The Black List, Volume 2 DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: DVD Sequel Features Profiles of Prominent African-Americans

Film critic Elvis Mitchell and director Timothy Greenfield-Sanders collaborated on another series of fascinating interviews with a mix of African-American artists, activists, academics and athletes. Many are instantly-recognizable icons who need no introduction, such as Tyler Perry, Laurence Fishburne, Melvin Van Peebles, Bishop T.D. Jakes and Angela Davis.
Others are a little less known, like Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, comedienne Maya Rudolph, country singer Charlie Pride, gangsta’ rapper RZA, painter Kara Walker, clothes designer Patrick Robinson and Oscar-nominated scriptwriter Suzanne De Passe. And then there are those who have met with success away from the limelight, including Episcopal Bishop Barbara C. Harris, community organizer Mahora Carter and Dean of Meharry School of Medicine Dr. Valerie Montgomery-Rice.
What all 15 share, nonetheless, is the toll exacted on their psyches and souls by being black in America, something they weigh-in on honestly, each from a unique point of view. Walker talks about how weird it felt to be criticized by a college professor for painting a still life instead of a subject reflecting the black experience.
Bishop Jakes observes that “Our faith has been both a blessing and a curse, because we were taught to hope for heaven while we live in Hell on Earth.” Van Peebles speaks about cultivating his cornucopia of talents in the absence of any formal training, likening himself to the bumblebee which defies aeronautical explanation and “flies anyway.”
Maya Rudolph admits to having struggled with her identity, being a mixture of white, black and Jewish, yet looking like none of the above. “I always felt like an impostor,” she says of the pressure of her formative years, since it “cuts very deeply when you’re trying to figure out what about you is great.”
Majora Carter reflects on being raised in the slums of the South Bronx, where she grew up depressed about her brother’s murdered yet curiously unafraid of her dangerous surroundings.
Although unseen and unheard, celeb interviewer Elvis Mitchell must again be commended for eliciting such an array of frank and novel insights from this impressive assemblage of prominent African-American luminaries.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running Time: 60 minutes
Studio: Indican Pictures

Kam's Kapsules: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam's Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
by Kam Williams
For movies opening May 28, 2010

BIG BUDGET FILMS

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (PG-13 for intense action sequences) Medieval action fantasy, based on the video game of the same name, about a rogue prince (Jake Gyllenhaal) who reluctantly joins forces with a rival princess (Gemma Atherton) in order to keep an ancient dagger said to have supernatural powers from falling into the clutches of a diabolical despot (Ben Kingsley) bent on world domination. With Alfred Molina, Richard Coyle and Steve Toussaint.

Sex and the City 2 (R for profanity and graphic sexuality) Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon and Sarah Jessica Parker all return for this sequel which has the decadent, NYC quartet reuniting a couple years later for an eventful, all expenses paid getaway to Abu Dhabi. Cast additions include Miley Cyrus, Penelope Cruz and Liza Minelli.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Agora (Unrated) Historical epic, set in Egypt in 391, recounting a critical period of religious and political upheaval. Story telescopes in on events in the life of celebrated atheist Hypathia of Alexandria (Rachel Weisz), a celibate professor of philosophy who landed in a love triangle with one of her pupils (Oscar Isaac) and her personal slave (Max Minghella), a closet Christian. With Rupert Evans, Ashraf Barhom and Michael Lonsdale.

The Father of My Children (Unrated) Dysfunctional family dramedy about a workaholic film producer (Louis-Do de Lencquesaing), already emotionally estranged from his wife (Chiara Caselli) and distant from three daughters (Alice de Lencquesaing, Alice Gautier and Manelle Driss), who turns suicidal when pushed to the brink by overwhelming financial woes. (In French with subtitles)

Mimacs (R for sexuality and violence) Revenge flick about a struggling artist (Dany Boon) orphaned as a boy when his soldier father was blown up by a roadside bomb who hatches a plan with his pals to get even with the arms dealer responsible for manufacturing the explosive device. With Omar Sy, Yolande Moreau and Nicolas Marie. (In French with subtitles)

Picasso & Braque Go to the Movies (Unrated) Cinema meets art in this retrospective documentary examining how early filmmaking influenced Cubist Movement co-founders Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) and Georges Braque (1882-1963). Featuring interviews with Julian Schnabel and Martin Scorcese.

