Summer Movie Guide 2010: Women, children, action!

Family fare and films starring women compete for your popcorn-munching attention this summer, along with the expected action and explosions. Star names include Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie and Julia Roberts, and familiar franchises include “Toy Story" and “Twilight." 3-D continues to be tested. Studios expect about 40 percent of their take from summer movies – last summer’s total box office tally was a record-breaking $4.25 billion. So here’s our guide to the studios’ plan to draw you in and keep you cool. All dates are subject to change as the studios continue to jockey for favorable release dates.

Click movie's name for local listings and trailer.

"SEX AND THE CITY 2" The “girls" return with the effects, good and bad, of marriage and increased maturity. The first SATC movie, adapted from the TV series, shocked the industry by raking in $415 million and proving women have pull at the box office. This time, the girls – Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis, leave the city for a posh trip to the deserts of Africa. See our interview with all four of the stars in Friday’s Daily Break.

"PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME" Jake Gyllenhaal plays Prince Dastan whose major concern is keeping a magical dagger from the wrong hands. Gemma Arterton from “Clash of the Titans" co-stars, along with Ben Kingsley and Alfred Molina. It’s based on a seven-year-old video game but producer Jerry Bruckheimer turned out a hit from movie based on a theme-park ride (“Pirates of the Caribbean")

"SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD" George Romero is in charge. Expect gore.

"THE GREATEST" Carey Mulligan (Oscar nominee for “An Education") plays a woman who shows up months after the car-wreck death of a young man she claims is the father of her unborn child, disrupting his grief-stricken parents, played by Susan Sarandon and Pierce Brosnan.

Click movie's name for local listings and trailer.

June 4

"SPLICE" The Splice girl created by strange mutations may be one of summer’s most bizarre finds. Scientists played by Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody.

"GET HIM TO THE GREEK" Jonah Hill plays a befuddled junior music exec assigned to transport a druggie rock star from London to Los Angeles. Russell Brand plays the rocker, essentially reprising his character from “Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

"KILLERS" Ashton Kutcher retired from a job in which he had a license to kill. When bad-guys surface from his past, his confused wife (played by Katherine Heigl) goes on the run with him.

"MARMADUKE" The comic strip Great Dane plays in live-action on the big screen with Owen Wilson doing his talking.

"MOTHER AND CHILD" Dramatizes the effects of adoption, from those who were adopted to those who gave up a child. The ensemble cast includes Annette Bening, Naomi Watts, Jimmy Smits and Samuel L. Jackson.

“THE WARLORDS" A spectacular historical action film starring Jet Li and set during the Chinese Taiping Rebellion of the 1860s.

June 11

"THE A-TEAM" This retread of the 1980s television series arrives with a big budget. It’s still about a renegade gang of has-been operatives. Bradley Cooper stars as the lady-killer Face with footballer Quinton “Rampage" Jackson as the new B. A. Baracus. Liam Neeson plays Hannibal. With Jessica Biel.

"THE KARATE KID" Does Will Smith have to send his 11-year-old son out to work? Jaden Smith plays the kicking underdog Daniel-San, the role originated by Ralph Macchio (now 47) in 1984. The locale switches to China, where Jackie Chan plays the wise teacher (the role that brought an Oscar nomination to Pat Morita). The underdog story of a kid that fights back against bullies has already had three editions and is shown regularly on TV.

"HARRY BROWN" Michael Caine stars as an ex-military man who takes the law in his own hands.

"THE ECLIPSE" A widowed teacher (Ciaran Hinds) isn’t sure if he’s having terrifying nightmares or if his house is haunted. Aidan Quinn co-stars.

June 18

"JONAH HEX" Josh Brolin plays a scarred bounty hunter who goes up against an insane terrorist played by John Malkovich in a film set just after the Civil War. With Megan Fox.

"TOY STORY 3" It has been 11 years since “Toy Story 2." Andy, the owner of Buzz and Woody, goes away to college. His toys go to a day-care center where Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear (Ned Beatty) rules. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen return, with Michael Keaton as the voice of Ken.

"THE SECRET OF KELLS" Oscar-nominated as best animated film, this involves a boy trapped in a fortress under siege by Viking hordes.

"PLEASE GIVE" Finding an apartment in New York City often means waiting for its occupant to die. So it is with Catherine Keener and Oliver Platt, who want to expand their apartment. Also starring Rebecca Hall and Amanda Peet.

