
Director: Ivan Reitman
The idea: A man dumps his signifi cant other only to fi nd out she’s really a superhero, and a scorned superhero does not go quietly into the night.
So? Unwise to cross her.
“I COULD NEVER BE YOUR WOMAN”
Starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Paul Rudd, Saoirse Ronan, Tracey Ullman
Director: Amy Heckerling
The idea: A mother falls for a younger man, while her daughter experiences love for the fi rst time.
So? Lively potential.
July 28
“JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE”
Starring Jesse Metcalfe, Brittany Snow, Ashanti Douglas, Sophia Bush, Arielle Kebbel, Jenny McCarthy and Penn Badgley
Director: Betty Thomas
The idea: A high school lothario is targeted for revenge by the popular girls he three-timed.
So? Girrrrrls even the score.
“BARNYARD”
Starring voices by Kevin James, Courteney Cox Arquette, Sam Elliott, Danny Glover, Andie MacDowell, Wanda Sykes
Director: Steve Oedekerk
The idea: The secret lives of talking cows are threatened when a carefree bovine has responsibility thrust upon him.
So? Don’t fence it in.
“MIAMI VICE”
Starring Jamie Foxx, Colin Farrell, Gong Li, Naomie Harris, Ciarn Hinds, Justin Theroux
Director: Michael Mann
The idea: Update of the hit 1980s cop show, with Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs tangling with South Florida drug traffi ckers.
So? Why?
Aug. 4
“THE ANT BULLY”
Starring voices of Nicolas Cage, Bruce Campbell, Zach Tyler Eisen, Paul Giamatti, Regina King, Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin Director: John A. Davis
The idea: An ant colony rebels against the 10-yearold boy who torments them by shrinking him to their size and making him see how they live.
So? From the “Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius” folks.
“LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE”
Starring Alan Arkin, Abigail Breslin, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, Greg Kinnear Directors: Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris
The idea: The dysfunctional Hoover family of Albuquerque treks to Redondo Beach for a beauty pageant.
So? Precocious.
“BROTHERS OF THE HEAD”
Starring Luke and Harry Treadaway Directors: Keith Fulton, Louis Pepe
The idea: Conjoined twins are marketed as a novelty rock act in ’70s Britain and become early punk sensations.
So? Brotherly shove.
“JET LI’S FEARLESS”
Starring Jet Li, Nakamura Shidou, Collin Chou, Masato Harada, Nathan Jones Director: Ronny Yu
The idea: The story of martial-arts master Huo Yuanjia (1869-1910), whose exploits enhanced China’s national identity.
So? A big hit at home.
“THE NIGHT LISTENER”
Starring Robin Williams, Toni Collette, Bobby Cannavale, Sandra Oh, Joe Morton, Rory Culkin Director: Patrick Stettner
The idea: A late-night radio host’s on-air relationship with his biggest fan, a troubled boy, raises questions.
So? True.
“TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY”
Starring Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Gary Cole, Michael Clarke Duncan, Sacha Baron Cohen. Director: Adam McKay.
The idea: A NASCAR driver’s circuit supremacy is challenged by an uppity French Formula One racer.
So? Driving force.
Aug. 9
“WORLD TRADE CENTER”
Starring Nicolas Cage, Michael Pena, Maria Bello, Maggie Gyllenhaal Director: Oliver Stone
The idea: The story of two Port Authority policemen trapped in the rubble of the WTC on Sept. 11, 2001.
So? Wait and see.
Aug. 11
“CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER WOMEN”
Starring Aaron Eckhart, Helena Bonham Carter Director: Hans Canosa.
The idea: A couple reignite passions and regret when they meet again at a wedding reception.
So? Inviting trouble.
“THE REAPING”
Starring Hilary Swank, David Morrissey, Idris Elba, AnnaSophia Robb Director: Stephen Hopkins
The idea: A faithless former missionary is at a loss to explain the biblical phenomena plaguing a Louisiana town.
So? Bayou spookiness.
“STREET POET”
Starring C. Thomas Howell, Tara D’Agostino, Jeff Stearns, Fred Willard, Edward Albert, Fred Williamson, Michael Parks Director: E. Paul Edwards
The idea: The relationship between a sexy publisher and her latest poetry-slam discovery heats up.
So? Cast from the past.
“ZOOM”
Starring Tim Allen, Courteney Cox Arquette, Chevy Chase, Spencer Breslin, Rip Torn Director: Peter Hewitt
The idea: An out-of-shape former superhero must train the next generation to save the world.
So? Generation gap.
Aug. 18
“CLERKS II”
Starring Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Rosario Dawson, Trevor Fehrman, Jennifer Schwalbachv, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith Director: Smith
The idea: The convenience store heroes Dante and Randal tackle the questions of adulthood.
