May 6
This year’s Oscar winner for foreign-language film, Susanne Bier’s “In a Better World” transposes families in different forms of crisis. While a father (Mikael Persbrandt) is away from home working as a doctor in an African refugee camp, his estranged wife (Trine Dyrholm) cares for their two sons. The oldest, 10-year-old Christian (William Jøhnk Juels Nielsen) is bullied at school, until he’s befriended by Elias (Markus Rygaard) — a friendship that takes some dangerous and tragic turns.
Also opening May 6:
“Jumping the Broom” • A rich girl (Paula Patton) and a working-class guy (Laz Alonzo) plan their wedding, if the class differences between their families don’t ruin the festivities in this comedy.
“Rubber” • A telepathic car tire goes on a murderous rampage in this off-the- wall horror thriller.
“Something Borrowed” • This romantic comedy stars “Big Love’s” Ginnifer Goodwin as a lawyer who regrets that her law-school crush (Colin Eggleston) is about to marry her overbearing best friend (Kate Hudson).
“Thor” • Marvel Comics’ hero, based on Norse legend, gets the big-screen treatment.
May 13
Despite what you see in the ads, “Bridesmaids” is not the female version of “The Hangover.” It’s plenty raunchy and funny, though, as it focuses on Annie (Kristen Wiig, who co-wrote the film), a disheveled and underemployed sad-sack who is called upon to be maid of honor for her best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) — but ends up in competition with a wealthy bridesmaid (Rose Byrne) to plan the perfect shower and bachelorette party. Expect some comic gold from director Paul Feig, a veteran from “The Office” and “Arrested Development” (and the underappreciated “Unaccompanied Minors”), and producer Judd Apatow.
Also opening May 13:
“Everything Must Go” • When his wife throws him and his stuff out on the front lawn, an alcoholic (Will Ferrell) holds a yard sale to reassess his life. This comedy-drama is based on a Raymond Carver short story.
“Meek’s Cutoff” • A wagon train crossing Oregon in 1845 is deserted under harsh conditions in this drama, starring Michelle Williams.
“Priest” • Paul Bettany plays the title character, who defies his orders to hunt vampires, in this horror-thriller adapted from a graphic novel.
“The Princess of Montpensier” • Bertrand Tavernier directs this period drama, in which a young woman’s hopes for love conflicts with her father’s quest for political connections in 16th century France.
May 20
It’s back on the high seas in “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” the fourth installment of the Disney theme-park franchise. Johnny Depp returns as Capt. Jack Sparrow, this time encountering the fearsome Blackbeard (Ian McShane) and partnering with a feisty Spanish ship captain (Penelope Cruz) to find the Fountain of Youth. What’s different? Director Rob Marshall (“Chicago”) takes over from Gore Verbinsky, and you’ll have to wear 3D glasses.
Also opening May 20:
“Winter in Wartime” • A Dutch teen gets involved with the Resistance in this gritty World War II drama.
May 26
Take your pick of sequels on Memorial Day weekend. If you’ve got kids, you’ll be seeing “Kung Fu Panda 2,” in which the food-loving hero Po (voiced by Jack Black) and his friends face a new challenge to kung fu. If the kids are with the babysitter, you can go see “The Hangover, Part II,” in which the guys (Bradley Cooper, Zack Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Justin Bartha) head to Thailand for more bachelor-party hijinks.
May 27
Japanese director Takeshi Miike has a cult following in the U.S., mostly for ultra-violent films like “Audition.” In his latest, “13 Assassins,” Miike takes on the samurai genre in which the title assassins go on a suicide mission to kill an evil lord.
Also opening May 27:
“Potiche” • In this comedy directed by François Ozon (“Swimming Pool”), Catherine Deneuve plays a trophy wife who must take over her husband’s company, proving herself quite good at the job and reuniting with a former union leader (Gerard Depardieu) who’s also her ex-lover.
June 3
“X-Men: First Class” takes the Marvel Comics franchise back to the beginnings, and the 1960s, as the epic battle between mutants Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Eric Lehnsherr, a k a Magneto (Michael Fassbender), went from allies to enemies. The cast includes Jennifer Lawrence, Rose Byrne and January Jones.
