MOVIES - Jan. 10, 2010

Capsule reviews are by Kenneth Turan (K.Tu.), Betsy Sharkey (B.S.) and other reviewers. Compiled by Anthony Miller.

Openings

FRIDAY

44 Inch Chest A jealous husband and his friends kidnap his wife’s young lover, seeking retribution for his wounded ego. With Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, John Hurt, Tom Wilkinson, Stephen Dillane, Joanne Whalley and Melvil Poupaud. Directed by Malcolm Venville. (1:35) R.

The Book of Eli In the not-too-distant future, across the wasteland of what was once America, a lone warrior must fight to bring civilization the knowledge that could be the key to its redemption. With Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson and Jennifer Beals. Written by Gary Whitta and Anthony Peckham. Directed by Allen and Albert Hughes. (1:58) R.

Killing Kasztner An examination of the man who saved the lives of thousands of Jews by bargaining with Adolf Eichmann and was later accused of being a traitor by his own. With Zsuzsi Kasztner, Merav Michaeli and Ze’ev Eckstein. Directed by Gaylen Ross. (2:09) NR.

The Spy Next Door Bob Ho, an undercover CIA superspy, decides to give up his career in espionage to settle down with his next-door neighbor and girlfriend but must win over her three opinionated kids. With Jackie Chan, Amber Valletta, Madeline Carroll, Will Shadley, Alina Foley, Magnus Scheving, Billy Ray Cyrus and George Lopez. Written by Jonathan Bernstein and James Greer. Directed by Brian Levant. (1:32) PG.

Critics’ Choices

An Education Invariably funny and inexpressibly moving in the way it looks at a young girl’s journey from innocence to experience, this film does so many things so well, it’s difficult to know where to begin cataloging its virtues. What’s easy is knowing where you’ll end up, which is marveling like everyone else at the performance by Carey Mulligan that is the film’s irreplaceable centerpiece. (K.Tu., Oct. 16) (1:35) NR.

Avatar Think of “Avatar” as “The Jazz Singer” of 3-D filmmaking. Think of it as the most expensive and accomplished Saturday matinee movie ever made. Think of it as the ultimate James Cameron production. Whatever way you choose to look at it, “Avatar”’s shock and awe demand to be seen. You’ve never experienced anything like it, and neither has anyone else. (K.Tu., Dec. 17) Also in IMAX 3D. (2:30) PG-13.

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans Cold-blooded reptiles are lurking everywhere in this slick new noir, with snakes, iguanas, gators and especially Nicolas Cage at their slithering and cynical best. Cage is the bad cop who director Werner Herzog pushes into the deep bayou muck, human and otherwise, that Hurricane Katrina has left behind. The filmmaker has done well by noir too, giving us exactly what he should -- crime, corruption, sarcasm, sex, sleaze and shadows all through the glass darkly. (B.S., Nov. 20) (2:01) R.

Broken Embraces Something almost magical happens whenever actress Penélope Cruz and filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar work together, and so it is with “Broken Embraces,” a twisted tale of love, death and a badly edited film. The writer-director is up to his old tricks, creating an onion of an experience -- a movie within a movie within a movie. Cruz’s performance is just as complex. And the moral of this story? Whatever else you do, never mess with the director’s cut. (B.S., Dec. 11) In Spanish with English Subtitles. (2:09) R.

Crazy Heart There’s a powerful symmetry at work here, a parallel between protagonist Bad Blake, a country singer whose entire life has led him to a nadir of disintegration, and star Jeff Bridges, whose exceptional film choices have put him at the height of his powers just in time to make Mr. Blake the capstone role of his career. (K.Tu., Dec. 16) (1:52) R.

Four Seasons Lodge How does life go on, where does it go, when a person has had to confront the worst of existence? Inspirational in unexpected ways, “Four Seasons Lodge” provides answers to those eternal questions, bringing a vibrant perspective to the resilience of the human spirit with its documentary portrait of a Catskills bungalow colony run by and for Holocaust survivors. (K.Tu., Dec. 11) (1:37) NR.

