Here are selected capsule reviews of movies in current release. Information is based on the most up-to-date theater schedules available and subject to change.
Reviewers include: A.B. = Allison Benedikt; M.P. = Michael Phillips; J.R. = Jessica Reaves; M.W. = Michael Wilmington.
The Break-Up (star)(star)1/2: Not very romantic and not that funny, Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn’s much anticipated pairing produces something altogether unexpected: a thoughtful look at the end of love. PG-13. 1:45.–J.R.
Cars (star)(star)1/2: Technically astonishing and visually stunning, this latest Pixar outing about a hot rod is missing the heart that made the company’s previous endeavors so entertaining. G. 1:56.–J.R.
Click (star)1/2: Adam Sandler plays a time-pressed architect touched by an angel (Christopher Walken) and awarded a magical remote enabling him to slow-mo and fast-forward his life at will–and view scenes from his past. PG-13. 1:37.–M.P.
The Devil Wears Prada (star)(star)(star): In this adaptation of the Lauren Weisberger bestseller, Meryl Streep brings subtlety and bitter wit to the role of Miranda Priestly, the self-centered editor of the Vogue-like Runway magazine. PG-13. 1:46.–M.P.
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (star)(star): Director Justin Lin’s explosive but formula-clogged sequel, third in the series, is set in Tokyo as a U.S. racer (Lucas Black) tries to crash the “drifting” race scene. PG-13. 1:45.–M.W.
Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties (star)(star)1/2: It’s not high art, but this movie’s got moments of great fun, as the lasagna-loving Garfield the cat from Jim Davis’ cartoons wings his way to Britain, where he’s quickly caught up in a case of mistaken identity. PG. 1:30.–J.R.
An Inconvenient Truth (star)(star)1/2: Equal parts filmed lecture, campaign-style documentary and greenhouse-gas disaster movie, Al Gore’s global warming presentation offers talking points more interesting than the film. PG. 1:40.–M.P.
The Lake House (star)(star): Keanu Reeves plays an architect with father issues. He becomes involved with an emotionally isolated doctor (Sandra Bullock). The hitch: She’s living in 2006, while he’s feeling lonely in 2004. PG. 1:48.–M.P.
Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man (star)(star)(star): Cohen offers cautious evidence of what makes him tick in this entertaining if lightly inquisitive tribute concert film. PG-13. 1:44.–M.P.
Little Man (star)1/2: The Wayans brothers–director/co-writer Keenen Ivory and co-writing, co-starring Marlon and Shawn–achieve new lows with Marlon as a 2’6″ crook masquerading as a baby to retrieve booty. PG-13. 1:20.–M.W.
Nacho Libre (star)(star)1/2: Jack Black plays Ignacio (a.k.a. Nacho), the hapless cook at a monastery housing a gaggle of orphan boys. To finance better meals for the kids, Ignacio enters the wrestling ring. PG. 1:40.–M.P.
Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos (star)(star)(star): Interviews tell of the Cosmos’ rise to the top of U.S. soccer, and ultimate collapse in a miasma of lies and lost money. PG-13. 1:37.–K.W.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (star)(star)(star): Half the violence and twice the laughs of the first “Pirates” film. A good trade, especially if you enjoy Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow, plus new squiggly adversaries. PG-13. 2:20.–M.P.
A Prairie Home Companion (star)(star)(star): Director Robert Altman’s tribute to the Garrison Keillor public radio program appeals to the less story-dependent. The premise finds the show broadcasting its farewell episode. PG-13. 1:45.–M.P.
The Road to Guantanamo (star)(star)(star): This docudrama, based on the real-life misadventures of four British Muslims accidentally swept up in the war against the Taliban and into the Guantanamo detention camps, hits like a shock wave. R. 1:35.–M.W.
A Scanner Darkly (star)(star)(star)1/2: Adapted from Philip K. Dick’s 1977 novel inspired by his life in the ’60s drug world, with a terrific cast (including Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder), it conveys a shattering sense of mounting nightmare. R. 1:40.–M.W.
Strangers With Candy (star)(star)(star): Uproarious and utterly devoid of pretense, this big-screen version of the Comedy Central series showcases Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello and Stephen Colbert at their ridiculous best. R. 1:27.–J.R.
Superman Returns (star)(star)1/2: An occasionally poetic ode to the Man of Steel has everything going for it except surprise. Brandon Routh plays the lad from Krypton; Kevin Spacey purrs his way through the role of Lex Luthor. PG-13. 2:34.–M.P.
Waist Deep (star)(star)1/2: Tyrese Gibson and Meagan Good take on gangs, thugs and a ticking clock to save a kidnapped boy in Vondie Curtis Hall’s latest feature. R. 1:37.–J.R.
Who Killed the Electric Car? (star)(star)(star): Chris Paine, fan of GM’s now-discontinued EV1 electric car, crafts a highly partisan tribute to the vehicle he and others, such as Tom Hanks and Mel Gibson, loved. PG. 1:31.–M.W.
Wordplay (star)(star)(star): Patrick Creadon’s enjoyable documentary focuses on the annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, while paying tribute to puzzle master Will Shortz. PG. 1:24.–M.P.
You, Me and Dupree (star)(star)1/2: Molly (Kate Hudson) and Carl (Matt Dillon) are newlyweds with an unwelcome houseguest, Randolph Dupree (Owen Wilson). Dupree has a penchant for luring Carl into silly, adolescent activities. PG-13. 1:49.–J.R.
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Compiled by Regina Robinson
