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At the Movies: ‘Dead Man Down,’ ‘Oz,’ more

OPENS TODAY

‘Dead Man Down’
In New York City, a crime lord’s right-hand man is seduced by one of his boss’s victims, a woman seeking retribution. Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace star. (R, 110 minutes)

‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ 1/2
James Franco plays a small-time magician who arrives in an enchanted land and is forced to decide if he will be a good man or a great one. Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz and Mila Kunis co-star in this Disney movie, the latest from director Sam Raimi. (PG, 130 minutes)

LIMITED RELEASE

‘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. At Kapolei 16 and Pearlridge West 16 (NR, 113 minutes)

‘Emperor’
Matthew Fox and Tommy Lee Jones star in the historical drama about an American 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. At Dole Cannery Stadium 18, Kahala 8 and Ward Stadium 16 (PG-13, 98 minutes)

‘A Moment in Time’
A Filipino romance partly shot in Europe starring Coco Martin and Julia Montes. At Pearlridge West 16 (NR, no running time listed)

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 and 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 Oscar for best foreign language film 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 Oscar-winner for best picture, 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)

‘Beautiful Creatures’
A young man and woman uncover dark secrets about their respective families, their history and their small Southern town. Consider this the thinking person’s “Twilight,” and the leads Aiden Ehrenreich and Alice Englert are surrounded by heavyweights Jeremy Irons, Emma Thompson and Emmy Rossum, who all do great character work. (Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle) (PG-13, 89 minutes)

‘The Berlin File’ 1/2
A North Korean “ghost” agent finds himself in the cross hairs of an international manhunt when he’s exposed during an illegal arms trade gone wrong in Berlin. A twisting, breakneck tale of spy craft and betrayal, the film is somehow both nimble and a bit lumbering, as crack set pieces are placed against dense plotting and moments of languorous character development. (Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times) (NR, 120 minutes)

‘Dark Skies’
A family’s peaceful suburban life is rocked by an escalating series of disturbing events and come to learn that a terrifying and deadly force is after them. The biggest problem with this movie is that the director can’t quite decide just what story he is telling, a slow-burn horror parable or paranoid invasion flick, although it does hit a freakout groove in its final third, gaining a steady momentum. (Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times) (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 stance 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 goes to Russia to help out his seemingly wayward son and finds out 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)

‘Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters’ 1/2
Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton star in this unique spin on the fairy tale that is more Gatling guns and grenades than the Brothers Grimm. They play bounty hunters who track and kill witches all over the world. High concept pitch or no, the movie doesn’t really work. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (R, 88 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)

‘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. Shot in 3-D, “The Usual Suspects” team of director Bryan Singer and screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie have made a smart and thrilling movie with a sense of both briskness and substance. (Christy Lemire, Associated Press) (PG-13, 114 minutes)

‘The Last Exorcism Part II’
As Nell Sweetzer (Ashley Bell) tries to build a new life after the events of the first movie, the evil force that once possessed her returns with an even more horrific plan. This is an effectively unnerving, slow-burn supernatural horror tale. The film is smartly different enough from the original to survive on its own, though it lacks some of the first movie’s sense of surprise. (Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times) (PG-13, 88 minutes)

‘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 during which 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)

‘Lincoln’
As the Civil War continues to rage, America’s president struggles with carnage on the battlefield and fights with many inside his own Cabinet on the decision to emancipate the slaves. Steven Spielberg’s splendid film stars Oscar-winner Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role, and is less a biopic than a political thriller, a civics lesson that is energetically staged and alive with moral energy. (A.O. Scott, New York Times) (PG-13, 149 minutes)

‘Phantom’
Forced to leave his family behind, the captain of a Soviet submarine leads a covert mission cloaked in mystery. A decent cast led by Ed Harris and David Duchovny give it a game effort in this old-fashioned thriller, but heavy-handed dialogue, flurries of melodrama and a silly ending make the whole enterprise sink like a stone. (Walter Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle) (R, 97 minutes)

‘Quartet’ 1/2
At a home for retired opera singers, the annual concert to celebrate Verdi’s birthday is disrupted by the arrival of a diva and the former wife of one of the residents. The bursts of energy that accompany practices and performances woven throughout give the film much of its vigor. Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon and Billy Connolly star in this genteel comedy directed by Dustin Hoffman. (Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times) (PG-13, 98 minutes)

‘Safe Haven’
Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough star in Nicholas Sparks’ latest treacly romance. A mysterious woman arrives in a small town and falls in love with a widower, forcing both to confront her dark past. It’s a story that involves no heavy lifting for its actors and few surprises, and is so safe that there’s nothing anybody would consider edgy. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (PG-13, 115 minutes)

‘Silver Linings Playbook’
After a stint in a mental institution, a former teacher moves back in with his parents and while attempting 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 who goes undercover for the DEA 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)

‘The Sorcerer and the White Snake’
Jet Li plays a sorcerer who fights for the soul of a young physician who has fallen in love with a woman whose true identity is that of a thousand-year-old snake demon. The movie is a Chinese twist on the reliable sword-and-sorcery genre, a piece of effects-driven nonsense that is every bit as bad — in a fun way — as the blockbusters it references. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (PG-13, 100 minutes)

