It’s a strange day in Hollywood history when a Barry Levinson-directed film starring Robert DeNiro and Sean Penn opens in but a handful of theaters nationwide. But the movie industry insider film What Just Happened is sneaking onto a mere 12 screens, while W, The Secret Life of Bees, Max Payne and even the teen romp Sex Drive go barreling into 1,400+ theaters.

What Just Happened, about a high powered filmmaker whose personal life is spinning out of control while his professional life plummets, also stars Bruce Willis, Robyn Wright Penn, Stanley Tucci, Catherine Keener and Kristin Stewart. With a cast like that and a sexy topic, you would think it would be a big deal film. But it appears that life imitated art as production, marketing and distribution went wildly awry.  This is a blow from which those involved will not easily recover.

There’s also a question of whether George W. Bush will ever recover from the light spanking Oliver Stone gives him in his political send up, W, about the life and times of the current president. Since the political pendulum seems to be swinging toward the left these days, expect this film to have a decent opening. Viewers are curious to see just how spot on Josh Brolin can be in the title role, and how well the politicos we see and hear from on a daily basis are portrayed. Rated PG-13

Theatergoers will also be curious to see how well the bestselling novel The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd, has been adapted.  Starring Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keyes, Sophie Okonedo and Paul Bettany, the story takes place in the deep south of the early 60’s, where African Americans are attempting to register to vote. A young girl flees from life with her abusive father in order to find the truth about her mother, who has passed away. She embarks on a journey with her housekeeper who is suffering the blows of violent racial tension, and their journey leads them to the honey making home of three devout, educated sisters. More than just a period chick flick, The Secret Life of Bees explores faith, sisterhood, race, maternal roles, child abuse, coming of age, and more. Rated PG-13

Max Payne, starring Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis, is a video game turned into a graphic novel turned into a movie. Max is a dark detective in a big city, who is attempting to solve the murder of his wife and child, and runs up against corporate greed, corruption, drug abuse and mysterious, menacing Valkyries. Aimed right smack at those male, aged 18-34 demos, the film is screaming for a sequel. Rated PG-13

Sex Drive is teen comedy aimed at those same lucrative demos. Starring James Marsden and Seth Green, along with a nubile young cast of newcomers, it chronicles a couple of guys driving across country in search of a little sumpthin’ sumpthin’ with an online acquaintance. It’s rated R, which puts it a little out of reach for those who might appreciate it most.