5 pm: 75°F
7 pm: 73°F
9 pm: 70°F
11 pm: 64°F
Tri-State area packed with events to celebrate America's birthday
HUNTINGTON -- America is celebrating its birthday, and yeah, it's still partying like a teenager blasting the night sky and enjoy the rockets' red glare 'til the dawn's early light. Here are more then a few good places to enjoy your freedom and watch great fireworks shows.
MOVIES & MORE: ‘Proposal’ succeeds on slew of great performances
Movies & More reviewer John Gillispie thinks “The Proposal,” rated PG-13 and starring Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds and Betty White, is a fun romantic comedy that is worth watching despite a somewhat flat ending.
Ceredo-Kenova Alumni Band's Fourth of July concert 
First Friday and Second Look Saturday 
U.S. Youth Region I Soccer Tournament 
19th annual 2009 Point Pleasant Regatta 
Dawg Dazzle 
Summer Motion 
Big Al Goodwin 
Alex Reymundo 
Genuine Junk Band 
Starlight Cinema Released 5-Jun-09. Runs 96 min.
Two days before his wedding, Doug and his three friends drive to Las Vegas for a blow-out bachelor party they'll never forget. But, in fact, when the three groomsmen wake up the next morning, they can't remember a thing. For some reason, they find a tiger in the bathroom and a six-month-old baby in the closet of their suite at Caesars Palace. The one thing they can't find is Doug. With no clue as to what transpired and little time to spare, the trio must retrace their hazy steps and all their bad decisions in order to figure out where things went wrong and hopefully get Doug back to L.A. in time to walk down the aisle.
Released 13-Jun-09. Runs 108 min.
When high-powered book editor Margaret faces deportation to her native Canada, the quick-thinking exec declares that she's actually engaged to her unsuspecting put-upon assistant Andrew, who she's tormented for years. He agrees to participate in the charade, but with a few conditions of his own. The unlikely couple heads to Alaska to meet his quirky family, and the always-in-control city girl finds herself in one comedic fish-out-of-water situation after another. With an impromptu wedding in the works and an immigration official on their tails, Margaret and Andrew reluctantly vow to stick to the plan despite the precarious consequences.
Released 8-Jun-09. Runs 121 min.
The ordinary day of New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. Ryder, the criminal mastermind who leads the highly-armed gang of four hijackers, threatens to execute the train's passengers, unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But, there's one riddle Garber can't solve: even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape?
Released 17-Apr-09. Runs 102 min.
What would you do if you got a second shot at life? Class of 1989, Mike O'Donnell is a star on his high school basketball court with a college scout in the stands and a bright future in his grasp. But instead, he decides to throw it all away to share his life with his girlfriend Scarlett and the baby he just learned they are expecting. Almost 20 years later, Mike's glory days are decidedly behind him. His marriage to Scarlett has fallen apart, he has been passed over for a promotion at work, his teenage kids think he is a loser, and he has been reduced to crashing with his high school nerd-turned-techno-billionaire best friend Ned. But Mike is given another chance when he is miraculously transformed back to the age of 17. Unfortunately, Mike may look 17 again, but his 30-something outlook is totally uncool in the class of 2009. And in trying to recapture his best years, Mike could lose the best things that ever happened to him.
Released 15-May-09. Runs 140 min.
When Langdon discovers evidence of the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati--the most powerful underground organization in history--he also faces a deadly threat to the existence of the secret organization's most despised enemy: the Catholic Church. When Langdon learns that the clock is ticking on an unstoppable Illuminati time bomb, he jets to Rome, where he joins forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and enigmatic Italian scientist. Embarking on a nonstop, action-packed hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra will follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that mark the Vatican's only hope for survival.
Released 29-May-09. Runs 99 min.
