This was a great year for animals on the silver screen — from several fabulous dogs and a heroic horse to one unbelievably talented monkey. So if you and your family welcomed a new pet this holiday season, you might consider naming him or her after one of these very worthy movie stars.

1.  Arthur, played by Cosmo — Rescue dog Cosmo is a true canine star, having appeared in such hit movies as Hotel for Dogs as Friday and Paul Blart: Mall Cop.  This Jack Russell Terriergives such a natural and charming performance alongside Ewan MacGregor in the acclaimed film Beginners, his name is even being barked about for an Academy Award nod. In terms of name value, Arthur fits the current trend of giving pets classic people names, while Cosmo (short for “cosmopolitan”) is a very cool and sophisticated moniker for a fan of the cocktail — or for fans of Seinfeld, since it turns out to be Kramer‘s long-hidden first name.

2.  Uggie — This expressive and adorable Jack Russell Terrier about steals the show from his fellow actors in the silent-film sensation The Artist. In fact, he’s also the subject of a write-in campaign for the Oscars.

As for the name Joey,  it also follows the trend of giving human names to dogs and cats, and also combines the popular “O” and “E” sounds that are readily heard and responded to by pets. It’s also a nickname for a infant marsupial, like a kangaroo, so it’s great for those bouncy dogs and cats as well. Finder is a fantastic moniker for any kind of retriever or a pet that performs rescues, like the St. Bernard or a German Shepherd.

5.   Dolce — Pronounced “Dole-chay,” this pretty name means “sweet” in Italian, making a perfectly delicious title for a good-natured dog or cat. And it definitely fits the Pomeranian who may just be the only friend of the unlikeable woman played by Charlize Theron in Young Adult.  According to the New York Times, the film’s director Jason Reitman, picked out the star pooch — whose real name is Hummer — on the streets of Manhattan, and found her smile irresistible.

The film, directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways, About Schmidt, Election), is a bittersweet melodrama laced with heartfelt emotion and subtle humor. No guns. No car chases. No explosions. No blaring soundtrack. Just a guy reconnecting with his daughters during a family trip to Kauai that happens to involve tracking down his dying wife’s lover.

It’s an unpredictable journey – and at times, a funny one, thanks mostly to the seemingly inappropriate presence of daughter Alexandra’s clueless, tag-along boyfriend Sid (Nick Krause). You’ll spend a good deal of time wondering why he hasn’t been kicked to the curb, but it all pays off in the end.

The Descendants is a slow but engaging drama with solid performances all around, a healthy dose of heart and humor, and a whole lotta George. Happy Thanksgiving.

The Writers Guild of America has picked its favorite scripts of the past year. And as usual, many of the films that will no doubt be nominated for Best Screenplay at the Oscars are conspicuously missing since they are ineligible, and all because they were penned by non-WGA signatories or are (gasp!) animation. (Winter’s Bone, The King’s Speech, Toy Story 3 and several other wonderful scripts fall into this category.) So it really just comes down to the Guild picking their favorites from their members. And not a lot of surprises here.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Black Swan, Screenplay by Mark Heyman and Andres Heinz and John McLaughlin; Story by Andres Heinz; Fox Searchlight

The Fighter, Screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson; Story by Keith Dorrington & Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson; Paramount Pictures

Inception, Written by Christopher Nolan; Warner Bros.

The Kids Are All Right, Written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg; Focus Features

Please Give, Written by Nicole Holofcener; Sony Pictures Classics

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

127 Hours, Screenplay by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy; Based on the book Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston; Fox Searchlight

I Love You Phillip Morris, Written by John Requa & Glenn Ficarra; Based on the book by Steven McVicker; Roadside Attractions

The Social Network, Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin; Based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich; Sony Pictures

The Town, Screenplay by Peter Craig and Ben Affleck & Aaron Stockard; Based on the novel Prince of Thieves by Chuck Hogan; Warner Bros.

True Grit, Screenplay by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen; Based on the novel by Charles Portis; Paramount Pictures

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

Freedom Riders, Written, Produced and Directed by Stanley Nelson; International Film Circuit

Enemies of the People, Written, Directed, Filmed and Produced by Rob Lemkin and Thet Sambath; International Film Circuit

Gasland, Written and Directed by Josh Fox; HBO Documentary Films and International WOW Company

Inside Job, Produced, Written and Directed by Charles Ferguson; Co-written by Chad Beck, Adam Bolt; Sony Pictures Classics

The Two Escobars, Written by Michael Zimbalist, Jeff Zimbalist; ESPN Films

Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him)?, Written and Directed by John Scheinfeld; Lorber Films

The winners will be announced at the 2011 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 5, 2011.

