BCHOKE: Sam Rockwell is perfectly cast as Victor, a sexaholic who works as a theme park tour guide. He lives to copulate and makes his real money by faking choking in restaurants. Director-actor Clark Gregg makes the movie work as a sordid sex satire, but falls short in rising above that. Also starring Anjelica Huston and Kelly Macdonald. R (strong sexual content, nudity and language). 89 mins. In wide release. – Orlando Sentinel

BTHE DUCHESS: Keira Knightley brings bright energy and sly charm to the role of Georgiana Spencer, the Duchess of Devonshire, an 18th-century "It Girl" and ancestor to Princess Diana. The duchess' story parallels that of the princess in this lavish exercise in style over substance that is also well-crafted and superbly acted. Also starring Ralph Fiennes, Charlotte Rampling and Hayley Atwell. Directed by Saul Dibb. PG-13 (sexual content, brief nudity and thematic material). 105 mins. In limited release. – The Associated Press

DEAGLE EYE: A young man slacking his way through life finds himself caught in a web of conspiracy and terrorism. Forget suspending disbelief; you would have to suspend consciousness to go along with this story. Starring Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Billy Bob Thornton, Rosario Dawson and Michael Chiklis. Directed by D.J. Caruso. PG-13 (violence, intense action, language). 108 mins. In wide release.

CTHE LUCKY ONES: Three wounded Iraq War veterans embark on an impromptu road trip across American. Occasional moments of humor and pathos are overshadowed by the movie's many improbabilities. Chalk up another casualty in Hollywood's parade of unsatisfying war-on-terror dramas. Starring Tim Robbins, Rachel McAdams and Michael Peña. Directed by Neil Burger. R (language and some sexual content). 104 mins. In wide release. – The Associated Press

CMIRACLE AT ST. ANNA: Director Spike Lee achieves some gripping moments in this World War II story, reminiscent of Saving Private Ryan, but overall it's a mess, fitfully told and riddled with inconsistencies and implausible coincidences. Starring Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Laz Alonso and Omar Benson Miller. R (graphic violence, nudity, sexual situations, language). 160 mins. In wide release. – T.M.

CNIGHTS IN RODANTHE: The corn grows high in the sand dunes of North Carolina's Outer Banks in the latest film version of a Nicholas Sparks novel. The movie, which re-teams Unfaithful stars Richard Gere and Diane Lane, begins with great promise before it drowns in the romance novelist's syrupy sentimentality. Also starring Scott Glenn and Viola Davis. Directed by George C. Wolfe. PG-13 (some sensuality). 98 mins. In wide release. – Orlando Sentinel

DBANGKOK DANGEROUS: Nicolas Cage plays the proverbial hit man planning to get out after one last job in this remake of a 2002 film. Along the way he falls in love and teaches a protégé the ropes, but overall this one is as stale as Tuesday's pad Thai. Also starring Charlie Young and Shahkrit Yamnarm. Directed by Danny Pang and Oxide Pang. R (violence, language, sexuality). 100 mins. In wide release. – Orlando Sentinel

BBOTTLE SHOCK: This Rocky-like story is set in the world of fine wine. In one corner, the legendary champions of France's Bordeaux and Burgundy regions. In the other, Napa Valley "farmers" yet to make a name for themselves. The characters are vivid, the scenery is lovely, and lines like "I detect bacon fat laced with honey lemon" establish the silly seriousness of wine snobs. Starring Alan Rickman, Bill Pullman and Chris Pine. Directed by Randall Miller. PG-13 (brief strong language, sexual content, drug use). 110 mins. At the Dallas and Plano Angelikas. – Manuel Mendoza

BBURN AFTER READING: Two gym employees (Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand) stumble on a disc containing the memoirs of a former CIA agent (John Malkovich) that they mistake for valuable secret information. The Coen brothers' follow-up to their Oscar-winning No Country for Old Men is too light to rank with the best they've produced. Its worth lies in watching a gaggle of Serious Actors ham it up in an intricately plotted (though easy to follow) yarn. Also starring George Clooney and Tilda Swinton. Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. R (language, sexual content, violence). 96 mins. In wide release. – Stephen Becker

