Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past: Celebrity photographer Connor Mead loves freedom, fun and women… in that order. A committed bachelor who thinks nothing of breaking up with multiple women on a conference call, Connor’s mockery of romance proves a real buzz-kill for his kid brother, Paul, and a houseful of well wishers on the eve of Paul’s wedding.

Just when it looks like Connor may single-handedly ruin the wedding, he is visited by the ghosts of his former jilted girlfriends, who take him on a revealing and hilarious odyssey through his failed relationships–past, present and future. Together they attempt to find out what turned Connor into such an insensitive jerk and whether there is still hope for him to find true love…or if he really is the lost cause everyone thinks he is.

Observe & Report: At the Forest Ridge Mall, head of security Ronnie Barnhardt (SETH ROGEN) patrols his jurisdiction with an iron fist. The master of his domain, he combats skateboarders, shoplifters and the occasional unruly customer while dreaming of the day when he can swap his flashlight for a badge and a gun.

Ronnie’s delusions of grandeur are put to the test when the mall is struck by a flasher. Driven by his personal duty to protect and serve the mall and its patrons, Ronnie seizes the opportunity to showcase his under-appreciated law enforcement talents on a grand scale, hoping his solution of this crime will earn him a coveted spot at the police academy and the heart of his elusive dream girl Brandi (ANNA FARIS), the hot make-up counter clerk who won’t give him the time of day.

But his single-minded pursuit of glory launches a turf war with the equally competitive Detective Harrison (RAY LIOTTA) of the Conway Police, and Ronnie is confronted with the challenge of not only catching the flasher, but getting him before the real cops.

Battle for Terra: When the peaceful inhabitants of the beautiful planet Terra come under attack from the last surviving members of humanity adrift in an aging spaceship, the stage is set for an all-out war between the two species for control of the planet. But will an unlikely friendship between a rebellious young Terrian (voiced by Evan Rachel Wood) and an injured human pilot (Luke Wilson) somehow convince their leaders that war is not the answer?

Lymelife: 15-year old Scott Bartlett’s family life is turned upside-down after an outbreak of Lyme disease hits the community spreading illness and paranoia. Scott’s parents — a workaholic father, Mickey, and an overprotective mother, Brenda — are on the verge of a divorce as his older brother Jim is about to ship off for war. Complicating matters, Scott has fallen in love with his next door neighbor, Adrianna Bragg. Adrianna seems to be the only person in the world who understands Scott demonstrated by her equally troubled, less affluent family including an uptight mother, Melissa, carrying on a not-so-clandestine love affair, and a father, Charlie, slowly slipping away from the effects of Lyme disease.

When Connor gets out of control he begins to see ghosts. Michael Douglas is the late Uncle Wayne who visits Connor to show him how he came to his path of womanizing and why he needs to change it. We are taken to the past and shown Connor’s first true love, one that happens to be Jenny. The two remained close until high school when Connor was hurt by Jenny. To avoid any future broken hearts he asked his Uncle to show him the ropes of becoming a lady’s man. Reliving his reputation, Connor becomes disgusted with himself. During the reliving of his past, present and future he feels more determined than ever to become a better man. By the time Connor realizes he has been wrong all these years and wants to let love in will it be too late for him and Jenny?

“Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” turns out to be another standard romantic comedy lacking pizzazz. Jennifer Garner had a great performance and Matthew McConaughey proved he could be on screen with clothes on and still be charming. Ladies don’t expect any of McConahottie’s bare chest in this chick flick. Garner and McConaughey had great chemistry, but not even that could salvage this predictable tale. Kicking off the summer with this flick I was hoping for more sizzle, but wound up with a lot fizzle.

**If you were one of the lucky JoReviews visitors to see the film let me know your review**

GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST

Release Date May 1st

(New Line Cinema)
Director: Mark Waters
Writers: Jon Lucas & Scott Moore
Producers: Jon Shestack, Brad Epstein
Executive Producers: Marcus Viscidi, Mark Waters, Jessica Tuchinsky, Toby Emmerich, Cale Boyter, Samuel J. Brown

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Breckin Meyer, Lacey Chabert, Robert Forster,  Anne Archer, Emma Stone and Michael Douglas

Romantic Comedy.  Celebrity photographer Connor Mead loves freedom, fun and women…in that order.  A committed bachelor, he thinks nothing of breaking up with multiple women on a conference call.  On the eve of his brother Paul’s wedding, Connor’s mockery of romance proves a real buzz-kill for Paul and a houseful of well wishers, including Connor’s former flame Jenny.  Just when it looks like Connor may single-handedly ruin the wedding, he is visited by the ghosts of his jilted girlfriends, who take him on a revealing and hilarious odyssey through a lifetime of failed relationships: past, present and future.  Together they attempt to discover what turned Connor into such a player and whether he has a second chance to find—and this time keep—the love of his life.