Good Hair Chris Rock tries to untangle a question posed by his young daughter: “Daddy, why don’t I have good hair?” The result is an amusing, poignant and surprisingly candid look at the issues and implications tied to “black” hair -- as in ethnic -- with a disarming Rock coaxing answers and opinions from an eclectic cross-section of African Americans who spend billions to process and weave their way to straightness. With Rock as our tour guide, the film weaves as much comedy as fact into the narrative, making the experience a satisfying entertainment even for the lucky few who have no hair cares at all. (B.S., Oct. 16) (1:35) PG-13.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Heath Ledger’s last project is a film as unusual and idiosyncratic as its one-of-a-kind title. You’d expect no less from Terry Gilliam, and admirers of this singular filmmaker will be happy to know that “Imaginarium” is his most original and accessible work in years. (K.Tu., Dec. 25) (2:02) PG-13.

Invictus Blending entertainment, social message and history lesson, director Clint Eastwood’s latest film focuses on one particular moment in history, when South Africa’s newly elected leader Nelson Mandela, played by Morgan Freeman, tried something so brazen, so risky, that his closest advisors were not only against it, but they also thought it was political suicide. (K.Tu., Dec. 11) (2:12) PG-13.

The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond A troubled woman with a difficult past, humidity that hangs like condemnation in the air and a drawl as thick as honey, if not always as sweet. That’s Tennessee Williams country, and it’s right where we find Bryce Dallas Howard’s Memphis heiress, Fisher Willow, in “The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond.” Like Fisher, the film is lovely, if flawed. Based on a never-produced screenplay Williams wrote in the late ‘50s, its characters are not fully fleshed to their breaking or boiling point, the playwright’s specialty. Still, director Jodie Markell’s first feature remains a film to savor, rich in ways that are all too rare today. Consider it a treasure of the unpolished sort. (B.S., Dec. 30) (1:42) PG-13.

The Messenger It would have been easy for this moving new drama that follows an Army casualty notification team as they tell families a loved one has died in combat to turn into a patriotic melodrama or a hopelessly somber tragedy. It is neither. Instead emotions are used sparingly with the director’s restraint allowing the marvelous central cast -- Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson and Samantha Morton -- to breathe, filling the silences with indelible characters whose humanity makes room for humor and hope as well. (B.S., Nov. 20) (1:45) R. Story on Page D1

Pirate Radio The new rock-saturated comedy that proves life’s better when it’s set to a ‘60s soundtrack, is, to borrow from the Stones, “a gas! gas! gas!” And borrow does it ever -- including from the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, Hendrix, the Who. nearly 60 cuts in all in what may be the coolest music video masquerading as a movie ever. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans and “Shaun of the Dead”’s Nick Frost lead a groovy ensemble in spinning this somewhat true, but mostly tall tale of Parliament’s fight to crush rock radio and the rogue broadcasters who went to sea to keep it afloat. (B. S., Nov. 13) (2:14) R.

Precious Nothing quite prepares you for the rough-cut diamond that is “Precious.” A rare blend of pure entertainment and dark social commentary, this shockingly raw, surprisingly irreverent and absolutely unforgettable story of an obese, illiterate, pregnant black Harlem teen named Precious is one that should not be missed. Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe is impressive as the 16-year-old, but it is the boldness of Mo’Nique’s performance as her soul-destroying nightmare of a mother that sweeps you away. (B.S., Nov. 6) (1:49) R.

The Princess and the Frog Go ahead and pucker up. Because long before “The Princess and the Frog” is over you’ll want to smooch the charming couple in this foot-stomping, smile-inducing, heart-warming animated twist on the old Brothers Grimm frog-prince fairy tale. Set in jazz age New Orleans, the film is a return to the lush, fluid beauty of hand-drawn animation. It’s an old-fashioned fairy tale set to music in the grand tradition of “Beauty and the Beast,” which is to say the neo-classic ‘90s brand of Disney animation. After so much computer-generated, motion-captured animation high-jinks, the film feels fresh -- a discovery, or a rediscovery, depending on your age. (B.S., Nov. 25) (1:35) G.