BEST MOVIE

Winter’s Bone was one of the most real and sad movies I have seen in years. And Jennifer Lawrence turned in an outstanding breakout performance in it. It was a story that could so easily have slipped into redneck clichés, but the director and the actors respected the material and told an amazing story.

I think The Social Network also rose to the occasion with a kick-ass script and great ensemble performances. I was surprised how much I liked it, especially given the subject matter that I feared would only appeal to the 20-somethings.

The King’s Speech is another strong contender for its sparkling script and a great performance by Colin Firth.

BEST FOREIGN FILM

This is a hard category because I saw so many good ones and relegating them to “foreign” seems kind of unfair; they’re all “Best Film” contenders to me. Mother, a Korean Hitchcockian thriller, blew me away. Javier Bardem in the Spanish drama Biutiful broke my heart. And the wonderfully inventive French comedy Micmacs had me laughing out loud and reveling in the imagery.

BEST CHICK FLICK

2010 didn’t have a standout standard chick flick a la Julia and Julia or The Devil Wears Prada, but The Kids Are All Right was one of my favorite movies this year. Wickedly funny with great performances and just the right amount of drama in the mix, it has stuck with me and I’ll probably rent it on Netflix soon, just to see it again, which is rare for me.

MOST UNDER-APPRECIATED

I was totally taken with Ben Affleck’s The Town. Great performances by Affleck and Jeremy Renner (again) and a nice nuanced script. It is a character piece and a love story, wrapped in a heist flick.

BEST ROOSTER PERFORMANCE

I think a lot of the movies this year that are being put forward for Best Picture are really just about one standout performance. Christian Bale was amazing, and the script and direction for The Fighter were better than average, but not amazing. Same for Jeff Bridges, Robert Duvall and Michael Douglas. I think the Best Actor Category at the Oscars will be the one to watch.

BEST CHICK PERFORMANCE

Unfortunately, I think that women are still not getting the great roles but I’d say Natalie Portman killed in The Black Swan and Annette Bening gave one of her best ever performances in The Kids Are All Right.

BEST CLOTHES

Since we are Chickflix, I thought that we really should point out these things. In I am Love Tilda Swinton wears the most beautiful wardrobe in recent film. The design in the whole film is just fabulousness Italian-style.

MOVIE I’D LIKE TO SEE SEQUELIZED

Inception was visually and intellectually stimulating and I’d love to see more done with the concept. Sure, my brain hurt after I saw it, but in a good way.

MOST OVERRATED

I don’t know what Scorsese was thinking with Shutter Island. It was just one big mess that not even Leonardo could pull off. And the same could almost be said about Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, but it at least had fantastic visuals to offset the awkward direction.

BIGGEST WASTE OF TIME

Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz had negative chemistry in the totally disappointing Knight and Day and Russell Crowe actually bored me in Robin Hood. What happened to our mega-stars this year? I include Mr. Depp and Mr. Downey, Jr. here.

Best Movies of the Year: Like Mainstream Chick, I refuse to pick just one. But I’m going to go even further than she did and give you my top five of 2010. They are:

The Fighter – to quote one of my Facebook friends it makes you feel “like hitting something and falling in love” at the same time.

True Grit – I just love Jeff Bridges. He killed it in Crazy Heart and he kills it (and several bad guys) in this movie.

Toy Story 3 – I laughed, I cried, I was so glad to have Woody, Buzz and the gang back for one more go round on the big screen.

The Social Network – Did I not already mention Facebook twice in this post? It’s now the most visited website in the U.S. It was a story for our time and a well told one.

The Kids Are All Right – It was new, different, funny and beautifully acted. Stellar performances from Annette Bening, Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo.

Best Chick Flick: The Kids Are All Right – it had all the elements of a good chick flick for me: humor, relationship drama, and pretty people.

Most Under-Appreciated: Easy A – I have to say the chicks are guilty of not appreciating this one. We didn’t review it when it was in theaters and I just saw it on Pay-Per-View. It’s a great teen movie that hearkens back to and freely borrows from the John Hughes movies of the 1980s. Emma Stone was fabulous as the young lead and Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci, as her parents, lead a stellar supporting cast.

