A break in the action

The Babysitters

A Midwestern honors student working as a babysitter becomes a high-school madam, arranging dates between her girlfriends and neighborhood family men. With John Leguizamo, Katherine Waterston, Cynthia Nixon. Written and directed by David Ross. Peace Arch Entertainment Before the Rains

An English spice baron settles in South India during the waning years of the Raj. With Linus Roache, Jennifer Ehle. Directed by Santosh Sivan. Written by Cathy Rabin; based on the film “Red Roofs,” by Dan Verete. Roadside Attractions / Merchant Ivory

Friday

The Dhamma Brothers

Documentary visits an Alabama high-security prison as inmates participate in an extended Vipassana retreat, an emotionally and physically demanding course of silent meditation lasting 10 days. Directed by Jenny Phillips, Anne Marie Stein and Andrew Kukura. Balcony Releasing

The Fall

A bedridden man strikes up a friendship with an immigrant girl while in the hospital. With Lee Pace. Directed by Tarsem. Written by Dan Gilroy, Tarsem and Nico Soultanakis. Based on the film “Yo Ho Ho,” written by Valery Petrov. Roadside Attractions

Mister Lonely

A forlorn Michael Jackson impersonator falls for a faux Marilyn Monroe while something miraculous happens in the jungles of Latin American. With Diego Luna, Samantha Morton. Directed and co-written by Harmony Korine with Avi Korine. IFC Films

Never Forever

A seemingly perfect housewife unable to conceive a child with her successful Korean American husband begins a business-like affair with an illegal immigrant. With Vera Farmiga. Written and directed by Gina Kim. Arts Alliance America

OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies

Secret agent Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, a.k.a. OSS 117 follows in the tradition of Maxwell Smart and Inspector Clouseau, somehow succeeding in spite of his ineptitude. With Jean Dujardin. Directed and co-written by Michel Hazanavicius with Jean-Francois Halin. In French with English subtitles. Music Box Films.

A Previous Engagement

A Seattle librarian takes a family vacation to Malta with a secret agenda of fulfilling a date made 25 years earlier with her first love. With Juliet Stevenson, Daniel Stern. Written and directed by Joan Carr-Wiggin. Buccaneer Films / Palisades Pictures

Speed Racer

A fearless race car driver is out to save his family’s business from a corrupt corporation. With Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Fox. Written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski. Also opening in IMAX. Warner Bros.

Surfwise

A documentary about Dorian “Doc” Paskowitz, a nonconformist who walked away from a medical career in the 1960s to go to Israel, surf and raise a family. Directed by Doug Pray. Magnolia Pictures

The Tracey Fragments

A 15-year-old girl, wearing only a tattered curtain and trapped on a bus, is trying to find her missing and hypnotized brother during the coldest blizzard in years. With Ellen Page. Directed by Bruce McDonald. Written by Maureen Medved. ThinkFilm

Vice

A highly decorated but troubled cop gets caught up in a game of intrigue and foul play following a high-profile drug bust gone awry. With Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah, Mykelti Williamson. Written and directed by Raul Sanchez Ingles. 41 Inc.

What Happens in Vegas

Strangers awaken to discover they are bound by a quickie marriage and a large jackpot. With Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz (pictured). Directed by Tom Vaughan. Written by Dana Fox. 20th Century Fox

May 16

Bloodline

Filmmakers discover papers from a 19th century priest in southern France claiming to have evidence that Jesus did not die on the cross but married Mary Magdalene and had children. Directed by Bruce Burgess. Cinema Libre Studio

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

The fantasy series continues the C.S. Lewis saga with Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy returning to the kingdom only to discover that Narnia is overrun by Telmarines and a merciless tyrant. With William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley, Ben Barnes, Peter Dinklage. Directed by Andrew Adamson. Written by Adamson and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely. Walt Disney Studios.

