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THE AMERICAN

3 STARS Rated R • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Carmike Amelia Island, Carmike Fleming Island, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Hollywood River City, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd., San Marco Theatre

Anton Corbijn (“Control”) directs the moody, contemplative thriller starring George Clooney as Jack, a haunted hitman whose Italian vacation is interrupted when he learns he’s the target. The brooding film’s sparse dialogue allows Clooney to stretch his acting chops.

AVATAR: SPECIAL EDITION REAL-D DIGITAL 3D

4 STARS Rated PG-13 • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Regal Avenues

Guess James Cameron didn’t earn enough from the first release of “Avatar” — the highest-grossing movie of all time. This visually impressive eye candy is a little sweeter reissued in state-of-the-art digital 3-D. For the 27 people on Earth who didn’t see it the first time.

CATS & DOGS: REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE

3 STARS Rated PG • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Regal Avenues

The ensemble cast includes Bette Midler, Nick Nolte, Christina Applegate and James Marsden, who voice this sequel to 2001’s family favorite. The world’s canines and felines finally unite against a common enemy.

DESPICABLE ME

4 STARS Rated PG • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Carmike Fleming Island, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

Steve Carell voices the delightfully diabolical Gru, responsible for raising three orphan girls while maintaining his street cred as the crème de la crème of crime, somehow steal the moon and defend his title from nefarious newbie Vector (voice of Jason Segel). This funny, animated feature is inventive and entertaining.

DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS

1 STAR Rated PG-13 • Pot Belly’s, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

In this mean-spirited mess, neo-yuppie Tim (Paul Rudd) invites hapless twit Barry (Steve Carell) to a dinner designed to dish out humiliation to nerds, geeks and nimrods. By the time Tim realizes he’s the “Schmuck,” we’ve already bailed on the check.

EAT PRAY LOVE

2 1/2 STARS Rated PG-13 • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Carmike Amelia Island, Carmike Fleming Island, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Hollywood River City, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

Julia Roberts stars in the film adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestselling memoir about one woman’s soul-searching that takes her on a whirlwind journey around the globe. Filmed on location in Italy, India and Bali, “Eat” is a friendly feast for the eyes. Billy Crudup and Javier Bardem costar.

THE EXPENDABLES

1 1/2 STARS Rated R • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Carmike Amelia Island, Carmike Fleming Island, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Hollywood River City, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

Sylvester Stallone directs and stars in this action film, with an ensemble cast of other over-the-hill action film vets: Eric Roberts, Steve Austin and Mickey Rourke. It’s about mercenaries in the jungle who’ve “been wronged,” but clearly the whole thing’s just a way for these former cinematic heavyweights to fire off a few more rounds from the macho gun. Cheeky cameos by Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

GET LOW

2 1/2 STARS Rated PG-13 • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, 5 Points Theatre, Regal Avenues

During the Great Depression, Tennessee hermit Felix Bush (Robert Duvall) decides he wants to hold his own funeral while he’s still above-ground. Mortician Frank Quinn (Bill Murray) is happy to oblige, since no one’s died in the mountain town for some time. Felix creates a lottery, in which the winner inherits the old man’s vast lumber empire. Will his ascension to the great hereafter be sooner than he thinks? Sissy Spacek costars.

GOING THE DISTANCE

2 STARS Rated R • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Carmike Amelia Island, Carmike Fleming Island, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Hollywood River City, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

Erin (Drew Barrymore) and Garrett (Justin Long) are trying to keep their long distance love alive by way of phone calls, web cams and racking up frequent flyer miles. Will their professional aspirations destroy their dream of togetherness? The romcom costars Christina Applegate and Jason Sudeikis.

INCEPTION

3 1/2 STARS Rated R • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Carmike Fleming Island, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

Leonardo DiCaprio is Dom Cobb, a thief with the ability to enter one’s mind as they sleep and steal secrets from deep in the subconscious. Dom wonders if it’s a blessing or a curse, since it’s made him a pariah and a fugitive, doomed to a life of dangerous espionage. Offered one final score to redeem himself, Dom must plant — not steal — an idea in the mind of his sleeping target, while dealing with an enemy who’ll stop at nothing to destroy him. The sci-fi thriller costars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ellen “Juno” Page.

