Animation Magazine's 2007-2008 Movie Release Guide

	Happily N’Ever After – Lionsgate, Jan. 5 Director: Paul J. Bolger Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr. Synopsis: The evil stepmother, Frieda (Weaver), leads a gang of evil-doers that plans to take over Fairy Tale Land. Yet when Ella (Gellar) realizes the plan her stepmother intends to carry out, she becomes the face of the resistance effort to combat destruction.

	Arthur and the Invisibles (Arthur and the Minimoys) – MGM, Jan. 12 Director: Luc Besson Starring: David Bowie, Snoop Dogg, Madonna, Mia Farrow Official Site: www.arthur-lelivre.com Synopsis: Young Arthur ventures in to the land of the Minimoys, a land of tiny people living in a harmonious society, in the pursuit of hidden treasure that will surely save his grandfather’s house from destruction.

	Bridge to Terabithia – Disney, Feb. 16 Director: Gabor Csupo Starring: Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel Synopsis: In order to escape from the mundane aspects of their lives, two friends dream up a spectacular world of fantasy. In their newfound destination they must battle the Dark Master as they encounter unique and fantastical creatures.

	Ghost Rider – Columbia, Feb. 16 Director: Mark Steven Johnson Starring: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Wes Bentley, Peter Fonda Official site: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/ghostrider/ Synopsis: Based on the Marvel comic, Nicolas Cage plays a stunt motorcycle driver that has sold his soul to the devil. Consequently, whenever he is in the presence of evil he quickly morphs into the flaming skulled superhero known as Ghost Rider.

	300 – Warner Bros., March 9 Director: Zack Snyder Starring: Gerard Butler, Vincent Reagan, Lena Headey Official Site: http://300themovie.warnerbros.com/ Synopsis: Film adaptation of Frank Millers graphic novel “300” that deals with the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. The ancient conflict occurs when the Greek’s ban together behind King Sparta’s army of 300 soldiers against the Persians in a struggle that paved the way for the world’s first democracy.

	The Host – Magnolia, March 9 Director: Joon-ho Bong Starring: Kang-ho Song, Hie-bong Byeon, Hae-il Park Synopsis: A creature is the host to a mysterious virus crawling out of the Han River and attaching people in Seoul, South Korea.

	The Last Mimzy – New Line, March 23 Director: Bob Shaye Starring: Rhiannon Leigh Wryn, Chris O’Neil, Rainn Wilson, Timothy Hutton Synopsis: Two children find a box of old toys including a weathered stuffed rabbit, and they become increasingly smarter and develop special talents. Yet strange things start to happen as well, soon the children and their parents are drawn into a mysterious and sometimes frightening world.

	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) – Warner Bros., March 23 Director: Kevin Munroe Starring: Mako, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ziyi Zhang, Patrick Stewart Official Site: http://tmnt.warnerbros.com/ Trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/teenagemutantninjaturtles/ Tagline: “Raising Shell in 2007” Synopsis: The turtles are back and needed more than ever when mysterious events plague New York City. Unfortunately, Michelangelo, Raphael and Donatello have lost themselves and their direction as Turtles. Now it is up to Leonardo and Master Splinter to unite the Turtles and restore order in the city.

	Meet the Robinsons – Disney, March 30 Director: Steve Anderson Starring: Angela Bassett, Tom Selleck, Harland Williams, Laurie Metcalf Synopsis: Based on the book by William Joyce (A Day with Will Robinson), an orphan travels to the future and discovers the strange Robinson family in this CG-animated offering from the team at Disney.

	Grindhouse – Dimension, April 6 Director (s): Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez Starring: Rosario Dawson, Rose McGowan, Josh Brolin, Zoe Bell Synopsis: Directors Tarantino and Rodriguez deliver a double feature as they put together two feature-length segments in Grindhouse. The film is meant to recreate the theater experience of the 70s and 80s by paying homage to B-movie thrillers. The first film “Death Proof” is followed by the second “Planet Terror,” and the two are fused together using fake movie trailers.