A Single Man We’re always looking for those performances that define an actor, where we can sit back and simply watch the talent soar. “A Single Man” is that film for Colin Firth, until now probably best known for his work in the “Bridget Jones” films. His portrayal of George, the single man in question, should change all that. Fashion designer Tom Ford has constructed an impressive directing debut out of Christopher Isherwood’s dark novel, with our tragedy beginning on the day George has determined will be his last. (B.S., Dec. 11) (1:39) NR.

Up In The Air Director/co-writer Jason Reitman makes it look easy. In this comic drama about a road warrior played by George Clooney, he blends entertainment and insight, comedy and poignancy, even drama and reality, things that are difficult by themselves but a whole lot harder in combination. This film does all that and never seems to break a sweat. (K.Tu., Dec. 4) (1:49) R.

The White Ribbon We don’t go to Michael Haneke films for comfort, but to gaze through a glass darkly. That vision -- tense, provocative and unnerving -- is on full display in “The White Ribbon,” which could be considered a culmination of this difficult director’s brilliant career. Set in an ordinary German village on the eve of World War I, the film looks at the children who would survive that war and grow into the generation that would bend to Hitler’s sway. History hovers over “White Ribbon” with the force of impending doom. These children will inherit this world of sin and sorrow and the consequences will be catastrophic. Whatever responsibility we might feel for future generations after seeing a cautionary tale like this one, well that’s just one of the questions Haneke leaves us to figure out. (B.S., Dec. 30) (2:24) R.

The Young Victoria Starring Emily Blunt as the 18-year-old queen of England circa 1837, the film is a rich pastiche of first love, teen empowerment, fabulous fashion and fate. Together with Rupert Friend as Prince Albert, as we follow them through courtship, coronation and just beyond, they create a couple you’ll want to see again. But until then, “The Young Victoria” is a great place to start. (B.S., Dec. 18) (1:44) PG.

Also in Theaters

2012 This new disaster film insists the world will end with both a bang and a whimper, the bang of undeniably impressive special effects and the whimper of inept writing and characterization. You pays your money, you takes your choice chances. (K.Tu., Nov. 13) (2:38) PG-13.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel Perhaps not since “The Godfather Part II” have we seen a sequel that matches the mastery of the film that came before it -- all the pathos, the brio, the epic sweep. the cheese balls. Indeed, “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” only builds on the wit, the whimsy and the shredding bass that was 2007’s “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” which turned them into 21st century pop sensations. Love is in the air this time around with a girl-group called the Chipettes. There are hijinks, lowjinks, and the Chipettes cover of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” you know “If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it?” is not to be missed. Seriously. (B.S., Dec. 23) (1:28) PG.

Armored A crew at an armored transport security firm risk their lives when they embark on a heist against their own company. With Matt Dillon, Jean Reno, Laurence Fishburne, Skeet Ulrich, Milo Ventimiglia, Fred Ward and Columbus Short. Written by James V. Simpson and Chris Parker. Directed by Nimrod Antal. (1:25) PG-13.

Bitch Slap In this throwback to the B-movie/exploitation genres of the ‘50s through the ‘70s, three bad girls attempt to extort and steal $200 Million in diamonds from a ruthless underworld kingpin at a remote desert hideaway. With Julia Voth, Erin Cummings, America Olivo, Michael Hurst, Lucy Lawless and Kevin Sorbo. Written by Eric Gruendemann and Rick Jacobson. Directed by Jacobson. (1:44) R.

The Blind Side Watching “The Blind Side” is like watching your favorite football team; you’ll cheer when things go well, curse when they don’t, and be reminded that in football, as in life, it’s how you play the game that counts -- though winning doesn’t hurt either. Based on the remarkable true story of Baltimore Ravens tackle Michael Oher, the movie stars Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy. She’s a spitfire of a mom, and it’s the kind of role Hollywood should have given the actress ages ago. In the end, this is Bullock’s movie. (B.S., Oct. 20) (2:06) PG-13.

