Eagle Vs. Shark,” directed by Academy Award-nominee Taika Waititi (the short, “Two Cars One Night”), is a wry comedy that chronicles the quirky romance of two awkward misfits, Lily (Loren Horsley), a shy fast-food restaurant cashier, and her crush, Jarrod (Jemaine Clement, HBO’s “One Night Stand: The Flight of the Conchords”), an electronic store clerk. On the day Lily gets fired from her job at Meaty Boy, she musters up the courage to attend Jarrod’s annual “come as your favorite animal” costume party. The dressy affair sparks the beginnings of a romance as well a small journey for the pair to Jarrod’s quiet hometown, in which Jarrod plans to seek revenge on an old nemesis and where Lily unwittingly finds herself stranded amongst Jarrod’s family of eccentrics – “Eagle Vs Shark.”
STARRING: Jemaine Clement, Craig Hall, Loren Horsley, Rachel House, Brian Sergent, Joel Tobeck, Jackie van Beek
DIRECTOR: Taika Waititi
STUDIO: Miramax
RATING: R (For language, some sexuality, and brief animated violence)
For generations of fans worldwide, the name Nancy Drew is synonymous with adventure. This young amateur detective has a mind of her own, a passion for solving mysteries and a reputation for getting into—and out of—some very tricky situations. This summer, “Nancy Drew” brings the timeless heroine to Los Angeles, where she is faced with a fresh set of challenges and her most baffling case yet. Emma Roberts, niece of Oscar winner Julia, stars as the resourceful teen detective, who leaves her friendly hometown of River Heights for the West Coast and enrolls at Hollywood High School. There, her unique personal style immediately sets her apart from her self-absorbed, fast-living peers, especially reigning fashionistas Inga and Trish, who can’t quite figure her out but know that everything about her is different—from her super-smarts and retro manners to her perfect picnic lunches and penny loafers. Their less-than-warm reception might bother the average new girl in town, but not Nancy. She has more important things to think about—namely, a brand new mystery. Even though she promised her worried Dad (Tate Donovan as Carson Drew) that she’d quit the “sleuthing” business, it isn’t long before Nancy gets a lead on one of the greatest unsolved cases of all time: the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of famous actress Dehlia Draycott. It happens that the Drews are staying in the former Draycott mansion, long reputed to be haunted and now a site where some very strange things have been happening. How could she resist?
STARRING: Emma Roberts, Josh Flitter, Max Thieriot, Rachael Leigh Cook, Tate Donovan
DIRECTOR: Andrew Fleming
STUDIO: Warner Bros.
RATING: PG (For mild violence, thematic elements and brief language)
Fido” – Years ago, the earth passed through a cloud of space dust, causing the dead to rise with an insatiable hunger for human flesh. Terror spread across the land, until a collar was invented that made the zombies docile, even useful. A company was born: ZomCon. Thanks to their patented domestication collar, zombies became gardeners, milkmen, servants, even pets. ZomCon would like everyone to believe that they have the world under control. But do they? Timmy Robinson (K’Sun Ray) doesn’t think so. He thinks the world is “phony-baloney”. An awkward loner, Timmy spends so much time in his room even his own parents don’t notice him. So when Mom (Carrie-Anne Moss) buys a zombie (Billy Connolly) to help around the house, Timmy is surprised, and even curious, when the beast wants to play catch. When the zombie saves him from the local bullies, a true friendship is born, and Timmy names the zombie “Fido.” But Fido’s collar goes on the fritz, and the neighbors start paying the ultimate price. To complicate matters, ZomCon’s notorious zombie-control specialist, Mr. Bottoms (Henry Czerny), has moved in across the street. What begins as a small town story about a boy and his best friend becomes a biting satire about our world, the price of fear, and the rewards of risking love. “Fido” will rip your heart out.
