"Dark Shadows"
STARRING: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeifer, Eva Green, Johnnie Lee MIller, ChloË Grace Moritz, Christopher Lee, Helena Bonham Carter
WRITTEN BY: Dan Curtis, Seth Grahame-Smith
DIRECTED BY: Tim Burton
RATED PG-13
OFFICIAL SITE: darkshadows.warnerbros.com

What you need to know: In the year 1752, Joshua and Naomi Collins, with young son Barnabas, set sail from Liverpool, England to start a new life in America. But even an ocean was not enough to escape the mysterious curse that has plagued their family. Two decades pass and Barnabas (Johnny Depp) has the world at his feet-or at least the town of Collinsport, Maine. The master of Collinwood Manor, Barnabas is rich, powerful and an inveterate playboy...until he makes the grave mistake of breaking the heart of Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green). A witch, in every sense of the word, Angelique dooms him to a fate worse than death: turning him into a vampire, and then burying him alive. Two centuries later, Barnabas is inadvertently freed from his tomb and emerges into the very changed world of 1972. He returns to Collinwood Manor to find that his once-grand estate has fallen into ruin. The dysfunctional remnants of the Collins family have fared little better...

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"Marvel's the Avengers"
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johannson, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Higgleston, Samuel L. Jackson
Written by: Joss Whedon
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Rated PG-13
Official Site: marvel.com/avengers_movie
Social media: Facebook: facebook.com/Avengers
Twitter: twitter.com/avengers

What you need to know: Marvel Studios presents “Marvel’s The Avengers”—the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Review: Hero Worship

by Stacy Phay

There are some movies that garner a whole lot of hype before their release and then fizzle as soon as they hit theaters. “Marvel’s The Avengers” is not one of those films. In 2008 the studio set forth on a risky venture. During a production meeting for their upcoming hero movie “Iron Man” they had an epiphany. The popular superhero comic book series The Avengers had never been put to film. They were working on individual films for most of the characters but no one had thought about putting them all in a room together to see what would happen. Until that moment. That’s when Samuel L. Jackson’s turn as Nick Fury began. And when it was decided that a bonus scene in the upcoming Robert Downey, Jr. starrer would set things in motion. The moment Nick Fury spoke to Tony Stark about being a part of a bigger plan everything was set in motion. In that brief speech Fury alerted Tony of things to come, and Marvel let fans in on their secret…we’re assembling something huge. Stay tuned.

Four years and five films (“Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Captain America” and “Thor”) later here we are. “Marvel’s The Avengers” has hit movie screens worldwide. The waiting was rough. The buildup was fun. The ending result is spectacular. Nick Fury does as promised. He brings together the biggest superheroes the world has to offer. What he does not plan on is their dysfunctional dynamic. “Thor” brought us villain Loki, who moves into an even more diabolical role here in Avengers. After being smacked down by brother Thor and father Odin his sights are set on ruling a different planet. Earth. The Tesseract (a cube of unlimited energy) is his way in. Fury and company have been perfecting it. Loki’s about to steal it. The Avengers need to assemble. Drama and mayhem ensues.

A large part of the fun in this movie is watching Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey, Jr. step back into their roles as Captain America, Thor, Black Widow and Iron Man respectively. The ease at which Mark Ruffalo and Jeremy Renner take on the roles of Bruce Banner/The Hulk and Hawkeye like they’ve always been those characters is a testament to the level of acting the franchise attracted. Not to mention the fact that Tom Hiddleston brings an extra creepy factor to Loki this time around.  Plus we finally get to see Nick Fury in his true form – S.H.I.E.L.D. director and no-nonsense father figure, not just the guy that shows up after the credits to tell someone something important about the next one.

The real gem though, is watching director Joss Whedon mold together a film that never loses itself in too many battles, too many speeches or too much ego. It is fast-paced, entertaining and extremely engaging. You will laugh, applaud and probably cry, all at the same time.