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day Troy Duffy went from a bartending screenwriter to Harvey Weinstein’s golden boy with “The Boondock Saints.” His resulting bad-behavior flameout in Hollywood was turned into a cautionary documentary (“Overnight”). But the best revenge is a fan base. Now, 10 years later, Duffy has reemerged with a sequel. Time may have healed some of Duffy’s wounds, but it hasn’t made him a better Tarantino knockoff. (Robert Abele, Oct. 30) (1:57) R.

The Box Here’s the setup for the sluggish new sci-fi flick from “Donnie Darko” creator Richard Kelly: Mysterious stranger drops off box, there’s a button to push, a million dollars to collect. Oh, and someone dies. Big dilemmas, big bore. What the plot doesn’t decimate, the film’s pacing does. It’s as if stars Cameron Diaz and James Marsden as a financially strapped couple were on a 10-second delay. Sadly, this is one box that’s not worth picking up off the porch, much less opening, not even for a million dollars. (B.S., Nov. 6) (1:55) PG-13.

Brothers Director Jim Sheridan sets the table early on for everything that will unfold in “Brothers.” It’s a last supper of sorts for the Cahill family, featuring Tobey Maguire as older brother Sam, a Marine captain returning to Afghanistan, and Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal), younger by a few years, a roguish reprobate just out of jail. Though Sam’s war experiences will sear and shred the Cahills, family dynamics will actually be the main course with old fights and simmering resentments served alongside rolls and the rest. Unfortunately, the film goes about as badly as the dinner, overcooked or underdone, depending on the scene. (B.S., Dec. 4) (1:50) R.

Coco Before Chanel For someone who was as celebrated internationally as France’s Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, the woman who changed the shape of 20th century fashion, not that much is known for sure about her formative years. Though Chanel’s reticence may sound like a barrier to filmmakers, it stimulated co-writer and director Fontaine and star Tautou, who’ve combined to turn “Coco Before Chanel” into a superior filmed biography that brings intelligence, restraint and style to what could have been a more standard treatment. “I know how to express the present,” Chanel liked to say, and showing us just how that expression took form and shape is the accomplishment of this satisfying film. (K.Tu., Sept. 25) In French with English subtitles. (1:50) PG-13.

Creation Based on “Annie’s Box,” a biography penned by Darwin’s great-great-grandson Randal Keynes using personal letters and diaries of the Darwin family, this film takes an unique and inside look at Darwin, his family and his love for his deeply religious wife. With Paul Bettany, Jennifer Connelly, Jeremy Northam and Toby Jones. Directed by John Amiel. (1:48) NR.

Daybreakers Humans have become an endangered species, hunted and forced into hiding after a mysterious plague transforms the majority of the world’s population into vampires. With Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Claudia Karvan, Michael Dorman, and Sam Neil, Vince Colosimo and Isabel Lucas. Written and directed by Michael and Peter Spierig. (1:38) R.

Did You Hear About the Morgans? So here’s a question for the Feds whose witness protection program takes care of Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker, the couple on the edge of divorce in “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” What about the rest of us? We could have used some protection here too from this cliche-riddled romantic comedy. Grant has never been less charming and Parker never less fashionable or more grating than they are as Paul and Meryl Morgan, a hot-shot Manhattan couple split apart by Paul’s one-nighter in L.A. I’ve got news for them -- infidelity is the least of their problems. (B.S., Dec. 18) (1:43) PG-13.

Disney’s A Christmas Carol is Robert Zemeckis’ exasperating re-imagining of the Dickens classic as a 3-D action-thriller zooming through the fever dreams of Scrooge. The “It’s better to give than receive” moral is mostly lost in the special effects and there are Jim Carrey’s theatrics to weather. The actor voices eight characters, including Scrooge and the three ghosts who haunt him. By the time Zemeckis finishes piling the shiny presents with all their bells and whistles with under the tree, there’s no room left for tears for Tiny Tim. Bah humbug. (B.S., Nov. 6) (1:16) PG.

