Amelia

Hilary Swank stars as famed aviator Amelia Earhart in this dramatic biopic that follows the daring pilot’s rise from obscurity in Kansas to her troubled marriage to businessman George Putnam (Richard Gere), who recruited her for her first transatlantic flight. Mira Nair (The Namesake, Vanity Fair) directs; Ewan McGregor, Joe Anderson, Christopher Eccleston, Joe Anderson and Mia Wasikowska co-star. Rated PG

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

Michael Douglas stars as corrupt district attorney Mark Hunter in this remake of Fritz Lang’s noir classic about a reporter, C.J. Nicholas (Jesse Metcalfe), who sets himself up as the prime suspect in a murder he didn’t commit in order to expose Hunter’s misdeeds. Nicholas’s plans go awry, however, when Hunter discovers the trap and destroys the evidence that would exonerate the cub reporter. Amber Tamblyn and Orlando Jones co-star. Rated PG-13

Blind Date

Middle-aged married couple Don (Stanley Tucci) and Janna (Patricia Clarkson) are torn apart by their daughter’s accidental death. No longer able to relate to each other, they reconnect when Don begins placing personal ads for Janna to respond to. They both role-play their parts, pretending to be strangers, a facade they hope can repair years of damage to their relationship. Tucci also directs this remake of Theo van Gogh’s 1996 film. Not Rated

The Boys Are Back

The Burning Plain

Charlize Theron plays a depressed, sex-obsessed restaurant manager in this moody, fragmented drama — screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga’s directorial debut — that weaves together four seemingly unrelated stories separated by time and space. A New Mexico housewife (Kim Basinger) begins a torrid affair, two teens mourn the death of their parents, and a young girl tries to mend her life in a Mexican border town. Rated R

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Inventor Flint Lockwood creates a machine that makes clouds rain food, enabling the down-and-out citizens of Chewandswallow to feed themselves. But when the falling food reaches gargantuan proportions, Flint must scramble to avert disaster. Can he regain control of the machine and put an end to the wild weather before the town is destroyed? Bill Hader and Anna Faris lend their vocal talents to this Golden Globe-nominated animated adventure. Rated PG

Coco Before Chanel

Audrey Tautou stars as legendary French designer Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel in this lively biopic that explores the fashion icon’s storied ascension from orphan to seamstress and cabaret singer and ultimately, the queen of Parisian haute couture. Alessandro Nivola plays Arthur “Boy” Capel, Chanel’s lover and influential business investor who makes a lifelong impact on the young woman. Anne Fontaine directs this Oscar nominee for Best Costume Design. French Dialogue, English Subtitles. Rated PG-13

Come Dance at My Wedding

When bride-to-be Cyd Merriman (Brooke Nevin) considers selling her small-town dance studio, she discovers that her estranged father, Tanner Grey (John Schneider), is listed on the deed. Meeting for the first time, the two must decide what to do with the studio — and each other. As Cyd prepares for her wedding, Tanner helps by teaching dance classes. But fiancé Zach (Christopher Jacot) isn’t as welcoming, and Tanner makes an uneasy decision. Not Rated

Couples Retreat

The Cove

This riveting, Oscar-nominated documentary follows a group of animal activists to a scenic cove in Taijii, Japan, where they use surveillance equipment to capture footage of a secretive and heavily guarded operation run by the world’s largest supplier of dolphins. As the daring group risks their lives to expose the horrifying truths behind the capture of dolphins for the lucrative tourist industry, they also uncover an environmental catastrophe. Rated PG-13

Departures

Freshly unemployed, young cellist Daigo (Masahiro Motoki) has an epiphany in which he realizes he’s been heading down the wrong career path. Retreating to his hometown, he trains for a new professional role as a nakanshi, or one who prepares the dead for burial. Tsutomu Yamazaki provides comic relief as Daigo’s eccentric mentor in director Yojiro Takita’s Oscar-winning, richly detailed — if unlikely — drama about finding your bliss. Japanese dialogue, English subtitles.  Rated PG-13

District 9

When aliens land on Earth, global business conglomerate Multi-National United forces them into rigid containment zones where they are compelled to labor, even as MNU commandeers their otherworldly technology for profit. As tensions build between human and non-human races, a rogue agent leads a resistance movement against MNU’s ruthless consolidation of power. Neill Blomkamp directs this cinema verité-style sci-fi thriller nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award. Rated R