“Pirates! Band of Misfits”
Starring: Voices of: Hugh Grant, David Tennant, Imelda Staunton, Martin Freeman, Jeremy Piven
Written by: Gideon Defoe
Directed by: Peter Lord
Rated PG
Official site: www.thepireates-movie.com

What you need to know: In The Pirates! Band of Misfits, Hugh Grant stars in his first animated role as the luxuriantly bearded Pirate Captain – a boundlessly enthusiastic, if somewhat less-than-successful, terror of the High Seas. With a rag-tag crew at his side, and seemingly blind to the impossible odds stacked against him, the Captain has one dream: to beat his bitter rivals Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek) to the much coveted Pirate Of The Year Award. It’s a quest that takes our heroes from the shores of exotic Blood Island to the foggy streets of Victorian London. Along the way they battle a diabolical queen (Imelda Staunton) and team up with a haplessly smitten young scientist (David Tennant), but never lose sight of what a pirate loves best: adventure!

"The Lucky One"
Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling, Blythe Danner, Jay R. Ferguson, Riley Thomas Stewart, Adam LeFevre
Written by: Will Fetters from the book by Nicholas Sparks
Directed by: Scott Hicks
Rated PG-13
Official Site: www.theluckyonemovie.com

What you need to know: U.S. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault (Efron) returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive—a photograph he found of a woman he doesn’t even know. Discovering her name is Beth (Schilling) and where she lives, he shows up at her door, and ends up taking a job at her family-run local kennel. Despite her initial mistrust and the complications in her life, a romance develops between them, giving Logan hope that Beth could be much more than his good luck charm.

“Lockout”
Starring: Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace
Written by: James Mather, Stephen St. Leger, Luc Besson
Directed by: James Mather, Stephen St. Leger
Rated PG-13
Official site: www.lockoutfilm.com

What you need to know: This sci-fi thriller is set in space, in a maximum securty prison on out in the abyss, where the daughter of a very important Earthly diplomat is caught up in an attempted prison break that could result in the entire space station being destroyed, along with everyone on it. Guy Pearce plays the rugged rescuer who's mission is to simply help save the diplomat's daughter (Maggie Grace), but she has other plans.

"Bully"
Directed by: Lee Hirsch
Rated PG-13
Official Site: www.thebullyproject.com

Over 13 million American kids will be bullied this year, making it the most common form of violence experienced by young people in the nation. The new documentary film BULLY, directed by Sundance and Emmy-award winning filmmaker Lee Hirsch, brings human scale to this startling statistic, offering an intimate, unflinching look at how bullying has touched five kids and their families.

BULLY is a beautifully cinematic, character-driven documentary. At its heart are those with huge stakes in this issue whose stories each represent a different facet of America’s bullying crisis. Filmed over the course of the 2009/2010 school year, BULLY opens a window onto the pained and often endangered lives of bullied kids, revealing a problem that transcends geographic, racial, ethnic and economic borders. It documents the responses of teachers and administrators to aggressive behaviors that defy “kids will be kids” clichés, and it captures a growing movement among parents and youths to change how bullying is handled in schools, in communities and in society as a whole.

"The Three Stooges"
Starring: Sean Hayes, Chris Diamantopoulos, Will Sasso, Jane Lynch
Written by: Mike Cerrone, Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly
Directed by: Bobby and Peter Farrelly
Rated PG
Official Site: www.thethreestooges.com

What you need to know: The Farrelly Brothers bring us this long anticpated take on the slapstick comedy trio who entertained fans on TV and in films throughout the 70's. Watch for several hilarious cameo appearances by some of today's most interesting pop culture phenomenons. While trying to save their childhood orphanage, Moe, Larry, and Curly inadvertently stumble into a murder plot and wind up starring in a reality TV show.

