Our critics recommend...

American Violet

A single mother (Nicole Beharie) arrested on a drug charge turns down a plea bargain and risks her freedom to prove her innocence. Also starring Alfre Woodard.

Battle for Terra An animated feature in which the peaceful inhabitants of a distant planet are confronted by humans in search of a place to live after Earth is destroyed. Voices of Luke Wilson, Amanda Peet, and Dennis Quaid, among others.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past Matthew McConaughey stars as a commitment-averse photographer who is visited by the ghosts of his past girlfriends at his brother's wedding. Jennifer Garner also stars.

Is Anybody There? A young British boy grows up in a retirement home run by his parents and befriends one of the residents, a retired magician. Starring Michael Caine.

Lemon Tree A Palestinian widow living on the border with Israel fiercely defends her lemon trees when Israeli authorities threaten to remove them. English and other languages with subtitles.

Lymelife Growing up on Long Island, a 15-year-old copes with life in a dysfunctional family. Alec Baldwin, Rory Culkin, Jill Hennessy, and Timothy Hutton star.

Tokyo Sonata A Japanese family becomes dysfunctional after the father loses his job. Japanese with subtitles.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine Wolverine's violent past, his relationship with Victor Creed, and the Weapon X program are front and center in this sci-fi adventure starring Hugh Jackman.

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

Everlasting Moments A portrait, incandescent and inspiring, of an accidental portraitist, a humble working-class woman named Maria Larsson who understood the transforming powers of photography. The film from Jan Troell takes place in Malmo, Sweden, at the turn of the 20th century and chronicles the life of the photographer who exalts what she sees, however humble. 2 hrs. 11 No MPAA rating (spousal abuse, sexual candor) - C.R.

Sugar Half Nelson filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck follow a young Dominican pitcher as he joins a Single-A team and dreams of playing in the majors. A baseball movie, a stranger-in-a-strange-land movie, a movie about real people facing real challenges in the real world, this is a modest, masterful gem. 1 hr. 54 R (drugs, adult themes) - S.R.

Wendy and Lucy Michelle Williams loses herself in the role of a hard-luck vagabond whose car breaks down in a small town, and she loses her dog, too. Old Joy's Kelly Reichardt directs. 1 hr. 20 R (profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

Amarcord

Its title means "I remember" in the vernacular of the Romagna region, and Federico Fellini's 1974 movie is a memory piece about a town on the Adriatic during the 1930s, not unlike Rimini, where the filmmaker grew up and was enchanted by the sometimes slapstick, sometimes nostalgic, sometimes Fascist, sometimes Socialist characters who populate his film. Italian with subtitles. 2 hrs. 07

R

-

C.R.

Anvil! The Story of Anvil Sacha Gervasi's absurd and affecting rockumentary follows stalwart Canadian heavy metal demigods Anvil as they struggle and strive to go on headbanging into their '50s. A deeply moving portrait of artists who remain stubbornly, illogically committed to their music, even when it seems that no one is listening. 1 hr. 30 No MPAA rating (Profanity, brief nudity, sex toys used for musical purposes) - D.D.

The Class Sobering, funny, and finally enlightening portrait of the education tango as danced in a middle-school classroom in Paris' melting-pot 20th arrondissement. In French with English subtitles. 2 hrs. 09 PG-13 (profanity) - C.R.

I Love You, Man Metrosexual meets caveman in this fresh comedy starring Paul Rudd as a newly engaged guy without a male friend to be his best man, and Jason Segel as a prospect. With Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg. 1 hr. 45 R (profanity, sexual candor) - C.R.

In a Dream This stunning, deeply personal documentary portrait of the Philadelphia mosaic artist Isaiah Zagar - directed by his filmmaker son - mixes old home movies, animation, scenes of Isaiah at work, and his wife, Julia, in agony, to capture a family in a state of conflict and crisis. 1 hr. 20 No MPAA rating (adult themes) - S.R.

Sin Nombre Cary Fukunaga's startlingly impressive first feature is ruthless in its depiction of the brutality and degradation confronting the hordes of illegal immigrants crossing rivers and hopping trains trying to get to the United States. The paths of a teenage Honduran girl and a Mexican gang member intertwine as they head for the Rio Grande. 1 hr. 36 R (violence, profanity, sex, adult themes) - S.R.

State of Play A journalist (Russell Crowe) and a politician (Ben Affleck), once college roommates, play hide-and-seek in this enthralling thriller where murder mystery and political scandal intersect. With Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, and the ever-resourceful Jason Bateman. 2 hrs. 07 PG-13 (violence, profanity) - C.R.

Fighting *1/2

A young counterfeiter (Channing Tatum) in New York City is introduced to the world of bare-knuckle street fighting by a scam artist (Terrence Howard). 1 hr. 45

PG-13

(intense fight sequences, a sex scene, and brief strong language) -

W.S.

Hannah Montana the Movie *** Miley Cyrus as brunette Miley Stewart, by day a stuttering, accident-prone high schooler, by night (under a Barbie blond wig) a strutting pop princess. Can down-home girl coexist with upbeat celebrat? Mildly diverting for parents, a three-star entertainment for their spawn. 1 hr. 42 G (product placement, shopaholia) - C.R.

Monsters vs. Aliens *** Playing in 2-D and 3-D formats, this goofy computer-animated romp is an amicable amalgam of the vintage sci-fi schlock Attack of the 50 Foot Woman and Pixar's Monsters Inc. With the voices of Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, and Kiefer Sutherland. 1 hr. 34 PG (cartoon violence, sci-fi mayhem) - S.R.

