G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra: Based on Hasbro’s immensely popular action figures, G.I. Joe is the ultimate elite fighting force, engaged in an extraordinary action-adventure matchup of good versus evil! In G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, the G.I. Joe team, armed with the coolest hi-tech gadgets and weapons, travels the world from the Egyptian desert to the polar ice caps in a high stakes pursuit of Cobra, an evil international organization threatening to use a technology that could bring the world to its knees.

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3: In The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, Denzel Washington stars as New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber, whose ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. John Travolta stars as Ryder, the criminal mastermind who, as leader of a highly-armed gang of four, threatens to execute the train’s passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But there’s one riddle Garber can’t solve: even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape?

Aliens in the Attic: Kids on a family vacation must fight off an attack by knee-high alien invaders with world-destroying ambitions — while the youngsters’ parents remain clueless about the battle.

I Love You, Beth Cooper: Buffalo Grove High School valedictorian Denis Cooverman (PAUL RUST) has had quite an academic career…on paper, at least. Superlative student, conscientious young gentleman and patently obvious dork, Denis has played it safe and made it all the way to graduation day without ever having really experienced some of the joys of higher learning: breaking curfew, destruction of property, over-consumption of alcohol, fist fights, late nights, fast cars or faster women (actually, women of any sort).

As time clicks down Ryder begins to feel the pressure, eventually snapping and killing the MTA motorman and another innocent hostage. At his wits end he insists his new “friend” Garber bring his money to him. Determined to not cost anymore New Yorkers their lives Garber complies and takes a crash course from the FBI on hostage negotiations and heads to the train car underground. Once there he is ordered to drive the train car at a high speed to getaway, eventually stopping at Roosevelt. As the criminal’s try to make an escape what will it cost Garber and the other hostages. It’s a high intense chase ending with a ride to safety.

“The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3″ contained the mix that every thriller has; the bad guy, the good guy, the mayor (portrayed by the entertaining James Gandolfini) and the hostages. As the train cars come to a rest and in the final scenes I expected an alternate ending. Expecting a little twist and turn from the tracks you end up with what you see is what you get. Denzel Washington’s depiction of Garber was very good, but his counterpart John Travolta as the bad ass Ryder was bizarre and over-played. It felt forced to view Travolta as the bad guy and unfortunately it just did not work. I think if Washington & Travolta’s roles had been reversed perhaps we would have had fireworks. The cinematography and slicing of the film was rather distracting, effects not needed for the film. “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3″ is not horrible, just not what I would expect from these A listers.

STAR TREK

Release Date May 8, 2009

Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment Present
A Bad Robot Production

Executive Producers Bryan Burk  Jeffrey Chernov  Roberto Orci  Alex Kurtzman
Produced by J.J. Abrams  Damon Lindelof
Based upon “Star Trek” Created by Gene Roddenberry
Written by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman
Directed by J.J. Abrams

Cast: John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, with Eric Bana and Leonard Nimoy

Synopsis: The greatest adventure of all time begins with “Star Trek,” the incredible story of a young crew’s maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise.  On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind.

The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock (Zachary Quinto), was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion.  As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before!

This film has been rated PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence and brief sexual content.

DANCE FLICK

Release Date May 22, 2009

Paramount Pictures and MTV Films Present
A Wayans Brothers Production
Executive Producer Richard Vane
Executive Producers Craig Wayans  Damien Dante Wayans
Produced by Keenen Ivory Wayans  Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans and Rick Alvarez
Written by Keenen Ivory Wayans & Shawn Wayans & Marlon Wayans & Craig Wayans & Damien Dante Wayans
Directed by Damien Dante Wayans

Cast:  Damon Wayans Jr., Craig Wayans, Shoshana Bush, Essence Atkins and Affion Crockett

Synopsis:  “Dance Flick” is a hilarious new comedy that brings together the talents of  two generations of the Wayans family, the explosively funny clan who brought us the “Scary Movie” franchise and “White Chicks,” as well as the groundbreaking TV series “In Living Color.”

In “Dance Flick,” a young street dancer, Thomas Uncles (Damon Wayans, Jr.), from the wrong side of the tracks and a beautiful young woman, Megan White (Shoshana Bush), are brought together by their passion for dancing and put to the test in the mother of all dance battles.

“Dance Flick” sends up the dance movie genre, including such recent hits as “Step Up” and “You Got Served,” as well as the classic “Flashdance.”