"Titanic in 3D"
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates, Billy Zane, Gloria Stuart, Bill Paxton
Written by: James Cameron
Directed by: James Cameron
Rated PG-13
Official Site: www.titanicmovie.com

What you need to know: James Cameron brings together historical facts with a love story in this telling of how the famed Titanic, the biggest cruise ship ever built, made its maiden voyage and fatally sank in the depths of the ocean after hitting an iceberg. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Jack, a young man who wins his way onto the fateful ship in a poker game, meeting Rose, played by Kate Winslet, a rich and out of his league beauty whom he ultimately falls in love with and sacrifces his life for. Fans of the film will get to experience the specatacular special effects and heart-wrenching love story in full 3D in only the way James Cameron can bring it to screens. Cameron is continuously perfecting the art of 3D as he showed in his recent phenomenon "Avatar."

"Mirror Mirror"
Starring: Lily Collins, Julia Roberts, Nathan Lane, Armie Hammer, Sean Bean
Written by: Marc Klein and Jason Keller from a screen story by Melisa Wallack
Directed by: Tarsem Singh
Rated: PG
Official Site: www.mirrormirrorfilm.com

What you need to know: After a beloved King vanishes, his ruthless wife seizes control of the kingdom and keeps her beautiful 18-year-old stepdaughter, Snow White, hidden away in the palace. But when the princess attracts the attention of a charming and wealthy visiting prince, the jealous Queen banishes the girl to a nearby forest. Taken in by a band of rebellious but kindhearted dwarfs, Snow White blossoms into a brave young woman determined to save her country from the Queen. With the support of her new friends, she roars into action to reclaim her birthright and win back her Prince in this magical adventure comedy that will capture the hearts and imaginations of audiences the world over.

Review: Who’s The Fairest of Them All? “Mirror Mirror” Wins the Prize For “Favorite Family Fun” This Weekend!

By: Susan J. Yeager

It’s a story that most of us know by heart, but this fresh take on the battle between Snow White and her evil step-mother deserves a watch for more than one reason. For starters, this Snow White doesn’t need the handsome Prince to save her. In fact, she comes to his rescue on more than one occasion.

Version 2.012 begins on Snow White’s 18th Birthday.  The Queen has bankrupted the kingdom and spends what little is left of the citizen’s money on lavish parties.  When a handsome, rich, young prince wanders into the kingdom, searching for adventure, the Queen is quick to form a plan. If she can get the Prince to marry her, she can use his money to continue to fund her lavish lifestyle.

Banished by the Queen to her room, for oh… say… most of her life, Snow White rebels and sneaks out to see what is left of the kingdom with her own eyes. She is devastated to see the village in ruins, the people and children starving.  The scene is a dire contrast to the kingdom her father governed.  While on this adventure, she encounters the Prince in the woods.  He and his aid are in a most unfortunate predicament, having been robbed by thieves.  After Snow White frees them from their entanglement, they go their separate ways.

Later, Snow White decides to crash the party the Queen has thrown for the visiting Prince, having no idea that he is the same man she helped in the woods.  Jealous of the two’s obvious connection, the Queen orders Snow White’s death. Snow is taken to the woods by the Queen’s right hand man, but he doesn’t have the heart to kill the child he helped raise.  He tells Snow White to run far away and never come back, returning to the castle he assures the Queen that the problem has been eliminated.

The woods are a dangerous place but Snow finds comfort in a small house belonging to seven dwarfs.  The unlikely band of bandits friend the scared, lost princess and help her realize that she is the rightful ruler of the kingdom. They only way to get her kingdom back is to battle the Queen for the crown.

Does Snow White really possess all the qualities of a leader? Is she strong enough to develop the skills necessary to fight against so much evil? Where does the visiting Prince fit into all of this? These are questions that will be answered when you see “Mirror Mirror.”

The film boasts a stellar cast which features Julia Roberts, Armie Hammer, Nathan Lane and Lily Collins (Snow White).  Director, Tarsem Singh creates a magical world with incredible sets and beautiful costumes.  The whole family will enjoy watching this delightful journey unfold.