How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer

This comedy explores the lives, loves and experiences of three generations of Mexican American women. With Elizabeth Pena, America Ferrera, Lucy Gallardo. Written and directed by Georgina Garcia Riedel. Maya Releasing

Noise

Driven mad by the never-ending cacophony in Manhattan, a successful lawyer engages in acts of vigilantism. With Tim Robbins, Bridget Moynahan, William Hurt. Written and directed by Henry Bean. ThinkFilm

Reprise

Two friends with literary aspirations and youthful exuberance endure the pangs of love, depression and burgeoning careers. With Espen Klouman-Hoiner, Anders Danielsen Lie, Viktoria Winge. Directed and co-written by Joachim Trier with Eskil Vogt. Miramax

Roman de Gare

A crime novelist looks for new material and an escaped serial killer known as the magician may just fill the bill. With Fanny Ardant. Written and directed by Claude LeLouch. In French with English subtitles. Samuel Goldwyn Films

Turn the River

A small-town pool hustler is determined to net $50,000 in a gambling scheme to win back her son from her alcoholic ex-husband. With Famke Janssen, Rip Torn. Written and directed by Chris Eigeman. Screen Media Films

Unsettled

Documentary examines the lives of soldiers and civilians during the summer of 2005 when the Israeli government announced its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Written and directed by Adam Hootnick. Resonance Pictures

Up the Yangtze

Documentary examines the transformation of China’s Yangtze River by the Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric project in history. Written and directed by Yung Chang. Zeitgeist Films

Water Lilies (Naissance des Pieuvres)

Churning hormones fuel a summer spent at a public pool in suburban Paris for three adolescent girls. With Pauline Acquart, Louise Blachere, Adele Haenel. Written and directed by Celine Sciamma. Koch Lorber Films

May 22

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

The fedora-wearing, whip-wielding, artifact-hunting professor of archaeology returns in a fourth installment. With Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Shia LaBeouf. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Written by David Koepp; story by George Lucas and Jeff Nathanson. Paramount Pictures

May 23

Blood of My Blood (Sangre de Mi Sangre)

A Mexican boy smuggles himself to Brooklyn to meet his long-lost father, only to have his identity stolen by an impostor seeking to steal the father’s fortune. With Armando Hernandez, Jorge Adrian Espindola, Paola Mendoza. Written and directed by Christopher Zalla. English and Spanish with English subtitles. IFC First Take

The Children of Huang Shi

A young English writer who arrives in Shanghai just before the Japanese invade, is befriended by communists, wounded and sent to rest at an orphanage. With Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode. Written by Jane Hawksley, James MacManus. Sony Pictures Classics

Postal

U.S. religious zealots take on Osama bin Laden and the Taliban in this spoof of contemporary politics and culture based on the video game. With Zack Ward, Dave Foley, Seymour Cassel. Directed and co-written by Uwe Boll with Bryan C. Knight. Freestyle Releasing

Refusenik

Documentary chronicles the 30-year international movement to free Soviet Jews told through the eyes of activists on both sides of the Iron Curtain. Directed by Laura Bialis. Abramorama and the Foundation for Documentary Projects

War, Inc.

A hit man disguised as a trade show producer is assigned to kill a Middle Eastern oil minister. With John Cusack, Hilary Duff, Marisa Tomei, Ben Kingsley, Dan Aykroyd. Directed by Joshua Seftel. Written by Mark Leyner & Jeremy Pikser & John Cusack. First Look Pictures

May 30

Bigger, Stronger, Faster

The producers of “Bowling for Columbine” and “Fahrenheit 9/11” explore the nation’s win-at-all-cost culture through the personal journey of director Christopher J. Bell and his two brothers’ adoration of body builders and the steroid subculture. Written by Bell, Alex Buono & Tamsin Rawady. Magnolia Pictures

Blindsight

Documentary chronicles six blind Tibetan teenagers who are inspired to climb a 23,000-foot mountain. Directed by Lucy Walker. Robson Entertainment

Chop Shop

A street-hardened youth works in a Queens, N.Y., auto body repair shop to support his sister. With Alejandro Polanco, Isamar Gonzales. Directed and co-written by Ramin Bahrani with Bahareh Azimi. Koch Lorber Films

The Edge of Heaven

A professor travels to Istanbul, Turkey, to search for the daughter of his father’s girlfriend. With Nurgul Yesilcay. Written and directed by Fatih Akin. Strand Releasing