	The Reaping – Warner Bros., April 5 Director: Stephen Hopkins Starring: Hilary Swank, David Morrissey Official Site: http://thereapingmovie.warnerbros.com Synopsis: Following the tragic death of her family, a once Christian Missionary (Swank) loses her faith and becomes an expert on disproving religious phenomena. However, events unfold as the young woman investigates a small Louisiana town that appears to be suffering from a Biblical plague that force her to revisit her faith in order to save the town from evil forces.

	Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters– First Look Pictures, April 13 Director (s): Matt Maiellaro, Dave Willis Starring: Matt Maiellaro, Dave Willis, Dana Snyder, Carey Means Synopsis: A meatball, a milkshake and a box of French fries band together to battle the cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past. In order to gain control of the galaxy, the super crime-fighting team must get control of a piece of an exercise machine.

	Disturbia – DreamWorks, April 13 Director: D.J. Caruso Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Kurt David Anderson, Charles Carroll, David Morse Official site: http://www.disturbia.com/ Synopsis: After the death of his father, young Kale finds himself deeply troubled and under a court ordered house arrest. The confines of his home begin to take a toll on Kale as he is forced to live as an observer. During the term of his sentence he becomes convinced that his own neighbor is a serial killer.

	Rogue – Dimension, April 20 Director: Greg McLean Starring: Stephen Curry, Michael Vartan, Celia Ireland Synopsis: Follows the travels of a cynical American who becomes a passenger on a river cruise led by a tough Australian female captain. The cruise goes sour however when the group finds themselves stranded on a tidal mud island confronted with trouble in the form of a giant crocodile who stalks their every move!

	Next – Columbia, April 27 Director: Lee Tamahori Starring: Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Paul Rae Synopsis: A Vegas showroom magician possesses the power to see into the future. Because of this, Cris Johnson is plagued by government and medical interest in his unprecedented power, which causes him to lay low in sin city performing cheap tricks and living off of his gambling winnings. But all of this changes when terrorists threaten to detonate a nuclear device in Los Angeles, Cris Johnson is then urged by a government agent to put aside his anonymity and utilize his powers.

	Spider-Man 3 – Columbia, May 4 Director: Sam Raimi Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco Official Site: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/spiderman3/site/noflash.php Synopsis: Spider man battles the new Green Goblin, Sandman and Venom but not without some new powers and a sleek black suit given to him by a creature from the moon.

	Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror – Xenon Pictures, May 4 Director: Stacy Title Starring: Snoop Dogg, Ernie Hudson, Billy D. Williams, Jason Alexander Synopsis: Featuring anime sequences produced by the Animatrix team of John Gaeta and Japan's Madhouse, the film has Snoop Dogg introducing three terrifying tales that prove “it ain't all good in da hood.”

	28 Weeks Later – Fox Atomic, May 11 Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo Starring: Robert Carlyle, Harold Perrineau, Catherine McCormack Synopsis: Following the spread of the Rage virus in London that annihilates the population of Britain, the US has restored order and begins to re-populate the city. But the virus returns and this time it’s more deadly than before.

	Shrek the Third – DreamWorks, May 18 Director(s): Chris Miller, Raman Hui Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz Official Site: http://www.shrekthethird.com/ Synopsis: In the wake of the death of Fiona’s father, Shrek is expected to step up and wear the crown. Yet when he refuses this responsibility, Shrek, Fiona, Puss and the trusty Donkey must search for a new king. So far their best option is King Arthur.

	Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – Disney, May 25 Director: Gore Verbinski Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush Official site: http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/pirates/ Synopsis: In the third and outing Chow Yun-Fat joins the cast as Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann and enemy Captain Barbossa must make an alliance. The three must join to face the ultimate danger by sailing to the ends of the earth, in order to free Jack Sparrow from a trap.

	Angel-a – Sony, May 25 Director: Luc Besson Starring: Rie Rasmussen, Jamal Debouze Synopsis: When a man saves a mysterious woman from what appears to be a suicide he is granted a second chance at life.

	*Paprika* - Sony, May 25 Director: Satoshi Kon Starring: Megumi Hayashibara, Tôru Furuya, Kôichi Yamadera Official Site: www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/paprika Synopsis: When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patient's dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist can stop it: Paprika.

