Terminator Salvationgets a jump-start on its Memorial Day weekend rivals with Thursday's early opening. Boasting 322 sold-out midnight screenings, the killer robot sequel from director McG and his star Christian Bale should dominate the sci-fi/action demo.
On the comedy front, Night at the Museum: The Battle of the Smithsonian should draw a mammoth crowd of young fans. Ben Stiller, whose 2007 turn as a museum guard attacked by relics that come alive at night made $250 million, returns for the sequel.
Also opening wide is Dance Flick, which makes fun of music-driven teen movies. In limited release, Steven Soderbergh casts adult-film star Sasha Grey in The Girlfriend Experience, while sci-fi mockumentary Big Man Japan expands to additional markets.
Pick of the week: Terminator Salvation, with this caveat: Bring earplugs.
Terminator Salvation
Synopsis: In the continuing Terminator saga, it's 2018, and a sentient Skynet rules earth with a menacing army of cyborg robots. Christian Bale stars as hero John Connor, head of the human resistance, who must join forces with Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington ), a stranger who may be from the future or the past. Their goal is to try to save what's left of mankind. The dark, machine-driven adventure is directed by McG (We Are Marshall, Charlie's Angels).
Rated: PG-13
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Synopsis: Ben Stiller returns as night watchman Larry, who teams up with a miniature cowboy to infiltrate the Smithsonian Institute. There, the inanimate exhibits in the museum come alive as Amelia Earhart and Teddy Roosevelt fight off an angry ancient Egyptian pharaoh, Ivan the Terrible, Napoleon and Al Capone. Shawn Levy directs. Owen Wilson, Amy Adams, Robin Williams and Ricky Gervais co-star.
Rated: PG
Dance Flick
Synopsis: The Wayans brothers' competitive-dance parody spoofs Step Up, Hairsprayand Flashdance with a hip-hop baby dancer in diapers, a wet T-shirt contest and more sight gags in the slapstick vein of their earlier White Chicks comedy. Director Damon Wayans co-wrote the script with brothers Keenan Ivory, Shawn and Craig Wayans. Damon and Craig Wayans star, with Shoshana Bush and Amy Sedaris.
Rated: PG-13
The Girlfriend Experience (limited)
Synopsis: Steven Soderbergh directs 21-year-old adult-film actress Sasha Grey, who plays a New York City call girl who spends her free time developing a website and trying to keep her live-in boyfriend happy.
Rated: R
Angels & Demons
Synopsis: Reteamed with Da Vinci Code director Ron Howard, Tom Hanks again plays Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon. In Rome, he investigate a sinister plot by a secret brotherhood called the Illuminati. Joining forces with an Italian scientist (Ayelet Zurer), the code-cracker chases clues through ancient ruins in order to prevent an impending attack. Screenplay is by David Koepp (War of the Worlds, Spider-Man) and Akiva Goldsman (TV's Fringe).
Rated: PG-13
Mini-review: Beautifully photographed and expertly paced, Angels & Demons is better than its predecessor The Da Vinci Code. The prequel bristles with enough secret society symbology, Roman Catholic pageantry and full-contact puzzle-solving to distract from the flaws. They include an overly twisty plot, shaky science, ugly violence and an odd mix of barely believable and utterly predictable scenes. — Lewis Wallace
Rating:
Big Man Japan (limited)
Synopsis: Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo star as bored con men brothers who team with Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi, Babel) for one last scam. Rachel Weisz co-stars for director Rian Johnson (Brick).
Rated: PG-13
Star Trek
Synopsis: Director J.J. Abrams' prequel chronicles how James Kirk (Chris Pine) overcomes resistance from Spock (Zachary Quinto) to became captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise. His biggest challenge: Romulan warrior Nero (Eric Bana). Meanwhile, Enterprise familiar crew members Sulu (John Cho), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Uhura (Zoë Saldana), Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Karl Urban) and Chekov (Anton Yelchin) prove their worthiness to the Starfleet cause. Bruce Greenwood and Winona Ryder co-star in the movie, scripted by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (TV's Fringe).
__Rated:__PG-13
Next Day Air
Synopsis: Action comedy follows two bumbling criminals (Mike Epps, Wood Harris) who receive an unexpected delivery of cocaine.