Survival of the Dead (R for violence, gore, profanity and brief sexuality) Sixth high body-count horror flick in George A. Romero’s “______ of the Dead” series, this one set off the coast of Delaware on a remote island where the embattled residents enlist the assistance of the National Guard in a desperate fight against a plague of man-eating zombies. Cast includes Kenneth Welsh, Alan van Sprang and Kathleen Munroe.

The Wild Hunt (Unrated) Romance thriller about the trouble which ensues when a recently-jilted dude (Ricky Mabe) crashes a weekend-long, medieval re-enactment being staged in the forest in order to find his ex-girlfriend (Kaniehtiio Hom). With Mark Antony Krupa, Claudia Jurt and Trevor Hayes.

The Messenger DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: DVD Features Woody Harrelson in Oscar-Nominated Performance

Written and directed by Oren Moverman, this peripatetic buddy flick focuses on death and grieving, the unfortunate fallout of the ugly business that is war. The story revolves around Army Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) and Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Ben Foster), soldiers assigned the thankless task job of informing next of kin that their loved ones have perished overseas on the field of battle.
Steely Stone understands the rules of engagement, especially the one about no fraternizing with vulnerable widows. But Will must have kept his fingers crossed when he made that pledge, because he has a hard time following protocol after delivering the grim news to Olivia Pitterson (Samantha Morton) that her husband has perished.
He offers her a shoulder to lean on, and it’s not long before the suddenly-single ravishing beauty spreads her love, allowing the smitten enlisted man to enter the Forbidden Zone. Will figures “All’s fair in love and war,” after all, his high school sweetheart (Jena Malone) didn’t have the decency to wait for him to return from Iraq. As for Olivia, her unseemly behavior is readily explained by the fact that everybody mourns differently, and there’s just something irresistible about a man in a uniform.
The only fly in the ointment is the stoic Stone, a by-the-book stick-in-the-mud who decides to make his immediate inferior’s life hell on account of the indiscretion. Woody Harrelson earned an Oscar nomination for his inspired performance, here, and Ben Foster proves equally-deserving playing his compromised and conflicted counterpart.
A powerful, PTSD PSA for “Don’t ask, don’t kiss and tell” advocates.

Excellent (4 stars)
Rated R for profanity, sexuality and nudity.
In English and Spanish with subtitles.
Running time: 112 Minutes
Distributor: Oscilloscope Laboratories
DVD Extras: A documentary about the notification of the families of fallen soldiers, audio commentary by the director, the producer, Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson, an essay by Marine veteran-turned-scriptwriter Anthony Swofford, the shooting script, Variety Q&A with the director, the producer, the scriptwriter and cast members, a featureete called “Going Home: Reflections from the Set.”

A Game of Character (BOOK REVIEW)

 

 

A Game of Character:

A Family Journey from Chicago’s Southside to the Ivy League and Beyond

by Craig Robinson

Foreword by First Mother Marian Robinson

Gotham Books

Hardcover, $26.00

302 pages, Illustrated

ISBN: 978-1-592-40548-0

               

Book Review by Kam Williams

 

“A fundamental teaching my parents always emphasized [was] that life happens to you, putting choices in your path that offer an abundance of opportunities as well as challenges, and that the best choices are usually the ones that require courage… Really, that’s what inspired me to write A Game of Character—not only to share what I’ve learned, but also to help reclaim the value of character that I believe is as intrinsic to basketball as it is to life. What’s more, as the pages ahead will elaborate, true character is a quality that can be found everywhere and anywhere, in some of the least likely places—including the Southside of Chicago.”

-- Excerpted from the Preface (pg. xxvi)

 

                For most of her life, Michelle Robinson lived in the shadow of her older brother, Craig, both literally and figuratively. After all, not only did he always tower over and protect her from neighborhood bullies as a child, but he was also even more of a standout later at their alma mater, Princeton University, where the 6’7” basketball phenom was twice voted the Ivy League Player of the Year.

                As Craig reflects in this touching, intimate memoir, “Michelle was the head of my fan club… Being known as Craig Robinson’s little sister was a badge of honor that she wore well into our college years. Of course, later on the tables would turn and I would have the honor of being known as Michelle Obama’s big brother!” We all know that she went on to study law, marry Barack and become a cultural icon as the first African-American First Lady, but her overachieving sibling’s accomplishments are nonetheless noteworthy in their own right.

                Post Princeton, he went on to play professionally in Europe, before returning to the States to earn his MBA at the prestigious University of Chicago. Next, he would enjoy a meteoric rise up the corporate ladder to the rank of vice president at Morgan Stanley before following his passion and taking a huge pay cut to be an assistant college basketball coach. But his hard work and dedication led to the head coach position at Oregon State where he is still employed today.

