MOVIES - Nov. 29, 2009

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

Openings

FRIDAY

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.

Breaking Point One man must overcome a deep-rooted conspiracy and his own dark past to gain redemption. With Tom Berenger, Busta Rhymes, Armand Assante and Kirk Jones. Directed by Jeff Celentano. (1:37) R.

Brothers When a decorated Marine goes missing in Afghanistan, his black-sheep younger brother cares for his wife and children at home. Starring Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Sam Shepard, Clifton Collins, Jr. and Mare Winningham. Written by David Benioff. Directed by Jim Sheridan. (1:50) R.

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.

Fifty Dead Men Walking Inspired by a true story, a young small-time Belfast hustler is recruited by a wily British intelligence agent to infiltrate the IRA. With Jim Sturgess and Ben Kingsley. Written and directed by Kari Skogland. (1:59) R.

The Last Station After 50 years of marriage, Countess Sofya, the wife of Leo Tolstoy, finds herself living in poverty after the Russian novelist renounced his noble title, his property and his family. With Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer, Paul Giamatti, Anne-Marie Duff, Kerry Condon, John Sessions and James McAvoy. Based on the novel by Jay Parini. Written and directed by Michael Hoffman. (1:42) NR.

Paa A story about a relationship between a politician and his 13-year-old son who suffers from a progeria-like syndrome that causes accelerated aging. With Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan and Paresh Rawal. Directed by R. Balakrishnan. In Hindi with English subtitles. (2:13) NR.

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.

The Strip The employees of a low-end electronics store find creative ways to stave of boredom and their impending adulthood. With Dave Foley, Rodney Scott, Billy Aaron Brown, Federico Dordei and Jenny Wade. Written and directed by Jameel Khan. (1:31) PG-13.

Transylmania In this vampire movie spoof, a group of college students embark on a semester abroad at Razvan University, located deep in the heart of Transylvania. With Patrick Cavanaugh, James DeBello, Tony Denman, Paul H. Kim and Jennifer Lyons. Screenplay by script by Patrick Casey and Worm Miller. Directed by David and Scott Hillenbrand. (1:32) R.

Up In the Air A corporate downsizing expert who cherishes his life on the road is threatened just as he is on the cusp of reaching 10 million frequent flier miles and after he’s met the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams. With George Clooney, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick. Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner. Directed by Reitman. (1:49) R. Story on Page D1

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.

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.

The Damned United Starring Michael Sheen as legendary British soccer coach Brian Clough, this is a compelling sports film because on one level it doesn’t seem to be about sports at all. It’s about ambition, betrayal and moral blindness, the tale of a complicated, driven, gifted man whose flaws are so striking they flirt with raising his story to the level of tragedy. (K.Tu., Oct. 16) (1:37) R.

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.

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. Stories on Pages D1 and D5

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.

Antichrist is a tangled mess of sex, evil and death, with auteur Lars von Trier making a stab at allegory and old-fashioned horror but ultimately failing on both fronts. The central characters are called He and She, portrayed by Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg. They are a couple broken by the death of their toddler in what appears to be a tragic accident, but there are dark forces gathering. There is a seductive Botticelli beauty to the film, but the artistry that has made von Trier so compelling as a filmmaker with a great deal to say is nowhere to be found. (B.S., Oct. 23) (1:44) NC-17.

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 -- a homeless black teenager plucked off the road on a winter night by a well-heeled white family -- 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 her ages ago. In the end, this is Bullock’s movie. (B.S., Nov. 20) (2:06) PG-13.

Blood Equity The documentary explores the dark side of the National Football League and the players who give their lives to it. Directed by Michael Felix. (1:03) NR.

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 Cameron Diaz and James Marsden as a financially strapped couple were on a 10-second delay. This is one box not worth picking up off the porch, much less opening, not even for a million dollars. (B.S., Nov. 6) (1:55) PG-13.

The Canyon A dream honeymoon in the Grand Canyon turns into a game of survival when a mysterious guide comes along. With Yvonne Strahovski, Eion Bailey, and Will Patton. Directed by Richard Harrah. (1:37) R.