Everybody’s Fine In this remake of Giuseppe Tornatore’s “Stanno Tutti Bene,” a widower embarks on an impromptu road trip to reconnect with each of his grown children. With Robert DeNiro, Kate Beckinsale, Drew Barrymore and Sam Rockwell. Written and directed by Kirk Jones. (1:35) PG-13.

Fall Down Dead On Christmas Eve, a single mother becomes trapped inside a building with a serial killer who considers his mutilated victims to be works of art with only a bumbling security guard to protect her. With Dominique Swain, Udo Kier, David Carradine, R. Keith Harris and Mehmet Gunsur. Directed by Jon Keeyes. (1:33) R.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox With George Clooney and Meryl Streep as the most urbane couple in the vulpine world, this adaptation of the much-loved Roald Dahl novel animates not only forest animals but the career of director Wes Anderson. (K.Tu., Nov. 13) (1:28) PG.

The Fourth Kind The vogue for verit? spooks continues with “The Fourth Kind,” but unlike the understated stylistic rigor of “Paranormal Activity,” this alien abduction showpiece about unexplained events in Nome, Alaska, doth protest its bona fides too much. Presented as a cinematic re-creation of traumatic, mysterious occurrences surrounding sleep-deprived patients of psychologist Abigail Tyler (Milla Jovovich), writer-director Olatunde Osunsanmi attempts an Orson Welles-like confluence of “real” and imagined that might have worked had he gotten out of the way more, literally and figuratively. (Robert Abele, Nov. 6) (1:38). PG-13.

Gigante In his feature debut, Adrián Biniez could easily be setting in motion a familiar, suspenseful stalker thriller, but thankfully he is much more concerned with exploring the workings of the human heart with a touch of wistfulness and a dash of humor. As unpretentious as it is perceptive, “Gigante” is a gem. (Kevin Thomas, Jan. 1)

Home A boisterous middle-class family enjoys everyday life in a simple house that lies on a lush, grassy field next to an abandoned highway until it is threatened by construction on the highway. With Isabelle Huppert and Olivier Gourmet. Directed by Ursula Meier. (1:35) NR.

It’s Complicated The problem with this romantic comedy about the menopausal crowd starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, is that it’s not nearly complicated enough. The film is the latest from writer/director Nancy Meyers, who has been working through her issues on screen for at least 20 years, starting with “Baby Boom” in 1987 through “Something’s Gotta Give” in 2003. But the vulnerability and smartness, as well as the funny with which she infused those earlier films, are harder to find here. Instead she’s given us her thinnest slice of comic relationship angst yet, proving, I guess, that you actually can be too thin. (B.S., Dec. 25) (1:58) R.

La Danse Bodies in motion tend to remain in motion, but almost never with the heart-stirring beauty and grace on view in Frederick Wiseman’s exceptional portrait of the Paris Opera Ballet, “La Danse.” It’s a film that takes you inside the essence of dance in such an intense way that if you don’t already swoon over this art form, you’ll wonder what took you so long. To be so close to these performers is to understand what makes ballet such an elevated form of human activity. Choreographer Maurice Bejart defined a ballet dancer as “half nun, half boxer,” and it is the triumph of Wiseman’s method, and this film, that it shows exactly what Bejart meant. (K.Tu., Nov. 20) (2:38) NR.

Leap Year A woman follows her boyfriend to Ireland to ask him to marry her but complications arise when she is stranded and must enlist the help of a surly Irishman. With Amy Adams, Matthew Goode, Adam Scott and John Lithgow. Written by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan. Directed by Anand Tucker. (1:40) PG.

The Lovely Bones By turns warmly sentimental, serial-killer sinister and science-fiction fantastical, Alice Sebold’s novel was an unlikely book to achieve world-wide success. In Peter Jackson’s film version, those mismatched elements come back to haunt the story, so to speak, making the final product more hit and miss than unblemished triumph. (K.Tu., Dec. 11) (2:16) PG-13.