‘Warm Bodies’
A paranormal romantic comedy starring Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer about the relationship between a teenage girl and a zombie boy that may transform the entire lifeless world. The movie is a sweetly funny and touching riff on “Beauty and the Beast” and “Romeo and Juliet” — if the Beast feasted on flesh or Romeo came back from the dead. (Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) (PG-13, 97 minutes)

‘West of Memphis’ 1/2
This documentary examines the failure of justice in the case against the West Memphis Three, who were imprisoned as teens in the 1993 murders of three Cub Scouts. This is nonfiction filmmaking at its best, a film with a fierce point of view yet one that doesn’t pretend to have all the answers or a monopoly on truth. It beautifully blends the detachment of objective observation with the conviction of informed judgment. (David Germain, Associated Press) (R, 150 minutes)

‘Zero Dark Thirty’
This drama follows the decadelong hunt for al-Qaida terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks, and his death at the hands of Navy SEAL Team 6 in May 2011. This is a cool, outwardly nonpartisan intelligence procedural that seamlessly weaves truth and drama, and Kathryn Bigelow’s direction here is unexpectedly stunning, at once bold and intimate. (Manohla Dargis, New York Times) (R, 157 minutes)

SPECIAL

PaleyFest featuring ‘The Big Bang Theory’
4 p.m. Wednesday, Dole Cannery Stadium 18, $15
The TV fan festival from Los Angeles features a panel discussion with the executive producers and the cast of the long-running hit sitcom. (PG-13, 120 minutes)

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 at www.honolulumuseum.org)

‘The Land of Eb’
7 p.m. Monday ($5-$10 suggested donation)
A Marshallese immigrant living in the remote Hawaii island community of Ocean View turns a small video camera on himself to tell his and his peoples’ story. The Hawaii People’s Fund presents this special screening with director Andrew Williamson and lead actor Jonithen Jackson in attendance. (2012, 87 minutes)

11th Annual Temple Emanu-El Kirk Cashmere Jewish Film Festival: ‘Remembrance’
1 p.m. today, 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Wednesday

‘Dolphin Boy’
1 p.m. Sunday

‘Mabul: The Flood’
4 p.m. Sunday

‘My Best Enemy’
7:30 p.m. Sunday and Thursday, 1 p.m. Wednesday

‘The Flat’
1 p.m. Tuesday

‘A Bottle in the Gaza Sea’
7:30 p.m. Tuesday

MOVIE MUSEUM

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

‘Shirley Valentine’
Noon, 6 and 8 p.m. today
Pauline Collins stars as a middle-age Liverpool housewife who has a life-changing experience when she accompanies her best friend on an all-expenses-paid vacation to Greece. (1989, 108 minutes)

‘The Italian Key’
2 and 4 p.m. today
A romantic fairy tale about a 19-year-old orphan who, as her sole inheritance, gets an antique key that unlocks both an old Italian villa and the secrets of her family history. (2011, 92 minutes)

‘The Intouchables’
Noon, 2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday
In this popular French film, an aristocrat hires a young man from the projects to be his caretaker after he becomes a quadriplegic from a paragliding accident. (2011, 112 minutes)

‘Ma Petite Enterprise’
Noon and 8:30 p.m. Sunday; 2, 3:30 and 5 p.m. Monday
After his wood shop is ruined by a fire, a carpenter’s shock is compounded when he learns his insurer has been swindling him. Not one to be defeated, he gathers his friends together in a crazy scheme to save his company. (1999, 96 minutes)

‘The Pool’
1:30, 3:15, 5 and 6:45 p.m. Sunday
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 that lives at the house. (2007, 98 minutes)

‘Monsieur Gangster’
Noon, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Monday
A classic French comedy about a retired gangster who runs into some trouble with a longtime mobster heavy when he heeds the wish of a dying friend to handle some criminal business with the mob. (1963, 105 minutes)

‘Life of Pi’
Noon, 2:15, 4:30 and 6:45 p.m. Thursday
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 in which he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor: a fearsome Bengal tiger. (2012, 127 minutes)

BODY & SPIRIT DOCUMENTARY FILM SERIES

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

‘I Am’
6:30 p.m. Sunday
Director Tom Shadyac speaks with intellectual and spiritual leaders about what’s wrong with our world and how we can improve both it and the way we live in it. (2010, 78 minutes)

MONDAY MOVIE CAFE

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

‘Strange Frame’
7 p.m. Monday
Director GB Hajim of Hawaii island used cutout animation to create “the world’s first animated lesbian sci-fi film,” which tells the story of a couple of genetically adapted musicians who develop a close relationship that allows them to perform as one. Featuring the voice talent of Claudia Black, Tara Strong, Michael Dorn and George Takei. (2012, 82 minutes)

THE KOREAN DIASPORA

Center for Korean Studies, University of Hawaii-Manoa (956-7041; free)

‘Wedding Palace’
6:30 p.m. Thursday (showing at the Art Department auditorium)
Christine Yoo’s comedy focuses on a Los Angeles ad executive who encounters the woman of his dreams on a short business trip to Seoul. Brian Tee, Kang Hye-jung, Margaret Cho and Bobby Lee star. (2011, 98 minutes)