Check out our Girl Power feature for more on "Mirror Mirror"

"Wrath of the Titans"
Starring: Sam Worthington, Rosamund Pike, Bill Nighy, Edgar Ramírez, Toby Kebbell, Danny Huston, Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson
Written by: Dan Mazeau & David Leslie Johnson (screenplay), Greg Berlanti & David Leslie Johnson & Dan Mazeau (story), Beverley Cross (characters)
Directed by: Jonathan Liebesman
Rated PG-13
Official Site: www.wrathofthetitans.com

What you need to know: A decade after his heroic defeat of the monstrous Kraken, Perseus (Worthington) —the demigod son of Zeus (Neeson)—is attempting to live a quieter life as a village fisherman and the sole parent to his 10-year old son, Helius. Meanwhile, a struggle for supremacy rages between the gods and the Titans. Dangerously weakened by humanity’s lack of devotion, the gods are losing control of the imprisoned Titans and their ferocious leader, Kronos, father of the long-ruling brothers Zeus, Hades (Fiennes) and Poseidon (Huston). The triumvirate had overthrown their powerful father long ago, leaving him to rot in the gloomy abyss of Tartarus, a dungeon that lies deep within the cavernous underworld. Perseus cannot ignore his true calling when Hades, along with Zeus’ godly son, Ares (Ramírez), switch loyalties and make a deal with Kronos to capture Zeus. The Titans’ strength grows stronger as Zeus’ remaining godly powers are siphoned, and hell is unleashed on earth. Enlisting the help of the warrior Queen Andromeda (Pike), Poseidon’s demigod son, Argenor (Kebbell), and fallen god Hephaestus (Nighy), Perseus bravely embarks on a treacherous quest into the underworld to rescue Zeus, overthrow the Titans and save mankind.

"The Hunger Games"
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Stanley Tucci, Lenny Kravitz, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Alexander Ludwig, Donald Sutherland, Wes Bentley
Written by: Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins, Billy Ray
Directed by: Gary Ross
Rated PG-13
Official Site: www.thehungergamesmovie.com

What you need to know: Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. Part twisted entertainment, part government intimidation tactic, the Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which “Tributes” must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. Based on the best-selling Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins.

"The Lorax"
Starring: Danny DeVito, Ed Helms, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Rob Riggle, Jenny Slate and Betty White
Written by: Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio Based on the Book by Dr. Seuss
Directed by: Chris Renaud
Rated PG
Official Site: www.theloraxmovie.com

What you need to know: From the creators of Despicable Me and the imagination of Dr. Seuss comes the much anticipated feature Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, a 3D-CG adaptation of the classic tale of a forest guardian who shares the enduring power of hope.  The animated adventure follows the journey of a 12-year-old as he searches for a real Truffula Tree, the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams.  To get it he must find the story of the Lorax, the acerbic yet charming character who fights to protect his world. 

"Gone"
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Jennifer Carpentar, Emily Wickersham, Joel David Moore Sebastian Stan, Wes Bentley
Written by: Allison Burnett
Directed by: Heitor Dhalia
Rated PG-13
Official Site: www.gone-movie.com

What you need to know In the suspense thriller, GONE, Jill Parrish (Amanda Seyfried) comes home from a night shift to discover her sister Molly (Emily Wickersham) has been abducted. Jill, having escaped from a kidnapping a year before, is convinced that the same serial killer has come back and taken Molly. The police think Jill is crazy and are unwilling to use their resources to help her. Afraid that Molly will be dead by sundown, she sets out alone on a heart-pounding chase to find the killer, expose his secrets and save her sister.

"Journey 2: The Mysterious Island"
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Dwayne Johnson, Luiz Guzmán, Vanessa Hudgens, Michael Caine, Kristen Davis
Written by: Brian Gunn & Mark Gunn, story by Richard Outten and Brian Gunn & Mark Gunn
Directed by: Brad Peyton
Rated PG
Official Site: www.themysteriousisland.com

What you need to know: The new 3D family adventure “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” begins when seventeen-year-old Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist.