Guiltiest Pleasure: Get Him to the Greek – oh Diddy, Diddy, Diddy, you stole this movie. It cracked me up.

Best Eye-Candy: Love and Other Drugs – naked Jake Gyllenhaal (and Anne Hathaway for those who prefer girls), need I say more?

Biggest Disappointment: Iron Man 2 – loved the first one, this one not so much.

Best Soundtrack: Eat, Pray, Love – music from Eddie Vedder, Neil Young, Marvin Gaye among others. The music and the scenery were the best parts of this movie.

Most Cringe-worthy: Dinner for Schmucks – I hesitate to even put it on this list because it really doesn’t deserve any attention at all. Ick.

Movie that Never Should Have Had a Sequel: Sex and the City – the first one was pure chick flick fun. Sex and the City 2 was a disaster, except for the clothes, of course.

Movie that Should Have a Sequel: Despicable Me – loved it and would love to see more of those adorable minions.

In the spirit of the Chicks’ diverse sensibilities, we thought it only fair to offer our individual picks for movies that made a special impression on us in 2010 – for better or for worse. Here are mine:

Best Movies of the Year. I refuse to pick just one, because there isn’t a single movie that I truly felt bested the pack. And that’s not a bad thing. Each one resonated for a very different reason. And if the Academy can expand its nominations list for Best Movie to ten, then I should be allowed to expand my top picks to three!

The Social Network. Love it or hate it, Facebook has changed our lives forever. And this movie taps into what we love and hate about our utilization of social networking tools and the freaks and geeks who make it all possible. It’s truly a story for our times.

The Fighter. This movie is the total package. The combination of story, characters, and ensemble acting should appeal to a wide range of folks. Really, it’s not just a “boxing movie”, so don’t let that stop you from checking it out.

Toy Story 3. This movie continues to resonate for reasons that are surely part nostalgic and part cinematic achievement. It’s a rare feat for sequels to pull off real-time story and character progression, not to mention make us care (even cry) for animated toys. I just loved it. And I loved that big kids who were little kids when TS2 came out seemed to like it too.

First Runner-Up. The King’s Speech. I caught this one just under the wire for 2010, and it’s a winner. I love Colin Firth and think he’s one of the best and most under-appreciated actors of our time.

Best Chick Flick. True Grit. As I said in my review, this one’s a chick flick wrapped in a western. And since most of the formulaic chick flicks were weak at best this year,  this one wins by default!

Guiltiest Pleasure. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. So sue me, I got roped into reading the books before the movies came out. And I got hooked. The first movie was rather horrendous, but the second and third have gotten progressively better.

Best Movie You Probably Didn’t See (or even hear of). The Joneses. For some reason, this movie with Demi Moore and David Duchovny came and went in a flash. But if you’ve ever envied the lives and “things” of others, The Joneses offers a cautionary tale in a witty and well-acted way.

Best Documentary. Waiting for “Superman”. Granted, I haven’t seen all the top contenders this year, and this movie was far from perfect, but it did what any good documentary should. It raised awareness and generated some interesting discussion and debate about the state of the U.S. education system.

Best Mind-Bender. Inception. Love it or hate it or just not get it, Inception deserves kudos for its sheer creativity and complexity.

Most memorable mis-pronunciations. I chuckle every time I think about Megamind’s pronunciation of “melancholy” and “Metrocity”. Admit it – if you saw the movie, you just smiled at the memory!

Biggest Disappointment. It’s a tie between Sex and the City 2 and Eat Pray Love. Despite great clothes and locales, neither lived up to the hype.

Best George Clooney Movie. The American. Okay, so it’s the only movie that Clooney was in this year, and it was an odd one. But the chicks celebrate him nonetheless for his humanitarian efforts and overall suaveness.

Happy New Year Everybody!

