FILMS

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

Opening today:

Antichrist

This dark, violent shocker from Danish director Lars von Trier details a couple’s disintegration following their son’s death.

Running time: 1:44 Rating: Not rated

Magic Lantern: 9:15

Daybreakers

A human race largely turned into vampires struggles to survive, while researchers work on a cure.

Running time: 1:38 Rating: R (strong bloody violence, language and brief nudity)

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

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

The latest film from Terry Gilliam (“Monty Python”) – and last for Heath Ledger – involves a mysterious traveling theater company.

Running time: 2:02 Rating: PG-13 (violent images, some sensuality, language and smoking)

River Park Square: 1:35, 4:20, 7, 9:50.

Leap Year

Following ancient Irish tradition, a woman (Amy Adams) plans to propose to her boyfriend on Leap Day.

Running time: 1:37 Rating: PG (sensuality and language)

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

The Young Victoria

Emily Blunt stars in this dramatization of the turbulent first years of Queen Victoria’s rule.

Running time: 1:44 Rating: PG (mild sensuality, a scene of violence, and brief incidental language and smoking)

Magic Lantern: 6:30, 8:30

Youth in Revolt

Against all odds, a nerdy teen (Michael Cera) pursues his dream girl.

Running time: 1:30 Rating: R (sexual content, language and drug use)

NorthTown Mall: 12:15, 2:45, 5:15, 7:30, 9:55. River Park Square: 11:50 a.m., 2:30, 4:50, 7:35, 10. B 11:40 a.m., 2:15, 5, 7:50, 10:20. Village Centre: 11:30 a.m., 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30, 9:30.

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 (intense disaster sequences and some language)

River Park Square: 12:15, 6:25.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

•• If you can read this, you’re probably too old for this live-action sequel featuring the famously cute singing furballs. With Zachary Levi and David Cross.

Running time: 1:28 Rating: PG (mild rude humor)

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

Avatar

••• 1/2 James Cameron’s mega-expensive, technological marvel is also a whole lot of fun: a gamer generation’s “Dances With Wolves,” with a human soldier (and his avatar) falling in love with a blue-skinned alien from the planet Pandora.

Running time: 2:40 Rating: PG-13 (intense epic battle sequences and warfare, sensuality, language and some smoking)

Hayden: 1:20, 5, 8:15. NorthTown Mall: 12:30, 4:30, 8. River Park Square: 12:30, 4:15, 8. Riverstone: 11:15 a.m., noon, 4:15, 7, 8. Spokane Valley Mall: 2:50, 6:30.

Avatar 3D

Airway Heights: 11:40 a.m., 3, 6:20, 9:30. NorthTown Mall: noon, 3:30, 7, 10:25. River Park Square: 10:30 a.m., 2:15, 6, 9:45. Riverstone: 11 a.m., 2:30, 6:30, 10. Spokane Valley Mall: 12:20, 3:35, 7, 10:15. Village Centre: 10:40 a.m., 11:40 a.m., 2, 3, 5:20, 6:20, 8:40, 9:30.

Avatar: An IMAX 3D Experience

River Park Square: 11 a.m., 2:45, 6:30, 10:15.

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: 2:06 Rating: PG-13 (brief violence, drug and sexual references)

Airway Heights: 11 a.m., 1:20, 4, 6:40, 9:20. Hayden: 12:45, 3:25, 6:05, 8:45. NorthTown Mall: 12:40, 4:20, 7:10, 10:10. River Park Square: 11:50 a.m., 3:15, 6:25, 9:20. Riverstone: 11 a.m., 3:55, 6:50, 9:55. Spokane Valley Mall: 12:45, 3:40, 7:10, 10. Village Centre: 10:45 a.m., 1:20, 4, 6:40, 9:20.

Did You Hear About the Morgans?

• 1/2 Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker as unhappily married Manhattanites who witness a murder and are remanded to witness protection. So mirthless that you’ll want to enroll in a witless-protection program.

Running time: 1:43 Rating: PG-13 (some sexual references and momentary violence)

Airway Heights: noon, 2:15, 7:10. NorthTown Mall: 9:50. River Park Square: 10:40 a.m.. Riverstone: 11:10 a.m., 2:20, 4:50, 7:40, 10:10. Spokane Valley Mall: 12:15, 9:05. Village Centre: noon, 2:25, 7:10.

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 2009, and maybe the best film, period.

Running time: 1:28 Rating: PG (action, slang humor, smoking)

Garland: 5:35.

Invictus

••• Rousing sports inspirational starring Morgan Freeman as newly elected South African President Nelson Mandela, who seizes upon the gladiatorial game of rugby to unify angry blacks and scared whites in his nation after the fall of apartheid. With Matt Damon.

Running time: 2:12 Rating: PG-13 (brief strong language)

River Park Square: 11:05 a.m., 2, 5, 7:55. Riverstone: 9:30. Village Centre: 4:30, 9:35.

It’s Complicated

••• Meryl Streep is the hypotenuse in a romantic triangle with her ex-husband (Alec Baldwin) and an architect (Steve Martin) in Nancy Meyers’ sprightly fairy tale for adults.