Christine Brown is an ambitious L.A. loan officer with a charming boyfriend, Professor Clay Dalton. Life is good until the mysterious Mrs. Ganush arrives at the bank to beg for an extension on her home loan. Should Christine follow her instincts and give the old woman a break? Or should she deny the extension to impress her boss, Mr. Jacks, and get a leg-up on a promotion? Christine fatefully chooses the latter, shaming Mrs. Ganush and dispossessing her of her home. In retaliation, the old woman places the powerful curse of the Lamia on Christine, transforming her life into a living hell. Haunted by an evil spirit and misunderstood by a skeptical boyfriend, she seeks the aid of seer Rham Jas to save her soul from eternal damnation. To help the shattered Christine return her life to normal, the psychic sets her on a frantic course to reverse the spell. As evil forces close in, Christine must face the unthinkable: how far will she go to break free of the curse?
Released 9-Jul-09. Runs 120 min.
"Forever Plaid," one of Off-Broadway's most popular and critically acclaimed musicals will return for Only One Night, not to the stage, but to the big screen! NCM Fathom and Forever Plaid Productions partner to present a hilarious and irresistible event featuring a LIVE red carpet appearance by the original cast followed by a pre-taped performance of the musical, "Forever Plaid." The exclusive event will conclude with a LIVE performance by "The Plaids" and sing-a-long where theatre audiences can even join in the fun! Buy your tickets early for this sensational musical event on Thursday, July 9, at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. MT and 8 p.m. PT (tape delay). This event is not rated but should be considered suitable for all audiences.
Released 16-Jan-09. Runs 100 min.
When their new guardians forbid 16-year old Andi and her younger brother, Bruce to have a pet, Andi has to use her quick wit to help find a new home for their dog, Friday. The resourceful kids stumble upon an abandoned hotel and using Bruce's talents as a mechanical genius, transform it into a magical dog-paradise for Friday--and eventually for all Friday's friends. When barking dogs make the neighbors suspicious, Andi and Bruce use every invention they have to avoid anyone discovering "who let the dogs in."
Released 1-Jul-09. Runs 87 min.
The sub-zero heroes from the worldwide blockbusters "Ice Age" and "Ice Age: The Meltdown" are back on an incredible adventure for the ages. Scrat is still trying to nab the ever-elusive nut (while, maybe, finding true love); Manny and Ellie await the birth of their mini-mammoth, Sid the sloth creates his own makeshift family by hijacking some dinosaur eggs; and Diego the saber-toothed tiger wonders if he's growing too "soft" hanging with his pals. On a mission to rescue the hapless Sid, the gang ventures into a mysterious underground world, where they have some close encounters with dinosaurs, battle flora fauna run amuck--and meet a relentless, one-eyed, dino-hunting weasel named Buck.
Released 1-Jul-09. Runs 87 min.
The sub-zero heroes from the worldwide blockbusters "Ice Age" and "Ice Age: The Meltdown" are back, on an incredible adventure...for the ages. Scrat is still trying to nab the ever-elusive nut (while, maybe, finding true love); Manny and Ellie await the birth of their mini-mammoth, Sid the sloth creates his own makeshift family by hijacking some dinosaur eggs; and Diego the saber-toothed tiger wonders if he's growing too "soft" hanging with his pals. On a mission to rescue the hapless Sid, the gang ventures into a mysterious underground world, where they have some close encounters with dinosaurs, battle flora fauna run amuck--and meet a relentless, one-eyed, dino-hunting weasel named Buck.
Released 19-Sep-08. Runs 86 min.
In a land of mad scientists and diabolical inventions, what do you do when you¹re born with a hunch on your back? You become an Igor. A twist on the classic monster movie, that tells the story of one Igor--who's sick of being a lowly lab assistant with a "Yes Master's" degree--and dreams of becoming a scientist. When his cruel master kicks the bucket a week before the annual Evil Science Fair, Igor finally gets his chance. With the help of two of his experimental creations--Brain, a brain in a jar who's a little light on brains, and Scamper, a cynical bunny brought back from being road kill, Igor embarks on building the most evil invention of all time, a huge, ferocious monster. Unfortunately, instead of turning out evil, the monster turns out as Eva, a giant aspiring actress who wouldn't hurt a fly. Just when the load on his back can't get any heavier, Igor and his band of monstrous misfits uncover an evil plot that threatens their world. Now, they must fight to save it and prove that heroes come in all shapes and sizes.
