This Week's Movies

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs — Mostly delightful animated sequel in which a mammoth couple (voices of Ray Romano and Queen Latifah), a tiger (voice of Denis Leary) and two possums (voices of Josh Peck and Seann William Scott) search for the missing sloth (voice of John Leguizamo) who rounds out their improvised herd, and discover the underworld of dinosaurs to which he has been unwillingly carried. A few touches of vaguely crude humor aside, director Carlos Saldanha's epic 3-D quest, which also features Simon Pegg voicing the adventurers' wacky weasel guide, is well calculated to charm viewers of all ages with its portrayal of loyalty and teamwork. A-I -- general patronage. (PG) 2009
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My Sister's Keeper — Generally well-acted if sometimes soggy family drama about a strong-willed mother (Cameron Diaz excellent in a not-always-likable part), in denial about her teenage daughter's (Sofia Vassilieva) losing battle with cancer; the loving but conflicted father (Jason Patric); and sister (Abigail Breslin), who hires a lawyer (Alec Baldwin) for "medical emancipation" so she won't be forced to donate her kidney to her sister. Affecting, despite basic plot contrivances and a couple of morally questionable elements, co-writer and director Nick Cassavetes' tear-jerker ultimately presents a positive view of marriage and family. A nongraphic nonmarital sexual encounter, in vitro conception, disturbing hospital imagery, brief rough and crude language and a couple of profanities, domestic discord, some mild sexual talk and brief teenage drinking. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) 2009
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Public Enemies — Polished dramatization of the last months of famed Depression-era gangster John Dillinger (a commanding Johnny Depp) as he orchestrates prison breaks, continues his bank-robbing spree across the Midwest, repeatedly eludes capture by special agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) of the nascent FBI, and romances Chicago coat-check girl Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard). Though the bullets fly in director and co-writer Michael Mann's sleek adaptation of journalist Bryan Burrough's 2004 history, the violence never becomes excessive, and the focus remains on Dillinger's complex personality, his perverse popularity and the moral limits circumscribing law enforcement. Considerable action violence, brief torture, cohabitation, brief nongraphic premarital sexual activity, at least one use of the F-word, and occasional crude and profane language. A-III -- adults. (R) 2009
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The Stoning of Soraya M. — Compelling and often moving, if necessarily violent, fact-based drama set in Iran, in which a philandering husband (Navid Negahban) falsely accuses his wife (Mozhan Marno) of adultery with her employer (Parviz Sayyad), eventually convincing her neighbors (David Diaan and Ali Pourtash, among others) to condemn her, despite the vigorous protests of her courageous aunt (Shohreh Aghdashloo). Director and co-writer Cyrus Nowrasteh's adaptation of the best-selling book, which also features Jim Caviezel as author-journalist Freidoune Sahebjam, takes an admirable stand against injustice, but depicts the climactic execution extremely graphically. A sequence of intense violence, torture, sexual references, one rough and a few crude and crass terms. In Farsi. Subtitles. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R) 2009
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Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen — Overlong, mindlessly violent action adventure sequel in which a college freshman (Shia LaBeouf) and his girlfriend (Megan Fox) assist a group of friendly, shape-shifting alien robots as they battle to defend humanity against the designs of a hostile horde of similar creatures. Derived from the back story of a line of Hasbro toys, director Michael Bay's globe-trotting explosion fest offers only a modicum of human interest amid the thunderous special effects. Also shown in Imax. Pervasive action violence, brief rear nudity, brief nongraphic nonmarital sexual activity, drug use, occasional rough and crude and some crass language, and frequent sexual references. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) 2009
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Whatever Works — A pessimistic New York grouch (Larry David) finds his life transformed when he reluctantly shelters a homeless but irrepressibly cheerful young Southerner (Evan Rachel Wood), and they fall for each other. Though undeniably clever at times, writer-director Woody Allen's comedy of manners mocks evangelical Christians through the waif's parents (Patricia Clarkson and Ed Begley Jr.) and heavy-handedly rams home the message that, in a meaningless universe, any path to temporary fulfillment, particularly that of unbridled sexuality, ought to be pursued. Adultery, implied group sex and homosexual activity, images of full nudity, a suicide theme, some sexual humor, at least one crude and one crass word, and about a dozen uses of profanity. O -- morally offensive. (PG-13) 2009
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Current Movies - Alphabetical

