Our critics recommend...

Opening This Week

Get Him to the Greek See Steven Rea's preview on H2.

Killers A happy suburban couple's serene lives are thrown into turmoil when they discover he is the intended target of an assassin who could be anyone. Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl star.

Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders See Steven Rea's preview on H2.

Marmaduke A suburban couple adjust to their new hometown along with their havoc-wrecking, but lovable Great Dane. William H. Macy, George Lopez and Judy Greer star.

The Misfortunates A 13-year-old boy attempts to escape the influence of his drunk and womanizing father and four uncles, all of whom he lives with. Dutch with subtitles.

Splice See Steven Rea's preview on H2.

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

Exit Through the Gift Shop A beguiling and subversively funny entertainment directed by and featuring the pseudonymous street artist Banksy, considering art's worth from many angles. 1 hr. 27 R (profanity, illegal street-art provocations) - C.R.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Violent, exhilarating, and faithful adaptation of Stieg Larsson's international best-seller, with Swedish actress Noomi Rapace in the role of Lisbeth Salander, the punky, pierced, perturbed, cyber-hacking heroine. 2 hrs. 32 No MPAA rating (violence, sexual violence, nudity, profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

Iron Man 2 ***

Shaggily enjoyable and enjoyably shaggy follow-up to the 2008 blockbuster based on the Marvel Comics superhero and starring the delightful, delirious Robert Downey Jr. as the self-made superhero who encounters five - Count 'em! Five! - new nemeses. With Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, and Mickey Rourke. 2 hrs. 04

PG-13

(language, sci-fi violence, sexual innuendo, Scarlett Johansson in a catsuit) -

C.R.

Letters to Juliet *** Vanessa Redgrave and Amanda Seyfried costar in this quasi-romantic comedy about old love and new love in Verona, Italy. With Franco Nero, Gabriel García Bernal, and Christopher Egan. 1 hr. 45 PG (nothing unsuitable for romantics) - C.R.

Robin Hood *** Russell Crowe stars in this big, bloody reimagining of the legend of the Sherwood Forest outlaw. It's an origins story, in fact, directed by the always cinematic Ridley Scott, and while it's not your jaunty swashbuckler, it has Cate Blanchett, Max Von Sydow, rampant villainy, and majestic battle scenes. Not a bad thing. 2 hrs. 11 PG-13 (violence, sex, adult themes) - S.R.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time ** Jake Gyllenhaal takes the title role of this numbing adaptation of the popular video game. Never mind the arch dialogue and dopey declarations about "destiny," the movie doesn't even deliver on the action. Rarely has such a big budget spectacle been shot and edited so counterintuitively. PG-13 (violence, action, supernaturalness, adult themes) - S.R.

Sex and the City 2 **1/2 Not a train wreck, but a movie reuniting the four chums who strive to get each other off a runaway train and back on track. What resonates is an upbeat feeling that girls just want to have friend. 2 hrs. 26 R (profanity, nudity, sex, sexual candor) - C.R.

Shrek Forever After **1/2 The third sequel in the behemoth DreamWorks Animation franchise opts for an "alternate reality" scenario that undoes most of the scenarios of the previous films, and introduces a mad Rumpelstiltskin and a band of witches into the proceedings. Mediogre at best. 1 hr. 33 PG (scary dragon, intense action, fairy tale flippancy) - S.R.

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

Black Pearl Sings

(InterAct Theatre Company) A white woman who collects rare songs and a female black prisoner who knows them do a complex dance. Previews Sunday-Tuesday, opens Wednesday.

I Am My Own Wife (Amaryllis Theatre Company). Charlie DelMarcelle plays three dozen roles in Doug Wright's Pulitzer-winning examination of a German transvestite's life. Preview Tuesday, opens Wednesday.

Love Jerry (Nice People Theatre Company) A musical drama about the effects of child abuse on a family. Preview Thursday, opens Friday.

Sunday in the Park With George (Arden Theatre Company) Color and light, color and light, by Sondheim. Previews Sunday-Tuesday, opens Wednesday.

Survive (Swim Pony Performing Arts) This new theater collective launches with an interactive experience about connectivity. Previews Wednesday, Thursday, opens Friday.

516

(Philadelphia Theatre Workshop) Ethical bankruptcy in higher education: ghostwriting, grant writing, finagling and kinky sex - a play without the strength of its own cynicism or moral convictions. Through next Sunday.

- T.Z.

Class (Cape May Stage) Veteran acting teacher meets mysterious young actress, and lives change. Through June 12.

The Don (Hedgerow Theatre) This world-premiere comic drama about the drug trade is most interesting not for its politics, but for the way it handles its multigenerational cast. Through Saturday. - W.R.

Fiddler on the Roof (Walnut Street Theatre) An outstanding production, with a terrific Tevye (Mark Jacoby), fine singing, a showstopping Russian bottle-dance, Bruce Lumpkin's strong direction, and a feel that everything here is real. Through July 18. - H.S.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (Arden Theatre Company) A delightfully chaotic adaptation of the classic children's book about a very demanding little mouse. Extended through June 27. - W.R.

Leaving (Wilma Theater) Former dissident and Czech president Vaclav Havel's absurdist meditation on power overstates its case, but explores the themes of life and previous work. Through June 20. - W.R.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Philadelphia Theatre Company) Charismatic characters and strong acting highlight this imperfect but generally excellent production of an early August Wilson play. Through June 13. - D.P.S.

Measure for Measure (Quintessence Theatre Group) A somber take on Shakespeare's dark comedy bogs down despite some interesting directorial interpretation. Ends today. - W.R.

The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) (Walnut Street Theatre's Independence Studio) In these five deliciously witty parodies of Big Broadway Musicals, a wildly talented cast shifts from style to style. Through June 27. - T.Z.

Rent (Media Theatre) The beloved La Boheme-on-the-Lower East Side gets a warm, heartfelt production. Through next Sunday. - W.R.

Respect (Society Hill Playhouse/Act II Playhouse) The progress of women, in popular song, is a successful crowd-pleaser that has a fine cast - but also an overblown narrative that demonizes men. Extended through June 27. - H.S.

The Screwtape Letters (Lantern Theatre) Tony Lawton's popular adaption of the C.S. Lewis epistolary classic, wherein a senior demon instructs a young tempter in how to corrupt a man and gain his soul. Through next Sunday.

The Story of My Life (Act II Playhouse) This intimate musical about friendship, as told through two buddies from boyhood, is a powerful gem in this staging, far different from its unsuccessful Broadway incarnation last season. Ends today. - H.S.

Take Flight (McCarter Theatre) Whatever it is - a chamber musical? operatic vaudeville? - it's enthralling, tunefully exploring obsession through the interwoven stories of the Wright Brothers, Charles Lindbergh, and Amelia Earhart. Through next Sunday. - T.Z.

Alice in Wonderland ***

Tim Burton's inspired big-screen take on Lewis Carroll's fantasy stars Mia Wasikowska in the title role, with Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter. 1 hr. 48

PG

(action violence, hookah-smoking caterpillar, suitable for those 8 and older) -

C.R.