Sylvester Stallone will return as Rambo, Tyler Perry again will disappear behind his Madea makeup, and Miley Cyrus will make another visit to Pittsburgh, but on the big screen and (presumably) without ticket scalpers and weeping tweens on her heels.

Welcome to the winter movie season, sometimes a holding pattern between holiday and summer but jammed with promising new titles every weekend.

The next four months will bring late-arriving Oscar contenders along with comedies featuring Katherine Heigl, Will Ferrell, Martin Lawrence, Jack Black and Owen Wilson, releases with Pittsburgh connections and family films for those who ran through enchanted princesses, singing chipmunks, treasure hunters and a Scottish water horse during the holidays.

As always, dates are subject to change and titles may be added, deleted or moved.

"The Bucket List" -- Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play, respectively, a corporate billionaire and a working-class mechanic who share a hospital room and desire to spend their remaining days doing everything they've ever wanted before they "kick the bucket."

"First Sunday" -- Comedy starring Ice Cube and Tracy Morgan as best friends and bumbling petty crooks who decide to rob their neighborhood church to pay off a $17,000 debt.

"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" -- Artist turned sometime director Julian Schnabel tells the story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, a French magazine editor who suffered a stroke but found release in his imagination, memory and the book he remarkably wrote by blinking his left eye.

"The Orphanage" -- A woman discovers dark secrets hidden in her childhood home, an orphanage by the sea, in this supernatural drama from a young Spanish director, Juan Antonio Bayona.

"The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything -- A VeggieTales Movie" -- The onetime direct-to-DVD franchise leaps to the big screen with this comedy about three veggies who become accidental pirates and unlikely heroes.

"Jimmy Carter: Man From Plains" -- Director Jonathan Demme tracks the 39th president of the United States as he embarks on an intense, sometimes confrontational tour for his book, "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid."

"In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale" -- Action film, based on the video game, about a family man who begins a heroic quest to find his kidnapped wife and avenge the murder of their son. Cast includes Jason Statham, Claire Forlani, Ray Liotta, Burt Reynolds and Leelee Sobieski.

"27 Dresses" -- Katherine Heigl is a woman who can't say no -- to requests she serve as a bridesmaid. She's done so 27 times and has the dresses to prove it, which intrigues a newspaper reporter played by James Marsden.

"Cloverfield" -- Five young New Yorkers throw a friend a going-away party the night a skyscraper-size monster descends upon the city. Their attempts to survive are documented on a video camera, later found in Central Park.

"There Will Be Blood" -- Story of an oil prospector and his son set against the backdrop of the earliest days of the California oil boom and loosely based on Upton Sinclair's novel "Oil." Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano star in a film that will factor into awards season.

"Cassandra's Dream" -- Woody Allen directs Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor as British brothers desperate to better their troubled lives. Tom Wilkinson is their wealthy uncle who makes them an offer they may not be able to refuse.

"Mad Money" -- Caper movie with Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes as women who strike up an unlikely friendship and concoct a robbery scheme.

"The Savages" -- Philip Seymour Hoffman is a neurotic college professor and Laura Linney a struggling playwright in this story of a brother and sister who must care for their estranged father (Philip Bosco), who is sliding into dementia.

"Kings" -- Told in the original Celtic language and adapted from Jimmy Murphy's play, "The Kings of the Kilburn High Road," this film is about a group of young men who left their homes in the west of Ireland in the 1970s with dreams of a better life. When one returns 30 years later in a coffin, the others reunite for his wake.

"Rambo" -- If Harrison Ford is still young enough to play Indiana Jones, we guess 61-year-old Sylvester Stallone can dust off Rambo. He's living a solitary existence in northern Thailand but is called into action when missionaries (including one played by former Pittsburgher Julie Benz) are taken captive.

"Untraceable" -- A tech-savvy Internet predator and real-life killer is the target of an FBI special agent portrayed by Diane Lane. The technical mastermind posts images of his captives and the more hits his site gets, the faster his victims die.

"Meet the Spartans" -- Carmen Electra, Sean Maguire and Kevin Sorbo parody the film "300" with this comedy in which the heroic Leonidas is armed with nothing but leather underwear, a cape and a ragtag army of 13 Spartans defending their homeland.

"How She Move" -- Coming-of-age tale featuring street-style step sequences by choreographer Hi Hat and appearances by singer-songwriter Keyshia Cole and comedian DeRay Davis and feature-film debut of Rutina Wesley as the dancing daughter of Jamaican immigrants.