"THE SQUARE" An adulterous couple’s scheming leads to arson, blackmail and murder in a film noir from Australia.

June 25

"KNIGHT AND DAY" A romantic comedy-action outing designed to return Tom Cruise to the real world. He plays a secret agent who protects a scientist. With Cameron Diaz (last with him in “Vanilla Sky") Peter Sarsgaard and Paul Dano. Locations range from Spain to Jamaica to Boston.

"GROWN UPS" Yet another movie in which children can revel in how much smarter they are than adults. Consider the cast: Adam Sandler, David Spade, Rob Schneider, Chris Rock - all “Saturday Night Live" veterans experienced at playing inept boy-men. Add Kevin James. It concerns a group of childhood buddies who get together after 30 years for a summer weekend.

"THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES" This year’s Academy Award-winner for best foreign language film comes from Argentina - a romantic crime thriller about an unsolved 1974 rape and murder.

June 30

"THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE" Even the most avid Twiharders may find it difficult to watch a whole movie about Bella kissing the Werewolf boy (toothy teen Taylor Lautner, who has worked overtime in the gym), which persuades her (we always knew) that vampire hottie Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) is the one for her. It’s hard to keep secrets about one of the best-selling book series ever but there should be a line to see what we already know.

"THE ART OF THE STEAL" Big, real life fuss over art treasures. A collection ranging from Renoirs to Van Goghs and valued at $25 billion, prompts a court battle over an attempt to move it all to Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Click movie's name for local listings and trailer.

July 2

“THE LAST AIRBENDER" M. Night Shyamalan, like Orson Welles and Peter Bogdanovich, may forever live in the shadow of his first big success – “The Sixth Sense." This offering is the first of a trilogy adapted from Nickelodeon’s animated show, “Avatar: The Last Airbender." Twelve-year-old Noah Ringer plays Aang, who attempts to unite the Air, Water and Earth nations against the evil Fire Lord.

July 9

"SALT" Will Angelina Jolie emerge as the new James Bond? Call her Salt, Evelyn Salt, a CIA agent accused of being a Russian spy. She’s on the run, often in high heels.

"DESPICABLE ME" This all-villains offering comes animated and in 3-D. Gru, the baddest (voiced by Steve Carrell), plans to steal the moon. Julie Andrews, of all people, supplies the voice of Gru’s evil mother.

“PREDATORS’’ The old Ah-nuld franchise returns to the jungle on a different planet with different prey. The cast includes Topher Grace, Lawrence Fishburne and Oscar-winner Adrian Brody.

“CYRUS" Jonah Hill, usually in R-rated romps, portrays a young man who plays the electric keyboard and has an inappropriate attraction to his mom (played by Marisa Tomei). John C. Reilly learns this when he’s trying to date Mom.

July 11

CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL In five years, the summer festival of classic films has become a tradition at the Naro Theater. The Virginian-Pilot film critic and entertainment writer Mal Vincent hosts the series of seven Monday night movies, including films with Humphrey Bogart, Marlon Brando, Ann-Margret, Luise Rainer, Gloria Swanson, Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, William Holden, Eva Marie Saint and Elvis Presley. Yes, Elvis Presley. Personal remembrances of interviews with the stars will follow the screenings. Announcement of the films and dates to come soon.

July 16

"INCEPTION" Leonardo DiCaprio stars in a movie about a group of thieves who steal ideas by inserting themselves into the subconscious. With Oscar nominees Ken Watanabe and Ellen Page along with Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

"THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE" Young Jay Baruchel plays Mickey Mouse, in a way. This is a live-action adaptation of the Mouse’s segment in “Fantasia" when magical powers get away from him. Nicolas Cage plays the powerful sorcerer. Special effects abound.

July 23

"DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS’’ A remake of a French comedy. An executive (Paul Rudd) tries to win a bet by inviting an imbecile to a dinner party. Steve Carrell plays the victim.

July 30

"THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU’’ Matt Damon and Emily Blunt star in a political drama, love story and chase thriller. He’s a politician who falls in love with a ballet dancer. They’re on the run from the adjustment bureau which controls all fate and has decided they should be kept apart. It’s loosely based on a Phillip K. Dick short story.

"CATS AND DOGS: THE REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE" It’s been almost a decade since the late Duncan, local dog critic, got an offer from the Discovery Channel to review “Cats and Dogs," a film which pitted cats against dogs in a battle for human affection. Now, in 3-D, this spy-spoof sequel has the two sides join forces against an evil hairless cat voiced by Bette Midler.

