Brothers: B
(Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Tobey Maguire) With his brother Sam (Maguire) presumed dead in Afghanistan, ex-con Tommy (Gyllenhaal) helps Sam’s wife, Grace (Portman), around the house and with her two little girls. Bravura performances (especially Maguire) and a story that’s more complicated than you’d expect overcome the slow pacing in director Jim Sheridan’s (“In America”) latest. Rated R.

The Road: B+
(Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Guy Pearce) In a post-apocalyptic world in which Earth is slowly destroying itself, a father (Mortensen) and son (Smit-McPhee) seek food, shelter and warmth as they struggle to survive. Plausible and logical drama, an atmosphere of impending doom and great performances from Mortensen and Smit-McPhee make this a movie you will not soon forget. Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy. Rated R.

Fantastic Mr. Fox: C
(Voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray) Writer/director Wes Anderson (“The Royal Tennenbaums”) ventures into stop-motion animation with this story of a sly fox (Clooney) who defies his wife’s (Streep) wishes and raids the homesteads of three nasty farmers. Clooney and Streep are good, but the animation is clunky and the story is never captivating. Based on the novel by Roald Dahl. Rated PG.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon: C
(Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner) After Edward (Pattinson) loves her so much he has to leave her, Bella (Stewart) grows closer with the now hunky Jacob (Lautner), who wants more than a friendship. Werewolves and vampires subsequently clash, but if you haven’t seen the film’s predecessor, “Twilight,” and/or read the books by Stephenie Meyer, it’s unlikely you’ll understand what’s happening here. But even if you are familiar with the story, it’s still just a vaguely interesting teen drama that works in moments but is mostly just a bore. That said, the women I’ve spoken to who’ve seen the movie have really liked it, mostly (I suspect) because of Lautner’s impressive abs. Rated PG-13.

The Blind Side: B
(Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron) Based on the true story of Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman Michael Oher, a wealthy family in Tennessee adopts an oversized, undereducated African-American with a gentle soul and helps him earn a football scholarship. Bullock is brassy fun as the family matriarch, and it’s a nice, simple and sweet story that works. Rated PG-13.

Planet 51: C+
(Voices of Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel, Justin Long) American astronaut Charles Baker (Johnson) crashes on an alien planet that closely resembles 1950s small-town America. The catch is, Baker is considered the “alien” and must avoid capture while trying to return home. The story is predictable but cute, the animation looks fine and there are a number of references to well-known sci-fi classics, which gives adults a reason to smile. Rated PG.

2012:B
(John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Thandie Newton) A failed writer (Cusack) tries to keep his ex-wife (Peet) and two children safe as earth destroys itself. The story, directed and co-written by Roland Emmerich (“Independence Day”), has plenty of disaster movie clichés (martyrs, near escapes, family turmoil, etc.), but it’s also amusing throughout and good popcorn fun. Rated PG-13.

The Fourth Kind: C
(Milla Jovovich, Elias Koteas, Will Patton) In Nome, Alaska, a psychologist (Jovovich) believes alien abduction may be why a number of her patients are waking at 3:33 a.m. and seeing a mysterious owl, then acting erratically. Writer/director Olatunde Osunsanmi gives a pseudo-documentary feel by constantly interweaving (fake) archive footage with dramatic reenactments. It’s all pretty distracting, and none of it works, though die-hard sci-fi fans may find it amusing. Rated PG-13.

The Men Who Stare at Goats: C
(George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey) A reporter (McGregor) in Kuwait meets soldier Lyn Cassady (Clooney), who tells him about the “First Earth” army battalion led by a Vietnam veteran (Jeff Bridges) who believes psychic powers can help prevent conflict. It’s supposedly based on a true story, but the occasionally amusing satire falls flat when the humor misses and the story gets too dramatic. Rated R.

A Christmas Carol: C
(Voices of Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Robin Wright Penn) Elderly miser Ebenezer Scrooge (Carrey) hates everything about Christmas. But after the ghost of his old business partner, Jacob Marley (Oldman), warns him of the three spirits (all played by Carrey) who will visit during the night, he gets a new outlook on life. The Charles Dickens classic novel is re-imagined as a 3-D animated adventure here, but the visuals overwhelm as the story is too action-oriented and lacks heart. Rated PG.

This Is It: B
(Michael Jackson, Orianthi, Kenny Ortega) More than 100 hours of rehearsal footage (shot from March through June 2009) for Jackson’s “This Is It” concerts is broken down into a 112-minute movie in the last original work we’re going to see from the King of Pop. Director Kenny Ortega includes all the hits you’ll expect, and the film is an upbeat reminder of Jackson’s exceptional talent, showmanship, and creativity. Rated PG.

An Education: B+
(Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina) In 1961 London, sophisticated older man David (Sarsgaard) seduces the brainy 16 year-old Jenny (Mulligan) by showing her a world outside of schoolbooks. There’s no creepiness here, just an engaging story about a wide-eyed girl who gets carried away with what the world has to offer. Sarsgaard is imminently likeable as David, and newcomer Mulligan glows in a star-making turn as Jenny. Expect to see her name at awards time, and for many years to come. Rated PG-13.

Astro Boy: C
(Voices of Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage, Nathan Lane) After a horrific laboratory accident, Dr. Tenma (voice of Cage) recreates his son as Astro Boy (voice of Highmore), a robot who will soon be called upon to save the day. Everything is mediocre in this pedestrian animated effort, though the voice cast does its best to make it work. Boys ages 6-12 may enjoy it, but that’s all. Rated PG.

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