At the Movies: ‘Admission,’ ‘The Croods’ and more

Tina Fey and Paul Rudd star in the romantic comedy 'Admission.' --Focus Features

OPENS TODAY

‘Admission’
A Princeton admissions officer who is up for a major promotion takes a professional risk after she meets a college-bound alternative school kid who just might be the son she gave up years ago in a secret adoption. Tina Fey and Paul Rudd star. (PG-13, 117 minutes)

‘The Croods’ 1/2
The world’s very first prehistoric family goes on a road trip to an uncharted and fantastical world. Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds and Emma Stone lead the voice cast in this feature from Dreamworks Animation. (PG, 98 minutes)

‘Olympus Has Fallen’
Gerard Butler plays a disgraced former presidential guard who finds himself trapped inside the White House in the wake of a terrorist attack. Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman co-star. (R, 120 minutes)

LIMITED RELEASE

‘Greedy Lying Bastards’
A provocative expose that details the powerful people and organizations that continue to cast doubt on climate science. At Kahala 8 (PG-13, 90 minutes)

‘InAPPropriate Comedy’
A no-holds barred sketch movie starring Adrien Brady, Rob Schneider, Lindsay Lohan, Ari Shaffir and Michelle Rodriguez. At Dole Cannery Stadium 18 and Kapolei 16 (R, 84 minutes)

‘MURPH: The Protector’
A documentary based on the service of Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy, who gave his life for his men in 2005 and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in ’07. At Dole Cannery Stadium 18 and Pearl Highlands Stadium 12 (PG, 85 minutes)

‘New World’
In this Korean action-thriller, an undercover police agent finds himself caught in a power struggle between two lieutenants vying to be the new organized crime boss. At Pearlridge West 16 and Ward Stadium 16 (NR, 134 minutes)

‘Spring Breakers’
Four college girls who land in jail after robbing a restaurant in order to fund their spring break vacation find themselves bailed out by a drug and arms dealer who wants them to do some dirty work. Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson and James Franco star in the latest film from indie maverick Harmony Korine. At Kahala 8 (R, 94 minutes)

‘Stoker’ 1/2
Nicole Kidman, Mia Wasikowska and Matthew Goode star in Park Chan-wook’s English-language debut. The lives of a young woman and her estranged, unstable mother become deeply affected when the charming and charismatic brother of the now-dead father/husband decides to stay with them for an indefinite period. At Kahala 8 (R, 99 minutes)

Adrianne Palicki and Bruce Willis star as Lady Jaye and Colton in 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation.' --Paramount Pictures

OPENS THURSDAY

‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’
The soldiers fight not only their mortal enemy, Cobra, but are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence. Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum and Bruce Willis star. (PG-13, 110 minutes)

NOW PLAYING

’21 and Over’
In this college party comedy from the writers of “The Hangover,” a promising student celebrates his 21st birthday with his two best friends on the night before his big medical school interview. This treads heavily through “Harold & Kumar” territory, but it does strike a nice balance between the over-the-top hijinks and an emotional core, which unexpectedly crystalizes relatively late in the movie. (Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle) (R, 93 minutes)

‘Amour’
An elderly French couple’s bond of love is severely tested when the wife suffers a series of debilitating strokes. Michael Haneke’s winner of the best foreign language film Oscar is a moving love story, the resulting interplay of ruthless restraint and unavoidable passion. Its refusal to shrink from depicting the inevitable horrors of physical deterioration, is devastating. (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times) (PG-13, 127 minutes)

‘Argo’
Ben Affleck directs and stars in the best picture Oscar winner that is a seamless blend of detailed international drama and breathtaking suspense, as a CIA “exfiltration” specialist concocts a risky plan to get six Americans out of Iran as the revolution reaches a boiling point. (Christy Lemire, Associated Press) (R, 120 minutes)

‘The Call’
When a veteran emergency operator receives a call from a girl who has just been abducted, she soon realizes that she must confront a killer from her own past in order to save the girl. Halle Berry and Abigail Breslin star in what is a real edge-of-your-seat thriller in the first hour, but which disconnects into a more generic and far less exciting action movie. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (R, 96 minutes)

‘Dead Man Down’ 1/2
Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace star as two damaged souls in Danish director Niels Arden Oplev’s American debut (he and Rapace worked together on the original “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”). Set in New York’s hard-boiled criminal underworld, this is a moody twist of hyperviolent vengeance and heartache where death is hand-delivered, mercy is hard to come by and love is never easy. (Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times) (R, 110 minutes)