Every Little Step

Go backstage for an up-close look at a Broadway production with this entertaining documentary that follows hopeful dancers as they audition for coveted spots in the 2006 revival of “A Chorus Line.” Drawing parallels between the interactions of the aspiring actors and the events of the play, filmmakers Adam Del Deo and James D. Stern also intercut interview footage of composer Marvin Hamlisch and dancers from the original Broadway production. Rated PG-13

Everybody’s Fine

Frank (Robert De Niro) just lost his wife, and without their mother by his side, Frank’s grown children aren’t compelled to visit for the holidays. So he hits the road to visit them — collecting various revelations and learning about himself along the way. Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell and Melissa Leo co-star in writer-director Kirk Jones’s family tale, an update of Giuseppe Tornatore’s 1990 Italian film. Rated PG-13

Extract

Encouraged by his friend, Dean (Ben Affleck), factory owner Joel (Jason Bateman) considers escaping his problems — an assembly-line accident, a potential lawsuit and a sexless marriage, for starters — by taking up with the gorgeous new temp, Cindy (Mila Kunis). But does Cindy have something nefarious up her sleeve? Kristen Wiig and J.K. Simmons co-star in writer-director Mike Judge’s (Office Space) latest work-set, comedic social commentary. Rated R

Falling Up

When his father is killed in a bizarre sports accident, wrong-side-of-the-tracks Henry O’Shea (Joseph Cross) quits nursing school to earn cash as a doorman at a posh New York apartment building, where he falls for lovely resident Scarlett Dowling (Sarah Roemer). As the pair’s relationship progresses, Henry’s sister (Rachael Leigh Cook) encourages the romance, but Scarlett’s mother has other ideas. David M. Rosenthal directs this romantic comedy. Not Rated

Fame

When a group of ambitious teenage dancers, musicians and actors enter a new semester at New York’s prestigious High School of Performing Arts, they try to make the most out of their chance at stardom in this remake of the Oscar-winning 1980 drama. Director Kevin Tancharoen’s energetic update stars Asher Book, Kay Panabaker, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Naturi Naughton, Kherington Payne and Collins Pennie. Rated PG

Flame and Citron

Based on actual events, this exciting drama tells the story of World War II Danish Resistance fighters Flame (Thure Lindhardt) and Citron (Mads Mikkelsen). Taking orders from Resistance leader Aksel Winther (Peter Mygind), the two systematically assassinate Danish collaborators and Nazi officers. But they are far from heroic in their personal lives, and filmmaker Ole Christian Madsen explores the serious flaws of these complex men.  Danish dialogue, English subtitles.  Not Rated

Gamer

Gifted Hands

Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr. stars as pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson (portrayed as a child by Jaishon Fisher and as a teen by Gus Hoffman), who overcomes enormous obstacles to study medicine and save lives at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Kimberly Elise plays Carson’s hardworking single mother, Sonya, who faces her own hurdles on the road to helping her son succeed in this made-for-cable drama based on Carson’s memoirs.

Half-Life

Growing up is tough for Timothy (Alexander Agate) and Pamela (Sanoe Lake). Global catastrophes abound and their self-destructive mother (Julia Nickson-Soul) stays with a manipulative boyfriend who doesn’t love her. Fortunately, their active imaginations help them cope. Combining live action and animated flights of fancy, Jennifer Phang wrote and directed this dreamlike official selection of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Not Rated

The Hurt Locker

I Can Do Bad All By Myself

Jennifer (Hope Olaide Wilson) and her kid brothers realize they’ve picked the wrong house to rob when they come face-to-face with quick-tempered matriarch Madea (Tyler Perry), who promptly deposits them with the only family they have: their hard-living aunt April (Taraji P. Henson), a nightclub singer. April’s got no room in her heart for the kids — until a handsome new tenant (Adam Rodriguez) starts to crack her tough exterior. Rated PG-13

In the Loop

When the U.S. president and the U.K. prime minister decide to invade a certain Middle Eastern country, skeptical American and British operatives do their best to stop the runaway train to war in director Armando Iannucci’s scathing political comedy. This Oscar nominee for Best Adapted Screenplay stars Tom Hollander as a British international development chief, James Gandolfini as a U.S. general, and Anna Chlumsky as a well-positioned intern. Not Rated

