Motherhood

Release Date: October 16, 2009 (limited)

Genre: Comedy

Eliza Welch (Thurman) is like any other mom with two kids, a loving but absent-minded husband (Edwards), and her own mom-blog ("The Bjorn Identity") - yet she's having a day that would challenge even the toughest multi-tasker. Eliza has to throw her daughter's 6th birthday party while a movie crew takes over her block, chase her tireless two-year-old son, navigate playground politics, walk an incontinent dog, juggle a new career opportunity, and realize what is truly valuable in her life... all in one day.

"Motherhood" is a comedy that embraces the joys and heartache of female parenthood. Sometimes hilarious but always touching in its discovery of what one woman loses and gains in choosing to be a mother.

Studio: Freestyle Releasing

Director: Katherine Dieckmann

Screenwriter: Katherine Dieckmann

Starring: Uma Thurman, Anthony Edwards, Minnie Driver

The Fourth Kind

Release Date: November 6, 2009

Genre: Thriller

In 1972, a scale of measurement was established for alien encounters. When a UFO is sighted, it is called an encounter of the first kind. When evidence is collected, it is known as an encounter of the second kind. When contact is made with extraterrestrials, it is the third kind. The next level, abduction, is the fourth kind. This encounter has been the most difficult to document...until now.

Structured unlike any film before it, "The Fourth Kind" is a provocative thriller set in modern-day Nome, Alaska, where—mysteriously since the 1960s—a disproportionate number of the population has been reported missing every year. Despite multiple FBI investigations of the region, the truth has never been discovered.

Here in this remote region, psychologist Dr. Abigail Tyler (Milla Jovovich) began videotaping sessions with traumatized patients and unwittingly discovered some of the most disturbing evidence of alien abduction ever documented.

Using never-before-seen archival footage that is integrated into the film, "The Fourth Kind" exposes the terrified revelations of multiple witnesses. Their accounts of being visited by alien figures all share disturbingly identical details, the validity of which is investigated throughout the film.

Studio: Universal Pictures

Director: Olatunde Osunsanmi

Screenwriter: Olatunde Osunsanmi

Starring: Milla Jovovich

The Informant!

Release Date: September 18, 2009 

Genre: Comedy

Based on the book by Kurt Eichenwald. What was Mark Whitacre thinking? A rising star at agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Whitacre suddenly turns whistleblower. Even as he exposes his company's multi-national price-fixing conspiracy to the FBI, Whitacre envisions himself being hailed as a hero of the common man and handed a promotion. But before all that can happen, the FBI needs evidence, so Whitacre eagerly agrees to wear a wire and carry a hidden tape recorder in his briefcase, imagining himself as a kind of de facto secret agent. Unfortunately for the FBI, their lead witness hasn't been quite so forthcoming about helping himself to the corporate coffers. Whitacre's ever-changing account frustrates the agents and threatens the case against ADM as it becomes almost impossible to decipher what is real and what is the product of Whitacre's rambling imagination. Based on the true story of the highest-ranking corporate whistleblower in U.S. history.

Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Screenwriter: Scott Burns

Starring: Matt Damon, Scott Bakula, Joel McHale, Melanie Lynskey

Pandorum

Release Date: September 25, 2009 

Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller 

From the creators of the "Resident Evil" film franchise comes "Pandorum," a terrifying thriller in which two crew members wake up on an abandoned spacecraft with no idea who they are, how long they've been asleep, or what their mission is. The two soon discover they're actually not alone -- and the reality of their situation is more horrifying than they could have imagined.

Studio: Overture Films

Director: Christian Alvart

Screenwriter: Travis Milloy

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Antje Traue, Cung Le, Norman Reedus, Cam Gigandet

Surrogates

Release Date: September 25, 2009 

Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller 

FBI agents (Bruce Willis and Radha Mitchell) investigate the mysterious murder of a college student linked to the man who helped create a high-tech surrogate phenomenon that allows people to purchase unflawed robotic versions of themselves—fit, good looking remotely controlled machines that ultimately assume their life roles—enabling people to experience life vicariously from the comfort and safety of their own homes. The murder spawns a quest for answers: in a world of masks, who's real and who can you trust?

Studio: Touchstone Pictures (Disney)

Director: Jonathan Mostow

Screenwriter: Michael Ferris, John Brancato

Starring: Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, James Francis Ginty, Boris Kodjoe, Ving Rhames

Paris

Release Date: September 18, 2009 (limited) 

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Cedric Klapish, the beloved director of "L'Auberge Espangole," gathers together some of the biggest actors in French cinema for a valentine to the city of lights. The all-star cast includes Oscar-winner Juliette Binoche, Romain Duris, Melanie Laurent, Fabrice Luchini, Francois Cluzet and Karin Viard. While waiting for a heart transplant that could save his life, Pierre (Duris) grows close again with his sister (Binoche) and her lively children. This rediscovery of his family and observation of the teeming streets outside his window give Pierre a new, hopeful sense of how he might spend the time still left to him. A cinematic love letter to the city that seems to hide a story behind every shop window, small alley, street market or grand apartment building, the film explores the life and love possible only in "Paris."