12 Rounds —Routine action adventure in which a vicious thief (Aidan Gillen), sprung from prison and out for revenge on the New Orleans police officer (John Cena) who arrested him and accidentally caused the death of his moll, kidnaps the cop's live-in girlfriend (Ashley Scott) and sets him a dozen hair-raising tasks as ransom. Director Renny Harlin's film offers little more than rapid-fire mayhem and a few suspenseful situations. Considerable action violence, premarital cohabitation, much crude and crass language, and a few sexual references and profanities. A-III -- adults. (PG-13) 2009
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17 Again —Pleasant, though unremarkable romantic comedy about a dissatisfied middle-aged man (Matthew Perry) who gets his wish to be a high school student (Zac Efron) again and, with the help of his lifelong best friend (Thomas Lennon), uses the opportunity to guide his teenage son (Sterling Knight) and daughter (Michelle Trachtenberg) and to revive his failing relationship with his wife (Leslie Mann). Director Burr Steers’ formulaic star vehicle sees its protagonist standing up for the underdog and promoting sexual restraint but thematic elements preclude younger teens. Premarital situations, some sexual humor and references, about a dozen crass terms, at least one use of profanity. A-III -- adults. (PG-13) 2009
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Angels & Demons —Highly improbable but mindlessly entertaining sequel to “The Da Vinci Code” - adapted from Dan Brown’s prequel written in 2000 -- in which religious symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) and a scientist (Ayelet Zurer) join forces with a church official (Ewan McGregor) to try to prevent the destruction of the Vatican and the murder of a quartet of kidnapped cardinals by following a trail of clues left across Rome by the secretive Illuminati cult of anti-Catholic intellectuals. Though director Ron Howard has toned down some of the book’s most egregious elements, the historical church is still portrayed as a relentless and at times violent foe of science, but the film ends on a positive note from a faith perspective and the final image of the Church is relatively positive. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) 2009
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Battle for Terra —Ambitious animated parable, set on a distant planet that’s being invaded by aggressive refugees from Earth, in which a downed human airman (voice of Luke Wilson) finds his loyalties divided when he’s befriended by one of the peace-loving, tadpole-shaped locals (voice of Evan Rachel Wood) his warmongering commander (voice of Brian Cox) is intent on destroying. Director Aristomenis Tsirbas’ feature debut is an honorable, if at times heavy-handed cautionary tale about prejudice, violence and environmental degradation, but the battle scenes – especially as intensified by the 3-D presentation in some theaters -- are too strong for the youngest viewers, and quasi-religious aspects of the aliens’ culture may require family discussion. Moderate combat violence, a suicide. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) 2009
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The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story — Poignant biography of Walt Disney Studios' most famous songwriter team -- Richard Sherman and Robert Sherman -- whose cheery songs for such films as "Mary Poppins" and "The Jungle Book" belied a fractious personal relationship. Directed by their sons, Jeffrey C. Sherman and Gregory V. Sherman, the well-crafted documentary (unobjectionable though probably not for the kiddies) -- which includes interviews with Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Angela Lansbury and other luminaries, as well as friends and family members -- attempts to trace the roots of the conflict between these two disparate personalities, and also illuminates the mutual respect and love beneath the strained surface. A-I -- general patronage. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America. 2009
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Coraline —Entrancing, though eerie, 3-D animated cautionary tale in which a bored girl (voice of Dakota Fanning) discovers an alternate world inhabited by more accommodating versions of her parents (voices of Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman) but finds herself imperiled when the doubles reveal sinister plans for her. Writer-director Henry Selick's vibrantly colorful stop-motion adaptation of Neil Gaiman's best-selling, award-winning 2002 young adult novel sees its heroine overcoming selfishness, learning to appreciate her blessings and drawing closer to family and friends. Brief partial nudity, frightening images and a few mildly bawdy lyrics. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) 2009
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Dance Flick — Flat-footed genre satire with a minimal plot about the unlikely romance between a would-be ballerina (Shoshana Bush) and a street dancer (Damon Wayans, Jr.). Stumbles far outnumber leaps in director and co-writer Damien Dante Wayans' rambling sendup, and a few of the gags are patently vulgar. Much sexual and some scatological humor, one use of the F-word, frequent crude and crass language, and occasional comic violence. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) 2009