CBRIDESHEAD REVISITED: The question is not whether the remake of Evelyn Waugh's 1945 book is as deeply satisfying as the landmark 11-hour British TV series. How could it be? The real question is whether the film moves the Brideshead ball down the playing field in any meaningful way. Here, it doesn't so much advance it as it shrinks it into a golf-ball-size nugget. Starring Matthew Goode, Ben Whishaw, Hayley Atwell and Michael Gambon. Directed by Julian Jarrold. PG-13 (sexual content). 135 mins. In limited release. – The Washington Post

B-CHRIS & DON: A LOVE STORY: Guido Santi and Tina Mascara's tender, extremely touching documentary examines the history of the complicated and passionate relationship between writer Christopher Isherwood and portrait artist Don Bachardy. Directed by Mr. Santi and Ms. Mascara. Not rated. 90 mins. At the Angelika. – The New York Times

A-THE DARK KNIGHT: The second chapter of the revamped Batman franchise is dense, swift and, well, dark. The existential crisis suffered by Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne-Batman is overshadowed by the late Heath Ledger's Joker, who turns in one of the finest, scariest portraits of unhinged villainy in screen history. Not for kids. Also starring Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Michael Caine. PG-13 (violence, intense action, adult themes). 153 mins. In wide release. – C.V.

B+DEATH RACE: In this near-future thriller, a high-security prison has turned itself into the staging ground for the world's next big pay-per-view sport: convicts in armored cars bristling with machine guns racing around a track blasting their way to victory. A minimum of story and a maximum of Mad Max-style high-speed carnage. Starring Jason Stratham, Joan Allen, Ian McShane and Tyrese Gibson. Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. R (violence, language). 97 mins. In wide release – T.M.

A-FROZEN RIVER: An upstate New York trailer mom is lured reluctantly into a world of danger and intrigue: the smuggling of illegal immigrants across a frozen river, stowed in the trunk of her Dodge Spirit. Melissa Leo is riveting as the mom. Also starring Misty Upham. Directed by Courtney Hunt. R (language). 97 mins. At the Magnolia. – Michael Granberry

B-FLY ME TO THE MOON: Give the story high marks for giving kids a feel for the thrill of seeing the first man step on the moon in 1969. It's cleverly told from the point of view of young flies that hitch a ride on the Apollo 11 spacecraft. But storytelling that shoots straight for the 10-and-under set, along with the silly side plot about Russian spy flies, keeps this light years from the Pixar standard of reaching across the generations. Cool 3-D though. Starring the voices of Kelly Ripa, Christopher Lloyd, Nicollette Sheridan and Tim Curry. Directed by Ben Stassen. G. 85 mins. In wide release. – N.C.

B+GHOST TOWN: A curmudgeonly dentist has a near-death experience and becomes hounded by dead people with unfinished business. This comedy follows a familiar formula but is so well done it hardly matters. Starring Ricky Gervais, Téa Leoni and Greg Kinnear. Directed by David Koepp. PG-13 (language, adult situations). 102 mins. In wide release. – T.M.

BHANCOCK: Will Smith is an angry, reluctant superhero who swears, bullies, drinks straight from the bottle and leaves destruction in his wake. Then he gets a PR adviser (Jason Bateman). The first half is a single joke that never quite wears out its welcome; the second half takes off in a new direction that's welcome even if it's not always believable. Also starring Charlize Theron, Jae Head and Eddie Marsan. Directed by Peter Berg. PG-13 (language, violence, intense action sequences). 92 mins. In wide release. – C.V.

CHELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY: The Oscar-winning 2006 film Pan's Labyrinth showcased director Guillermo del Toro's masterful eye for constructing the bizarre. He brings the same surreal approach to Hellboy II: The Golden Army. Unfortunately, the script pales alongside the phantasmagoria. Starring Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones and Jeffrey Tambor. PG-13 (violence). 130 mins. In wide release. – McClatchy Newspapers

B-THE HOUSE BUNNY: Anna Faris stars as a perky Playboy bunny who gets kicked out of Hef's mansion and becomes the house mother for Zeta Alpha Zeta, a sorority full of misfits. Ms. Faris' sunny disposition and solid comic timing make The House Bunny more enjoyable than it ought to be. Also starring Emma Stone, Rumer Willis and Katharine McPhee. Directed by Fred Wolf. PG-13 (sex-related humor, partial nudity and brief strong language). 98 mins. In wide release. – The Associated Press

BIGOR: It's not easy being the assistant to a mad scientist, but it's very easy to watch this clever animated film about an assistant, Igor, who dreams of creating a giant monster and ends up with something even better. Starring the voices of John Cusack, Steve Buscemi, Jennifer Coolidge and John Cleese. Directed by Tony Leondis. PG (for some thematic elements, scary images, action and mild language) 86 mins. In wide release. – N.C.

BINDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL: The fourth (and final?) chapter of the Indiana Jones chronicles feels repetitive and a little gassed, but it has too much bravura filmmaking to not recommend. Not to give too much away, but Close Encounters of the Third Kind fans will be either thrilled or repulsed. Starring Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Karen Allen and Ray Winstone. Directed by Steven Spielberg. PG-13 (violence, mild gore). 124 mins. In wide release. – C.V.

BTHE INCREDIBLE HULK: A solid if derivative outing for Marvel's big, green, angry guy, with strong action sequences and an appropriately on-the-edge Edward Norton. If you're keeping score, it's a lot more fun than Ang Lee's unsatisfying 2003 version. Also starring Liv Tyler, William Hurt and Tim Roth. Directed by Louis Leterrier. PG-13 (intense comic-book violence). In wide release. 112 mins. – C.V.

B+IRON MAN: Robert Downey Jr. makes the most of perfect casting by giving filthy-rich arms mogul Tony Stark a modern swagger and a convincing conscience. The strong acting, clever updating and solid action are enough to make you forgive any ridiculous plot elements. (It is, after all, a superhero movie.) Also starring Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow and Terrence Howard. Directed by Jon Favreau. PG-13 (violence, sexual innuendo). 126 mins. In wide release. – C.V.

BJOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH: Old-fashioned family-friendly B-movie cheese is served up in this Brendan Fraser-Jules Verne action epic for kids. Seek out this Journey in a theater showing it in 3-D. Also starring Josh Hutcherson and Anita Briem. Directed by Eric Brevig. PG (intense adventure action, some scary moments). 89 mins. In wide release. – Orlando Sentinel

B+KUNG FU PANDA: There's a lot to love in this animated story of Po, a big, cuddly panda (voiced by the big, cuddly Jack Black) who finds himself unexpectedly named the dragon warrior destined to fight a legendary villain. Like Disney's Dumbo, Po needs to believe in himself. And as he goes on his kung fu journey, kids should have a lot of fun watching the dazzling animation as his co-warriors, a Tigress, Viper, Monkey, Crane and Mantis, put him through his paces. Also featuring the voices of Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu and Ian McShane. Directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne. PG (for sequences of martial-arts action). 88 mins. In limited release. – N.C.

BLAKEVIEW TERRACE: Samuel L. Jackson is perfectly cast as a veteran cop who makes life miserable for his new neighbors, an interracial couple. This is a slow-burn thriller punched up by the hot-button topic it's built upon. Also starring Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington. Directed by Neil LaBute. PG-13 (violence, sexuality, language and drug references). 106 mins. In wide release. – Orlando Sentinel

C+THE LONGSHOTS: Ice Cube's inevitable, uplifting sports bioflick is not as dopey as his family comedies, but it is formulaic. Kind of a shame since Jasmine Plummer's story (about the first girl quarterback to take her team to the Pop Warner Superbowl) is unique. Also starring Keke Palmer. Directed by Fred Durst. PG (thematic elements, mild language and brief rude humor). 94 mins. In wide release. – Los Angeles Daily News

CMAMMA MIA! If this adaptation of the Broadway musical works on any level, it's through the sheer radiance of Meryl Streep. Her passion and enthusiasm explode on-screen as the mother of a bride (Amanda Seyfried) who invites three men to her wedding to determine which one is her father. Mamma Mia! is a massive mess, but it's exuberantly goofy, sloppily crafted fun, especially if you're not in the mood for thinking too hard. Also starring Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgård. Directed by Phyllida Lloyd. PG-13 (language). 108 mins. In wide release. – The Associated Press