Studio: IFC Films

Director: Cedric Klapish

Screenwriter: Cedric Klapish

Starring: Juliette Binoche, Romain Duris, Fabrice Luchini, Albert Dupontel, François Cluzet, Karin Viard, Melanie Laurent, Gilles Lellouche, Zinedine Soualem, Julie Ferrier, Olivia Bonamy

I Can Do Bad All By Myself

Release Date: September 11, 2009 

Genre: Comedy, Drama

When Madea, America's favorite pistol-packing grandma, catches sixteen-year-old Jennifer and her two younger brothers looting her home, she decides to take matters into her own hands and delivers the young delinquents to the only relative they have: their aunt April. A heavy-drinking nightclub singer who lives off of Raymond, her married boyfriend, April wants nothing to do with the kids. But her attitude begins to change when Sandino, a handsome Mexican immigrant looking for work, moves into April's basement room. Making amends for his own troubled past, Sandino challenges April to open her heart. And April soon realizes she must make the biggest choice of her life: between her old ways with Raymond and the new possibilities of family, faith... and even true love.

Studio: Lionsgate

Director: Tyler Perry

Screenwriter: Tyler Perry

Starring: Tyler Perry, Taraji P. Henson, Brian White, Hope Olaide Wilson, Adam Rodriguez, Kwesi Nii-Lante Boakye, Frederick Siglar

Night of the Demons

Release Date: October 9, 2009 (limited)

Genre: Horror

Maddie Curtis and her friends Lilly and Suzanne are ready for a great Halloween night. They're going to a party thrown by their friend Angela at the notorious Broussard Mansion in New Orleans. Over eighty years ago, six people disappeared from the mansion without a trace – and the owner, Evangeline Broussard, hung herself.

The dark history only serves to enhance the Broussard Mansion's appeal on Halloween. At the decadent, out-of-control party, Maddie and Lily run into their exes, Colin and Dex, while Suzanne parties it up. Good times end, however, when the police bust up the party. After the rest of the guests leave, Angela, Maddie, Lily, Dex, Colin, Suzanne and their friend Jason discover a horrible secret. Their cell phones don't work. The mansion gates are now mysteriously locked. Soon it becomes clear that supernatural forces are at work at the Broussard Mansion, and that there may be more to the tale of Evangeline Broussard than anyone knew.

It turns out that the Broussard Mansion is home to demons that need to possess seven vessels to break free of an ancient curse. One by one the guests fall victim, transforming into hideous creatures. Only Maddie, Colin and Jason remain – but can they make it through the night and keep evil forces from spreading into the world?

Studio: Seven Arts Pictures

Director: Adam Gierasch

Screenwriter: Adam Gierasch, Jace Anderson

Starring: Shannon Elizabeth, Monica Keena, Diora Baird, Edward Furlong, John F. Beach, Michael Copon, Bobbi Sue Luther

The Stepfather

Release Date: October 16, 2009 

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Michael Harding (Penn Badgley) returns home from military school to find his mother (Sela Ward) happily in love and living with her new boyfriend, David (Dylan Walsh). As the two men get to know each other, Michael becomes more and more suspicious of the man who is always there with a helpful hand. Is he really the man of her dreams or could David be hiding a dark side?

Studio: Screen Gems (Sony)

Director: Nelson McCormick

Screenwriter: J.S. Cardone

Starring: Dylan Walsh, Sela Ward, Penn Badgley, Sherry Stringfield, Jon Tenney, Paige Turco, Amber Heard

Fame

Release Date: September 25, 2009 

Genre: Drama, Musical

A reinvention of the original Oscar®-winning hit film, "Fame" follows a talented group of dancers, singers, actors, and artists over four years at the New York City High School of Performing Arts, a diverse, creative powerhouse where students from all walks of life are given a chance to live out their dreams and achieve real and lasting fame...the kind that comes only from talent, dedication, and hard work.

In an incredibly competitive atmosphere, plagued by self-doubt, each student's passion will be put to the test. In addition to their artistic goals, they have to deal with everything else that goes along with high school, a tumultuous time full of schoolwork, deep friendships, budding romance, and self-discovery.

As each student strives for his or her moment in the spotlight, they’ll discover who among them has the innate talent and necessary discipline to succeed. With the love and support of their friends and fellow artists, they’ll find out who amongst them will achieve Fame...