Also opening June 3:
“Incendies” • Montreal twins are sent to the Middle East to sort out their tangled family history in this drama, an Oscar nominee (and Sundance ‘11 entry) directed by Denis Villeneuve.
“Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” • Last year’s Palme D’Or winner at Cannes, Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s surreal fantasy starts with the title character on his deathbed, in an examination of love and karma.
June 10
The sci-fi thriller “Super 8” offers a filmmaking alliance worth checking out: Writer-director J.J. Abrams and executive producer Steven Spielberg. The story is set in 1979, as kids witness a massive train crash and then notice sinister disappearances in their town — leading them to find evidence of what’s wrong and film it on their Super 8 camera. Expect thrills and chills.
Also opening June 10:
“Beginners” • Mike Mills (“Thumbsucker”) directs this romance, about a guy (Ewan McGregor) who meets the perfect woman (Melanie Laurent), and tries to apply lessons learned from his father (Christopher Plummer) — who came out of the closet to enjoy his final years.
“Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer” • Author Megan McDonald’s child-lit creation, a rambunctious third-grader, aims to have the best summer ever in this kid-friendly comedy.
“L’Amour Fou” • A documentary about the designer Yves Saint-Laurent and his relationship with his lover, Pierre Bergé.
June 17
Jim Carrey’s comic skills will get a workout in “Mr. Popper’s Penguins,” an adaptation of the classic children’s story. Carrey plays Mr. Popper, a businessman who inherits six penguins — and reorders his life to provide them a chilly home. Carla Gugino and Angela Lansbury co- star.
Also opening June 10:
“The Green Lantern” • Ryan Reynolds plays the DC Comics crimefighter.
“Midnight in Paris” • Woody Allen’s latest romantic romp in Europe, in which an American (Owen Wilson) begs off an evening with his wife (Rachel McAdams) and discovers magic hour after midnight. Marion Cotillard, Adrien Brody, Michael Sheen and Carla Bruni (France’s First Lady) co- star.
“The Tree of Life” • Terrence Malick’s multi-layered drama (partly filmed in Utah), about a father (Brad Pitt) and his effect on his eldest son (played as an adult by Sean Penn).
June 24
Pixar is burning rubber again in “Cars 2,” but this time hotshot racing car Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) and his tow-truck best buddy Mater (voiced by Larry the Cable Guy) are going international — racing the world’s best cars, while also getting involved in spy games. Michael Caine, as the British racing machine Finn MacMissile, joins the voice cast.
Also opening June 24:
“Bad Teacher” • Cameron Diaz stars in this raunchy comedy, as a junior-high teacher who tries to seduce a new teacher (Justin Timberlake), upsetting the social order for a popular gym teacher (Jason Segel).
“Bill Cunningham New York” • A documentary on the secretive New York Times photographer who has a singular obsession: The way people dress in the Big Apple.
July 1
Will the third time be the charm for director Michael Bay and his car-shaped robots? “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” brings back Optimus Prime and his Hasbro-branded pals — as they race the Decepticons to find out what Cybertronian secrets are hidden on the moon. Shia LeBeouf is back, but Megan Fox has been replaced by Victoria’s Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley — because acting is the least essential skill in a Michael Bay movie.
Also opening July 1:
“Buck” • Cindy Meehl’s thoughtful and beautifully photographed documentary on horse trainer Buck Brannaman, the real-life inspiration for “The Horse Whisperer.”
“Larry Crowne” • Tom Hanks directs and plays the title role, a middle-aged guy who loses his job, goes back to college, and finds possible romance with Julia Roberts.
“Monte Carlo” • In this comedy, three young women (Leighton Meester, Selena Gomez and Katie Cassidy) on vacation in Paris get whisked to Monte Carlo when one of them is mistaken for British royalty.
July 8
“Bride Flight” • Three Dutch women in 1953 fly to New Zealand to meet their future husbands in this drama, inspired by real events.
“Horrible Bosses” • Three friends (Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day) make a plan to murder their awful employers (Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell, Jennifer Aniston) in this dark comedy.
“The Trip” • British comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Bryden play variations of themselves in this comedy, as they tour northern England, in this film directed by Michael Winterbottom (who worked with the pair on “Tristram Shandy”).