	*Day Watch* – Fox, June 1 Director: Timur Bekmambetov Starring: Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Menshov, Valery Zolotukhin Official Site: www.foxsearchlight.com/daywatch Synopsis: The second part of the trilogy that began with “Night Watch”, this film continues the ever-present struggle between the forces of light and dark in present day Moscow.

	Hostel: Part II – Lionsgate, June 8 Director: Eli Roth Starring: Jay Hernandez, Bijou Phillips, Lauren German Trailer: www.apple.com/trailers/lions_gate/hostelpartii Synopsis: While spending a summer abroad, three young American women are forced to discover the dark secrets behind a Slovakian hostel and its international counterparts.

	Surf’s Up – Columbia, June 8 Director(s): Ash Brannon, Chris Buck Starring: Jeff Bridges, Zooey Deschanel, Dana Belben Official Site: www.sonypictures.com/movies/surfsup Synopsis: If you didn’t know surfing was invented by penguins, Surf’s Up will set the record straight. In this CG feature from the folks at Sony Pictures Animation, a documentary film crew takes audiences behind the scenes of the annual Penguin World Surfing Championships.

	Fantastic Four: Rise of The Silver Surfer – Fox, June 15 Director: Tim Story Starring: Doug Jones, Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans Official site: www.fantasticfourmovie.com Synopsis: The Fantastic Four face their most difficult challenge yet when another super-power, The Silver Surfer, descends upon earth to prepare for its demise. While the Silver Surfer globe trots in his mission to destroy the planet: Johnny, Reed, Sue and Ben must uncover the secrets of this new evil before it is too late.

	Evan Almighty – Universal, June 22 Director: Tom Shadyac Starring: Steve Carell, Lauren Graham, Morgan Freeman Official site: www.evanalmighty.com Synopsis: Continuing where Bruce Almighty left off, this time Bruce Nolan’s costar Evan Baxter takes center stage. After making peace with Bruce, Evan moves on to take a position as a congressman in Washington D.C.; until the Almighty himself calls on Evan to take on building a new ark, much like Noah did before. The challenge proves adventurous to say the least.

	Ratatouille – Disney/Pixar, June 29 Director(s): Brad Bird Starring: Brad Garrett, Patton Oswalt, Janeane Garofolo Official Site: disney.go.com/disneypictures/ratatouille Synopsis: Ratatouille, a rat with a taste for gourmet food, lives in an upscale Parisian restaurant managed by an eccentric chef, constantly risking his life in the pursuit of fine dining. Brad Bird, the acclaimed director of Iron Giant and The Incredibles lends his magic touch to this much-anticipated summer Pixar movie. Who says a rat can’t enjoy French cuisine?

	Transformers – DreamWorks /Paramount, July 3 Director: Michael Bay Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, Jon Voight Official Site: www.transformersmovie.com Synopsis: A battle between two alien races, the benevolent Autobots and the villainous Deceptacons, rages on Earth putting the future of the human race in danger in this big-screen adaptation of the TV hit from the ’80s.

	Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – Warner Bros., July 11 Director: David Yates Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes Official Site: www.harrypotter.warnerbros.com Synopsis: Harry and friends struggle through young adulthood at Hogwarts as mysterious events unfold, leading him to the family home of Sirius Black where young Potter learns of the secret Order of the Pheonix. Turmoil at school continues when Harry and Dumbledore become targets of the Wizard Authorities, while a new bureaucrat slowly seizes power at Hogwarts. Harry’s fifth year at the school is no walk in the park.

	The Simpsons Movie – Fox, July 27 Director: David Silverman Starring: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Minnie Driver, Kelsey Grammer Official site: www.thesimpsons.com Trailer: www.apple.com/trailers/fox/thesimpsonsmovie Synopsis: Homer haphazardly poisons the entire town when he makes an unfortunate mistake at the nuclear power plant. Needless to say this angers the towns people when they must evacuate and thus the town forms an angry mob to chase Homer Simpson.

