Our critics recommend...

Opening This Week

Alpha and Omega Animated road trip film about two young wolves who try to make their way back home after a park ranger relocates them. Justin Long, Hayden Panettiere, Christina Ricci, Danny Glover, and the late Dennis Hopper provide voices.

Easy A A teen uses her high school's rumor mill to advance her social life. Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes, Lisa Kudrow, and Patricia Clarkson star.

Mademoiselle Chambon A reclusive French teacher strikes up an unlikely relationship with the father of one of her students. French with subtitles.

The Virginity Hit A circle of friends chronicles their escapades while trying to help their friend lose his virginity.

A Woman, a Gun, and a Noodle Shop A Chinese noodle shop owner schemes to kill his cheating wife and her lover. Mandarin with subtitles.

Reviewed by critics Carrie Rickey (C.R.), Steven Rea (S.R.), and Tirdad Derakhshani (T.D.)

. W.S. denotes a wire-service review.

Lebanon An intensely powerful, frightening film, set on the first day of the 1982 Lebanon war, from the point of view - quite literally - of four young, inexperienced Israeli soldiers, packed and jostled inside a tank rolling through enemy terrain. 1 hr. 33 R (intense violence, profanity, adult themes) - S.R.

Animal Kingdom

A razor-sharp Australian gangland drama about a suddenly orphaned teen who moves in with his three drug-dealing, gun-toting uncles and their wily, seemingly warmhearted mother. Deep, dark business ensues. With Guy Pearce as a police detective and a chilling Jacki Weaver as the protective matriarch. 1 hr. 52

R

(violence, drugs, profanity, adult themes) -

S.R.

Cairo Time Patricia Clarkson, as a New York magazine editor, and Alexander Siddig, as a charming native, star in this bittersweet and achingly beautiful story of two strangers who spend a few days together in the teeming Egyptian city and find themselves falling in love - perhaps. 1 hr. 29 PG (adult themes) - S.R.

Farewell A tense French spy thriller based on real events, fascinating not only for its glimpse into the machinations of government espionage agencies in the Cold War era of the early '80s, but for the toll such subterfuge takes on the men, and women, involved. With film directors-turned-actors Guillaume Canet and Emir Kusturica as the Frenchman and the Russian at the center of this top-secret business. 1 hr. 53 No MPAA rating (adult themes) - S.R.

I'm Still Here Joaquin Phoenix is the subject of this documentary-like chronicle - a year in the life of the twice-Oscar-nominated thespian, as he announces his retirement from movies to pursue a career as a hip-hop artist. Is it for real? Does it matter? It's strange, riveting, occasionally appalling stuff, any way you look at it. 1 hr. 47 No MPAA rating (profanity, nudity, sex, drugs, adult themes) - S.R.

The Kids Are All Right Deft social satire starring Annette Bening and Julianne Moore as a lesbian couple whose teenage children find their Sperm Dad (Mark Ruffalo). Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson are the kids in Lisa Cholodenko's film, with five actors at the top of their games as five characters in search of what makes a family. 1 hr. 44 R (nudity, sexual content, drugs) - C.R.

Piranha 3-D Shocking - and shockingly good - remake of the 1978 cult classic by French exploitation auteur Alexandre Aja is an awe-inspiring, stomach-churning journey into blood, gore, and boobs. Rowdy college kids on spring break are cut to shreds by a school of angry piranhas. The first half is an ironic take on Girls Gone Wild; the second, a bacchanalia of blood. Sure gives the term "meat market" a whole new meaning. 1 hr. 22 R (sequences of strong bloody horror, violence and gore, graphic nudity, sexual content, language, and some drug use) - T.D.

The Tillman Story This documentary looks at Pat Tillman, the professional football player who gave up his multimillion-dollar contract to become an Army Ranger, and the cover-up that followed his friendly-fire death in Afghanistan. 1 hr. 34 R (profanity, mature themes) - C.R.

The American *** Melancholy and lyrical character study starring George Clooney as a utility player in the assassination game. 1 hr. 43 R (nudity, sex, violence) - C.R.

