• "Amelia": Hilary Swank plays pioneering aviator and women's-rights advocate Amelia Earhart, who disappeared while trying to fly around the world in 1937. Glossy and superficial. Too much on Earhart's romance with her hubby (Richard Gere). — R. Myers. (PG) 1 hr., 51 min.

    C-

  • "Antichrist": In Lars von Trier's psychosexual thriller, a grieving couple's (Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg) dark side surfaces after they retreat to their isolated cabin to deal with the death of their son. (NR) Not reviewed.

  • "Astro Boy": Like "Pinocchio," this forgettable animated futuristic tale follows a superpowered young robot who yearns for acceptance as he does the hero thing. Voices by Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage and Charlize Theron. Could be funnier and more moving. — C. Lemire. (PG) 1 hr., 30 min.

    C

  • "Big Fan": Comedian Patton Oswalt plays an obsessed New York Giants fan whose nasty encounter with a star player ends in a violent act whose repercussions touch him, his family, the team and the media. Dark wit, solid acting. — S. Rea. (R) 1 hr., 25 min.

    B

  • "Bright Star": Jane Campion directed and wrote this sumptuous drama about the three-year romance between 19th-century poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw) and high-fashion student Fanny Brawne (Abby Cornish). Impeccable acting. — R. Myers. (PG) 1 hr., 59 min.

    B+

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    "CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY": Documentarian Michael Moore looks into the crash of the economy, showing how the pursuit of private ownership as been exploited by a tiny group of extremely wealthy, morally bankrupt Americans. Entertaining, humorous call for action. — R. Myers. (R) 2 hrs., 7 min.

    B+

  • "CIRQUE DU FREAK:

    THE VAMPIRE'S ASSISTANT": Newly undead, a teenage boy joins a sideshow with freaks and bizarre beings and becomes a pawn between warring vampire groups. Starring John C. Reilly and Chris Massoglia. "Twilight"-lite. Not silly enough. — R. Moore. (PG-13) 1 hr., 47 min.

    C

  • "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs": Animated comedy set in a world where giant pancakes and pasta drop from the sky and overload cities as a scientist tries to solve world hunger. A delight. Voice talent includes Bill Hader, Anna Faris. — R. Moore. (PG) 1 hr., 21 min.

    B+

  • "Coco Before Chanel": Audrey Tautou plays Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, the legendary couturier who embodied the modern woman. With a keen eye for appearances but not a lot of passion or insight, the film covers her formative years. In French. — C. Lemire. (PG-13) 1 hr., 50 mins.

    C+

  • "COUPLES RETREAT": Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Malin Ackerman, Kristin Davis, Kristen Bell and Faizon Love star in a sputtering, sporadically amusing misfire about four bland Midwestern couples who embark on a journey to a resort on Bora Bora. — R. Moore. (PG-13) 1 hr., 53 min.

    D

  • "The Damned United": Successful but abrasive soccer manager Brian Clough (Michael Sheen, of "Frost/Nixon") takes over England's reigning football champion for 44 days in the early '70s. Strong character study. — C. Lemire. (R) 1 hr., 38 min.

    B+

  • "An Education": One of the year's best. Carey Mulligan sparkles as a suburban teen introduced to culture and fashion by a charming thirtysomething man (Peter Sarsgaard) in 1961 London. The ecstasy and heartbreak stay with you. — C. Lemire. (NR) 1 hr., 35 min.

    A

  • "Good Hair": Chris Rock travels the world to find out how hairstyles influence the activities, wallets, sexual relationships and self-esteem of the black community. Strong mix of humor, heartbreak. Rock's hot. — A. Hornaaday. (PG-13) 1 hr., 35 min.

    B+

  • "INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS": Quentin Tarantino directs Brad Pitt as an officer leading a group of Jewish soldiers against the Third Reich in Nazi-occupied France. A "brawny, rollicking mash-up." — R. Myers. (R) 2 hrs., 33 min.

    A-

  • "The Invention of Lying": Ricky Gervais plays the only person in the world who can tell a lie. He uses this to advance his career and love life. Droll, thoughtful comedy, with Jennifer Garner. — R. Moore. (PG-13) 1 hr., 40 mins.

    B

  • "Law Abiding Citizen": A prosecutor (Jamie Foxx) engages in a cat-and-mouse game with a brilliant sociopath (Gerard Butler) orchestrating a string of murders for revenge. Preposterous. Sinks in cynicism. — R. Moore. (R) 1 hr., 47 min.