D+MEET DAVE: Essentially phoning in the broad, family-friendly shtick that has become his trademark, Eddie Murphy stars as both a human-size spaceship that has landed on Earth and its itty-bitty captain. It's a high-concept premise with lowbrow execution. Also starring Elizabeth Banks and Ed Helms. Directed by Brian Robbins. PG (bawdy and suggestive humor, action and some language). 90 mins. In wide release. – The Associated Press

DMIRRORS: The film about demons that try to suck souls from this world through silvered glass is a grisly, high-gloss horror picture with barely a scare in it. Kiefer Sutherland should have moved on from junk movies like this years ago. Also starring Amy Smart and Paula Patton. Directed by Alexandre Aja. R (strong violence, disturbing images, language and brief nudity). 107 mins. In wide release. – Orlando Sentinel

DTHE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR: The third film in the series finds Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) and wife Evelyn (Maria Bello taking over for Rachel Weisz) heading East with their grown son, Alex (Luke Ford), in hopes of recapturing the adrenaline of adventure. What they encounter is Jet Li, the Dragon Emperor, who in his search for immortality is tricked and he and his army are mummified in a giant tomb. If this sounds absurd, it is. As in recent films such as 300 or the new Indiana Jones, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor uses history like a prop, a loose costume for ludicrous plotlines. Directed by Rob Cohen. PG-13 (violence and gore, and for some language). 112 mins. In wide release. – The Associated Press

DMY BEST FRIEND'S GIRL: Dane Cook stars as a guy who earns money by making jilted boyfriends look good. If only someone involved in this project had come up with enough laughs to make this comedy look good. Also starring Kate Hudson and Jason Biggs. Directed by Howard Deutch. 101 mins. R (strong language, sexual content, some nudity). In wide release. – Orlando Sentinel

B-PINEAPPLE EXPRESS: A slacker and his pot dealer are on the run from a drug kingpin and his thugs – laughs and gunfights ensue. Pineapple Express is the latest project to roll off the Judd Apatow assembly line. The film alternates between inspired hilarity and boom-pow action, sometimes in the span of a single scene. The results are uneven, but when Pineapple Express is funny, it's really funny. Starring Seth Rogen, James Franco, Gary Cole and Rosie Perez. Directed by David Gordon Green. R (language, drug use, violence). 112 mins. In wide release. – T.M.

DRIGHTEOUS KILL: Turk and Rooster are two old, tough cops who are after a serial killer. But since the serial killer is knocking off bad guys, they're in no hurry. Along come two young, tough cops trying to bust the case wide open, and things start to heat up. If that sounds stupid, just wait, it gets worse. Starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Carla Gugino and John Leguizamo. Directed by John Avnet. R (violence, language, sexuality, drug use) 97 mins. In wide release. – T.M.

A-SIXTY SIX: Director Paul Weiland's poignant coming-of-age film draws on his memories of being a lonely boy, whose family and friends skipped his bar mitzvah because it fell on the day that England played in the World Cup Finals in 1966. Terrific ensemble work and a script that keeps it real (right up to an ending that's more of what should have happened than what did happen) make this a charmer. Starring Helena Bonham Carter, Eddie Marsan, Stephen Rea and Gregg Sulkin. PG-13 (language, some sexual content and brief nudity). 93 mins. At the Dallas Angelika. – N.C.

C+STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS: While anything remotely Star Wars is potentially a welcome trek for hard-core fans, this will be a mixed thrill given that the saga returns to the big screen as a cartoon. It's a fairly fun if forgettable little adventure that hurls Anakin, his new young apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the rest of the gang into a kidnapping conspiracy and rescue amid a galactic civil war between clone soldiers and android troops. Featuring the voices of Matt Lanter, James Arnold Taylor, Christopher Lee and Samuel L. Jackson. Directed by Dave Filoni. PG (sci-fi action violence throughout, brief language and momentary smoking). 98 mins. In wide release. – The Associated Press