Rated: R
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Synopsis: Marvel Comics prequel stars Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine. He and his brother, Victor Creed/Sabretooth (played by Liev Schrieber), enlist for a really special forces team under the command of Gen. William Stryker (Danny Huston) but suffer a falling out. When a new start with Kayla Silverfox (Lynn Collins) falls apart, Wolverine sets out to wreak revenge on those who've ruined his life. Taylor Kitsch (Gambit), Will.i.am (John Wraith), Tim Pocock (Cyclops) and Ryan Reynolds (Wade Wilson) co-star in the film, directed by Gavin Hood (Tsotsi).
Rated: PG-13
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
Synopsis: On the eve of his brother's wedding, ladies' man Connor (Matthew McConaughey ) gets a visit from the ghost of his womanizing uncle (Michael Douglas) and must revisit all his relationship mistakes, past and future. Jennifer Garner co-stars as Connor's skeptical childhood friend. Emma Stone co-stars.
Rated: PG-13
Battle for Terra
Synopsis: In this 3-D sci-fi animation flick, humans attack the peace-loving citizens of Terra. But a friendship between one of the planet's young residents (voiced by Evan Rachel Wood) and an injured pilot (voiced by Luke Wilson) could stave off annihilation.
Rated: PG
The Soloist
Synopsis: True story depicts the friendship between Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez and skid-row cellist Nathaniel Ayers, played by Jamie Foxx. Robert Downey Jr. portrays Lopez, who goes through changes of his own once he meets the schizophrenic Ayers, a formerly Julliard-bound musician living on the streets of Los Angeles. Joe Wright (Atonement) directs.
Rated: PG-13
Obsessed
Synopsis: Idris Elba (drug dealer “Stringer” in TV's The Wire, “Mumbles” in RocknRolla) stars as a white-collar asset manager on his way up the corporate ladder. He gets caught in the crossfire between his beautiful wife (Beyoncé Knowles) and a gorgeous temp worker/stalker (Ali Larter, TV's Heroes). Steven Shill (TV's Dexter) directs.
Rated: PG-13
Fighting
Synopsis: A small-town boy (Channing Tatum) teams with a New York City hustler (Terrence Howard) to earn bruises and cash on the bare-knuckle circuit, where he punches out professional boxers, mixed-martial-arts champs and ultimate fighters.
Rated: R
Earth
Synopsis: Based on Emmy-winning 2006 BBC series Planet Earth, this documentary follows polar bears, African elephants and humpback whales on location in Botswana, Norway, Venezuela and the Arctic. James Earl Jones narrates.
Rated: G
State of Play
Synopsis: Russell Crowe stars as investigative reporter Cal McAffrey, beseeched by a congressman pal (Ben Affleck) to look into the death of his research assistant/mistress. When another body turns up, Cal's editor (Helen Mirren) insists he dig deeper into a conspiracy that envelopes the highest reaches of government and corporate interests. Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman co-star for director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland).
Rated: PG-13
17 Again
Synopsis: Facing a wrecked marriage, Mike O'Donnell (Matthew Perry) gets a second chance at life when he time-travels back to his 17-year-old self (Zac Efron). Navigating his teenage body with an adult mind, comedic complications ensue. Leslie Mann and Thomas Lennon co-star. Burr Steers (Igby Goes Down) directs.
Rated: PG-13
Hannah Montana: The Movie
Synopsis: Miley Cyrus plays Disney pop singer Hannah Montana, and also gets screen time as “real” girl Miley Stewart. The 16-year-old's father, Billy Ray Cyrus, co-stars. The story: Dad and daughter take a trip home to rural Tennessee where the superstar discovers cows and romance.
Rated: G
Monsters vs. Aliens
Synopsis: 3-D adventure pictures Reese Witherspoon as wholesome fiancee Susan Murphy, who turns into the 50-foot-tall Ginormica after she's hit by a comet. First she's incarcerated with Dr. Cockroach Ph.D. (Hugh Laurie), gelatinous B.O.B. (Seth Rogen) and a half-ape, half-fish creature known as The Missing Link (Will Arnett). Then the “monsters” get a government reprieve to fight off an alien invasion from the evil Gallaxhar (Rainn Wilson). Kiefer Sutherland, Stephen Colbert and Paul Rudd also lend their voices to the film, directed by Rob Letterman (Shark Tale) and Conrad Vernon (Shrek 2).
Rated: PG
