The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Sauron's forces have laid siege to Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor, in their efforts to eliminate the race of men. The once-great kingdom, watched over by a fading steward, has never been in more desperate need of its king. But can Aragorn answer the call of his heritage and become what he was born to be? In no small measure, the fate of Middle-earth rests on his broad shoulders. With the final battle joined and the legions of darkness gathering, Gandalf urgently tries to rally Gondor's broken army to action. He is aided by Rohan's King Theoden, who unites his warriors for history's biggest test. Yet even with their courage and passionate loyalty, the forces of men--with Eowyn and Merry hidden among them--are no match for the enemies swarming against Gondor. Still, in the face of great losses, they charge forward into the battle of their lifetimes, tied together by their singular goal to keep Sauron distracted and give the Ring Bearer a chance to complete his quest. Their hopes rest with Frodo, a tiny but determined hobbit making a perilous trip across treacherous enemy lands to cast the One Ring into the fires of Mount Doom. The closer Frodo gets to his final destination, the heavier his burden becomes and the more he must rely on Samwise Gamgee. Gollum--and the Ring itself--will test Frodo's allegiances and, ultimately, his humanity.
Also Known As:
Lord of the Rings 3
Part Three: The Return of the King
Tales of Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: The Return of the King
The Return of the King
Production Status:
Released
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Adaptation and Sequel
Running Time:
3 hrs. 20 min.
Release Date:
December 17th, 2003
MPAA Rating:
PG-13 for intense epic battle sequences and frightening images.
Distributors:
New Line Cinema
Production Co.:
WingNut Films
Studios:
New Line Cinema
Financiers:
Hannover Leasing
U.S. Box Office:
$376,853,002
Filming Locations:
Wellington, New Zealand
New Zealand
Produced in:
United States

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

The galaxy is weary after three long years of war. Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi have become legendary heroes in their campaigns against the droid forces of the evil General Grievous. Anakin and his secret wife, Padme Amidala, have been separated for months, and he finally reunites with her to learn that she is pregnant. He is plagued by visions of her dying in childbirth, haunting images of a possible future. Anakin is determined to stop her from dying--no matter the cost. This leads Anakin down a dark path to commit terrible deeds. Obi-Wan Kenobi must face his former apprentice in a ferocious lightsaber duel on the fiery world of Mustafar.
Also Known As:
Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode 3
Production Status:
Released
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Sequel
Running Time:
2 hrs. 22 min.
Release Date:
May 19th, 2005
MPAA Rating:
PG-13 for sci-fi violence and some intense images.
Distributors:
20th Century Fox
Production Co.:
JAK Productions, Lucasfilm, Ltd.
U.S. Box Office:
$380,262,555
Filming Locations:
Sydney, Australia
Guilin, China
Mt Etna, Italy
Grindelwald, Switzerland
Phuket, Thailand
Tozeur, Tunisia
England
Produced in:
United States

Spider-Man (2002)

Orphaned at an early age, Peter Parker lives in Queens, New York with his beloved Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Peter leads the life of a normal student, working as a photographer at the school paper, pining after the beautiful Mary Jane Watson and hanging out with buddy Harry Osborn. On a school trip, during which Peter and his classmates are given a science demonstration on arachnids, Peter is bitten by a genetically-altered spider. Soon after, he discovers that he has unusual powers: he is endowed with the strength and agility of a spider along with a keen, ESP-like "spider-sense." Peter first uses his powers to make money, but in the face of a tragedy that hits close to home, he vows to dedicate his life to fighting crime, taking to heart the words of his beloved Uncle Ben: "With great power comes great responsibility." Meanwhile, megalomaniacal businessman Norman Osborn, Harry's father, is undergoing some changes of his own. An experimental formula has gone awry, increasing his intelligence and strength but also driving him insane. He is now the Green Goblin, Spider-Man's arch enemy, who will put young Peter Parker's vow to fight crime and help innocent people to the ultimate test.
Also Known As:
Spider Man
Spiderman
Production Status:
Released
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Adaptation
Running Time:
2 hrs. 1 min.
Release Date:
May 3, 2002 Nationwide
MPAA Rating:
PG-13 for stylized violence and action.
Distributors:
Sony Pictures International, Sony Pictures Releasing
Production Co.:
Laura Ziskin Productions, Marvel Studios
Sony Pictures Imageworks, Inc.
Studios:
Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group
U.S. Box Office:
$403,706,375
Filming Locations:
New York, New York, USA
Los Angeles, California, USA
Culver City, California, USA
Produced in:
United States