This film has not yet been rated

IMAGINE THAT

Release Date June 12, 2009

Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies Present
A di Bonaventura Pictures Production
Executive Producer Ric Kidney
Produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura  Ed Solomon
Written by Ed Solomon & Chris Matheson
Directed by Karey Kirkpatrick

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Thomas Haden Church, Nicole Ari Parker, Ronny Cox and Martin Sheen

Synopsis: In Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies’ family comedy “Imagine That,” Eddie Murphy stars as a successful financial executive who has more time for his blackberry than his seven-year-old daughter (Yara Shahidi).  When he has a crisis of confidence and his career starts going down the drain, however, he finds the solution to all his problems in his daughter’s imaginary world.

This film has been rated PG for some mild language and brief questionable behavior.

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN

Release Date June 24, 2009 

DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures Present
In Association with Hasbro
A di Bonaventura Pictures Production
A Tom DeSanto/Don Murphy Production
A Michael Bay Film
Executive Producers Steven Spielberg  Michael Bay  Brian Goldner  Mark Vahradian
Produced by Don Murphy & Tom DeSanto  Lorenzo di Bonaventura  Ian Bryce
Based on Hasbro’s Transformers™ Action Figures
Written by Ehren Kruger & Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman
Directed by Michael Bay

Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson and John Turturro

Synopsis: In the highly-anticipated “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” debuting June 26, 2009, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) again joins with the Autobots® against their sworn enemies, the Decepticons®.  Michael Bay directs from a screenplay by Ehren Kruger & Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman.

This film has not yet been rated.

G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA

Release Date August 7, 2009

Paramount Pictures And Spyglass Entertainment Present
In Association With Hasbro
A di Bonaventura Pictures Production
A Stephen Sommers Film
Executive Producers Stephen Sommers  David Womark  Gary Barber  Roger Birnbaum   Erik Howsam
Produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura   Brian Goldner  Bob Ducsay
Based on Hasbro’s G. I. Joe ® Characters
Story by Michael B. Gordon and Stuart Beattie & Stephen Sommers
Screenplay by Stuart Beattie and David Elliot & Paul Lovett
Directed by Stephen Sommers

Cast:  Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Byung Hun Lee, Sienna Miller, Rachel Nichols, Ray Park, Jonathan Pryce, Saïd Taghmaoui, Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans and Dennis Quaid

Synopsis:  Paramount Pictures and Hasbro, whose previous collaboration was the worldwide blockbuster “TRANSFORMERS,” join forces with Spyglass Entertainment for another extraordinary action-adventure “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.”  From the Egyptian desert to deep below the polar ice caps, the elite G.I. JOE team uses the latest in next-generation spy and military equipment to fight the corrupt arms dealer Destro and the growing threat of the mysterious Cobra organization to prevent them from plunging the world into chaos. “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.”  is directed by Stephen Sommers (“The Mummy,” “The Mummy Returns”).

This film has not yet been rated.

THE GOODS: LIVE HARD, SELL HARD

Release Date August 14, 2009

Paramount Vantage Presents
A Gary Sanchez Production
A Kevin Messick Production
Produced by Adam McKay  Will Ferrell  Kevin Messick  Chris Henchy
Written by Adam Stock & Rick Stempson
Directed by Neal Brennan

Cast:               Jeremy Piven, Ving Rhames, James Brolin, David Koechner, Kathryn Hahn and Jordana Spiro

Synopsis:       Who is Don Ready? Salesman? Lover? Song Stylist? Semi-professional dolphin trainer? Ready is all of the above – except for a dolphin trainer. When he’s asked to help save an ailing local car dealership from bankruptcy, Ready and his ragtag crew descend on the town of Temecula like a pack of coyotes on a basket full of burgers. Selling, drinking, selling and going to strip clubs is their stock and trade. And they do it well.  What Don doesn’t expect is to fall in love and find his soul (cue heartfelt piano).  “The Goods: The Don Ready Story” stars Emmy award-winning actor Jeremy Piven (“The Kingdom,” “Entourage”) and Ving Rhames (“I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry,” “Mission: Impossible IIII”).  The film is the first production from Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s Gary Sanchez Productions, directed by Neal Brennan, co-creator of the hugely successful Comedy Central hit, “Chappelle’s Show.”

This film has not yet been rated.