THE LAST EXORCISM

3 STARS Rated PG-13 • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Carmike Amelia Island, Carmike Fleming Island, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Hollywood River City, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

Reviewed in this issue.

LOTTERY TICKET

2 STARS Rated PG-13 • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Hollywood River City, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

Kevin Carson’s (Bow Wow) life is turned upside-down when he wins a $370 million lottery ticket and must somehow survive a three-day holiday as friends and neighbors try to help him with his financial windfall. Ice Cube, Mike Epps, Loretta Devine and Keith David costar.

MACHETE

2 STARS Rated R • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Carmike Amelia Island, Carmike Fleming Island, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Hollywood River City, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

Reviewed in this issue.

NANNY MCPHEE RETURNS

3 STARS Rated PG • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Carmike Amelia Island, Carmike Fleming Island, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Hollywood River City, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

Emma Thompson is back as the irascible title character who spares the rod but not the magic wand when dealing with young mother Isabel Green’s (Maggie Gyllenhaal) three rambunctious children. Rhys Ifans, Ewan McGregor and Maggie Smith costar in the sequel to the 2005 family fantasy film.

THE OTHER GUYS

3 STARS Rated PG-13 • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Carmike Fleming Island, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Hollywood River City, Pot Belly’s, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg nab some laughs in this goofy buddy-cop comedy. They play detectives Gamble (Ferrell) and Hoitz (Wahlberg), oddly partnered, who decide to show Capt. Mauch (Michael Keaton, in a welcome return to comedy) and the rest of the squad how to really fight crime. Adam McKay (“Step Brothers”) directs the winning spoof that costars Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson and Eva Mendes.

PIRANHA 3D

2 1/2 STARS Rated R • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Carmike Fleming Island, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Hollywood River City, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

This creature feature is swimmingly good horror fare about everyone’s favorite fanged fish and their carnivorous assault on the unsuspecting and under-dressed teens at scenic Lake Victoria. Elisabeth Shue, Jerry O’Connell and Richard Dreyfuss star in this celluloid guilty pleasure.

SALT

2 STARS Rated PG-13 • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Hollywood River City, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

Angelina Jolie is CIA agent Evelyn Salt, forced on the run in deep undercover when she’s accused of being a Russian spy. She travels the globe seeking answers and her accuser. Philip Noyce directs this thriller, costarring Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD

2 STARS Rated PG-13 • AMC Orange Park, Cinemark Tinseltown

Michael Cera is Scott Pilgrim in the silly story of a boy who must battle “seven exes” of the girl of his dreams. Director Edgar Wright does his best to turn lemons into lemonade.

STEP UP 3D

1 1/2 STARS Rated PG-13 • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square

This uncoordinated drivel is third in a series about good kids versus bad (but redeemable) kids facing off in a climactic dance battle. This time, the stakes are even higher — because it’s 3-D! Sit this one out.

SWITCH

2 STARS Rated PG-13 • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Carmike Fleming Island, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Hollywood River City, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

Jennifer Aniston hears her biological clock ticking and opts for artificial insemination. Jason Bateman drunkenly “donates” the necessary material for her pregnancy — fast-forward seven years on, and voila! A child who talks and acts just like him! Predictable and kinda blah.

TAKERS

2 STARS Rated PG-13 • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Hollywood River City, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

Tough-guy detective Jake Welles (Matt Dillon) always gets his man, but when bank robbers (Hayden Christensen, Paul Walker, T.I.) plan one final heist, Jake and partner Eddie Hatcher (Jay Hernandez) may wonder if they’ve met their match.

TOY STORY 3

3 STARS Rated G • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Hollywood River City, Regal Avenues

Third in the much-loved series, it doesn’t break any new ground. Buzz, Woody, Rex and the rest are shipped off to a day-care center, but these tots aren’t ready to play nice, so they hatch an escape plan. Parts may be scary for younger kids.

VAMPIRES SUCK

1 STAR Rated PG-13 • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square, Carmike Fleming Island, Cinemark Tinseltown, Epic Theatre St. Augustine, Regal Avenues, Regal Beach Blvd.

In the tradition of “Airplane” and “Scary Movie” parodies is this lackluster spoof of the “Twilight” movies, clearly demonstrating that a fart joke delivered by a vampire is still just a fart joke.