A Game of Character is mostly a heartfelt homage crediting Craig and Michelle’s parents, First Mother Marian Robinson and the late Fraser Robinson, III with making countless selfless sacrifices on behalf of their offspring while instilling them both with “fundamental values like love, discipline and respect.” What makes the book so compelling for this critic is that after reading so many unauthorized biographies about the Obamas by authors neither one seemed to have spoken with much if at all, we finally have a legit opus by a person who you tend to believe when he says he grew up sharing the same bedroom with his little sis who is now the First Lady. Sorry, nobody can question the cred of anyone that close to her.

And when you factor in that Chicago witnessed 40 gang-related shootings on the Southside over a recent weekend, the deteriorating state of affairs in the Windy City makes this uplifting success story about how a couple of kids miraculously made it out of that very same ‘hood all the more remarkable, refreshing and eminently worthwhile.

Common: The “Just Wright” Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: On “Common” Ground

Common was born Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. in Chicago on March 13, 1972 to Lonnie, Sr. a former pro basketball player, and Dr. Mahila Ann Hines, an educator. He started rapping while still in high school, forming a trio called C.D.R. which opened for acts like N.W.A. and Big Daddy Kane. He adopted the alias Common Sense by 1992 which is when he released his first CD, entitled “Can I Borrow a Dollar?” He shortened his name to just Common after a lawsuit by a band claiming to have the exclusive trademark for “Common Sense.”
In 2002, he made his screen debut in Brown Sugar, and a year later he won his first Grammy for “Love of My Life,” a duet he did with Erykah Badu for the same film. Since then, he’s made 7 more CDs, and appeared in such films as Smokin’ Aces, Dave Chappelle’s Block Party, American Gangster, Wanted, Street Kings and Date Night. Here, he talks about his new movie, Just Wright, a romantic comedy directed by Sanaa Hamri where he stars opposite Queen Latifah.