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

Captain Jack Sparrow is caught up in another tangled web of supernatural intrigue. Although the curse of the Black Pearl has been lifted, an even more terrifying threat looms over its captain and scurvy crew: it turns out that Jack owes a blood debt to the legendary Davy Jones, Ruler of the Ocean Depths, who captains the ghostly Flying Dutchman, which no other ship can match in speed and stealth. Unless the ever-crafty Jack figures a cunning way out of this Faustian pact, he will be cursed to an afterlife of eternal servitude and damnation in the service of Jones. This startling development interrupts the wedding plans of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, who once again find themselves thrust into Jack's misadventures, leading to escalating confrontations with sea monsters, very unfriendly islanders, flamboyant soothsayer Tia Dalma and even the mysterious appearance of Will's long-lost father, Bootstrap Bill. Meanwhile, ruthless pirate hunter Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company sets his sights on retrieving the fabled "Dead Man's Chest." According to legend, whoever possesses the Dead Man's Chest gains control of Davy Jones, and Beckett intends to use this awesome power to destroy every last Pirate of the Caribbean once and for all. For times are changing on the high seas, with businessmen and bureaucrats becoming the true pirates--and freewheeling, fun-loving buccaneers like Jack and his crew threatened with extinction.
Also Known As:
Pirates of the Caribbean 2
Pirates of the Caribbean 2 (United States)
Pirates of the Caribbean II
Pirates of the Caribbean: Treasures of the Lost Abyss
Production Status:
Released
Genres:
Action/Adventure and Sequel
Running Time:
145 min.
Release Date:
July 7th, 2006 (wide); December 5th, 2006 (DVD release)
MPAA Rating:
PG-13 for intense sequences of adventure violence, including frightening images.
Distributors:
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International
Production Co.:
Jerry Bruckheimer Films
Studios:
Walt Disney Pictures
U.S. Box Office:
$423,271,331
Filming Locations:
Caribbean Islands
Produced in:
United States

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Sci-fi adventure which takes place before the birth of Luke Skywalker, featuring the friendship between the young Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, who would later become Darth Vader. The galactic government has been weakened, and when the peaceful planet of Naboo is threatened by the giant Trade Federation, it seems that nobody will step in to defend Queen Amidala and her people. Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi are sent to find a settlement and discover the extent of the planet's peril. In the course of their adventures, they find a young slave, Anakin, whom Qui-Gon senses is destined to bring balance to the Force. Against Obi-Wan's suspicions, he decides to train Anakin as a Jedi Knight.
Also Known As:
Shadows of the Empire
Star Wars Episode 1: La Menace Fanto
Star Wars: Episode I
The Phantom Menace
Production Status:
Released
Logline:
Two Jedi Knights must protect a young queen from a mysterious creature who wants to destroy her.
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Drama and Science Fiction/Fantasy
Running Time:
2 hrs. 13 min.
Release Date:
May 19, 1999 Nationwide
MPAA Rating:
PG for sci-fi action/violence.
Production Co.:
JAK Productions Ltd, Lucasfilm, Ltd.
U.S. Box Office:
$431,065,444
Filming Locations:
Leavesden Studios, England, United Kingdom
Caserta Royal Palace, Italy
Tozeur, Tunisia
Produced in:
United States

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

An extra-terrestrial is accidentally left behind on Earth and is befriended by a young boy and his brother and sister. As Elliot attempts to help his extra-terrestrial companion contact his home planet so that he might be rescued, the children must elude scientists and government agents determined to apprehend the alien for their own purposes...which results in an adventure greater than any of them could have imagined.
Also Known As:
E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial
Production Status:
Released
Logline:
A young boy coping with his parents divorce befriends an alien on the run from the FBI.
Genres:
Comedy, Drama, Kids/Family and Science Fiction/Fantasy
Running Time:
1 hr. 55 min.
Release Date:
June 11, 1982; March 22, 2002 20th Anniversary Re-release
MPAA Rating:
PG for language and mild thematic elements.
Distributors:
Universal Pictures
Production Co.:
Amblin Entertainment
Studios:
Universal Pictures
U.S. Box Office:
$35,144,920
Produced in:
United States

Shrek 2 (2004)