Released 12-Jun-09. Runs 107 min.
Before he found himself standing in front of his friends' house yelling for his daughter's purple security blanket in the middle of the night, Evan Danielson was just your average financial wizard--focused, successful and driven. But, when his daughter introduced him to the princesses and their queen living in her imaginary world, Evan followed her on a hilarious adventure that forced him to reexamine the value of their relationship and redefine his meaning of success.
Released 5-Jun-09. Runs 93 min.
Space-time vortexes suck. Dr. Rick Marshall is sucked into one and spat back through time. Way back. Now, Marshall has no weapons, few skills and questionable smarts to survive in an alternate universe full of marauding dinosaurs and fantastic creatures from beyond our world--a place of spectacular sights and super-scaled comedy known as the "Land of the Lost." Sucked alongside him for the adventure are crack-smart research assistant Holly and a redneck survivalist named Will. Chased by T. rex and stalked by painfully slow reptiles known as Sleestaks, Marshall, Will and Holly must rely on their only ally--a primate called Chaka--to navigate out of the hybrid dimension. Escape from this routine expedition gone awry and they're heroes. Get stuck, and they'll be permanent refugees in the "Land of the Lost."
Released 26-Jun-09. Runs 106 min.
After their daughter is stricken with leukemia, a couple conceives a younger sister who can provide a donor match, but the family is torn apart when, after years of medical procedures, the healthy younger sibling sues her parents for the right to decide how her body is used.
Released 22-May-09. Runs 105 min.
It's a new "Night" and "Museum" for Larry Daley, who is joined by several other characters from the original film, including cowboy Jedediah and Teddy Roosevelt, as well as new characters from history like Amelia Earhart, villainous Egyptian pharaoh Kahmunrah, Russian tyrant Ivan the Terrible and Napoleon. The centerpiece of the film will be bringing to life the Smithsonian Institution, which houses the world's largest museum complex with more than 136 million items in its collections, ranging from the plane Amelia Earhart flew on her nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic and Al Capone's rap sheet and mug shot to Dorothy's ruby red slippers and Archie Bunker's lounge chair.
Released 1-Jul-09. Runs 143 min.
"Public Enemies" is the story of legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger-the charismatic bank robber whose lightning raids made him the number one target of J. Edgar Hoover's fledgling FBI and its top agent, Melvin Purvis, and a folk hero to much of the downtrodden public. No one could stop Dillinger and his gang. No jail could hold him. His charm and audacious jailbreaks endeared him to almost everyone-from his girlfriend Billie Frechette to an American public who had no sympathy for the banks that had plunged the country into the Depression. But while the adventures of Dillinger's gang-later including the sociopathic Baby Face Nelson and Alvin Karpis-thrilled many, Hoover hit on the idea of exploiting the outlaw's capture as a way to elevate his Bureau of Investigation into the national police force that became the FBI. He made Dillinger America's first Public Enemy Number One and sent in Purvis, the dashing "Clark Gable of the FBI.'' However, Dillinger and his gang outwitted and outgunned Purvis' men in wild chases and shootouts. Only after importing a crew of Western ex-lawmen (newly baptized as agents) and orchestrating epic betrayals-from the infamous "Lady in Red'' to the Chicago crime boss Frank Nitti-were Purvis, the FBI and their new crew of gunfighters able to close in on Dillinger.
Released 8-Jun-07. Runs 85 min.
A "mockumentary" on how penguins were actually the inventors of surfing, including behind-the-scenes footage from the Penguin World Surfing Championship.
Released 21-May-09. Runs 114 min.
This highly anticipated new installment of "The Terminator" film franchise is set in post-apocalyptic 2018. John Connor is the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future that Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright, a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet's operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind.
Released 24-Jun-09. Runs 150 min.
