The black swan must seduce the audience and have a certain sex appeal that Nina is lacking. Soon the black swan emerges but not from Nina, but rather from rival dancer Lily (Mila Kunis) who effortlessly has everything the white swan desires to take on both roles. Lily is a carefree dancer who lives life to the fullest. While Nina visualizes her every move and lives at home with her overbearing mother who is living her dream out through her daughter.

When Nina feels threatened by the new dancer she finds herself embodying the black swan and doing whatever she finds necessary to take over the role. “Black Swan” is a beautiful tale of a dream and the desperation one can have to fulfill it. It is a dark thriller that leaves you wondering about what is real and what is fiction. Natalie Portman steals the show with her amazing performance. Director Darren Aronofsky again brings a beautiful pure ballerina to a dark demising devil, all without missing a beat. “Black Swan” is one of the great films this year and the best work from Portman. Forget the nutcracker ballet, check out what the Black Swan has hiding in her closet of tutus.

2012: Dr. Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is part of a worldwide geophysical team investigating the effect radiation from unprecedented solar storms is having on the earth. Helmsley learns that the earth’s core is heating up. He warns U.S. President Thomas Wilson (Danny Glover) that the crust of the earth is becoming unstable and unless they steps to prepare for saving a fraction of the world’s population, the entire race is doomed. Meanwhile, writer Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) stumbles on the same information. While the world’s leaders race to build “arks” to escape the impending cataclysm, Curtis struggles to find a way to save his family. Meanwhile, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes of unprecedented strength wreak havoc around the world.

Where the Wild Things Are: Max, a rambunctious and sensitive boy feels misunderstood at home and escapes to where the Wild Things are. He lands on an island where he meets mysterious and strange creatures whose emotions are as wild and unpredictable as their actions. The Wild Things desperately long for a leader to guide them, just as Max longs for a kingdom to rule. When Max is crowned king, he promises to create a place where everyone will be happy. Max soon finds, though, that ruling his kingdom is not so easy and his relationships there prove to be more complicated than he originally thought.

Ponyo: Welcome to a world where anything is possible! Academy Award–winning director Hayao Miyazaki (2002, Best Animated Feature, Spirited Away) and legendary filmmaker John Lasseter together with Disney bring to life a heartwarming and imaginative telling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale The Little Mermaid. Plus, this 2-disc DVD and Blu-ray includes never-before-seen bonus features that take you on a journey deep into the film’s enchanted world. A young boy named Sosuke rescues a goldfish named Ponyo, and they embark on a fantastic journey of friendship and discovery before Ponyo’s father, a powerful sorcerer, forces her to return to her home in the sea. In defiance, Ponyo releases the magical water of life, and chaos reigns until balance is restored to the world they cherish. Ponyo will delight your family with its magnificent animation and timeless story.

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee: From all outward appearances, Pippa Lee (Wright Penn) leads a charmed existence. She is the devoted wife of an accomplished publisher (Arkin) thirty years her senior, the proud mother of two grown children, and a trusted friend and confidant to all who cross her path. But as Pippa dutifully follows her husband to a new life in a staid Connecticut retirement community, her idyllic world and the persona she has built over the course of her marriage will be put to the ultimate test.

In truth, looks are deceiving, and this picture-perfect woman has seen more than her fair share of turmoil in her youth. Embarking on a bittersweet journey or self-discovery, accompanied by a new, strange and soulful acquaintance (Reeves), Pippa must now confront both her volatile past and the hidden resentment of her seemingly perfect life in order to find her true sense of self.

“Star Trek” follows the early days of James T Kirk (Chris Pine). A rebel who lost his father at birth and seems determined to ruin his own life. After a chance encounter with Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), he realizes his life is going nowhere. The Captain challenges Kirk to try to live to the standards his father did, who sacrificed himself to save thousands of lives. Apparently this challenge works and Kirk joins a group of fellow Starfleet cadets. Kirk obviously is a force to be reckoned with and when his antics in training are questioned he faces a suspension.

The greatest adventure of all time begins and Kirk being suspended or not, will be joining the other cadets on a young crew’s maiden voyage aboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise.  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 revenge from the evil being is from the Romulans, who seek vengeance from Spock (Zachary Quinto), one of the most promising members of the crew and a torn individual. The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals Kirk, a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy, and Spock, who 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!

“Star Trek” offered incredible dialogue, action, thrills and enjoyable tales anyone could enjoy. I was very concerned at first that viewing this film I would be lost, but was pleasantly surprised as it was easy to follow and I was not confused by any part of it. Chris Pine portrayed James Kirk flawlessly and offered a certain charm on-screen. Zachary Quinto had a spectacular performance as the detached Spock.  J.J. Abrams proves his masterpiece can translate into great work on the big screen. “Star Trek” was a fun filled adventure that all viewers will enjoy. Trekkies will be pleased with this film, and non-Trekkies will find it just as enjoyable.

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.