Only the strong survive

May 9

Etoiles: Dancers of

the Paris Opera Ballet

Documentary

First Run

The idea: Weaves together footage of the troupe, founded in 1713 by Louis XIV, on the road, in rehearsal and in scenes from classic ballets.

Director: Nils Tavernier.

So? Tavernier is son of French cineaste-turned-filmmaker Bertrand.

A Family Affair

Comedy

Small Planet

With: Helen Lesnick, Arlene Golonka, Barbara Stuart, Michelle Greene.

The idea: Woman returns home to San Diego from New York, seeks new girlfriend.

Writer-director: Lesnick.

So? Sharp observations.

Manic

Drama

IFC

With: Don Cheadle, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Michael Bacall.

The idea: Psychologist tries to help an ensemble of troubled youngsters overcome their demons.

Writers: Bacall, Blayne Weaver.

Director: Jordan Melamed.

So? Dusty, as in on the shelf awhile.

The Man on the Train

Drama

Paramount Classics

With: Jean Rochefort, Johnny Hallyday.

The idea: Unexpected encounter between a retired poetry teacher and a crook leads them both to contemplate the road not taken.

Writer: Claude Kotz.

Director: Patrice Leconte.

So? Fateful longing.

Marooned in Iraq

Drama

Wellspring

With: Shahab Ebrahimi, Faegh Mohammadi, Allah-Morad Rashtian.

The idea: Kurdish musician enlists his two sons in an effort to rescue his ex-wife from the chaos of Iraq after the Iranian war.

Writers: Bahman Ghobadi, Fairbor Kamkari.

Director: Ghobadi.

So? Coincidentally topical.

Only the Strong Survive

Documentary

Miramax

With: Isaac Hayes, Sam Moore, Mary Wilson, Rufus Thomas and others.

The idea: Catching up with soul singers of the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Directors: D.A. Pennebaker, Chris Hegedus.

So? The amazing legacy of a musical moment in time.

The Shape of Things

Drama

Focus Features

With: Rachel Weisz, Paul Rudd, Gretchen Mol, Frederick Weller.

The idea: Tale of love and art in college setting focuses on two couples.

Writer-director: Neil LaBute, based on his play.

So? The sting of truth, delivered as only LaBute does it.

May 15

The Matrix Reloaded

Sci-fi action

Warner Bros.

With: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Jada Pinkett Smith, Monica Bellucci.

The idea: Freedom fighters continue rebellion against the Machine Army.

Writer-directors: The Wachowski brothers.

So? Future tense.

May 16

L’Auberge Espagnole

Comedy

Fox Searchlight

With: Romain Duris, Cecile de France, Audrey Tautou, Judith Godreche.

The idea: Young Parisian gets an education in life when he spends his senior year in Barcelona.

Writer-director: Cedric Klapisch.

So? The French loved it.

Chi-Hwa-Seon

(Painted Fire)

Drama

Kino International

With: Choi Min-sik, Ahn Sung-ki.

The idea: Nineteenth century Korean painter Jang Seung-ub pursues art through hedonism.

Writers: Im Kwon-taek, Kim Yong-ok, Min Byung-sam.

Director: Im.

So? Im tied for best director with Paul Thomas Anderson last year at Cannes.

Cremaster 3

Avant-garde

Palm

With: Richard Serra, Matthew Barney, Aimee Mullins.

The idea: Protagonist Barney’s adversaries include the Order of the Rainbow for Girls and two New York rock bands.

Writer-director: Barney.

So? Arty films by art-world cult figure.

Down With Love

Comedy

Fox

With: Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, David Hyde Pierce, Sarah Paulson, Tony Randall.

The idea: She’s sworn it off, he doesn’t need it.

Writers: Eve Ahlert & Dennis Drake.

Director: Peyton Reed.

So? Homage to Rock Hudson-Doris Day romps.

Friends and Family

Comedy

Regent

With: Greg Lauren, Christopher Gartin, Tony Lo Bianco, Anna Maria Alberghetti.

The idea: Gay couple tries to conceal the truth (they’re mob enforcers) from parents.

Writer: Joseph Triebwasser.

Director: Kristen Coury.

So? Friend or faux?

Pokemon Heroes

Animated adventure

Miramax

With: Voices of Veronica Taylor, Eric Stuart, Rachel Lillis, Maddie Blaustein.

The idea: A mysterious city on water and two new Pokemon figures.

Writers: Hideki Sonoda, Jim Malone.

Directors: Kunihiko Yuyama, Malone.

So? Fifth grade.

Spellbound

Documentary

ThinkFilm

With: Harry Altman, Angela Arenivar, Ted Brigham, April DeGideo, Neil Kadakia, Nupur Lala, Emily Stagg and Ashley White.