Two years have passed since Sam Witwicky and the Autobots saved the human race from the invading Decepticons. Now he's preparing for the biggest challenge of his life: leaving home for college. Leaving home is something the Autobots understand only too well. With the destruction of the Allspark, the Transformers home planet of Cybertron is uninhabitable, and the Autobots make the best of their lives on earth, working in league with the military as part of a top-secret team called NEST. Meanwhile, the Decepticons learn what Sam doesn't know: he alone holds the key to the outcome of the struggle between evil and the ultimate power of good. A normal life will have to wait. With the help of the Autobots, the soldiers of NEST, and an old adversary-turned-ally, former Sector 7 Agent Simmons, Sam and his girlfriend Mikaela must uncover the secret history of the Transformers presence on earth, and the sacrifices that have to be made to save it from an ancient threat sworn on returning here for revenge--an ancient Decepticon named The Fallen.
Released 29-May-09. Runs 96 min.
From Disney-Pixar comes "Up," a comedy adventure about 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But, he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic eight-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell.
Released 29-May-09. Runs 96 min.
From Disney-Pixar comes "Up," a comedy adventure about 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But, he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic eight-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell. "Up" will be presented in Disney Digital 3-D(TM) in select theaters.
Released 1-May-09. Runs 107 min.
"X-Men Origins: Wolverine," the first chapter in the X-Men saga, unites Wolverine with several other legends of the X-Men universe, in an epic revolution that pits the mutants against powerful forces determined to eliminate them. The film also introduces a team of mutants, including several whose appearances in the movie series have been long anticipated. In addition, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" explores Logan's tragic romance with Kayla Silverfox. Kayla's fate triggers Logan's involvement with the ominous Weapon X program, a top secret, billion-dollar military experiment, in which Wolverine and other mutants are key players. They include Gambit, a young Scott Summers (later to be known as Cyclops); a beautiful young mutant named Emma Frost; and Deadpool, against whom Wolverine faces his ultimate challenge. While the three previous X-Men films were set in the not-too-distant future, the main story of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"--as the saga's first chapter--is set prior to the events of those pictures, in the not-too-distant past, sometime in the 1970s. But the epic sweep of the new film also encompasses flashbacks that span 150 years.
Released 19-Jun-09. Runs 100 min.
When a couple of lazy hunter-gatherers are banished from their primitive village, they set off on an epic journey through the ancient world.
Summer Destinations
Check out what's new at popular vacation spots, such as Myrtle Beach and the Smoky Mountains, and start planning your summer vacation.
Camden Park memories
Check out photo galleries, videos and memories of Camden Park, West Virginia's only amusement park. The park celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2003.
Graduation 2009
Check here for prom photos, local graduation dates and lists of our graduates in the Tri-State's Class of 2009.
Youth Soccer
The 2009 U.S. Youth Soccer Region I Championships is coming to Barboursville July 2 through July 7 and is expected to bring more than 14,000 visitors. Check here for updates.
Yard Sale Finder
Looking for a local yard sale in the next seven days? Check out this map to show you where the deals are, based on Herald-Dispatch classifieds. The map is updated daily.
Downtown Walking Tour
Download our mp3 file for your iPod, print our PDF map and and take a walking tour of downtown Huntington.
Bride Guide 2009
Need advice on planning your upcoming nuptials? Check out the Bride Guide, which includes a rich list of possible wedding reception sites, sorted by seating limits.
Tri-State Visitors' Guide
Check out great shopping, dining, lodging and other entertainment opportunities in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.
Purchase a photo reprint
Our professional photographers are always out and about in the Tri-State. If you know of an image you would like to purchase, click here to fill out the form.
Tri-State's Most Wanted
The Herald-Dispatch's “Tri-State’s Most Wanted” list has featured several fugitives since June 2006, many of whom have been captured.
Tri-State Photo Gift Gallery
Choose from more than 100 images of the Tri-State from The Herald-Dispatch’s digital archives -- we even offer custom framing.
Send us your youth sports photos
Send a photo of your favorite Little Leaguer or cheerleader for our youth sports photo galleries.