Studio: MGM

Director: Kevin Tancharoen

Screenwriter: Allison Burnett

Starring: Asher Book, Kristy Flores, Paul Iacono, Paul McGill, Naturi Naughton, Kay Panabaker, Kherington Payne, Collins Pennie, Walter Perez, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Debbie Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Mullally, Bebe Neuwirth

Sorority Row

Release Date: Septmber 11, 2009 

Genre: Horror, Thriller 

When five sorority girls inadvertently cause the murder of one of their sisters in a prank gone wrong, they agree to keep the matter to themselves and never speak of it again, so they can get on with their lives. This proves easier said than done, when after graduation a mysterious killer goes after the five of them and anyone who knows their secret...

Studio: Summit Entertainment

Director: Stewart Hendler

Screenwriter: Josh Stolberg, Pete Goldfinger

Starring: Briana Evigan, Leah Pipes, Rumer Willis, Jamie Chung, Audrina Patridge, Carrie Fisher

The Invention of Lying

Release Date: October 2, 2009 

Genre: Comedy, Romance

From Ricky Gervais, the award-winning creator and star of the original BBC series "The Office" and HBO's "Extras," comes the new romantic comedy "The Invention of Lying," which takes place in an alternate reality where lying--even the concept of a lie--does not exist. Everyone--from politicians to advertisers to the man and woman on the street--speaks the truth and nothing but the truth with no thought of the consequences. But when a down-on-his-luck loser named Mark suddenly develops the ability to lie, he finds that dishonesty has its rewards. In a world where every word is assumed to be the absolute truth, Mark easily lies his way to fame and fortune. But lies have a way of spreading, and Mark begins to realize that things are getting a little out of control when some of his tallest tales are being taken as, well, gospel. With the entire world now hanging on his every word, there is only one thing Mark has not been able to lie his way into: the heart of the woman he loves.

Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Director: Ricky Gervais, Matt Robinson

Screenwriter: Ricky Gervais, Matt Robinson

Starring: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Louis C.K., Jeffrey Tambor, Fionnula Flanagan, Rob Lowe, Tina Fey

Whip It

Release Date: October 2, 2009 

Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama 

"Whip It," the directorial debut of Drew Barrymore, stars Ellen Page ("Juno") as Bliss, a rebellious Texas teen who throws in her small town beauty pageant crown for the rowdy world of roller derby. Marcia Gay Harden ("Mystic River," "Pollock") plays Bliss' disapproving mother, while Kristen Wiig ("Saturday Night Live") and Juliette Lewis ("Old School") play roller-derby stars. Also starring Eve, Jimmy Fallon, and Daniel Stern.

Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures

Director: Drew Barrymore

Screenwriter: Shauna Cross

Starring: Ellen Page, Marcia Gay Harden, Kristen Wiig, Julieete Lewis, Eve, Jimmy Fallon, Daniel Stern, Drew Barrymore

The Damned United

Release Date: October 9, 2009 (NY, LA)

Genre: Drama, Sports

Set in 1960's and 1970's England, "The Damned United" tells the confrontational and darkly humorous story of Brian Clough's doomed 44 day tenure as manager of the reigning champions of English football Leeds United.

Previously managed by his bitter rival Don Revie, and on the back of their most successful period ever as a football club, Leeds was perceived by many to represent a new aggressive and cynical style of football - an anathema to the principled yet flamboyant Brian Clough, who had achieved astonishing success as manager of Hartlepool and Derby County building teams in his own vision with trusty lieutenant Peter Taylor. Taking the Leeds job without Taylor by his side, with a changing room full of what in his mind were still Don's boys, would lead to an unheralded examination of Clough's belligerence and brilliance over 44 days. This is that story. The story of The Damned United.

"The Damned United" stars Michael Sheen ("The Deal," "The Queen," "Frost/Nixon") as the legendary, opinionated football manager Brian Clough with Timothy Spall ("Secrets and Lies," "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," "Sweeney Todd") as his right hand man, only friend, and crutch Peter Taylor. Colm Meaney ("Layer Cake," "Intermission," "The Commitments") plays Clough's nemesis Don Revie, Jim Broadbent plays Sam Longson, Derby Chairman. Stephen Graham plays Leeds Captain Billy Bremner and Peter McDonald his midfield partner Johnny Giles.

Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

Director: Tom Hooper

Screenwriter: Peter Morgan

Starring: Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall, Colm Meaney, Jim Broadbent, Stephen Graham, Peter McDonald

Gentlemen Broncos

Release Date: October 30, 2009 (limited) 

Genre: Comedy

Benjamin (Michael Angarano), home-schooled by his eccentric mother (Jennifer Coolidge), is a loveable loner whose passion for writing leads him on an offbeat and hilarious journey as his story first gets ripped off by the legendary fantasy novelist, Ronald Chevalier (Jemaine Clement) and then is adapted into a disastrous movie by the small town’s most prolific homespun filmmaker.

Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures

Director: Jared Hess

Screenwriter: Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess

Starring: Michael Angarano, Jennifer Coolidge, Jemaine Clement, Mike White, Sam Rockwell

Youth in Revolt

Release Date: October 30, 2009 (limited) 

Genre: Comedy

"Youth in Revolt," is the outrageous and heartwarming tale of Nick Twisp (Michael Cera) and his quest to win the heart of Sheeni (newcomer Portia Doubleday) and hopefully lose his virginity along the way. Based on C.D. Payne's cult-hit novel of the same name, "Youth in Revolt".

Studio: Dimension Films (The Weinstein Company), MGM

Director: Miguel Arteta

Screenwriter: Gustin Nash, Miguel Arteta, Michael Cera

Starring: Michael Cera, Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta, Justin Long, Jean Smart, Ari Graynor, Fred Willard, Zach Galifianakis, Mary Kay Place

Hallowen II

Genre: Horror, Suspense Thriller 

It's that time of year again, and Michael Myers has returned home to sleepy Haddonfield, Illinois to take care of some unfinished family business. Unleashing a trail of terror that only horror master Rob Zombie can, Myers will stop at nothing to bring closure to the secrets of his twisted past. But the town's got an unlikely new hero, if they can only stay alive long enough to stop the unstoppable.

Studio: Dimension Films (The Weinstein Company)

Director: Rob Zombie

Screenwriter: Rob Zombie

Starring: Scout Taylor-Compton, Tyler Mane, Danielle Harris, Daniel Roebuck, Ezra Buzzington, Mark Christopher Lawrence, Jeffrey Daniel Phillips, Dayton Callie, Richard Brake, Matt Bush, Howard Hesseman

Bronson

Release Date: October 9, 2009 (limited) 

Genre: Action

In 1974, a misguided 19-year-old named Michael Peterson decided he wanted to make a name for himself and so, with a homemade sawn-off shotgun and a head full of dreams he attempted to rob a post office. Swiftly apprehended and originally sentenced to 7 years in jail, Peterson has subsequently been behind bars for 34 years, 30 of which have been spent in solitary confinement. With an intelligent, provocative and stylized approach, "Bronson" (based on a true story) follows the metamorphosis of Mickey Peterson into Britain's most dangerous prisoner, Charles Bronson.

Studio: Magnet Releasing

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn

Screenwriter: Brock Norman Brock

Starring: Tom Hardy

Extract

Release Date: September 4, 2009 

Genre: Comedy

In "Extract," writer/director Mike Judge ("Beavis and Butt-Head," "King of the Hill") returns to the fertile territory of the American workplace, rotating his perspective away from the white collar cubicle warriors of "Office Space" and towards a blue collar boss – a small business owner – who employs an odd cast of losers, loners and misfits in his flavor extract factory.

To the outside eye, Joel Reynold (Jason Bateman) seems to have everything. After all, being the owner of a business he built from the ground up - with its patented brand of culinary extracts - should make the "Extract King" a happy man.

However, if Joel hasn't reached his front door by 8 o'clock, he'll find his wife, Suzie (Kristen Wiig) cinching up her sweatpants – and about as interested in him as he is in her mastery of supermarket coupon design. Sexually frustrated, Joel confides in his best pal, Dean (Ben Affleck), a barkeep – and soon finds himself wrapped up in a convoluted scheme to make Suzie cheat on him first with a dim-witted gigolo (Dustin Milligan) – thereby allowing him to pursue beautiful new employee Cindy (Mila Kunis) with a clear conscience. Unbeknownst to Joel, the object of his affections is a con artist/sociopath - just one step away from having her parole revoked.

Studio: Miramax Films

Director: Mike Judge

Screenwriter: Mike Judge

Starring: Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Ben Affleck, Mila Kunis, J.K. Simmons, David Koechner, Clifton Collins Jr., T.J. Miller, Beth Grant, Gene Simmons

Coco Before Channel

Release Date: September 25, 2009 (NY, LA) 

Genre: Drama 

A little girl who is sent with her sister to an orphanage in the heart of France, who waits in vain every Sunday for her father to come for her...

A cabaret performer with a weak voice who sings to an audience of drunken soldiers...

A humble seamstress, who stitches hems at the back of a provincial tailor's shop...

A young, skinny courtesan, to whom protector Etienne Balsan offers a safe haven, amongst the idle and decadent...

A woman in love who knows she will never be anyone's wife, refusing marriage even to Boy Capel, the man who returned her love...

A rebel who finds the conventions of her time oppressive, and instead dresses in her lovers' clothes...

This is the story of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, who begins her life as a headstrong orphan, and through an extraordinary journey becomes the legendary couturier who embodied the modern woman and became a timeless symbol of success, freedom and style.

Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

Director: Anne Fontaine

Screenwriter: Anne Fontaine, Camille Fontaine

Starring: Audrey Tautou, Benoit Poelvoorde, Alessandro Nivola, Marie Gillain, Emmanuelle Devos

Free Style

Release Date: October 9, 2009 (limited) 

Genre: Drama, Family

"Free Style" stars "High School Musical's" Corbin Bleu, as Cale Bryant, in an inspirational and uplifting story for the entire family about a young man's determination to win a coveted spot on the Grand National motocross racing team. With the support of his loving mother (Penelope Ann Miller, "Kindergarten Cop"), precocious little sister (Madison Pettis, "Seven Pounds," "The Game Plan") and new girlfriend (Sandra Echeverria, Telemundo's "Marina"), Cale proves against all odds that he has the heart, the willpower and the courage never to give up on his dream.

Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Director: William Dear

Screenwriter: Jeffrey Nicholson, Joshua Leibner

Starring: Corbin Bleu, Penelope Ann Miller, Madison Pettis, Matt Bellefleur, Grant Langston, Sandra Echeverria

St. Trinian's

Release Date: October 2, 2009 (limited) 

Genre: Comedy

St Trinian's, the infamous school for 'young ladies' is once again facing dire financial crisis! The bank are threatening headmistress Camilla Fritton with closure. Her unorthodox doctrine of free expression and self empowerment is also under threat from new Education Minister Geoffrey Thwaits, an old flame of Camilla's who is determined to bring discipline and order to the anarchic school.

In true St Trinian style the girls are in a league of their own; smart, fearless and determined to defend the school they love to the end. They need to unite the warring girl gang cliques and come up with the cash fast to save the school.

Studio: NeoClassics Films

Director: Oliver Parker, Barnaby Thompson

Screenwriter: Piers Ashworth

Starring: Mischa Barton, Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Lena Headey, Caterina Murino, Stephen Fry, Jodie Whittaker, Celia Imrie, Anna Chancellor, Gemma Arterton, Russell Brand, Toby Jones, Lily Cole

Endgame

Release Date: October 30, 2009 (limited) 

Genre: Thriller

Thriller that takes place half in South Africa and half in England. "Endgame" is a true story about the secret talks that brought down the Apartheid regime, and it's a political thriller dealing with the politics of South Africa at that time, a story about hope and about two men who hate each other at the beginning of the movie, because they're enemies, who basically have to learn to trust each other or otherwise, the future of their country is in jeopardy.

Studio: Monterey Media

Director: Pete Travis

Screenwriter: Paula Milne

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Strong, William Hurt, Jonny Lee Miller, Derek Jacobi, Clarke Peters

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Chritsmas 3D

Release date: October 23, 2009 (re-release) 

Genre: Animation, Family, Fantasy, Musical

A holiday tradition continues this Halloween when Tim Burton's classic, "The Nightmare Before Christmas," makes a return to the big screen in stunning Disney Digital 3D. The dazzling new make-over of the musical-fantasy was led by the film's original filmmaking team of Academy Award® nominated writer/producer Tim Burton ("Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Corpse Bride") and director Henry Selick ("James and the Giant Peach") as well as the talented technical wizards at Industrial Light + Magic in collaboration with In-Three, Inc." Audiences will get closer than ever to Halloweentown's beloved Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington (voice of Chris Sarandon), as he attempts to take over the Christmas holiday. Against the advice of Sally (voice of Catherine O'Hara), a lonely rag doll who has feelings for him, Jack enlists three mischievous trick-or-treaters - Lock, Shock, and Barrel - to help him kidnap Santa Claus. Jack eventually realizes his mistake but has to contend with the evil Oogie Boogie before he can make things right and restore the Christmas holiday. Fueled by an unforgettable soundtrack featuring ten ghoulishly delightful songs by Danny Elfman ("Corpse Bride," "Big Fish") who also provided the singing voice for Jack, Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D" combines the artistry of stop-motion animation with state-of-the-art digital technology to create a unique and entertaining movie-going experience that has become annual holiday event for the entire family.

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures

Director: Henry Selick

Screenwriter: Caroline Thompson, Tim Burton, Michael McDowell

Starring: Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix, Paul Reubens, Ken Page

Law Abiding Citizen

Release Date: October 16, 2009 

Genre: Psychological Thriller 

Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) is an upstanding family man whose wife and daughter are brutally murdered during a home invasion. When the killers are caught, Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), a hotshot young Philadelphia prosecutor, is assigned to the case. Over his objections, Nick is forced by his boss to offer one of the suspects a light sentence in exchange for testifying against his accomplice.

Fast forward ten years. The man who got away with murder is found dead and Clyde Shelton coolly admits his guilt. Then he issues a warning to Nick: Either fix the flawed justice system that failed his family, or key players in the trial will die.