After battling a fire-breathing dragon and the evil Lord Farquaad to win the hand of Princess Fiona, Shrek now faces his greatest challenge: the in-laws. Shrek and Princess Fiona return from their honeymoon to find an invitation to visit Fiona's parents, the King and Queen of the Kingdom of Far, Far Away. With Donkey along for the ride, the newlyweds set off. All of the citizens of Far, Far Away turn out to greet their returning Princess, and her parents happily anticipate the homecoming of their daughter and her new Prince. But no one could have prepared them for the sight of their new son-in-law, not to mention how much their little girl had changed. Little did Shrek and Fiona know that their marriage had foiled all of her father's plans for her future--and his own. Now the King must enlist the help of a powerful Fairy Godmother, the handsome Prince Charming and that famed ogre killer 'Puss In Boots' to put right his version of "happily ever after."
Also Known As:
Shrek 4D
Shrek II
Production Status:
Released
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Comedy, Kids/Family, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Animation and Sequel
Running Time:
1 hr. 32 min.
Release Date:
May 19th, 2004 (wide)
MPAA Rating:
PG for some crude humor, a brief reference and some suggestive content.
Distributors:
DreamWorks
Production Co.:
DreamWorks Home Entertainment, Pacific Data Images
Studios:
DreamWorks Animation, DreamWorks
U.S. Box Office:
$436,471,036
Produced in:
United States

Star Wars (1977)

In a distant galaxy, a long time ago, young Luke Skywalker assembles his motley crew of allies including space rogue Han Solo and two "droids" -- C3PO and R2D2 -- to rescue Princess Leia, the rebel leader of her planet from the clutches of the evil Empire as embodied by its enforcer Darth Vader.
Also Known As:
A New Hope
Star Wars Special Edition
Star Wars, Episode 4: A New Hope
Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope
Production Status:
Released
Logline:
A young farmboy and a rebellious space pilot must rescue a princess from a large space station.
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Thriller
Running Time:
2 hrs. 1 min.
Release Date:
May 25, 1977
MPAA Rating:
PG for sci-fi violence and brief mild language.
Distributors:
20th Century Fox
Production Co.:
Lucasfilm, Ltd.
Studios:
20th Century Fox
U.S. Box Office:
$460,998,007
Produced in:
United States

The Dark Knight (2008)

With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham for good. The triumvirate proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as the Joker, who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces the Dark Knight ever closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante.
Also Known As:
Batman Begins Sequel
The Dark Knight
Production Status:
Released
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Crime/Gangster, Adaptation and Sequel
Running Time:
2 hrs. 32 min.
Release Date:
July 18th, 2008 (wide)
MPAA Rating:
PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace.
Distributors:
Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures International
Production Co.:
Syncopy Films
Studios:
Warner Bros. Pictures
Financiers:
Co-Financier: Legendary Pictures, Inc.
U.S. Box Office:
$528,535,317
Filming Locations:
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Los Angeles, California USA
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Hong Kong, China
Los Angeles, California, USA
London, England UK
London, England, United Kingdom
Produced in:
United States

Titanic (1997)

After winning a trip on the RMS Titanic during a dockside card game, American Jack Dawson spots the society girl Rose DeWitt Bukater who is on her way to Philadelphia to marry her rich snob fiance Cal Hockley. Rose feels helplessly trapped by her situation and makes her way to the aft deck and thinks of suicide until she is rescued by Jack. Cal is therefore obliged to invite Jack to dine at their first-class table where he suffers through the slights of his snobbish hosts. In return, he spirits Rose off to third class for an evening of dancing, giving her the time of her life. Deciding to forsake her intended future all together, Rose asks Jack, who has made his living making sketches on the streets of Paris, to draw her in the nude wearing the invaluable blue diamond Cal has given her. Cal finds out and has Jack locked away. Soon afterwards, the ship hits an iceberg and Rose must find Jack while both must run from Cal even as the ship sinks deeper into the freezing water.
Production Status:
Released
Logline:
A young man and woman from different social classes fall in love aboard the ill-fated voyage.
Genres:
Action/Adventure, Drama and Romance
Running Time:
3 hrs. 17 min.
Release Date:
December 19, 1997
MPAA Rating:
PG-13 for disaster related peril and violence, nudity, sensuality and brief language.
Distributors:
Paramount Pictures
Production Co.:
Lightstorm Entertainment
Studios:
20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures
U.S. Box Office:
$600,743,440
Filming Locations:
Rosarito, Mexico
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Los Angeles, California, USA
United Kingdom
Produced in:
United States