YOUR WEEKEND PIC (June 23-25)

(A guide to help you plan your cinema-going)

1. CARS (Animated fun-tasy with endearing car-acters voiced by Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt and Paul Newman) Rated * * * (3 out of 4 stars): Lightning McQueen, a novice racing car, learns about friends and family when he gets stuck in a small town on the legendary Route 66.

2. SCARY MOVIE 4 (Irreverent parody of blockbusters with Cindy Campbell, Craig Bierko, Regina Hall and Leslie Nielsen) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This sequel spoofs The Saw, War Of The Worlds, The Grudge and The Village and even takes a swipe at Oprah Winfrey.

3. TAKE THE LEAD (ballroom dancing caper with Antonio Banderas and Rob Brown) Rated: * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Like a modern Zorro, Banderas rides in (on bicycle) to save a bunch of hopeless students from boredom by teaching them ballroom dancing.

4. THE FAST & THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT (car-race sequel with Lucas Black and Bow Wow) Rated: * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): If you like fast cars, hot chicks and road crashes, then this is the flick for you. Don't expect anything else, though.

5. STAY ALIVE (video game horror, starring Jon Foster, Sophia Bush and Frankie Muniz) Rated * 1/2 (1.5 stars): This story about video-gamers actually getting killed while playing a game is lamely contrived and utterly devoid of thrills and spills.