Movie picks 

Films recommended by our reviewers are indicated by an *.

Act of Valor (R)

About, and starring, a Navy SEAL squadron. — Justin Strout

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Hollywood Interquest, Tinseltown

The Adventures of Tintin (PG)

Visually, Tintin offers an exponential leap in the potential for motion-capture adventure with action set pieces. But there are vacant human spaces in the center. — Scott Renshaw

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Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (G)

After surviving the sinking of their cruise ship, Alvin, Simon and Theodore must survive on a Polynesian island. — Not reviewed

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*The Artist (PG-13)

The Artist is at turns funny, heartbreaking, thrilling and a visual marvel with only Ludovic Bource's sublime score to guide our reactions. — Justin Strout

Hollywood Interquest, Kimball's Peak Three

Big Miracle (PG)

Inspired by the true story, the rescue adventure tells the tale of a small-town news reporter and a Greenpeace volunteer who join together to save a family of gray whales trapped by ice in the Arctic Circle. — Not reviewed

Chapel Hills 15

Bolshoi Ballet: Le Corsaire Encore (NR)

Medora, a young Greek girl, is sold to Pasha by a slave dealer. — Not reviewed

Chapel Hills 15

*Chronicle (PG-13)

Chronicle makes us reconsider entirely the terms "superhero" and "supervillain." No one here can be reduced to such black-and-white terms. — MaryAnn Johanson

Carmike 10

*The Descendants (R)

The film is an almost dirge-like story about grief, but so much more than that. George Clooney plays Matt King, a Hawaiian real-estate baron; it's a triumph for all, especially the audience. — Justin Strout

Chapel Hills 15, Picture Show

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax (PG)

The animated adventure follows the journey of a boy as he searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. — Not reviewed

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Hollywood Interquest, Tinseltown

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (PG-13)

In the successor to the worldwide hit Ghost Rider, Johnny is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe. — Not reviewed

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Tinseltown

*Hugo (PG)

Hugo is about both the dreamers and the keepers, and a masterful clarion call for new ones like them. — Justin Strout

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The Iron Lady (PG-13)

The film waffles too much over what to do with Margaret Thatcher, and spends too much time on the seemingly obligatory montages of rioting laborers, soldiers in the Falklands and other events of the time. — Scott Renshaw

Kimball's Peak Three

*John Carter (PG-13)

In this film about a Civil War veteran transplanted to Mars, the conclusion sets up the prospect of sequels. I'm not sure I need to see another John Carter movie, but I had a surprisingly good time with this one. — Scott Renshaw

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Cinemark 16 IMAX, Hollywood Interquest, Tinseltown

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (PG)

A frenetic pace provides distraction from the absence of an actual story. — Scott Renshaw

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Hollywood Interquest, Tinseltown

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (PG-13)

A bomb destroys the Kremlin and the IMF is blamed. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team must unravel the conspiracy. — Not reviewed

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*The Muppets (PG)

When dealing with something like The Muppets, nostalgia certainly plays into one's response. — Scott Renshaw

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One for the Money (PG-13)

Jersey girl Stephanie Plum turns to her last resort: convincing her sleazy cousin to give her a job at his bail bonding company ... as a recovery agent. — Not reviewed

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Project X (R)

Three high school seniors attempt to make a name for themselves by throwing one unforgettable house party. — Not reviewed

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Hollywood Interquest, Tinseltown

Red Tails (PG-13)

The story of the heroic contributions to the World War II effort by the Tuskegee Airmen. — Not reviewed

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Safe House (R)

None of it is as brave or even as captivating as it appears to think it is. — MaryAnn Johanson

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Hollywood Interquest, Tinseltown

*A Separation (PG-13)

As many ideas as Asghar Farhadi weaves throughout the Iran-based A Separation, there's never a moment when the characters feel like place-holders for a thesis, as opposed to wonderfully flawed humans. — Scott Renshaw

Kimball's Peak Three

*Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (PG-13)

Guy Ritchie's latest installment is fun, witty and, perhaps most shocking of all, occasionally restrained. It's more satisfying than its predecessor. — Scott Renshaw

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Silent House (R)

A young woman finds herself sealed inside her family's secluded lake house, and soon panic turns to terror. — Not reviewed

Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Hollywood Interquest, Tinseltown

This Means War (PG-13)

Reese Witherspoon's Lauren finds herself dating Chris Pine's smooth-talking CIA agent FDR, as well as his partner-in-espionage, Tom Hardy's Tuck. — Justin Strout

Carmike 10, Cinemark 16, Hollywood Interquest, Tinseltown

A Thousand Words (PG-13)

Fast-talking agent Jack's insincere patter is his chief weapon, but it gets him into trouble with his client guru Dr. Sinja. — Not reviewed

Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Hollywood Interquest, Tinseltown

Tyler Perry's Good Deeds (PG-13)

A successful, wealthy businessman, Wesley Deeds has always done what's expected of him. — Not reviewed

Carmike 10, Cinemark 16

The Vow (PG-13)

Based on the true story of a newlywed couple recovering from an accident that puts the wife in a coma. — Not reviewed

Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Hollywood Interquest, Tinseltown

Wanderlust (R)

George and Linda are an overextended, stressed-out Manhattan couple. After George is fired from his job, they find themselves with only one option: to move in with George's awful brother in Atlanta. — Not reviewed

Tinseltown

War Horse (PG-13)

War Horse boasts plenty of terrific individual scenes, but Spielberg falls back on his old bag of tricks to make sure we grasp Significance.— Scott Renshaw

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We Bought a Zoo (PG)

Let's face it, when you take your family to the zoo, safe and predictable is exactly what you're looking for. It isn't, however, what you look for in a Cameron Crowe movie. — Anders Wright

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The Woman in Black (PG-13)

Set in Victorian England, Arthur Kipps is a man who finds a village of the damned, townsfolk grappling with an inexplicable epidemic of their children fatally harming themselves. But the film falls too flat after that. — Neil Morris

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Tinseltown