The Foot Fist Way

After his life falls to pieces when his wife betrays him, a macho tae kwon do instructor goes on a pilgrimage with his four friends to meet the greatest martial artist of all time. With Danny McBride, Ben Best, Jody Hill. Directed by Hill. Co-written by Hill, McBride and Best. Paramount Vantage

Hollywood Chinese

A documentary looking at the industry’s most accomplished Chinese and Chinese American film artists who share personal accounts of working in film. Ang Lee, Wayne Wang, Joan Chen, David Henry Hwang, Justin Lin and B.D. Wong are among the storytellers. Written and directed by Arthur Dong. Deep Focus Productions

Sex and the City: The Movie

The fab four retakes Manhattan. With Sarah Jessica Parker (pictured), Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis. Written and directed by Michael Patrick King. New Line Cinema

The Strangers

A happy couple’s romantic getaway becomes an episode of terror when strangers invade their remote cabin. With Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman. Written and directed by Bryan Bertino. Universal Pictures

Stuck

Inspired by true events, a retirement-home caregiver in line for a promotion accidentally hits a man while driving drunk and decides to let him die stuck on her windshield. With Mena Suvari, Stephen Rea. Directed and co-written by Stuart Gordon with John Strysik. ThinkFilm

May TBA

Yella

A woman flees her hometown in Eastern Germany for a promising job and new life only to become involved in the ruthless world of big business. With Nina Hoss, Devid Striesow. Directed and co-written by Christian Petzold with Simone Baer. In German with English subtitles. Cinema Guild

June 6

The Go-Getter

After the recent death of his mother, a straight-arrow 19-year-old decides to steal a car and find the older half-brother he hasn’t seen in years. With Lou Taylor Pucci, Zooey Deschanel, Jena Malone. Written and directed by Martin Hynes. Peace Arch Entertainment

Kung Fu Panda

A pudgy little black-and-white bear studies with martial arts masters to achieve his kung fu fighting dreams. With the voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan. Directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne. Written by Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger; story by Ethan Reiff & Cyrus Voris. Also opening in IMAX. Paramount Pictures

Miss Conception

A broody thirtysomething enlists the help of her friends to find a sperm donor. With Heather Graham, Tom Ellis, Mia Kirshner. Directed by Eric Styles. Written by Camilla Leslie. First Look Studios

Mister Foe

The rooftops of Edinburgh become the hunting grounds for a young voyeur dealing with his mother’s death. With Jamie Bell, Ciaran Hinds. Directed and co-written by David Mackenzie with Ed Whitmore. Magnolia Pictures

Mongol

Tadanobu Asano stars as Genghis Khan in this historical epic that depicts the early life of the future leader of the hordes. Directed and co-written by Sergei Bodrov with Arif Aliyev. In Mongolian with English subtitles. Picturehouse

The Mother of Tears

A young American art student unwittingly opens an ancient urn that unleashes the demonic power of the world’s most powerful witch. With Asia Argento, Moran Atias. Directed and co-written by Dario Argento with Jace Anderson. Mitropoulos Films

On the Rumba River

The persecution of Congolese rumba superstar Antoine Kolosoy by the church and the subsequent banning of his music by Belgian colonial authorities. Directed by Jacques Sarasin. Lingala with English subtitles. First Run Features

The Promotion

Two assistant managers of a corporate grocery store vie for a coveted promotion. With Seann William Scott, John C. Reilly. Written and directed by Steve Conrad. The Weinstein Co.

Savage Grace

The true story of a lower-class woman struggling to keep her baby in a battle against her rich husband’s family after his fall from grace. With Julianne Moore, Stephen Dillane. Directed by Tom Kalin. Written by Howard A. Rodman. IFC First Take

You Don’t Mess With the Zohan

An Israeli commando fakes his own death to pursue his dream of becoming a hairstylist in New York. With Adam Sandler (pictured), John Turturro. Directed by Dennis Dugan. Written by Sandler, Robert Smigel and Judd Apatow. Sony Pictures

When Did You Last See Your Father?