‘Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey’
A documentary on Arnel Pineda, who was plucked from relative obscurity in the Philippines to become the new singer for the classic rock band Journey. For all the drama that comes with Pineda’s own personal story, the film also works as an exhibit of life on the road for a veteran group like Journey. (Sjarif Goldstein, Star-Advertiser) (NR, 113 minutes)

‘Emperor’
Matthew Fox and Tommy Lee Jones star in the historical drama about an American brigadier general who is tasked to decide whether Hirohito will be hanged as a war criminal after the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II. Fox gives a smart, thought-through performance as Brig. Gen. Bonner Fellers, while Jones gives one of the more curious if effective portrayals of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. (Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle) (PG-13, 98 minutes)

‘Escape from Planet Earth’ 1/2
In this animated feature, an astronaut finds himself caught in a trap when he responds to a distress signal from a notoriously dangerous alien planet. Feel-good but not cloying, zippy but not frenetic, and refreshingly free of snark, the default setting for a lot of kids’ fare these days, the feature takes a pleasingly retro-futuristic stace on matters of decor and attitude. (Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times) (PG, 95 minutes)

‘A Good Day to Die Hard’
Bruce Willis returns as John McClane, who this time travels to Russia to help out his seemingly wayward son and finds out instead he’s a CIA operative working to prevent a nuclear-weapons heist. This off-the-shelf blend of car chases, fireballs and the rat-a-tat, thunk-a-thunk of automatic weapons fire is not likely to go out of style, but the handful of extended set pieces, linked by a simple-minded plot and a handful of half-clever lines, is definitely old news. (A.O. Scott, New York Times) (R, 97 minutes)

‘Identity Thief’
A mild-mannered businessman travels from Denver to Miami to confront the deceptively harmless-looking woman who has been living it up after stealing his identity. Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy star in this unsalvageable wreck of a comedy, regardless of the moments of McCarthy’s hilarious bits of violent slapstick. (Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald) (R, 111 minutes)

‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone’ 1/2
When a hot street magician’s stunt begins to make their show look stale, a couple of veteran stage magicians look to salvage both their act and friendship by staging their own daring stunt. While Steve Carell, Jim Carrey, Steve Buscemi, Alan Arkin and Olivia Wilde are the big stars in this comedy, what it lacks is comparable big laughs. (Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) (PG-13, 100 minutes)

‘Jack the Giant Slayer’
The ancient war between humans and a race of giants is reignited when a young farmhand, fighting for a kingdom and the love of a princess, opens a gateway between the two worlds. The team of director Bryan Singer and screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie (“The Usual Suspects” ) have made a smart and thrilling movie, shot in 3-D, with a sense of both briskness and substance. (Christy Lemire, Associated Press) (PG-13, 114 minutes)

Steve Carell is a successful magician facing tough competition in 'The Incredible Burt Wonderstone.' --Warner Bros. Pictures

‘Life of Pi’ 1/2
Ang Lee’s multiple Oscar-winning film is about a young man who survives a disaster at sea and is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor, a fearsome Bengal tiger. This is gorgeous, ruminative, soulful, provocatively entertaining and the most artful use of digital 3-D technology to date. (David Germain, Associated Press) (PG, 127 minutes)

‘Like Someone in Love’
Internationally acclaimed Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami makes his latest film in Japan. The story follows a young prostitute who develops an unexpected connection with a widower over a period of two days. The film has Kiarostami’s recognizable minimalist style and simple but highly resonant story, but it remains a handsome enigma and is ultimately unsatisfying. (Walter Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle) (NR, 109 minutes)

‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ 1/2
While director Sam Raimi’s prequel conceit and reinterpretation of “The Wizard of Oz” is loud and eye-poppingly colorful, it still doesn’t make for a very good Disney film, which is only mildly diverting an clever in spots. James Franco’s smirking performance as the magician and carnival charlatan doesn’t help much either. (Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) (PG, 130 minutes)

‘Silver Linings Playbook’
After a stint in a mental institution, a former teacher moves back in with his parents and during his attempts to reconcile with his ex-wife meets a mysterious girl with problems of her own. This exuberant movie from director David O. Russell does almost everything right. An intensely focused Bradley Cooper gives a surprisingly effective performance and Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence gives her character an aching, tender and lovely quality. (Manohla Dargis, New York Times) (R, 122 minutes)