The idea: Fourteen-year-olds compete in the National Spelling Bee.

Director: Jeff Blitz.

So? F-a-s-c-i-n-a-t-i-n-g.

The Trip

Drama

TLA Releasing

With: Larry Sullivan, Steve Braun, Alexis Arquette, Jill St. John.

The idea: Politically mismatched gay couple navigates political and social changes of ‘70s and ‘80s America.

Writer-director: Miles Swain.

So? Patronizing and stale.

May 21

Tycoon

Thriller

New Yorker

With: Vladimir Mashkov.

The idea: Idealistic academic makes a killing in post-Soviet business scheme, becomes richest man in Russia -- and a target for assassination.

Writers: Alexander Borodianski, Pavel Lounguine, Yuli Dubov, adapted from the novel by Dubov.

Director: Lounguine.

So? Ruthless, cynical, blunt.

May 23

On_Line

Drama

Indican

With: Josh Hamilton, Harold Perrineau, Isabel Gillies, John Fleck.

The idea: An erotic Web site is the hub of activity in the streaming-video story of some peculiar Net denizens.

Writers: Andrew Osborne and Jed Weintrob.

Director: Weintrob.

So? Seems rather dial-up in a broadband world.

Respiro

Drama

Sony Pictures Classics

With: Valeria Golino, Vincenzo Amato, Francesco Asisa, Veronica D’Agostino.

The idea: Free-spirited young mother raises eyebrows among the locals on a small Sicilian island.

Writer-director: Emanuele Crialese.

So? That’s Italian.

The Sea

Comedy

Palm

With: Gunar Eyjolfsson, Hilmir Snaer Guonason, Helene de Fougerolles, Kristbjorg Kjeld.

The idea: Icelandic patriarch summons his children to a difficult homecoming.

Writers: Baltasar Kormakur, Olafur Haukur Simonarsen.

Director: Kormakur.

So? Kormakur made his international rep with “101 Reykjavik” in 2000.

Sweet Sixteen

Drama

Lions Gate

With: Martin Compston, William Ruane, Annemarie Fulton, Michelle Coulter, Gary McCormack.

The idea: Scottish teen plans for a new start upon his mum’s release from prison.

Writer: Paul Laverty.

Director: Ken Loach.

So? High art, low life.

Bruce Almighty

Comedy

Universal

With: Jim Carrey, Morgan Freeman, Jennifer Aniston, Philip Baker Hall.

The idea: God hands TV reporter an unusual assignment: play God.

Writers: Steve Koren & Mark O’Keefe, Steve Oedekerk; story by Koren & O’Keefe.

Director: Tom Shadyac.

So? High uplift potential.

May 30

A Decade Under the Influence

Documentary

IFC

The idea: Casts an eye on the revolution in filmmaking in the 1970s, the age of Coppola, Scorsese, Altman, et al.

Directors: The late Ted Demme and Richard Lagravenese.

So? The elders are interviewed by disciples such as Neil LaBute, Nick Cassavetes and screenwriter Scott Frank.

Finding Nemo

Animated adventure

Walt Disney

With: Voices of Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush.

The idea: Overprotective father fish undertakes an epic search for his son.

Writer-director: Andrew Stanton.

So? No. 5 for Pixar, which so far is four for four.

Gigantic (A Tale

of Two Johns)

Documentary

Cowboy Pictures

With: They Might Be Giants (John Flansburgh, John Linnell).

The idea: Chronicles the 20-year saga of the eccentric alt-pop duo.

Director: AJ Schnack.

So? Appearances by Janeane Garofalo, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, etc.

The Italian Job

Action

Paramount

With: Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton (against his will), Charlize Theron, Donald Sutherland, Seth Green, Frankie G.

The idea: Double-crossed thief tracks former partner to L.A.

Writers: Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Donna Powers & Wayne Powers; based on the 1969 film written by Troy Kennedy Martin.

Director: F. Gary Gray.

So? High-speed high jinks.

Together

Drama

United Artists

With: Liu Peiqi, Chen Hong, Wang Zhiwen, Chen Kaige.

The idea: Violin prodigy and his father move from small village to big-time Beijing.

Writers: Kaige, Xue Xiaolu.

Director: Kaige.

So? Sentimental journey.

Wrong Turn

Thriller

Fox

With: Jeremy Sisto, Eliza Dushku, Desmond Harrington, Emmanuelle Chriqui.

The idea: Kids become fast food when they stumble into West Virginia wilderness.

Writer: Alan B. McElroy.

Director: Rob Schmidt.

So? Stan Winston creature feature.