Send us your pet photos
If they're furry, feathered or slimy, send us photos of your pets to display in our online galleries.
Birthdays and Babies
Want to announce a birth or wish a friend happy birthday? Click here to view galleries and fill out the form.
More Entertainment
READ ALL ABOUT IT: Derek Musgrave: Orson Scott Card’s ‘Pastwatch’ a sci-fi tale of time travel, history
Orson Scott Card is a well-known science fiction author, and his novel “Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus” is one example of his work.
PICK A FLICK: ‘Public Enemies’ dazzles the eye but drags
With “Public Enemies,” all the pieces would seem to be in place for an epic gangster drama: director Michael Mann, who has an affinity for complicated criminals; stars Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, who are famous for immersing themselves in their roles; and a thrilling true story of brazen bank robbers on the run.
PICK A FLICK: ‘Ice Age’ is ‘yawn of the dinosaurs’ tale
There’s more action and cuddly creatures for kids to love in “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” than in the animated franchise’s first two installments. For their parents, it’s more of the same, a “Yawn of the Dinosaurs” adventure with some new faces and places but the same central characters rehashing the themes of the first two movies.
GOOD EATS: R.J. Kahuna's offers family-friendly sports bar atmosphere
CANNONSBURG, Ky. -- Located in the Kyova mall in Cannonsburg, Ky., R.J. Kahuna's is a sports bar with more than 30 television screens and a tropical theme.
Here are the Top 10 CDs sold this past week at Now Hear This. For more information, call the store at 304-522-0021.
HUNTINGTON -- Angie Fletcher is figuring she might as well pitch a tent downtown because she's here for the party.
Here are the top 10 songs currently being played on 92.7-FM, The Planet.
Here are the top 10 songs currently being played on 106.3-FM WAMX.
Here are the top 10 songs from Casey Kasem's American Top 40 that originally aired on July 19, 1986. The show will be rebroadcast Sunday afternoon on Magic 97.9-FM.
Here are the top 10 songs currently being played on 100.5-FM WKEE.
Charleston-based indie band puts out CD early
"Gravity" has to be released early, and Greg McGowan is taking that as a good sign.
Louisville, Ky.: Big city excitement for the whole family
Louisville is on the map as a “must-see” place these days with recent international coverage during the Kentucky Derby, a special excursion on Bravo’s Millionaire Matchmaker as well as the new Soap.net reality show, “The Southern Belles of Louisville.”
The Huntington Police Department benefit festival Wings and Wheels rolls into Harris Riverfront Park in Huntington from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.
GOOD EATS: Amigo Porfis brings Mexican flavor to West End
HUNTINGTON -- Porfirio Morales opened his first restaurant Porfirio's in Barboursville in 1999. Unfortunately, a downturn in business combined with some bad breaks forced Morales to sell the restaurant last year. Morales has bounced back and recently opened up a new restaurant on the corner of 17th Street West and Washington Avenue.
PICK A FLICK: 'Sister's Keeper' raises tough questions
LOS ANGELES -- "My Sister's Keeper" is a shameless weepy, one of the most manipulative and fundamental of genres, but it also raises some surprisingly difficult and thought-provoking ethical questions.
PICK A FLICK: ‘Transformers’ shape-shifts into noise, nonsense
A joyless cacophony, an insistent and seemingly endless onslaught, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” director Michael Bay’s follow-up to the 2007 smash “Transformers” plays more like a parody of a Bay movie.
HUNTINGTON -- Local authors and dietitians, Brandi Sentz and Kellie Glass, will be signing copies of their book "How to Eat Fried Chicken and Be Thin Too!" from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 27, at Empire Books and News at Pullman Square in downtown Huntington.
As a companion to "Ladybug Girl," "Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy," by David Soman and Jackie Davis, is a hit.
MOVIES & MORE: Nostalgia can inspire some questionable DVD buys
Movies & More reviewer John Gillispie thinks that people should think twice before shelling out big bucks for TV series on DVD. Some choices are definitely worth the price, but time has a way of dating those old programs from the past.