	Skinwalkers – Lionsgate, July 27 Director: James Isaac Starring: Jason Behr, Elias Koteas, Rhona Mitra Official Site: www.skinwalkersthemovie.com Synopsis: The coming of a full moon alerts two very different packs of werewolves of the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy that is soon to occur. As young Timothy approaches his 13th birthday, he and his mother are in the dark about his impending transformation which stirs the evil werewolves who will stop at nothing to preserve their bloodlines from this half-blood who is soon to control the destiny of his family. Timothy’s benevolent werewolf relatives will continue to protect him just as they have always done as the onset of the prophecy rapidly approaches.

	Underdog – Disney, Aug. 3 Director: Frederik Du Chau Starring: Jason Lee, Alex Neuberger, Amy Adams, James Belushi Official Site: disney.go.com/disneypictures/underdog Synopsis: Shoeshine, the dog, acquires superpowers following a laboratory accident. He keeps the secret of his powers until a young boy adopts him and becomes not just his owner, but his friend as well. Jason Lee (My Name Is Earl) provides the voice of the canine superhero.

	Stardust – Paramount, August 10 Director: Matthew Vaughn Starring: Claire Danes, Sienna Miller, Peter O’Toole, Michelle Pfieffer, Robert De Niro Synopsis: Based on the book by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess, an Englishman sets off on a quest to find a fallen star that had transformed into a girl. Along the way he is confronted with a variety of colorful characters including a king, a witch, a pirate and a sneaky salesman.

	The Invasion – Warner Bros., Aug. 17 Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel Starring: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Jeremy Northam Official Site: theinvasionmovie.warnerbros.com Synopsis: A take off on the popular Body Snatchers tale, a psychiatrist (Kidman) believes Washington is under an alien attack and thus fears for the safety of her son.

	Halloween – Dimension, Aug. 31 Director: Rob Zombie Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Danny Trejo, Danielle Harris, Sheri Moon Official Site: www.halloweenmovies.com Synopsis: Michael Myers is mistakenly released from the mental institution where he has been committed for over 17 years. Now a grown man, and still highly dangerous, the killer returns to Haddonfield to find Laurie, his little sister.

	Resident Evil: Extinction – Screen Gems, Sept. 21 Director: Russell Mulcahy Starring: Milla Jovovich, Oded Fehr, Ali Larter Official Site: www.sonypictures.com/movies/residentevilextinction Synopsis: In the concluding chapter of the trilogy, the Raccoon City catastrophe leaves survivors to journey across the Nevada desert in search of their final destination: Alaska. Alice joins the caravan and helps them in their battle against the Umbrella Corp.

	The Kingdom – Universal, September 28 Director: Peter Berg Official Site: www.thekingdommovie.com Starring: Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Chris Cooper Synopsis: When an American facility is bombed in the Middle East, a team of U.S. government agents are sent to investigate the crime.

	The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising – Fox, Oct. 5 Director: David L. Cunningham Starring: Ian McShane, Alexander Ludwig, Frances Conroy, Gregory Smith, Christopher Eccleston Official Site: www.seekthesigns.com Synopsis: An adaptation of the first book of Susan Cooper’s popular children’s series. A young boy discovers a family secret when he finds out he belongs to a secret sect dedicated to fighting injustice in England.

	30 Days of Night – Columbia, Oct. 19 Director: David Slade Starring: Manu Bennett, Melissa George, Josh Hartnett Official Site: www.30daysofnight.com Synopsis: An isolated Alaskan town experiences one month of darkness each year when the sun falls below the horizon line. This year, terror strikes as darkness falls when a gang of bloodthirsty vampires attacks the town.

	Bee Movie – DreamWorks, Nov. 2 Director(s): Steve Hickner, Simon J. Smith Starring: Jerry Seinfeld, Renee Zellweger, Matthew Broderick Official Site: www.beemovie.com Synopsis: When Barry B. Benson the bee graduates from college he finds himself disillusioned by his only career path: making honey. Barry then ventures outside the hive where he is saved by Vanessa, a kind N.Y.C. florist. As their relationship grows Barry finds out the truth about the way we humans use honey.

