READY FOR THEIR DAY IN THE SUN

MAY 12

Bossa Nova. Amy Irving and Alexandre Borges star in a multicultural love story set in Rio de Janeiro. (Sony Pictures Classics)

Center Stage. An ensemble cast dances to the sounds of Prokofiev and the Red Hot Chili Peppers in writer Carol Heikkinen and director Nichols Hynter’s study of some aspiring hoofers. (Columbia)

The Girl Next Door. Director Christine Fugate’s portrait of the Tulsa housewife who moved west and became porn star Stacy Valentine. (Indican Pictures)

Held Up. Not a great day for Jamie Foxx: ditched in the desert by his girlfriend, carjacked and finally taken hostage in a robbery at the Sip & Zip. (Trimark)

Screwed. Writers-directors Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski orchestrate a screwball kidnapping involving a chauffeur (Norm Macdonald), a mortician (Danny DeVito) and a pooch. (Universal)

Went to Coney Island on a Mission From God . . . Be Back by Five. Two friends seek an old buddy rumored to be living at the famous amusement park. (Phaedra Cinema)

MAY 19

Dinosaur. Disney’s in-house debut in the computer animation game tells the story of an iguanodon named Aladar and his perilous quest. (Walt Disney)

Journey of Man. Cirque du Soleil performers enact the stages of human life in a 38-minute Imax 3-D film. (Sony Pictures Classics)

The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg. An examination of the 1930s and ‘40s baseball star and his inspirational role for his Jewish brethren. Directed by Aviva Kempner. (Cowboy Booking)

Road Trip. A student and his buddies race from Ithaca, N.Y., to Austin, Texas, to intercept a videotape of a momentary indiscretion before it reaches his girlfriend. (DreamWorks)

MAY 24

M:I-2. Tom Cruise returns as agent Ethan Hunt, and John Woo comes aboard as director, in this sequel to the ’96 action smash “Mission: Impossible.” (Paramount)

MAY 26

Better Living Through Circuitry. An exploration of the techno/rave culture, with performances and interviews with cutting-edge music figures such as Moby, Genesis P-Orridge and Kraftwerk’s Wolfgang Flur. (Seventh Art)

8 1/2 Women. Director Peter Greenaway’s look at a Fellini-inspired tale of a father and son’s attempt to assemble a harem of 8 1/2 (don’t ask) archetypal females. (Lions Gate)

Kikujiro. The eponymous tough guy and an 8-year-old boy embark on a revealing odyssey through rural Japan. (Sony Classics)

Passion of Mind. Alain Berliner (“Ma Vie en Rose”) makes his English-language debut, directing Demi Moore as a woman who leads parallel lives. Written by Ron Bass (“Rain Man”). (Paramount Classics)

Shanghai Noon. When a Chinese princess is kidnapped in the Old West, imperial guard Jackie Chan comes to her rescue with Owen Wilson in tow. (Touchstone)

MAY TO BE ANNOUNCED

Luminous Motion. When a mother and her 10-year-old son end a long, larcenous odyssey and try to settle down, their world begins to fall apart. (Artistic License)

JUNE 2

Beau Travail. Melville’s “Billy Budd” inspired this story of a French Foreign Legion outpost and the disorienting arrival of a new recruit. Directed by Claire Denis. (New Yorker Films)

On the Run. A soft-spoken travel agent (“The Sopranos’ ” Micheal Imperioli) is drawn out of his quiet shell when an old friend escapes from prison. (Phaedra Cinema)

Running Free. A young horse abandoned in rugged southwest Africa copes with encroaching war, a rival stallion and an inhospitable environment. (Columbia)

JUNE 9

American Pimp. The Hughes brothers (“Menace II Society,” “Dead Presidents”) analyze the phenomenon of the black urban pimp. (Seventh Art Releasing)

Catfish in Black Bean Sauce. Paul Winfield and Mary Alice as a black couple whose life changes--comically and poignantly--when the Vietnamese children they adopted contact their biological mother. (Black Hawk Entertainment)

Gone in Sixty Seconds. Action maestro Jerry Bruckheimer co-produced the story of the former Picasso of car theft (Nicolas Cage), drawn back into the fray when his brother gets in trouble. (Touchstone)

Love’s Labour’s Lost. Director, writer, co-producer and star Kenneth Branagh adapts Shakespeare’s comedy to 1930s Hollywood, complete with Irving Berlin and Cole Porter songs. (Miramax)

Pop & Me. Young filmmaker Chris Roe documents a seriocomic journey of mutual discovery he undertakes with his baby-boomer dad. (Seventh Art)

Sunshine. Ralph Fiennes plays three patriarchs in a century-spanning epic about a Hungarian family. Directed by Oscar winner Istvan Szabo (“Mephisto”). (Paramount Classics)

JUNE 16

Butterfly. Spain’s legendary actor Ferndando Fernan Gomez plays a man who becomes a mentor to a young boy in the shadow of the Spanish Civil War. (Miramax)

Fantasia 2000. After its Imax run, Disney’s update of its 1940 film moves to a regular format and a wide release.

