Akeelah and the Bee An 11-year-old girl from South L.A. displays a prodigious aptitude for spelling. With Keke Palmer, left, Angela Bassett, right, Laurence Fishburne, Curtis Armstrong, J.R. Villarreal, Sahara Garey, Sean Michael Afable, Erica Hubbard, Lee Thompson Young, Julito McCullum, Sara Niemietz and George Hornedo. Written and directed by Doug Atchison\o7. Lionsgate, April 28
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Almodovar Film Festival The best of Pedro, from "Matador" and "Law of Desire" to "All About My Mother," "Talk to Her" and "Bad Education," get revivals. \o7Sony Pictures Classics, April 21
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Alpha Dog The saga of a mid-level Southern California drug dealer who becomes the youngest person ever to make the FBI's most wanted list. Emile Hirsch, Justin Timberlake, Bruce Willis and Sharon Stone star. Written and directed by Nick Cassavetes. \o7New Line Cinema, TBA
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Annapolis James Franco stars as a local kid accepted into the Naval Academy who enters the Brigade Boxing Championship to prove himself. With Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Bewster, Donnie Wahlberg, Chi McBride and Vicellous Shannon. Justin Lin ("Better Luck Tomorrow") directs. \o7Touchstone Pictures, Jan. 27
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Ask the Dust Robert Towne's adaptation of John Fante's classic Depression-era L.A. novel stars Colin Farrell as a young Italian American who arrives with literary aspirations, and Salma Hayek as the Mexican waitress who obsesses him. \o7Paramount Classics, March 30
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ATL Hip-hop and roller skating fuel the lives of four teens in working-class Atlanta. With Tip "T.I." Harris, Lauren London, Mykelti Williamson and Keith David. Directed by Chris Robinson. \o7Warner Bros., March 31
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Babel Writer Guillermo Arriaga and director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu ("21 Grams" and "Amores Perros") continue their collaboration with this story about the effect a rifle changing hands has on people around the world. Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael Garcia Bernal, Elle Fanning and Koji Yakusho star. \o7Paramount Pictures, fall
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Battle in Heaven Director Carlos Reygadas ("Japon") looks at contemporary Mexico City through the plight of chauffeur, his and his wife's ill-fated kidnapping of a baby, and his odd relationship with his boss' troubled daughter. With Marcos Hernandez, Berta Ruiz and Anapola Mushkadiz. \o7Tartan Pictures USA, Feb. 24
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