“Zookeeper” • Wackiness ensues when a zookeeper (Kevin James) discovers the animals can talk.
July 15
The final battle between good and evil in the wizarding world finally takes place in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2.” The eighth movie based on J.K. Rowling’s book series pits Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his pals Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) against Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) for the last time. Who will win? (People who have read the books are not allowed to give away any spoilers.)
Also opening July 15:
“Winnie the Pooh” • Disney reboots A.A. Milne’s classic character, the silly old bear, and his friends Tigger, Piglet, Owl, Kanga and Roo, and Eeyore.
“Tabloid” • Documentarian Errol Morris looks at the dark side of scandalous fame, through the story of Joyce McKinney, the former Wyoming beauty queen notoriously accused of kidnapping a Mormon missionary in Britain in 1977.
July 22
If you thought the idea of “can friends have sex without it getting emotionally messy?” was exhausted with “No Strings Attached,” it apparently wasn’t. “Friends With Benefits” stars Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake as pals who want to keep things strictly physical, but — surprise, surprise — it gets complicated. Working in this movie’s favor is the fact that it’s directed by Will Gluck, whose “Easy A” was an unexpected gem last year.
Also opening July 22:
“Captain America: The First Avenger” • Chris Evans stars as Marvel Comics’ World War II-era superhero. (See story on ??1.)
July 29
“Cowboys & Aliens” starts with a great “you got peanut butter in my chocolate” movie premise: Old West characters facing off against extraterrestrials. Jon Favreau directs this extravaganza, which stars Daniel Craig as an outlaw who wakes up to discover a strange metal bracelet on his wrist — one with strange powers. Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde also star.
Also opening July 29:
“Crazy, Stupid, Love.” • Steve Carell faces separation from his wife (Julianne Moore), and learns the new ropes of the bar scene from a young player (Ryan Gosling), in this comedy- drama.
“The Smurfs” • Remaking “Avatar” already? No, this is the other civilization of strange blue people, who are driven out of the Smurf village by Gargamel only to land in New York’s Central Park.
August 5
Apparently, Hollywood can’t keep their stinking paws off those damn dirty apes. “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” reimagines the origins of the world where apes rule over humanity — thanks to mankind messing about with genetic engineering. The cast includes James Franco, Tom Felton (from the “Harry Potter” series) and Freida Pinto (“Slumdog Millionaire”).
Also opening August 5:
“The Change-Up” • A married guy (Jason Bateman) switches bodies with hunky best friend (Ryan Reynolds) to woo a new coworker (Olivia Wilde), in this comedy by “Wedding Crashers” director David Dobkin.
“Snow Flower and the Secret Fan” • Lisa See’s novel, about a friendship between women in 19th century China and its modern parallels, is adapted by director Wayne Wang (“The Joy Luck Club”).
August 12
Kathryn Stockett drew quite a following for her debut novel, so the movie adaptation of “The Help” should also attract an audience. Emma Stone plays Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan, the idealistic young writer who returns to her hometown of Jackson, Miss., in 1962 — at the dawn of the civil-rights era — and chronicles the lives of the black women who raise the rich white families’ babies. Viola Davis plays Aibileen, the servant who has cared for 17 babies in her career.
Romance on the installment plan: “One Day,” based on David Nicholls’ novel, starts with Dexter (Jim Sturgess) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) hooking up on the night of their college graduation. They reunite on that same day every year for 20 years to measure how their lives have gone. The movie is directed by Lone Scherfig, the Danish filmmaker who impressed with “An Education.”
Also opening August 12:
“Another Earth” • Possibly the best movie to come out of Sundance this year, this sci-fi drama follows a would-be astrophysicist (Brit Marling, who co-wrote it) whose life is derailed by a drunk-driving accident — and her efforts to atone to the man (William Mapother) whose family was killed in the crash.
“Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest” • Actor-turned- director Michael Rapaport examines the music, the influence and the personality clashes of the ‘80s hip- hop pioneers.
“Seven Days in Utopia” • A hotshot pro golfer (Lucas Black) is stranded in a small town and befriended by an eccentric rancher (Robert Duvall) in this drama.