MOVIES

Best Picture – Drama

Black Swan

The Fighter

Inception

The King’s Speech

The Social Network

Best Picture – Musical or Comedy

Alice in Wonderland

Burlesque

The Kids are All Right

Red

The Tourist

Best Actor – Drama

Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network

Colin Firth, The King’s Speech

James Franco, 127 Hours

Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine

Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter

Halle Berry, Frankie and Alice

Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole

Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone

Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

Best Actor – Musical or Comedy

Johnny Depp, Alice in Wonderland

Johnny Depp, The Tourist

Paul Giamatti, Barney’s Version

Jake Gyllenhaal, Love and Other Drugs

Kevin Spacey, Casino Jack

Best Actress – Musical or Comedy

Annette Benning, The Kids Are All Right

Anne Hathaway, Love and Other Drugs

Angelina Jolie, The Tourist

Emma Stone, Easy A

Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams, The Fighter

Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech

Mila Kunis, Black Swan

Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale, The Fighter

Michael Douglas, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Andrew Garfield, The Social Network

Jeremy Renner, The Town

Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech

Best Director

Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan

David Fincher, The Social Network

Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech

Christopher Nolan, Inception

David O. Russell, The Fighter

Best Screenplay

Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy, 127 Hours

Lisa Cholodenko, The Kids are All Right

Christopher Nolan, Inception

David Sieber, The King’s Speech

Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network

Best Animated Feature

Despicable Me

How to Train Your Dragon

The Illusionist

Tangled

Toy Story 3

Best Foreign Language Film

Biutiful

The Concert

The Edge

I Am Love

In a Better World

Best Original Song

Bound to You, Burlesque

Coming Home, Country Strong

I See the Light, Tangled

There’s a Place For Us, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me, Burlesque

Best Original Score

Alexandre Desplat, The King’s Speech

Danny Elfman, Alice in Wonderland

A. R. Rahman, 127 Hours

Hans Zimmer, Inception

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, The Social Network

TELEVISION

Best Television Series – Drama

Boardwalk Empire

Dexter

The Good Wife

Mad Men

The Walking Dead

Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire

Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad

Michael C. Hall, Dexter

Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Hugh Laurie, House

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama

Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife

Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

Piper Perabo, Covert Affairs

Katey Sagal, Sons of Anarchy

Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

Best Television Series – Comedy

30 Rock

The Big Bang Theory

The Big C

Glee

Modern Family

Nurse Jackie

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Comedy

Toni Collette, The United States of Tara

Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie

Tina Fey, 30 Rock

Laura Linney, The Big C

Lea Michele, Glee

Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

Steve Carell, The Office

Thomas Jane, Hung

Matthew Morrison, Glee

Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Televisio

Scott Caan, Hawaii Five-0

Chris Colfer, Glee

Chris Noth, The Good Wife

Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

David Strathairn, Temple Grandin

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Hope Davis, The Special Relationship

Jane Lynch, Glee

Kelly MacDonald, Boardwalk Empire

Julia Stiles, Dexter

Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

Carlos

The Pacific

Pillars of the Earth

Temple Grandin

You Don’t Know Jack

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Hayley Atwell, Pillars of the Earth

Claire Danes, Temple Grandin

Judi Dench, Return to Cranford

Romola Garai, Emma

Jennifer Love Hewitt, The Client List

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Idris Elba, Luther

Ian McShane, Pillars of the Earth

Al Pacino, You Don’t Know Jack

Dennis Quaid, The Special Relationship

Edgar Ramirez, Carlos

So what’s missing? Any great films that seem to have been slighted? Gross oversights? Ridiculous choices?

The film has its flaws – the biggest being that it’s about 20 minutes too long. But it’s an important enough issue to warrant widespread attention and viewership – as well as dialogue and response, which it invites through the film’s website, waitingforsuperman.com.

The heart and soul of the film is the story of several school-age kids who are being under-served by the public schools that geographic boundaries would dictate they attend. The heroes are the youngsters themselves, the parents and guardians who struggle to look for affordable alternatives, and the battle-weary, innovative educators who refuse to accept the status quo.

The villains are basically bureaucrats, politicians and a teacher’s union that protects bad teachers by awarding them tenure based on “time served” rather than job performance. The stories and stats are shocking, depressing and maddening. And it’s heartbreaking to see how and why some kids’ futures may very well hinge on a lottery for coveted spots in select charter and magnet schools.

Sure, the film probably exaggerates some things to some degree – for dramatic effect. But that’s okay. It’s designed to raise awareness and build support for a public school system where the kids really would come first and where “No Child Left Behind” wouldn’t  just be a catchy slogan. See it. Discuss it. Fix it.

Ondine Opening: June 4

Starring: Colin Farrell, Alicja Bachleda, Stephen Rea

What It’s About: When Irish fisherman Syracuse (Farrell) finds a mysterious woman named Ondine (Bachleda) in his fishing net, he assumes she is dead before finding out she may in fact be a mermaid. With the help of his disabled daughter, Syracuse falls in love with the possible mythical creature before a series of dark events threaten to overshadow the relationship.

