Movies: NEW THIS WEEK

“Cadillac Records”

C Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright and Beyonce Knowles star in the story of Chess Records, the label dubiously run by Leonard Chess that made history by bringing black artists, including Etta James, Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters, to white turntables. This is a competent but misshapen movie that whitewashes some of the more interesting parts of the story. (Roger Moore, McClatchy/Tribune) Rated R (pervasive language and some sexuality). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 49 minutes.

“A Christmas Tale”

B+ Catherine Deneuve stars as a woman dying of liver cancer and considering a bone marrow transplant that could also kill her. At Christmas, there’s a reunion with her large family, including some who are possible donors. Her serenity prevents the film from being a procession into dirgeland, and in fact, director Arnaud Desplechin sometimes works with a wink. (Roger Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Not rated. At Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema. 2 hours, 31 minutes.

“Nobel Son”

B Alan Rickman plays a Nobel Prize-winning chemist who is an unloved, egomaniacal, self-preening, heartless S.O.B. After the prize is announced, his son (Bryan Greenberg) is kidnapped, and the ransom demand is his $2 million prize money. A thriller comedy with a devious plot and funny performances. Also starring Mary Steenburgen, Shawn Hatosy, Bill Pullman, Danny DeVito and Eliza Dushku as a sexy poet named City Hall. (Roger Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Rated R (some violent, grusome images, language and sexuality). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 50 minutes.

“Punisher: War Zone”

C In a city populated only by the good guys and the bad guys, most of the bad guys are dead at the end, as the Punisher (Ray Stevenson) wreaks his vengeance and Jigsaw (Dominic West) survives an interlude in a glass-crusher. A very well-made film, wall to wall with F/X violence. Its major flaw is that it’s disgusting. (Roger Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Rated R (pervasive, strong, brutal violence, language and some drug use). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 41 minutes.

PARENTS GUIDE The graphic violence includes impalement, much spurting blood and an implied beheading. There is profanity, sexual slang, drug use and a captive child shown with a gun to her head. Still, a pretty good crime thriller for high-schoolers 17 and up who like the gory genre.

“Slumdog Millionaire”

A Bridges the two Indias, cutting between poverty and the Indian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” The story of an orphan born into a brutal early existence. A petty thief, impostor and survivor, he improvises his way up through the world and remembers everything he has learned. A miraculous entertainment by Danny Boyle, winner of the Audience Award at Toronto 2008. (Roger Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Rated R (some violence, disturbing images and violence). At Regal Tara. 1 hour, 56 minutes.

“Stranded: I’ve Come From a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains”

A Can you call a movie “feel-good” if it includes an aviation disaster, a deadly avalanche and human cannibalism? That’s the paradox of this exhilarating documentary that aims for memorializing, rather than dramatizing, the 1972 ordeal of 16 Uruguayan rugby players marooned high in the Andes for 72 days. You come out blinking in the sunlight, moved to tears by the eerie bonds between the survivors. (Ty Burr, Boston Globe) Unrated (includes graphic descriptions of cannibalism). At Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema. 2 hours, 6 minutes.

STILL SHOWING

“Appaloosa”

B+ In his second directing gig (after “Pollock”), Ed Harris stars with Viggo Mortensen as compadres trying to save a town from an evil rancher (Jeremy Irons). Critic Roger Ebert says it reminds him of “Lonesome Dove.” Rated R (some violence and language). At South DeKalb Stadium. 1 hour, 55 minutes.

“Australia”

B An Australian “Gone With the Wind,” a sweeping romantic melodrama and broad family entertainment. With Nicole Kidman as a British society figure, Hugh Jackman as rough-hewn cattle drover, and Brandon Walters wonderful as the young Aborigine who narrates. Gorgeous film, strong performances, exhilarating images, a powerful but sometimes uncertain consideration about Australian racism. (Roger Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Rated PG-13 (some violence, a scene of sensuality and brief strong language). At metro theaters. 2 hours, 45 minutes.

“Beverly Hills Chihuahua”

C Because pocket-size dogs with animated mouths speaking with stereotypical barrio accents are hilarious. Yeah, whatever. Roger Moore of McClatchy/Tribune says it’s a too chatty, too plot-driven chew-toy. Rated PG (some mild thematic elements). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 29 minutes.

“Body of Lies”

B Ridley Scott (“Gladiator,” “Black Hawk Down”) directs Leonardo DiCaprio in the tale of a CIA operative who may not be getting the information he needs from his superior (Russell Crowe). Critic Roger Ebert says the film has some elements you can believe, but too much is implausible. Rated R (strong violence, including some torture and language). At Mansell Crossing 14. 2 hours, 9 minutes.

