Reel Picks

0

Easy A (PG-13)

Emma Stone is wonderful as the outcast Olive, a virgin who creates a phony reputation as a sexually promiscuous hottie — inspired by Hawthorne, she embroiders red As on her tee-shirts — and becomes super cool. Good characters and cast: Patricia Clarkson, Stanley Tucci, Thomas Haden Church, Lisa Kudrow, Amanda Bynes, and Penn Badgley.

3.5 shells

Jackass (R)

The latest in a series designed for those to thrive on being grossed out. It is humor based on regurgitating (literally) all the components of low and no taste.

1.5 shells

Paranormal Activity 2 (R)

Serious nightmare potential. Suburban couple. New house. Demonic things going bump in the night. (Some theaters in Texas pulled the promotional trailer, claiming it was too frightening.)

3 shells

Red (PG-13)

It’s the AARP version of a slam-bam action flick. Retired CIA agents, framed for an assassination, have to break into a secret CIA headquarters and stop a plot to bring down the government. It’s a blast — with Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Mary-Louise Parker, Richard Dreyfuss.

3 shells

The Social Network (PG-13)

Everything works wonderfully in this compelling film written by Aaron Sorkin, directed by David Fincher, about Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) and Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) as they create Facebook in 2003. Flashbacks deal with the lawsuits with Harvard and Saverin as Zuckerberg hooks up with Napster co-founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), who brings the site to its mega status.

5 shells

The Town (R)

Ben Affleck (bank robber). Jon Hamm (FBI). Boston (the tightly knit ‘hood of Charlestown). Romance (Rebecca Hall). Loyalty and betrayal. Powerful.

4.5 shells.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (PG-13)

Oliver Stone’s tense sequel is set in 2008, after the world economy has tanked. After eight years in prison, Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas, an Oscar winner for this role in ’87) slowly plots to get back in on the double-dealing action while nice guy trader Jake (Shia LaBeouf), about to marry Gekko’s estranged daughter Winnie (Carey Mulligan), has his own agenda. With Susan Sarandon, Josh Brolin, Eli Wallach, Frank Langella. Here’s to greed and excess.

3 shells

These reviews are based on a consensus of published ratings.