Alpha and Omega (PG)
Animated tale of two anthropomorphic wolves, the bossy Kate (Alpha) and good-time Humphrey (Omega), who are trying to get home where rival packs threaten war. Yeah, but we don’t really care.
2 shells
The American (R)
Weary but effective American assassin (George Clooney) retreats to a small Italian village and finds romance and friendship — a risk for someone in his line of work.
3 shells
Devil (PG-13)
Five bickering strangers — one being the Devil — are trapped in an elevator on the 21st floor of a Philly high-rise while two security guards watch the blood-letting on closed circuit. Claustrophobic. Yeah, but we don’t really care.
2 shells.
Easy A (PG-13)
Hilarious satire. 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. Great characters, great cast: Patricia Clarkson, Stanley Tucci, Thomas Haden Church, Lisa Kudrow, Amanda Bynes, and Penn Badgley.
4.5 shells
Get Low (PG-13)
Sensitive, funny down-home tale. Stunning portrayal by Robert Duvall, as a hermit who comes out of hiding after 40 years and learns what townsfolk think of him by staging his own funeral. Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek. Brilliant.
5 shells
The Girl Who Played with Fire (R)
Goth computer hacker Lisbeth (Noomi Rapace), seeks revenge in Stieg Larsson’s second in unrelentingly grisly Swedish trilogy. Waaay over the top.
2.5 shells
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (PG)
A visually spectacular 3-D battle to rescue all owls from genocide by the evil Arians, the so-called Pure Ones. Mythical gladiator-costumed owls take on a violent, terror-filled struggle to survive. We don’t know about the kids, but we’re covering our eyes.
1.5 shells
Machete (R)
Against all odds and common sense, this mish-mash of every schlock action movie is actually entertaining. Machete (Danny Trejo), a Mexican federale is left for dead and his family murdered by drug lord Torrez (Steven Seagal). He becomes an illegal laborer, working in Austin, Texas, but gets involved in political intrigue and winds up exacting revenge. With Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Jeff Fahey, and Lindsay Lohan.
3.5 shells
The Secret in Their Eyes (R)
Winner of the 2010 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language. Retired criminal investigator Benjamin (Ricardo Darin) and Judge Irene (Soledad Villamil), once involved in a brutal murder case, meet again, and through flashbacks, their history is revealed.
4.5 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.
