The Brothers Bloom are the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of lust and intrigue. Now they’ve decided to take on one last job – showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress the time of her life with a romantic adventure that takes them around the world.

Bloom is writer-director Rian Johnson’s follow up to Brick, one of the most-debated films within IMDb circles (just so you know). What gets us excited here is: the casting of Rinko Kikuchi (Babel) as the brothers’ accomplice; knowing that filming occurred all over Europe and Asia; anticipating Johnson’s crafted dialogue and his second attempt at fooling his audience. But what bums us out? The studio’s hide and seek release strategy, which once positioned the film for late 2008, then really late 2008, then spring 09, and now early summer …

Rated PG-13 for violence, some sensuality and brief strong language.

Director: Rian Johnson
Stars: Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo
Studio: Summit Entertainment
Release Date: 29 May 2009 (USA)
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Romance

A drama focused on a life-changing moment in 67-year-old train engineer Odd Horten’s existence: the evening of his retirement.

A catnap is the plot device that drives the narrative in the latest comedy/drama from Bent Hamer, the Kitchen Stories director who took last time took a Hollywood detour with Factotum. I love that he’s back on his native soil, and I’m ready to be hypnotized with his latest characterization, which has received raves even from those who don’t let the story’s metaphor-heavy moments escape without criticism.

Rated PG-13 for brief nudity.

Director: Bent Hamer
Stars: Baard Owe, Espen Skjønberg, Ghita Nørby
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics
Release Date: 15 May 2009 (USA)
Genre: Comedy, Drama

A multi-strand narrative set in early 1980’s Los Angeles, centered on an array of characters who represent both the top of the heap (a Hollywood dream merchant, a dissolute rock star, an aging newscaster) and the bottom (a voyeuristic doorman, an amoral ex-con). Connecting the intertwining strands are a group of beautiful, blonde young men and women who sleep all day and party all night, doing drugs — and one another –with abandon, never realizing that they are dancing on the edge of a volcano.

The rage for all things 1980s ends here, since Gregor Jordan’s adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s novel was all but disowned by the Sundance set after its premiere back in January. The idea of a nearly always nude Amber Heard should not conjure up notions of it’s-so-bad-it’s-Showgirls-good here. Seriously, just move away and move on from this one.

Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, drug use, pervasive language and some disturbing images.

Director: Gregor Jordan
Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger, Mickey Rourke
Studio: Senator Distribution
Release Date: 1 May 2009 (Iceland)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

In Los Angeles, reporter Steve Lopez (Downey Jr.) befriends Nathaniel Ayers (Foxx), a brilliant but troubled musician and one-time Julliard student who currently lives on Skid Row. In a series of revealing articles, Lopez draws attention to Ayers’s remarkable story, while Ayers still dreams of a grand performance at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

In mid-October of last year, Paramount made the decision to push Jamie Foxx and Co. from their movie’s Oscar-friendly berth to this new date. Why? Crowded marketplace, I’m assuming (for now, though I’m digging for more info). Reports indicate P’mount might still let the film qualify for Oscars with a quiet, awards-qualifying release at year’s end, which, provided some nominations come through, could turn this into a springtime hit. Either way, it should be quite something to watch Atonement director Joe Wright deftly move between time periods in to tell Ayers’s remarkable story (get some background here). Bank on top-notch performances from Foxx, Downey Jr., and Keener (who plays Steve Lopez’s wife), as well as a layered screenplay from Susannah Grant (Erin Brokovich).

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some drug use and language.

Director: Joe Wright
Stars: Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener
Studio: DreamWorks SKG
Release Date: 24 April 2009 (USA)
Genre: Drama, Biography, Music

In New York City, a young counterfeiter (Tatum) is introduced to the world of underground street fighting by a seasoned scam artist (Howard), who becomes his manager on the bare-knuckling brawling circuit.

The secret weapon here is not Channing Tatum’s untapped potential to be violent; rather, it’s writer-director Dito Montiel, who coaxed out Tatum’s lone well-received performance in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (it’s the chiseled young star’s Shattered Glass, if you will). Let’s also consider the presence of Terrence Howard and Luis Guzmán, two performers who could make lesser actors better by default. With the right underdog characterization, action choreography, and editing, this one might not be as bad as even I, or you, think.

Rated PG-13 for intense fight sequences, a sex scene and brief strong language.

Director: Dito Montiel
Stars: Channing Tatum, Terrence Howard, Luis Guzmán
Studio: Rogue Pictures
Release Date: 24 April 2009 (USA)
Genre: Action, Drama