Splice Opening: June 4

Starring: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, Delphine Cheneac

What It’s About: In Vincenzo Natali’s sci-fi thriller, Clive (Brody) and Elsa (Polley) are two scientists who mix human DNA with genetically engineered animal experiments to create Dren, a deformed female infant. Surprisingly, absolutely nothing goes wrong after that. Or Dren becomes a winged half-human monster hellbent on destroying all in her path.

The A-Team Opening: June 11

Starring: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Quinton Jackson, Sharlto Copley, Jessica Biel

What It’s About: In the big-screen version of TV’s ‘The A-Team’ — the TV show about three wrongly accused escaped military fugitives (and one crazy pilot) — Bradley Cooper plays Face; Liam Neeson is Hannibal, the man who loves it when a plan comes together; and Sharlto Copley brings the crazy as Capt. “Howling Mad” Murdock. Apparently Dirk Benedict, the original Face, approves: He filmed a cameo for the film. Looks like a lot of fun.

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work Opening: June 11

Starring: Joan Rivers, Don Rickles, Kathy Griffin

What It’s About: This documentary takes a look at the life and work of Joan Rivers, one of the most popular comediennes and television personalities in history. Starting her career in the early ’60s as a stand-up comic — no small feat for a female at the time — Rivers became a ‘Tonight Show’ staple and has hosted several talk shows. Filmmakers Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg followed Rivers for a year as the comedian prepared for an one-woman show in the UK and became a participant on a reality TV show.

The Killer Inside Me Opening: June 18

Starring: Casey Affleck, Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson, Simon Baker, Bill Pullman

What It’s About: Michael Winterbottom (’24 Hour Party People,’ ’9 Songs’) directs this neo-noir about small-town Sheriff Lou Ford (Affleck), who leads a double life as a serial killer. When his area becomes inundated with unsolved murders, Ford must deflect any suspicions about him toward other suspects. The film is based on author Jim Thompson’s acclaimed 1952 novel.

Knight and Day Opening: June 25

Starring: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard, Paul Dano

What It’s About: Diaz plays June, an unsuspecting lonely girl who literally runs into a dangerous secret agent named Milner (Cruise) inside an airport, an encounter that starts the two on a whirlwind chase to avoid capture by a federal agent (Peter Sarsgaard).

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Opening: June 30

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Bryce Dallas Howard

What It’s About: In the third ‘Twilight’ film, Bella’s targeted by a vengeful vamp. And who — or what — is responsible for a string of mysterious slayings in Seattle? Bella’s still torn between Edward and Jacob, and her choice may be the spark that ignites an epic werewolf vs. vampire war. Plus, she’s got to study for finals: It’s her senior year! You know this will be huge!

The Last Airbender Opening: July 2

Starring: Jackson Rathbone, Dev Patel, Cliff Curtis, Nicola Peltz

What It’s About: M. Night Shyamalan tries his hand at a children’s fantasy flick in this hero’s adventure following young Aang (Noah Ringer), the last in a long line of Avatars, or masters of all four elements. To restore peace to the four nations (Fire, Earth, Water and Air), Aang must fulfill his destiny of defeating the evil Fire Lord (Curtis) and freeing the other elements’ people from his tyrannical rule. Sounds horrid, but let’s hope M. has another The Sixth Sense in him.

The Kids Are All Right Opening: July 7

Starring: Annette Bening, Mark Ruffalo, Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson

What It’s About: Committed couple Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) have raised two teenagers together, but are thrown for a loop when their children want to track down their biological father (Mark Ruffalo) — and they all learn what it really means to be a family.

Cyrus Opening: July 9

Starring: John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill, Marisa Tomei, Catherine Keener

What It’s About: John (Reilly) has been divorced for seven years and has given up on meeting the perfect woman. When his ex-wife (Keener) invites him to a party, he meets Molly (Tomei), a beautiful, fun woman with only one downside: her weird son Cyrus (Hill). A 21-year-old New Age musician, Cyrus enjoys a bond with his mother that’s a bit closer than most, which means his displeasure with mom’s new boyfriend runs fast and deep, and Cyrus and John repeatedly — and comedically — lock horns.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Opening: July 16

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Monica Bellucci, Alfred Molina

What It’s About: Jerry Bruckheimer’s latest summer action epic is a live-action adaptation of an animated segment in Disney’s ‘Fantasia’ and Goethe’s 18th-century ballad. Baruchel plays the Mickey Mouse character — a college student who winds up the chosen apprentice of a sorcerer (Cage) preparing for a supernatural war. Expect huge explosions, eye-popping special effects and as always, Cage in a crazy hairstyle. Bring the kids!

