Opening Friday
A Christmas Tale — Not rated. A bickering family plagued by mental illness tries to share an enjoyable holiday. Catherine Deneuve. In French, with subtitles. 150 minutes. Loft.
Seven Pounds *1/2 — PG-13 for thematic material, some disturbing content and a scene of sensuality. A suicidal man falls in love as he's trying to off himself. Will Smith. 118 minutes. Review on Page 17. El Con, Marketplace, Century Park, Park Place, Desert Sky, Foothills, Harkins, Tower, Uptown, Oasis.
Slumdog Millionaire **** — R for some violence, disturbing images and language. To reunite with his love, an illiterate kid tries to win a game show. Dev Patel. In English and Hindi. 120 minutes. Review on Page 16. El Con, Foothills, Harkins.
The Tale of Despereaux — G for all audiences. A mouse, a rat and a servant girl become heroes in this animated fantasy. Dustin Hoffman. 94 minutes. El Con, Marketplace, Century Park, Park Place, Cinemark, DeAnza, Desert Sky, Foothills, Harkins, Tower, Oasis.
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Yes Man *** — PG-13 for crude sexual humor, language and brief nudity. A man heads into a self-help program that commands him to say yes to everything. Jim Carrey. 108 minutes. Review on Page 15. El Con, Marketplace, Century Park, Park Place, Cinemark, DeAnza, Desert Sky, Foothills, Harkins, Tower, Oasis.
Continuing Friday
Australia ** — PG-13 for some violence, sensuality, and brief strong language. In pre-World War II Australia, a British aristocrat inherits a ranch and must drive cattle over harsh terrain while the Japanese bomb the country. Nicole Kidman. 165 minutes. El Con, Marketplace, Century Park, Park Place, Cinemark, Desert Sky, Foothills, Harkins, Tower, Oasis.
Beverly Hills Chihuahua ** — PG for some mild thematic elements. A small dog gets lost in Mexico. Drew Barrymore lends her voice. 93 minutes. Crossroads, Gateway, Oracle View.
Bolt *** — PG for some mild action and peril. In this animated film, a dog actor is surprised to learn he has no superpowers in real life. John Travolta leads the voice cast. 92 minutes. El Con, Marketplace, Century Park, Park Place, Cinemark, DeAnza, Foothills, Harkins, Tower, Oasis.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas **** — PG-13 for some mature thematic material involving the Holocaust. A Jewish boy in a concentration camp befriends the son of a Nazi. Vera Farmiga. 93 minutes. El Con, Marketplace, Foothills, Tower.
Burn After Reading *** — R for pervasive language, some sexual content and violence. The Coen brothers direct a comedic drama about ne'er-do-wells who steal a CIA agent's memoirs. Brad Pitt. Crossroads, Gateway, Oracle View.
Changeling **1/2 — R for violent and disturbing content, and language. A woman's son is kidnapped and police return a different boy, claiming he's hers. Clint Eastwood directs. Angelina Jolie stars. 141 minutes. Century Park.
The Dark Knight **** — PG-13 for intense violence and menace. The Caped Crusader faces the Joker in this highly awaited follow-up to "Batman Begins." Christian Bale, Heath Ledger. 152 minutes. Crossroads, Gateway, Oracle View.
The Day the Earth Stood Still *1/2 — PG-13 for some sci-fi disaster images and violence. A remake of the groundbreaking 1951 sci-fi film in which aliens visit the planet. Keanu Reeves. 103 minutes. El Con, Marketplace, Century Park, Park Place, Cinemark, DeAnza, Desert Sky, Foothills, Harkins, Tower, Oasis.
Delgo * (Star rating derived from Metacritic.com) — PG for sequences of fantasy action violence. In this animation, a teen protects his friends from a deadly conflict between warring tribes. Freddie Prinze Jr. lends his voice. Gateway, Oasis.
The Duchess ***1/2 — PG-13 for sexual content, brief nudity and thematic material. A biopic on 18th-century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, whose love and politics were controversial. Keira Knightley. 110 minutes. Crossroads, Oracle View.
Eagle Eye ** — PG-13 for intense action and violence, and for language. Two average people become unwitting accomplices to an assassination plot. Shia LaBeouf. 118 minutes. Crossroads, Gateway, Oracle View.
Four Christmases *** — PG-13 for some sexual humor and language. A wealthy couple whose parents are divorced feel compelled to visit their four sets of relatives in this comedy. Vince Vaughn. 82 minutes. El Con, Marketplace, Century Park, Park Place, DeAnza, Desert Sky, Foothills, Harkins, Tower, Oasis, Uptown.
Ghost Town ***1/2 — PG13 for some strong language, sexual humor and drug references. A man who dies and is revived discovers he can now contact ghosts in this comedy. Ricky Gervais. 102 minutes. Gateway.
Happy-Go-Lucky ***1/2 — R for language. An upbeat 30-year-old London schoolteacher spreads her charms. Sally Hawkins. 118 minutes. Loft.
The Haunting of Molly Hartley * (Star rating derived from Metacritic.com) — PG-13 for strong thematic material, violence and terror, brief strong language and teen drinking. A haunted high school girl tries to make a fresh start. Shannon Marie Woodward. 87 minutes. Gateway, Oracle View.