Rated: PG-13 for sexual content throughout, some language and a drug reference.

www.ghostsofgirlfriendspastmovie.com

TERMINATOR SALVATION

Release Date May 21st

(Warner Bros. Pictures/Sony Pictures/Halcyon)
Director: McG
Writers: John Brancato & Michael Ferris
Producers: Moritz Borman, Jeffrey Silver, Victor Kubicek, Derek Anderson
Executive Producers: Peter D. Graves, Dan Lin, Jeanne Allgood, Joel B. Michaels, Mario F. Kassar, Andrew G. Vajna

Cast:  Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Moon Bloodgood, Bryce Dallas Howard, Common, Jane Alexander, Helena Bonham Carter

Action-Sci-Fi.  The highly anticipated new installment of “The Terminator” film franchise is set in post-apocalyptic 2018.  John Connor is the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators.  But the future that Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright, a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row.  Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past.  As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet’s operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind.

Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and language.

www.terminatorsalvation.com

THE HANGOVER

Release Date June 5th

(Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures)
Director: Todd Phillips
Writers: Jon Lucas & Scott Moore
Producers: Todd Phillips, Dan Goldberg
Executive Producers: Chris Bender, J.C. Spink, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, William Fay, Scott Budnick

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha, Jeffrey Tambor

Comedy. From the director of “Old School” comes a new comedy about a bachelor party gone horribly wrong.  Two days before his wedding, Doug and his three buddies drive to Vegas for a blow-out night they’ll never forget.  But when the three groomsmen wake up the next morning with pounding headaches, they can’t remember a thing.  Their posh hotel suite is beyond trashed and the groom is nowhere to be found.  With no clue of what happened and little time to spare, the trio must attempt to retrace their bad decisions from the night before in order to figure out where things went wrong and hopefully get Doug back to L.A. in time for his wedding.  However, the more they begin to uncover, the more they realize just how much trouble they’re really in.

Rated: R for pervasive language, sexual content including nudity, and some drug material.

www.hangovermovie.com

MY SISTER’S KEEPER

Release Date June 26th

(New Line Cinema)
Director: Nick Cassavetes
Writers: Jeremy Leven and Nick Cassavetes; Based on the novel by Jodi Picoult
Producers: Mark Johnson, Chuck Pacheco, Scott L. Goldman
Executive Producers:  Diana Pokorny, Stephen Furst, Mendel Tropper, Toby Emmerich,  Meredith Finn, Mark Kaufman

Cast: Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Jason Patric, Sofia Vassilieva, Joan Cusack

Drama.  Sara and Brian are living an idyllic life with their young son and daughter, Jesse and Kate, when they receive heartbreaking news that leads them to make an unorthodox choice in order to save Kate’s life.  Their decision eventually raises both ethical and moral questions, ultimately setting off a court case that reveals surprising truths and challenges everyone’s perceptions of love and loyalty, giving new meaning to the definition of healing.

Rated: PG-13 for mature thematic content, some disturbing images, sensuality, language, and brief teen drinking.

www.mysisterskeepermovie.com

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE

Release Date July 15th

(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Director:  David Yates
Writers:  Screenplay by Steve Kloves; Based on the novel by J.K. Rowling
Producers:  David Heyman, David Barron
Executive Producer: Lionel Wigram

ORPHAN

Release Date July 24th

(Dark Castle Entertainment)
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Writers: Screenplay by David Leslie Johnson; Story by Alex Mace
Producers: Joel Silver, Susan Downey, Erik Olsen, Jennifer Davisson Killoran
Executive Producers:  Don Carmody, Steve Richards

Cast: Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman, CCH Pounder

Horror Thriller.  The tragic loss of their unborn child has devastated Kate and John, taking a toll on both their marriage and Kate’s fragile psyche as she is plagued by nightmares and haunted by demons from her past.  Struggling to regain some semblance of normalcy in their lives, the couple decides to adopt another child.  At the local orphanage, both John and Kate find themselves strangely drawn to a young girl named Esther.  Almost as soon as they welcome Esther into their home, however, an alarming series of events begins to unfold, leading Kate to believe that there’s something wrong with Esther—this seemingly angelic little girl is not what she appears to be.  Concerned for the safety of her family, Kate tries to get John and others to see past Esther’s sweet facade.  But her warnings go unheeded until it may be too late…for everyone.

