Our critics recommend...

Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild

The guys from

Another Gay Movie

are back, and they're out for action on spring break in Florida.

Burn After Reading

This comedy from the Coen Brothers (

No Country for Old Men

) has a pair of greedy, unscrupulous gym employees finding the memoirs of a former CIA agent. George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt and John Malkovich star.

Greetings from the Shore

A recent high school graduate (Kim Shaw) grieving her father's death finds unexpected adventure when she heads to the Jersey Shore for one last summer before college.

The Grocer's Son

The adult son of a small-town grocer returns home from the big city to take over the business after his father falls ill. French with subtitles.

The Pool

The dream of a better life leads a young Indian hotel worker to become obsessed with a pool that belongs to wealthy neighbors of the hotel. English and Hindi with subtitles.

Righteous Kill

Robert De Niro and Al Pacino star as a pair of aging New York City detectives who are on the trail of a serial killer whose murders resemble those from a case they thought they solved years earlier.

Surfer, Dude

In this comedy, a soulful surfer (Matthew McConaughey) finds himself in an existential crisis as he desperately waits for a wave.

Towelhead

A 13-year-old Arab American girl (Summer Bishil) copes with raging hormones and new surroundings when her mother sends her to live with her strict, traditional father in Texas.

Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys

The director-star of this comedy has two old friends from different sides of the tracks (Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard) struggling to cope with an interfamily scandal.

The Women

In this remake of the 1939 film of the same title, a wealthy New Yorker (Meg Ryan) turns to her socialite friends for solace after discovering that her husband is having an affair. Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing and Jada Pinkett-Smith also star.

Reviewed by critics Carrie Rickey (C.R.), and Steven Rea (S.R.). W.S. denotes a wire-service review.

Frozen River

Melissa Leo and Misty Upham costar in this urgent and incomparably moving first feature from Courtney Hunt about the survival, fortitude and unexpected deliverance of two single mothers. 1 hr. 37

R

(language) -

C.R.

The Edge of Heaven

A near-perfect, heartbreaking, suspenseful story about the connections between strangers, families and cultures. German-Turkish filmmaker Fatih Akin explores big themes - and even gets in some taut political- thriller elements - in this beautifully shot, beautifully acted pic, set in Bremen and Hamburg, Germany, and Istanbul.

No MPAA rating

(sex, nudity, violence, profanity, adult themes) -

S.R.

Hancock

Will Smith stars as a problem-plagued, screw-up superhero in this dark, funny, rollicking tale of rehabilitation, redemption, and really cool special effects. With Jason Bateman and an awesome Charlize Theron. 1 hr. 33

PG-13

(profanity, violence, adult themes) -

S.R.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona ***1/2

Woody Allen's rectangular tale of love and longing, friendship and art stars Javier Bardem as a Spanish artist intent on seducing a pair of young Americans - played by Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson - and dealing with his crazy, explosive ex (Penelope Cruz) in the process. It's a rich romantic reverie. 1 hr. 37

PG-13

(sex, profanity, adult themes) -

S.R.

Babylon A.D.

*** Vin Diesel returns to action mode in this gripping futuristic thriller as a mercenary smuggling a mysterious girl into Manhattan. Not for the faint of heart. 1 hr. 30 PG

- D.H.

The Dark Knight ***

This sequel to 2005's

Batman Begins

has the caped crusader (Christian Bale) teaming up with police Lt. Gordon (Gary Oldman) and a new D.A. (Aaron Eckhart) to take on the Joker (Heath Ledger in his final film). 2 hrs. 32

PG-13

(intense violence, sadism, threats to children) -

C.R.

Everybody Wants to Be Italian **

A Boston fishmonger and a cute veterinarian meet at an Italian singles night in this indie romantic comedy - steeped in ethnic stereotypes and saucy humor - that wants desperately to be

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

. Good luck. 1 hr. 45

R

(sex, profanity, adult themes) -

S.R.

The House Bunny **

The

Legally Blonde

screenwriters' half-funny tale of a Playboy playmate (Anna Faris) who becomes house mother to a college sorority of misfit girls. She teaches them how to be sexy, they smarten her up. Starring the divine Anna Faris.

PG-13

(sexual innuendo, profanity, coarse humor) -

C.R.

Traitor **1/2

Don Cheadle, wiry and wired, delivers an electrifying performance as an apparent Muslim terrorist. His efforts are defused by Jeffrey Nachmanoff's diffuse direction. With Guy Pearce, Saïd Taghmaoui and Jeff Daniels. 1 hr. 54

PG-13

(action, violence, profanity) -

C.R.

Tropic Thunder ***

Ben Stiller's raunchy, raucous and riotously funny parody of outsized Hollywood war movies and outsized Hollywood egos is so acutely self-conscious that it produces the effect of a comedian delivering color commentary on his jokes. Robert Downey Jr. is sidesplitting as an actor who chemically darkens his skin to play an African American sergeant, ditto Matthew McConaughey and Tom Cruise as an agent and a producer. 1 hr. 47

R

(violence, carnage, drugs, profanity, sexual references) -

C.R.

Reviewed by critic Howard Shapiro (H.S.).

Candide

(Arden Theatre) Yet another version of Bernstein's glittering take on optimism. Previews Thursday-Sept. 16, opens Sept. 17.

Driving Miss Daisy

(Hedgerow Theatre) Pulitzer-winning play about an unorthodox friendship. Previews Thursday-next Sunday, opens Sept. 19.

Herringbone

(McCarter Theatre) BD Wong is a one-man band. Previews Tuesday-Thursday, opens Friday.

Reefer Madness

(Montgomery Theatre) The shocking truth about - well, you know. Preview Thursday, opens Friday.

State Fair

(Walnut Street Theatre) It's a grand night for singing, all right. Previews Tuesday, opens Wednesday.

Stones in His Pockets

(Act II Playhouse) Hollywood comes to starstruck Ireland. Through Sept. 27.

Live Arts Festival/Philly Fringe

All over town for 16 days, a thousand performances of scores of shows. Through Saturday.

Parenting 101

(Kimmel Center Innovation Studio) A musical tour of trying times. Extended through Nov. 30.

Phantom

(New Candlelight Theatre) No, not

The Phantom of the Opera

- the lesser-known musical by Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit that plies the same territory, with far less spectacle but a fuller story line and, here, a solid cast in a production that emphasizes its good points. Through Oct. 5.

- H.S

.

Baby Mama ***

Tina Fey as a buttoned-up careerist who can't conceive and Amy Poehler as an unzipped, trash-talking babe hired to be her pregnancy surrogate. What's not to like? Hilarious cameos from Steve Martin, Sigourney Weaver, Romany Malco and Holland Taylor. 1 hr. 39

PG-13

(procreative candor, profanity) -

C.R.