Movie Picks 

Films recommended by our reviewers are indicated by an *.

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

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

Tinseltown

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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G-Force (PG)

A team of guinea pigs, specially trained as high-tech spies through a secret government program, embarks on a mission to save the planet. — Not reviewed

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

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (PG-13)

In this spin on Charles Dickens' A 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

Cinemark 16, Hollywood Interquest, Tinseltown

Hannah Montana: The Movie (G)

As Miley Stewart's days start to be overtaken by 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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*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (PG)

Eight years and six films into the Harry Potter movie series, it's undeniable that a lot of the pleasure comes from having watched the leads become young men and women before our eyes. Half-Blood Prince is far less dense with magical action than its predecessors, and perhaps that makes it feel mostly like a stage-setter for the finale that will be Deathly Hallows. Yet it's so rich with characterization that it scarcely matters. — Scott Renshaw

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

The Hurt Locker (R)

Set in Baghdad in 2004, The Hurt Locker follows a fictional U.S. Army bomb squad, whose members are formally known as Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians, and casually known as the bravest sons of bitches you can imagine. — Jonathan Kiefer

Kimball's Twin Peak, 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

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (PG)

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

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

Imagine That (PG)

Eddie Murphy plays a man whose career in finance is coming apart when he enters his daughter's imaginary world. Things begin to look up. — Not reviewed

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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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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

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Orphan (R)

In this horror film, a couple adopts a young girl from an orphanage, but soon discovers she harbors a very dark side. — Not reviewed

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

*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

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

Cinemark 16, 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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The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (R)

Director Tony Scott hasn't made a film about hysteria in this remake a 1974 film about a New York Transit Authority employee who has the bad luck to be on the other end of radio dispatch when a subway train is hijacked. He has simply made a hysterical film. — Scott Renshaw

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Terminator Salvation (PG-13)

It's 2018 and Skynet, the extremely pro-death-penalty artificial intelligence network, is just about finished scouring humanity from the face of the Earth. Christian Bale stars as John Connor, the leader of the human resistance. Director McG reassembles this franchise of diminishing returns in an approximation of working order, while paying much homage to the earlier three films. — Jonathan Kiefer

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Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (PG-13)

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

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

The Ugly Truth (R)

In this romantic comedy Katherine Heigl plays Abby Richter, a TV news producer whose show is floundering, when Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler), host of a raunchy cable show, is brought in against her wishes. Sadly, the characters come across as a bit chilly and unconvincing. — Scott Renshaw

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, 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 still ends up feeling a bit disappointing. —Scott Renshaw

Chapel Hills 15

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 wisecracker, we're mostly watching someone with a completely different psychological make-up. — Scott Renshaw

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Year One (PG-13)

Jack Black and Michael Cera play prehistoric slackers who get kicked out of their village and head out to find their place in the world. — Not reviewed

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