STARRING: Carrie Anne Moss, Billy Connolly, Tim Blake Nelson, Henry Czerny, Dylan Baker, K’Sun Ray
DIRECTOR: Andrew Currie
STUDIO: Lionsgate
RATING: PG-13 (For sequences of zombie violence and gore, and comic horror situations)
their greatest challenge yet in “Fantastic Four 2 Rise of the Silver Surfer” as the enigmatic, intergalactic herald, The Silver Surfer, comes to Earth to prepare it for destruction. As the Silver Surfer races around the globe wreaking havoc, Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben must unravel the mystery of The Silver Surfer and confront the surprising return of their mortal enemy, Dr. Doom, before all hope is lost – “The Fantastic Four 2.”
STARRING: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon, Kerry Washington, Andre Braugher, Gonzalo Menendez
DIRECTOR: Tim Story
STUDIO: 20th Century Fox
RATING: PG (Comic book violence, language)
DOA” is based on Tecmo’s best-selling “Dead or Alive” videogame franchise and has an ensemble cast starring Devon Aoki (“Sin City” and “2 Fast 2 Furious”), Sarah Carter (“Final Destination 2″), Natassia Malthe (“Elektra”), Matthew Marsden (“Black Hawk Down”), Jaime Pressly (“Torque”), Eric Roberts (“National Security”) and hot newcomer and Aussie pop star Holly Valance (“National Lampoon’s “Pledge This!”).
STARRING: Devon Aoki, Sarah Carter, Natassia Malthe, Matthew Marsden, Jamie Pressly, Eric Roberts, Holly Valance
DIRECTOR: Corey Yuen
STUDIO: MGM
RATING: PG-13 (For pervasive martial arts and action violence, some sexuality and nudity)
Consider “Mr. Brooks.” A successful businessman, a generous philanthropist, a loving father and devoted husband. Seemingly, he’s perfect. But Mr. Brooks has a secret — he is an insatiable serial killer, so lethally clever that no one has ever suspected him — until now. Academy Award winning director Kevin Costner (“Dances With Wolves”) stars as Earl Brooks, a man who has managed to keep his two incompatible worlds from intersecting by controlling his cunning, wicked alter ego Marshall (Academy Award winner William Hurt “Kiss Of the Spiderwoman”) whom he blames for his wrongdoings. But now, as Mr. Brooks succumbs to one last murderous urge, an amateur photographer (Dane Cook) witnesses the crime. Suddenly Brooks finds himself entangled in the dark agenda of an opportunistic bystander, as well as hunted by the unorthodox and tenacious detective Tracy Atwood (Demi Moore). Can Mr. Brooks outsmart his adversaries and conceal his shocking double life from his wife (Marg Helgenberger) and daughter (Danielle Panabaker) or will someone expose his crimes and his identity once and for all in this unpredictable and electrifying new thriller – “Mr. Brooks.”
STARRING: Kevin Costner, William Hurt, Demi Moore, Dane Cook, Marg Helgenberger, Rubin Santiago-Hudson, Danielle Panabaker
DIRECTOR: Bruce Evans
STUDIO: MGM
RATING: R (For strong bloody violence, some graphic sexual content, nudity and language)
RUNNING TIME: 2 Hours
Last January, writer/director Eli Roth terrified moviegoers with the blood-drenched “Hostel,” which catapulted to the top of the box office charts and became the first Number One film of 2006. One year later, Roth takes us back to where it all began, and deeper into the darkest recesses of the human mind. In “Hostel 2,” three young Americans studying art in Rome set off for a weekend trip when they run into a beautiful model from one of their classes. Also on her way to an exotic destination, the gorgeous European invites the coeds to come along, assuring them they will be able to relax and rejuvenate. Will the girls find the oasis they are looking for? Or are they poised to become victims for hire, pawns in the fantasies of the sick and privileged from around the world who secretly travel here to savor more grisly pursuits? With “Hostel,” Eli Roth cemented the cutting-edge credentials he earned with his debut feature “Cabin Fever” (2002). In “Hostel 2,” Roth invites fans to take another frightening trip where suppressed urges – once unleashed – have chilling consequences.
