"Baghead" (R). You can bet co-directors and -writers Jay and Mark Duplass have seen "The Blair Witch Project," because their story involves four young indie filmmakers staying at a house in the woods whose idea for a horror movie about a guy with a paper bag over his head may prove to be all too real. The movie has some truly creepy scenes, but other scenes are vapid. Grade: C+ Opens Friday, Sept. 5.

"Bangkok Dangerous" (R). Not reviewed. Oxide Pang and Danny Pang direct this thriller starring Nic Cage as a hit man who ends up falling in love in Bangkok. Opens Friday, Sept. 5.

"Frozen River" (R). Melissa Leo gives a gritty performance as a financially pressed single mom in upstate New York who becomes involved in smuggling illegal immigrants from Canada to the United States. It's an interesting sociological study. Grade: B+ Opens Friday, Sept. 5.

NOW PLAYING

"Babylon A.D." (PG-13). Not reviewed. Mathieu Kassovitz directs Vin Diesel in this sci-fi drama as a mercenary hired to protect a woman keeping a secret that could doom the human race. Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"College" (R). Not reviewed. Clarksville actor Ryan Pinkston is featured in director Deb Hagan's comedy about high school seniors who attend a college orientation and end up ensconced in a wild fraternity. AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"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

"Death Race" (R). Updating the 1975 cult item "Death Race 2000," this knowingly inane action picture features Jason Statham as a prisoner who becomes a race car driver in the corporate-run facility's pay-per-view races. Fast wheels and rough behavior are the norm here. As the prison warden, Joan Allen is the queen of mean. Grade: C Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"Disaster Movie" (R). Not reviewed. Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer direct this satire in which a group of twentysomethings end up bombarded by a series of crazy disasters. Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"Fly Me to the Moon" (G). This summer we've already had "Space Chimps" blasting into orbit, and now here's an animated 3-D movie about three juvenile, Florida-dwelling flies that sneak aboard the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. Small kids will like the ride. Grade: B- Muvico Egyptian 24

"Hamlet 2" (R). Steve Coogan plays a failed actor who becomes a high school drama teacher and then decides to write a sequel to "Hamlet" for his students to perform. There isn't much Shakespeare in this spoof, which resorts to overplayed scenes and the assumption that profanity is automatically amusing. With Catherine Keener, David Arquette, Amy Poehler and Elisabeth Shue. Grade: C+ Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"The House Bunny" (PG-13). Thrown out of the Playboy Mansion, bunny Anna Faris takes a new job as house mother for a sorority. This sweet and silly comedy makes no great claims on the intellect. Grade: C+ Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 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

"The Longshots" (PG). No sports movie cliche goes unexplored in this well-intentioned story about a socially ostracized middle school girl (Keke Palmer) who comes out of her shell when her uncle (Ice Cube) persuades her to try out for the boys' football team. There are inspirational moments despite the hackneyed storytelling. Grade: C+ Snowden Square 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. With Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard. 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 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. With Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello, Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh. Grade: C+ Snowden Square 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 Rocker" (PG-13). Rainn Wilson is a washed up drummer from an '80s 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 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

"Traitor" (R). Terrorism is the nervously topical subject of a political thriller about a Sudanese-born, American-raised Muslim (Don Cheadle) whose loyalty is questioned by both the American government and Islamic terrorists. Unfortunately, this munition expert's motives seem to baffle the filmmakers as much as their characters. Insight is lacking just when it's needed most. Grade: B- Snowden Square 14, AMC Columbia Mall 14, Muvico Egyptian 24

"Transsiberian" (R). Woody Harrelson and Emily Mortimer play Americans whose long train ride across Siberia becomes a nightmarish adventure involving drug smuggling and related illegal activity. The ubiquitous Ben Kingsley is among the shrewd casting choices in this effectively constructed thriller. Grade: B 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. With Ben Stiller (who also directed and co-scripted), Robert Downey Jr., Brandon T. Jackson, Jack Black, Steve Coogan, Nick Nolte, Matthew McConaughey and Tom Cruise. 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

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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