WHAT IF

2 1/2 STARS Rated PG • AMC Orange Park, AMC Regency Square

In the tradition of “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “The Family Man,” Kevin Sorbo plays businessman Ben Walker, who chose career over college sweetheart Wendy (Kristy Swan) and his dream of being a minister years ago. When an angel (John Ratzenberger) gives Ben a glimpse into what could have been, he decides to trade briefcase for Bible, marry Wendy and be a stepdad to her two teenage daughters.

OTHER FILMS

HARVEY

Jimmy Stewart is Elwood P. Dowd, whose best pal is an imaginary 6-foot rabbit who tipples a bit, in the 1950 comedy, screened at 5:45 p.m. on Sept. 9 in Main Library’s Hicks Auditorium, 303 N. Laura St., Jacksonville. 630-1741.

NIGHT OWL CINEMA

“School of Rock” is screened at 8 p.m. on Sept. 10 at St. Augustine Amphitheatre, 1340 A1A S., St. Augustine. South Woods Elementary School Rock Band plays at 7 and 9 p.m. Admission is free. 471-1965.

LAUREL & HARDY FILMS

The local chapter of The International Laurel & Hardy Appreciation Society screens “Blotto” (1930), “Their Purple Moment,” “Should married Men Go Home?” and “We Faw Down” (1928) from 4-5:30 p.m. on Sept. 11 at Pablo Creek library, 13295 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville. Admission is free. 246-0312.

5 POINTS THEATRE

“Get Low” is screened at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 7 and 8, and at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 9 at 5 Points Theatre, 1028 Park St., Jacksonville. “Cairo Time” is screened at 7 p.m. on Sept. 10 and 11, at 5 p.m. on Sept. 12 and at 6 p.m. on Sept. 14, 15 and 16. “Soul Kitchen” runs at 9 p.m. on Sept. 10, 11 and 13, at 7 p.m. on Sept. 12 and at 8 p.m. Sept. 14-16. “Repo: The Genetic Opera” is at 11 p.m. on Sept. 10, 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 12. College football is on at 12:21 p.m. on Sept. 11 with UF/USF; FSU/Oklahoma is at 3:30 p.m. 359-0047.

POT BELLY’S CINEMA

“Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky,” “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” and “Grown Ups” screen at Pot Belly’s Cinema, 36 Granada St., St. Augustine. 829-3101.

WGV IMAX THEATER

“Ocean Wonderland” is screened along with “Dinosaurs Alive!,” “Dolphins and Whales” and “Toy Story 3” at World Golf Village, 1 World Golf Place, Exit 323 off I-95, St. Augustine. Tickets are $13 for adults, $12 for seniors, students & military; $10 for kids. 940-IMAX. worldgolfimax.com

NEW ON DVD & BLU-RAY

HARRY BROWN

Sir Michael Caine’s foray into vigilante justice as put-upon Harry Brown is a hit-or-miss affair. Recently widowed Harry is pushed to the brink by local criminals terrorizing his British ’hood, so he takes the law into his own hands; the law being, of course, a big-ass gun.

MARMADUKE

Owen Wilson lends his voice as America’s favorite mega-mutt Great Dane. When Marmaduke’s family moves to a new town and pater familias Phil tries to keep up with the Joneses, only their lovable pooch can save the day and teach them the true meaning of family values. George Lopez, Emma Stone and Kiefer Sutherland costar.

TIME BANDITS

Monty Python alum and rogue director Terry Gilliam’s 1981 fantasy-adventure is a playfully dark comedy of one boy’s journey through time and space as he encounters a bored Napoleon (a superb Ian Holm), benign King Agamemnon (Sean Connery) and snobby Robin Hood (John Cleese), while robbing them blind with a gang of wise-cracking dwarves. Python Michael Palin’s script plus surreal cinematography add up to heady fun.

BLACK ORPHEUS (CRITERION COLLECTION)

Director Marcel Camus’ 1959 retelling of the classic Greek myth, filmed on the streets of Rio de Janeiro during Carnival, is considered a masterpiece. Its original samba score by Luiz Bonfa and Antonio Carlos Jobim rivals the hypnotic magic onscreen. This deluxe edition has all the whistles and bells one expects from Criterion, including a documentary about the film’s impact on Brazilian culture.