His father’s terminal illness and imminent death causes a man to examine their complex relationship. With Jim Broadbent, Colin Firth. Directed by Anand Tucker. Written by David Nicholls. Sony Pictures Classics

June 11

Encounters at the End of the World

Filmmaker Werner Herzog travels to Antarctica to capture its beautiful landscapes and the people who work there. ThinkFilm

June 13

The Incredible Hulk

Scientist Bruce Banner and his alter ego, the green rage-fueled giant. With Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt. Directed by Louis Leterrier. Written by Norton, Zak Penn; based on characters created by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby. Universal Pictures

Quid Pro Quo

A psychological tale about a public radio reporter drawn into sinister happenings at a hospital. With Nick Stahl, Vera Farmiga. Written and directed by Carlos Brooks. Magnolia Pictures

Red Roses and Petrol

A dysfunctional Irish family gathers in Dublin for the patriarch’s eventful wake. With Malcolm McDowell. Directed and co-written by Tamar Simon Hoffs with Gail Wager Stayden. Based on the play by Joseph O’Connor. World Wide Motion Pictures

June 20

Brick Lane

A Bangladeshi woman, forced into an arranged marriage in London, awakens to the possibilities of life when she begins an affair with another man. With Tannishtha Chatterjee, Satish Kaushik. Directed by Sarah Gavron. Written by Laura Jones, Abi Morgan. Sony Pictures Classics

Get Smart

Secret agent 86 attempts to outwit the evil criminal mastermind Siegfried and KAOS. With Steve Carrell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin. Directed by Peter Segal. Written by Tom J. Astle & Matt Ember. Warner Bros.

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

A bright and imaginative 10-year-old in Depression-era Cincinnati. With Abigail Breslin (left, above, with Madison Davenport), Joan Cusack, Chris O’Donnell, Julia Ormond. Directed by Patricia Rozema. Written by Ann Peacock. Picturehouse

The Love Guru

A foundling left at an Ashram in India returns to the U.S. as a self-help and spirituality authority and winds up mediating the marital woes of a hockey star. With Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, Ben Kingsley. Directed by Marco Schnabel. Written by Myers & Graham Gordy. Paramount Pictures

My Winnipeg

A personal portrait of filmmaker Guy Maddin’s hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Co-written by George Toles. IFC First Take

June 27

Expired

A resentful meter maid and an angry traffic officer who loves his job find themselves in a tumultuous and twisted relationship. With Samantha Morton, Jason Patric, Teri Garr, Illeana Douglas. Written and directed by Cecilia Miniucchi. MCR Releasing

Finding Amanda

Having recently kicked his alcohol and drug habits, a lowly sitcom writer with a penchant for gambling is sent to Las Vegas to get his troubled niece into rehab. With Matthew Broderick, Brittany Snow. Written and directed by Peter Tolan. Magnolia Pictures

Gunnin’ for That #1 Spot

An insider’s look at eight of the nation’s top prep basketball players as they are groomed for the limelight that culminates at the 2006 Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic High School All-Star game. Players include UCLA’s Kevin Love, Compton native Brandon Jennings, Michael Beasley. Directed by Beastie Boy Adam Yauch. Oscilloscope Pictures

Tell No One

A pediatrician is still mourning the loss of his wife eight years earlier when he receives an anonymous e-mail and video suggesting she is alive. With Francois Cluzet, Kristin Scott Thomas. Written and directed by Guillaume Canet. In French with English subtitles. Music Box Films

Trumbo

Based on the play by his son, Christopher Trumbo, the celebrated writer Dalton Trumbo’s tumultuous career is depicted through interviews and letters read by actors. With Joan Allen, Brian Dennehy, Michael Douglas, Paul Giamatti. Directed by Peter Askin. Samuel Goldwyn Films

The Unknown Woman (La Sconosciuta)

A Russian woman earns the trust of an Italian family, working as their maid and nanny in order to solve a mystery. With Xenia Rappoport, Michele Placido. Directed and co-written by Giuseppe Tornatore with Massimo De Rita. Outsider Pictures

Wanted

A cubicle-dwelling slacker is recruited by a secret society and transformed into a lightning-fast hero. With James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov. Written by Michael Brandt & Derek Haas and Chris Morgan. Universal Pictures