Me and Orson Welles A romantic coming-of-age story about a teenage actor who lucks into a role in “Julius Caesar” as reimagined by a young director named Orson Welles in New York City circa 1937. With Zac Efron, Claire Danes, Christian McKay and Ben Chaplin. Written by Holly Gent Palmo and Vincent Palmo, Jr. Directed by Richard Linklater. (1:49) PG-13.

The Men Who Stare at Goats A quirky comedic drama starring George Clooney about one of the strangest aspects of the modern American Army, a time when it was felt that the New Age techniques and beliefs could transform military practice. As the intertitle that begins the film puts it, “more of this is true than you would believe.” (K.Tu., Nov. 6) (1:33) R.

The Misfortunates Belgium’s entry in the Oscar Foreign Film category is a humorous tale of debauchery, pathos and growing up that finds hope and resurrection amid the moral depravity and lecherous behavior that a 13-year-old’s father and uncles indulge in daily. Based on the novel by Dimitri Verhulst. Directed by Felix van Groeningen. (1:48) NR.

My Son, My Son What Have Ye Done? Inspired by a true crime, a man begins to experience mystifying events that lead him to slay his mother with a sword. With Michael Shannon, Chloe Sevigny, Brad Dourif, Udo Kier, Verne Troyer and Willem Dafoe. Written by Werner Herzog and Herbert Golder. Directed by Herzog. (1:33) NR.

Nine is one of those films that couldn’t look better on paper. An all-star cast headlined by Daniel Day-Lewis, Pen?lope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench, and Fergie. There are so many Oscar, Tony and Grammy winners involved that the production should have literally glittered with all that gold. But in the end, nothing adds up. Perhaps “Zero” would have been a better title. (B.S., Dec. 18) (1:50) PG-13.

Ninja Assassin A young assassin on the run from the clan that trained him must team with an Europol agent to save both their lives. With Rain, Naomie Harris, Ben Miles and Rick Yune. Screenplay by Matthew Sand and J. Michael Straczynski. Directed by James McTeigue. (1:39) R.

Old Dogs Two best friends, an unlucky-in-love divorcee and a fun-loving bachelor, are unexpectedly charged with the care of six-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. With John Travolta, Robin Williams, Kelly Preston, Seth Green, Ella Bleu Travolta, Lori Loughlin and Matt Dillon. Written by David Diamond and David Weissman. Directed by Walt Becker. (1:28) PG.

Planet 51 The action in this kids flick takes place on an alternate-universe version of Earth where Shrek-green humanoids live out SoCal-accented happy days. When astronaut Chuck Baker (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) emerges from his lunar module, the little green people freak out. The premise is OK enough, even if it is like one of those old “Star Trek” episodes in which Kirk and crew would land on a planet whose culture was modeled on the Roman Empire or Chicago’s Gangland. If, as Chuck suggests, the ‘60s are about to take hold on Planet 51, we just hope someone writes a protest song about this movie. (Glenn Whipp, Nov. 20) (1:31) PG.

Police, Adjective A film that confounds expectations. It’s neither a conventional crime film nor a police drama. Rather its a gently subversive intellectual exercise, a philosophical jest wrapped in police procedural clothing that examines not just the scene of the crime but also the power of language and the use and abuse of words. (K.Tu., Dec. 23) In Romanian with subtitles. (1:55) NR.

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee A married woman leading a seemingly idyllic life embarks on a journey of self discovery after moving to a retirement community with her older husband and meets a younger acquaintance. With Robin Wright Penn, Alan Arkin, Blake Lively, Maria Bello, Keanu Reeves, Monica Bellucci, Julianne Moore and Winona Ryder. Written and directed by Rebecca Miller. (1:33) R.

Red Cliff Filled with wall-to-wall battle scenes, this old-fashioned action epic feels like the kind of movie director John Woo must have dreamed of when he was a child, a four-square endeavor where women are beautiful, men form manly bonds and warriors with six arrows in them walk around as if nothing happened. (K.Tu., Nov. 25) (2:28) R.

