Our critics recommend...

Blue Valentine

See Steven Rea's preview on H2.

The Dilemma See Steven Rea's preview on H2.

The Green Hornet The comic-book hero comes to the big screen with Seth Rogen in the title role as the newspaper publisher who spends his nights dressed in a funny outfit fighting crime with his sidekick, Kato (Jay Chou).

Somewhere See Steven Rea's preview on H2.

Reviewed by critics Carrie Rickey (C.R.) and Steven Rea (S.R.).

W.S. denotes a wire-service review.

Black Swan Natalie Portman in the performance of her career as a fiercely disciplined prima ballerina struggling with the dual roles of Swan Lake and with a newly recruited dancer (Mila Kunis) threatening to steal her part. Vincent Cassell, Barbara Hershey, and Winona Ryder are on board for this thrilling, nutty psychodrama from The Wrestler's Darren Aronofsky. 1 hr. 43 R (sex, nudity, drugs, physical torment, profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

The King's Speech Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush star in this rousing odd-couple comedy, drawn from real life, about King George VI, a stutterer, and his speech therapist. 1 hr. 51 R (profanity, but otherwise family-friendly for those 12 and older) - C.R.

The Fighter

Based on the real-life career, and comeback, of welterweight champ "Irish" Micky Ward and the relationship with his wacko half-brother, erstwhile prizefighter Dicky Eklund, this roiling, colorful film is great in the ring, and great outside the ring, too. Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale are the pugilist sibs, Melissa Leo their mom; Amy Adams is Micky's bare-knuckle barkeep girlfriend. 1 hr. 5

R

(violence, profanity, drugs, sex, adult themes) -

S.R.

127 Hours Gripping true story of a mountain climber (James Franco) who is trapped for five days under a boulder in a Utah canyon before taking drastic steps to survive. 1 hr. 37 R (profanity, disturbing violent content, bloody images) - C.R.

Tiny Furniture Writer/director/star Lena Dunham's fiercely witty, self-lacerating study of a college grad's aimless return to the family nest (in artsy downtown New York). Bad sex and identity crises ensue. A tiny indie with big, bold ideas - and a big prize from the South by Southwest Film Festival. 1 hr. 38 No MPAA rating (sex, profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

True Grit The Coen Brothers adapt Charles Portis' novel about a plucky girl who hires a bounty hunter to collect her father's killer, and rides on the hunt herself, determined to see things set right. With Jeff Bridges as the one-eyed, boozy gunslinger Rooster Cogburn, Matt Damon as a comically fussy Texas Ranger, Josh Brolin as the villain, and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld as the impossibly composed and gumptious 14-year-old heroine. 1 hr. 5- PG-13 (violence, cussing, adult themes) - S.R.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader **1/2

Maybe it's the postproduction 3-D enhancements, but in this effects-laden

Odyssey

for tweens, sometimes humans and beasts seem more wax-and-paint than flesh-and-blood. Director Michael Apted deftly handles the elements of Christian allegory; it's the infernal digital effects that prove to be beyond his capacity. 1 hr. 55

PG

(violence) -

C.R.

Country Strong **1/2 Gwyneth Paltrow stars in this Nashville romantic quadrangle set at the fork of the roads to redemption and ruin. With the Heath-Ledgerish Garrett Hedlund, the Taylor-Swifty Leighton Meester, and Tim McGraw, a complete cipher. 1 hr. 51 PG-13 (sexual candor, alcohol abuse) - C.R.

Little Fockers ** Robert De Niro returns as the suspicious father-in-law who places unreasonable expectations on his daughter's spouse (Ben Stiller). Sporadically funny, with Viagra jokes that don't provoke laughs so much as cringes. 1 hr. 38 PG-13 (sexual candor) - C.R.

Tangled *** A fractured fairy tale in the spirit of Enchanted, Tangled is a boy-friendly version of Rapunzel, more of a hair-raising adventure than a yearning romance. 1 hr. 32 PG (mild violence) - C.R.

TRON: Legacy ** With its Zen jargon, martial-arts moves, and neon glow, the sequel to the 1982 cult picture that explored the inner life of video games demonstrates that you can teach an old dog new Matrix. But for the hipster ravings of Jeff Bridges, the sequel would be merely a gaudy Nintendo prototype. 2 hrs. 06 PG (lots of flashing lights and loud noise) - C.R.

