Flickers . . . What’s playing at area theaters

NEW RELEASES

THE BOX A suburban couple, Norma and Arthur , face a moral dilemma when they receive a gift that bears irrevocable consequences. With the press of a button, their simple wooden box will bestow $1 million; however, a stranger somewhere else will die at the same time. The box will be theirs for only 24 hours, and as time ticks away, Norma and Arthur confront the depth of their humanity as they consider their choices. (115 min.)

- Starring Cameron Diaz, James Marsden and Frank Langella.

- PG-13: Thematic elements, some violence and disturbing images.

DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL Ebenezer Scrooge begins the Christmas holiday with his usual miserly contempt, barking at his faithful clerk and his cheery nephew. But when the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come take him on an eye-opening journey revealing truths Old Scrooge is reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before it’s too late. (96 min.)

- Starring Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman and Colin Firth.

- PG: Scary sequences and scary images.

THE FOURTH KIND In 1972, a scale of measurement was established for alien encounters. When a UFO is sighted, it is called an encounter of the first kind. When evidence is collected, it is known as an encounter of the second kind. When contact is made with extraterrestrials, it is the third kind. The next level, abduction, is the fourth kind. This encounter has been the most difficult to document. “The Fourth Kind” is set in modern-day Nome, Alaska, where – mysteriously since the 1960s – a disproportionate number of the population has been reported missing every year. Despite multiple FBI investigations of the region, the truth has never been discovered. Here in this remote region, psychologist Dr. Abigail Tyler began videotaping sessions with traumatized patients and unwittingly discovered some of the most disturbing evidence of alien abduction ever documented. (98 min.)

- Starring Milla Jovovich, Elias Koteas and Will Patton.

- PG-13: Violent/disturbing images, some terror, thematic elements and brief sexuality.

CURRENT MOVIES

AMELIA After becoming the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, Amelia was thrust into a new role as America’s sweetheart – the legendary “goddess of light,” known for her bold, larger-than-life charisma. Yet, even with her global fame solidified, her belief in flirting with danger and standing up as her own, outspoken woman never changed. In the summer of 1937, Amelia set off on her most daunting mission yet: a solo flight around the world that she and her husband George both anxiously foresaw as destined, whatever the outcome, to become one of the most talked-about journeys in history. (111 min.)

- Starring Hilary Swank, Richard Gere and Virginia Madsen.

- PG: Some sensuality, language, thematic elements and smoking.

ASTRO BOY Set in futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy is a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist named Tenma. Powered by positive “blue” energy, Astro Boy is endowed with super strength, X-ray vision, unbelievable speed and the ability to fly. Embarking on a journey in search of acceptance, Astro Boy encounters many other colorful characters along the way. Through his adventures, he learns the joys and emotions of being human, and gains the strength to embrace his destiny. Ultimately learning his friends and family are in danger, Astro Boy marshals his awesome super powers and returns to Metro City in a valiant effort to save everything he cares about and to understand what it takes to be a hero. (94 min.)

- Starring the voices of Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage and Kristen Bell.

- PG: Some action and peril, and brief mild language.

CIRQUE DU FREAK: THE VAMPIRE’S ASSISTANT 16-year-old Darren was like most kids in his suburban neighborhood. He hung out with his best friend Steve, got decent grades and usually stayed out of trouble. But when he and his buddy stumble upon a traveling freak show, things begin to change inside Darren. That’s the exact moment when a vampire named Larten Crepsley turns him into something, well, bloodthirsty. Newly undead, he joins the Cirque Du Freak, a touring sideshow filled with monstrous creatures from a snakeboy and a wolfman to a bearded lady and a gigantic barker. As Darren flexes his newfound powers in this dark world, he becomes a treasured pawn between the vampires and their deadlier counterparts. (108 min.)

- Starring John C. Reilly, Ken Watanabe and Josh Hutcherson.

- PG-13: Sequences of intense supernatural violence and action, disturbing images, thematic elements and some language.

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS When hard times hit Swallow Falls, its townspeople can only afford to eat sardines. Flint Lockwood, a failed inventor, thinks he has the answer to the town’s crisis. He builds a machine that converts water into food, and becomes a local hero when tasty treats fall from the sky like rain. But when the machine spins out of control and threatens to bury the whole world under giant mounds of food, Flint finds he may have bitten off more than he can chew. (81 min.) 

- Starring the voices of Bill Hader, Anna Faris and James Caan.

- PG: Brief mild language.

COUPLES RETREAT Four Midwestern couples embark on a journey to a tropical island resort. While one of the couples is there to work on their marriage, the other three set out to jet ski, spa and enjoy some fun in the sun. They soon discover that participation in the resort’s couples therapy is not optional. Suddenly, their group-rate vacation comes at a price. What follows is a hilarious look at real-world problems faced by all couples. (107 min.)

- Starring Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman and Jon Favreau.

- PG-13: Sexual content and language.