It Might Get Loud

Davis Guggenheim, creator of the Oscar-winning An Inconvenient Truth, directs this fascinating profile of three contemporary guitarists: Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, U2’s The Edge and Jack White of the White Stripes. Each talks about their creative process, technique and influences as cameras follow them to key locations in their own music history. A jam session featuring all three musicians is woven into their discussions. Rated PG

Law Abiding Citizen

Traumatized by the atrocious murders of his wife and daughter — and the flawed justice system that set the killers free — Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) gives in to his rage and sets out on a course of vengeance. He soon takes on not only the prosecutor involved in the case, Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), but also the city of Philadelphia. Director F. Gary Gray’s bold crime thriller co-stars Viola Davis and Michael Gambon. Rated R

Love Finds a Home

Dr. Belinda Owens’s (Sarah Jones) difficulties with conception take a toll on her marriage to Lee (Jordan Bridges) in this eighth installment of the frontier series of books written by Janette Oke. Meanwhile, in the final stages of her pregnancy, Annie Watson (Haylie Duff) stays with her old pal, Dr. Owens, whose modern scientific knowledge doesn’t impress Annie’s stubbornly old-fashioned mother-in-law and nursemaid, Mary (Patty Duke). Not Rated

Love Happens

Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston star in this romantic tale about life, loss and love. When widower and self-help guru Burke Ryan (Eckhart) unexpectedly falls for Eloise (Aniston), his latent grief threatens his chance at romance. Now, the best-selling author and expert on coping with loss must prove he’s his own best teacher or risk losing love again. Martin Sheen, Judy Greer and Frances Conroy also star. Rated PG-13

Michael Jackson’s This Is It

Rehearsal footage, backstage action and interviews comprise this moving Michael Jackson experience. He is shown here preparing for a series of 50 sold-out London shows, which were scheduled to kick off in late summer 2009. Singing his numerous hits at the Staples Center in Los Angeles during the days leading up to his untimely death, Jackson is also seen refining cues, delving into dance details and working with director Kenny Ortega. Rated PG

Moon

As he nears the end of a lonely three-year stint on the moon base Sarang, astronaut Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) begins to hear and see strange things. It’s not long before Sam suspects that his employer — the conglomerate LUNAR — has other plans for him. Featuring Kevin Spacey as the voice of a robot, this sci-fi thriller also stars Matt Berry and Kaya Scodelario. The film was an official selection at the Sundance Film Festival. Rated R

New York, I Love You

A companion piece to Paris, je t’aime, this valentine to New York cleverly blends nearly a dozen love stories, each presented by a different filmmaker. From Central Park to Brooklyn and Queens, each tale features the Big Apple as a central character. The writer-directors include Natalie Portman and Brett Ratner, and the cast features Shia LaBeouf, James Caan, Julie Christie, Christina Ricci, Ethan Hawke and dozens more. Rated R

Nine

In a postapocalyptic world, a small community of rag-doll robots hides in fear from dangerous machines out to exterminate them. But when a brave newcomer named 9 (voiced by Elijah Wood) joins the group, he inspires them to stand up and fight for their survival. Shane Acker directs this visually stunning animated film co-produced by Tim Burton, which also features the voices of John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly and Martin Landau. Rated PG-13

No Greater Love

When his wife, Heather (Danielle Bisutti), abandons him in a fit of depression and disappears without a trace, Jeff (Anthony Tyler Quinn) is left to raise his son, Ethan (Aaron Sanders), all on his own — until a decade later when by chance, he spots Heather at a church event. Now, the family must discover what place love, God and forgiveness have in their lives. Brad J. Silverman directs this inspirational drama. Rated PG

Post Grad

Ryden Malby (Alexis Bledel) always assumed it would be easy to find a job with a college diploma. But when nothing materializes after graduation, she’s forced to move back in with her dysfunctional family and work full-time at maintaining her sanity. The only bright spot is her steady relationship with her best friend, Adam (Zach Gilford), but even that’s starting to feel a little awkward. Carol Burnett, Michael Keaton and Jane Lynch co-star. Rated PG-13

The September Issue

Surrogates

Tennessee

On a cross-country trip to find their estranged father, brothers Carter (Adam Rothenberg) and Ellis (Ethan Peck) — whose life is on the line — meet waitress Krystal (Mariah Carey). The aspiring singer decides to drive the brothers to Nashville in hopes of jumpstarting her career. The trio becomes a united front as Krystal’s husband pursues them, Ellis’s health worsens, and Carter relives the painful past he and Ellis left behind. Rated R

The Time Travelers Wife