Ratings as appeared in Beacon Journal film critic and wire-service reviews:
♥=Weak
♥♥=Mediocre
♥♥♥=Worth Seeing
♥♥♥♥=Shouldn't Be Missed

Opened Wednesday
PINEAPPLE EXPRESS — ♥♥♥
(R — pervasive language, drug use, sexual references and violence) Written by the Superbad duo of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (with story assist from Judd Apatow), this is a drug-fueled caper that doesn't stint on chronically loopy characters and ridiculously funny situations. Rogen's Dale Denton is a likable loser of a process server who suddenly finds himself on the lam along with his permanently baked drug dealer. 1 hour, 52 minutes.
Carnation Cinema, Cinemark Aurora 10, Hudson Cinema 10, Huntington Street Cinema 16, Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Lake Cinemas 8, Macedonia Cinemark 15, Massillon 12, Montrose 12, Plaza Cinemas 8, Shaker Square Cinemas, Tinseltown USA, Tower City Cinemas, Valley View 24, Wooster Movies 10, Magic City Drive-In, Midway Twin Drive-In

SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS 2 — ♥♥♥
(PG-13 — mature material and sensuality) Based on Ann Brashares' series of novels, this sequel catches up with the four friends as they embark on separate paths for their first year of college and the summer beyond. 1 hour, 57 minutes.
Cinemark Aurora 10, Hudson Cinema 10, Huntington Street Cinema 16, Independence 10, Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Lake Cinemas 8, Macedonia Cinemark 15, Massillon 12, Tinseltown USA, Tower City Cinemas, Valley View 24, West Market Plaza 7, Wooster Movies 10

Opening Friday
AMERICAN TEEN — ♥♥♥
(PG-13 — some strong language, sexual material, some drinking and brief smoking — all involving teens) Observes a year in the life of four high school seniors in Warsaw, Ind. There's the popular girl, the nerd, the basketball star, the artsy outsider. Director Nanette Burstein sometimes seems to be guiding the action, and we doubt certain scenes would have really occurred on camera, but the overall effect is convincing and touching. 1 hour, 35 minutes.
Cedar Lee

HELL RIDE — ♥
(R — strong violence, sexual content including graphic nudity and dialogue, language and drug use) War between two bike gangs hard to tell apart, in a dismal train wreck of a movie. Most of the bikers seem near retirement age. With Michael Madsen, Dennis Hopper, David Carradine. Written and directed by and starring Larry Bishop. 1 hour, 23 minutes.
Valley View 24

WAR, INC. — ♥♥
(R — violence, language and brief sexual material) Brave and ambitious but chaotic attempt at a political satire. John Cusack stars as a hit man sent to a Middle Eastern country to protect the interests of an American super-corporation. Marisa Tomei is a liberal journalist, Hilary Duff is a Mideast teen idol (!), Ben Kingsley is a shadowy manipulator, Joan Cusack is a P.R. whiz, and Dan Aykroyd seems uncannily like Vice President Cheney. The elements are here, but the parts never come together. Still, an honorable attempt. 1 hour, 46 minutes.
Cedar Lee

Opening Aug. 13
TROPIC THUNDER
(R — pervasive language including sexual references, violent content and drug material) Four actors shooting a war film in a foreign country are forced to step up and become real heroes when they find themselves stuck in an actual real, live war.With Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Cruise. 1 hour, 47 minutes.
Carnation Cinema, Cinemark Aurora 10, Hudson Cinema 10, Huntington Street Cinema 16, Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Montrose 12, Plaza Cinemas at Chapel Hill, Shaker Square Cinemas, Tower City Cinemas, Valley View 24, Wooster Movies 10, Magic City Drive-In

Playing through
next week
BRIDESHEAD REVISITED — ♥♥1/2
(PG-13 — some sexual content) An unimpeachable yet ultimately unmoving adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's classic novel about social ambition, religious conflict and doomed love. With Emma Thompson as Lady Marchmain. 2 hours.
Cedar Lee, Montrose 12

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN — ♥♥♥
(PG — epic battle action, violence) The Pevensie siblings return to Narnia, where they are enlisted to help ward off an evil king and restore the rightful heir to the land's throne, Prince Caspian. 2 hours, 17 minutes.
Jackson Township Movies 10, Linda Theatre