    D

  • "New York, I Love You": Ten directors — including Mira Nair, Natalie Portman and Brett Ratner — create linked vignettes that nail the serendipitous nature of love, New York-style. Most work. Ensemble includes Shia LaBeouf, Julie Christie, Blake Lively. — E. Abeel. (R) 1 hr., 50 min.

    B

  • "Ong Bak 2:

    THE BEGINNING": His parents murdered, a young noble is tossed in the streets, captured and trained by thieves, becomes their leader and seeks vengeance for his parents' deaths. Tony Jaa stars. Great fight scenes, little else. In Thai. — C. Darling. (R) 1 hr., 38 min.

    C+

  • "PARANORMAL ACTIVITY": A couple put surveillance cameras in their new home to see if eerie things are happening or if the wife just has an overactive imagination. The surprisingly potent chiller, reportedly made for $15,000, is consistently creepy. — B. Sharkey. (R) 1 hr., 39 min.

    B

  • "Paris": Three interwoven stories of love, romance and life's wonders. Too many story lines but fine cast headed by Juliette Binoche, Romain Duris. In French. — S. Linden. (NR) 2 hrs., 4 min.

    B

  • "A SERIOUS MAN": The Coen brothers use the tale of a quiet physics professor at a Midwestern university whose wife has decided to leave him to create "a slapstick meditation on divine intent, human learning and the consolation of faith in an unfair, unpredictable universe." Technically flawless. — C. Covert. (R) 1 hr., 45 min.

    A

  • "Saw VI": Jigsaw (Tobin Bell)'s sadistic machinations linger as two FBI profilers are called in to help a local detective, and a SWAT officer is abducted. More torture porn, excruciating but not scary. Perfunctory acting. — R. Moore. (R) 1 hr., 33 min.

    D

  • "The Stepfather": Inept remake of the creepy 1987 thriller. Dylan Walsh ("Nip/Tuck") plays the nasty stepdad. Some suspense, no mystery. — R. Moore. (PG-13) 1 hr., 40 min.

    D

  • "This Is It": Using footage shot during rehearsals for Michael Jackson's "This Is It" concerts, director Kenny Ortega gives fans a sense of what might have been. Raw, unvarnished, oft-fascinating look at creating the magic for a mega-tour. Rare glimpse of Jackson at work behind the scenes. — C. McCollum. (PG) 1 hr., 51 min.

    B

  • "Toy Story & Toy Story 2 — DOUBLE FEATURE": Woody and Buzz, together again, in 3-D. The 1995 and 1999 computer-animated comedies, two of Pixar's best, look fabulous. — R. Moore. (G) 3 hrs.

    A

  • "Where the Wild Things Are": Director Spike Jonze's version of the Maurice Sendak classic about Max, a young boy who feels misunderstood at home and flees to a land where strange and mysterious creatures roam. "A literary diamond, simple in design, brilliant in presentation." — R. Bentley. (PG) 1 hr., 42 min.

    A

  • "Zombieland": Zombies have taken over the world and Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg fight them. Funniest zombie movie since "Shaun of the Dead." — R. Moore. (R) 1 hr., 30 min.

    B+

    The following movies are scheduled to open today in the Bay Area.
  • "Beaches of Agnes" (NR): The documentary/memoir from noted French filmmaker Agnes Varda weaves together footage from her work, old photos and interviews with some of those she worked with, including Jean-Luc Godard and Alain Resnais. In French with English subtitles.
  • "bronson" (R): Documentary about Michael Peterson, who adopted the celebrity alter ego Charles Bronson while spending more than 34 years in prison for committing, at age 19, an armed robbery that netted less than $50.
  • "The Canyon" (R): A thriller about a honeymooning couple whose trip to the Grand Canyon is turned into a nightmare by a mysterious guide.
  • "Gentlemen Broncos" (PG-13): A teen science-fiction writer has his story stolen by his idol, a celebrated sci-fi author. Directed and written by Jared Hess ("Napoleon Dynamite").
  • "Heart of Stone" (NR): A documentary about a principal who took over a high school run by gangs and turned it into one of the country's top college prep schools.
  • "The yes men fix the world" (NR): Documentary follows two men who masquerade as top execs for corporations they hate, to explore why we give big business so much power, market ethics and greed.