It’s time to head to the movies, where some of this summer’s cutest critters will be heading for you! It will look like it, anyway, since some cool flicks are coming at you in 3-D. Glasses on (optional); popcorn ready; enjoy!
Museum Comes Alive Again
Ready for another crazy night? Ben Stiller reprises his role as Larry, the hapless night watchman who discovered that everything came to life after-hours in “Night at the Museum.” He’s joined by Teddy Roosevelt,  Sacajawea and Rexie in “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.”
Larry must rescue cowboy Jedediah, Roman general Octavius and his other wax figure friends when they are packed off to the National Archives at the Smithsonian. He gets help from Abraham Lincoln, Gen. George Custer, Amelia Earhart and others. Earhart is played by Amy Adams, who perfected the role of a plucky heroine in “Enchanted.” The pioneering female aviator enchants Larry as she aids him in his quest to save his pals.
“Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” is rated PG. It was the top movie for Memorial Day Weekend, earning about $70 million at the box office!
Aliens Attack!
It’s a small-scale invasion when pint-sized aliens attack! The diminutive but aggressive Zirkonians battle kids on vacation in the movie “Aliens in the Attic.” 
Ashley Tisdale, the scheming Sharpay from “High School Musical,” plays a girl who gets an unexpected surprise this summer. She and her siblings must take on the Zirkonians in a fight to save their vacation house, and the Earth! “Aliens in the Attic” opens July 31.
Older kids may enjoy more menacing aliens in the action-packed “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” Optimus Prime and Bumblebee must protect Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) from vengeful Decepticons in this sequel to the 2007 summer blockbuster.
“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” will be filled with fast-paced, metal crunching action. Some battle scenes may be too intense for younger kids, so talk to your parents to decide if it’s a good choice for you. It opens June 24.
Ice Age Favorites Get Down and Out with the Dinosaurs
Manny the mammoth, Sid the sloth and Diego the saber-tooth embark on a new adventure, and this time the trio has to deal with dinosaurs—3-D dinosaurs, no less! “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” finds the unlikely group of friends facing some interesting challenges when it discovers a hidden subterranean world—a “lost” world populated by big, scaly sorts.
In this third installment of the popular “Ice Age” movies, Manny and Ellie are expecting a little mammoth. Will the often morose Manny be ready for a new bundle of joy? Sid takes an unexpected paternal turn as well when he finds a nest of eggs. Unfortunately, his adopted eggs belong to a dinosaur. Uh, oh!
Diego finds himself facing a feline identity crisis. And speaking of an identity crisis, the friends meet a weasel (named Buck) who hunts dinosaurs! Shouldn’t that be the other way around?
Audience favorite Scrat may find the love of his life…no, not the acorn. Another prehistoric rodent sets her sights on Scrat. Can he get the girl and finally secure that elusive nut? Find out on July 1, when “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” opens in theaters in 3-D.
This fall promises more 3-D delights for fans of family films. “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” in 3-D opens in September. Buzz Lightyear, Woody and the rest of the gang are back, too. “Toy Story 3-D” comes to the big screen in October.
Things Get Hairy, Scary for Harry
You don’t need to look into a pensieve to see that the latest “Harry Potter” film will be a big hit this summer. The penultimate (next to last) installment in the series, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” finds Harry and his friends in grave jeopardy as a full-scale war erupts in the wizarding world. 
The battle isn’t confined to the magical community. Voldemort’s return has put “muggles” —non-magical folk—in the line of fire. Of course, most muggles think the terrible attacks are accidents or natural disasters. Grim events unfold as Harry learns about the origins of the former Tom Riddle and prepares for another showdown with He Who Must Not Be Named.
Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson reprise their roles as Harry, Ron and Hermione. “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” opens July 15. It’s rated PG.
Gear Up for Guinea Pig Espionage
Have you ever looked at a small, fuzzy critter and thought, “There’s an action hero in that there furball!” Well, some Hollywood bigwig had that idea!
Now you can see guinea pigs go high-tech in the spy thriller, adventure comedy“G-Force.” The film ads promise gadgets, gizmos and guinea pigs—in 3-D!
The risk-taking rodents are part of an elite team specially trained and armed by the government. Darwin, Blaster and Juarez are members of a covert ops crew, aided by a fly (on the wall) and a mole who specializes in computers. They may be small, but they have the fate of the world in their paws!
Get ready for gadgets galore, eye-popping effects and some squeaky-clean fun when “G-Force” comes at you on July 24. It is rated PG.
Another live-action film with talking animals arrives with “Goose on the Loose” on Aug. 21.
It’s Time to Make a Wish, Little Fish
A little fish wishes to become human in the fantasy adventure “Ponyo.” Like the classic fairy tale “The Little Mermaid,” this story follows a character who dreams of a life that’s very different from the one she knows.
The little fish regularly rises to the surface of her ocean home in a bubble to get a better view of land. When her wish comes true, she finds herself washed ashore and befriended by a 5-year-old boy who names her Ponyo. But her father wants her to return to the ocean.
This animated tale is by Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, the creator of the acclaimed “Spirited Away” and “Howl’s Moving Castle.” Miyazaki combines mythical storytelling with traditional hand-drawn animation to make movie magic.
“Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea” was a big hit in Japan last year, and now the fish tale with a shorter title can be seen by American audiences. “Ponyo” opens Aug. 14.
Magic at the Movies
A boy targeted by bullies finds his luck changes after he finds a mysterious, multihued rock in the movie “Shorts.” Robert Rodriguez, the writer and director of the “Spy Kids” movies, spins a colorful tale about the magical rainbow rock.
The rainbow rock grants wishes to the person who possesses it. It stirs up magic, mischief and more as the story unfolds. “Shorts” opens Aug. 7 and is rated PG.
Eddie Murphy has been “Doctor Dolittle” and headed “Daddy Day Care.” In his latest film, “Imagine That,” he plays a dad who gets ahead at work when he starts spending quality time with his daughter. Murphy is a financial executive whose stock rises when he starts taking tips from his daughter’s imaginary friends.
Yara Shahidi plays Olivia, the precocious daughter. She keeps comedic veteran Murphy on his toes. “Imagine That” opens June 12 and is rated PG.
Going 'Up' and Away at the Movies
by Reporter Ri'Ann Holmes
Home-School
Disney/Pixar’s newest film “Up” will have children wishing their houses could fly. The story revolves around Carl Fredricksen, a 78-year-old balloon salesman.
Carl and his wife, Ellie, dreamed of living in Paradise Falls, a fictional landmark in South America. Ellie died before their dream became a reality. When convicted of a crime, Carl is ordered to go live in an elderly community. But he has no intention of leaving his current home, and instead decides to strap thousands of balloons to his house and pursue his dream to Paradise Falls.
An 8-year-old Boy Scout named Russell, seeking to get his Assisting The Elderly Badge, makes the movie worthwhile with his talkative, friendly spirit. Unknowingly, Russell flies to Paradise Falls with Carl. They encounter many problems on the way that delay their journey.
The villain of the movie, Charles Muntz, programmed vicious dogs to find a rare bird that lives in Paradise Falls. Carl and Russell end up protecting the bird from capture.
“Up” is a family movie that both kids and their parents will enjoy. You can see it in Disney Digital 3-D, so the action really comes at you! It’s in theaters now and is rated PG.
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