THE DARK KNIGHT — ♥♥♥3/4
(PG-13 — intense sequences of violence and some menace) Batman isn't a comic book anymore. Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is a big, thoughtful, pain-laced, violence-streaked, unsettling movie in which the late Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker is one of many virtues. 2 hours, 32 minutes.
Carnation Cinema, Cinemark Aurora 10, Garrettsville Cinemas, Great Oaks Cinema, Highland Theatre, Hudson Cinema 10, Huntington Street Cinema 16, Independence 10, Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Lake Cinemas 8, Macedonia Cinemark 15, Massillon 12, Shaker Square Cinemas, Tinseltown USA, Tower City Cinemas, Valley View 24, West Market Plaza 7, Wooster Movies 10, Magic City Drive-In, Midway Twin Drive-In

GET SMART — ♥♥♥
(PG-13 — some rude humor, action violence and language) Classic sitcom that cleverly satirized Cold War espionage has been transformed for the big screen into an even smarter vehicle. Steve Carell is in the lead role with Anne Hathaway as Agent 99. 1 hour, 50 minutes.
Big Picture, Montrose 12, Plaza Cinemas at Chapel Hill

HANCOCK — ♥♥♥
(PG-13 — some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and language) An apathetic, hard-living superhero (Will Smith) hooks up with a public-relations professional who wants to improve the superhero's image. 1 hour, 32 minutes.
Cinemark Aurora 10, Hudson Cinema 10, Huntington Street Cinema 16, Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Macedonia Cinemark 15, Massillon 12, Montrose 12, Plaza Cinemas at Chapel Hill, Tinseltown USA, Tower City Cinemas, Valley View 24, Wooster Movies 10, Magic City Drive-In, Midway Drive-In

HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY — ♥♥♥
(PG-13 — sequences of sci-fi action, violence, some language) Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy II: The Golden Army is in every way the equal of his original Hellboy (2004). It's another celebration of his love for bizarre fantasy and diabolical machines. Ron Perlman is strong again in the title role, and del Toro's imagination provides a new array of fantastical creatures. 1 hour, 50 minutes.
Garrettsville Cinemas, Huntington Street Cinema 16, Independence 10, Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Jackson Township Movies 10, Tower City Cinemas, Valley View 24

THE INCREDIBLE HULK — ♥♥
(PG-13 — sequences of intense action violence, some frightening sci-fi images, and brief suggestive content) Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) works at controlling the anger that unleashes the Hulk while he tries to find a cure. And he pines over old love Betty Ross (Liv Tyler). But Betty's father, General ''Thunderbolt'' Ross (William Hurt), dreams of using Banner's powers as the basis for a human weapon. While the action sequences are impressive at times, the film is far more dependent on audience nostalgia than creativity. 1 hour, 54 minutes.
Jackson Township Movies 10

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL — ♥♥1/2
(PG-13 — adventure violence, scary images) Harrison Ford returns as the iconic adventurer who picks up a new sidekick (Shia La Beouf) and an old flame (Karen Allen) for this ride. 2 hours, 4 minutes.
Montrose 12

IRON MAN — ♥♥♥
(PG-13 — some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and brief suggestive content) Robert Downey Jr. dons a metal suit to fight evil in this Marvel comic adaptation directed by Jon Favreau (Elf). With Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow and Terrence Howard. 2 hours, 6 minutes.
Jackson Township Movies 10

JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH — ♥♥1/2
(PG — intense adventure action and some scary moments) There is a world inside our own, populated by glowing birds, man-eating plants, giant-fanged fish and a T-Rex. Reaching it via a series of dizzying falls, a geologist and his nephew realize Jules Verne must have seen it before writing his novel. With Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson and Anita Briem. Three-dimensional effects are amazing.