So? Tardy.
“THE ILLUSIONIST”
Starring Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel, Rufus Sewell, Eddie Marsan Director: Neil Burger
The idea: His involvement with a duchess places a virtuoso magician at odds with the crown prince and chief inspector in 1900 Vienna.
So? Disappearing act.
“TRUST THE MAN”
With: Billy Crudup, David Duchovny, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Julianne Moore, Eva Mendes, James LeGros Director: Bart Freundlich
The idea: The romantic escapades of four New Yorkers — an actress, her stay-at-home husband, her slacker brother and his aspiring novelist girlfriend — play out against the hectic background of modern life.
So? Impressive tangle.
“Snakes on a Plane” (Aug. 18)
Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Julianna Margulies, Nathan Phillips, Keenan Thompson Director: David R. Ellis
The idea: An FBI agent shepherds a witness from L.A. to Hawaii aboard a commercial flight when an assassin releases some deadly, lithering reptiles.
So? High concept, easy to grasp (or maybe not).
Aug. 25
“BEERFEST”
Starring Jay Chandrasekhar, Erik Stolhanske, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
The idea: Humiliated at an underground Oktoberfest competition, two American brothers return to Germany a year later seeking revenge.
So? Head trip.
“DOA: DEAD OR ALIVE”
Starring Devon Aoki, Sarah Carter, Natassia Malthe, Matthew Marsden, Jaime Pressly, Eric Roberts, Holly Valance Director: Corey Yuen
The idea: Based on the video game fi ghting series
So? Kinetic.
“IDLEWILD”
Starring Andr Benjamin, Antwan A. Patton, Paula Patton, Terrence Howard, Patti LaBelle, Ving Rhames Director: Bryan Barber
The idea: In a 1930s Southern speakeasy, a bashful piano player and fl amboyant lead singer struggle for their music.
So? Southern soul.
“INVINCIBLE”
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Greg Kinnear, Kevin Conway, Elizabeth Banks, Michael Rispoli Director: Ericson Core
The idea: A Philadelphia substitute teacher and part-time bartender bucks the odds in the 1970s to play pro football.
So? Durable Disney.
“MATERIAL GIRLS”
Starring Hilary Duff, Haylie Duff Director: Martha Coolidge
The idea: Cosmetics heiresses lose their inheritance when a scandal wrecks their family’s company.
So? Madonna-inspired
“FACTOTUM”
Starring Matt Dillon, Lili Taylor, Marisa Tomei Director: Bent Hamer
The idea: Henry Chinaskiv writes, drinks and enters into a relationship with an equally self-destructive woman.
Sept. 1
“CRANK”
Starring Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Efren Ramirez, Jose Cantillo, Jay Xcala, Carlos Sanz, Keone Young Writer-directors: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor
The idea: A hit man’s attempt to quit the business results in his being poisoned, and he has only an hour left to live.
So? Similar to “DOA” but different.
“THE RETURN”
Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kate Beahan, Peter O’Brien, Adam Scott, Sam Shepard
Director: Asif Kapadia
The idea: A Midwestern woman seeks answers to the increasingly disturbing visions tormenting her.
So? Looking for trouble.
“SONS OF BUENAVISTA”
Starring Pio Leiva, Barbaro Marin, Mario “Mayito” Rivera and Pedro “El Nene” Lugo Martinez
Director: German Kral
The idea: Fictionalized follow-up to “Buena Vista Social Club” in which an aging maestro puts together a band of young Cuban musicians.
So? Overshadowed by the original.
Sept. 8
“BROOKLYN RULES”
Starring Alec Baldwin, Freddie Prinze Jr., Mena Suvari, Scott Caan, Jerry Ferrara
Director: Michael Corrente
The idea: Three friends are tested when one falls under the influence of a powerful gangster in 1985.
So? Tempting fate.
“GABRIELLE”
Starring Isabelle Huppert, Pascal Greggory, Thierry Hancisse, Raina Kabaivanska
Director: Patrice Chereau
The idea: French period piece in which the marriage of a wealthy, turn-of-the-last-century society couple suddenly comes unhinged.
So? Maybe not as juicy as it sounds.
“LAND OF THE BLIND”
Starring Ralph Fiennes, Donald Sutherland, Lara Flynn Boyle
Director: Robert Edwards
The idea: The political ideals of a soldier are tested when he’s drawn into a political prisoner’s plans for a revolution.
So? Liberation of irony.
“PATHFINDER”
Starring Karl Urban, Moon Bloodgood, Russell Means, Clancy Brown
Director: Marcus Nispel
The idea: Left behind in North America by the Vikings, a young boy is raised to manhood by Native Americans but is faced with confl ict when his people return decades later.
So? Divided loyalties.