Yogi Bear 3D * A computer-animated Yogi and Boo Boo inhabit a real-world Jellystone Park in this weak big-screen adaptation of the animated children's character. Dan Aykroyd provides the voice of Yogi, and Justin Timberlake is Boo Boo Bear. 1 hr. 15 PG (mild rude humor) - W.S.

Reviewed by critics Wendy Rosenfield (W.R.), Howard Shapiro (H.S.), and Toby Zinman (T.Z.).

California Redemption Value

(Hella Fresh Theater) In a Hollywood apartment, desperate people are forced to extremes. Opens Saturday.

The How and the Why (McCarter Theatre) Two evolutionary biologists, women of different ages, grapple with issues of science, gender, and humanity. Previews Sunday through Thursday, opens Friday.

Kidnapped (People's Light & Theatre Company) An adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's great adventure story. Preview Thursday, opens Friday.

A New Brain (Plays & Players) William Finn's musical about a dying songwriter. Previews Thursday and Friday, opens Saturday.

The Nigga Files (GoKash Productions) Kash Goins' play about inner-city youth and their teachers. Opens Tuesday.

Our Farm (Fresh Ground Pepper at Underground Arts) This New York company's "self-realized animals" rebut a slanderous novel. Previews Sunday, opens Wednesday.

Pumpgirl (Inis Nua Theatre Company) Abbie Spallen's fierce play about love, betrayal, obsession, and despair. Preview Tuesday, opens Wednesday.

The Reluctant Optimist (Act II Playhouse) Philadelphia's doyenne of comedy, Mary Martello, takes the stage solo. Opens Wednesday.

[title of show] (Mauckingbird Theatre Company) The gay-themed company tackles its first musical. Preview Tuesday, opens Wednesday.

Annie

(Media Theatre) Mary Martello takes over from Wanda Sykes (who returns Wednesday) as Miss Hannigan, and sweet Tori Heinlein is Annie in a pleasant production whose orphan girls are the cutest. Through Jan. 23.

- H.S.

The Borrowers (Arden Theatre Company) Based on the old-fashioned books about a very tiny family, this show has plenty of charm and enough adventure to keep kids and parents happy. Through Jan. 30. - T.Z.

The Elephant Man Fever Dream Repertory) The poignant story of Joseph Merrick, the malformed "elephant man." Through Jan. 22.

Les Miserables (Academy of Music) An inconsistent production (and Valjean) whose new 25th-anniversary design thrills will nonetheless please its many fans. Through Saturday. - W.R.

Miss Witherspoon (New City Stage at Adrienne) Christopher Durang's dark, funny tale of a dead woman sent back to Earth to try again is performed with brio in a top-notch production. Ends Sunday. - H.S.

A Moon for the Misbegotten (Arden Theatre) Grace Gonglewski meets Eugene O'Neill. Previews Sunday, Tuesday, opens Wednesday.

Nuncrackers (Hedgerow Theatre) This Christmastime version of Nunsense brings back those musical nuns, but in this show - and this production - they're merely amusing and never really zany. Ends Sunday. - H.S.

Parenting 101 (Kimmel Center's Innovation Studio) This fun musical revue fully covers parenting, through the traumas and joys, with clever lyrics put to pop and show tunes. Through March 6. - H.S.

The Three Musketeers (The Later Years) (People's Light & Theatre) The seventh annual totally original holiday panto has fights, tights, catchy songs, and, as always, actor Mark Lazar in a dress - plus a ton of silliness combined with a ton of laughs. Ends Sunday. - H.S.

The Understudy (Wilma Theater) With style and perfect characterizations, a three-member cast nails Theresa Rebeck's terrifically funny play about a Broadway understudy, a movie star, and a stage manager. Through Jan. 30. - H.S.

White Christmas (Walnut Street Theatre) Based on the 1954 Bing Crosby/Danny Kaye film, this show is as light, fluffy, and pretty as its namesake. Ends Sunday. - W.R.

Alpha and Omega *1/2

Animated road-trip film about two young wolves who try to make their way back home after a park ranger relocates them misses the mark. Justin Long, Hayden Panettiere, Christina Ricci, Danny Glover, and the late Dennis Hopper provide voices. 1 hr. 25

PG

(rude humor and mild action) -

W.S.