Inception Opening: July 16

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Marion Cotillard

What It’s About: Does anyone really know? Christopher Nolan, the director of ‘The Dark Knight,’ returns with ‘Inception,’ a film everyone wants to see — though, really, no one has any clue what it’s about. Nolan explains the film as “exploring the idea of people entering a dream space and sharing a dream.” Awesome. Thanks for clearing that up.

Salt Opening: July 23

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Liev Schreiber

What It’s About: Jolie takes over for Tom Cruise — who declined the role for other commitments — as the title character, Evelyn Salt (we assume the character’s name was not “Evelyn” when Crusie was attached). Salt is a CIA agent who is accused of working for the KGB and has to clear her name. Come to think of it: Cruise already made this film — it was called ‘Mission: Impossible.’

Dinner For Schmucks Opening: July 23

Starring: Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Stephanie Szostak, Zach Galifianakis, Ron Livingston

What It’s About: Director Jay Roach has stolen Chris Rock’s idea of stealing European comedies and remaking them for American audiences. This adaptation of the French film ‘The Dinner Game’ follows rising executive Tim (Rudd), who must decide whether or not to bring Barry (Carell) as the perfect guest to his boss’s competition of finding the dumbest dinner guest. Carell and Galifianakis have landed the roles they were meant to play — geeks trying out-dweeb each other. The French version was great, but most of these French/American adaptations have been really bad, so I don’t expect much. Surprise me, please.

Beastly Opening: July 30

Starring: Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Hudgens, Mary-Kate Olsen, Peter Krause, Neil Patrick Harris

What It’s About: Kyle (Alex Pettyfer) has it all — wealth, looks, privilege — until he cruelly picks on the wrong girl, a Goth who casts a spell that transforms him into an unrecognizable freak. The only cure: He must find someone who will love him as he is. Will he find his true love in Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens), an addict’s daughter whose life he saves, or is he doomed to stay a monster forever?

Get Low Opening: July 30

Starring: Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Bill Murray

What It’s About: It’s the true story of Felix “Bush” Breazeale (Duvall) who, in the 1930s, came out of 40 years of seclusion to plan his own funeral party while still alive. “I want everybody to come who’s got a story to tell about me,” says Bush. The event became a national spectacle, with Bush selling lottery tickets to the funeral with his valuable plot of land as the prize. Twelve-thousand mourners reputedly arrived. Murray plays the funeral home owner in charge of arranging the event. Great cast, quirky story. Could be the sleeper hit.

Step Up 3D Opening: August 6

Starring: Rick Malambri, Sharni Vinson, Adam Sevani, Alyson Stoner

What It’s About: The third installment of the ‘Step Up’ series goes international — and 3-D. A tight-knit group of New York street dancers, including Luke (Rick Malambri) and Natalie (Sharni Vinson), team up with an NYU student (Adam Sevani) against the world’s best hip-hop dancers in a high-stakes showdown. Romance and eye-popping dance moves ensue.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Opening: August 13

Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin

What It’s About: ‘Scott Pilgrim’ is a comic-book series about a bass-playing Canadian slacker; and of course, Michael Cera is playing the title role. Scott wants to date Ramona Flowers, but to do this, he must fight and defeat her seven evil exes, who now want to kill him. Think ‘Juno,’ only instead of a pregnancy and a hamburger phone, there are seven super-powered evil villains standing in the way of these two star-crossed lovers.

Mao’s Last Dancer Opening: August 6

Starring: Joan Chen, Kyle Maclachlan, Chi Cao, Chengwu Gao

What It’s About: Based on a true story, ‘Mao’s Last Dancer’ looks at the life of Li Cunxin (Cao), a boy who worked his way up from an apprenticeship as a classical dancer in communist China to a heralded star in America. Bruce Beresford’s film explores the cultural and political differences and uncertainties between the two countries and looks into the effects, both positive and negative, of fame and celebrity. ‘Dancer’ was filmed in China, the U.S. and Australia.

