Films

Capsule reviews with star ratings are written by reviewers for The Philadelphia Inquirer, unless otherwise indicated.

Opening today:

Good Hair

Comic Chris Rock explores the relationship between hairstyles and black culture. Running time: 1:35 Rating: PG-13 (partial nudity, sex and drug references, language)

Magic Lantern: 7:20, 9:10.

Invictus

Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) tries to unite South Africa through the sport of rugby. Running time: 2:14 Rating: PG-13 (language)

Airway Heights: 11 a.m., 1:40, 4:20, 7, 9:40. NorthTown Mall: 11:55 a.m., 3:30, 7:20, 10:20. River Park Square: 10:30 a.m., 1, 1:40, 4:15, 4:45, 7:20, 8, 10:15. Riverstone: 11 a.m., 3:45, 7:05, 10:05. Spokane Valley Mall: 12:15, 3:30, 7:05, 10. Wandermere: 11 a.m., 1:40, 4:20, 7, 9:40.

The Princess and the Frog

A young woman’s (Anika Noni Rose) encounter with a royal amphibian leads to a wild adventure. Running time: 1:35 Rating: G

Airway Heights: noon, 2:15, 4:30, 6:45, 9. Hayden: 12:55, 3, 5:05, 7:10, 9:20. NorthTown Mall: 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:50, 2:50, 4:40, 5:15, 7, 7:40, 9:25, 10:25. Post Falls: 1:20, 3:20, 5:20, 7:20. River Park Square: 11 a.m., 12:30, 1:30, 3, 4:10, 5:30, 6:45, 7:50, 9:15, 10:15. Riverstone: 11:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 1:45, 2:15, 4:15, 4:45, 7, 7:30, 9:30, 10. Spokane Valley Mall: 11:55 a.m., 12:25, 2:20, 2:50, 4:45, 5:15, 7:10, 7:40, 9:35, 10:05. Wandermere: 10 a.m., noon, 2:15, 4:30, 6:45, 9.

Continuing:2012

••1/2 Roland Emmerich sure knows how to make a doomsday movie with a happy ending. This preposterously diverting film starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, John Cusack and Danny Glover is a wild ride that says, it’s OK if 8 billion die as long as eight movie stars and the dog live. Running time: 2:38 Rating: PG-13 (disaster sequences, language)

Airway Heights: noon, 3, 6:10, 9:10. Hayden: 1:30, 5:10, 8:20. NorthTown Mall: noon, 3:20, 6:40, 10. Post Falls: 1:10, 4:10, 7:10. River Park Square: 10:45 a.m., 2:25, 6, 9:15. Riverstone: noon, 4:20, 8:05. Spokane Valley Mall: 11:50 a.m., 3:10, 6:30, 9:50. Wandermere: 12:10, 3:10, 6:10, 9:10.

Armored

Employees at an armored-transport business plan a heist against their own company. Running time: 1:25 Rating: PG-13 (brief strong language, sequences of intense violence, some disturbing images)

Airway Heights: 11:30 a.m., 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30, 9:30. NorthTown Mall: 12:25, 2:55, 5:10, 8, 10:10. River Park Square: 11:50 a.m., 3:45, 6:10, 9. Riverstone: 11:55 a.m., 2:20, 4:50, 7:50, 10:25. Spokane Valley Mall: 12:35, 3, 5:25, 7:50, 10:10. Wandermere: 11:30 a.m., 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30, 9:30.

The Blind Side

••1/2 Sandra Bullock stars as a Southern woman who takes a destitute teen (and future football star) into her home. Based on a true story, it’s part sports saga, all tearjerker. Running time: 2:08 Rating: PG-13 (violence, drug references, sexual references)

Airway Heights: 10:45 a.m., 1:20, 4, 6:40, 9:20. Hayden: 12:45, 3:25, 6:05, 8:45. NorthTown Mall: 12:15, 4:15, 7:10, 10:05. Post Falls: 12:35, 3:10, 5:45, 8:20. River Park Square: 10:30 a.m., 11:50 a.m., 1:30, 3:15, 4:25, 6:20, 7:25, 9:20, 10:10. Riverstone: 11:05 a.m., 1:30, 2:05, 4:30, 5, 7:20, 8, 10:15. Spokane Valley Mall: 12:30, 3:45, 6:45, 9:45. Wandermere: 10:45 a.m., 1:20, 4, 6:40, 9:20.

