Movies

Opening Friday

City of Ember Sci-fi adventure about the race to stop the power from being cut off in a futuristic city with spectacular lighting. Bill Murray, Toby Jones, Saoirse Ronan and Tim Robbins star.

The Express This biopic looks at the life of Ernie Davis (Rob Brown), the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy. His life was tragically cut short by cancer before he could make his mark in the NFL.

Quarantine A TV news reporter (Jennifer Carpenter) on assignment with a firefighting crew finds herself locked in a building where something unknown is infecting the residents.

Save Me A young sex- and drug-addicted gay man (Chad Allen) is checked into a religious retreat that specializes in curing homosexuals of their "affliction."

Excellent (****)

Reviewed by critics Carrie Rickey (C.R.), and Steven Rea (S.R.). W.S. denotes a wire-service review.

Frozen River Melissa Leo and Misty Upham costar in this urgent and incomparably moving first feature from Courtney Hunt about the survival, fortitude, and unexpected deliverance of two single mothers. 1 hr. 37 R (language) - C.R.

Very Good (***1/2)

Tell No One Adapted from Harlan Coben's 2001 bestseller, this is one terrific mystery, equal parts haunting love story and nimble thriller. Yup, it's 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.

Towelhead A 13-year-old Arab American girl (Summer Bishil) copes with raging hormones and new surroundings when her mother sends her to live with her strict, traditional father in Texas. 1 hr. 56 R (for strong disturbing sexual content and abuse involving a young teen, and profanity) - C.R.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona 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

Blindness ** Fernando Meirelles' hopelessly arty apocalyptic parable stars Julianne Moore as a nameless wife in a city where thousands - among them her husband (Mark Ruffalo) - have suddenly, inexplicably gone blind. Panic and ignoble behavior ensues. 2 hrs. R (violence, sex, nudity, profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

Eagle Eye **1/2 Shia LeBeouf and Michelle Monaghan are strangers on the run in a high-tech action thriller with a post-9/11 terrorism conspiracy plot that makes no sense whatsoever. With Billy Bob Thornton, Rosario Dawson, and the disembodied voice of Julianne Moore. 1 hr. 58 PG-13 (violence, profanity, action, adult themes) - S.R.

Flash of Genius *** All-around regular guy Greg Kinnear stars as all-around regular guy and real-life inventor Robert Kearns in this surprisingly engaging tale of - hold on to your hat - patent infringement! The little man fights the system, and Ford Motor Company, in this sometimes dark, Capraesque tale. 1 hr. 58 PG-13 (profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

Igor ** This animated family feature has John Cusack providing the voice for a lab assistant who dreams of becoming an evil scientist. 1 hr. 27 PG (some thematic elements, scary images, action and mild profanity) - W.S.

Lakeview Terrace ** Samuel L. Jackson stars as a bigot cop who can't abide the interracial couple that has moved in next door in this neighbor-from-Hell thriller painted over with Crash-like social commentary. 1 hr. 50 PG-13 (violence, sex, profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

Nights in Rodanthe *** Inner change on the Outer Banks as an emotionally detached doctor (Richard Gere) creatively unlocks a thwarted artist (Diane Lane) who shows him how to attach. From the Nicholas Sparks novel, which is to tear duct what milking machine is to cow udder. 1 hr. 37 PG-13 (sensuality) - C.R.

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