Starring: Jay Hernandez, Lauren German, Heather Matarazzo, Bijou Phillips, Vera Jordanova, Roger Bart, Richard Burgi
Director: Eli Roth
Studio: Lionsgate
Rating: R (For violence, gore, language, nudity)
Ocean’s 13.” – When Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould) makes the mistake of building a hotel with one of Las Vegas’ most hated businessmen, Willy Banks (Al Pacino), he gets cut out of the deal and ends up in the hospital after a heart attack. Danny Ocean (George Clooney) tries to help his old friend out by giving Banks a chance to restore Reuben’s share of the hotel, but Banks dismisses him without any regard. Six months later, with Banks’ investment thriving as the richest hotel in the city and the ultimate spot for high rollers, Ocean and his crew decide to bring him down. With the help of their former nemesis, casino owner Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), who is also out to settle the score against Banks, his fierce rival, they scheme to find a way to bankrupt Banks on his casino’s opening night. This time, they are not in it for the money, but rather for revenge – “Ocean’s 13″
STARRING: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Eddie Jemison, Shaobo Qin, Carl Reiner, Elliott Gould, Ellen Barkin, Al Pacino, David Paymer
DIRECTOR: Steven Soderbergh
STUDIO: Warner Bros.
RATING: PG-13 (For language, violence and sexual situations)
BUDGET: $100 million
BOX OFFICE GROSS: TBD
On the heels of 2005′s blockbuster “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” writer/director Judd Apatow again mines hilarity from the relatably human in a comedy about a one-night stand with unexpected consequences: “Knocked Up.” Katherine Heigl (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Roswell”) joins Virgin alums Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann for a comic look about the best thing that will ever ruin your best-laid plans: parenthood.
Allison Scott (Heigl) is an up-and-coming entertainment journalist whose 24-year-old life is on the fast track. But it gets seriously derailed when a drunken one-nighter with slacker Ben Stone (Rogen) results in an unwanted pregnancy. Faced with the prospect of going it alone or getting to know the baby’s father, Allison decides to give the lovable doof a chance.
An overgrown kid who has no desire to settle down, Ben learns that he has a big decision to make with his kid’s mom-to-be: will he hit the road or stay in the picture? Courting a woman you’ve just “Knocked Up,” however, proves to be a little difficult when the two try their hands at dating. As they discover more about one another, it becomes painfully obvious that they’re not the soul mates they’d hoped they might be.
With Allison’s harried sister Debbie (Mann) and hen-pecked brother-in-law Pete (Rudd) the only parenting role models the young lovers have, things get even more confusing. Should they raise the baby together? What makes a happy lifetime partnership after all? A couple of drinks and one…”Knocked Up.”
STARRING: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jason Segel, Jay Baruchel
DIRECTOR: Judd Apatow
STUDIO: Universal Pictures
RATING: R (For language, nudity, drug use and sexual situations)
Featuring the cinematic vision of cutting-edge Director/Writer Timur Bekmambetov, “Day Watch” is the second installment of a trilogy based on the best-selling sci-fi novels of Sergei Lukyanenko entitled “Night Watch,” “Day Watch” and “Dusk Watch.” A dazzling mix of state-of-the-art visual effects, amazing action sequences, and nail-biting horror, when “Night Watch (Nochnoi Dozor)” was released in its native Russia in July 2004, it became an instant smash hit breaking all film gross records in post-Soviet history. Set in contemporary Moscow, “Day Watch” revolves around the conflict and balance maintained between the forces of light and darkness — the result of a medieval truce between the opposing sides.
STARRING: Konstantin Khabensky, Aleksei Chadov, Yuri Kutsenko, Igor Lifanov, Sergei Lukyanenko, Rimma Markova, Vladimir Menshov, Nikolai Olyalin, Mariya Poroshina, Galina Tyunina, Viktor Verzhbitsky, Valeri Zolotukhin
DIRECTOR: Timur Bekmambetov
STUDIO: Fox Searchlight
RATING: R (For violence and language)
LANGUAGE: Russian, with English subtitles
