The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008) (PG-13)
"The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" is an indelicious admixture of Hollywood and Hong Kong exploitation flicks. To be precise, it has three of the four basis elements of the genre: gratuitous violence, special effects and assorted mayhem, yes; naked flesh, not so much. Oh, well, you can't have it all.

Chris & Don. A Love Story (2008) (NR)
Love is so elusive that it cannot be defined. It lasts, some say. You know when you feel it, say others. But what some may feel is love, others dismiss as folly, infatuation, or worse. The relationship that grew between writer Christopher Isherwood and artist Don Bachardy lasted despite its detractors. And the fine documentary feature film about this lengthy romance by filmmakers Tina Mascara and Guido Santi, “Chris & Don. A Love Story,” provides us with an intimate glimpse into the ultimate elusive emotion. Here you know it when you see and feel it.

Frozen River (2008) (R)
In the opening shot of "Frozen River," director Courtney Hunt frames her film's protagonist, Ray (Melissa Leo), in startlingly extreme close-up, letting viewers see every wrinkle on the woman's weathered, unhappy face. Rarely do such unadorned images of actresses find their way onto a movie screen, and it sets an indelible tone right off the bat. "Frozen River" is not a happy film, but it's surely a riveting one.

X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008) (PG-13)
If absence makes the heart grow fonder, then fans of “The X-Files” are going to love seeing former FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully team up again for the first time since the award-winning TV show ended its 9-year run in 2002. Series stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson must be pretty fond of the idea too, despite the fact that they were both so ready to put the show behind them that they barely bothered to show up for the beaten-into-the-ground final season.

Dark Knight, The (2008) (PG-13)
In case you haven't already noticed, 2008 has been an exceptional year for superhero movies. It started with “Iron Man,” inarguably one of the best movies ever made based on a comic book character. That was followed by the very entertaining reboot of “The Incredible Hulk,” Will Smith's peculiar, if uneven “Hancock” and the wildly inventive “Hellboy II: The Golden Army.” That trend reaches a peak with “The Dark Knight,” director Christopher Nolan's visually stunning, super serious and, yes, very dark follow-up to 2005's “Batman Begins.”

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (AB) (2008) (PG-13)
Most readers are going to know whether they're interested in seeing Hellboy II: The Golden Army in advance of any review; though I can say if the original appealed, this one's a more enjoyable step up. Hellboy (based on the acclaimed Mike Mignola comic), the cigar-chomping blue-collar demon was discovered and rescued by the Allied Forces in the 40's after being summoned by Nazi occultists. Raised and trained by The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, he works for the government investigating and fighting other demons, primarily his own.

Space Chimps (2008) (PG-13)
Just judging from the reaction of my daughter and the other young children in the theater during the screening, “Space Chimps” might just be the best pacifier of the summer. But adults might be left wanting something more substantive. Funny, often on a sophomoric level, this outer space adventure proves to be far less engaging than “Wall-E.”

Hancock (2008) (PG-13)
“Hancock,” starring box office superstar Will Smith, is onto something too, since it basically takes that idea and runs with it. The problem is, it runs all over the place, especially in the last half-hour. As a result, it's more of an interesting movie than an entertaining one, but at least it's an unusual change of pace after the more basic one-two punch of “Iron Man” and “The Incredible Hulk.”

Wall-e (2008) (G)
While not quite transcendent, WALL-E is a special film. With scant dialogue but beautiful futuristic wasteland vistas during the movie’s first half, there was real promise that WALL-E would be more than just intelligent family viewing. The second half suffers a bit from geeky sci-fi and a slight case of the cheeky cutes with a wink and a nod to Kubrick’s “2001.” Still, WALL-E is something completely different for the kiddie crowd that will hold the attention of adults even with the “G” rating.

Wanted (2008) (R)
What “Wanted” lacks in terms of originality, it more than makes up for with style and excitement. Based on the comic book series created by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones, the ultraviolent action thriller seamlessly channels the likes of John Woo and the Wachowski brothers. But if jaw-dropping stunts, gravity-defying car chases and double-barrel shoot-'em-ups don't do it for you, then the prospect of seeing Angelina Jolie flaunt her alluring sexuality probably will.