Soon Shelton follows through on his threats, orchestrating from his jail cell a string of spectacularly diabolical assassinations that can be neither predicted nor prevented. Philadelphia is gripped with fear as Shelton's high-profile targets are slain one after another and the authorities are powerless to halt his reign of terror. Only Nick can stop the killing, and to do so he must outwit this brilliant sociopath in a harrowing contest of wills in which even the smallest misstep means death. With his own family now in Shelton's crosshairs, Nick finds himself in a desperate race against time facing a deadly adversary who seems always to be one step ahead.

Studio: Overture Films

Director: F. Gary Gray

Screenwriter: Kurt Wimmer

Starring: Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Bruce McGill, Colm Meaney, Leslie Bibb, Michael Irby, Regina Hall, Viola Davis

The Vampire's Assistant

Release Date: October 23, 2009 

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy

"Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant," based on the popular series of books by Darren Shan, is a fantasy-adventure about a teenager who unknowingly breaks a 200-year-old truce between two warring factions of vampires. Pulled into a fantastic life of misunderstood sideshow freaks and grotesque creatures of the night, one teen will vanish from the safety of a boring existence and fulfill his destiny in a place drawn from nightmares.

16-year-old Darren (Chris Massoglia) was like most kids in his suburban neighborhood. He hung out with his best friend Steve (Josh Hutcherson), got decent grades and usually stayed out of trouble. But when he and his buddy stumble upon a traveling freak show, things begin to change inside Darren. That's the exact moment when a vampire named Larten Crepsley (John C. Reilly) turns him into something, well, bloodthirsty.

Newly undead, he joins the Cirque Du Freak, a touring sideshow filled with monstrous creatures from a snakeboy and a wolfman to a bearded lady (Salma Hayek) and a gigantic barker (Ken Watanabe). As Darren flexes his newfound powers in this dark world, he becomes a treasured pawn between the vampires and their deadlier counterparts. And while trying to survive, one boy will struggle to keep their brewing war from devouring what's left of his humanity. 

Studio: Universal Pictures

Director: Paul Weitz

Screenwriter: Paul Weitz, Brian Helgeland

Starring: John C. Reilly, Ken Watanabe, Josh Hutcherson, Chris Massoglia, Ray Stevenson, Patrick Fugit, Orlando Jones, Willem Dafoe, Salma Hayek

Antichrist

Release Date: October 23, 2009 (NY, LA) 

Genre: Horror, Thriller

A grieving couple retreats to their cabin, "Eden," in the woods, hoping a return to the woods will repair their broken hearts and troubled marriage. But nature takes its course and things go from bad to worse...

Studio: IFC Films

Director: Lars von Trier

Screenwriter: Anders Thomas Jensen

Starring: Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg

Trailer:

Couples Retreat

Release Date: October 9, 2009 

Genre: Comedy 

Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Malin Akerman, Kristin Davis, Kristen Bell and Faizon Love star in Universal Pictures' upcoming comedy "Couples Retreat." Based on an original idea of Vaughn's, the comedy follows four Midwestern couples who embark on a journey to a tropical island resort. While one of the couples is there to work on their marriage, the other three set out to jet ski, spa and enjoy some fun in the sun. They soon discover that participation in the resort’s couples therapy is not optional. Suddenly, their group-rate vacation comes at a price. What follows is a hilarious look at real world problems faced by all couples. The film also stars Kali Hawk and Jean Reno.

Studio: Universal Pictures

Director: Peter Billingsley

Screenwriter: Jon Favreau

Starring: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Malin Akerman, Kristin Davis, Kristen Bell, Faizon Love, Kali Hawk, Jean Reno

Ong Bak 2: The Beginning

Release Date: October 23, 2009 (limited) 

Genre: Action

Set in the regal times of King Naresuan, Tien (Tony Jaa) is a man who was born into nobility but had it stripped from him after his parents were brutally murdered. During his childhood Tien learned Khon, a form of dance which is usually reserved for royalty. Although he didn't know it yet, Khon would later prove to be an invaluable aide to him. After seeing his parents murdered at the tender age of 10, Tien is forced to live on the streets where he is eventually captured by a group of thieves who take him in and teach him how to steal and fight.

Tien's expertise as a thief and fighter grows and it isn't long before he is made head thief. Then Tien sees something that makes his stomach churn. A competition is being held to find the best knights to serve under the very man who had killed Tien's parents all those years ago. Tien passes the tests easily and is made Lord Rachasana's 2nd Knight. Now, he has his opportunity to strike but he will have to use all his skill and ingenuity if he is going to get his revenge on the man who killed his parents.

Studio: Magnet Releasing (Magnolia Pictures)

Director: Tony Jaa

Screenwriter: Panna Rittikrai

Starring: Tony Jaa, Sorapong Chatree, Sarunyu Wongkrachang, Nirut Sirichanya, Santisuk Promsiri, Primorata Dejudom

Carriers

Release Date: September 4, 2009 (limited) 

Genre: Horror, Thriller 

Four friends fleeing a viral pandemic soon learn they are more dangerous than any virus.