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Drag Me to Hell — Intentionally over-the-top horror tale in which a Los Angeles loan officer (Alison Lohman) is cursed to death and damnation by a woman (Lorna Raver) on whose home her bank is foreclosing and, with the reluctant support of her skeptical boyfriend (Justin Long), enlists the aid of a fortuneteller (Dileep Rao) in her increasingly frantic efforts to undo the spell. Gross-out sight gags abound in director and co-writer Sam Raimi's canny shockfest, but bloodletting is generally minimal and the occult elements, like the dubious premise that one person can consign another to Hades, need not be taken seriously. Some hand-to-hand violence, a premarital situation, a couple of uses of profanity and of the S-word, and a few crass terms. A-III -- adults. (PG-13) 2009
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Earth —Majestic and moving nature documentary chronicling a year in the lives of a variety of wild animals in different habitats, most prominently a polar bear, an elephant and a humpbacked whale. In this big-screen adaptation of their television series, "Planet Earth," co-directors Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield make the most of high definition technology to present a stunning portrait of creation and a subtle plea for environmental responsibility. A couple of bleeped exclamations. A-I -- general patronage. (G) 2009
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Easy Virtue — Glossy but ho-hum retread of an early Noel Coward play (1924), adapted by director and co-writer Stephen Elliott, wherein a landed young Englishman (Ben Barnes) brings home his vivacious new bride, a glamorous American widow (likable Jessica Biel) with a "past," who clashes with her husband's stodgy mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) and sisters, though winning the admiration of his more bohemian father (Colin Firth). The colorful period and background tunes are enjoyable, but performances are generally flat and the dated and unconvincing story is further sabotaged by a couple of morally problematic plot additions. Unconventional view of marriage, divorce, assisted suicide, nongraphic sexual marital encounters, brief rear and partial nudity, some crass language and heavy smoking. O -- morally offensive. (PG-13) 2009
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Fast & Furious —Overheated, morally swerving action sequel in which an ex-con (Vin Diesel) pursuing a vendetta and an undercover FBI agent (Paul Walker) renew their rivalry as they both use their driving skills to infiltrate a cross-border drug smuggling ring and identify its secretive leader. As directed by Justin Lin, the thin story is no more than an excuse for long sequences of reckless racing, while the characters move from one side of the law to the other as it suits them. Vigilantism, brief nongraphic sexual activity, partial nudity, cohabitation, occasional rough language and profanity. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) 2009
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Ghosts of Girlfriends Past —A heartless womanizing bachelor (Matthew McConaughey) is visited by the ghosts of his playboy uncle (Michael Douglas) and those of his jilted girlfriends (Emma Stone, Noureen DeWulf and Olga Maliouk) on the eve of the wedding of his brother (Breckin Meyer), and he comes to realize the depth of his feelings for his childhood sweetheart (Jennifer Garner). Though there's ultimately a wonderfully redemptive outcome and a strong affirmation of marriage and fidelity, along with a couple of superlative scenes for McConaughey, director Mark Waters' "A Christmas Carol" retread is marred by far too much crude and smutty humor before getting there. Crass sexual talk and innuendo, some crude language and fleeting profanity, premarital sexual situations and a drug reference. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) 2009
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The Great Buck Howard —Charming show biz comedy about a law school dropout (Colin Hanks) who takes a job as road manager for a once-famed but now washed-up mentalist (John Malkovich), eventually bonding with him, despite the performer's egotistical delusions, and falling for his much put-upon publicist (Emily Blunt). Sustained by Malkovich's masterly characterization, writer-director Sean McGinly's gentle spoof offers a valentine to perseverance along with a sendup of celebrity culture, though the central romance becomes sexual after mere acquaintance. A premarital relationship and some mildly sexual humor. A-III -- adults. (PG) 2009
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The Hangover — A 100-minute assault of crude behavior, violence, racial stereotypes and male nudity strung along a thin plot of three groomsmen (Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha) searching for their pal the bridegroom (Bradley Cooper) after a drunken and drugged Las Vegas debauch the night before the wedding. Producer-director Doug Phillips and screenwriters Jon Lucas and Doug Moore work on the assumptions that any loutish behavior is hilarious, and if it's funny when a grown man gets hit in the face by a car door, it's even funnier when it later happens to an infant. Intermittent violence; pervasive crass, crude and profane language; upper female and explicit male nudity; drug use; frequent urination; and crude sexual gags, one involving an infant.  O -- morally offensive. (R) 2009
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Hannah Montana the Movie —Breezy romance with music in which a teen singer (Miley Cyrus), who has gained fame under the pseudonym Hannah Montana, is forced by her concerned father (Billy Ray Cyrus) to retreat temporarily from her hectic career and spend time with him and her grandmother (Margo Martindale) on the Tennessee farm where she grew up, where she falls for a local farmhand (Lucas Till) while fending off a British paparazzo (Peter Gunn) out to reveal the secret of her persona. Director Peter Chelsom's delightfully innocent country idyll emphasizes humility, simplicity and the primacy of family obligations over professional goals. A-I -- general patronage. (G) 2009