	Beowulf – Paramount, Nov. 16 Director: Robert Zemeckis Starring: Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, Angelina Jolie, Robin Wright Penn Official site: www.beowulfmovie.com Synopsis: Beowulf, the legendary Scandinavian warrior, must fight and kill the monster Grendel when he terrorizes towns across the land. Expect some cool performance capture magic from the folks at Sony Imageworks. The film’s script is penned by Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary.

	Enchanted – Disney, Nov. 21 Director: Kevin Lima Starring: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Susan Sarandon Official Site: www.EnchantedMovie.com Synopsis: A princess-in-waiting falls in love with a handsome prince and because of this is banished by the evil queen from the cartoon word of Andalasia. The young princess must now survive in the reality of present day New York City.

	The Golden Compass – New Line Cinema, Dec. 7 Director: Chris Weitz Starring: Dakota Blue Richards, Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman Official Site: www.goldencompassmovie.com Synopsis: The first volume of the adaptation of His Dark Materials novel trilogy, this is the story of Lyra Belacqua who lives in a parallel Oxford universe. The young scholar is flung into a perilous adventure filled with unknown creatures, villains and unexpected places which she must navigate in order to find her best friend and save kidnapped children. This dark philosophical epic begins in this first installment. The $150 million-budgeted movie features state-of-the-art vfx by Cinesite Europe, Framestore CFC, Gentle Giant Studios, The Visual Effects Company and Rhythm and Hues.

	Alvin and the Chipmunks – Fox, December 14 Director: Tim Hill Starring: Jason Lee, Ross Bagdasarian Jr., David Cross Official Site: http://www.alvinandthechipmunksmovie.com/ Synopsis: Based on the 1980s cartoon series about a music group of chipmunks comprised of mischievous group leader Alvin; tall and quiet Simon; and chubby, impressionable Theodore.

	I Am Legend– Warner Bros., Dec. 14 Director: Francis Lawrence Starring: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Salli Richardson-Whitfield Official Site: iamlegend.warnerbros.com Synopsis: The spread of a deadly disease has turned the world’s population into nocturnal, cannibalistic monsters. Now it is up to the last man on earth (Will Smith) to search for a cure.

	Persepolis – Sony Pictures Classics, December 25 Director: Vincent Paronnaud, Marjane Satrapi Starring: Chiara Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve, Danielle Darrieux Official Site: http://www.persepolislapelicula.es/ Synopsis: Poignant coming-of-age story of a precocious and outspoken young Iranian girl that begins during the Islamic Revolution.

	The Water Horse – Columbia, Dec. 25 Director: Jay Russell Starring: Emily Watson, Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, David Morrissey Official Site: www.thewaterhorse.com Synopsis: Based on the book by Dick King-Smith, this fantasy film tells the tale of an enchanted sea creature from a Scottish legend that enables a lonely young boy to embark on a mystical journey.

	Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem – Fox, Dec. 25 Director(s): Colin and Greg Strause Starring: Reiko Aylesworth, Steven Pasquale, John Ortiz, Shareeka Epps Official site: www.alienvspredator2.com Synopsis: Predators took round one, but in this small Colorado town, who will be victorious in round two?

2008 Films
	The Ice at the Bottom of the World – Picturehouse, 2008 Director: Alan Parker Starring: Charlize Theron Synopsis: After retiring from the Navy, a captain returns home to a town in the Chesapeake Bay only to discover the damage his absence has caused his family.

	Coraline – Focus Features, 2008 Director: Henry Selick Starring: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Ian McShane Synopsis: Coraline Jones finds herself bored and unhappy in her new home with foreign neighbors all around her. Then, the young girl discovers that the brick wall behind a door in her flat leads to another world where she finds a better version of her life now. Based on Neil Gaiman’s short children’s novel, the world Coraline enters into is created by her Other Mother to provide her with joy and entertainment.

	The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie – Universal, January 11 Director: Mike Nawrocki Starring: Phil Vischer, Mike Nawrocki Official Site: www.veggiepirates.com Synopsis: From Big Idea, the folks who gave us 2002's hit indie Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie comes this new values-based adventures about three veggie buddies (Larry the Cucumber, Mr. Lunt and Pa Grape) who set sail and find themselves in the 17th century, fighting an evil tyrant and discovering the strong heroes within.