The Road Despite numerous strong areas, including fine acting by Viggo Mortensen and young Kodi Smit-McPhee as father-and-son survivors of an unnamed apocalypse, what we’ve been given is no more than a reasonable facsimile, an honorable attempt at filming Cormac McCarthy’s unfilmable book. (K.Tu., Nov. 25) (1:50) R.

Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year An impossible love story between a geek and college hottie. With Ranbir Kapoor, Shazahn Padamsee, Sharon Prabhakar, and Gauhar Khan. Written by Jaideep Sahni. Directed by Shimit Amin. In Hindi with English subtitles. (2:35) NR.

A Serious Man Writer-directors Joel and Ethan Coen have seized the opportunity afforded by the Oscar-winning success of their last film, “No Country for Old Men,” to make their most personal, most intensely Jewish film, a pitch-perfect comedy of despair that, against some odds, turns out to be one of their most universal as well. (K.Tu., Oct. 2) (1:45) R.

Serious Moonlight A Manhattan lawyer holds her husband captive when she arrives at her upstate country home to find him expecting a romantic weekend with his mistress. With Meg Ryan, Timothy Hutton, Kristen Bell and Justin Long. Written by Adrienne Shelly. Directed by Cheryl Hines. (1:24) R.

Sherlock Holmes Briskly directed by Guy Ritchie and starring an expert Robert Downey, Jr., this 21st-century look at the great Victorian detective has been tripped up by a series of misadventures that leave us wishing for the film that might have been. (K.Tu., Dec. 25) (2:09) PG-13.

That Evening Sun An aging Tennessee farmer returns home to confront betrayal, an old enemy and the loss of his farm. With Hal Holbrook, Barlow Jacobs, Mia Wasikowska, Carrie Preston, Ray McKinnon and Barry Corbin. Written and directed by Scott Teems. (1:50) PG-13.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon Constrained by the plot of the novel, this sequel keeps teen lovers Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson apart for quite a spell, robbing the project of the crazy-in-love energy that made “Twilight,” the first entry in the series, such a guilty pleasure. (K.Tu., Nov. 19) (2:10) PG-13.

Uncertainty With the flip of a coin, a copule is sent into two alternative realities, a drama about family and loss in Brooklyn and a tale of intrigue and suspense on the streets of Manhattan. With Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lynn Collins, Assumpta Serna and Olivia Thirby. Written and directed by Scott McGhee and David Siegel. (1:45) NR.

Under the Eightball In this documentary, the filmmaker investigates the cause of his beloved sister’s mysterious illness. Directed by Timothy Grey and Breanne Russell. NR.

The Vicious Kind A bitter construction worker’s life is turned upside down one Thanksgiving weekend. With J.K. Simmons, Adam Scott, Alex Frost and Brittany Snow. Written and directed by Lee Toland Krieger. (1:32) NR.

Wonderful World A folk-singing, compulsively marijuana-smoking divorced dad has his negative world views confirmed when his Senegalese roommate falls ill. With Matthew Broderick, Sanaa Lathan, Phillip Baker Hall, Michael Kenneth Williams, Jodelle Ferland and Ally Walker. Written and directed by Josh Goldin. (1:35) R.

Youth in Revolt A 14-year old attempts to lose his virginity to the girl of his dreams. With Michael Cera, Jean Smart, Ray Liotta, Steve Buscemi, M. Emmett Walsh, Justin Long, Mary Kay Place, Zach Galifinakis and Fred Willard. Screenplay by Gustin Nash, based on the novel by C.D. Payne. Directed by Miguel Arteta. (1:30) R.

All movies are in general release unless noted. Also included: the film’s running time and ratings. MPAA categories: (G) for general audiences; (PG) parental guidance urged because of material possibly unsuitable for children; (PG-13) parents are strongly cautioned to give guidance for attendance of children younger than 13; (R) restricted, younger than 17 admitted only with parent or adult guardian; (NC-17) no one 17 and younger admitted.