July 2

Hancock

A superhero has an image crisis -- he causes as much harm as good -- but that might change when he saves the life of a PR executive. With Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman. Directed by Peter Berg. Written by Vy Vincent Ngo & Vince Gilligan. Sony Pictures

July 3

The Wackness

In the summer of 1994, a socially inept teen and his dysfunctional therapist troll New York City looking for ladies. With Josh Peck, Ben Kingsley, Famke Janssen, Olivia Thirlby and Mary-Kate Olsen. Written and directed by Jonathan Levine. Sony Pictures Classics

July 4

Chris & Don: A Love Story

Documentary about the three-decade relationship between British writer Christopher Isherwood and American painter Don Bachardy, 30 years his junior. With archival footage, Bachardy’s reminiscences, home movies, reenactments and animations. Directed by Guido Santi and Tina Mascara. Zeitgeist Films

Diminished Capacity

After banging his head at a Cubs game, a memory-afflicted man and his uncle hatch a scheme to sell a collectible baseball card at a memorabilia show to raise enough money to keep the uncle out of a nursing home. With Matthew Broderick, Alan Alda, Virginia Madsen. Directed by Terry Kinney. Written by Sherwood Kiraly and Doug Bost. IFC First Take

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

Director Alex Gibney (“Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room,” “Taxi to the Dark Side”) profiles the life of the late “Fear and Loathing” journalist. Magnolia Pictures

The Last Mistress

A love affair between a well-bred French Aristocrat and his Spanish mistress. With Asia Argento, Fu’ad Ait Aattou. Written and directed by Catherine Breillat. In French with English subtitles. IFC First Take

July 11

August

Two brothers fight to keep their start-up company afloat on Wall Street a month before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. With Josh Hartnett, Naomie Harris, David Bowie, Rip Torn. Directed by Austin Chick. Written by Howard A. Rodman. First Look Studios

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

The big, bad and red superhero caught between two worlds battles a merciless dictator and his band of marauding monsters. With Ron Perlman, Selma Blair. Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro; story by Del Toro and Mike Mignola. Universal Pictures

Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D

An update of the Jules Verne classic. With (from left) Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson and Anita Briem. Directed by Eric Brevig. Written by Michael Weiss & Jennifer Flackett & Mark Levin. New Line Cinema

Kenny

This Australian comedy follows the challenges of Kenny, who delivers and maintains Porta-potties, as he heads to the Pumper and Cleaner Expo in Nashville. With Shane Jacobson, Eve Von Bibra, Ronald Jacobson. Directed by Clayton Jacobson. Written by Clayton and Shane Jacobson. Xenon Pictures

Religulous

Comedian Bill Maher (left) teams with “Borat” director Larry Charles (right) as he travels around the globe interviewing people about God and religion. Directed by Charles. Lionsgate

July 18

The Dark Knight

Batman returns in his crusade to clean up Gotham City but faces a new challenge: the Joker. With Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart. Directed and co-written by Christopher Nolan with Jonathan Nolan. Story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. Also in IMAX. Warner Bros.

Lou Reed’s Berlin

Lou Reed’s concert performance of his 1973 concept album “Berlin,” filmed over five nights in 2006 at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, N.Y. Directed by Julian Schnabel. Genius Products

Mad Detective

A rookie cop teams up with a former detective with a supernatural gift to hunt down a serial killer. With Lam Ka Tung, Lau Ching Wan. Directed by Johnny To and Wai Ka-Fai. Written by Ka-Fai and Kin Yee Au. IFC First Take

Mamma Mia!

The Abba songbook provides the lyrics and melodies for this comic romance about a former girl-group singer, her about-to-be-married daughter and the three men who might be her father. With Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard. Directed by Phyllida Lloyd. Written by Catherine Johnson. Universal Pictures

Space Chimps

Simian astronauts aid the inhabitants of a distant planet and must figure out how to return to Earth. With the voices of Cheryl Hines, Stanley Tucci, Kristin Chenoweth. Directed and co-written by Kirk DeMicco with Robert Moreland. 20th Century Fox

To the Limit

Brothers Alexander and Thomas Huber push mental and physical boundaries as they attempt to break the speed-climbing record while scaling El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Directed by Pepe Danquart. First Run Features

July 23

Boy A

Paroled at 24, years after he killed a child as a child himself, a young man struggles to make a fresh start with the help of his parole officer. With Andrew Garfield, Peter Mullan, Shaun Evans. Directed by John Crowley. Written by Mark O’Rowe. The Weinstein Co.