Common: Hey, peace Kam, how are you?
Kam Williams: All is well, thanks. I don’t know whether you remember but the last time we spoke I told you my son was taking saxophone lessons with your saxophonist, Justin Robinson.
C: Definitely, man. I hope he’s doing well.
KW: He’s doing fine, thanks. How does it feel to be playing your first lead role as Scott McKnight in Just Wright?
C: It feels wonderful! This is something I dreamt of and prayed for. It’s a blessing to get this opportunity to play a leading man. I feel like it’s the beginning of a new stage of my career as an actor.
KW: And how was it being directed by Sanaa Hamri and acting opposite Queen Latifah, Paula Patton, Phylicia Rashad and Pam Grier?
C: It was cool! These are beautiful, beautiful women. And it was great having Sanaa at the helm, because she brought a fresh perspective to the project in terms of her vision that made it easy for women to relate to it, given how my character was portrayed as sensitive and a good person. But, by the same token, she was also wise enough to balance that with his chi energy as an NBA player to attract a male audience as well.
KW: When is your new CD, “The Believer” being released?
C: The new studio album is coming out in the Fall, but I have a Greatest Hits album coming out May 25th.
KW: Larry Greenberg says, he would love to hear a musical collaboration by you and Queen Latifah. He wants to know whether there’s any chance of that happening.
C: We already hooked up on a collaboration on that Greatest Hits album, it’s a new song featuring Queen Latifah called “The Next Time.” I think it’s the first of many duets we’ll be doing. The song is soulful and makes you feel good. So, I’m looking forward to doing more music with her, as well as more movies.
KW: Larry says, “You seem to be involved in so many good causes from HIV/AIDS awareness to PETA. Is there any particular cause you want people to get involved in today?”
C: Yeah, my Common Ground Foundation, because it’s about empowering youth in a holistic way, and about helping to shape our leaders of tomorrow.
KW: Erik Daniels says, “I'm a big fan of Common and one of his songs that I like is Orange Pineapple Juice.” He wants to know, when was the last time you had some?
C: Oh, I had some just the other day, mixed with Ciroc coconut, and it was great!.
KW: Children’s book author Irene Smalls asks, what is the hardest thing you have had to do in your career thus far?
C: I think the hardest thing I’ve had to do was to change my name from Common Sense to Common, not only because I was attached to it since it meant something to me, but because I was just beginning to build some name recognition when I had to deal with a lawsuit over it. That was one of the more traumatizing things I’ve experienced career-wise. It was like, “Man! How can somebody just take my name?” Still, everything ultimately came together in divine time, and the name Common is very appropriate because my music represents everyday people. Common is right.
KW: “Realtor to the Stars” Jimmy Bayan says he saw you shooting hoops in Roxbury Park in L.A. about a year ago. He wants to know if that was in preparation for this role?
C: Yes, I was. But it was so much fun preparing for the role that it wasn’t really work. I was just going out there to get my hoop game back up. Ask Jimmy this question back, “How was my game at that point?”
KW: Will do. Jimmy also wants to know, if you weren't acting or doing music, what would you have become?
C: I believe a teacher. I always feel that I have something to say that will hopefully inspire.
KW: Amina Ross from Brooklyn says she’s your biggest fan. She wants to know, what are your religious beliefs? If I remember correctly, you’re a member of Reverend Wright’s church in Chicago.
C: I’m a Christian. I believe in God, and I’ve been a member of that church, Trinity United Church of Christ since I was 8. I don’t live in Chicago anymore, so I don’t get there regularly. But I believe God exists in us all, so I don’t knock any other religions. I respect anyone with spiritual beliefs in a higher being.
KW: Amina Ross has a follow-up. Did you have to compromise you music to make it?
C: No, never. I’ve stayed true to who I was, as much as I could. There was one moment when a record label tried to get me to make some songs that sounded like Biggie and Nas, who were the hottest guys on the radio at the time, but I knew it would have to come from my soul to be a hit. One of my biggest songs, “The Light,” was just something I wrote because that was they way I really felt about somebody. So, I don’t think I’ve ever compromised myself.
KW: Maceo Torres-Trujillo asks whether your song “I Used to Love H.E.R.” caused a rift between the East Coast and West Coast rap artists?
C: No, but it caused a situation between myself and Ice Cube and the Westside Connection. It started a little beef, but it ended up being resolved, and out of it we both came up with some good raps. They really felt that I was dissing the West Coast, but I love the West Coast. I grew up listening to both East Coast and West Coast.
KW: Professor Mia Mask asks, growing up, who were your role models?
C: I’d say my mother, my Math teacher Mr. Brown, and Muhammad Ali.
KW: Professor Mask also asks, do you think black musical artists are misrepresented in the mainstream media?
C: Yeah, absolutely. Rap artists tend to be stereotyped in one way, as if they all wear chains, curse, flash money and abuse women. It’s unfair not to look at them as individuals with different personalities. That’s what I like about my character Scott in Just Wright. Even though he’s an NBA star, he’s not depicted simplistically as a superficial person, but as a sensitive, complex individual who’s looking for true love and finds it in a beautiful package he didn’t expect.
KW: Dr. Mask was wondering whether there’s a major historical figure you would like to portray?
C: Yes, Barack Obama or Marvin Gaye.
KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?
C: I can’t think of any.
KW: Recent film school grad Ashley Smith wants to know whether you want to play another gangster, because he’d like to offer you the lead role in the movie he’s making, The Big Shibang. He’d like to show you the trailer.
C: Cool, have Ashley send the trailer to my publicist.
KW: The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid?
C: Yes, it happens sometimes, maybe before I go onstage, before I shoot a scene, or even when I just reflect on where I am in life.
KW: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?
C: Yes, very.
KW: The Teri Emerson question: When was the last time you had a good laugh?
C: Just a few minutes ago, doing a radio interview with Queen Latifah.
KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?
C: I read the Bible everyday.
KW: The Heather Covington question: What music are you listening to?
C: I’m listening to the Just Wright mix tape, Volume Two. The song I love on it is Déjà Vu by Teena Marie.
KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?
C: Some days I see a king. Some days I see a scared little kid.
KW: What is your favorite dish to eat?
C: Tomato sauce, cheese and bread. I love pizza.
KW: The Boris Kodjoe question: What do you consider your biggest accomplishment?
C: It’s hard to measure them, but I think the biggest accomplishments are when someone comes to me and says that one of my songs or movies changed their life, got them through the death of a friend, or made them want to marry their lady.
KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory?
C: Having my fourth birthday party on a Fun Bus. I was with my mother and remember feeling overwhelmed because there were so many incredible things going on on that party bus.
KW: The Mike Pittman question: Who was your best friend as a child?
C: My mother, and then my boy Marcus Murray.
KW: Uduak Oduok asks if you think African music will be influencing American culture in the coming years.
C: Not only African music but other aspects of African art and culture are already influencing us in many ways. But I think a lot definitely comes through the music and the soul.
KW: Uduak also asks, who is your favorite clothes designer?
C: Paul Smith.
KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?
C: Believe in God, believe in yourself, and know that it’s a journey, and you will make it.
KW: Well, thanks again Common, and best of luck with the movie, and I look forward to interviewing you again soon.
C: Oh, thank you so much, Kam. It was great to speak to you again. God bless you and your family.

