Few movie franchises can match the cheerfully improbable rise of the Fast & Furious series, which has escalated from humble B-movie beginnings to genuine gotta-see-to-believe blockbuster status. (For clarity's sake, it should be noted that in this case, "humble" means a film where the camera routinely swooped through a car's exhaust manifold.) This sixth installment may take a while to match the cruising speed of its immediate predecessor (the awesomely overstuffed Fast Five) but once it does, look out. Picking up more or less where the last one left off, the story finds the gang of Wacky Racers living off of the grid and enjoying the good life. Quiet Time comes to a halt, however, with the arrival of Federal Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), who needs their help in stopping an elite team of London mercenaries. Everything that can possibly collide and/or explode, does. Director Justin Lin, who has been handling the series since 2006's Tokyo Drift, goes all out this time around, bringing back old cast members, reinforcing the endearingly corny ties between the characters—just try and count the number of times Vin Diesel growls "family"—and adding Haywire's Gina Carano to increase the already copious bruising ratio. While such an attempt at delighting the longtime fans is admirable, the attention paid to the large roster may baffle viewers not up on their series mythology, particularly during the rather slow first act. Things correct themselves fiercely at the midpoint, though, when a tank hits the freeway in a sequence that should, by all rights, be impossible to top. Lin and Co. somehow manage to crank up the volume even further, however, with a finale involving an exceedingly large plane, the world's largest runway, and a fleet of cars sporting grappling hooks. If all that wasn't already enough, stick around for the closing credits, which suggests that the filmmakers have found a way to up the ante for the next sequel. You know that old saying about how less is more? Yeah, that's totally not the case here. —Andrew Wright

Borrowing the title of the '50s AIP drive-in fave, this high-energy actioner stars Paul Walker as an undercover cop who works his way into a group of thrill-seeking road racers led by mechanic Vin Diesel, in hopes of finding a tie to a truck-hijacking ring. But when Walker gets caught up in the dangerous world of wild wheels, his superiors begin questioning his investigative moves. Rick Yune, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez also star. 107 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1; Subtitles: English (SDH); music videos; "making of" documentary; featurette; storyboard comparison; theatrical trailer; video game demo; audio commentary; deleted scenes.

Nabbed for illegal street racing, an American teen (Lucas Black) agrees to live with his father in Japan instead of being sent to juvenile hall. There, Black is drawn into Tokyo's underground racing scene, where he must master the art of drifting, a dangerous driving technique that allows a car to take hairpin turns with a sideways slide. In-name-only third entry in the high-octane action series also stars Nathalie Kelley, Bow Wow, Zachery Ty Bryan, and Sonny Chiba. 105 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1; Subtitles: English (SDH), French, Spanish; audio commentary; featurettes; deleted scenes; music video.

Fugitive Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) partners with former cop Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) on the opposite side of the law in exotic Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There they are hunted by a high-powered US strike force led by their toughest Fed (Dwayne Johnson) and an army of corrupt cops working for a ruthless drug kingpin. To gain their freedom and win this ultimate high-stakes race, they must pull off one last job — an insane heist worth $100 million.

After 10 years in prison, Driver (Dwayne Johnson) has focused on one thing – hunting down the people responsible for brutally murdering his brother. Now a free man with a terrifying purpose, he sets out to find and kill all those on his list. But on his heals are two men who will do anything to stop him – a veteran cop (Billy Bob Thornton) and a hitman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) who finds his match in this worthy opponent. Now, the hunter is also the hunted.

When a writing assignment lands journalist Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp) and sidekick Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro) in Las Vegas, they decide to make it the ultimate business trip. But before long, business is forgotten and trip has become the key word. Fueled by a suitcase full of mind-bending pharmaceuticals, Duke and Gonzo set off on a fast and furious ride through nonstop neon, surreal surroundings and a crew of the craziest characters ever (including cameo appearances by Cameron Diaz, Christina Ricci, Gary Busey and many others). But no matter where misadventure leads them, Duke and Gonzo discover that sometimes going too far is the only way to go. Capturing the insane madness of Hunter S. Thompson's literary classic was the challenge that director Terry Gilliam (12 Monkeys) openly embraced. Critics hailed it as: "Mindblowing. Bizarre. Outrageous. Wild." Buy the ticket. Take the ride!

Co-written by Hall and Aaron Drane, the film is based on the critically acclaimed and fan favorite 2009 FEARnet.com series. When trauma-induced phobias begin to re-emerge in five survivors a year after their horrifying tragedy, they return to the Fear Clinic, hoping to find the answers they need to get cured.

Dr. Andover (Robert Englund), a fear doctor who runs the clinic, uses his Fear Chamber to animate their fears in the form of terrifying hallucinations. However, the good doctor soon begins to suspect that something more sinister may be at work, something that yearns to be more than just an hallucination...

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (DVD)

Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson and Demi Moore star in Rob Reiner's unanimously acclaimed drama about the dangerous difference between following orders and following one's conscience. Cruise stars as a brash Navy lawyer who's teamed with a gung-ho litigator (Moore) in a politically explosive murder case. Charged with defending two Marines accused of killing a fellow soldier, they are confronted with complex issues of loyalty and honor, including its most sacred code and its most formidable warrior (Nicholson). Superbly directed with a trio of powerhouse performances and an outstanding supporting cast including Kevin Pollak, Kiefer Sutherland and Kevin Bacon.

Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson return as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades Darker, the second chapter based on the worldwide bestselling Fifty Shades phenomenon. When a wounded Christian tries to entice a cautious Anastasia back into his life, she demands a new arrangement before she will give him another chance. As the two begin to build trust and find stability, shadowy figures from Christian's past start to circle the couple. Jack Hyde (Eric Johnson) and Elena Lincoln (Kim Basinger) join the cast, determined to destroy the couple's hopes for a future together. This time there are no rules.

"'Fight Club' pulls you in, challenges your prejudices, rocks your world and leaves you laughing" (Rolling Stone). Brad Pitt ("12 Monkeys", "Seven"), Edward Norton ("Primal Fear," "American History X") and Helena Bonham Carter ("Mighty Aphrodite," "A Room With A View") turn in powerful "performances of which movie legends are made" (Chicago Tribune) in this action-packed hit. A ticking-time-bomb insomniac (Norton) and a slippery soap salesman (Pitt) channel primal male aggression into a shocking new form of therapy. Their concept catches on, with underground "fight clubs" forming in every town, until a sensuous eccentric (Bonham Carter) gets in the way and ignites an out-of control spiral toward oblivion.

Small-town boy Shawn MacArthur (Channing Tatum, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Public Enemies) knows firsthand that every day in New York City is a struggle to survive. So when scam artist Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard, Iron Man, Hustle and Flow) gives him a chance to be something more in the brutal underground world of bare-knuckle street-fighting, Shawn decides that he has something worth fighting for and puts everything on the line to win. Every knockout brings him closer to the life he’s always wanted, but also traps him in a dangerous web he can’t escape.