Running time: 1:54 Rating: R (for some drug content and sexuality)

Airway Heights: 11 a.m., 1:40, 4:20, 7, 9:40. B midnight, 1:10, 3:45, 6:20, 9, midnight. NorthTown Mall: 12:25, 3:20, 7:35, 10:20. River Park Square: 11:35 a.m., 2:50, 6:35, 9:50. Riverstone: 11:55 a.m., 4:05, 6:55, 9:50. Spokane Valley Mall: 12:40, 3:25, 7:05, 9:50. Village Centre: 11 a.m., 1:40, 4:20, 7, 9:40.

Journey Into Amazing Caves

Secrets that might save humanity can be found in remote caves.

Running time: :39 Rating: Not rated IMAX (Riverfront Park): noon, 1:10, 2:20, 3:30, 4:40, 5:50.

Me and Orson Welles

••• 1/2 Richard Linklater’s spirited reimagining of what went on with charismatic madman Orson Welles as he and his Mercury Players mounted their historic production of “Julius Caesar” in 1930s New York – before Citizen Kane was even a gleam in his eye. Christian McKay, as the young, blustery Welles, is riveting. With Zac Efron and Claire Danes.

Running time: 1:54 Rating: PG-13 (sex, adult themes)

Magic Lantern: 7.

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 Yorks 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 (mild action and brief language)

Hayden: 4:35.

Nine

•• 1/2 Ron Marshall’s film inspired by the 1983 Broadway musical, in turn based on the 1962 Federico Fellini movie about a director in crisis. Daniel Day-Lewis is spidery fun as the central filmmaker, but Marshall’s staging of the musical numbers has the effect of an overwrought girlie show.

Running time: 1:50 Rating: PG-13 (sexual content and smoking)

River Park Square: 11:50 a.m., 3, 6:10, 9:15.

Precious

••• Harrowing, and with heroic performances from Gabourey Sidibe and Mo’Nique as a 16-year-old and her abusive mother, Lee Daniels’ film takes the audience from a girl’s dehumanization to a life of purpose.

Running time: 1:49 Rating: R (for child abuse including sexual assault, and pervasive language)

River Park Square: 10:45 a.m., 1:25, 4:10, 6:45, 9:25.

The Princess and the Frog

••• 1/2 This jazzy, pizazzy and enchanting Disney animated musical of the old-school, hand-drawn style features a scrappy new-school heroine. Anika Noni Rose is the voice of Tiana, a hard-working waitress hoping to save enough tips to buy her own restaurant, and Bruno Campos is a Mediterranean prince who steps into some deep voodoo when he disembarks in 1919 New Orleans.

Running time: 1:35 Rating: G

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

The Road

••• Taut and haunting adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, with Viggo Mortensen and newcomer Kodi Smit-McPhee as a father and son trudging across a post-apocalyptic America, struggling desperately to survive.

Running time: 1:51 Rating: R (some violence, disturbing images and language)

River Park Square: 1:40, 4:20, 7:10, 9:40.

Sherlock Holmes

•• Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous consulting detective has attention deficit disorder in Guy Ritchie’s clamoring, breathless, turn-of-the(last)-century action movie. Robert Downey Jr., ripped and ready with the glib riposte, is Holmes and Jude Law his bland Dr. Watson. The Holmes-as-action-hero conceit could have been fun, if anyone had thought to write a screenplay that made sense.

Running time: 2:14 Rating: PG-13 (intense sequences of violence and action, some startling images and a scene of suggestive material)

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

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 (some violence and action)

Airway Heights: 4:30, 9:35. NorthTown Mall: 12:55, 4, 6:50, 9:45. River Park Square: 3:30, 9:55. Riverstone: 11:45 a.m., 2:40, 6:40, 9:35. Spokane Valley Mall: 2:40, 6:15. Village Centre: 7:10, 9:40.

Up in the Air

•••• As the frequent-flying “career transition counselor” (read: the suave bully you hire when you’re scared to fire employees), George Clooney gives the performance of his career. Jason Reitman’s movie is perfectly tailored to the star’s melancholy twinkle and purring motormouth. With the sublime Vera Farmiga and quirky Anna Kendrick.

Running time: 1:49 Rating: R (language and some sexual content)

NorthTown Mall: 1:10, 5:05, 7:50, 10:30. River Park Square: 10:55 a.m., 1:30, 4:10, 7:05, 10:05. Riverstone: 11:05 a.m., 1:45, 4:20, 7:05, 9:40. Spokane Valley Mall: 12:15, 2:45, 5:15, 7:45, 10:25. Village Centre: 11:15 a.m., 1:45, 4:15, 6:45, 9:15.

Where the Wild Things Are

••• Spike Jonze dares to adapt Maurice Sendak’s sublime and scary children’s book classic, and conjures up a satisfyingly moody, melancholy, madcap live-action romp. No masterpiece, but it’s a brave undertaking, and an oft-times transcendent one.

Running time: 1:41 Rating: PG (adventure action, brief language, mild thematic elements)

Garland: 7:25.

Zombieland

••• Inspired zom-com road pic, with nervous ninny Jesse Eisenberg and cool cowboy Woody Harrelson teaming up to battle blood-spewing flesh-eaters across a wasteland U.S.A. With Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin and a truly great surprise cameo.

Running time: 1:27 Rating: R (language, zombie horror violence/gore)

Garland: 9:30.