Director J.J. Abrams successfully reboots the moldy "Star Trek" franchise while keeping true to the franchise's core elements. Kirk, Spock and Dr. McCoy unite for their first space adventure, a test posed by a renegade Romulan (Eric Bana) out to destroy planet Earth. The new cast acquits itself nicely, while Abrams provides enough intergalactic action to please non Trekkers.

Two newlyweds set out for adventure, Grand Canyon style. But they get more than they bargained for when they find themselves alone and without supplies. The simple story relies on natural frights, and the chemistry between the leads proves more than enough to make this a compelling thriller.

Pixar does it again, although the film's magical beginning gives way to a pedestrian second half. A grumpy old man (voiced by Ed Asner) attaches balloons to his home in order to escape his dreary life. The animation is simply breathtaking and the film's bouyant sense of humor delivers some rich, satisfying laughs. The storybook romance which sets the plot in motion is one for the ages.

Michael Keaton steps behind the camera for the first time, and while the film didn't make a splash commercially it's still a sophisticated first effort. Keaton plays a hit man who forges a friendship with a woman (Kelly Macdonald) fleeing an abusive spouse. The film packs no big thrills or emotional pay offs, but it's a thoughtful piece all the same featuring sound performances from both Keaton and Macdonald.

John Cusack's swan song to the teen love genre proved to be his best performance to date, and this troubled romance retains its awkward charm long after its initial release. Cusack's now iconic Lloyd Dobler is trying to woo the smartest girl in school (Ione Skye), but he'll have to get around her meddling father (John Mahoney) to win her heart. The repeatable dialogue hasn't aged a day.

The gritty '70s subway thriller gets rebooted with the usual modern flourishes. But casting Denzel Washington as an Everyman stuck with a hostage crisis heightens the intensity of an otherwise perfunctory remake. John Travolta tries too hard as the villain, but he's still got enough charisma left in the tank to commandeer our attention.

Michelle Pfeiffer gives her best performance in years as an older woman who falls for man (Rupert Friend) decades her junior. This sumptuous period drama offers a tart screenplay, beautiful set design and the subdued sexual sparks emitted by the well cast leads. The film reunites director Stephen Frears with Pfeiffer, who last teamed up for 1988's "Dangerous Liaisons."

Yet another creepy kid movie, but this one boasts a strong cast and a healthy amount of tension. A young couple (Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard) adopt a Russian child who seems to start trouble wherever she goes. The twist ending makes no sense, and the script isn't nearly as tight as it should be. But for genre fans it's worth wading through those serious flaws.

Yes, this sequel to the wildly popular original made boatloads of cash, but that doesn't mean the film isn't mindless, derivative and darn near impossible to follow. Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox return, along with their shape shifting pals, to beat back another attempt by the Decepticons to rule the world. A few action sequences crackle with excitement, but everything else is an unqualified mess.

This low-rent horror franchise turned it up a notch for part 2, but the third film retreats to straight to DVD quality. That said, the story of a band of prisoners who make the titular wrong turn into a land where mutated freaks run wild is more entertaining than one might expect if you like your gore on the heavy side. It still can't compete for your DVD dollars with superior horror fare like "Splinter" and "Eden Lake" to name just two recent sleepers.

The crude, dated '70s kiddie show becomes a crude, charmless comedy bust for star Will Ferrell. The former "Anchorman" travels to a world teeming with dinosaurs, Sleestaks and other creepy monsters, and he isn't sure how to return home. The gags are best enjoyed by the kiddies, but that demographic is poorly served by the film's adult gags.

Director Sam Raimi returns to his horror roots, and if you ratchet down your expectations you'll have a good, goofy time. Alison Lohman plays a bank clerk who turns down an old woman for a loan, and oh, does the broke woman get her vengeance. Raimi's blend of horror and comedy clicks once more, but the film still lacks the demented glee generated by his "Evil Dead" trilogy.

Jack Black and Michael Cera team up as cavemen cast out of their tribe. The neanderthal comedy, directed by comedy veteran Harold Ramis, tries to blend modern gags with Biblical references, but the results rarely click. Too crass for youngsters, too immature for older viewers, "Year One" is a near complete misfire.

Nia Vardalos returns to the big screen, but this time her character is a long way off from any "Big Fat Greek Wedding." She plays a lonely Greek tour guide stuck with an obnoxious band of tourists. "Ruins" is silly, predictable and rarely laugh out loud funny, but Richard Dreyfus offers able support in a key role and Vardalos is so eager to win us over it's hard to hold the film against her.

The latest animated feature delivers just enough jokes for the kiddies and their parents to satisfy both audiences. An engaged woman, voiced by Reese Witherspoon, is exposed to a chemical which causes her to grow to monstrous proportions. She's quickly teamed with other monsters to battle back against an alien invasion. Forgive the military slams and you'll be pleasantly diverted by this CGI confection.

Director Sam Mendes tries to catch "Juno" in a bottle with this snarky film about a young couple (Maya Rudolph, John Krasinski) about to become parents. The film's far too quirky for its own good, wasting a spry cast and some valuable insights about first-time parenting. Rudolph in particular impresses here, showing she's far more versatile than just another "Saturday Night Live" sketch player.

Seth Rogen stars as the anti-Paul Blart, a mall cop who needs a therapist and maybe some Prozac. Rogen's character wants to catch a pervert exposing himself at the mall, and he'll stop at nothing to bring in his man. Anna Faris sparkles briefly as the woman who catches the mall cop's eye.

Matthew McConaughey stars as a ladies man forced to change his ways when confronted by the ghost of his late, beloved uncle (Michael Douglas). The film swipes the Scrooge story template but doesn't fully commit to the gimmick. McConaughey's surprisingly nuanced turn nearly makes this weak project worth your time. If only the film had given the lively Douglas more to do here.

Jessica Biel is a thoroughly modern woman stuck in a 1920's era British family in this not so stuffy period comedy. Biel's marriage to a British aristocrat drives his family batty, especially his mother (Kristin Scott Thomas). The film strains to break free of the period film formula, using some goofy song remixes to spike the cinematic punch. It mostly works, and Biel is effective as a woman ahead of her time.

The first blockbuster of Summer '09 has its jaw-dropping moments, but it lacks the power and precision of the previous "X" films. Hugh Jackman is still magnetic as the hirsute hero, but the backstory concocted for him isn't as involving as the Wolverine character himself. Several top-notch action sequences nudge this one into the "See it" category.