OPENING THIS WEEK
“American Grindhouse” Not reviewed “The Duel” Not reviewed “The Freebie” Reviewed on Page 7D “Jackass 3D” Not reviewed Nowhere Boy” Reviewed on Page 7D “Red” Reviewed on Page 1D “Waiting for Superman” Reviewed on Page 8D “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger” Reviewed on Page 9D
CONTINUING
Here are selected mini-reviews of films in theaters, listed alphabetically.“Alpha and Omega”Comedy PG. It’s about wolves living free in the wilds of a park in Canada and the expected roles of the alphas and the omegas. (Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel) 88 minutes
“The American”Thriller R. As a consummate maker of weapons for assassins, George Clooney finds himself in the cross hairs. His employer sets him up with a job once the gunsmith arrives in an Italian village. (Lisa Kennedy) 103 minutes
“Catfish”Documentary PG-13. The hazards and joys of social networking as 24-year-old Nev embarks on a Facebook friendship with an 8-year-old painter and her family, including a virtual-realm romance with her older sister. The road trip to see her is full of swerves. (Kennedy) 86 minutes
“Easy A”Teen comedy PG-13. A good girl gets a bad reputation after she lets a false rumor go viral and then provides cover for a gay classmate. (Kennedy) 90 minutes
“It’s Kind of a Funny Story”Drama PG-13. “Kind of” is an apt description for Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s adaptation of Ned Vizzini’s first-person novel about an overachieving teen (Keir Gilchrist) who checks himself into a psych ward. It’s not very funny, though comedian Zach Galifianakis plays the leader of the floor. That’s OK. But, a little too breezy, it’s only “kind of” painful, which seems like a slighting of the wounds its characters suffer. Emma Roberts and Viola Davis also star. (Kennedy) 101 minutes.
“Last Train Home”Documentary. Not rated. The story, told movingly and without narration, of the world’s largest human migration, which takes place once a year during the Chinese New Year holiday. That’s when 130 million Chinese migrant workers, many of whom have come from rural villages to work in urban factories, return home to visit the families they left behind. (Michael O’Sullivan, The Washington Post) 85 minutes
“Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’ Hoole”Adventure PG. The cute, cuddly owls of every description flash their talons and sometimes don metal talon-tips as they battle for control of the owl kingdoms. (Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel) 85 minutes
“Let Me In”Vampire coming-of-age tale R. This tween-vampire-meets-bullied- boy tale doesn’t come close to the exquisite pain of “Let the Right One In,” 2008’s art-house wonder from Sweden. That said, youngsters Chloë Grace Moretz and Kodi Smit-McPhee deliver fine portraits of lonesomeness and yearning. Richard Jenkins also stars. (Kennedy) 115 minutes
“Life as We Know It”Romantic comedy PG-13. Need a dose of the mischievous, appealing Josh Duhamel? See this. A connoisseur of the off-kilter, sharp- tongued cocktail Katherine Heigl likes serving up? See this. The rest of you should know, this tale of opposites forced to make nice when their dearest friends die and leave them a baby is romantic comedy as we’ve come to expect it: a pound of predictable, a dash of surprise. Josh Lucas also stars. (Kennedy) 115 minutes
“Machete”Splatter comedy R. Bloody tale of a Mexican federale (Danny Trejo) who becomes a day laborer in Texas after a tragic run-in with a drug lord (Steven Seagal). (Kennedy) 105 minutes
“Never Let Me Go”Drama R. You’ll find yourself sucked into this melancholy alternate world, an ambitious hybrid of sci-fi drama and coming-of-age romance set in a British boarding school. (Christy Lemire, Associated Press) 103 minutes
“Secretariat”Family fare PG. A horse is a horse, of course. Unless it’s Triple Crown winner Secretariat. An owner is an owner, of course, of course. Unless it’s Penny Chenery. Diane Lane stars as the daughter of a horse breeder who stresses her marriage to save her father’s horse farm and winds up giving a riven nation a champion. John Malkovich is a hoot, a holler as horse trainer Lucien Laurin. (Kennedy) 116 minutes
“The Social Network”Zeitgeist drama PG-13. Facebook gets its fascinating close-up — acne and all — in this savvy drama about the founding of the online behemoth, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake. (Kennedy) 120 minutes
“Takers”Action R. A crackling crime drama with suave, resourceful bank robbers who execute perfect crimes and a pair of police officers hell-bent on nabbing them. (Rene Rodriguez, McClatchy Newspapers) 107 minutes
“You Again”Comedy PG. Kristen Bell, once victim of high-school bullying, gets older and beautiful and successful, but she still carries the scars inflicted on her by Joanna (Odette Yustman), the high-school queen bee. She learns that her older brother (Jimmy Wolk) is going to marry her arch-nemesis. (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times) 118 minutes
“Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”PG-13. Michael Douglas returns as Gordon Gekko, released from prison. He’s alienated from his daughter (Carey Mulligan) and engaged in a dance of quid pro quo with future son-in-law Jake (Shia LaBeouf). Josh Brolin, Eli Wallach, Frank Langella and Susan Sarandon also star in this tale of payback. (Kennedy) 133 minutes
GIANT SCREENIMAX — Denver Museum of Nature & Science
“Hubble 3D” and “Under the Sea 3D.” Dates, times and tickets vary. 2001 Colorado Blvd., 303-322-7009,
IWERKS — The Wildlife Experience
“Wild Ocean” and “Jane Goodall’s Wild Chimpanzees.” Dates, times and tickets vary. 10035 S. Peoria St., Parker, 720-488-3300,
FILM FESTIVALSIndigenous Film & Arts Festival
“Resilience” is the theme for the seventh annual festival offering full- length films, documentaries and shorts, continues through Sunday. Many events are free. Locations vary, 303-744-9686,
