Films

Capsule reviews with star ratings are written by reviewers for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Opening today:

Bruno

The gay Austrian fashionista (Sacha Baron Cohen) lands in one outrageous situation after another. Running time: 1:22 Rating: R (crude sexual content, graphic nudity, language, sexual content) NorthTown Mall: 12:30, 2:50, 5:15, 8, 10:15. River Park Square: 10:30 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 12:15, 12:45, 2, 2:30, 3, 4:15, 4:40, 5:15, 6:30, 7, 7:30, 8:45, 9:15, 9:45. Riverstone: 1:15, 4:40, 7:45, 10:20. Spokane Valley Mall: 12:30, 3, 5:30, 7:50, 10:15. Village Centre: 11:15 a.m., 1:20, 3:30, 5:30, 7:40, 9:50.

Cheri

A middle-age courtesan (Michelle Pfeiffer) instructs the son of her longtime rival in the ways of love. Running time: 1:32 Rating: R (brief drug use, sexual content) River Park Square: 11:50 a.m., 2:10, 4:40, 6:55, 9:10.

I Love You, Beth Cooper

A high-school valedictorian proclaims his love for the hottest girl (Hayden Panettiere) in school. Running time: 1:42 Rating: PG-13 (violence, crude and sexual content, drug references, language, teen drinking) River Park Square: 11:20 a.m., 2:10, 4:45, 7:25, 9:50. Riverstone: 12:15, 4:05, 7:15, 10. Spokane Valley Mall: 12:15, 2:40, 5:10, 7:40, 10:10. Village Centre: 12:30, 2:45, 5, 7:15, 9:35.

Moon

The lone miner (Sam Rockwell) at a lunar facility suffers hallucinations. Running time: 1:37 Rating: R (language) River Park Square: 11:55 a.m., 2:15, 4:50, 7:15, 9:45.

Continuing:

Away We Go

••• Likable John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph co-star as expectant parents in this alterna-quirk comedy/drama in the spirit of “Garden State” and “Juno,” a shaggy story directed with unnecessary sharpness by Sam Mendes. Running time: 1:37 Rating: R (language, sexual content) River Park Square: 11:25 a.m., 1:55, 4:35, 7:10.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

A pampered pooch (Drew Barrymore) from Beverly Hills becomes lost on the mean streets of Mexico. Running time: 1:31 Rating: PG Garland: 9:30 a.m.

Earth

Animal mothers struggle to raise their young in an increasingly harsh environment. Running time: 1:30 Rating: G Garland: noon, 6.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

••1/2 A “Christmas Carol” update with Matthew McConaughey as a heartbreaker who behaves badly because he’s protecting a fragile heart and Jennifer Garner as the one gal who’s onto him. An average rom-com, a better-than-average McConaughey movie. Running time: 1:40 Rating: PG-13 (drug reference, sexual content, language) Garland: 10.

Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk

A raft ride down the Colorado puts a spotlight on water conservation. Running time: :40 Rating: Not rated IMAX (Riverfront Park): 11:30 a.m.

The Hangover

••• Four guys go to Vegas for a bachelor party, and mayhem and memory-loss ensue. A loopy farce from the warped mind that brought you “Old School,” with a scene-stealing performance from indie comedy dude Zach Galifianakis. Running time: 1:39 Rating: R (nudity, language, sexual content, drug material) Hayden: 1, 3:10, 5:20, 7:35, 9:40. NorthTown Mall: 12:55, 4:10, 7:20, 9:45. Post Falls: 5:40, 8:05. River Park Square: 10:20 a.m., 1, 3:45, 6:50, 9:25. Riverstone: 12:30, 3:50, 7:25, 9:50. Spokane Valley Mall: 12:10, 2:30, 5:20, 7:55, 10:25. Village Centre: 10:15 a.m., 12:30, 2:45, 5, 7:20, 9:40.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Manny, Diego and the gang encounter dinosaurs during a mission to rescue Sid (John Leguizamo). Running time: 1:34 Rating: PG (peril, rude humor) Hayden: 12:40, 2:55, 5, 7:05, 9:10. NorthTown Mall: 12:15, 2:35, 4:55, 7:15, 10:05. Post Falls: 12:35, 2:50, 5:05, 7:15. River Park Square: 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30, 1, 1:30, 3, 3:30, 4:10, 5:30, 6:15, 7:05, 8, 9, 9:30. Riverstone: 12:55, 4, 7:30, 9:55. Spokane Valley Mall: 11:45 a.m., 1:35, 2:20, 4:05, 4:50, 6:45, 7:30, 9:15, 9:50. Village Centre: 11 a.m., noon, 1:10, 2:15, 3:20, 4:25, 5:30, 6:35, 7:45, 8:45, 9:50.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs 3D

