Movies

Opening Friday

Elegy A cultural critic and college instructor (Ben Kingsley) with a history of womanizing finds himself thrown for a loop by a beautiful student (Penelope Cruz).

Frozen River At the border between New York's Mohawk Reservation and Quebec, two women struggling to make ends meet become involved in smuggling illegal immigrants. Melissa Leo and Misty Upham star.

Hamlet 2 A failed actor turned drama teacher conceives and stages a politically incorrect sequel to Shakespeare's tragedy. Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, David Arquette and Elisabeth Shue star.

The House Bunny A former Playboy playmate (Anna Faris) needs a place to stay after being kicked out of Hef's mansion. She lucks out and finds a local sorority house where the girls need a mentor.

I.O.U.S.A. This documentary by director Patrick Creadon (Wordplay) looks at our growing national debt and the consequences of not addressing it.

A Jihad for Love The efforts of gay Muslims in various parts of the world to reconcile their sexuality with their faith is the topic of this documentary.

The Longshots Keke Palmer stars in the true story of the 11-year-old who became the first female to lead her team to the Pop Warner football tournament. Ice Cube also stars.

The Rocker Rainn Wilson (The Office) stars as a frustrated former rock musician who gets a second chance at stardom when his nephew's high school band is in need of a drummer. Christina Applegate also stars.

Stealing America: Vote by Vote This documentary examines voting irregularities in recent U.S. elections. Opens Wednesday.

Transsiberian An American couple's (Woody Harrelson, Emily Mortimer) train trip across Russia brings them unexpected and unwanted adventure in this dramatic thriller. Opens Wednesday.

Very Good (***1/2)

American Teen The Class of 2006 at Warsaw Community High School in Indiana is the subject of Nanette Burstein's appealing and unexpectedly moving documentary. 1 hr. 35 PG-13 (profanity, sexual candor, underage drinking) - C.R.

Boy A Compassionate portrait of a first-time offender handed a second chance. Splendid performances by Andrew Garfield as the young offender and Peter Mullan as his caseworker. Set in Manchester, England, and directed by Irish filmmaker John Crowley. 1 hr. 39 R (profanity, sexuality, brief drugs, disturbing sequences) - C.R.

The Edge of Heaven A near-perfect, heartbreaking, suspenseful story about the connections between strangers, families and cultures. German-Turkish filmmaker Fatih Akin explores big themes - and even gets in some taut political- thriller elements - in this beautifully shot, beautifully acted pic, set in Bremen and Hamburg, Germany, and Istanbul. No MPAA rating (sex, nudity, violence, profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

Hancock Will Smith stars as a problem-plagued, screw-up superhero in this dark, funny, rollicking tale of rehabilitation, redemption, and really cool special effects. With Jason Bateman and an awesome Charlize Theron. 1 hr. 33 PG-13 (profanity, violence, adult themes) - S.R.

Iron Man Fast. Funny. Deliriously entertaining. As a hybrid of Howard Hughes and Hugh Hefner, Robert Downey Jr. delights as billionaire Tony Stark, playboy/inventor/

businessman, who realizes that U.S. soldiers are casualties of the weapons he has designed to protect them. 2 hrs. 06 PG-13 (sexual innuendo, violence) - C.R.

Man on Wire Heartstopping, knee-buckling and transcendent account of Philippe Petit's 1974 wire walk between New York's twin towers. 1 hr. 34 PG-13 (brief nudity and sexuality, drug references) - C.R.

Tell No One Adapted from Harlan Coben's 2001 best-seller, this is one terrific mystery, equal parts haunting love story and nimble thriller. Yup, it's in French, but if you're subtitle-phobic, don't be: It's wildly exciting, and among the more satisfying movies out there. 2 hrs. 05 No MPAA guide (violence, profanity, nudity, adult themes) - S.R.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona ***1/2 Woody Allen's rectangular tale of love and longing, friendship and art stars Javier Bardem as a Spanish artist intent on seducing a pair of young Americans - played by Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson - and dealing with his crazy, explosive ex (Penelope Cruz) in the process. It's a rich romantic reverie. 1 hr. 37 PG-13 (sex, profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

Also on Screens

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor ** Brendan Fraser is back (but Rachel Weisz isn't) in the second sequel to the ersatz Indiana Jones hit. The cliche-laden hodgepodge of period-piece chopsocky takes place in 1947 China, where an evil 2,000-year-old emperor has returned to life, requiring everyone to run around, shout and fight. With Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh - and Maria Bello as Weisz's replacement. 1 hr. 53 PG-13 (violence, action, adult themes) - S.R.

Pineapple Express **1/2 A stoner comedy with a Superbad template and a penchant for jokey violence by way of Tarantino, this latest lowbrow, screwball, Judd Apatow-overseen romp teams an inspired James Franco with Seth Rogen - they're like Abbott and Costello soaked in THC. 1 hr. 51 R (violence, profanity, drugs, adult themes) - S.R.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars ** PG-rated animation squarely aimed at younger audiences who presumably won't mind that the plot is endless light-saber duels and dogfights. 1 hr. 38 PG (cartoon violence) - C.R.

Tropic Thunder *** Ben Stiller's raunchy, raucous and riotously funny parody of outsized Hollywood war movies and outsized Hollywood egos is so acutely self-conscious that it produces the effect of a comedian delivering color commentary on his jokes. Robert Downey Jr. is sidesplitting as an actor who chemically darkens his skin to play an African American sergeant, ditto Matthew McConaughey and Tom Cruise as an agent and a producer. 1 hr. 47 R (violence, carnage, drugs, profanity, sexual references) - C.R.

Theater

Continuing

Phantom (New Candlelight Theatre) No, not The Phantom of the Opera - the lesser-known musical by Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit that plies the same territory, with far less spectacle but a fuller storyline and, here, a solid cast in a production that emphasizes its good points. Through Oct. 5. - H.S.

Shakespeare's R&J (Mauckingbird Theatre Company) An all-male Romeo and Juliet is instantly believable, thanks to superb acting. Through Saturday. - H.S.

There Goes the Bride (Hedgerow Theatre) The company's annual summer farce is a wacky rampage through a bride's wedding day. Through Aug. 31. - H.S.

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