06/30/11 Film clips

OPENED WEDNESDAY

"TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON" (3-D and 35mm) -- Autobots and Decepticons do battle in part three of the hugely popular (and very loud) Michael Bay-directed movies based on children's toys and a 1980s TV show. Starring Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, John Malkovich and Tyrese Gibson. (PG-13 for intense prolonged sequences of sci-fi action violence, mayhem and destruction, and for language, some sexuality and innuendo.)

OPENING FRIDAY

"LARRY CROWNE" -- After being downsized, a cash-strapped company man (Tom Hanks, who also directed) starts over by enrolling in his local college, where he develops a raging crush on his public-speaking teacher (Julia Roberts). Also starring Bryan Cranston, Cedric the Entertainer and Taraji P. Henson. (PG-13 for brief strong language and some sexual content.)

"MONTE CARLO" -- Three girls go on vacation to Paris, where one is mistaken for a famous British heiress. Instead of telling the truth, the girls decide to go with the flow and see how the other half lives. Starring Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester, Katie Cassidy, Cory Monteith and Andi MacDowell. Directed by Thomas Bezucha. (PG for brief mild language.)

"SKATELAND" -- A young skating-rink manager and his high school friends come of age in a small Texas town in the early '80s. Starring Shiloh Fernandez, Ashley Greene and Heath Freeman. Directed by Anthony Burns. (PG-13 for violence, some sexuality, language, substance abuse and smoking involving teens.)

HELD OVER

"BAD TEACHER" -- Cameron Diaz plays a boozy, foul-mouthed teacher-from-the-dark-side who gets dumped by her sugar daddy and sets her sights on a colleague. Also starring Justin Timberlake and Jason Segel. Directed by Jake Kasdan. (R for sexual content, nudity, language and some drug use.)

"BRIDESMAIDS" -- Six bridesmaids try to plan the perfect wedding for their friend in this raunchy comedy about bridesmaid rivalry. Starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Ellie Kemper and Jon Hamm. Directed by Paul Feig; produced by Judd Apatow. (R for some strong sexuality and language throughout.)

"CARS 2" (3-D and 35mm) -- Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) returns in a globe-trotting, spy-themed sequel to the smash Pixar comedy about articulate automobiles. Also featuring the voices of Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer. Directed by John Lasseter. (Rated G.)

"FAST FIVE" -- The stars of the previous installments in the surprisingly successful franchise about drag racers reunite to once again break the speed limit the world over. This time out, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson joins the cast as a federal agent on the speedsters' trail. Also starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges. Directed by Justin Lin. (PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, sexual content and language.)

"GREEN LANTERN" (3-D and 35mm) -- A test pilot is granted a mystical green ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers and membership in an intergalactic squadron that keeps peace in the universe. Of course, all is not peaceful in the universe. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong and Tim Robbins. Directed by Martin Campbell. (PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action.)

"THE HANGOVER PART II" -- The stars of the biggest R-rated comedy of all time return for another bachelor party. It's a quiet, respectable pre-wedding brunch ... in Bangkok. Starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha and Ken Jeong. Directed by Todd Phillips. (R for graphic sexual content, nudity, drug use, strong language and violence.)

"KUNG FU PANDA 2" (3-D and 35mm) -- The surprise animated hit, featuring the martial-arts bear voiced by Jack Black, gets a second installment, pitting Panda and his allies the Furious Five against a villain armed with a weapon capable of destroying kung-fu. Also featuring the voices of Angelina Jolie, Gary Oldman, Dustin Hoffman and Jackie Chan. Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson. (PG for sequences of martial arts action and mild violence.)

"MIDNIGHT IN PARIS" -- Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams play a young couple engaged to be married in Woody Allen's latest. Also starring Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Michael Sheen and Carla Bruni. (PG-13 for some sexual references and smoking.)

"MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS" (digital) -- Jim Carrey stars in this adaptation of the award-winning children's book about a house painter who starts breeding trained penguins and takes his animal act on the road. Also starring Carla Gugino and Angela Lansbury. Directed by Mark Waters. (PG for mild rude humor and some language.)

"PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES" (3-D and 35mm) -- Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is on a quest to find the fabled Fountain of Youth, only to discover that Blackbeard and his daughter are after it, too. Also starring Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane and Geoffrey Rush. Directed by Rob Marshall. (PG-13 for intense sequences of action/adventure violence, some frightening images, sensuality and innuendo.)

"RIO" -- In this animated film, a rare macaw living comfortably as a pet in Minnesota travels with his owner to meet his female counterpart in Rio de Janeiro, where the two birds tangle with animal smugglers. With the voices of Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, Jane Lynch and Wanda Sykes. Directed by Carlos Saldanha. (G.)

"SUPER 8" (digitial) -- Set in 1979, this Steven Spielberg-produced, J.J. Abrams-directed thriller centers on a group of Ohio teens who, while making a Super 8 monster movie, also film some nasty cargo on a train that derails on its way to Area 51. Starring Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Gabriel Basso, Joel Courtney and Ron Eldard. (PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language and some drug use.)

"X-MEN: FIRST CLASS" -- This origin story of the Marvel mutants tells how Professor X and Magneto became close friends before becoming bitter enemies, with the Cuban Missile Crisis thrown in for good measure. Starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Rose Byrne, Kevin Bacon, January Jones, Jennifer Lawrence and Zoe Kravitz. Directed by Matthew Vaughn. (PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, some sexual content including brief partial nudity and language.)

-- Compiled by the Yakima Herald-Republic