Village Centre: 10:20 a.m., 12:40, 2:50, 5, 7:10, 9:20.

Labyrinth

There’s nothing scarier than David Bowie’s smile, and it comes often in this 1986 Jim Henson-directed fable about a young girl (Jennifer Connelly) trying to save her brother from the Goblin King (Bowie). Unfortunately, the impressive sets, which were supposedly inspired by M.C. Escher drawings, aren’t enough to carry the lightweight storyline. Running time: 1:41 Rating: PG Garland: midnight.

Land of the Lost

•• Will Ferrell stars in this lavish Hollywood redo of the cheesy ’70s TV show about three Earthlings transported to a planet of dinosaurs and walking reptiles called Sleestaks. Knuckleheaded comedy ensues. Running time: 1:42 Rating: PG-13 (drug reference, crude and sexual content, language) Garland: 4.

My Sister’s Keeper

••1/2 A melodramatic adaptation of the Jodi Picoult bestseller about a young girl (Abigail Breslin, “Little Miss Sunshine”), her teenage sister stricken with leukemia, and the parents (Cameron Diaz, Jason Patric) doing everything they can to defy death. Bring Kleenex. Running time: 1:48 Rating: PG-13 (teen drinking, language, sensuality, disturbing images) NorthTown Mall: 12:10, 3:30, 6:40, 10:30. River Park Square: 1:30, 6:45. Riverstone: 12:40, 3:20, 6:35, 9:30. Spokane Valley Mall: 2:25, 4:55, 7:25. Village Centre: 2, 4:30, 7, 9:25.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

•• Ben Stiller returns in this knee-jerk sequel to the surprise 2006 family-friendly smash, a super-sized rehash transplanted from New York’s Museum of Natural History to the sprawling Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., with lots of running around and CG effects. Amy Adams, Robin Williams and Owen Wilson are among the gang of museum figures come-to-life. Running time: 1:45 Rating: PG (language) Post Falls: 12:45, 3:05. Village Centre: 11:30 a.m.

The Proposal

••• This romantic lark (do you call it a rom-romp?) features Sandra Bullock as a prickly boss and Ryan Reynolds as her human pincushion of an assistant. She wants a green card, he wants a promotion, so they make a deal. With Betty White. Running time: 1:48 Rating: PG-13 (language, nudity, sexual content) Hayden: 12:30, 2:45, 5:10, 7:25, 9:45. NorthTown Mall: 12:25, 4, 7:55, 10:40. Post Falls: 1, 3:10, 5:30, 7:35. River Park Square: 11:15 a.m., 2, 4:45, 7:20, 10:15. Riverstone: 12:20, 3:25, 6:40, 9:25. Spokane Valley Mall: noon, 2:45, 6:55, 9:35. Village Centre: 11:15 a.m., 1:45, 4, 6:30, 8:50.

Public Enemies

G-man Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) vows to nab notorious criminal John Dillinger (Johnny Depp). Running time: 2:20 Rating: R (gangster violence, language) Hayden: 12:20, 3:05, 6:05, 8:50. NorthTown Mall: noon, 1, 3:10, 4:40, 6:30, 7:45, 9:55, 10:50. Post Falls: 1:10, 4:15, 7:30. River Park Square: 10:45 a.m., 12:15, 1:10, 2, 3:25, 4:10, 5:15, 6:30, 7:10, 8:30, 9:40, 10:20. Riverstone: 12:25, 1:05, 3:45, 4:30, 6:55, 7:55, 10:05. Spokane Valley Mall: 11:50 a.m., 12:35, 2:55, 3:30, 6:35, 7:05, 9:30, 10. Village Centre: 10:20 a.m., 1:10, 4, 6:50, 9:40.