July 25

Baghead

A group of desperate actor friends explore relationship dynamics and the concept and reality of a man with a bag on his head. With Steve Zissis, Ross Partridge, Greta Gerwig. Written and directed by Jay and Mark Duplass. Sony Pictures Classics

Brideshead Revisited

Between the World Wars, a young British man becomes infatuated with an aristocratic family and their lifestyle. With Emma Thompson, Michael Gambon, Matthew Goode. Directed by Julian Jarrold. Written by Jeremy Brock and Andrew Davies. Miramax Films

The Longshots

The true story of 11-year-old Jasmine Plummer, who became the first female to play in a Pop Warner football tournament in its 56-year history. Directed by Fred Durst. Written by Doug Atchison and Nick Santora. The Weinstein Co.

Severed Ways

Tony Stone wrote, directed and stars in an epic about two 11th century Vikings left behind in North America. With Clare Amory, Noelle Bailey. Magnolia Pictures

Step Brothers

Cronic slackers’ mother and father marry, creating an unwieldy family unit and making for a very crowded couch. With (from left) John C. Reilly, Will Ferrell. Directed by Adam McKay. Written by Ferrell & McKay. Sony Pictures

The X-Files: I Want to Believe

Truth-seeking Mulder and the cynical Scully are back in the duo’s second big-screen adventure. With David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson. Directed by Chris Carter. Written by Carter & Frank Spotnitz. 20th Century Fox

July TBA

A Man Named Pearl

Self-taught topiary artist Pearl Fryar’s unlikely journey to national prominence began with a racist remark while trying to buy a home in a white neighborhood in South Carolina in 1976. Directed by Scott Galloway and Brent Pierson. Shadow Distributing

No Regret

A romantic drama between two Korean gay men interweaves the bliss of love with the harsh politics of class distinction. With Lee Han, Lee Young-hoon. Written and directed by Leesong Hee-il. Regent Releasing

Aug. 1

Choke

A sex-addicted med-school dropout works as a historical reenactor at a Colonial theme park by day and engages in fake choking scams at restaurants at night all while discovering the mysterious truth of his family. With Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston. Written and directed by Clark Gregg. Fox Searchlight

Frozen River

Strapped for money after her husband deserted her, a working-class woman reluctantly teams up with a widowed Mohawk Indian to smuggle illegal immigrants across the frozen St. Lawrence River from Canada into the U.S. With Melissa Leo, Misty Upham. Written and directed by Courtney Hunt. Sony Pictures Classics

Midnight Meat Train

The lure of a prominent art gallery show drives a photographer to dig deeper and deeper into humanity’s dark side. With Bradley Cooper, Vinnie Jones, Brooke Shields. Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura. Written by Jeff Buhler. Lionsgate

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

The franchise shifts to Asia where explorer Rick O’Connell inadvertently awakens a 2,000-year-old dead ruler and his 10,000-strong terra cotta army. With Brendan Fraser, Luke Ford, Jet Li, Maria Bello. Directed by Rob Cohen. Written by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar. Universal Pictures

The Rocker

Twenty years after being kicked out of an ‘80s hair band, drummer Robert “Fish” Fishman reclaims his rock-god throne by joining his nephew’s band. With Rainn Wilson, Christina Applegate. Directed by Peter Cattaneo. Written by Maya Forbes & Wally Wolodarsky; story by Ryan Jaffe. 20th Century Fox

Swing Vote

Due to the machinations of his precocious daughter, a beer-swilling underachiever finds that an election comes down to his vote. With Kevin Costner, Paula Patton, Kelsey Grammer. Directed and co-written by Joshua Michael Stern with Jason Richman. Walt Disney Studios