Studio: Paramount Vantage

Director: Alex Pastor, David Pastor

Screenwriter: Alex Pastor, David Pastor

Starring: Chris Pine, Piper Perabo, Christopher Meloni

Trailer:

Amelia

Release Date: October 23, 2009 

Genre: Biography, Drama

An extraordinary life of adventure, celebrity and continuing mystery comes to light in "Amelia," a vast, thrilling account of legendary aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart (two time Academy Award® winner Hilary Swank).

After becoming the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, Amelia was thrust into a new role as America's sweetheart - the legendary "goddess of light," known for her bold, larger-than-life charisma. Yet, even with her global fame solidified, her belief in flirting with danger and standing up as her own, outspoken woman never changed. She was an inspiration to people everywhere, from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt (Cherry Jones) to the men closest to her heart: her husband, promoter and publishing magnate George P. Putnam (Golden Globe® winner Richard Gere), and her long time friend and lover, pilot Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor). In the summer of 1937, Amelia set off on her most daunting mission yet: a solo flight around the world that she and George both anxiously foresaw as destined, whatever the outcome, to become one of the most talked-about journeys in history.

Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures

Director: Mira Nair

Screenwriter: Ronald Bass, Anna Hamilton Phelan

Starring: Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Eccleston, Mia Wasikowska

More Than Game

Release Date: October 2, 2009 (limited; expands: Oct. 9)

Genre: Documentary, Sports

"More Than a Game" tells the true story of five talented young basketball players, including future NBA superstar LeBron James, and their remarkable journey from Akron, Ohio to the national high school championship series.

Five talented young basketball players from Akron, Ohio star in "More Than a Game," a remarkable true-life coming of age story about friendship and loyalty in the face of great adversity. Coached by a charismatic but inexperienced player's father, and led by future NBA superstar LeBron James, the "Fab Five's" improbable nine-year journey leads them from a decrepit inner-city gym to the doorstep of a national high school championship. Along the way, the close-knit team is repeatedly tested -- both on and off the court -- as James' exploding worldwide celebrity threatens to destroy everything they've set out to achieve together.

"More Than a Game" combines a series of unforgettable one-on-one interviews with rare news footage, never-before-seen home videos, and personal family photographs to bring this heart-wrenching and wholly American story to life. 

Studio: Lionsgate

Director: Kristopher Belman

Screenwriter: Kristopher Belman, Brad Hogan

Starring: LeBron James

Love Happens

Release Date: September 18, 2009 


Genre: Drama

Eckhart will play a widower whose book about grieving turns him into a phenomenon. Reinvented as a charismatic self-help guru, he falls for a woman at a seminar and is forced to confront the fact that he hasn't come to grips with his own loss.

Studio: Universal Pictures

Director: Brandon Camp

Screenwriter: Brandon Camp, Mike Thompson

Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Aaron Eckhart, Dan Fogler, Judy Greer, Martin Sheen, Joe Anderson, John Carroll Lynch

Astro Boy

Release Date: October 23, 2009

Genre: Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi 

A thrilling tale of a true hero, "Astro Boy" is an all-new, feature film full of action, adventure, humor and heart. It will be brought to life on the big screen in breathtaking CGI animation on October 23rd, 2009.

Set in futuristic Metro City, "Astro Boy" is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist named Tenma (Nicolas Cage). Powered by positive "blue" energy, Astro Boy (Freddie Highmore) is endowed with super strength, x-ray vision, unbelievable speed and the ability to fly.

Embarking on a journey in search of acceptance, Astro Boy encounters many other colorful characters along the way. Through his adventures, he learns the joys and emotions of being human, and gains the strength to embrace his destiny. Ultimately learning his friends and family are in danger, Astro Boy marshals his awesome super powers and returns to Metro City in a valiant effort to save everything he cares about and to understand what it takes to be a hero. 

Studio: Summit Entertainment

Director: David Bowers

Screenwriter: Timothy Harris

Starring: Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Nathan Lane, Bill Nighy, Eugene Levy, Matt Lucus, Donald Sutherland

Trailer:

Shutter Island

Release Date: October 2, 2009 

Genre: Psychological Thriller

From Oscar®-winning director Martin Scorsese, "Shutter Island" is the story of two U.S. marshals, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), who are summoned to a remote and barren island off the cost of Massachusetts to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a murderess from the island's fortress-like hospital for the criminally insane.

Studio: Paramount Pictures

Director: Martin Scorsese

Screenwriter: Laeta Kalogridis

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Patricia Clarkson, Max von Sydow

Trailer

Black Dynamite

Release Date: September 4, 2009 (limited)

Genre: Action, Comedy

When "The Man" murders his brother, pumps heroin into local orphanages, and floods the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor, Black Dynamite is the one hero willing to fight all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky House.