The Other Guys Opening: August 6

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Will Ferrell, Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes

What’s it about: Ferrell plays Allen Gamble, a pencil-pushing NYPD detective whose partner, Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg), has been confined to desk work as punishment for being a little too quick on the trigger in the field. When an opportunity arrives that will call for the two of them to step up, hijinks and hilarity appropriately ensue. Sounds typically Ferrell.

Eat, Pray, Love Opening: August 6

Starring: Julia Roberts, Javier Bardem, Richard Jenkins, Billy Crudup, James Franco

What It’s About: After a painful divorce, Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) finds her priorities shifting in this adaptation of the best-selling memoir. She sets out to explore the world and find her true destiny. Her travels take her from Italy to India to Bali, and she meets some unforgettable people — including herself — along the way. Lovely travelogue if nothing else.

The Switch Opening: August 20

Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Jeff Goldbum, Patrick Wilson

What It’s About: Single Kassie (Jennifer Aniston) decides to use the turkey baster method to get pregnant, but doesn’t realize her friend Wally (Jason Bateman) has substituted his own sperm instead of her chosen donor. Seven years later, her son is the spitting image of Wally, and realizes he’s got to admit the truth — and how he really feels about Kassie.

The Tillman Story Opening: August 20

What It’s About: Pat Tillman was a former football player for the Arizona Cardinals before turning down a multi-million dollar contract to enlist in the U.S. Army. While serving in Afghanistan, Tillman was killed by friendly fire and became the center point of an alleged cover-up by the U.S. military and government to conceal the details of his death. Amir Bar-Lev (‘My Kid Could Paint That’) delves into Tillman’s life and investigates the circumstances behind his tragic and controversial death.

Going the Distance Opening: August 27

Starring: Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Christina Applegate, Ron Livingston

What It’s About: On-again, off-again real-life couple Drew Barrymore and Justin Long star as lovers who find their long-distance relationship wearing thin. Temptation comes for Long in the form of Christina Applegate, who told the Belfast Telegraph, “It’s very dirty,” adding, “I saw a lot of Justin Long over the summer. See the movie and you’ll know why I said that.”

Happythankyoumoreplease Opening: August 27

Starring: Josh Radnor, Malin Akerman, Kate Mara

What It’s About: The winner of the Audience Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Josh Radnor’s directorial debut looks at life in New York for a group of late 20s/early 30s people struggling to keep up with the pace of the city. While riding the subway, Sam (Radnor) meets Rasheen, a young boy abandoned by his parents, and subsequently takes him in. Mississippi (Mara) is a bartender trying to make it as a musician. Annie (Akerman) is a pretty girl who suffers from alopecia, a rare condition that leaves the person with no hair. Relationships intersect and lessons, we assume, are learned.

Lebanon Opening: August 13

Starring: Yoav Donat, Itay Taran, Oshri Cohen

What It’s About: Israeli writer/director Samuel Moaz crafts this historical drama set amid the 1982 Israel/Lebanon battle that sees four Israeli soldiers assigned to take part in the first strike on Lebanon. While setting out towards the Lebanese border, the men experience many facets of the war experience before arriving at their destination, a town already bombed by the Israeli Air Force. When a group of Syrian resistance fighters overtake the group, the soldiers find themselves in very dangerous territory. ‘Lebanon’ was an Official Selection at the 2009 Venice International Film Festival.

The four babies are from Tokyo, San Francisco, Mongolia and Namibia and it’s fun to see how different, yet how similar the first years of their lives are. The American and Japanese baby seem to be constantly stimulated with play dates and classes, while the African and Chinese baby are often left alone to crawl around and discover things for themselves. At one point, the baby in Mongolia is surrounded by a herd of cattle while he plays outside and it all seems perfectly natural. All of the babies are well loved and cared for so they’re all very happy and content in the movie. In fact, you don’t see any unhappy moments at all – no puking, no wailing in the middle of the night, no temper tantrums, except for one minor meltdown when the little girl in Tokyo can’t figure out one of her toys.

It’s an hour and twenty minutes of pure adorableness, which is the perfect length – any longer and it might have been cuteness overload. This is the ultimate chick flick. When I saw it the audience was all women except for two men and I assure you they were not there voluntarily. It’s definitely a must see if you are in need of a mood lifter. It’s what I call an “aww inspiring” movie.