Dare Three teenagers in their last semester of school try to shake things up before graduating and entering the real world. With Emmy Rossum, Ashley Springer, Zach Gilford, Ana Gasteyer, Rooney Mara, Sandra Bernhard and Alan Cumming. Written by David Brind, based on the short film by Adam Salky. Directed by Salky. (1:32) R.

Defamation Director Yoav Shamir speaks with an array of people from across the political spectrum and traveled to places like Auschwitz and Brooklyn on a quest to answer the question, “What is anti-Semitism today?” In English and Hebrew with English subtitles. (1:34) NR.

Died Young Stayed Pretty Although this documentary about the underground rock poster movement begins with a freewheeling array of diverting poster graphics and provocative artist interviews, it soon becomes apparent there’s no real structure or point of view. The indie-rock poster subculture, at least as seen here, seems so largely populated by tunnel-visioned white guys living in a kind of low-paid, artistic exile, that, without digging beneath their offbeat surfaces, they simply become tiresome mouthpieces. (Gary Goldstein, Nov. 6) (1:35) NR.

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.

Do Knot Disturb A rich businessman tries to hide his extramarital affair with a supermodel in this musical comedy. With Govinda, Sushmita Sen, Lara Dutta, Riteish Deshmukh and Sohail Khan. Directed by David Dhawan. In Hindi with English subtitles.

The End of Poverty Economists, politicians, activists engaged in anti-poverty campaigns and impoverished citizens discuss whether the true nature of contemporary poverty is rooted in colonialism and its consequences. With Amartya Sen, Joseph Stiglitz, Susan George, Eric Toussaint and John Perkins. Narrated by Martin Sheen. Directed by Philippe Diaz. (1:44) NR.

Endgame A political thriller about the real-life negotiations that led to the end of apartheid in South Africa and the release of Nelson Mandela. With William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jonny Lee Miller, Mark Strong and Derek Jacobi. Screenplay by Paula Milne, based on a book by Robert Harvey. Directed by Pete Travis. (1:41) PG-13.

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 verité spooks continues here, 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.

Gentlemen Broncos Satire aside, what the oddball folks here never feel is real, despite the filmmakers’ claims of autobiographical parallels. Instead, badly dressed and unflatteringly shot, they come off like punch lines to jokes that never pay off. With his deft timing and wonderfully expressive face, the always appealing Michael Angarano gamely tries to hold together what little there is, but it’s a thankless task. (Gary Goldstein, Oct. 30) (1:29) PG-13.

The House of the Devil In this woeful era of show gore and telegraphed shocks, writer-director Ti West’s faith in the old-school virtues of deliberately paced, nervous-laughter-inducing creep should be championed. Fashioned like an unearthed scare flick from 1982, “House” has plenty of fun with freeze-frame titles, zoom lenses and crescendoing strings. But it’s an opening crawl about satanic cults that’s the first sign of West’s manipulative chops: What ensues is a modest tour de force of voyeuristic, atmospheric tension. (Robert Abele, Oct. 30) (1:33) R.

I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell The adventures of Tucker Max, a beer-guzzling, demoralizing womanizer. With Matt Czuchry, Jesse Bradford and Geoff Stults. Screenplay by Tucker Max and Nils Parker. Directed by Bob Gosse. (1:45) R.

La Danse In his 38th film, legendary documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman turns his attention to the Paris Opera Ballet. (2:38) NR.

Law Abiding Citizen Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) wants justice, and when he doesn’t get it from the system, he wants revenge on everyone involved. Because of that “Law Abiding Citizen” spends a lot of time paying lip service to the inequities of a broken judicial system where “some justice is better than no justice at all.” But it’s all a lot of empty talk with the filmmakers figuring if they bandy about the word “justice” enough, it will give the illusion of conscience to a movie that is merely a revenge-genre retread. The moral posturing becomes laughably self-conscious. (Glenn Whipp, Oct. 16) (1:48) R.