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day

The MacManus brothers return to Boston to avenge the murder of their priest. Running time: 1:55 Rating: R (bloody violence, language, some nudity)

Magic Lantern: 7, 9:30.

Brothers

•••1/2 Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire and Natalie Portman deliver the best work of their careers in this keenly observed and heartbreaking remake of the 2004 Danish film about a soldier gone to war, and the wife and black-sheep brother he leaves behind. Running time: 1:44 Rating: R (language, violent content)

NorthTown Mall: 12:45, 4:45, 7:35, 10:15. River Park Square: 11:20 a.m., 2:05, 4:40, 7:20, 9:55. Riverstone: 1:25, 4:10, 6:55, 9:40. Wandermere: 11:15 a.m., 1:45, 4:15, 6:45, 9:15.

Coco Before Chanel

Seamstress Coco Chanel (played by Audrey Tautou of “Amelie” fame) develops a style that takes her to the heights of haute couture. Running time: 1:45 Rating: PG-13 (sexual content) Magic Lantern: 5.

Couples Retreat

•• A tropical vacation turns out to be a relationship workshop for four couples. Vince Vaughn, Malin Akerman, Kristen Bell and Faizon Love are part of a large cast in a skimpy comedy that is more adult than its rating indicates. Running time: 1:54 Rating: PG-13 (language, sexual content)

Garland: 7:20.

Disney’s A Christmas Carol

•• Robert Zemeckis’ visually immersive, emotionally uninvolving animation of the Charles Dickens evergreen features motion capture performances by Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman and Robin Wright Penn. Lost in the video-game effects and ghostly grotesquerie is the redemptive saga of the man who learns that his stinginess has spiritually deformed him. Running time: 1:35 Rating: PG (scary images)

Wandermere: 10:30 a.m., 12:30.

Disney’s A Christmas Carol 3D

Airway Heights: noon, 2:15, 4:30, 6:45, 9. NorthTown Mall: 12:10, 2:25, 4:55, 7:25, 9:40. River Park Square: 12:30, 2:50, 5:15, 7:45, 10:05. Riverstone: 11:25 a.m., 1:55, 4:25, 7:15, 9:45. Spokane Valley Mall: noon, 2:30, 4:50, 7:15, 9:40. Wandermere: noon, 2:15, 4:30, 6:45, 9.

Disney’s A Christmas Carol: An IMAX 3D Experience

River Park Square: 11:30 a.m., 1:50, 4:15, 6:30, 9:10.

Everybody’s Fine

••• This prickly weeper stars Robert De Niro in his best role in a decade, as a widower trying to reconnect with his far-flung children. His is a minimalist performance with maximum emotional impact. Running time: 1:35 Rating: PG-13 (language, thematic elements)

Airway Heights: 11 a.m., 1, 3:10, 5:15, 7:20, 9:35. River Park Square: 11:10 a.m., 1:35, 3:55, 6:50, 9:10. Riverstone: 11:20 a.m., 1:40, 4:05, 6:45, 9:35. Spokane Valley Mall: 6:50, 9:05. Wandermere: 11 a.m., 1, 3:10, 5:15, 7:20, 9:35.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

••• The fur flies in Wes Anderson’s stop-motion animation gem about an erudite predator and his burrowing brood. With the voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray, this adaptation of a Roald Dahl book is the best animated film of the year, and maybe the best film, period. Running time: 1:28 Rating: PG (action, slang humor, smoking)

NorthTown Mall: 11:35 a.m., 9:35. River Park Square: 11:30 a.m., 1:45, 3:55, 6:35, 9:25. Riverstone: 11:10 a.m., 1:35, 3:50, 6:40, 9:25. Spokane Valley Mall: 12:05, 2:25, 4:35. Wandermere: 10:15 a.m., 12:15, 2:30, 4:40, 6:50, 9.

Forces of Nature

Natural disasters are the focus of this IMAX film, namely volcanoes, earthquakes and tornadoes. Never has the power of a volcanic eruption seemed more in-your-face awesome. Running time: :40 Rating: Not rated

IMAX (Riverfront Park): noon, 3:25.

Julie & Julia

•••1/2 In Nora Ephron’s captivating film about Julia Child and her influence, Meryl Streep’s performance as Child is cuisine disguised as comfort food, a complex preparation yielding effects both broadly entertaining and subtly moving. With Amy Adams as Julie Powell, the cook-blogger besotted by Child, plus Stanley Tucci and Chris Messina. Running time: 2:04 Rating: PG-13 (language, sensuality)

Garland: 5.