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Imagine That — A work-obsessed investment adviser (Eddie Murphy) connects with his young daughter (Yara Shahidi) after accidentally discovering that the inhabitants of an imaginary kingdom she has created give accurate financial predictions, aiding him in his competition with a pretentious but popular rival (Thomas Haden Church). Director Karey Kirkpatrick's timely and charming comic fantasy, which also features Martin Sheen as a renowned tycoon, elevates family bonds over the paper kind and, a couple of slightly crass terms aside, makes appropriate viewing for all generations.  A-I -- general patronage. (PG) 2009
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Knowing —A Boston astrophysicist (Nicolas Cage) discovers that a time-capsule document buried 50 years ago at his son's (Chandler Canterbury) school accurately predicted all the major disasters of the intervening decades, and sets out to prevent the three calamities, one of them potentially global, it warns will transpire in the near future, eventually aided by the daughter (Rose Byrne) of the woman who wrote it as a schoolgirl (Lara Robinson). Director Alex Proyas' vastly ambitious, genre-melding drama begins as a horror tale but becomes, by its spectacular though sobering climax, a haunting meditation on faith, sacrifice and family unity. Disturbingly realistic catastrophe scenes, brief sexual humor and a few instances of crude language.  A-II (PG-13)
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Land of the Lost — The innocent, mildly cheesy Saturday morning TV show from the 1970s has morphed into an overblown, special-effects-laden, but plot-thin star vehicle for comedian Will Farrell, a washed-up scientist who claims that his invention, the "tachyon amplifier," is a time machine. With a beautiful academic (Anna Friel) and a sleazy sideshow operator (Danny McBride) at his side, he opens a "space time vortex" and lands in a prehistoric world filled with menacing creatures, reptilian aliens and furry Cro-Magnon natives. What ensues is a "Wizard of Oz" adventure as the trio seeks a way home. Unfortunately, what is being marketed as this summer's "family" film is far from one. Cartoonish violence and peril; rough language; sexual banter, innuendo and encounters; partial nudity; and drug use. A-III -- adults. (PG-13) 2009
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Monsters vs. Aliens —Affable animated comedy-adventure in which a trio of kindly monsters (voices of Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie and Will Arnett) led by a once-ordinary woman (voice of Reese Witherspoon) who became a giant after being struck by a meteor, are released from government captivity in the custody of a gung-ho general (voice of Keifer Sutherland) and commissioned by the president (voice of Stephen Colbert) to combat an evil alien (voice of Rainn Wilson) whose schemes threaten humanity. Co-directors Rob Letterman and Conrad Vernon create a lavish 3-D homage to 1950s-era sci-fi B-movies that also celebrates friendship, teamwork and the heroic potential of everyday people. Also shown in Imax. Moderate action violence and a bit of vaguely sexual and slightly crude humor. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) 2009
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My Life in Ruins — Cotton-ball-soft romantic comedy about a travel guide in Greece (Nia Vardalos) who learns to absorb the spirit of the Greek islands in order to enjoy life and find romance with -- who else? -- a handsome Greek (Alexis Georgoulis). Director Donald Petrie and screenwriter Mike Reiss duplicate the slow, ambling formula of Vardalos' monster hit, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," to the letter, replacing her passel of eccentric but lovable relatives with a busload of eccentric but lovable tourists. So devoid of objectionable elements, it's acceptable for older adolescents who probably will be dragged to the theater by Vardalos-adoring grandmothers. A couple of implied premarital encounters, mild sexual banter and innuendo. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG-13) 2009
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Next Day Air —Brisk, low-budget brew of violence, street language and stoner comedy mixing dimwitted criminals with a Mexican drug lord as a pot-smoking overnight-delivery driver (Donald Faison from TV's "Scrubs") accidentally takes a package containing 10 kilos of cocaine to the wrong apartment, which just happens to contain misfit criminals (Mike Epps and Wood Harris) who plan to sell the drugs and start new lives. Director Benny Boom keeps these one-dimensional characters and the stale, predictable plot clattering along for just 84 minutes, but the only surprising twist is who survives the close-range brutality at the finish. Nonstop crude and profane language, drug use, brief upper female nudity, knife violence, the occasional fistfight, a slow-motion gun battle, racial stereotypes and an utter lack of redemptive behavior by any character. O -- morally offensive. (R) 2009