High School Musical 3: Senior Year *** — G for all audiences. Students stage a musical that addresses their concerns with growing up, going to college and entering the real world. Ashley Tisdale. 118 minutes. Century Park.
Journey to the Center of the Earth *** — PG for intense adventure action and some scary moments. Explorers discover a living realm underneath the planet's surface. Brendan Fraser. 92 minutes. Oracle View.
Lakeview Terrace ** — PG-13 for intense thematic material, violence, sexuality, language and some drug references. An interracial couple is harassed by a neighbor who is a tough LAPD officer. Samuel L. Jackson. 110 minutes. Oracle View.
Let the Right One In ***1/2 — R for some bloody violence, disturbing images, brief nudity and language. A troubled boy falls in love with a vampiress. In Swedish with subtitles. 114 minutes. Loft.
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa **1/2 — PG for some mild crude humor. The band of talking animated animals from the 2005 hit reunite for another adventure. Ben Stiller lends his voice. 89 minutes. El Con, Century Park, Park Place, DeAnza, Foothills, Harkins, Tower, Uptown, Oasis.
Mamma Mia! **1/2 — PG-13 for some sex-related comments. The stage musical, featuring the music of ABBA, comes to the big screen. Meryl Streep. 108 minutes. Oracle View.
Milk **** — R for language, some sexual content and brief violence. A biopic on California's first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk. Sean Penn. 128 minutes. El Con, Harkins.
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist * — PG-13 for mature thematic material including teen drinking, sexuality, language and crude behavior. Unlikely lovebirds get together to search for a hidden concert. Michael Cera. 90 minutes. Gateway, Crossroads.
Nights in Rodanthe ** — PG-13 for some sensuality. A doctor and a woman with a broken marriage find romance. Richard Gere, Diane Lane. 97 minutes. Gateway, Crossroads, Oracle View.
Nothing Like the Holidays ***1/2 — PG-13 for thematic elements including some sexual dialogue, and brief drug references. A Puerto Rican family in Chicago celebrate what they think could be their last Christmas together. John Leguizamo. 99 minutes. El Con, Park Place, Cinemark, Desert Sky, Foothills, Harkins.
Pineapple Express **** — R for pervasive language, drug use, sexual references and violence. A stoner sees a cop commit murder, then goes on the run. Seth Rogen. 111 minutes. Oracle View.
Punisher: War Zone * — R for pervasive brutal violence, language and some drug use. Ray Stevenson stars as the vindictive vigilante of comic book fame. He battles rival Jigsaw in this film. 107 minutes. Gateway, Oasis.
Quantum of Solace ** — PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sexual content. Daniel Craig stars as Agent 007, who goes rogue in order to take down a would-be water kingpin. 106 minutes. El Con, Marketplace, Century Park, Park Place, Cinemark, Foothills, Tower, Oasis.
Quarantine ** (Star rating derived from Metacritic.com) — R for bloody, violent and disturbing content, terror and language. Jennifer Carpenter. A TV reporter and her cameraman are stuck inside an apartment building under quarantine. 89 minutes. Oracle View.
Religulous **1/2 — R for some language and sexual material. Bill Maher analyzes religion around the world in this offbeat documentary. 101 minutes. Crossroads.
Role Models ***1/2 — R for crude and sexual content, strong language and nudity. Because of their hijinks, energy drink salesmen are forced to join a youth mentorship program. Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott. 100 minutes. El Con, Century Park, Park Place, Foothills, Harkins.
Saw V * (Star rating derived from Metacritic.com) — R for grisly violence and torture, language and brief nudity. A forensics expert tries to protect his secret that he's a killer who follows the spirit of the terrible reign of Jigsaw. Tobin Bell. 88 minutes. Gateway.
The Secret Life of Bees *1/2 — PG 13 for thematic material and some violence. A girl whose mother has died runs away from home and is taken in by beekeeping sisters. Dakota Fanning. 110 minutes. Crossroads.
Transporter 3 ** (Star rating derived from Metacritic.com) — PG-13 for intense action and violence, some sexual content and drug material. A high-risk deliveryman leaps back into action. Jason Statham. 100 minutes. Century Park, Park Place, Harkins, Oasis, Uptown.
Twilight *** — PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sensuality. A teen girl falls in love with a vampire. Kristen Stewart. 120 minutes. El Con, Century Park, Marketplace, Park Place, Cinemark, Foothills, Harkins, Tower, Oasis.
W. **1/2 — PG-13 for language including sexual references, some alcohol abuse, smoking and brief disturbing war images. Oliver Stone's examination of George W. Bush. Josh Brolin. 128 minutes. Crossroads.
WALL-E **1/2 — G for all audiences. A Pixar animated film about a robot attempting to find acceptance and love. 98 minutes. Oracle View.
Zack and Miri Make a Porno **** — R for strong crude sexual content including dialogue, graphic nudity and pervasive language. Writer/director Kevin Smith's comedy about lifelong platonic friends who make a sex film. Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks. 102 minutes. Gateway, Crossroads.
– Phil Villarreal
