2012

A global cataclysm brings an end to the world while only a handful survive to carry on the human race. Breathtaking visuals of the destruction of Los Angeles and the rest of the world and a story about a writer who discovers that solar storms have caused the earth's core to heat up, unbalancing the planet and causing massive earthquakes and tidal waves. Much of the running time is given over to his attempt to save his family and get to China, where the world governments have prepared several Arks to save select people to restart civilization.

Director: Roland Emmerich. Stars: John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Woody Harrelson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover, Liam James. 2009, 158 mins., sci-fi thriller.

Where the Wild Things Are

Maurice Sendak's classic book comes to the big screen in an adventure tale for every generation. "Where the Wild Things Are" follows the adventure of Max (Max Records), a mischievous young boy who is sent to his room after rebelling against his mother (Catherine Keener). Max's imagination is free to roam, and it soon transports him to a thriving forest bordering a vast sea. Delighted, he sets sail for the land of the Wild Things, where mischief reigns and Max rules.

Director: Spike Jonze. Stars: Max Records, Catherine Keener, Benicio Del Toro, Forest Whitaker, Lauren Ambrose, Catherine O'Hara, Tom Noonan, Michael Berry, James Gandolfini. 2009, 94 mins., family.

Planet 51

Animated alien adventure-comedy revolving around American astronaut Captain Charles "Chuck" Baker, who lands on Planet 51 thinking he's the first person to step foot on it. To his surprise, he finds that this planet is inhabited by little green people who are happily living in a white-picket-fence world reminiscent of a cheerfully innocent 1950s America, and whose only fear is that it will be overrun by alien invaders ... like Chuck! With the help of his robot companion Rover and his new friend Lem, Chuck must navigate his way through the dazzling, but bewildering, landscape of Planet 51 in order to escape becoming a permanent part of the Planet 51 Alien Invaders Space Museum.

Director: Jorge Blanco, Javier Abad, Marcos Martinez. Stars: Voices of Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel, Justin Long, Seann William Scott, Gary Oldman, John Cleese. 2009, 91 mins., animated.

Ponyo

Inspired by the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale "The Little Mermaid." Walking on the beach near his home, a five-year-old boy named Sosuke finds a beautiful goldfish trapped in a bottle. He releases the tiny creature and, sure that she is no ordinary fish, names his new friend Ponyo. As Ponyo and Sosuke grow closer, she reveals to him that she is the daughter of a powerful wizard and a sea goddess, and magically transforms herself into a real human girl. But by crossing from her watery world onto land, Ponyo has created a dangerous imbalance in nature. As the moon begins to draw closer to the earth, sea levels rise and a giant tsunami threatens to destroy Sosuke's home. Ponyo's father marshals all his might to find his missing daughter, as the two children embark on an adventure of a lifetime to try to save the world.

Director: Hayao Miyazaki. Stars: Voices of Cate Blanchet, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Cloris Leachman, Betty White, Lily Tomlin, Noah Lindsey Cyrus, Frankie Jonas. 2009, 103 mins., animated.

Cold Souls

Paul Giamatti plays himself, an actor agonizing over his interpretation of Chekov's "Uncle Vanya." He finds his soul growing so heavy under the weight of the material that his whole life begins to suffer. Paralyzed with anxiety, he finds a solution when he reads a New Yorker article about a high-tech company that promises to alleviate suffering by deep-freezing souls. Giamatti uses their services, intending to reinstate his soul once he survives the performance, but things go awry when his soul is hijacked and placed in the body of a soap-opera actress.

Director: Sophie Barthes. Stars: Paul Giamatti, Emily Watson, David Strathairn. Four-week rental window before sell-through. 2009, 101 mins., sci-fi comedy.