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Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian — Enjoyable sequel, again directed by Shawn Levy, has the ex-Museum of Natural History night guard (Ben Stiller) traveling to Washington to rescue his formerly inanimate friends -- the museum's display figures (Owen Wilson, Robin Williams, Steve Coogan) -- from being archived in the Smithsonian. With the help of Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams) and General Custer (Bill Hader), they must ward off Egyptian pharaoh Kahmunrah (funny Hank Azaria), Ivan the Terrible (Christopher Guest), Napoleon Bonaparte (Alain Chabat) and Al Capone (Jon Bernthal). Kids will love the gags (the humor stays clean) and excellent special effects, and adults will appreciate the wit of some of the D.C. museum's most iconic paintings and sculptures springing to life.  A-I -- general patronage. (PG) 2009
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The Proposal — To avoid being deported back to Canada, a hard-driving New York book editor (Sandra Bullock) coerces her brow-beaten executive assistant (Ryan Reynolds) into getting engaged, but the hostility underlying their charade of love mellows during a visit to his parents' (Mary Steenburgen and Craig T. Nelson) Alaska home for his grandmother's (Betty White) 90th birthday. Brief interludes of questionable humor and a largely predictable plot aside, director Anne Fletcher's effervescent romantic comedy is mostly a valentine to family affection and against-the-odds ardor. Implied premarital sexual activity, fleeting nudity, some sexual humor, a couple of crude and a dozen crass words, at least two uses of profanity. A-III -- adults. (PG-13) 2009
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Race to Witch Mountain —Engaging sci-fi adventure about a Las Vegas cab driver (Dwayne Johnson) and a UFO expert (Carla Gugino) who try to help two alien children (AnnaSophia Robb and Alexander Ludwig) find their spaceship and return home to head off an alien invasion of earth, while relentlessly pursued by a federal UFO investigator (Ciaran Hinds). Director Andy Fickman's reimagining of the 1975 "Escape to Witch Mountain" moves at a fast clip with likable lead performances and elaborate special effects making this recommendable family fare for all but young children who might be bothered by some scary moments. Generally mild action violence with explosions and gunshots. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) 2009
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The Soloist —Engrossing drama in which a Los Angeles journalist (Robert Downey, Jr.) profiles and befriends a musically gifted homeless man (Jamie Foxx), and discovers, through the challenging relationship, an underworld of his city's dispossessed. Director Joe Wright's adaptation of Steve Lopez's book features impressive performances by both leads that lend eloquence to its implicit plea for treating the marginalized with dignity. Drug use, a few rough and crude words, a couple of uses of profanity and occasional sexual references. A-III -- adults. (PG-13) 2009
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Star Trek —Exhilarating prequel to the "Star Trek" franchise as the youthful rabble-rousing James Tiberius Kirk (Chris Pine) forgoes his delinquent ways to join the crew of the Starship Enterprise -- including Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Karl Urban), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Sulu (James Cho) and Chekhov (Anton Yelchin) -- where he soon clashes with rival Spock (Zachary Quinto) until they unite against the vengeful Romulan Nero (Eric Bana), intent on destruction. Director J.J. Abrams breathes new life into the series by skillfully balancing the well-executed action sequences with an absorbing human story, leavened with humor and optimism, and likable characters you care about, though some brief gratuitous sexuality and the use of several expletives restrict this to mature teens and up. Intense but not graphic action violence, a short but frisky bedroom scene with skimpy attire, some crude language and a single profanity. A-III -- adults.  (PG-13) 2009
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Taken — Formulaic and contrived but effectively tense thriller about an ex-government operative (Liam Neeson) hunting for his missing teenage daughter (Maggie Grace) who's been kidnapped by Albanian sex traffickers in Paris. Director Pierre Morel keeps things moving with a flashy visual style, and Neeson plays with a genuine intensity that almost, but not quite, makes you overlook the improbable setup and ludicrous plot developments.Intense but nongraphic action violence including torture, multiple killings, vigilante justice, some crude language and expressions, and a single profanity. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) 2009
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The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 — Brisk but gritty thriller that pits a New York subway dispatcher (Denzel Washington) against a psychopath (John Travolta) whose small gang (including Luis Guzman) has hijacked the titular train, taking its passengers hostage. Performances by the leads and supporting cast -- James Gandolfini as the mayor and John Turturro as a police negotiator among them -- are assured, but director Tony Scott's adaptation of John Godey's bestseller, previously filmed in 1974, treats its villain's Catholic upbringing ambiguously and has interludes of gory violence and relentlessly coarse language throughout. Brief but intense violence, pervasive rough and crude language, occasional use of profanity.  L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R) 2009
