Movie Picks 

Films recommended by our reviewers are indicated by an *.

17 Again (PG-13)

Mike O'Donnell (Matthew Perry) is a defeated pharmaceutical salesman facing divorce and unemployment, when he finds himself transformed back into his 17-year-old self (Zac Efron) in this mostly perfunctory film. — Scott Renshaw

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Angels & Demons (PG-13)

In Ron Howard's movie of Dan Brown's book, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) finds himself whisked to Vatican City, where a murderous, scientifically threatening, religiously confounding conspiracy is afoot. It's all trash. But blasphemy? Hell no. — Jonathan Kiefer

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*Away We Go (R)

This intelligent and comic road film written by married literati Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida stars TV vets John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph as a young couple who are about to have a baby and don't know where they should plant roots. — Jeff Sneider

Chapel Hills 15, Kimball's Twin Peak

*Brüno (R)

Is Sacha Baron Cohen's Brüno — ostensibly an Austrian fashion guru and TV host — an outrageous stereotype of homosexuality? Yes, without question. But Brüno is not meant to send up homosexuality, rather bigotry. Oh, and it's outrageously funny, too. — MaryAnn Johanson

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

Dance Flick (PG-13)

The Wayans brothers return to the big screen with this spoof of dance films about a couple from opposite sides of the tracks who bond through a dance contest. — Not reviewed

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Earth (G)

This documentary based on the Discovery Channel series Planet Earth follows four animal families as they migrate across the globe. — Not reviewed

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Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (PG-13)

In this spin on Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol, a bachelor (Matthew McConaughey) is visited by the ghosts of past relationships as he tries to short-circuit his brother's wedding. — Not reviewed

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*The Hangover (R)

Three groomsmen (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis) get so wrecked at a Vegas bachelor party that they lose their memories and their groom (Justin Bartha). The comedy's excellence will be clear to those who can appreciate a film that makes short work of acknowledging its similarity to Three Men and a Baby. — Jonathan Kiefer

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

Hannah Montana: The Movie (G)

As Miley Stewart's days start to be overtaken by her alter ego Hannah Montana, Miley's father encourages her to return to her hometown to get some perspective on life. — Not reviewed

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Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (PG)

Manny the mammoth (voiced by Ray Romano) is about to be a dad, but complications ensue as Diego the tiger feels left out, and Sid the sloth adopts dinosaur eggs. There are a couple of things that we should let go extinct. — MaryAnn Johanson

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

I Love You, Beth Cooper (PG-13)

During a graduation speech, the geeky valedictorian professes his love for Beth Cooper, the most desirable girl in school. — Not reviewed

Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Hollywood Interquest, Tinseltown

Land of the Lost (PG-13)

Will Ferrell plays Dr. Rick Marshall in this spoof of the cult classic '70s kids' show set in an alternate universe that includes dinosaurs, a monkey creature named Chaka, and the dreaded lizard-like Sleestaks. — Not reviewed

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*Monsters vs. Aliens (PG)

Creature features, alien invasions, 3-D gimmickry — from start to finish Monsters vs. Aliens (from DreamWorks Animation) celebrates some of the staples of the 1950s B-movie. — Scott Renshaw

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*Moon (R)

Sam Rockwell stars as a moon-base laborer who, by himself, mines the lunar soil. When a very unlikely visitor arrives and turns out to be unpleasant company, you'll be as freaked out as he is. As a throwback to the unabashedly philosophical, pre-CGI sci-fi of decades past, the assembly works. — Jonathan Kiefer

Kimball's Twin Peak

My Sister's Keeper (PG-13)

What would happen if a child conceived as a biological donor to her desperately ill older sister suddenly decided she was done being poked, prodded and sucked dry of her bone marrow? My Sister's Keeper wants you to sob with bittersweet acceptance and saccharine grief. — MaryAnn Johanson

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Tinseltown

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (PG)

Director Shawn Levy and screenwriters Robert Garant and Thomas Lennon found an even cooler idea for this sequel to the 2006 film Night at the Museum — the biggest, most diverse museum on the planet comes alive at night — and they squandered it in an even bigger way. — MaryAnn Johanson

Chapel Hills 15

Obsessed (PG-13)

A high-powered businessman (Idris Elba) with an attractive wife (Beyoncé Knowles) is stalked by a temp worker (Ali Larter). — Not reviewed

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*The Proposal (PG-13)

The editor-in-chief (Sandra Bullock) at a New York publishing house enlists her long-suffering assistant (Ryan Reynolds) for a marriage of convenience when her work visa is about to expire. This old rom-com ground proves surprisingly comfortable, and it's funnier and more charming than it seems to have any right to be. — Scott Renshaw

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

Public Enemies (R)

Being a Michael Mann film, this boils down to two elegant men on opposite sides of the law — gangster John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) and Special Agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale). Mann's way of directing lead actors, however, seems increasingly to consist of telling them: Just be the icons you are. — Jonathan Kiefer

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

Race to Witch Mountain (PG)

Two young aliens from another planet are on the run from the American government and an assassin sent from their home planet. A gruff but decent taxi driver (Dwayne Johnson) becomes their reluctant protector. Whatever, at least you can munch popcorn to it. — Jonathan Kiefer

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*Star Trek (PG-13)

Director J.J. Abrams has been charged with resurrecting Paramount's dormant Star Trek series, which needed a literal facelift. While Trekkies may find it difficult to accept a U.S.S. Enterprise without William Shatner at the helm, Abrams' reboot exists in its own universe, where the next generation of Trek stars proves worth the wait. — Jeff Sneider

Chapel Hills 15

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (PG-13)

Director Michael Bay presides over another needlessly bloated back-story connecting kick-ass fights between giant robots. — Scott Renshaw

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

*Up (PG)

Elderly curmudgeon Carl (Edward Asner) launches his house into the air with a massive cascade of balloons and a plan to head to a South American jungle. It's an enjoyable, at times lovely, piece of family-friendly filmmaking, that ends up feeling a bit disappointing. —Scott Renshaw

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

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (PG-13)

This movie provides the backstory for Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), seen before in three earlier X-Men features — but this character isn't the same guy. While he's occasionally the familiar wise-cracker, we're mostly watching someone with a completely different psychological make-up. — Scott Renshaw

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