The Girl on the Train (FRENCH) DVD

(La Fille du R.E.R.)
DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: DVD Recounts Case of False Claims of Anti-Semitism in France

If you can recall the sordid scenario and silly media circus which surrounded the tawdry Tawana Brawley case back in 1987, then you have a decent idea of what transpired over in France in the wake of the real-life incident which is the subject of this unseemly melodrama. To refresh your memory, Tawana was a 15 year-old black girl who claimed to have been abducted and raped by a 6 white men when she’d actually just spent the previous four days partying.
To make her alleged assault sound legit, she ripped her clothing, scrawled racial epithets in excrement on her body, crawled into a Hefty CinchSak on the curb outside of her boyfriend’s apartment and waited for the cops or garbage men to show up. Tawana was immediately suspected of lying because the police reported that the slurs were misspelled and some of their letters were even reversed, as if she’d written them herself in the mirror.
But that didn’t prevent the incident from blowing up into a cause célèbre which would divide the country along color lines. And by the time the charges were finally dismissed it had cost a couple of attorneys their careers and one of the falsely-accused defendants his life when he committed suicide. On the positive side, however, it did help catapult Reverend Al Sharpton into the national spotlight.
The eerily-similar events recounted in The Girl on the Train unfolded in July of 2004. As the film unwinds, we find Jeanne Fabre (Emilie Dequenne), a 20 year-old slacker, still living at home her mother (Catherine Deneuve), and dividing her time between job hunting and rollerblading around Paris. Things go from bad to worse the day she impulsively moves in with Franck (Nicolas Duvauchelle), a hunky, two-bit hustler who picks her up on the street.
After he’s stabbed and she’s beaten in a drug deal gone bad, she decides to fabricate a tall tale to give to the gendarmes. First, she rips her blouse and chops off some of her hair. Then, she draws several swastikas on her stomach and slashes her face and neck. Her explanation to the authorities was that she’d been attacked by a half-dozen Muslim teenagers, and that a black one held a knife to her throat while the others had their way with her.
The incendiary allegations of anti-Semitism set the whole country on edge to the point where the police felt a lot of pressure to apprehend the culprits, even though they were curious about why the Nazi logos had been painted in the wrong direction. Meanwhile, a Jewish attorney (Michel Blanc) and friend of the Fabre family further publicized the bias attack only to end up the laughingstock of the nation when his almost 13 year-old grandson (Mathieu Demy) saw right through Jeanne’s phony-baloney story. The bar mitzvah boy-toy saved the day by embarrassing the hoaxer into coming clean the morning after they’d slept together.
Directed by Andre Techine (Changing Times) The Girl on the Train is an amusing melodrama divided into self-explanatory halves entitled “Circumstances” and “Consequences.” A cautionary reminder designed to serve as a warning that you don’t always have to rush to pick a side just because it looks like a race or religious riot is about to break out.
Déjà vu. How do you say Tawana Brawley en Francais?

Excellent (3.5 stars)
Unrated
In French with subtitles.
Running time: 102 Minutes
Distributor: Strand Releasing
DVD Extras: Theatrical trailer and other Strand trailers.

2010 Summer Movie Preview

By Kam Williams

Headline: ‘Tis the Season of Sequels, Adaptations and Remakes

Once again, the Hollywood studio execs, ever conscious of the bottom-line, have adopted a cautious approach to this summer’s fare, investing primarily in blockbusters with a proven pedigree. As a result, the bulk of the big budget flicks set to be released soon are sequels, spinoffs, prequels, remakes, 3-D revivals, English-language versions of foreign film favorites, and screen adaptations of classic TV shows, novels, comic books and cartoon strips.
But just because you might already be familiar with a flick doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t have fun with that franchise’s latest incarnation, After all, the proof is still in the pudding in terms of whether what’s served up is A-1 entertainment or a take-the-money-and-run rip-off. Among the most eagerly anticipated offerings are the kiddie animated adventure Toy Story 3; Eclipse, the third installment in the Twilight series so popular with teens; The Karate Kid, a remake produced by Will Smith and co-starring his son, Jaden, opposite Jackie Chan; Inception, another sophisticated psychological thriller from Christopher Nolan, director of Memento; and Knight and Day, an action comedy reuniting Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz for the first time in almost a decade.
Now, without further ado, may I present a chronological listing of the delectable diversions you might enjoy while sitting in an air-conditioned theater during the impending dog days of summer.