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Terminator Salvation — Explosively violent sci-fi action sequel in which the prophesied victor (Christian Bale) in humanity's post-apocalyptic struggle against a race of murderous supermachines must locate the teen (Anton Yelchin) who will someday travel back in time to become his father while determining whether a bewildered visitor from the past (Sam Worthington) is friend or foe. A few undeveloped philosophical observations are drowned out, in director McG's time-twisting, special-effects extravaganza, by the roar of unremitting battle. Intense and pervasive combat, some gore, and half a dozen crude or crass terms. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) 2009
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Two Lovers —Downbeat but well-acted domestic drama set in the Brighton Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., about the depressed son (an especially fine Joaquin Phoenix) of Jewish dry cleaners (Moni Monoshov and Isabella Rossellini) torn between his emotionally troubled new gentile neighbor (Gwyneth Paltrow) who considers him a friend, and the stable young Jewish woman (Vinessa Shaw) who loves him. Directed with low-key naturalism by James Gray, the familiar triangular tale scores for characterization and mood, and the characters are, on the whole, presented with compassion and sensitivity. An adulterous affair, suicide attempt, two brief nonmarital sexual encounters without nudity, unwed pregnancy, brief upper female nudity, drug references, several uses of the F-word as an expletive and brief profanity. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R) 2009
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Up — Off we go into the wild blue yonder -- literally -- with this instant classic, the story of Carl Frederickson (voice of Ed Asner), a grumpy septuagenarian who decides to get away from it all by relocating his home to South America with the help of thousands of colorful balloons. Joined by an earnest 8-year-old stowaway named Russell (Jordan Nagai), a gigantic squawking bird, and a "talking" dog, Carl finds the adventure of a lifetime as the ragtag group battles evil in the Venezuelan jungle. This touching fable from director/co-writer Pete Docter ("Monsters, Inc.") offers lessons for young and old on love and loss, marriage, friendship, and perseverance in a gorgeously rendered, very amusing and highly entertaining film. Some serious thematic material and a few scenes of intense peril may disturb small children. A-I -- general patronage. (PG) 2009
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The Wrestler —Seamy but powerful character portrait of an aging professional wrestler (a superb Mickey Rourke) whose marginal career is threatened by a heart attack, as he initiates a tentative romance with a stripper (Marisa Tomei) and makes fumbling efforts to reconnect with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood). Director Darren Aronofsky's study of loneliness, set in a landscape of trailer parks and strip malls, is unsparing in its portrayal of the titular sport, the sadistic impulses of its fans, and the demeaning sexuality of the strip club where the protagonist unwinds, but the drama's artistic intent and achievement are clear, as are the fundamentally decent aspirations of the troubled man at its core. Strong sexual content, including graphic nonmarital sexual activity, some nudity, brutal wrestling scenes, drug abuse, pervasive rough and much crude language, and some uses of profanity. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (R) 2008
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X-Men Origins: Wolverine —Lavish and flashy action-packed prequel to the popular "X-Men" series exploring the origins of conflicted superhero Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), including his defining childhood, turbulent relationship with his brother, Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber), role in a team of fellow mutants (Ryan Reynolds, Will.i.Am, Kevin Durand, Dominic Monaghan) led by the duplicitous Col. Stryker (Danny Huston), and tragic romance with schoolteacher Kayla (Lynn Collins). Director Gavin Hood tries not to lose sight of the human elements with Wolverine generally demonstrating moral conscience, though the kinetic action and violence necessarily predominate. Intense action violence, killings, explosions, patricide, fleeting rear nudity, premarital habitation, some crude expletives, crass expressions and brief profanity, limiting its appropriateness to mature teens and up. A-III -- adults. (PG-13) 2009
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Year One — Ramshackle road comedy in which two misfit hunter-gatherers (Jack Black and Michael Cera) set out from their prehistoric village and encounter a series of biblical figures, including Cain (David Cross), Abraham (Hank Azaria), Isaac (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) and the elite of Sodom (most prominently Oliver Platt). Director and co-writer Harold Ramis' lumbering journey is fuelled by sophomoric humor and smug irreverence. Profane treatment of scriptural figures and practices, pervasive sexual and some scatological humor, implied premarital sexual activity, at least one use of the F-word, much crude and crass language. O -- morally offensive. (PG-13) 2009
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