TROPIC THUNDER
Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and Robert Downey, Jr., star as a group of over-the-top Hollywood superstars making the biggest and baddest war film ever when, unbeknownst to them, they are thrown into a real war and have to fend for themselves. Still and Black are forgettable, Downey, Jr. and Tom Cruise (as a crazed Hollywood producer) are Unforgettable, and a slew of great cameos highlight this disjointed but enjoyable insider comedy. (7 of 10)

NIM’S ISLAND
Jodie Foster stars as a super-famous author of western novels and Abigail Breslin plays her ultimate fan, whose father disappear and she seeks help from Foster (and her fictitious literary hero, Gerard Butler) in yet another charming Walden Media production. It’s a visually appealing adventure that’s rife with fine performances – particularly from Foster, Breslin, and Butler. A bit long in parts, this is till a don-miss for all-around family fun. (8 of 10)

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS
This animated feature stuck between Episodes II and III finds Anakin Skywalker saddled with a new Padawan (Jedi trainee) as they attempt to rescue Jabba the Hutts’s  kidnapped (slugnapped?) son, while Obi-Wan Kenobi must prevent forces sent by Count Dooku from destroying a vital base. Oddly, the rapport between Skywalker and Tano (his Torgruta learner) is often engaging, reminiscent of Han and Leia’s banter from Empire, but while young viewers will enjoy the action (which is well-paced) adults will find this episode tired and repetitive. With all the “additions” to the Lucasfilms legacy on the burners (the original trilogy in 3-D, a digitally-recomposited Howard the Duck), it seems George isn’t content only owning half of California… (3 of 10)

HAROLD AND KUMAR ESCAPE FROM GUANTANEMO
Apparently full of Sliders, John Cho and Kal Penn reprise their roles. Harold follows his lost love to Europe, accompanied by the irrepressible drug-crazed Kumar, who is mistaken for a terrorist on their intercontinental plane. The pair is held (briefly) in Guantanemo, escapes, and heads across America to clear their names in this irreverent, amazingly vulgar, nudity- and language-riddled sequel. The pair is funny and have a decent rapport, but the film’s “plot” grinds to a halt every few minutes to ogle hundreds of naked female bodies or sprout stunningly crude bodily jokes – but if you can handle such fare, it’s occasionally pretty funny. (6 of 10)

THE BANK JOB
Jason Statham is a hard-luck auto dealer in 1970’s Britain who gets convinced to pull a bank robbery by his sultry once-girlfriend in this unbelievably boring, confusingly structured, slow-paced, poorly acted wreck of an “action” film. (1 of 10)

THE DARK KNIGHT
Defended by both the Batman and new DA Harvey Dent, Gotham city is harrowed by the Joker. While Heath Ledger (the Joker) and Aaron Eckhart (Dent) are stand-out terrific, Bale seems wasted, especially forcing his deep-throated Batman voice on us all the time. The first half-hour is poorly edited and confusing, and the rest of the film, while engaging, is long and often plodding. A decent sequel, but not worthy of the $300M box office it’s already grossed. (6 of 10)