1 hour, 33 minutes.
Big Picture, Hudson Cinema 10, Huntington Street Cinema 16, Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Lake Cinemas 8, Massillon 12, Valley View 24, West Market Plaza 7

KIT KITTREDGE: AN AMERICAN GIRL — ♥♥♥1/2
(G) Inspired by one of the American Girl dolls, and just about perfect for its target audience, with a great look, engaging performances, real substance and even a few whispers of political ideas, all surrounding the freshness and charm of Abigail Breslin. Cast has Julia Ormond, Stanley Tucci, Max Thieriot, Chris O'Donnell, Willow Smith, Glenne Headley, Joan Cusack and Wallace Shawn as the snarly local newspaper editor. 1 hour, 44 minutes.
Huntington Street Cinema 16, Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Montrose 12

KUNG FU PANDA — ♥♥♥
(PG — sequences of martial arts action) Po (Jack Black), a reluctant panda bear, is recruited by a team of kung fu masters and trained in the ways of the ancient martial art to protect the Valley of Peace from an evil snow leopard. 1 hour, 26 minutes.
Plaza Cinemas at Chapel Hill

THE LAST MISTRESS — ♥♥♥1/2
(No MPAA rating — intended for mature audiences) Set in Paris in 1835, the story of a notorious libertine (Fu'ad Ait Aattou) who attempts to be a faithful husband to a rich young lady, despite his helpless enslavement to his mistress of 10 years (Asia Argento). He is devoured by the mistress; their mutual obsession is more potent than any love. 1 hour, 54 minutes.
Cedar Lee

MAMMA MIA! — ♥♥1/4
(PG-13 — some sex-related comments) — Movie version of the hit stage musical, with Meryl Streep as the villa owner on a Greek isle and Amanda Seyfried as her about-to-be married daughter. The girl doesn't know who her father is, but finds an old diary and invites three likely candidates to her wedding: Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard. Wall-to-wall ABBA songs. 1 hour, 38 minutes.
Carnation Cinema, Cinemark Aurora 10, Garrettsville Cinemas, Hudson Cinema 10, Huntington Street Cinema 16, Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Lake Cinemas 8, Macedonia Cinemark 15, Massillon 12, Montrose 12, Plaza Cinemas at Chapel Hill, Shaker Square Cinemas, Tinseltown USA, Tower City Cinemas, Valley View 24, Wooster Movies 10

MEET DAVE — ♥1/2
(PG — bawdy and suggestive humor, action and some language) A crew of miniature aliens operate a spaceship that has a human form. While trying to save their planet, the aliens encounter a new problem, as their ship becomes smitten with an Earth woman. With Eddie Murphy, Elizabeth Banks and Gabrielle Union. 1 hour, 30 minutes.
Tower City Cinemas

THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN — Not rated
(R — sequences of strong bloody gruesome violence, grisly images involving nudity, sexual content and language) Horror film based on Clive Barker's 1984 short story about a photographer who attempts to track down a serial killer called the ''Subway Butcher.'' 1 hour, 40 minutes.
Jackson Township Movies 10

MONGOL — ♥♥♥1/2
(R — sequences of bloody warfare) A ferocious film, blood-soaked, pausing occasionally for passionate romance and more frequently for torture. As a visual spectacle, it is all but overwhelming, putting to shame some of the recent historical epics from Hollywood. If it has a flaw, and it does, it is expressed succinctly by the wife of its hero: ''All Mongols do is kill and steal.'' At the end of two hours, its hero, not yet known as Genghis Khan, has two more movies to go. 2 hours, 6 minutes.
Cedar Lee

THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR — ♥♥1/2
(PG-13 — adventure action and violence) Brendan Fraser returns as explorer Rick O'Connell to combat the resurrected Han Emperor (Jet Li). It's the same cheesy mix of digitized monsters and lame comic relief we've come to expect from this series. 1 hour, 52 minutes.
Carnation Cinema, Cinemark Aurora 10, Great Oaks Cinema, Hudson Cinema 10, Huntington Street Cinema 16, Independence 10, Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Lake Cinemas 8, Macedonia Cinemark 15, Massillon 12, Montrose 12, Shaker Square Cinemas, Tinseltown USA, Tower City Cinemas, Valley View 24, Wooster Movies 10

OSS-117: CAIRO, NEST OF SPIES — ♥♥♥
(Not rated: brief strong language, sexual situations) This movie proves there's always room for one more spy spoof, provided you get the details right. Elegant and cinematic, though still shamelessly silly, the film plugs into the chauvinistic, colonialist vibe of the original books and the era itself, though it stops short of sharply critiquing the attitudes. In French with English subtitles. 1 hour, 35 minutes.
Cedar Lee