“Bolt”

B+ Bolt (voiced by John Travolta), who doesn’t realize he only plays a superdog on television, gets lost and must travel cross-country to get home. One of his companions on the trip is the hamster Rhino (Mark Walton), a devoted fan of Bolt’s TV show. This may be the best animated movie since “The Incredibles.” (Robert W. Butler,McClatchy/Tribune) Rated PG (some mild action and peril). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 30 minutes.

“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”

A A German 8-year-old may not know what goes on at the “farm” his SS soldier father is running, but that doesn’t stop him from befriending a young boy wearing “striped pajamas,” who works there. This is the most heartbreaking film about the Holocaust since “Schindler’s List.” (Roger Moore, McClatchy/Tribune) Rated PG-13 (mature thematic material involving the Holocaust). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 33 minutes.

“Burn After Reading”

B A dark, violent —- and, in other words, completely typical —- Coen brothers comedy, in which George Clooney and Frances McDormand’s affair is complicated by Russian spies, a dim gym rat, a disgruntled ex-CIA man and a private detective. (Stephen Whitty, Newhouse News Service) Rated R (strong language, violence and sexual situations). At Barrett Commons 24. 1 hour, 35 minutes.

“Changeling”

A- Clint Eastwood’s film made me feel sympathy, and then anger, and then back around again. It’s the factual account of a mother whose boy disappeared, and of a corrupt LAPD running wild. Angelina Jolie stars as the mother, John Malkovich plays a crusading reformer, and Jason Butler Harner is riveting as the serial killer. (Roger Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Rated R (violence, language). At metro theaters. 2 hours, 20 minutes.

“City of Ember”

B+ The tale of an underground city, and the two kids who try to save it when its power grid starts to falter. Critic Roger Moore says “City of Ember” is good enough to turn on a new generation of sci-fi fans to the glories of movie dystopias. Rated PG (mild peril and some thematic elements). At Picture Show at Merchants Exchange and Venture Value Cinemas. 1 hour, 32 minutes

“The Dark Knight”

A Batman isn’t a comic book anymore. Director Christopher Nolan’s haunted film leaps beyond its origins and becomes an engrossing tragedy. The key performance in the movie is by the late Heath Ledger, as the Joker. (Roger Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Rated PG-13 (intense sequences of violence and some menace). At metro theaters. 2 hours, 32 minutes.

“The Duchess”

B Keira Knightley plays Georgiana, duchess of Devonshire. Princess Diana’s 18th-century ancestor, Georgie-girl was a fashion icon and public figure in her own day. Critic Roger Ebert says it is about hard realists, constrained in a stifling system. Rated PG-13 (sexual content, brief nudity and thematic material). At Riverdale Stadium and Picture Show at Merchants Exchange.

“Eagle Eye”

C+ Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan play strangers forced to follow the commands of a mysterious woman, only to realize they’re being framed as terrorists. Roger Moore of McClatchy/Tribune says the overloaded thriller is cluttered and derivative. Rated PG-13 (intense sequences of action and violence, and for language). At Barrett Commons 24 and Regal Georgian Stadium. 1 hour, 48 minutes.

“Fireproof”

Not screened for review. On the verge of a divorce, a firefighter and his wife are challenged by his father to try a 40-day experiment called “the Love Dare.” Starring Kirk Cameron and Erin Bethea. Rated PG (thematic material and some peril). At metro theaters. 2 hours, 2 minutes.

“Four Christmases”

C Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn lead a stellar cast through four lackluster holiday vignettes, each a visit to the homes of the couple’s divorced parents. There are big enough laughs to make it marginally better than last year’s holiday movie crop, but “A Christmas Story” it’s not. (Roger Moore, McClatchy/Tribune) Rated PG-13 (some sexual humor and language). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 30 minutes.

“High School Musical 3: Senior Year.”

B Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale demand that your children spend their allowance on this. Resistance is futile. Critic Roger Moore says the Disney musical is wholesome and chaste to a fault, with forgettably catchy tunes and crackerjack choreography. Rated G. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 40 minutes.

“Lakeview Terrace”

A Samuel L. Jackson plays a black cop who makes life hell for an interracial couple who move in next door. Director Neil LaBute once again makes a film that challenges audiences to make moral decisions about the characters. (Robert Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Rated PG-13 (intense thematic material, violence, sexuality, language and some drug references). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 50 minutes.