17 Again *** Body-swap fantasy that rests on the sculpted shoulders of Zac Efron, a 17-year-old hoops star inhabited by the spirit of the 37-year-old Matthew Perry. Mildly diverting for adults, but for the teens who are its target audience, Efron's outside shot is a three-pointer. 1 hr. 42 PG-13 (language, sexual candor, teen partying) - C.R.

The Soloist **1/2 Joe Wright's unsparing, unsentimental account of real-life newspaper columnist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) and his life-changing encounter with homeless cello virtuoso Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx) is an involving chamber piece conducted as though it were a symphony. 1 hr. 49 PG-13 (thematic elements, drug use, profanity) - C.R.

Reviewed by critics Wendy Rosenfield (W.R.), Howard Shapiro (H.S.), and Toby Zinman (T.Z.).

Appetite

(The Wolf Building) Fringe fave Sarah Sanford directs this dance-theater piece, fresh from a Toronto run, about what we want.

Opens Thursday.

A Funeral Farce (Curio Theatre Company) Bodies galore. Previews Thursday, opens Friday.

American Buffalo

(Theatre Exile) David Mamet's iconic American play about three bunglers trying to steal a buffalo nickel. The production boasts strong performances but lacks the playwright's signature style. Through next Sunday. -

T.Z.

And Justice for All (South Camden Theatre) A festival of issue-oriented one-acts. Through May 10. .

At Home at the Zoo (Philadelphia Theatre Company) The cast handily brings off Albee's combination of his oldest one-act, "The Zoo Story," and his more recent one-act "Homelife." Ends today. - H.S.

Birdy (Iron Age Theatre Company) This adaptation of William Wharton's novel about a Philly boy obsessed with birds and the friend who puts up with him soars at Norristown's Center Theater. Ends today. - H.S.

Bluebird (EgoPo) A different take on Maeterlinck, with music. Through May 10.

Born Yesterday (Walnut Street Theatre) A lively production about corruption and greed. Misses its chance at relevance, but is enjoyable. Ends today. - T.Z.

Cabaret (Temple Theaters) Sally Bowles is a disappointment in this dark production, but when the Emcee beckons, he's worth following inside. Ends today. - W.R.

Chicken (New City Stage) Fighting cocks make bad pets. Ends today.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) (Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre) A crass and unfunny production of a funny show. Through May 10. - T.Z.

Footloose (New Candlelight Theatre) The chemistry in this production about repressed kids who just wanna dance is perfect - and the dancing is among the brightest this season. Through May 30. - H.S.

Hamlet (Lantern Theatre Company) This remarkable production is as fresh as today, with an electrifying Geoff Sobelle taking the lead. Through May 17.

- H.S.

Hot 'n' Throbbing (Luna Theater Company) A steamy night, a bloody mess, a detective. Ends Saturday.

- T.Z.

Jihad Jones & the Kalashnikov Babes (InterAct Theatre Company) A laugh-out-loud comedy about racial stereotyping and a Middle Eastern actor who has to decide whether to play a terrorist for big money. A topnotch cast and a serious issue, but this is, finally, a one-joke play. Through May 10. - T.Z.

A Midsummer Night's Musical (Ritz Theatre) Based on the Bard, with music. Through May 20.

Passing By (Quince Production) Two gay men meet at the movies, then test out a relationship in this simple, intimate production of Martin Sherman's endearing play. (Victor Bumbalo's combo of one-acts, "Show," about a gay-obsessed priest, and "Tell," about a man who poetically describes a lurid encounter, is an additional offering late on weekends.) Through next Sunday. - H.S.

Raised in Captivity (BCKSEET Productions) Nicky Silver's old-hat play begins as an absurdist comedy but slips into sodden melodrama. The cast is terrific, managing to slide between the wacky and the weepy. Through May 9. - T.Z.

Say Goodnight Gracie (Society Hill Playhouse) Sweet and sentimental, this one-man biodrama about the careers of Burns and Allen is a trip down memory lane for people who remember these show-business greats. Through May 31. - T.Z.

Something Intangible (Arden Theatre) Bruce Graham's world premiere fictionalizes the lives of Roy and Walt Disney in an animated portrayal of entanglements among brothers, com-

merce, and art. Through June 7.

- W.R.

Spinning Into Butter (Montgomery Theater) This drama about a racial incident at a New England college features good performances hampered by leaden direction. Through May 9.

- W.R.

A Tale of Two Cities (People's Light & Theatre) Dickens' tale of turbulent times becomes more gripping as a smart cast makes this new stage adaptation jell. Through next Sunday. - H.S.

Whisky Neat (Azuka Theatre Company) A pretentious, violent, nasty play that wastes good actors, a good director, and 90 minutes of your time. Ends today. - T.Z.

The White Room (Hedgerow Theatre) World premiere of a Nagle Jackson whodunit. Through May 10.

Bride Wars *1/2

So how bad can a movie with Goldilocks (Kate) Hudson and Cinderella (Anne) Hathaway be? So excruciating that Hudson's sunshine can't warm it and Hathaway's rose redolence can't mask its stink. This one about the best buds turned mortal enemies when their weddings are accidentally booked the same day is the rotten - and possibly poisoned - apple of fairy-tale movies. 1 hr. 30

PG

(risque dancing) -

C.R.