PRICELESS — ♥♥
(PG-13 — sexual content, including nudity) An ultimately tasteless, empty story about people who do degrading things to themselves and others. That said, it's all done with clear-eyed insight and a light touch that makes it a palatable comedy with a delightful adult sensibility. With Audrey Tautou and Gad Elmaleh. In French with subtitles. 1 hour, 44 minutes.
Cedar Lee

SPACE CHIMPS — ♥♥♥
(G) Space Chimps is a goofy animated space opera that sends three U.S. chimpanzee astronauts rocketing to a galaxy, as they say, far, far away. There they encounter strange life forms and the evil Zartog, who has captured an earlier space probe. Not in the same science fiction league as Wall-E, but successful, with lots of whiz-bang action and some witty dialogue. 1 hour, 20 minutes.
Big Picture, Hudson Cinema 10, Huntington Street Cinema 16, Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Jackson Township Movies 10, Montrose 12, Blue Sky Drive-In

STEP BROTHERS — ♥1/2
(R — crude and sexual content, and pervasive language) Two adult men (Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly) are pulled into a new sibling rivalry after their respective single parents get hitched. 1 hour, 52 minutes.
Carnation Cinema, Cinemark Aurora 10, Garrettsville Cinemas, Hudson Cinema 10, Huntington Street Cinema 16, Independence 10, Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Lake Cinemas 8, Macedonia Cinemark 15, Massillon 12, Shaker Square Cinemas, Tinseltown USA, Tower City Cinemas, Valley View 24, West Market Plaza 7, Wooster Movies 10, Magic City Drive-In, Midway Twin Drive-In

SWING VOTE — ♥♥♥
(PG-13 — language) Kevin Costner's new movie is about a presidential election that literally comes down to one man, one vote. The vote belongs to Bud Johnson, an alcoholic egg inspector from New Mexico, who finds himself the focus of the eyes of the world. His daughter sets a process in motion which makes it appear Bud's vote wasn't counted, and then it's all up to him. 1 hour, 59 minutes.
Cinemark Aurora 10, Hudson Cinema 10, Huntington Street Cinema 16, Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Lake Cinemas 8, Macedonia Cinemark 15, Massillon 12, Montrose 12, Plaza Cinemas at Chapel Hill, Tinseltown USA, Valley View 24, Wooster Movies 10

THE WACKNESS — ♥♥♥
(R — pervasive drug use, language and some sexuality) Wall-to-wall drugs supply the background music for a recent high school graduate (Josh Peck) and his psychiatrist (Ben Kingsley), who accepts payment in grams. There's complication when the kid falls in love with his shrink's stepdaughter (Olivia Thirlby), and another when the doc's wife (Famke Janssen) wants a divorce, and third when the kid's family gets evicted, all in the course of a lazy, crazy 1994 summer. 1 hour, 35 minutes. Cedar Lee

WALL-E — ♥♥♥1/2
(G) Delightful animated story of a robot, in a world so filled with garbage that humans have escaped into orbiting spaceships. Directed by Andrew Stanton, it is a story that is intelligent and sweet. 1 hour, 38 minutes.
Hudson Cinema 10, Huntington Street Cinema 16, Independence 10, Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Lake Cinemas 8, Linda Theatre, Macedonia Cinemark 15, Massillon 12, Tinseltown USA, Tower City Cinemas, Valley View 24, West Market Plaza 7, Blue Shy Drive-In

WANTED — ♥♥♥
(R — strong bloody violence throughout, pervasive language and some sexuality) Stars James McAvoy as a meek office worker initiated into a secret society of assassins. Mindless, heartless, preposterous, and very well done as a high-tech action thriller. With Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, Common, Terence Stamp. 1 hour, 50 minutes.
Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Jackson Township Movies 10, Plaza Cinemas at Chapel Hill, Valley View 24

THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE — ♥♥
(PG-13 — violent and disturbing content and thematic material) When an FBI agent goes missing and a priest claims to have visions about the disappearance, disgraced Mulder is called out of hiding and reteamed with skeptical Scully to find the truth. The plot line is flat and predictable, but fans will be happy to see their favorite agents working together again. 1 hour, 50 minutes.
Hudson Cinema 10, Huntington Street Cinema 16, Independence 10, Interstate Park Cinemas 18, Lake Cinemas 8, Macedonia Cinemark 15, Montrose 12, Tinseltown USA, Valley View 24