“Let the Right One In”

B+ A disturbing story of two lonely and troubled Swedish 12-year-olds, one of whom is a vampire and has been 12 for a very long time. Dark, bloody, despairing, sometimes faintly funny. Takes vampires as seriously as the “Nosferatu” of your choice. (Roger Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Rated R (some bloody violence, including disturbing images, brief nudity and language). At Plaza Theatre. 1 hour, 54 minutes.

“The Longshots”

B Based on the true story of 11-year-old Jasmine Plummer, who in 2003 became the first female to play quarterback in the Pop Warner football tournament. Starring Keke Palmer (“Akeelah and the Bee”) and Ice Cube as her uncle. (Roger Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Rated PG (thematic elements, mild language and brief rude humor). At Riverdale Stadium 13 Discount Theatre and Venture Value Cinemas. 1 hour, 34 minutes.

“Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa”

B Same characters, same challenge: Can wild animals survive in the wild? Our heroes tape together a crashed airplane and try to fly it home, but end up dealing with volcanos and drought. Brighter and funnier than the original. (Robert Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Rated PG (some mild crude humor). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 28 minutes.

“Max Payne”

D Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis play a cop and an assassin who join forces to solve a series of murders. Based on the video game. Critic Roger Moore says the story is a loose collection of cliches that do little to disguise the obvious direction things are headed. Rated PG-13 (violence, including intense shooting sequences, drug content, some sexuality and brief strong language). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 35 minutes.

“Milk”

A Extraordinary performance by Sean Penn as Harvey Milk, the first self-identified gay person to win public office in America. Following him from a personal turning point to the leadership of a powerful political and social movement, the film never objectifies him as a hero, but as an ordinary man: kind, funny, flawed, shrewd, idealistic, yearning for a better world. Deeply involving, emotionally inspiring. (Roger Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Rated R (language, some sexual content and brief violence). At Regal Tara. 2 hours, 7 minutes.

“Nights in Rodanthe”

B Based on Nicholas Sparks’ novel, this romance stars Diane Lane and Richard Gere as strangers dealing with personal crises who find themselves together at a North Carolina coastal inn with a big storm approaching. Carrie Rickey of McClatchy/Tribune says it’s a potent weeper. Rated PG-13 (sensuality). At Mansell Crossing 14 and Regal Town Center Stadium 16. 1 hour, 37 minutes.

“Noah’s Arc: Jumping the Broom”

C The cast of TV channel Logo’s gay African-American series heads to Martha’s Vineyard for a weekend wedding. And all the characters’ relationships go through some changes. Critic Michael O’Sullivan says it’s like a young, gay version of “The Golden Girls.” Rated R (sexual content and language). At Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema. 1 hour, 41 minutes.

“Pride and Glory”

C Edward Norton plays a New York cop assigned to investigate a corruption scandal that may involve brother-in-law Colin Farrell, also a cop. Critic Roger Ebert says it relentlessly follows the formulas of countless police dramas before it. Rated R (strong violence, pervasive language and brief drug content). At metro theaters. 2 hours, 5 minutes.

“Quantum of Solace”

C A disappointment. No Q, no Miss Moneypenny, no suave and seductive James Bond, and a Bond girl under-named … Camille. The evil villain’s globe-threatening scheme is to control the water supply in Bolivia. Daniel Craig is handsome, agile, muscular, dangerous. Everything but Bond, who has been replaced by an identikit action hero mixed in with incomprehensible CGI. (Roger Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Rated PG-13 (intense sequences of violence and action and some sexual content) At metro theaters. 1 hour, 45 minutes.

“Rachel Getting Married”

A Jonathan Demme directs this comedy-drama about a dysfunctional wedding. Anne Hathaway plays an abrasive young woman sprung from rehab to attend her sister’s nuptials. Roger Ebert says the film is like theme music for an evolving new age. Rated R (language and brief sexuality). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 51 minutes.

“Religulous”

B In this documentary, directed by Larry Charles (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Bill Maher goes around the globe interviewing people about their faith —- from Christianity to Scientology to Islam. Christopher Kelly of McClatchy/Tribune says the movie comes across as a minor, but nonetheless valuable, contribution to our national debate. Rated R (drug use, brief nudity and strong language). At Plaza Theatre. 1 hour, 41 minutes.

