Iron Man (PG-13) 2:30, 3:00, 6:30, 7:00; also Fri/Sat/Sun at 11:30 a.m., 12:00 and Fri/Sat at 9:15, 9:45
From Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures comes Iron Man, an
action-packed take on the tale of wealthy philanthropist Tony Stark
(Robert Downey Jr.), who develops an invulnerable robotic suit to fight
the throes of evil. In addition to being filthy rich, billionaire
industrialist Tony Stark is also a genius inventor. When Stark is
kidnapped and forced to build a diabolical weapon, he instead uses his
intelligence and ingenuity to construct an indestructible suit of armor
and escape his captors. Once free, Stark discovers a deadly conspiracy
that could destabilize the entire globe, and dons his powerful new suit
on a mission to stop the villains and save the world. Gwyneth Paltrow
co-stars as his secretary, Virginia "Pepper" Potts, while Terrence
Howard fills the role of Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes, one of Stark's
colleagues, whose military background leads him to help in the
formation of the suit. Jon Favreau directs, with Marvel movie veterans
Avi Arad and Kevin Feige producing.
Made of Honor (PG-13) 2:50, 5:05, 7:30; also 12:20 and Fri/Sat at 9:55
Patrick Dempsey stars as a rich entrepreneur (he invented the coffee sleeve) who has it all, including a best friend (Michelle Monaghan) who understands him for what he is. But when she threatens to walk down the aisle with her newfound Scottish sweetheart (Kevin McKidd), our hero determines that he must sabotage her plans. This is one of those formula-driven romantic comedies where the audience realizes it won’t be much fun watching the main character get his way, nor will it be much fun watching him get his comeuppance. PG-13. 1:41. 1-1/2 stars.
Baby Mama (PG-13) 2:25, 4:35, 6:50; also Fri/Sat/Sun at 12:10 and Fri/Sat at 9:20
Unable to conceive on her own, Kate (Tina Fey) scores a “baby mama” (Amy Poehler) who is pure white trash and has an ill-defined New Age streak. The prospect of a comedy built around “Saturday Night Live”-trained comic actresses Fey and Poehler sounds tasty enough, but every moment of this project feels beat-driven, focus-grouped and designed to package Fey as a viable movie star. PG-13. 1:36. 2 stars.
Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (R) 2:10, 4:40, 7:10; also Fri/Sat/Sun at 11:40 a.m. and Fri/Sat at 9:40
The 2004 comedy “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” got by on a mixture of toilet jokes, gratuitous nudity and Neil Patrick Harris as himself. Crass? Yes. But there was a merry spirit to it all. A far more strident crassness pervades this sequel. Roommates Harold and Kumar set off for Amsterdam, but on the plane, when Kumar’s homemade bong is mistaken for a bomb, off to Gitmo! You’ll find yourself smiling at some of the bits and wincing through many, many others. R. 1:42. 2 stars.
The Forbidden Kingdom (PG-13) 4:45, 7:15; also Fri/Sat at 9:35
This film marks Jet Li and Jackie Chan’s long-anticipated first onscreen pairing, which unfortunately comes late in their careers. Once the film finally puts these justly revered figures in their element, with Li and Chan battling for supremacy in a crumbling shrine, the film becomes magical. Unfortunately, it’s a long, eye-rolling haul to get there, hampered by lurching exposition and hammy setup. PG-13. 1:53. 2 stars.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (R) 2:20, 4:50, 7:20; also Fri/Sat/Sun at 11:50 a.m. and Fri/Sat at 9:50
This funny raunchmantic comedy written by and starring Jason Segel (of the film “Knocked Up” and TV’s “How I Met Your Mother) is a post-breakup chronicle of woe and, ultimately, happiness. Segel plays a pathetic whiner travels to Oahu for a vacation only to run smack into his ex (Kristen Bell). First-time director Nicholas Stoller’s film, produced by Judd Apatow, is full of sharp laughs and has a heart to go with its comic nerve. R. 1:52. 3-1/2 stars.
Nim’s Island (PG) 2:40. also Fri/Sat/Sun at 12:30
Abigail Breslin (”Little Miss Sunshine”) plays Nim, an independent 11-year-old living with her microbiologist dad on an uncharted island. When dad is lost at sea, Nim looks to her favorite Indiana Jones-type adventure writer for help, only to find an agoraphobic author (Jodie Foster). It’s a fun story with a playful, creative sense of the relationship between fiction and reality. But clunky, overwrought performances make the film’s “real world” less compelling than its fantasy side. PG. 1:36. 3 stars