Studio: Destination Films (Sony)

Director: Scott Sanders

Screenwriter: Michael Jai White, Byron Minns, Scott Sanders

Starring: Miguel Núñez, Obba Babatunde, Kevin Chapman, Tommy Davidson, Richard Edson, Arsenio Hall, Darrel Heath, Buddy Lewis, Brian McKnight, Byron Minns, James McManus, Phil Morris, Miguel Nunez, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Tucker Smallwood, John Salley, Chris Spencer, Mike Starr, Nicole Sullivan, Kym Whitley, Mykelti Williamson, Bokeem Woodbine, Cedric Yarbrough, Roger Yuan

Whiteout

Release Date: September 11, 2009

Genre: Action, Thriller

Based on the graphic novel by Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber, published by Oni Press. 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. 

Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Director: Dominic Sena

Screenwriter: Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, Chad Hayes, Carey W. Hayes

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Gabriel Macht, Columbus Short, Tom Skerritt, Alex O'Loughlin, Shawn Doyle

Gamer

Release Date: September 4, 2009

Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller

High-concept action thriller set in a near future when gaming and entertainment have evolved into a terrifying new hybrid. Humans control other humans in mass-scale, multi-player online games: people play people... for keeps. Mind-control technology is widespread, and at the heart of the controversial games is its creator, reclusive billionaire Ken Castle (Michael C. Hall). His latest brainchild, the first-person shooter game "Slayers," allows millions to act out their most savage fantasies online in front of a global audience, using real prisoners as avatars with whom they fight to the death.

Kable ("300's" Gerard Butler) is the superstar and cult hero of the ultraviolent "Slayers." Kable is controlled by Simon, a young gamer with rock star status who continues to defy all odds by guiding Kable to victory each week. Taken from his family, imprisoned and forced to fight against his will, the modern day gladiator must survive long enough to escape the game to free his family, regain his identity and to save mankind from Castle's ruthless technolog

Studio: Lionsgate
Director: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor
Screenwriter: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor
Starring: Gerald Butler, Michael C. Hall, Alison Lohman, Amber Valleta, Logan Lerman, Kyra Sedgwick, Ludacris, John Leguizamo, Zoe Bell, Tery Crews

9

Release Date: September 9, 2009

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Fantasy, SciFi   

A new era in animated storytelling begins on 9.9.09. Visionary filmmakers Tim Burton ("The Corpse Bride," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory") and Timur Bekmambetov ("Wanted," "Nightwatch") join forces to produce wunderkind director Shane Acker's distinctively original and thrilling tale. "9" stars Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer and Crispin Glover and features the music of Danny Elfman.

When 9 ("The Lord of the Ring's" Elijah Wood) first comes to life, he finds himself in a post-apocalyptic world. All humans are gone, and it is only by chance that he discovers a small community of others like him taking refuge from fearsome machines that roam the earth intent on their extinction. Despite being the neophyte of the group, 9 convinces the others that hiding will do them no good. They must take the offensive if they are to survive, and they must discover why the machines want to destroy them in the first place. As they'll soon come to learn, the very future of civilization may depend on them. 

Studio: Focus Features
Director: Shane Acker
Screenwriter: Pamela Pettler
Starring: Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer, John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover

Alvin and the Chipmunk: the Squeakquel

Release Date: December 25, 2009

Genre: Comedy, Family

David Seville and chipmunks Alvin, Simon and Theodore, return in the sequel to lay waste to Seville's surroundings and sing in three-part harmony. The sequel movie introduce the Chipmunks' female counterparts, the Chipettes.

Director: Betty Thomas
Starring: Jason Lee, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Anna Faris, Christina Applegate, Amy Poehler

Final Destination: Death Trip

Release Date: August 28, 2009

Genre: Horror, Thriller

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 carto 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.

Studio: New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Picture

Director: David R. Ellis

Screenwriter: Eric Bress

Starring: Krista Allen, Nick Zano, Shantel VanSanten, Bobby Campo, Hayley Webb

Ponyo

Genre: Adventure, Animation


From the Academy Award®-winning director and world-renowned Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki comes "Ponyo," a story inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Little Mermaid." Already a box-office success in Japan, the story of a young and overeager goldfish named Ponyo (voiced by Noah Cyrus) and her quest to become human features an outstanding roster of voice talent, including Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Cloris Leachman, Liam Neeson, Lily Tomlin, Betty White and Frankie Jonas as Sosuke, a young boy who befriends Ponyo.
 

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Screenwriter: Hayao Miyazaki, Melissa Mathison

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Noah Cyrus, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Frankie Jonas, Cloris Leachman, Liam Neeson, Lily Tomlin, Betty White

Rating: 7/10