“Repo! The Genetic Opera”

C- Paul Sorvino and Paris Hilton show up in this film that aims for Midnight Movie cult status on very wobbly coolness credentials. A post-apocalyptic world has been decimated by mass organ failures. But one man’s crisis is another’s opportunity, and spleen merchant GeneCo rises to the occasion. You thought “Sweeney Todd” was bloody? It’s a skinned knee compared with this. (Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune) Rated R (strong bloody violence and gore, language and some drug and sexual content). At Plaza Theatre. 1 hour, 38 minutes.

“RocknRolla”

B Set in the greasy streets and smoky pubs of London, Guy Ritchie’s latest film remains loyal to Ritchie’s distinctive way of capturing criminals and the English underworld with style and humor. Forget the plot. Highs come from the energetic characters, dialogue and dark humor (Rafer Guzman, Newsday). Rated R (pervasive language, violence, drug use and brief sexuality). At Barrett Commons 24. 1 hour, 57 minutes.

“Role Models”

B The premise is completely formulaic and potentially cheesy: A couple of buddies get arrested and, for their community service, must serve as big brothers to a pair of misfit kids. You know from the beginning that many necessary life lessons will be learned and that all parties ultimately will be better off for the unlikely friendships they’ve formed. But it’s the hilariously crude way that director David Wain approaches this concept that makes the film so disarming. (Christy Lemire, Associated Press) Rated R (crude and sexual content, strong language and nudity). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 39 minutes.

“The Secret Life of Bees”

B+ Sue Monk Kidd’s popular novel comes to the screen. Dakota Fanning plays a motherless teenager in the 1960s South who goes to live with a caretaker (Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson) and her bee-keeping sisters. Critic Roger Ebert says the parable defies harsh reality, but in a good way. Rated PG-13 (thematic material and some violence). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 50 minutes.

“Soul Men”

B Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac (in one of his last film appearances) star in this buddy comedy as two former members of a ’60s-’70s-era soul group. The talent of the cast and the bittersweet end note override indifferent directing and predictable road-movie pitfalls. (Roger Moore, McClatchy/Tribune) Rated R (pervasive language and sexual content, including nudity). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 38 minutes.

“Synecdoche, New York”

A The great screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, in his first film as a director, uses a theater director (Philip Seymour Hoffman) to show the ebb and flow of a human life, its attempts to control others, its negotiations with reality, dream, hallucination and madness. I needed to see it twice to begin to absorb its greatness. (Roger Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Rated R. At Regal Tara. 2 hours, 4 minutes .

“Transporter 3”

C+ A perfectly acceptable brainless action thriller starring the steely eyed, taciturn Jason Statham, who makes his deliveries on time and with no questions asked —- except this time, when he starts caring for his cargo (the delightfully freckled Natalya Rudakova). Two stunt sequences of remarkable complexity and reckless foolishness. (Roger Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Rated PG-13 (sequences of intense action and violence, some sexual content and drug material). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 45 minutes.

PARENTS GUIDE The mayhem is mostly nonlethal with very cool stunts. We see people killed by a biohazard, their faces burned. There are a couple of point-blank shootings with little blood, explosions, an implied sexual situation, mild sexual innuendo and language, partial undress, rare profanity, drinking and drug use.

“Tyler Perry’s the Family That Preys”

C Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard star as friends and matriarchs of two families strained by greed. It doesn’t worry about how it gets from A to Z. There is no problem that a miraculous plot development can’t resolve in two minutes. (Stephen Holden, New York Times) Rated PG-13 (thematic material, sexual references and brief violence). At Metro theaters. 1 hour, 51 minutes.

“Twilight”

C+ A teenage romance between fresh-faced Kristen Stewart and the distant, aloof, handsome, dangerous Robert Pattinson, who plays a vampire. Lush, beautiful, preposterous, based on the runaway best-seller. Primary audience: 16-year-old girls. They’ll love it. (Roger Ebert, Universal Press Syndicate) Rated PG-13 (some violence and a scene of sexuality). At metro theaters. 2 hours, 2 minutes.

“Zack and Miri Make a Porno”

B- Set writer-director Kevin Smith’s signature characters in the pornographic film industry, and much dirtiness will ensue. But as Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) discover their feelings for each other, a touch of reverence at the end is a welcome relief. (Christy Lemire, Associated Press) Rated R (strong crude sexual content including dialogue, graphic nudity and pervasive language). At metro theaters. 1 hour, 41 minutes.

ABOUT PARENTS GUIDE

The AJC wants to help parents make the best choices for their children’s entertainment. PARENTS GUIDE generally highlights popular PG-13 and R-rated movies your kids may be interested in seeing and is collected from columns by Jane Horwitz of the Washington Post Writers Group.