Aug. 8

Bottle Shock

In 1976, a California winemaker competes against the French in a blind-tasting contest that changes the wine industry forever. With Alan Rickman, Freddy Rodriguez, Bradley Whitford. Directed and co-written by Randall Miller & Jody Savin and Ross Schwartz; story by Miller & Savin, Schwartz & Lannette Pabon. Freestyle Releasing

Fly Me to the Moon

Three ambitious flies aim to be the first lunar insects by hitching an unauthorized ride on Apollo 11. With the voices of Trevor Gagnon, Christopher Lloyd, Tim Curry, Buzz Aldrin. Directed by Ben Stassen. Written by Domonic Paris. Summit Entertainment

Hell Ride

The leader of a biker gang sets out to avenge a murder and comes up against a rival gang and discontent in his own crew. With Dennis Hopper, Michael Madsen, Michael Beach. Written and directed by Larry Bishop. The Weinstein Co.

The Pineapple Express

A hard-core stoner witnesses a murder by a crooked cop and in a panic dumps his stash of rare weed triggering a wacky pursuit. With (from left) James Franco, Seth Rogen. Directed by David Gordon Green. Written by Rogen & Evan Goldberg; story by Judd Apatow, Rogen & Goldberg. Sony Pictures

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

The four friends go their separate ways to college but continue to share their experiences. With Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Alexis Bledel. Directed by Sanaa Hamri. Written by Elizabeth Chandler. Warner Bros.

Towelhead

Set against a backdrop of the first Gulf war, a 13-year-old Arab American girl goes to live with her strict father in Houston where she faces bigotry, hypocrisy and her burgeoning sexuality. With Summer Bishil, Aaron Eckhart, Toni Collette, Maria Bello. Written and directed by Alan Ball. Warner Independent Pictures

Transsiberian

An American couple hops on the Trans-Siberian express for a long, relaxing journey home from Asia and are transported into the dark underworld of Russia. With Woody Harrelson, Emily Mortimer, Kate Mara, Ben Kingsley. Directed and co-written by Brad Anderson with Will Conroy. First Look Studios

Aug. 12

A Thousand Years of Good Prayers

A Chinese woman in the U.S. is visited by her father, who meddles in her divorce and starts a friendship with an Iranian woman. Directed by Wayne Wang. Written by Yiyun Li. Entertainment Farm

Aug. 15

Henry Poole Is Here

A disillusioned man attempts to hide from life in a rundown suburban tract home but is interrupted by a cast of characters and circumstances forcing him to look at life. With Radha Mitchell and Luke Wilson (pictured), Adriana Barraza, George Lopez. Directed by Mark Pellington. Written by Albert Torres. Overture Films

Mirrors

An ex-cop turned security guard at a department store closed by a fire discovers secrets hidden in the store mirrors that threaten his family. With Kiefer Sutherland, Paula Patton. Directed and co-written by Alexandre Aja with Gregory Levasseur. Based on the Korean film “Into the Mirrors.” 20th Century Fox

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

The fate of the “Star Wars” universe rests in the hands of the Jedi Knights as Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padme Amidala battle it out in an intergalactic struggle between good and evil. Directed by Dave Filoni. Written by George Lucas. Warner Bros.

Tropic Thunder

A war film shooting in Southeast Asia turns into reality for an action movie star and his costars. With Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr. Directed by Stiller. Written by Stiller & Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen; story by Stiller & Theroux. Paramount Pictures / DreamWorks

Aug. 22

The Accidental Husband

An uptight relationship expert’s preparations for her wedding hit a snag: She’s already married to someone else. With Uma Thurman, Colin Firth, Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Directed by Griffin Dunne. Written by Mimi Hare & Clare Naylor and Bonnie Sikowitz. Yari Film Group Releasing

Bangkok Dangerous

A remorseless hit man’s life takes an unexpected turn when he travels to Thailand to complete a series of contract killings. With Nicolas Cage (pictured), Charlie Young. Directed by Oxide Pang and Danny Pang. Written by Jason Richman. Based on the Pang brothers’ Hong Kong film of the same name. Lionsgate

Crossing Over

Immigrants with hopes and immigration enforcement officials with jobs to do come into conflict in contemporary L.A. With Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd, Sean Penn. Written and directed by Wayne Kramer. MGM

