“The Invasion”

Warner Bros.

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Jeremy Northam, Malin Akerman
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Story: Based on “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” this film tells the story of a mysterious space shuttle crash and the realization that there may be something alien in the wreckage. When people begin to mysteriously change, psychiatrist Carol Bennell (Kidman) and her colleague Ben Driscoll (Craig) realize the extraterrestrials attack people when they sleep. Carol must stay awake long enough to save her son.
Buzz: The good news is that director Hirschbiegel (“Downfall”) could bring an original eye to this story; the bad news is that according to Entertainment Weekly, not only did the film sit on the shelf for 13 months, Hirschbiegel wasn’t even on board when they did reshoots to “amp of the action.” Craig shot the film before he became James Bond.
Web site: http://theinvasionmovie.warnerbros.com/
Release date: August 17

“Mr. Brooks”

MGM

Starring: Kevin Costner, William Hurt, Demi Moore, Dane Cook, Marg Helgenberger, Danielle Panabaker
Director: Bruce A. Evans
Story: Evan Brooks leads two lives: One as a successful business man, husband to wife Emma (Helgenberger) and father to Jane (Panabaker). In his other life, he’s a serial killer who’s never been caught. When a photographer (Cook) catches him in the act, he becomes entangled in that man’s dark plot and pursued by a detective (Moore). Can Brooks outsmart his adversaries and squash his murderous alter-ego (Hurt)?
Buzz: Because he’s had some very high-profile failures, Costner takes a lot of guff, but it’s hard not to be intrigued to see him in this dark role, where he’ll get to exorcise a few demons. Panabaker is an actress to watch and the best thing about TV’s “Shark.” Moore is wisely easing back into her acting career and not letting herself become over-exposed again. Director Evan’s only other feature is 1992’s “Kuffs” — looks like he has some demons of his own.  
Web site: http://www.theressomethingaboutmrbrooks.com/main.htm
Release date: June 1

“I Know Who Killed Me”

Columbia (Sony)

Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Julia Ormond, Neal McDonough, Brian Geraghty, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, Spencer Garrett, Gregory Itzin
Director: Chris Sivertson
Story: Aubrey Fleming (Lohan) manages to flee after being abducted and tortured by a serial killer, but when she returns, she claims to be someone else named Dakota, with a distinctly different personality. Is it post-traumatic stress disorder or something more sinister? Ormond and McDonough play Aubrey’s parents.
Buzz: Lohan gained notoriety for an appendicitis attack that happened during the filming. But director Siverston (“The Lost”) told Entertainment Weekly that Lohan didn’t cost them any shooting days. McDonough (“Flags of Our Fathers”) is one of those talents that you hope winds up in great HBO series like “The Wire” (he did star in NBC short-lived and very good “Boomtown”).
Web site: NA
Release date: July 27

“You Kill Me”

IFC First Take

Starring: Philip Baker Hall, Ben Kingsley, Téa Leoni, Luke Wilson, Bill Pullman, Dennis Farina, Jayne Eastwood, Katie Messina, Tracy McMahon
Director: John Dahl
Story: Frank Falenczyk (Kingsley) is a hitman for the Polish mob, but when drinking causes him to mess up an assignment, his uncle (Hall) sends him to San Francisco to clean up. He goes to AA, gets a job at a mortuary and falls for Lauren (Leoni). But before he knows it, he’s needed back in Buffalo, where Lauren assists him on his deadly assignment.
Buzz: Two reasons to get excited about this film: John and Dahl. The “Red Rock West” and “Last Seduction” filmmaker has stumbled recently (“The Great Raid,” “Joy Ride”), but this film seems right in his noir wheelhouse. And if you don’t think Kingsley is a believable hitman, rent “Sexy Beast” immediately.
Web site: http://www.youkillmethefilm.com/
Release date: June 22

“Stardust”

Paramount Pictures

Starring: Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Sienna Miller, Ricky Gervais, Jason Flemyng, Peter O'Toole, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Ian McKellen
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Story: Based on the best-selling novel by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess, this film tells the story of Tristan (Cox), a young man who tries to win the heart of Victoria (Miller) by trying to retrieve a fallen star. When Tristan finds the star, he sees it’s actually become a beautiful woman (Danes). Others want the star as well, including the King’s (O’Toole) four sons. Tristan must also face an evil witch (Pfeiffer), who believes the star will make her young again. Along the way he meets a pirate (De Niro) and a trader (Gervais), and he begins to fall in love with the star.
Buzz: Yet another film trying to fill that “Lord of the Rings” gap. Let’s see if it can. After seeing the film in Tribeca, co-writer Vess said, “Everything that I could have wanted was all there… For those of you who love the original novel there are indeed changes aplenty, so prepare yourself.” Vaughn (“Layer Cake”) is the man who was supposed to helm “X-Men 3” before it was handed off to Brett Ratner. Oh, what might have been…
Web site: http://www.stardustmovie.com/
Release date: August 10

“Rescue Dawn”

MGM

Starring: Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Marshall Bell, François Chau, Jeremy Davies
Director: Werner Herzog
Story: Based on the true story of American pilot Dieter Dengler (Bale) who was shot down during a top-secret mission to fly into Laos during the Vietnam War. Captured and placed in a prison camp, he organizes the escape of a group of captives (including Zahn). The only problem: the prison is surrounded by endless jungle.
Buzz: This film had a notoriously tough shoot; the New Yorker reported that some crew members were ready to mutiny. Herzog (“Fitzcarraldo,” “Aguirre: The Wrath of God”) is a classic maverick, and liked to shoot and run rather than plan difficult sequences. He already made a documentary on the same subject (“Little Dieter Needs to Fly”). Variety’s Leslie Felperin wrote that the film “packs a wrenching emotional punch.” This film was originally scheduled for release last December. Why has the studio shelved it for this long?
Web site: http://www.gibraltarfilms.com/projects/rescuedawn/
Release date: July 4

“September Dawn”

Don Emmert / AFP - Getty Images file

Starring: Jon Voight, Trent Ford, Tamara Hope, Terence Stamp, Lolita Davidovich, Dean Cain, John Gries, Taylor Handley, Krisinda Cain, Shaun Johnston
Director: Christopher Cain
Story: On Sept. 11, 1857, approximately 120 men, women and children were murdered while traveling through Utah. The Mountain Meadows Massacre was executed by a group of Mormons disguised as Paiute Indians. In the midst of bringing this historical story to life, the film presents a young couple (Ford, Hope) who find themselves torn apart. Stamp plays Mormon leader Bringham Young.
Buzz: It’s hard to imagine this one doing big business in Utah, and it does feel a bit exploitive that the studio is marketing these events as “the first act of religious terrorism.” Who exactly are they trying to attract to theaters? In any case, expect Voight and Stamp to rarely speak below a shout in this one. 
Web site: http://www.septemberdawn.net/
Release date: June 22

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