"Diva" -- New print of Jean-Jacques Beineix's 1983 film about a young mailman who bootlegs a tape of his favorite singer and is soon chased all over Paris by cops and thugs.

"El Violin" -- Back from the Three Rivers Film Festival, this drama is about Mexican peasants who make their living as traveling musicians in the 1970s and also become guerrillas.

"Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds" -- 3-D concert film, for all those tweens whose parents could not or would not pay scalpers' prices for sold-out shows.

"The Eye" -- Jessica Alba is a concert violinist who undergoes a double corneal transplant to restore her sight, only to be haunted by shadowy and frightening images. Parker Posey plays her sister, and Alessandro Nivola is her doctor.

"Over Her Dead Body" -- Eva Longoria Parker is a woman killed on her wedding day and none too happy when her fiance (Paul Rudd) falls for the psychic he consults afterward.

"Strange Wilderness" -- Steve Zahn and Allen Covert play the host and sidekick on a wildlife TV show who decide to save their series by finding Bigfoot.

"Prom Night" -- Brittany Snow, who played Amber von Tussle in "Hairspray," is a senior whose prom turns deadly. Natch.

"Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins" -- Martin Lawrence plays a talk-show sensation and self-help guru who returns to his hometown in Georgia for his parents' anniversary, with comic results.

"Fool's Gold" -- Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson, who sparked in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" in 2003, are back, but this time they're treasure hunters in a comedy adventure.

"Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show" -- Vaughn and comedians Ahmed Ahmed, John Caparulo, Bret Ernst and Sebastian Maniscalco traveled 6,000 miles and performed 30 shows in 30 days, as documented in this film.

"The Hottie & the Nottie" -- Romantic comedy about a man who moves back to L.A. to find his first crush, only to discover he needs to find a date for her not-so-attractive roomie. Joel David Moore, Paris Hilton and Christine Lakin star.

"My Blueberry Nights" -- Songstress Norah Jones makes her screen debut as a woman who waitresses her way across the country and encounters characters played by Jude Law, David Strathairn, Rachel Weisz and Natalie Portman.

"Definitely, Maybe" -- Ryan Reynolds recounts and softens his romantic past for his 10-year-old daughter (Abigail Breslin), who asks him about life before marriage, now that he's on the verge of divorce.

"Jumper" -- A genetic anomaly allows a young man, played by Hayden Christensen, to teleport himself anywhere. This gift has existed for centuries, and he finds himself in a war between "Jumpers" and those trying to kill them.

"Step Up 2 the Streets" -- Follow-up to the 2006 release "Step Up," about a rebellious street dancer who lands at the elite Maryland School of the Arts and struggles to fit in, while clinging to her old life.

"Manual of Love" -- Italian romantic comedy chronicling four phases of love, an audience favorite during the Three Rivers Film Festival and returning for a regular run.

"Diary of the Dead" -- Yes, George Romero's back, and he's bringing zombies with him in a smart, topical addition to the "Dead" zone. As film students document the dead coming back to life, Romero touches on a host of issues: old vs. new media, government spin and abandonment, ever-present security cameras, the comfort of family, how quickly civilization breaks down in a crisis, and what happens when you view life from behind a screen or a camera lens.

"The Spiderwick Chronicles" -- Freddie Highmore does double duty as twin brothers in this adaptation of the books about the strange happenings in a secluded old house owned by a great-great-uncle named Arthur Spiderwick.

"Steep" -- Feature documentary about big mountain skiing, a sport that barely existed 35 years ago. One of the athletes pictured in the movie says, presciently, "Every skier and every climber knows, the mountains are alive and they'll make you more alive or they'll make you dead."

Oscar Shorts -- As the title says, shorts in contention for the Academy Award.

"Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" -- Restored print of 1964 film based on an ancient Capathian folk legend.

"Be Kind Rewind" -- Jack Black is a lovable loser who unintentionally erases all the tapes in a video store where his best friend works but hatches a plan to re-create the movies. Mos Def, Danny Glover and Mia Farrow also star in this comedy from writer-director Michel Gondry.

"Vantage Point" -- Eight strangers with eight different points of view try to find the truth behind an assassination attempt on the president of the United States, played by William Hurt. Dennis Quaid and Matthew Fox are Secret Service agents, and Forest Whitaker is a tourist who thinks he captured footage of the shooter on his camcorder.

"Witless Protection" -- Larry the Cable Guy is a small-town sheriff who unwittingly gets involved in a high-profile FBI case in this comedy also featuring Jenny McCarthy.