Hamlet 2

A failed actor turned high school drama teacher rallies his students as he stages a politically incorrect musical sequel to Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” With Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, Amy Poehler. Directed and co-written by Andrew Fleming with Pam Brady. Focus Features

The House Bunny

The members of a struggling sorority have a thing or two to learn from a banished Playboy bunny and vice versa. With Anna Faris, Colin Hanks, Emma Stone. Directed by Fred Wolf. Written by Karen McCullah Lutz & Kirsten Smith. Sony Pictures

Man on Wire

A look at “the artistic crime of the century,” when French tightrope walker Philippe Petit performed a daring, illegal, high-wire routine between the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center in 1974. Directed by James Marsh. Magnolia Pictures

Wild Child

A spoiled 16-year-old from L.A. gets shipped off to a strict boarding school in England for some attitude adjustment. With Emma Roberts, Natasha Richardson. Directed by Nick Moore. Written by Lucy Dahl, Kate Kondell, Daisy Donovan. Universal Pictures

Aug. 29

Babylon AD

A mysterious woman from Eastern Europe is transported around a post-apocalyptic world to New York City. With Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh. Directed and co-written by Mathieu Kassovitz with Eric Besnard. 20th Century Fox

College

Dumped by his girlfriend, a university freshman accompanied by his two buddies plunges headfirst into fraternity life. With Drake Bell. Directed by Deb Hagan. Written by Dan Callahan and Adam Ellison. Element Films Production / Lift Productions.

Sukiyaki Western Django

Genre-bending director Takashi Miike injects the spaghetti western with Samurai overtones in this tale of two clans warring over treasure hidden in a hardscrabble mountain village. With Quentin Tarantino, Hideaki Ito. Written by Miike and Masa Nakamura. First Look Studios

Traitor

A button-down FBI agent investigates a dangerous global conspiracy and evidence points to a former U.S. military officer. With Guy Pearce, Don Cheadle. Written and directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff; story idea by Steve Martin. Overture Films

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Two young Americans are spending their summer in Barcelona, Spain, and become amorously entangled with a flamboyant artist and his insane ex-wife. With Javier Bardem, Patricia Clarkson, Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson. Written and directed by Woody Allen. The Weinstein Co.

August TBA

All the Boys Love Mandy Lane

The virginal social climber’s weekend outing at a ranch with a group of randy teenage boys turns into a survival test. With Amber Heard. Directed by Jonathan Levine. Written by Jacob Foreman. Occupant Pictures

Ballast

A single mother and her embattled son struggle to subsist in a small Mississippi Delta township. With Michael J. Smith Sr., Tara Riggs. Written and directed by Lance Hammer. IFC First Take

Before I Forget

Jacques Nolot wrote, directed and stars as a gay gigolo who fears ending up back on the streets after his benefactor dies. Strand Releasing

A Girl Cut in Two

A TV weathercaster becomes part of a love triangle with an older writer and a rich, handsome, bipolar heir to a family fortune. With Ludivine Sagnier, Benoit Magimel. Directed and co-written by Claude Chabrol with Cecile Maistre. In French with English subtitles. IFC Films

House of the Sleeping Beauties

A recently widowed man discovers a secret establishment where men spend an entire night in bed alongside beautiful yet sleeping young women. Featuring Vadim Glowna, Angela Winkler, Maximilian Schell. Written and directed by Vadim Glowna. In German with English subtitles. First Run Features

In Search of a Midnight Kiss

On New Year’s Eve in L.A., a despondent young writer has an angst-ridden day with the woman who answers his personal ad. With Scoot McNairy, Sara Simmonds, Brian Matthew McGuire. Written and directed by Alex Holdridge. IFC Films

Sept. 5

Amusement

Three former classmates are linked to a disturbing event from their childhood. With Keir O’Donnell, Katheryn Winnick. Directed by John Simpson. Written by Jake Wade Wall. Picturehouse

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About the list

This Sneaks list is a snapshot of films expected to open through Sept. 5. Release dates and other details are subject to change.

Capsules -- Liesl Bradner