Unable to stop him from tracking the signal to its source, Sean’s new stepfather, Hank (Dwayne Johnson), joins the quest that will take them first to the South Pacific, and then to a place few people have ever seen. Or lived to tell about. It’s a place of stunning beauty, strange and threatening life forms, volcanoes, mountains of gold and more than one astonishing secret.

Together with Gabato (Luis Guzmán), the only helicopter pilot willing to risk the trip, and Gabato’s beautiful, strong-willed daughter Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens), they set out to find the island, rescue its lone human inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island underwater and bury its treasures forever, in this follow-up to the 2008 worldwide hit “Journey to the Center of the Earth.”

"Battleship"
STARRING: Taylor Kitsch, Alexander SkarsgÅrd, Rihanna, Brooklyn Decker, Tadanobu Asano and Liam Neeson
WRITTEN BY: Jon Hoeber & Erich Hoeber
DIRECTED BY: Peter Berg
Not Yet RATED
OFFICIAL SITE: www.battleshipmovie.com
OPENS MAY 18

What you need to know: Peter Berg (Hancock) produces and directs Battleship, an epic-scaled action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force.  Inspired by Hasbro’s classic naval combat game, Battleship stars Taylor Kitsch as Lt. Alex Hopper, a Naval officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones; Brooklyn Decker as Sam Shane, a physical therapist and Hopper’s fiancée; Alexander Skarsgård as Hopper’s older brother, Stone, Commanding Officer of the USS Sampson; Rihanna as Petty Officer Raikes, Hopper’s crewmate and a weapons specialist on the USS John Paul Jones; and international superstar Liam Neeson as Hopper and Stone’s superior (and Sam’s father), Admiral Shane.

"Men in Black 3"
STARRING: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine Clement,
Michael Stuhlbarg, Emma Thompson
WRITTEN BY: Etan COhen
DIRECTED BY: Barry Sonnenfeld
Not Yet RATED
OFFICIAL SITE: www.meninblack.com
Studio: Sony Pictures
OPENS MAY 25

What you need to know: In Men in Black™ 3, Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are back... in time. J has seen some inexplicable things in his 15 years with the Men in Black, but nothing, not even aliens, perplexes him as much as his wry, reticent partner. But when K's life and the fate of the planet are put at stake, Agent J will have to travel back in time to put things right. J discovers that there are secrets to the universe that K never told him -- secrets that will reveal themselves as he teams up with the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) to save his partner, the agency, and the future of humankind.

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"Snow White and the Huntsman"
STARRING: Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth, Sam Claflin 
WRITTEN BY: Evan Daugherty and John Lee Hancock and
Hossein Amini
DIRECTED BY: Rupert Sanders
Not Yet RATED
OFFICIAL SITE: www.snowwhiteandthehuntsman.com
OPENS June 1

What you need to know: In the epic action-adventure Snow White and the Huntsman, Kristen Stewart (Twilight) plays the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen (Oscar® winner Charlize Theron) out to destroy her.  But what the wicked ruler never imagined is that the young woman threatening her reign has been training in the art of war with a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth, Thor) dispatched to kill her.  Sam Claflin (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) joins the cast as the prince long enchanted by Snow White’s beauty and power.

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"Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted"
STARRING: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric The Entertainer, Andy Richter, Frances McDormand
WRITTEN BY: Noah Baumbach
DIRECTED BY: Eric Darnell, Conrad Vernon
Not Yet RATED
OFFICIAL SITE: www.madagascarmovie.com
OPENS June 8

What you need to know: Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, and Melman the Giraffe are still fighting to get home to their beloved Big Apple and of course, King Julien, Maurice and the Penguins are all along for the comedic adventure. Their journey takes them through Europe where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they reinvent – Madagascar style.