Grass. Quick: What actor narrates this documentary on recreational marijuana use in the late 20th century? Hint: It’s not Charlton Heston. Yes, his initials are W.H. (Unapix Films)

Groove. A night at a San Francisco rave is a life-changing experience for two brothers and the women in their lives. (Sony Classics)

Titan A.E. That’s the name of a legendary spacecraft at the center of this animated futuristic adventure, with the voices of Matt Damon, Bill Pullman, Nathan Lane and Drew Barrymore. (Fox)

JUNE 21

Praise. Andrew McGahan adapted his novel about an odd couple who dive into an obsessive relationship built on sex and addiction. (Strand)

JUNE 23

Boricua’s Bond. Tropical singer Frankie Negron stars in a tale of friendship, dreams and violence in the South Bronx. Rappers including Big Pun, Method Man and Redman also appear in writer-director Val Lik’s feature debut. (USA Films)

Chicken Run. Clay animation from the “Wallace and Gromit” team features the voices of Mel Gibson, Julia Sawalha and Miranda Richardson in a tale of pullets on the lam. (DreamWorks)

Criminal Lovers. In this French entry, a teenage couple kill a classmate, then get in over their heads when they take the body deep into the woods. (Strand)

Me, Myself and Irene. Jim Carrey’s split personality complicates his courtship of Renee Zellweger in the Farrelly brothers’ latest comedy. (Fox)

JUNE 30

The Patriot. Reluctant warrior Mel Gibson is drawn back into conflict when the British come calling during the American Revolution. (Columbia)

The Perfect Storm. George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg head the cast in the fact-based story of the big one that hit New England in 1991. (Warner Bros.)

$pent. An aspiring actor’s gambling habit triggers a web of deceit that might be solved if he can get his script to Jack Nicholson. (Regent Entertainment)

Trixie. Emily Watson stars for director Adam Rudolph as a private detective who gets mixed up with some colorful characters. With Nick Nolte, Dermot Mulroney, Nathan Lane and Lesley Ann Warren. (Sony Pictures Classics)

JUNE TO BE ANNOUNCED

Jesus’ Son. Billy Crudup stars as a wasted-youth hero on a picaresque journey. With Samantha Morton, Denis Leary, Holly Hunter and Dennis Hopper. (Lions Gate)

JULY 7

Blood Simple. The newly restored and reedited director’s cut of the Coen brothers’ memorable debut, whose title is slang for the state of fear and confusion that follows the act of murder. (USA Films)

Disney’s The Kid. Successful image consultant Bruce Willis takes stock when he magically meets himself as an 8-year-old. (Walt Disney)

Shower. A prodigal son discovers the magic and importance of the Beijing bathhouse his father runs when he returns home. (Sony Pictures Classics)

JULY 14

Chuck & Buck. Director Miguel Arteta follows the acclaimed “Star Maps” with a dark comedy about a childlike 27-year-old’s fixation on his best friend. (Artisan Entertainment)

The Five Senses. Five characters experience self-discovery as their stories unfold against the backdrop of a child’s disappearance. (Fine Line)

Shadow Hours. Gas station clerk Balthazar Getty is lured by the mysterious Peter Weller into the seedy side of L.A night life.(Seven Arts International)

X-Men. Director Bryan Singer brings the popular comic-book superheroes to life. The cast includes Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman and Anna Paquin. (Fox)

JULY 21

In Crowd. A beautiful young woman discovers that a country club and its charismatic leader are not what they seem. Directed by Mary Lambert. (Warner Bros) july 21

Loser. “American Pie’s” Jason Biggs and “American Beauty’s” Mena Suvari portray two New York college misfits who find each other. Amy Heckerling (“Clueless”) wrote and directed. (Columbia)

Mad About Mambo. Upper-crust Keri Russell is a fiercely competitive dancer who tries out some new steps with a working-class Belfast lad. (USA Films)

The Woman Chaser. Patrick Warburton (“Seinfeld’s” Puddy) is a desperate used-car salesman in a black comedy designed to look like a film-noir treasure from 1960 L.A. (Definitive Films)

JULY 26

Thomas and the Magic Railroad. Alec Baldwin, Peter Fonda and Mara Wilson star in this blend of live action and animation spun off from the TV series “Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.” (Destination Films)

JULY 28

The Eyes of Tammy Faye. RuPaul Charles narrates this documentary on the fallen televangelist. (Lions Gate)

Girl on the Bridge. A knife thrower and a suicidal girl make a winning team in director Patrice Leconte’s romantic fantasy. (Paramount Classics)

Nutty Professor II: The Klumps. Eddie Murphy returns as inflated academic Sherman Klump, battling alter ego Buddy Love for control of a youth serum. (Universal)

Wonderland. A weekend gathering of a London family’s three generations brings changes and revelations in writer Laurence Coriat and director Michael Winterbottom’s domestic portrait. (USA Films)

JULY TO BE ANNOUNCED

Alice and Martin. Juliette Binoche, who won an Oscar for “The English Patient,” reunites with director Andre Techine (they did 1985’s “Rendez-Vous”) in this psychological drama. (USA Films)

I’m the One That I Want. Documents comedian Margaret Cho’s acclaimed one-woman show. (Cho-Taussig Productions)