The Little Traitor This lyrical yet emotionally spare film is set in 1947 Palestine in the last throes of the British occupation before Israel would be accorded statehood. Based on “Panther in the Basement” by Israeli novelist Amos Oz, the story involves a chance encounter between a precocious young Jewish boy (Ido Port) and a guileless British sergeant, played by Alfred Molina, that changes both lives forever. (B.S., Nov. 13) (1:28) NR.

London River An Englishwoman and a Frenchman put aside their cultural differences in the search for their two children. Starring Brenda Blethyn and Sotigui Kouyate. Directed by Rachid Bouchareb. In English and French. (1:27) NR.

Looking for Palladin meanders around Antigua (Guatemala) at a leisurely gait and enjoys the presence of Ben Gazzara in its central role. That’s about all there is to find, however. Is this a wacky comedy, as its wild coincidences and sprightly music imply? Or is it a serious family drama, as the final 20 minutes or so suddenly seem to be? Paved with cliches, “Looking for Palladin” is a long journey with no new places. (Michael Ordoña, Nov. 6) (1:55) NR.

Lord Save Us From Your Followers Writer-director Dan Merchant sets out to discover why belief in God and religion is dividing America. With Al Franken. (1:40) PG-13.

Love Hurts Down in the dumps since his wife left him, a middle-aged man’s son forces him into the social scene. With Richard E. Grant, Carrie-Anne Moss, Johnny Pacar, Jenna Elfman, Janeane Garofalo, Camryn Manheim. Written and directed by Barra Grant. (1:33) 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. Story on Page D4

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.

Michael Jackson’s This Is It Behind-the-scenes footage from Michael Jackson’s last rehearsals in preparation for the series of 50 concerts planned at the O2 Arena in London. (1:55) PG.

The Missing Person A private detective is hired to tail a man, on a train from Chicago to Los Angeles, who was presumed dead after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. With Michael Shannon, Amy Ryan, Margaret Colin and John Ventimiglia. Written and directed by Noah Buschel. (1:35) NR.

Motherhood The film surveys the trials, joys and daily challenges mothers face in raising children. With Uma Thurman, Minnie Driver and Anthony Edwards. Written and directed by Katherine Dieckmann. (1:30) PG-13.

New York, I Love You is a cinematic salon where the topic is the serendipity of romantic possibilities to be found in Manhattan’s coffee shops, restaurants, shops, bars and backrooms. Eleven directors (and even more writers) have turned up for the party, offering up distinct tales of the city. While they ramble on, we sit perched like pigeons with a bird’s-eye view of the proceedings, sampling the crumbs thrown in our direction. A few of the movie morsels prove delicious, a few of them seem half-baked; most are never quite enough to completely satisfy, a case of story interruptus, wouldn’t you know. (B.S., Oct. 16) (1:52) R.

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.

Ong Bak 2: The Beginning Bruce Lee is dead, Jackie Chan and Jet Li are slowing down, but the world of martial arts never sleeps. Keeping everyone awake these days is Tony Jaa, Thailand’s biggest action hero, who returns to inflict more damage. (K.Tu., Oct. 23) (1:37) R.

Paranormal Activity First-time director Oren Peli has created a psychological thriller of such small scale and yet such heightened impact that no doubt Hitchcock, wherever he may be, is smiling. There’s not much to the story of Katie and Micah, a young couple just setting up house: Evil has its eye on her, they try to escape it, and there’s a lot of scary stuff in between. Ultimately Peli understands that it’s what you don’t see, and the way in which you don’t see it, that counts. (B.S., Oct. 3) (1:39) R.

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.

The Princess and the Frog This animated musical marks the return to hand-drawn animation in this modern twist on a classic tale set in New Orleans. With the voices of Anika Noni Rose, John Goodman, Keith David, Jim Cummings and Jenifer Lewis. Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. (1:35) G. Story on Page D6

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 An historical adaptation revolving around the naval Battle of Red Cliffs during the final days of the Han Dynasty. With Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro. Written by John Woo and Khan Chan. Directed by Woo. (2:28) R.

The Road A father and son wander through a post-apocalyptic wasteland in this adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. With Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McKee, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce and Charlize Theron. Screenplay by Joe Penhall. Directed by John Hillcoat. (1:50) R.