Larger Than Life in 3D

Concert film from festivals around the country, featuring David Matthews Band, Ben Harper and Gogol Bordello.

Running time: 1:25 Rating: PG (language)

Wandermere: 11:20 a.m., 1:20, 3:20, 5:20, 7:20, 9:20.

The Light Before Christmas

Animated family film explains how Christmas is more than just presents. Running time: :28 Rating: not rated

IMAX (Riverfront Park): 1, 1:50, 2:40, 4:25, 5:15.

The Men Who Stare at Goats

••• George Clooney, Jeff Bridges and Ewan McGregor star in this nutty based-on-true-stuff farce about a gang of psychic-powered military men going about their remote viewing business during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Running time: 1:33 Rating: R (brief nudity, language, drug content)

River Park Square: 11:40 a.m., 2:30, 4:50, 7:30, 9:55.

Ninja Assassin

•1/2 Korean pop star Rain and Naomie Harris lead the cast of this film about a rogue hit man who betrays his clan of assassins. (AP) Running time: 1:39 Rating: R (language, bloody violence)

Airway Heights: 5:15, 7:20, 9:25. NorthTown Mall: 12:40, 3:10, 5:30, 7:50, 10:10. Post Falls: 5:55, 8:05. River Park Square: 11:05 a.m., 11:55 a.m., 1:40, 2:30, 4:20, 5, 6:50, 7:25, 9:25, 10. Riverstone: 7:40, 10:20. Spokane Valley Mall: 12:10, 2:45, 5:20, 7:45, 10:15. Wandermere: 2:45, 5, 7:20, 9:35.

Old Dogs

••1/2 John Travolta and Robin Williams are tapped to be caregivers for seven year-old twins in this brisk, family-friendly comedy as broad as the waistlines of its stars. Running time: 1:28 Rating: PG (rude humor)

Airway Heights: 11:15 a.m., 1:15, 3:15, 5:15, 7:15, 9:15. Hayden: 1:05, 3:10, 5:25, 7:30, 9:25. NorthTown Mall: 11:50 a.m., 2:10, 4:25, 6:45, 9:35. Post Falls: 1:15, 3:15, 5:15, 7:15. River Park Square: 11:45 a.m., 2:15, 4:40, 7:15, 9:40. Riverstone: 11:50 a.m., 2:10, 4:40, 7:25, 9:50. Spokane Valley Mall: 12:45, 2:55, 5:05, 7:20, 9:30. Wandermere: 11:15 a.m., 1:15, 3:15, 5:15, 7:15, 9:15.

Planet 51

•• This computer-animated feature is a low-IQ “E.T.” in reverse, set on a faraway planet that looks like the “Happy Days” set, where a wayward American astronaut freaks out the antenna-headed locals. Running time: 1:31 Rating: PG (mild sci-fi action, some suggestive humor)

Airway Heights: 10:50 a.m., 1, 3:10. Hayden: 1:15, 3:15, 5:15, 7:15, 9:15. NorthTown Mall: 2, 4:10, 6:30. Post Falls: 12:30, 3. River Park Square: 11:35 a.m., 2, 4:20, 6:30, 9:05. Riverstone: 11:35 a.m., 1:50, 4:35. Spokane Valley Mall: 1:05, 3:20, 6:35, 9. Wandermere: 10:50 a.m., 1, 3:15, 5:15, 7:20, 9:25.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

••• Swoony love triangle plus swoopy camerawork equals this abstinence-makes-the-heart- grow-fondler adaptation of Stephenie Meyers young-adult romance novel. With angst-princess Kirsten Stewart, passion prince Robert Pattinson and studmuffin Taylor Lautner. Running time: 2:10 Rating: PG-13 (language, sexual references, drug use)

Airway Heights: 11 a.m., 1:40, 4:20, 7, 9:40. Hayden: 12:50, 3:30, 6:10, 8:50. NorthTown Mall: 11:40 a.m., 3:45, 6:55, 9:45. Post Falls: 12:40, 3:15, 5:50, 8:25. River Park Square: 11:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 3, 3:50, 6:15, 7, 9:20, 10. Riverstone: 11:30 a.m., 4, 7:10, 10:10. Spokane Valley Mall: 1, 4, 7, 9:55. Wandermere: 11 a.m., 1:40, 4:20, 7, 9:40.