Woman on Top. Penelope Cruz’s magical culinary touch leads her on a journey of self-discovery from her Brazilian village to San Francisco to a hit TV show. (Fox Searchlight)

AUG. 4

Coyote Ugly. Young singer-songwriter Piper Perabo hits New York and becomes a barmaid at the outrageous hot spot that gives this romantic comedy its name. (Touchstone)

The Legend of Bagger Vance. Caddy Will Smith’s instructions prove enlightening for disillusioned war veteran Matt Damon. Robert Redford directs Jeremy Leven and Richard LaGravenese’s adaptation of Steven Pressfield’s novel. (DreamWorks)

The Tao of Steve. Lao-Tzu, Kierkegaard and Marx (Groucho) provide the dating philosophy followed by a group of friends in Santa Fe. (Sony Classics)

AUG. 11

Bedazzled. Brendan Fraser makes a deal with the devil (Elizabeth Hurley) under the direction of Harold Ramis, who co-wrote with Larry Gelbart and Trevor Albert. (Fox)

Girlfight. This portrait of a woman (Michelle Rodriguez) who takes up boxing won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, and the best direction award for Karyn Kusama. (Screen Gems)

Godzilla 2000. The big fella flattens a Japanese city and battles a giant rock-shaped alien. (TriStar)

Impostor. Sci-fi guru Philip K. Dick’s short story is the basis for a futuristic thriller starring Gary Sinise and Madeleine Stowe. (Dimension Films)

AUG. 18

About Adam. Dublin is the setting for a comedy about a young man who meets a waitress and cuts a swath through her family and friends. (Miramax)

Bring It On. Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union head rival squads at the national cheerleading championships. (Universal)

Love & Sex. Famke Janssen and Jon Favreau as former lovers navigating the world of modern romance. (Lions Gate)

AUG. 25

The Crew. Four retired mobsters, led by Richard Dreyfuss and Burt Reynolds, creak into action when their South Beach residence hotel is threatened with yuppie takeover. (Touchstone)

The Replacements. Keanu Reeves and coach Gene Hackman lead a squad of gridiron misfits into the breach when the regular players go on strike. (Warner Bros.)

Solomon and Gaenor. The romance between a Welsh girl and a Jewish boy faces long odds in rural 1911 Wales. (Sony Oictures Classics)

Steal This Movie! Vincent D’Onofrio stars in the tragicomic story of counterculture activist Abbie Hoffman. (Lions Gate)

The Way of the Gun. Things get complicated for Ryan Phillippe and Benicio Del Toro when they kidnap the pregnant Juliette Lewis. (Artisan Entertainment)

AUGUST TO BE ANNOUNCED

An Affair of Love. Nathalie Baye (best actress winner at the Venice Film Festival) and Sergi Lopez launch a relationship that’s intended to be strictly sexual but has some surprises in store. (Fine Line)

The Ballad of Ramblin’ Jack. Aiyana Elliott’s documentary on her folk-singer father won the Special Jury Prize for Artistic Achievement at Sundance. (Lot 47 Films)

The Opportunists. Christopher Walken as an ex-criminal mechanic whose efforts to straighten up are challenged by the arrival of a relative from Ireland. (First Look Pictures)

Psycho Beach Party. Gidget goes haywire in this compendium of slasher, surfer and thriller genres. Directed by Robert Lee King and written by New York theater icon Charles Busch. (Strand)

Restless. The first U.S.-China co-production tells the story of a young American translator (Catherine Kellner) who finds romance in Beijing. (Arrow Entertainment)

The St. Francisville Experiment. What a concept--the purported footage shot during a foursome’s investigation of a haunted house in Louisiana. (Trimark)

Save the Last Dance. Middle-class ballerina Julia Stiles and hip-hop-happy Sean Patrick Thomas find romance when she enrolls in inner-city Chicago high school. (Paramount)

Skipped Parts. In 1963 small-town Wyoming, Jennifer Jason Leigh parties while her 14-year-old son Bug Hall reads the classics and discovers romance. (Trimark)

The Story of O. The postwar French existential novel is transposed to contemporary Los Angeles, where an aspiring photographer struggles to fulfill her artistic vision. (Phaedra Cinema)

Whipped. A group of friends’ weekly round-table about their sexual conquests is threatened when they all fall for Amanda Peet. (Destination Films)

TO BE ANNOUNCED

Crime + Punishment in Suburbia. Dostoevsky goes teenage wasteland as California kids Monica Keena and Vincent Kartheiser play out their story of romance and malfeasance. (United Artists)

I Was Made to Love Her. When comedian Chris Rock dies ahead of schedule, his heavenly hosts return him to Earth in the body of a Manhattan mogul. Directed by “American Pie’s” Chris and Paul Weitz. (Paramount)

The Other Brother. A ladies’ man tries to school his nice-guy brother in the ways of romance. (Xenon Entertainment Group)

Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her. First-time director Rodrigo Garcia conducts an ensemble piece formed of five interlocking stories about a diverse group of Valley women. (United Artists)

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EDITOR: Kinsey Lowe

RESEARCH: Kathleen Craughwell