GENTLEMEN BRONCOS Benjamin, home-schooled by his eccentric mother, is a loveable loner whose passion for writing leads him on an offbeat and hilarious journey as his story first gets ripped off by the legendary fantasy novelist Ronald Chevalier and then is adapted into a disastrous movie by the small town’s most prolific homespun filmmaker. (89 min.)

- Starring Michael Angarano, Sam Rockwell and Jemaine Clement.

- PG-13: Some crude humor.

THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL Sam is a pretty college sophomore so desperate to earn some cash for a deposit on an apartment that she accepts a babysitting job even after she finds out there is no baby. Mr. and Mrs. Ulman are the older couple who lure Sam out to their creaky Victorian mansion deep in the woods, just in time for a total lunar eclipse. Megan is Sam’s best friend, who gives her a ride out to the house and reluctantly leaves her there despite suspecting that something is amiss. Victor at first seems like just a creepy guy lurking around the house, but quickly makes it clear that Sam will end this night in a bloody fight for her life. (93 min.)

- Starring Jocelin Donahue, Greta Gerwig and Tom Noonan.

- R: Bloody violence.

THE INVENTION OF LYING Mark lives in an alternate reality in which lying doesn’t exist. Everyone tells the truth and only the truth. In a world where everyone is blunt and truthfully honest, Mark discovers the concept of lying. With the ability to lie, he takes advantage of everyone, since they all assume he’s telling the truth. He immediately lies himself to fame and fortune but soon realizes how out of control dishonesty can be. Even with his superiority and power of lying, he cannot lie himself into the heart of the woman he loves. (99 min.) 

- Starring Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner and Rob Lowe.

- PG-13: Language including some sexual material and a drug reference.

LAW ABIDING CITIZEN Clyde Shelton is an upstanding family man whose wife and daughter are brutally murdered during a home invasion. When the killers are caught, Nick Rice, a hotshot young Philadelphia prosecutor, is assigned to the case. Over his objections, Nick is forced by his boss to offer one of the suspects a light sentence in exchange for testifying against his accomplice. Fast forward 10 years. The man who got away with murder is found dead and Clyde Shelton coolly admits his guilt. Then he issues a warning to Nick: Either fix the flawed justice system that failed his family, or key players in the trial will die. (108 min.)

- Starring Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx and Bruce McGill.

- R: Strong bloody brutal violence and torture, a scene of rape and pervasive language.

MICHAEL JACKSON’S THIS IS IT Michael Jackson’s final film is a compilation of rehearsal, behind-the-scenes and other footage of the pop legend preparing for the This Is It concert series, which was to be held for 100 shows in London. Kenny Ortega of “High School Musical” directs and handles all of the choreography. (111 min.)

- Starring Michael Jackson.

- PG: Scary images and suggestive choreography.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY Soon after moving into a suburban tract home, Katie and Micah become increasingly disturbed by what appears to be a supernatural presence. Hoping to capture evidence of the haunting on film, Katie and Micah set up video cameras in their home, but they are not prepared for the terrifying occurrences that follow. (99 min.)

- Starring Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat.

- R: Language.

SAW VI Hoffman emerges as the next heir to Jigsaw’s twisted legacy, but as the FBI closes in, he sets in motion a game that is designed to reveal Jigsaw’s grand scheme. (92 min.)

- Starring Costas Mandylor, Tobin Bell and Betsy Russell.

- R: Sequences of grisly, bloody violence and torture and language.

THE STEPFATHER When Michael Harding returns home from military school, he discovers that his mother has a new man named David in her life. Though David makes Michael’s mother very happy, Michael cannot seem to shake feelings of distrust. He becomes increasingly suspicious of David, and wonders if the man’s pleasant exterior hides a sinister side. (101 min.)

- Starring Dylan Walsh, Sela Ward and Penn Badgley.

- PG-13: Intense sequences of violence, disturbing images, mature thematic material and brief sensuality.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Misunderstood at home and at school, mischievous Max escapes to a land populated by majestic, and sometimes fierce, creatures known as the Wild Things. The Wild Things allow Max to become their leader, and he promises to create a kingdom where everyone will be happy. However, Max soon finds that being the king is not easy, and that his relationships with the Wild Things are much more complicated than he originally thought. (94 min.)

- Starring the voices of Max Records, Benicio del Toro and Paul Dano.

- PG: Mild thematic elements, some adventure action and brief language.

ZOMBIELAND A cowardly shut-in named Columbus is forced to join up with a seasoned zombie slayer named Tallahassee in order to survive the zombie apocalypse. As Tallahassee sets out on a mission to find the last Twinkie on Earth, the duo meets up with Wichita and Little Rock, two young girls who have resorted to some rather unorthodox methods to survive amidst the chaos. Reluctant partners in the battle against the undead, all four soon begin to wonder if it might be better to simply take their chances alone. (81 min.)

- Starring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg and Emma Stone.

- R: Horror violence/gore and language.