August 19
The ‘80s are back in two remakes. “Conan the Barbarian” stars Jason Momoa as Robert E. Howard’s muscular swordsman (the role that cemented Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career). And “Fright Night” updates the 1985 film about a teen (now played by Anton Yelchin) who suspects his new neighbor (Colin Farrell) is a vampire – and enlists a washed-up movie-show host (David Tennant, formerly of BBC’s “Doctor Who”) to challenge the bloodsucker.
Also opening August 19:
“Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World” • Robert Rodriguez returns to his kiddie franchise, this time with Jessica Alba as a mom who goes back into spy game to stop a villain (Jeremy Piven) who aims to stop time.
August 26
In “My Idiot Brother,” Paul Rudd plays the title role, Ned, a stoner idealist who arrives in the lives of his three more successful sisters — played by Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer. The movie, directed by Jesse Peretz (“The Ex”), had good buzz from this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Also opening August 26:
“Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” • A girl (Bailie Madison) finds creatures want to take her away when she moves in with her dad (Guy Pearce) and his new girlfriend (Katie Holmes) in this thriller.
“Final Destination 5” • Why do they call it “Final” when they keep making new ones? In this installment of the horror franchise, survivors of a bridge collapse discover that Death still wants them.
August 31
“The Debt” has been sitting on the shelf awhile, mostly due to the uncertainty of Miramax Films (which has given over distribution to Focus Features). It’s a thriller about three Mossad agents (Jessica Chastain, Sam Worthington and Marton Csokas) in 1965, on a mission to kill a Nazi war criminal — and what happens 30 years later with the agents (played later in life by Helen Mirren, Ciaran Hinds and Tom Wilkinson) when they discover the Nazi might still be alive.
September 2
With a title like “Shark Night 3D,” don’t expect Shakespeare. No, this thriller is about a bunch of vacationers at a Louisiana lake that turns out to be infested with fresh-water sharks. Reportedly, this movie’s going for a PG-13 rating, so don’t expect the gratuitous gore and nudity of last year’s similarly themed “Piranha 3D.”
Also opening September 2:
“Colombiana” • Zoe Saldana stars as a woman who trains to be an assassin, in order to avenge her parents’ deaths.
Dates to be determined
“Armadillo” • Danish soldiers in Afghanistan are shown battling the Taliban in this up-close documentary.
“The Arbor” • Filmmaker Clio Bernard adapts Andrea Dunbar’s autobiographical play, taking audio interviews with Dunbar’s family and friends — then having actors give their performances while lip-synching the interview tapes.
“The Art of Getting By” • A high-school slacker (Freddie Highmore) tries to make up for a year of unfinished assignments, inspired by a comely classmate (Emma Roberts). Originally titled “Homework,” this comedy-drama played Sundance in January.
“The Beaver” • Mel Gibson plays a suicidally depressed man who starts communicating via a puppet. Jodie Foster (who directed) plays his wife.
“A Better Life” • Chris Weitz (“The Twilight Saga: New Moon”) directs this drama, about a Mexican gardener (“Weeds’” Demián Bichir) trying to keep his son away from gangs and immigration officials.
“Cave of Forgotten Dreams” • Director Werner Herzog takes his documentary cameras — in 3D — into southern France’s Chauvet caves, where some of the oldest drawings made by man are preserved.
“Ceremony”• A comedy, starring Michael Angarano as a guy who enlists his former best friend (Reece Thompson) to try to thwart the wedding of a filmmaker (Lee Pace) and his fiancee (Uma Thurman).
“Circumstance” • A Tehran teen deals with her brother’s turn toward conservative Islam, and her feelings for her best friend, in this Sundance ‘11 drama written and directed by Maryam Keshavarz.
“Cracks” • A dark drama about girls at an English boarding school, in the 1930s, who become infatuated with their swim teacher (Eva Green) and suspicious of a new girl (Maria Valverde) who ignores the teacher’s attentions.
“The Devil’s Double” • Dominic Cooper plays Saddam Hussein’s son Uday and an Iraqi army officer assigned to be Uday’s body double, in this drama from Sundance ‘11.
“Diary of a Country Priest” • Robert Bresson’s 1951 masterwork, about a young priest assigned to a new post, and trying to be accepted by the villagers there.