Rated: R for disturbing violent content, some sexuality and language.

www.orphan-movie.com

SHORTS

Release Date August 7th

Cast: Jon Cryer, William H. Macy, Leslie Mann, James Spader, Jimmy Bennett, Kat Dennings, Trevor Gagnon, Leo Howard, Devon Gearhart, Rebel Rodriguez, Jake Short, Jolie Vanier

Action-Adventure Comedy. “Shorts” is set in the suburb of Black Falls, where all the houses look the same and everyone works for BLACK BOX Unlimited Worldwide Industries Incorporated, whose Mr. Black’s BLACK BOX is the ultimate communication and do-it-all gadget that’s sweeping the nation.  Other than keeping his parents employed, however, Mr. Black’s BLACK BOX has done nothing for 11-year-old Toe Thompson, who just wants to make a few friends…until a mysterious rainbow-colored rock falls from the sky, hits him in the head and changes everything.  The Rainbow Rock does Mr. Black’s BLACK BOX one better: it grants wishes to anyone who holds it.  Before long, wishes-gone-wrong have left the neighborhood swarming with tiny spaceships, crocodile armies, giant boogers…and outrageous magical mayhem around every corner.  But it’s not until the grown-ups get their hands on the Rock that the trouble really starts.  Now Toe and his newfound friends must join forces to save their town from itself, discovering along the way that what you wish for is not always what you want.

Rated: PG for mild action and some rude humor.

www.shortsmovie.com

THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE

Release Date August 14th

Cast: Rachel McAdams, Eric Bana, Arliss Howard, Ron Livingston

Romantic Drama.  Based on the best-selling book about a love that transcends time.  Clare has been in love with Henry her entire life.  She believes they are destined to be together, even though she never knows when they will be separated: Henry is a time traveler—cursed with a rare genetic anomaly that causes him to live his life on a shifting timeline, skipping back and forth through his lifespan with no control.  Despite the fact that Henry’s travels force them apart with no warning, Clare desperately tries to build a life with her one true love.

Rated: PG-13 for thematic elements, brief disturbing images, nudity and sexuality.

www.thetimetravelerswifemovie.com

FINAL DESTINATION: DEATH TRIP

Release Date August 28th

Horror.   On what should have been a fun-filled day at the races, Nick O’Bannon has a horrific premonition in which a bizarre sequence of events causes multiple race cars to crash, sending flaming debris into the stands, brutally killing his friends and causing the upper deck of the stands to collapse on him. When he comes out of this grisly nightmare Nick panics, persuading his girlfriend, Lori, and their friends, Janet and Hunt, to leave… escaping seconds before Nick’s frightening vision becomes a terrible reality. Thinking they’ve cheated death, the group has a new lease on life, but unfortunately for Nick and Lori, it is only the beginning. As his premonitions continue and the crash survivors begin to die one-by-one—in increasingly gruesome ways—Nick must figure out how to cheat death once and for all before he, too, reaches his final destination.  The film marks the latest in the highly popular “Final Destination” series, and its first 3D installment, giving horror fans an especially visceral thrill ride.

www.finaldestinationmovie.com

WHITEOUT

Release Date September 11th

Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Gabriel Macht, Columbus Short, Alex O’Loughlin, Shawn Doyle, Tom Skerritt

Suspense Thriller.  Carrie Stetko, the lone U.S. Marshal assigned to Antarctica, is investigating the continent’s first murder, which draws her into a shocking mystery.  Now, with only three days until winter, Carrie must solve the crime before Antarctica is plunged into darkness and she is stranded with the killer.

Rated: R for violence, grisly images, brief strong language and some nudity.

www.whiteoutmovie.com

We have 50 admit-two advance passes for the screening on Tuesday, April 28th at 7:30pm at the Olathe Studio. Just fill out the form below and we will have a drawing to determine the 50 lucky winners on Friday April 24th. The winners will then receive an email with instructions on how to print out their pass. Make sure to bring the pass with you to the screening. Be sure to get there early. These screenings are overbooked to fill every seat. Only ONE entry per email address. Only eligible for Kansas/Missouri metro area residents. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Breckin Meyer, Lacey Chabert, Anne Archer, Amanda Walsh, Emma Stone, Michael Douglas, Robert Forster, Noureen DeWulf, Christa B. Allen

Synopsis: Celebrity photographer Connor Mead loves freedom, fun and women…in that order. A committed bachelor who thinks nothing of breaking up with multiple women on a conference call, Connor’s mockery of romance proves a real buzz-kill for his kid brother, Paul, and a houseful of well wishers on the eve of Paul’s wedding. Just when it looks like Connor may single-handedly ruin the wedding, he is visited by the ghosts of his former jilted girlfriends, who take him on a revealing and hilarious odyssey through his failed relationships–past, present and future. Together they attempt to find out what turned Connor into such an insensitive jerk and whether there is still hope for him to find true love…or if he really is the lost cause everyone thinks he is.

Studio: New Line Cinema

Release Date: Friday, May 1, 2009

MPAA Rating: THIS FILM IS RATED PG-13 FOR SEXUAL CONTENT THROUGHOUT, SOME LANGUAGE AND A DRUG REFERENCE.