‘Snitch’ 1/2
Dwayne Johnson plays a father that goes undercover for the DEA in order to free his son who was imprisoned after being set up in a drug deal. The pacing in this straight-no-chaser thriller is off, too many scenes lack dramatic punch and play like filler. But Johnson is pretty good at being a guy in over his head, sharing scenes with flinty pros such as Susan Sarandon, Benjamin Bratt and Barry Pepper. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (PG-13, 112 minutes)

SPECIAL

‘A Deeper Shade of Blue’
7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dole Cannery Stadium 18; $12.50
Jack McCoy’s documentary about the history of surfing includes footage from a red-carpet event in Hawaii in February as well as a panel discussion. (PG-13, 150 minutes)

The Oscar-winning documentary 'Searching for Sugar Man' will be shown Monday at TheVenue. --Sony Pictures Classics

ARTHOUSE

DORIS DUKE THEATRE

Honolulu Museum of Art, 900 S. Beretania St., entry on Kinau Street (532-8768; $10 general, $8 museum members; tickets also available online at www.honolulumuseum.org)

‘Love, Marilyn’
1 p.m. today
This documentary portrays Monroe’s carefully guarded inner life as reflected in her personal correspondence, diary entries and letters. (2012, 105 minutes)

Ballet in Cinema: ‘La Bayadere’ from the Bolshoi Ballet, Moscow
1 and 6 p.m. Sunday ($25 general admission, $20 museum members)
A revival of choreographer Marius Petipa’s seminal Russian ballet, first performed in 1877, this new scenic version stars Anna Nikulina and Semyon Chudin. (210 minutes, including two intermissions)

‘Valor with Honor’
6:30 p.m. Monday
Director Burt Takeuchi will attend the screening and lead a discussion about his documentary on the distinguished Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. (2010, 85 minutes)

‘To Catch a Thief’
1 and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
Alfred Hitchcock’s lavishly costumed mystery is about a cat burglar prowling the French Riviera playgrounds of the ultrarich. Cary Grant and Grace Kelly star. (1955, 106 minutes)

‘Funny Face’
1 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn star in Stanley Donen’s striking movie musical classic about a fashion photographer who discovers a gamine Greenwich Village bookstore clerk and whisks her away to Paris. (1957, 103 minutes)

MOVIE MUSEUM

3566 Harding Ave. (735-8771): $5 general, $4 members; reservations recommended

‘The Pool’
Noon and 5 p.m. today
A young, impoverished Indian hotel worker becomes obsessed with a swimming pool in an opulent house. His life turns upside down when he attempts to meet the mysterious family living there. (2007, 98 minutes)

‘Is Paris Burning?’
1:45 and 6:45 p.m. today; noon and 3:15 p.m. Sunday
This is the true story of the departure of the German occupiers from Paris in 1944, featuring an all-star cast of Jean-Paul Belmondo, Charles Boyer, Leslie Caron, Kirk Douglas and Alain Delon. (1966, France, 173 minutes)

‘Les Miserables’
Noon, 2:45, 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday; 2:15 and 5 p.m. Monday
The adaptation of the hit musical set in 19th-century France, directed by Tom Hooper (“The King’s Speech”) and starring Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and Russell Crowe. (2012, 157 minutes)

‘This Must Be the Place’
6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Sunday; noon and 8 p.m. Monday
Sean Penn plays a retired rock star, living off his royalties in Dublin, who returns to New York to find the man responsible for a humiliation suffered by his recently deceased father during World War II. (2011, 118 minutes)

‘Joyeuses Paques (Happy Easter)’
Noon and 8 p.m. Thursday
Jean-Paul Belmondo, Sophie Marceau and Marie Laforet star in this sex farce about a playboy industrialist who is caught with his latest fling when his wife’s trip is canceled at the last minute. (1984, France, 98 minutes)

‘The Other Son (Le fils de l’autre)’
Noon. 4 and 8 p.m. Thursday
Two young men, an Israeli and a Palestinian, discover they were accidentally switched at birth. (2012, France, 105 minutes)

BODY & SPIRIT DOCUMENTARY FILM SERIES

Still & Moving Center, 1024 Queen St. (397-7678); $5

‘Kanyini’
6:30 p.m. Sunday
This documentary is based on the remarkable life and philosophy of Bob Randall, an Aborigine elder in central Australia. (2006, 63 minutes)

MONDAY MOVIE CAFE

TheVenue, 1146 Bethel St. (436-4326); $10, $5 students

‘Searching for Sugar Man’
7 p.m. Monday
This year’s Oscar-winning documentary tells the incredible true story of a U.S. rock artist, veritably unknown in America, who became a hero in apartheid-era South Africa. (2012, 85 minutes)