Star Trek

•••1/2 J.J. Abrams’ enjoyable reboot of the sci-fi saga takes a refreshing chug from the fountain of youth, imagining what happened when Kirk met Spock. With Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana and Leonard Nimoy. Running time: 2:06 Rating: PG-13 (sexual content, violence) River Park Square: 11:50 a.m. Riverstone: 12:10, 3:35, 6:50, 9:45. Spokane Valley Mall: 2:50. Village Centre: 11:10 a.m., 1:40, 4:20, 7, 9:40.

The Taking of Pelham 123

••1/2 Denzel Washington (the good guy) and John Travolta (the bad) star in a whooshing, back-spinning remake of the 1974 hostage drama in which a villainous gang takes control of a New York City subway car, holding its passengers hostage. Tense negotiations and some ugly killing ensue. Running time: 1:46 Rating: R (language, violence) River Park Square: 9:35.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Decepticon forces return to Earth on a mission to kidnap Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf). Running time: 2:29 Rating: PG-13 (drug material, crude and sexual material, violence, language) Hayden: 12:15, 3:15, 6:15, 9:10. IMAX (Riverfront Park): 12:30, 3:45, 7, 10:15. NorthTown Mall: 11:45 a.m., 12:45, 3:25, 4:05, 7, 7:30, 10:25, 10:45. Post Falls: 12:40, 4, 7:20. River Park Square: 10:15 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:35, 2:50, 3:35, 4:50, 6:25, 7, 8:15, 9:40, 10:10. Riverstone: 12:45, 3:30, 4:15, 7, 8, 10:15. Spokane Valley Mall: 11:40 a.m., 3:45, 6:30, 7, 9:45, 10:20. Village Centre: 11:45 a.m., 12:15, 3, 3:30, 6:15, 6:40, 9:20, 9:50.

Up

•••• Buoyant Pixar film about a childless grouch (voice of Ed Asner) and a fatherless boy (Jordan Nagai) who float off to the wilds of Venezuela in a house lashed to helium-filled balloons. It darts unpredictably between comedy and adventure, defying gravity and age alike. Running time: 1:29 Rating: PG (peril) Hayden: 12:35, 3, 5:15, 7:30, 9:35. NorthTown Mall: 11:55 a.m., 2:20, 5:05, 7:35, 10. Post Falls: 12:50, 3:15, 5:20, 7:30. River Park Square: 11:30 a.m., 2:05, 4:30, 7:15, 9:55. Riverstone: 12:05, 3:40, 7:05, 9:35. Spokane Valley Mall: 12:05, 2:35, 5:05, 7:35, 10:05. Village Centre: 10:30 a.m., 12:45, 3.

Up in Disney Digital 3D

Village Centre: 11:15 a.m., 1:30, 3:45, 6:15, 8:45.

Whatever Works

••• It’s a match made in misanthrope heaven: Larry David, the cringe-inducing crank of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and Woody Allen, the existentialist worrywart with the one-liners about love, death and hypochondria. David stars, Allen directs, and Evan Rachel Wood and Patricia Clarkson bring comedic verve to familar themes. Running time: 1:32 Rating: PG-13 (nude images, sexual situations) River Park Square: 11:10 a.m., 3:55, 9:20.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

•• Hugh Jackman revisits his X-Men role to show how Wolverine came into being in this meaningless mishmash of combat sequences, passable visual effects, Marvel Comics back story and goofy Liev Schreiber-as-a-villain thespianizing. Running time: 1:48 Rating: PG-13 (language, sexual content) Garland: 1:50, 7:50.

Year One

••1/2 Jack Black and Michael Cera play primitive hunter-gatherers with very modern vocabularies and senses of humor who wander through Old Testament scenarios in this lean but resourceful comedy. Running time: 1:37 Rating: PG-13 (language, comic violence, crude and sexual content) NorthTown Mall: 11:35 a.m., 2:10, 4:35, 7:05, 10:20. Riverstone: 1, 4:20, 7:35, 10:10. Spokane Valley Mall: 11:55 a.m., 9:55. Village Centre: 5:15, 7:30, 9:50.