“I Am Number Four” (PG-13, 104 minutes): Number Four (Alex Pettyfer) is a handsome alien whose home planet, Lorien, was destroyed by the evil Mogadorians. Four is one of nine Legacy children, Lorien natives sent to Earth to escape their planet’s destruction. The Mogadorians have traveled to Earth, successfully subtracting Numbers One through Three from the equation. Four knows he’s next, so his Lorien guardian, Henri, orders him to disappear until his latent powers fully manifest. Four chooses to stay invisible by enrolling in his neighborhood high school, of course! Unoriginal and woefully half-baked, “Number Four” samples heavily from John Hughes and Ray Bradbury, but all attempts at bridging their vastly different worlds fail miserably. Contains intense sequences of violence and action, as well as objectionable language.
“A Small Act” (unrated, 88 minutes): A young Kenyan’s life changes dramatically when his education is sponsored by a Swedish stranger. Years later, he founded his own scholarship program to replicate the kindness he once received. Directed by Jennifer Arnold, the film shows the impact of one individual’s choice to give, within a global context.
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“Gnomeo and Juliet” (G, 84 minutes): In the animated “Gnomeo and Juliet,” creator Kelly Asbury has discovered imaginative ways to freshen up Shakespeare’s timeless material and introduce it to the next generation. Plot details will be familiar. (Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers commit suicide once they realize destiny plans to keep them apart, but “Gnomeo” has a less-disastrous ending.) While the bulk of Asbury’s vocal casting (James McAvoy, Emily Blunt) is spot-on, no choice is more inspired than the selection of Ozzy Osbourne. Any film that dares to cast the heavy-metal legend as a gentle, ceramic reindeer named Fawn is OK in our Bard book. Contains nothing objectionable.
“Gettysburg: Director’s Cut” (1993, Warner): This Blu-ray release marks the 150th-anniversary commemoration of the Civil War and includes a book, additional footage and commentary by director-screenwriter Ronald F. Maxwell, cinematographer Kees Van Oostrum, author James M. McPherson and historian Craig Symonds.