Sex and the City 2 (5/27) Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon and Sarah Jessica Parker all return for this sequel which has the decadent, NYC quartet reuniting a couple years later for an eventful, all expenses paid getaway to Abu Dhabi. Cast additions include Miley Cyrus, Penelope Cruz and Liza Minelli.

Kites (5/28) Bollywood-produced romantic thriller about a wanted Hindu (Hrithik Roshan), wounded and left for dead in the scorching Mexican desert, who stays alive by clinging to the hope of a reunion with the love of his life (Barbara Mori) even though they can’t communicate because she only speaks Spanish and is already engaged to somebody else. (In English, Hindi and Spanish with subtitles)

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (5/28) Medieval action fantasy, based on the video game of the same name, about a rogue prince (Jake Gyllenhaal) who reluctantly joins forces with a rival princess (Gemma Atherton) in order to keep an ancient dagger said to have supernatural powers from falling into the clutches of a diabolical despot (Ben Kingsley) bent on world domination. With Alfred Molina, Richard Coyle and Steve Toussaint.

Get Him to the Greek (6/4) Intercontinental road comedy about the hijinks which ensue when an ambitious intern (Jonah Hill) is assigned to escort an over-imbibing, womanizing rock star (Russell Brand) from London to L.A. for a comeback concert. Spinoff of Forgetting Sarah Marshall features Rose Byrne and Sean Diddy Combs, with cameos by Christina Aguilera, Pink, Pharrell, Meredith Viera and Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman.

Killers (6/4) Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl co-star in this action comedy about an international spy who retires from the CIA to settle down in suburbia with the girl of his dreams only to discover they’re being trailed by vicious assassins intent on killing them. With Tom Selleck, Martin Mull, Catherine O’Hara and SNL’s Casey Wilson.

Marmaduke (6/4) Live action adaptation of the popular comic strip features Owen Wilson as the voice of the clumsy, if lovable, Great Dane. Road comedy revolves around the pet and his owners’ misadventures as the family relocates from Kansas to California. Cast includes William H. Macy, Judy Greer and Anjelah Johnson, with voiceover work by George Lopez, Marlon Wayans, Sam Elliot and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

Splice (6/4) Sci-fi horror flick about a couple of renegade scientists (Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley) whose ethically-questionable experimentation splicing together human and animal DNA results in the creation of a beautiful but dangerous winged mutant (Delphine Chaneac).

The A-Team (6/11) Screen adaptation of the pyrotechnics-driven TV series from the Eighties chronicling the exploits of a squad of former Special Service soldiers determined to clear their names after unfairly being branded war criminals. With Liam Neeson as Hannibal, Bradley Cooper as Face, Sharlto Copley as Murdock and Quinton Jackson as B.A. Baracus.

The Karate Kid (6/11) Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan co-star in this Beijing-based remake of the 1984 screen classic about a 12 year-old newcomer to China being bullied at school whose unassuming janitor agrees to help him master the martial arts so long as he promises not to question the seemingly-unorthodox training regimen. With Taraji P. Henson, Tess Liu and Harry Van Gorkum.

Jonah Hex (6/18) Screen adaptation of the DC Comics series about a scarfaced bounty hunter of last resort (Josh Brolin) who cuts a deal with the U.S. military to track down his archenemy (John Malkovich), a frightening terrorist threatening to unleash hell. With Megan Fox, Will Arnett, Thomas Lennon and Aidan Quinn.

Let It Rain (6/18) Character-driven drama about the sibling rivalry which bubbles back to the surface when a feminist (Agnes Jaoui) with political ambitions returns home to the family manse in the South of France to help her unhappily-married sister (Pascale Arbillot) put their recently-deceased mother’s affairs in order. (In French with subtitles)

Toy Story 3 (6/18) Revival of the animated franchise finds Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and the rest of the gang in a daycare center after being accidentally thrown away by the mother (Laurie Metcalf) of their now college-bound owner, Andy (John Morris). Voice cast includes Joan Cusack, Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Keaton, Bonnie Hunt and Jeff Garlin.