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.

Skin is an ambitious, if sometimes uneven indie film. This truth-is-stranger-than-fiction story plucked out of South Africa’s apartheid traces the attitudes and government edicts, medical tests and court suits, confusion and heartbreak that would batter Sandra (Sophie Okonedo), a black child born of white parents who was classified white, then “colored,” then white again. In a day when it’s difficult to say something new about the racial divide, Sandy’s story has a poignant power, underscoring just how deeply the fissures run even when it’s all in the family. (B.S., Oct. 30) (1:47) PG-13.

Stan Helsing Hapless video store clerk Stan Helsing and his friends one unfortunate Halloween night find themselves stranded in the mysterious residential development of Stormy Night Estates when Stan learns of his true destiny as a descendant of the legendary monster hunter Van Helsing. With Steve Howey, Kenan Thompson and Leslie Nielsen. Written and directed by Bo Zenga. (1:30) R.

Staten Island When three men seeking better lives intersect, things will never be the same in this mob thriller. With Ethan Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio, Seymour Cassel and Julianne Nicholson. Directed by James DeMonaco. (1:36) R.

Storm A young lawyer risks life and limb prosecuting the commander of the Yugoslavian National Army for atrocious war crimes against Bosnian-Muslim civilians. With Kerry Fox and Anamaria Marinca. Directed by Hans-Christian Schmid. (1:45) NR.

The Sun A portrait of Japan’s wartime emperor, Hirohito. With Issei Ogata and Robert Dawson. Directed by Alexander Sokurov. (1:55) NR.

TEN9EIGHT: Shoot for the Moon A chronicle of several teens from low-income communities learning how to be entrepreneurs by competing in an annual business plan competition. Written and directed by Mary Mazzio. (1:25) NR.

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.

Turning Green This amusing Irish coming-of-age comedy set in 1979 takes its title from the effect of chug-a-lug beer drinking upon 16-year-old James (gifted newcomer Donal Gallery). Pub patrons bet on his prowess, and James adds his winnings to the money he’s saving to get him and his brother back to America. On a trip to London, James discovers porn magazines and imports them to sell to local men. The wryly made point here is that nudity in magazines was illegal in Ireland until the 1990s. When those triple-X magazines spread throughout the community, “Turning Green” takes off in earnest. (Kevin Thomas, Nov. 7) (1:25) NR.

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.

(Untitled) As in the best movie satires, there’s a solid core of truth informing director Jonathan Parker’s film, which takes on the New York art and music worlds in one smart and funny swoop. The filmmakers are also blessed with a strong cast, whose portrayals of the movie’s various buyers, sellers and creators rarely feel forced or concocted but believably lived in. (Gary Goldstein, Oct. 23) (1:36) R.

Victory Day A war photographer takes on an oligarch guilty of sabotaging Russia’s reforms and privatization of the 1990s. With Natalie Shiyanova, Sean Ramsay and Gabriela Stern. Written by David Fellowes. Directed by Sean Ramsay. (1:43) NR.

Where The Wild Things Are In the new version of Maurice Sendak’s brief but classic children’s book, more -- admired director Spike Jonze, smart co-screenwriter Dave Eggers, top-flight actors including Chris Cooper, James Gandolfini and Forest Whitaker and a budget estimated at $80 million to $100 million dollars -- has paradoxically become less: a precious, self-indulgent cinematic fable that not everyone is not going to love. (K.Tu., Oct. 16) (1:34) PG.

The Yes Men Fix the World Fleet and amusing, “The Yes Men Fix the World” is a self-chronicled rundown of the corporation-shaming Trojan horse antics of anti-globalization pranksters Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno, who were previously shadowed for the 2004 documentary “The Yes Men.” (The pair co-directed the follow-up.) Are these two tilting at windmills with their PR-savvy hoaxes? Getting greed-driven conglomerates to recognize the human cost of their actions is, the pair admit, a bigger task than a brief, if intelligently conceived, public spanking, which makes “The Yes Men Fix the World” an odd combination of righteous, raucous and rueful. (Robert Abele, Nov. 6) (1:27) NR.

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.