	The Eye – Lionsgate, Feb. 1 Director(s): David Moreau, Xavier Palud Starring: Jessica Alba Synopsis: An American remake of the famous Pang brothers’ movie. Jessica Alba plays a blind woman who can see frightening things after receiving cornea transplants.

	Penelope – Summit Ent., Feb. 1 Director: Mark Palansky Starring: Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O’Hara, Reese Witherspoon Official Site: www.penelopethemovie.com Synopsis: As a result of a family curse, a young girl born with a pig snout (Christina Ricci) must learn to accept herself in this modern fable.

	Jumper – Twentieth Century Fox, Feb. 15 Director: Doug Liman Starring: Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Diane Lane Official Site: www.jumperthemovie.com Synopsis: When a young teen discovers he has the power to teleport from place to place, he decides to use his newfound talent to track down the man he believes is responsible for the untimely death of his mother.

	The Spiderwick Chronicles – Paramount, Feb. 15 Director: Mark Waters Starring: Freddie Highmore, Mary-Louise Parker, Nick Nolte, Martin Short Official Site: www.thespiderwickchronicles.com Synopsis: Twin brothers along with their sister find themselves in pulled into an alternate world with all sorts of creatures after moving into the Spiderwick estate.

	Babylon A.D. – Twentieth Century Fox, Feb. 29 Director: Mathieu Kassovitz Starring: Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, Gerard Depardieu Official Site: www.myspace.com/babylonadmovie Synopsis: When a woman, who harbors an organism wanted by a cult to produce a genetically modified Messiah, must get from Russia to China she requires special protection. Thoorop (Vin Diesel) is just the man for the dangerous job with his past military experience, yet he will find out the truth about her along the way.

	Horton Hears a Who! – Twentieth Century Fox, March 14 Director(s): Jimmy Hayward, Steve Martino Starring: Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Amy Poehler Official Site: www.hortonmovie.com Synopsis: Based on the classic Dr. Seuss tale, this animated feature shows Horton the elephant at odds with his neighbors as he tries to protect a microscopic community.

	Foodfight! – Lionsgate, April 11 Director: Lawrence Kasanoff Starring: Charlie Sheen, Hilary Duff, Chris Kattan, Eva Longoria Official site: www.foodfight.com Synopsis: Ever wondered what happened in the grocery store when the lights went out and the doors were locked? Utter chaos reigns supreme when the food is left alone at night! This is the first animated feature from L.A.-based studio Threshold Entertainment.

	Space Chimps – Fox, May Director: Kirk De Micco Starring: Seann William Scott, Omid Abtahi, Patrick Warburton Synopsis: In this comedy/adventure flick, two NASA chimps are sent on a mission to an uncharted planet to save its inhabitants from a tyrannical regime.

	Speed Racer – Warner Bros., May 9 Director(s): Andy & Larry Wachowski Starring: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox Official Site: www.speedracerthemovie.com Synopsis: This modern day, feature film version of the 1960’s Japanese animated series follows a young racecar driver, armed with the support of his family and his father’s Mach 5 car, on a quest for greatness.

	The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian – Disney, May 16 Director: Andrew Adamson Starring: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Ben Barnes, Liam Neeson Synopsis: The Pevensie children find themselves once again in the magical land of Narnia and discover that hundreds of years have passed since they left. Prince Caspian, the rightful heir to the throne, has been exiled and needs the help of the children and all the fantastical creatures in Narnia to overthrow the evil King Miraz.

	Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – Paramount, May 22 Director: Steven Spielberg Starring: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Shia LaBeouf Official Site: www.indianajones.com

	Kung Fu Panda – DreamWorks, June 6 Director(s): Mark Osborne, John Stevenson Starring: Jack Black, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu, Ian McShane Synopsis: Set in ancient China, this CG feature chronicles the journey of a slacker panda, Po, who must learn to be a Kung Fu Master to thwart the malignant snow leopard Tai Lung and save the Valley of Peace. Ultimately, the once indifferent Po turns the world of Kung Fu on its head and emerges with newfound belief in himself.

