"Death Race" (R). Not reviewed. Paul W.S. Anderson directs Jason Statham in this futuristic thriller about prison inmates competing for their freedom in a brutal auto race. Opens Friday, Aug. 22.

"The House Bunny" (PG-13). Not reviewed. Anna Faris stars in this comedy as a Playboy bunny who gets kicked out of the mansion and finds a new job as a sorority housemother. Fred Wolf directs. Opens Friday, Aug. 22.

"The Longshots" (PG). Not reviewed. This sports comedy stars Ice Cube and Keke Palmer as it tells the true story of an 11-year-old girls who becomes the first female football player in a children's league. Fred Durst directs. Opens Friday, Aug. 22.

"The Rocker" (PG-13). Rainn Wilson is a washed up drummer from an 1980s heavy metal band who tries to give his career a second act by playing in his nephew's rock band. This slacker comedy is as predictable as his drumming. Grade: C Opens Wednesday, Aug. 20.

NOW PLAYING

"The Dark Knight" (PG-13). Dark, violent and seemingly endless, this latest "Batman" movie takes awhile to build any narrative momentum. Also, the late Heath Ledger as the volatile Joker basically steals the movie from its star, Christian Bale as a brooding Bruce Wayne/Batman. With Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Morgan Freeman. Grade: B- Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"Hancock" (PG-13). The humorous premise is that Will Smith is a superhero who is a skid row alcoholic in his personal life. Many sociological jokes hit their target early in the movie, but the story starts to lose touch with behavioral reality owing to an extreme plot twist and a barrage of conventional special effects. With Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman. Grade: B- Muvico Egyptian 24

"Henry Poole Is Here" (PG). Director Mark Pellington ("Arlington Road") has a heavy hand helming this inspirational tale starring Luke Wilson as a reclusive man whose neighbor insists she sees a religious figure in a water stain on his wall. Grade: C+ Snowden Square 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"Journey to the Center of the Earth" (PG). Owing more to theme park rides than to its source in a Jules Verne novel, this thrill-a-minute 3-D adventure stars Brendan Fraser as a geologist fighting carnivorous plants and dinosaurs underground. Grade: B- AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"Mamma Mia!" (PG-13). You'd better love the silly pop songs by the '70s group ABBA if you attend this entertaining adaptation of the Broadway musical about a young woman's search for the identity of her father. The cast is enjoyable, and the Greek scenery is easy on the eyes. Grade: B+ Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"Mirrors" (R). Kiefer Sutherland plays a security guard in a burned-out New York department store who starts seeing more than his own reflection in its mirrors. A lot of things go bump in the night, and they tend to be unintentionally silly rather than scary. Grade: C Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" (PG-13). This sequel about a Chinese ruler coming back from the dead is mostly just an excuse for computer-generated skeleton armies to fight in modern times. It's so busy that it certainly provides plenty of empty spectacle. Grade: C+ Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"Pineapple Express" (R). This drug-obsessed comedy with Seth Rogen and James Franco gets high on all its low jokes. The loosely scripted and relentless pot humor would be easier to take if the action movie-spoofing plot weren't so repulsively violent. Grade: C Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" (PG-13). The good luck-delivering pants that are periodically exchanged between gal pals Blake Lively, Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera and Alexis Bledel seem thematically threadbare in a sequel that awkwardly cuts between their summer adventures around the world. Grade: C+ Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (PG). George Lucas cashes in with this so-so animated feature. Familiar "Star Wars" characters engage in so many battles in the fast-paced story that at least the fan base will be satisfied. Grade: B- Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"Step Brothers" (R). Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly play extremely childish middle-aged men who become squabbling stepbrothers. It's a sloppy comedy, but enough of the juvenile humor hits to make it enjoyable. Grade: B- Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"Swing Vote" (PG-13). Kevin Costner plays a drunk dad whose vote will decide the next president of the United States. If you can get past that improbable premise, you're also up against a political satire that gets tangled up by its determination not to offend anybody. Although it's thematically confused, individual scenes score and Costner's understated performance may win you over. Grade: B- UA Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"Tropic Thunder" (R). This boisterous movie industry satire about a jungle shoot that goes way out of control definitely gets your attention. However, it becomes desperately zany and even mildly grating. Grade: B Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"Vicky Cristina Barcelona" (PG-13). The usual jazz score is replaced with a seductive Spanish guitar in Woody Allen's charming romantic comedy about American tourists Scarlett Johansson and Rebecca Hall becoming involved with Spanish painter Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz as the painter's volatile ex-wife. Grade: B+ Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"Wall-E" (G). The nearly wordless opening section of this animated movie is quite distinctive, as the title robot explores a skyscraper-filled city that has been abandoned by people. Although the rest of the story becomes much busier and loses some of that special quality, it's always entertaining. Grade: B Snowden Square 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

All capsule reviews and grades are by Mike Giuliano unless otherwise noted. Bookings change on Friday. For showtimes and to confirm listings, call the phone-in number in Screen Scene.

SCREEN SCENE

AMC Columbia Mall 14
Columbia Town Center, Columbia,
410-423-0520

Snowden Square Stadium 14
9161 Commerce Center Drive, Columbia,
410-872-0670

Charles Theatre
1711 N. Charles St., Baltimore,
410-727-FILM

Maryland Science Center IMAX Theater
601 Light St., Baltimore,
410-685-5225

Muvico Egyptian 24
Arundel Mills Boulevard at Route 100, Hanover,
443-755-8992

West Nursery 14
1591 W. Nursery Road, Linthicum,
410-850-8999

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