The Expendables ** A towering corned-beef-special of a movie directed by Sylvester Stallone and starring Stallone and a crew of aging action heroes: Mickey Rourke, Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, and Jason Statham (the youngster of the bunch). It harks back to the days of Rambo, when men were men and banana republics could be blown up with impunity. 1 hr. 43 R (violence, profanity) - S.R.

Going the Distance **1/2 Affable comedy starring Drew Barrymore and Justin Long as a couple with chemistry and physics, but not much history or geography. Is it possible to love long-distance? With Jason Sudeikis and Christina Applegate. 1 hr. 42 R (profanity, sexual candor) - C.R.

The Last Exorcism *** Patrick Fabian turns in a terrific performance in this taut, effective creepfest as a disillusioned preacher whose cynicism is challenged when he encounters a demonically possessed teenage girl (Ashley Bell). Excellent pacing and a stunning denouement make writer-director Daniel Stamm's sophomore feature a satisfying, if not entirely original, treat. 1 hr. 27 PG-13 (violence, disturbing images, profanity, mature themes) - T.D.

Machete *** Tarantino protégé Robert Rodriguez's politically astute magnum opus is a maniacal, over-the-top, ultraviolent, and sexually explicit paean to grindhouse films starring Danny Trejo as a former Mexican cop who takes on corrupt politicians and gangsters in Texas. Costars Michelle Rodriguez, Jessica Alba, Jeff Fahey, Lindsay Lohan, and Robert De Niro add spice to what will surely become a cult classic. 1 hr. 45 R (extreme violence, gore, profanity, explicit sexuality, nudity, smoking, drugs) - T.D.

Takers *** A hard-nosed detective aims to take down a gang of seasoned bank robbers who are out for one last job. Michael Ealy, Gaius Charles, and Matt Dillon star. 1 hr. 47 PG-13 (profanity, violence, gore, sexual situations, adult themes) - W.S.

Reviewed by critics Howard Shapiro (H.S.) and Toby Zinman (T.Z.).

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

(Theatre Horizon) G-O-O-D S-H-O-W. Previews today and Wednesday, opens Thursday.

Aurelia's Oratorio (McCarter Theatre) Stage illusions to astonish the eye and boggle the mind. Previews today-Wednesday, opens Thursday.

Curtains (Walnut Street Theatre) The Walnut kicks off with a backstage murder mystery by the creators of Chicago and Cabaret. Previews today and Tuesday, opens Wednesday.

Ghost-Writer (Arden Theatre Company) The writer dies, but his secretary keeps taking dictation. Michael Hollinger's first play since Opus. Previews today and Tuesday, opens Wednesday.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (People's Light and Theatre Company) Power struggle in a mental hospital. Previews Sunday-Friday, opens Saturday.

Chase Me, Comrade!

(Hedgerow Theatre) The company's annual show by British farce master Ray Cooney involves a defecting ballet dancer, the defense ministry official who unknowingly shelters him, and a torrent of zaniness. Ends Sunday.

- H.S.

Everybody Loves Opal (Montgomery Theater) A nice lady who lives by the dump attracts the attention of three ne'er-do-wells. Through Oct. 2.

Last Rites (South Camden Theatre Company) Camden's professional theater company opens its new home with a play full of memories. Through Oct. 3.

Live Arts Festival/Philly Fringe The second full week of the 14th annual festival continues its run of dance, theater, music, invention, revulsion, excess, success, and fun all over town through Saturday. For a full festival schedule, go to livearts-fringe.org.

A Midsummer Night's Dream (Mauckingbird Theatre Company) Marvelous Mauckingbird gender-bends Shakespeare's already tangled love romp. Ends today. - T.Z.

Just Wright ***

Queen Latifah and Common star in this smartly made, thoroughly likable Cinderella rom-com, about an NBA all-star and the physical therapist who comes into his life to fix his knee - and gets into a fix when she falls in love. 1 hr. 51

PG

(profanity, adult themes) -

S.R.