"Charlie Bartlett" -- Anton Yeltin ("Alpha Dog") plays the title role, a wealthy teen turned amateur psychiatrist and pill dispenser who practices in the boys' room of his high school. Hope Davis and Robert Downey Jr. also star in this movie once slated for release in August 2007.

"Semi-Pro" -- Will Ferrell, with a bushy head of hair, stars in this comedy set in 1976 against the backdrop of the maverick ABA, the wild and crazy basketball league that rivaled the NBA. Woody Harrelson, Will Arnett, Andre Benjamin and Rob Corddry are among the co-stars.

"The Other Boleyn Girl" -- Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson play the Boleyn sisters and Eric Bana is the king of England they court, in this movie based on the novel by Philippa Gregory.

"Penelope" -- Modern-day fairy tale about love and self-acceptance, starring Christina Ricci as the daughter of wealthy socialites who is afflicted by a secret family curse. It can only be broken when she is "loved by one of her own kind."

"City of Men" -- Companion piece to Fernando Meirelles' "City of God," this time directed by Paulo Morelli and focusing on teens and lifelong friends who suddenly find themselves on opposite sides of a gang war in Rio.

Black Maria Film and Video Festival -- International juried competition and award tour, founded in 1981 and designed to showcase cutting-edge works from indie film and video makers.

"College Road Trip" -- A girls-only road trip to check out colleges takes a comic turn when an overbearing father, also a police chief, takes over. Martin Lawrence and Raven-Symone star.

"10,000 B.C." -- The title doubles as the time period for Roland Emmerich's adventure starring Steven Strait as a young hunter leading an army, battling saber-tooth tigers and prehistoric predators, unearthing a lost civilization and trying to rescue the woman (Camilla Belle) he loves.

"The Bank Job" -- Jason Statham and Saffron Burrows appear in this thriller inspired by real-life events in 1971 when thieves tunneled into the vault of a London bank and looted safe deposit boxes of cash and jewelry.

"Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who" -- Jim Carrey and Steve Carell are among the actors who speak in this animated version of the children's story about an imaginative elephant and Who-ville.

"Pride & Glory" -- A New York City cop's investigation of an incendiary case involving his older brother and brother-in-law pits family loyalty against allegiance to the police department. Edward Norton and Colin Farrell star along with Noah Emmerich and Jon Voight.

"Never Back Down" -- Sean Faris, who played Craig Brewster on the TV show "Reunion," is an Iowan transplanted to Orlando who is pulled into an underground fighting league.

"Inkheart" -- Cornelia Funke book about a girl whose father has a secret ability to bring book characters to life when he reads them aloud. Cast includes Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent, Andy Serkis and Eliza Hope Bennett.

"Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns" -- Perry's popular character of Madea returns in this movie based on the stage production of the same name. Angela Bassett plays a struggling single mother of three living in Chicago who heads to Georgia for the funeral of the father she never met.

"Drillbit Taylor" -- Judd Apatow is one of the producers of this comedy about high school newbies who respond to being bullied by placing an ad in Soldier of Fortune magazine, which a homeless soldier of fortune answers. Owen Wilson stars.

"Shutter" -- Horror movie/thriller about newlyweds who discover disturbing, ghostly images in photographs they develop after a tragic accident. Joshua Jackson and Rachael Taylor lead the cast.

"Stop-Loss" -- Ryan Phillippe is a decorated Iraq war hero who makes a celebrated return to his small Texas hometown and tries to make peace with civilian life -- only to be ordered back to duty, much to his dismay.

"21" -- MIT students trained in card-counting take Vegas by storm and for millions in this movie inspired by the real story and documented in a book by Ben Mezrich.

"Superhero Movie!" -- Spoof, directed and written by one of the writers of "Scary Movie 4" and "Scary Movie 3" and starring Sara Paxton, Leslie Nielsen, Drake Bell and others.

"Leatherheads" -- George Clooney is a charming football hero, John Krasinski a golden-boy war hero and Renee Zellweger a spitfire newswoman in this romantic comedy set in 1925.

"Nim's Island" -- Two of the best child actresses around -- Jodie Foster, past, and Abigail Breslin, present -- join forces with Gerard Butler in a fantasy adventure about a reclusive, fearful writer and a spunky girl who's a modern-day Robinson Crusoe.