	Wall–E – Pixar/Disney, June 27 Director: Andrew Stanton Starring: Fred Willard Synopsis: A robot tries to find a home in the great frontier of space.

	Hellboy 2: The Golden Army – Universal, July 11 Director: Guillermo del Toro Starring: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones Synopsis: The sequel to the first Hellboy feature in 2004, the story continues as Hellboy and his comrades must work together to stop a rebellion against humanity to save the Earth.

	Journey 3-D – New Line Cinema, July 11 Director: Eric Brevig Starring: Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem Synopsis: While on a mission to find his lost brother, a scientist and his nephew happen to discover a mysterious lost world.

	The Dark Knight – Warner Bros., July 18 Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Christian Bale, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger Official Site: thedarkknight.warnerbros.com Synopsis: The Joker emerges as the newest and most deadly villain with his warped sense of humor in this installment of the Batman saga, helmed by Christopher Nolan who also directed Batman Begins. Now Batman and Gordon must make an alliance with new DA Harvey Dent to combat this vicious killer.

	Inkheart – New Line Cinema, Sept. 19 Director: Iain Softley Starring: Brendan Fraser, Andy Serkis, Paul Bettany Synopsis: A young girl, Meggie, and her father Mo live together in a house filled with literature reading other peoples stories and adventures. Yet when a stranger named Dustfinger appears unexpectedly at their door, Meggie begins to find the answers to many secrets in her past including what became of her mother.

	Where the Wild Things Are – Warner Bros., Oct. 3 Director: Spike Jonze Starring: Michelle Williams, Forest Whitaker, Paul Dano Synopsis: Adapted from the original children’s book by Maurice Sendak, this is the story of young Max who creates his own imaginary world. The devious little boy manifests a forest where he acts as ruler over colorful, wild creatures.

	Bolt – Disney, Nov. 26 Director: Chris Williams Starring: Mario Catone, John Travolta, Woody Harrelson Synopsis: Bolt, a German Shepherd, has lived his whole life on the set of his action TV show, causing him to believe he really has superpowers. Formerly titled American Dog.

	The Tale of Despereaux – Universal, Dec. 19 Director(s): Sam Fell, Gary Ross Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Sigourney Weaver, William H. Macy, Justin Long Synopsis: Based on the fantasy book by Kate DiCamillo, three unsuspecting heroes find their fates connected to the resident princess of the castle. A mouse who prefers to read books rather than eat them, a rat that plots to break free from the dungeon and a clumsy servant girl make up the cast of characters that will make a change in the kingdom.

	Madagascar: The Crate Escape – DreamWorks, Nov. 7 Director(s): Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath Starring: Ben Stiller, Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer Official Site:www.dreamworksanimation.com/dwa/opencms/movies Synopsis: Sequel to the 2005 animated feature Madagascar.

	Star Trek XI – Paramount, Dec. 25 Director: J.J. Abrams Starring: Zachary Quinto, Anton Yelchin, Zoe Saldana, Eric Bana Official Site: www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/MOV/011 Synopsis: A youthful James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock have their first encounter at Starfleet Academy and complete their first mission.

2009 Films
	Halo – Twentieth Century Fox, 2009 Director: Neill Blomkamp Synopsis: After crashing on a ring-world appropriately named “Halo”, a navy captain and his marines along with a bionic soldier “Master Chief”, are at odds to find out what a genocidal race of aliens seek to find on the ring.

	Avatar – Fox, May 22 Director: James Cameron Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Laz Alonso, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez Synopsis: A handicapped war vet, Jake, is brought to the planet of Pandora and finds himself and fellow humans in conflict with the Na’vi– a humanoid race that have their own language and culture.

	Rapunzel – Disney, June Director(s): Glen Keane, Dean Wellins Starring: Kristin Chenoweth, Kevin Linehan Synopsis: A CGI take on the classic and famous fairy tales of Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm. Also called Rapunzel: Unbraided.