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"Brave"
STARRING: Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Kevin McKidd, Billy Connolly, Robbie Coltrane, Julie Waters, Craig Ferguson
WRITTEN BY: Brenda Chapman, Irene Mecchi
DIRECTED BY: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman
Not Yet RATED
OFFICIAL SITE: disney.go.com/brave
OPENS June 22

What you need to know:

Set in Scotland in a rugged and mythical time, "Brave" features Merida, an aspiring archer and impetuous daughter of royalty. Merida makes a reckless choice that unleashes unintended peril and forces her to spring into action to set things right.

"The Amazing Spider-Man"
STARRING: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Dennis Leary, martin Sheen, Sally Field
WRITTEN BY: James Vanderbilt, Based on the Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
DIRECTED BY: Marc Webb
Not Yet RATED
OFFICIAL SITE: www.theamazingspiderman.com
OPENS July 3

What you need to know: The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

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"Ice Age: Continental Drift"
STARRING: Ray Romano, Dennis Leary, John Leguizamo, Jennifer Lopez, Seann William Scott, Kunal Nayyar, Peter Dinklage, Alan Tudyk, Nick Frost, Heather Morris, Queen Latifah, Josh Peck, Aziz Ansari, Keke Palmer
WRITTEN BY: Michael Berg, Jason Fuchs, Mike Reiss
DIRECTED BY: Steve Martino, Mike Thurmeier
Not Yet RATED
OFFICIAL SITE: www.iceagemovie.com
OPENS July 13

What you need to know: Manny, Diego, and Sid embark upon another adventure after their continent is set adrift. Using an iceberg as a ship, they encounter sea creatures and battle pirates as they explore a new world.

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"The Dark Knight Rises"
STARRING: Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Tom Hardy, JOseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, Morgan Freeman
WRITTEN BY: Jonathan Nolan (screenplay) and Christopher Nolan (screenplay) Christopher Nolan (story) & David S. Goyer (story), Bob Kane (Batman characters)
DIRECTED BY: Christopher Nolan
RATED PG-13
OFFICIAL SITE: www.thedarknightrises.com
OPENS July 20

What you need to know: Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, the terrorist leader Bane arrives in Gotham City, pushing it and its police force to their limits, forcing its former hero Batman to resurface after taking the fall for Harvey Dent's crimes.

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“The Odd Life of Timothy Green”
Starring: Jennifer Garner, Joel Edgerton, Ron Livingston, Rosemarie DeWitt, Dianne Wiest, Common
Written by: Peter Hedges, Ahmet Zappa (story)
Directed by: Peter Hedges
Rated PG
Official site: disney.go.com/disneypictures/the-odd-life-of-timothy-green/
Opens August 15

What you need to know: A childless couple bury a box in their backyard, containing all of their wishes for an infant. Soon, a child is born, though Timothy Green is not all that he appears.

“ParaNorman”
Starring:  Kodi Smit-McPhee, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Anna Kendrick, Leslie Mann, John Goodman, Casey Affleck, Jodell Ferland, Jeff Garlin, Tempestt Bledsoe
Written by: Chris Butler
Directed by: Chris Butler, Sam Fell
Not Yet Rated
Official site:  www.paranorman.com
Opens August 17

What you need to know: A misunderstood boy who can speak with the dead, takes on ghosts, zombies and grown-ups to save his town from a centuries-old curse.

“Rise of the Guardians”
Starring: Voices of Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Isla Fisher, Jude Law
Written by: William Joyce, David Lindsay-Abaire
Directed by: Peter Ramsey
Not Yet Rated
Official site: www.riseoftheguardians.com
Opens November 21

What you need to know: RISE OF THE GUARDIANS is an epic adventure that tells the story of a group of heroes – each with extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”
Starring: Martin Freeman, Luke Evans, Richard Armitage, Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Hugo Weaving, Evangeline Lilly
Written by: Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guilermo del Toro based on the book by JRR Tolkein
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Not Yet Rated
Official site: www.thehobbit.com
Opens December 14

What you need to know: Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit, journeys to the Lonely Mountain accompanied by a group of dwarves to reclaim a treasure taken from them by the dragon Smaug.

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