“Dirty Girl” • Juno Temple (who also stars in “Cracks”) plays the title character, who escapes high school to hit the road with the class’ closeted gay kid (Jeremy Dozier).
“Exporting Raymond” • Phil Rosenthal stars in and directs this documentary, following his efforts to copy his hit TV show “Everybody Loves Raymond” in Russia.
“The First Grader” • Based on a true story, this drama tells of an 84-year-old Kenyan villager who fights for the right to attend school.
“The Future” • Miranda July (“Me and You and Everyone We Know”) wrote and directed this offbeat look at relationships, following an L.A. couple (played by July and Hamish Linklater) facing commitment issues when they decide to adopt a cat. Played at Sundance ‘11.
“Go For It” • A high-school girl (Aimee Garcia) weighs college against her dreams of dancing hip-hop in this drama.
“The Guard” • Brendan Gleeson plays an Irish village cop whose daily life is disrupted when a murder, and an uptight FBI agent (Don Cheadle), land in his town. Played Sundance ‘11.
“Hesher” • Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays an unstable slacker in this drama, which played the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Natalie Portman co-stars.
“Higher Ground” • Vera Farmiga makes her directorial debut, a hit at Sundance ‘11, in which she plays a woman trying to find her identity within her fundamentalist Christian community.
“Hobo With a Shotgun” • In this exploitation thriller from Sundance ‘11, Rutger Hauer plays the title character, who shoots up the thugs of a crime lord (Gregory Smith).
“If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front” • Marshall Curry directs this documentary, another Sundance ‘11 entry, follows the history of the environmental activist — some say “ecoterrorist” — group.
“An Invisible Sign” • A young math teacher (Jessica Alba) helps her students, while reconciling her memories of her father (John Shea), in this drama.
“Last Night” • A married couple (Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington) deal with temptation in this drama.
“Le Quattro Volte” • An aging goatherd in a medieval village in Calabria (on the southern tip of Italy) survives on his faith and his work in this drama.
“Life Above All” • A 12-year-old South African girl, facing the recent death of her sister, must track down the truth about a rumor that forced her mother to flee the village.
“October” • A moneylender, a single woman and a baby come together in this drama from Peru.
“Poetry” • A woman in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, and dealing with a family crime, enrolls in a poetry class in this Korean drama.
“Project Nim” • Oscar winner James Marsh (“Man on Wire”) directs this documentary, a chronicle of an experiment in which a chimp is raised in a human household and taught sign language.
“Queen to Play” • A French comedy about a chambermaid (Sandrine Bonnaire) who discovers a knack for chess, and enlists a reclusive American doctor (Kevin Kline) to tutor her.
“Rejoice and Shout”• This documentary traces the evolution of American gospel music, and includes such notables as Smokey Robinson, Andrae Crouch and Mavis Staples.
“Sarah’s Key” • A journalist (Kristin Scott Thomas) researches a 1942 roundup of Jews in Paris, and uncovers a tragic secret, in this drama.
“Stake Land?? • In this thriller, a vampire hunter (Nick Damici) helps a teen (Connor Paolo) get out of the vampire-infested United States and into the safe haven of Canada.
“Submarine” • An eccentric Welsh 15-year-old (Craig Roberts) explores Nietzsche, the dictionary and first love in this coming-of-age tale, which screened at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
“Terri” • A friendless teen (Jacob Wysocki) is taken under the wing of his vice principal (John C. Reilly) in this Sundance ‘11 title.
“There Be Dragons” • A journalist investigates a sainthood candidate, a former friend of the journalist’s estranged father, and the man’s role in the Spanish Civil War. Roland Joffé (“The Killing Fields”) directed this drama.
“To Die Like a Man” • A drag queen meets an AWOL soldier, and is willing to give up almost anything for him, in this melodrama from Portugal.
“Troll Hunter” • In this thriller from Norway, student filmmakers encounter a solitary man with a dangerous job — protecting against the evil that escapes from the woods.
“The Whisleblower” • Rachel Weisz stars as Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska cop working as a U.N. peacekeeper in Bosnia — until she exposes the U.N. for covering up a sex scandal.
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