"Wild Child" -- Emma Roberts is a pampered, self-obsessed L.A. teen who pulls one prank too many and is shipped off to an English boarding school where she encounters early curfews, stern matrons and mandatory lacrosse.

"Shine a Light" -- Martin Scorsese borrows the title of a Rolling Stones song for his documentary about the legendary rockers, captured during shows at New York's Beacon Theatre in fall 2006. In addition to the lads, the performers include Christina Aguilera, Buddy Guy and Jack White.

"Killshot" -- Adaptation of Elmore Leonard's crime novel, starring Diane Lane and Thomas Jane as a married couple who become entangled in a scam with a small-time con artist (Joseph Gordon Levitt) and his over-the-hill partner (Mickey Rourke).

"College" -- Drake Bell is a high school senior who is dumped by his girlfriend for being too boring but finds plenty of action -- plus sparks and the possibility of pranks -- in the college party scene.

"The Ruins" -- A group of friends becomes entangled in a struggle for survival after visiting a remote archaeological dig in the Mexican jungle, where something deadly is lurking among the ruins.

"Smart People" -- Darkly comic story, filmed in Pittsburgh in fall 2006, about a widowed, acerbic professor who has alienated his son and turned his daughter into an overachieving, friendless teen. His life changes when he falls for a former student and his ne'er-do-well brother shows up. Cast includes Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church and Juno herself, Ellen Page.

"Baby Mama" -- Onetime "Saturday Night Live" co-stars Tina Fey and Amy Poehler play, respectively, a successful 37-year-old who longs for a child and her unlikely surrogate, a South Philly working girl.

"The Forbidden Kingdom" -- Martial arts superstars Jackie Chan and Jet Li work together on the big screen for the first time in this action movie based on the traditional Chinese legend of the Monkey King.

"Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay" -- The title characters, played by John Cho and Kal Penn, try to sneak a bong aboard a flight to Amsterdam and end up suspected of terrorism in this sequel.

"Youth Without Youth" -- Francis Ford Coppola returns to directing with this tale, set primarily in Romania and Switzerland between 1938 and 1956, about an aging linguistics professor whose youth is restored after he is struck by lightning. (January or February)

"Persepolis" -- Acclaimed animated film about an outspoken Iranian girl's coming of age. Based on Marjane Satrapi's graphic novels, it features the voices of Catherine Deneuve and her daughter, Chiara Mastroianni. (January or February)

"In Bruges" -- Playwright Martin McDonagh makes his feature directorial debut with this comedy about hitmen sent to cool their heels in Bruges, Belgium. Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes star. (February)

"Taxi to the Dark Side" -- Alex Gibney, who made the excellent "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room," investigates the suspicious death of an Afghani taxi driver at Bagram air base in 2002. (February)

"Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" -- Winifred Watson's novel, set in late 1930s London, stars Frances McDormand as a governess who falls into the social orbit of an American actress and singer, played by Amy Adams of "Enchanted." (March)

"Under the Same Moon" -- Tale of a mother and son living on opposite sides of the U.S.-Mexico border but connected by an enduring love. (March or April)

"Young@Heart" -- Documentary about a New England senior citizens chorus that performs covers of songs by The Clash, Coldplay, Sonic Youth and other unlikely groups. (April)

"The Rocker" -- Rainn Wilson, so brilliant as Dwight Schrute on "The Office," plays the former drummer for an '80s hair band who was kicked out of the group Vesuvius. Twenty years later, he joins forces with his nephew's high school rock band, called A.D.D., and gets the chance to reclaim his rightful rock throne. (April)

"My Brother Is an Only Child" -- Set in a small Italian town in the 1960s and '70s, this Italian film tells the story of two brothers at opposite ends of the political spectrum. (April)

"Then She Found Me" -- Helen Hunt's directorial debut, loosely based on the Elinor Lipman novel and starring Colin Firth and the "Mad About You" star herself. (April)

"88 Minutes" -- Al Pacino is a college professor who moonlights as a forensic psychiatrist for the FBI. When he receives a death threat claiming he has only 88 minutes to live, he must use his skills to narrow down the suspects, including a disgruntled student, a jilted lover and a serial killer on death row.

"Where in the World Is Osama bin Laden" -- Morgan Spurlock, the filmmaker who supersized himself at McDonald's to teach us a lesson about fast food, hunts for the elusive terrorist mastermind.

"Rogue" -- Director-writer Greg McLean ("Wolf Creek") goes back to Australia, this time to crocodile-infested waters in remote wetlands and with actors Radha Mitchell and Michael Vartan in tow.