Grown Ups (6/25) Buddy comedy about five former teammates (Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade, Kevin James and Rob Schneider) who, in honor of their recently-deceased basketball coach, reunite for the first time in years to runamuck over the 4th of July weekend at the same lake house where they celebrated winning a championship as kids. With Maya Rudolph, Salma Hayek, Tim Meadows, Maria Bello, Steve Buscemi, Norm Macdonald and Gary Busey.

Knight and Day (6/25) Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz reunite for the first time since Vanilla Sky for this action comedy about a Plain Jane from the Midwest who unwittingly goes on a blind date with a dashing international spy only to become embroiled in a globetrotting adventure where they must prevent a piece of technology holding the key to infinite power from falling into the wrong hands. With Maggie Grace, Peter Sarsgaard, Viola Davis and Paul Dano.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (6/30) Episode three in the fantasy saga opens with high school graduation fast approaching, and Bella (Kristen Stewart) being forced to choose between her love of a vampire (Edward Pattinson) and her friendship with a werewolf (Taylor Lautner). Meanwhile, the Pacific Northwest again finds itself plagued by a string of mysterious slayings. With Anna Kendrick, Dakota Fanning and Bryce Dallas Howard.

The Last Airbender (7/2) M. Night Shyamalan directs this initial offering in a live- action trilogy based on the popular, animated TV show “Avatar.” First installment in the sci-fi fantasy series opens with the world at war and on the brink of destruction and revolves around the attempt of a young boy (Noah Ringer) to restore peace with the help of a couple friends (Nicola Peltz and Jackson Rathbone) and a flying bison (Dee Bradley Baker). With Dev Patel, Ali Khan and Rohan Shah.

The Kids Are All Right (7/7) Family comedy about the fireworks which ensue when two teenagers (Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson) conceived by artificial insemination by a lesbian couple (Julianne Moore and Annette Bening) decide to track down their anonymous, sperm donor father (Mark Ruffalo).

Despicable Me (7/9) 3-D computer-animated comedy, set in an otherwise idyllic suburban neighborhood, where a wicked weirdo (Steve Carell) with a black house and a dead lawn is secretly hatching a diabolical plan to steal the moon with the assistance of an army of minions. Hope for averting the disaster rests with three orphans (Dana Gaier, Miranda Cosgrove and Elsie Fisher) in need of a father who see some potential for redemption in the evil villain. Voice cast includes Kristen Wiig, Jason Segel, Danny McBride, Will Arnett, Dr. Ken Jeong, Russell Brand and Julie Andrews.

Predators (7/9) Sci-fi sequel about a group of elite warriors who discover that they were brought to another planet by a race of bloodthirsty alien creatures to be hunted like prey in a human game reserve. Cast includes Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Laurence Fishburne, Alice Braga and Danny Trejo.

Cyrus (7/9) Dysfunctional family comedy about a divorced guy (John C. Reilly) who thinks he’s met the woman of his dreams (Marisa Tomei) until he has to deal with her 21 year-old son (Jonah Hill) still living at home. Supporting cast includes Catherina Keener, Matt Walsh and Zosia Mamet (daughter of David).

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (7/16) Live-action remake of the Mickey Mouse segment of Fantasia updated as a latter-day tale, set in Manhattan, where a magician (Nicolas Cage) enlists the assistance of a college student (Jay Baruchel) to do battle with his evil archenemy (Alfred Molina). With Monica Bellucci, Teresa Palmer and Omar Benson Miller.

Inception (7/16) Christopher Nolan directs this sci-fi, psychological thriller about a master thief (Leonard DiCaprio), capable of hacking into people’s subconscious minds while they’re in the dream state, who plans to pull off the perfect heist by implanting an idea inside of someone’s head. Cast includes Michael Caine, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Salt (7/23) Angelina Jolie plays the title character in this espionage thriller about a disgraced CIA Agent-turned-fugitive who goes on the run to try to clear her name after being falsely accused of being a Russian spy. Cast includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Liev Schreiber and Zoe Lister Jones.

Dinner for Schmucks (7/23) English-language remake of The Dinner Game, the French farce about a businessman (Paul Rudd) who invites a naive simpleton (Steve Carell) to a party where a prize goes to the guest who brings along the biggest buffoon. Cast includes Zach Galifianakis, Bruce Greenwood and Ron Livingston.

Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (7/30) 3-D sequel to Cats and Dogs finds the canines and felines joining forces this go-round after a tabby spy (Bette Midler) goes rogue and hatches a plot to conquer the world. Starring Fred Armisen, Chris O’Donnell and roger Moore, with voice work by Alec Baldwin, Michael Clarke Duncan and Joe Pantoliano.

Beastly (7/30) Modern-day take on Beauty and the Beast reimagined as an urban tale about a school bully (Alex Pettyfer) who finds himself transformed into an ugly monster when a Goth classmate (Mary-Kate Olsen) he teased casts a spell on him. To undo the curse, he must find a woman (Vanessa Hudgens) willing to love him in this hideous state. Cast includes Neil Patrick Harris, Lisa Gay Hamilton and Rhiannon Moller-Trotter.

Middle Men (8/6) Luke Wilson stars in this crime comedy, set in 1995, about an entrepreneur who became filthy rich by helping a couple of shady characters (Giovanni Ribisi and Gabriel Macht) streamline their internet porn business. With James Caan, Terry Crews, Kelsey Grammer, Christopher McDonald, Laura Ramsey and Kevin Pollak.

The Other Guys (8/6) Unlikely-buddy comedy about a couple of grounded NYPD detectives, one (Will Ferrell), a dimwit, the other (Mark Wahlberg), a hothead with an itchy trigger-finger, who do their best to measure up to their highly-decorated idols (Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson) when finally assigned street duty again. With Eva Mendes, Paris Hilton, Michael Keaton and Anne Heche.

Step-Up 3-D (8/6) Channing Tatum reprises his lead role in round three of this dance-driven franchise which pits a tight-knit team of New York street dancers against some of the best from the world of hip-hop in a high-stakes showdown. Cast includes Alyson Stoner, Harry Shum, Jr. and Adam G. Sevani.

Eat, Pray, Love (8/13) Julia Roberts stars in this screen adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert’s best-selling memoir about a miserably-married career woman who quits her job and divorces her husband (Billy Crudup) to embark on a globetrotting journey of self-discovery financed by an advance from the publisher who purchased the rights to her book. With Javier Bardem, James Franco, Viola Davis and Richard Jenkins.

The Expendables (8/13) Sly Stallone wrote, directed and stars in this political potboiler about a team of mercenaries on a mission to overthrow an evil, South American dictator (David Zayas) who discover that they’ve been double-crossed by a traitor in their midst. Cast includes Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (8/13) Michael Cera stars in this romantic comedy based on Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic comic book series about a bass playing, 23 year-old slacker in a garage band who discovers that he must contend with seven, evil ex-boyfriends before he can win the heart of the girl of his dreams (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Cast includes Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Jason Schwartzman, Ellen Wong and Brandon Routh.

Lottery Ticket (8/20) Bow Wow stars in this inner city comedy about a lotto winner from the ‘hood eager to claim his $370 million prize who first has to survive a weekend in the projects hiding his ticket from all the scheming opportunists aware of his good fortune. Ensemble includes Ice Cube, Mike Epps, Terry Crews, Charlie Murphy, Naturi Naughton, Keith David, Loretta Devine, T-Pain and Bill Bellamy.

Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (8/20) Emma Thompson reprises the title role in this sequel set during World War II in the English countryside where the no-nonsense nanny with magical powers arrives in time to help an overwhelmed young mother (Maggie Gyllenhaal) saddled with responsibility of raising her rambunctious kids and tending to the family farm alone while her husband (Ewan McGregor) is fighting on the front lines. With Maggie Smith, Ralph Fiennes and Rhys Ifans.

Takers (8/20) Crime caper about a very successful gang of bank robbers (Chris Brown T.I., Idris Elba, Paul Walker, Michael Ealy and Hayden Christensen) who decide to pull off one last heist before retiring only to come up against a hard-boiled detective (Matt Dillon) intent on cracking the case. With Zoe Saldana, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Jay Hernandez.

Going the Distance (8/26) Bicoastal romantic comedy about the trials and tribulations of a journalist (Drew Barrymore) and a music scout (Justin Long) trying to maintain their relationship after she moves to San Francisco while he stays behind in New York City. With Christina Applegate, Ron Livingston and Kelli Garner.

The Last Exorcism (8/27) “Found footage” horror flick about a crooked evangelical minister (Patrick Fabian) who decides to come clean by allowing a documentary filmmaker to shoot him performing another phony exorcism on a gullible subject only to get the shock of his life when the teenager (Iris Bahr) he’s been summoned to help turns out to be truly possessed. With Louis Herthum, Ashley Bell and Tony Bentley.