"GET LOW" Virginia’s own Oscar-winner, Robert Duvall, plays an elderly recluse who, in a small town in the 1930s, hosts his own funeral. Bill Murray plays the mortician who hopes to make money from the event.

Set for local release sometime in July:

"CITY OF YOUR FINAL DESTINATION" Laura Linney stars as the widow of a famous writer who objects to plans for his biography. Anthony Hopkins tries to convince her that the book would preserve the man’s memory. Charlotte Gainsbourg, as the writer’s mistress, sides with his widow. Directed by the legendary James Ivory and written by Ruth Pwawer Jhabvala.

"ONDINE" An Irish fisherman (Colin Farrell) pulls the mysterious Ondine out of the sea. She may be a mermaid. An early stage version starred the young Audrey Hepburn in the title role now played by Alicja Bachleda. Written and directed by Neil Jordan (“The Crying Game").

“PRINCESS KAIULANI" The story of a princess caught up in the last days of the Hawaiian monarchy.

“EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP" An eccentric French shopkeeper seeks to find the elusive graffiti scrawler Bansky, who scratched stuff on walls around the world.

"SOLITARY MAN" Michael Douglas plays a jerk for all seasons. He’s a car dealer who loses all his customers and money when caught in fraud. Susan Sarandon, as his wife, gives him his walking papers because of his womanizing ways. When he returns to his alma mater he becomes involved in sexual scandals. No wonder he’s solitary.

Click movie's name for local listings and trailer.

Aug.  6

"MIDDLE MEN" Based, it claims, on truth, this is about a Texan who became one of the wealthiest men in the country by selling porn online. He persuades two computer nerds to teach him how to do it. Brazenly, Christopher Mallick, on whom the movie is loosely based, is also one of its producers. The cast includes Luke Wilson, Gabriel Macht, James Caan and Giovanni Ribisi.

"THE OTHER GUYS" Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg star in a buddy-cop comedy. They run into trouble when they attempt to solve a major financial fraud case.

Aug.  13

"EAT PRAY LOVE" Based on Elizabeth Gilbert’s best-selling 2006 memoir about her adjustment after a traumatic divorce, starring Julia Roberts. The cast includes Oscar-winner Javier Bardem as well as James Franco and UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus Billy Crudup.

"THE EXPENDABLES" A who’s who of muscle-dom of yore, featuring Sylvester Stallone, age 63, as the head of a group of mercenaries hired to overthrow a Latin American dictator. The cast includes Jason Statham (the “Transporter" movies) Jet Li and Dolph Lundgren (Sly’s Russian boxing adversary in “Rocky IV"), with cameos by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis. No girls?

"SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD" How long can Michael Cera use that woebegone, underdog look to persuade female audiences that they want to mother him? He tries it for one movie more. Here, his new girlfriend has seven evil ex-boyfriends who want to take him out. It’s based on a graphic novel by Bryan Lee. O’Malley.

Aug 20

"LOTTERY TICKET" Starring Bow Wow and Ice Cube. Bow Wow, in Atlanta, tries to keep his winning lottery ticket a secret over the weekend, until he can collect the money.

"NANNY MCPHEE RETURNS" Any movie that gives work to Emma Thompson is OK with me. Sooo ugly and sooo strict, Nanny McPhee is the nanny most unlikely to be hugged by the kiddies, yet, she’s wise and means well. Thompson, the Academy Award winning actress for “Howard’s End" and writer for “Sense and Sensibility," wrote this herself. Maggie Gylenhaal plays the mother who desperately needs a tough nanny. The cast includes Maggie Smith.

"THE SWITCH" Jason Bateman gets jealous when Jennifer Aniston, his best friend, decides to be artificially inseminated by someone other than him. He gets drunk and switches the sperm with his own.

"TAKERS" Takers are really thieves who use credit cards and hackers to rob banks. Matt Dillon, Zoe Saldana and Hayden Christensen star.

Aug. 27

"PIRANHA 3D" An earthquake has released prehistoric piranhas (the worst kind, apparently) during spring break. Elisabeth Shue (an Oscar nominee for “Leaving Las Vegas" ) plays the sheriff of an Arizona town where thousands of college-age party seekers have gathered. Richard Dreyfuss spoofs his “Jaws" role by appearing as a threatened fisherman.