A-TELL NO ONE: When a pediatrician is embroiled in a brutal crime and then, eight years later, becomes re-embroiled, he must rely on his wits, as well as the support of his sister, her longtime lover and some unlikely allies in Paris' criminal underworld. An absorbing, sophisticated cinematic diversion. Starring Francois Cluzet, Marina Hands, Kristin Scott Thomas and Marie-Josée Croze. Not rated (language, violence, adult themes). In French with English subtitles. 125 mins. At the Dallas and Plano Angelikas. – The Washington Post

ATOWELHEAD: There's something to upset everyone in this dark comedy about a 13-year-old Arab-American girl's coming of age; it also happens to be one of the smartest, best-acted movies of the year. Starring Summer Bishil, Aaron Eckhart, Peter Macdissi and Toni Collette. Directed by Alan Ball. R (sex, nudity, violence, racism, language, children in peril). 116 mins. In limited release. – Los Angeles Daily News

CTRAITOR: A former special-ops veteran is now working with Arab terrorists, but whose side is he really on? That's the question snaking through this political thriller that jumps from continent to continent and flashes back and forth between the good guys and the bad guys. Some good acting and interesting scenes, but Traitor is all plot and no characters. Starring Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Saïd Taghmaoui, and Neal McDonough. Directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff. PG-13 (violence). 113 mins. In wide release. – T.M.

BTROPIC THUNDER: A cast of misfit movie stars is thrown into a jungle where they think they are filming a Vietnam War epic but are really fighting a camp of armed drug dealers. This action-comedy sets its satirical sights on the idiocies of the Hollywood celebrity industry and hits more often than it misses. Starring Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black and Brandon T. Jackson. Directed by Mr. Stiller. R (language, violence). 106 mins. In wide release. – T.M.

BUP THE YANGTZE: Eerie yet earthy, this is an engrossing documentary about the last days of the Yangtze, the great river, as China has known it for millennia. The Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric project in the world, will soon flood many towns and villages, forcing residents along the rising water's path to relocate. Director Yung Chang shows us the individual impact of a big picture that is changing the lives of millions. Not rated. In English, Mandarin and Sichuan with English subtitles. 93 mins. At the Dallas Angelika. – Los Angeles Daily News

B+VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA: Two American girls fly off to Barcelona for a summer getaway. Vicky is serious and focused; Cristina is adrift and impulsive. They meet and get involved with Juan Antonio, a bohemian artist, and then they meet his tempestuous ex-wife, Maria Elena. Director Woody Allen takes his cues from the setting: beautiful, warm and whimsical. Starring Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz. PG-13 (adult situations, language). 96 mins. At the Magnolia and Plano Angelika. – T.M.

AWALL-E: A strange and wonderful futuristic robot romance from the geniuses at Pixar. The pace is unconventional, the dialogue minimal and the results are as groundbreaking as anything Pixar has done. Featuring the voices of Jeff Garlin, Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Fred Willard and Sigourney Weaver. Directed by Andrew Stanton. G (some intense action sequences). 97 mins. In wide release. – C.V.

A-WANTED: The story, such as it is, involves Wesley (James McAvoy), being the long-lost son of a prodigal assassin who has broken off from this ancient order of weavers turned killers. Is that silly and preposterous? Of course it is. But who cares? The movie contains a number of innovative visual ideas that offer a significant wow factor. Also starring Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman and Terence Stamp. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov. R (language, violence, nudity). 110 mins. In wide release. – T.M.

B-THE WOMEN: Meg Ryan stars as a woman who seemingly has it all but learns after her friends do that her husband is cheating on her. This remake of the 1939 classic has lessons about the value of friendship, but while the film is enjoyable, you won't be overjoyed. Also starring Eva Mendes, Annette Bening and Candice Bergen. Directed by Diane English. PG-13 (sex-related material, brief drug use). 114 mins. In wide release. – Philadelphia Inquirer

MOVIE TIMES

Check Page 2E to find theater chains and their screening times for movies. Minireviews are written by Nancy Churnin, Tom Maurstad, Chris Vognar, Mario Tarradell and Matt Weitz, who are identified by their initials. Movies without grades have not been reviewed.