Love & Honor (2008) (PG-13)
Simplicity is a basic building block of excellence in the arts, and Yoji Yamada is a master of it. He is outdoing himself in "Love & Honor," a simple, deeply involving, memorable film. This is the concluding work of Yamada's samurai trilogy, which also includes the 2002 "Twilight Samurai" and 2004 "Hidden Blade," all dealing with the lives of minor nobility, low-rank court officials in the early 19th century - long after the zenith of the thousand-year-long samurai institution.

Finding Amanda (2008) (R)
In its first half, veteran television writer/producer Peter Tolan's (he's also written a handful of movies) semi-autobiographical "Finding Amanda" plays like the pilot episode of a soon to be short-lived sitcom. The jokes are routine, the characters ordinary and there's a pervasive feeling that we've seen the same thing a thousand times before. That said, Tolan is a skilled enough writer to make the film a few degrees better than it really should be. His first hand experience with the demons he writes about at least gives the film a stamp of authenticity.

Happening, The (2008) (R)
I can't remember another major feature film as bad as M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening." I admired his first four films. "The Happening" is so bad that it makes "The Lady in the Water" seem fresh by comparison. Shyamalan not only breaks the Goldwyn Rule, he shatters it! What is the Goldwyn Rule you ask? The late studio mogul Samuel Goldwyn once told a movie director "You want to send a message, call Western Union." While there is nothing wrong with a movie with a message, the Goldwyn Rule warns that if you set out to send the audience a message, you are likely to end up with a bad movie.

The Incredible Hulk (2008) (PG-13)
Now, that's more like it. Five years after Ang Lee's brooding, psychological take on the Hulk turned off moviegoers and faded fast from the box office after a huge $62 million opening weekend, Marvel Studios went back to the drawing board for a complete reboot of the iconic hero that was first created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby back in 1962. Turns out that trying again was a bold risk that paid off, since the resulting film, while not quite incredible, is still very entertaining.

Kung Fu Panda (2008) (PG)
"Kung Fu Panda" will have you rolling in the aisles – that is, if you're, like, 10. It’s not that it's a bad movie – if anything, it's one of the more visually stunning films I’ve seen in a long time, thanks to a colorful computer animated landscape that captures ancient China in all of its beautiful glory. But beyond that, there’s too much slapstick and not enough story, which will likely leave older moviegoers pining for the type of clever writing that defined the first two "Shrek" movies (which, like "Kung Fu Panda," were produced by DreamWorks Animation) or, better yet, all of the Disney/Pixar films.

The Strangers (2008) (R)
Home invasion is an oft-revisited idea in thrillers and horror films; this space violation, akin to a form of rape, is one of the universally scary constants in fear cinema. You violate ‘home’, and we all wonder what would happen and how we would react in a similar situation. With an economical narrative, the new thriller The Strangers breaks down our doors to tell that simple but scary tale.

Bigger, Stronger, Faster* (2008) (NR)
Like Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock before him, director Chris Bell understands that documentaries which tackle serious subjects can also be fun. And as they've become more viewer friendly, documentaries are regularly finding their way into theaters, reaching larger audiences than they ever have before. Bell's examination of steroid use in American culture, "Bigger, Stronger, Faster*," is vigorously researched, comprehensive and, above all, accessible. It delivers a message, but with plenty of sugar on top to help the nourishing aspects go down.

Sex and the City (S.M.) (2008) (PG-13)
As for whether or not the movie is any good, it hardly matters -- fans will love it, while everyone else will be better off seeing "Iron Man" (again). The characters are older and wiser, and they're finally coming to terms with the hard work it takes to maintain a meaningful relationship. That drama leads to plenty of tear-jerking moments that devoted fans will go crazy for, but first-timers who never got the show probably won't care enough to make an emotional connection.

Sex and the City (L.C.) (2008) (PG-13)
Known for "Labels and Love," sex and sarcasm, the heart of "Sex and the City" has really always been about the power of friendship. For years fans of this scandalously fabulous, groundbreaking show have hoped, waited, and buzzed with excitement about the possibility of the big screen version. I know because many of them are my friends, and they are practically foaming at the lipstick for the premier. Fans will love it, no matter what. If you know the answer to the question, "Are you the Miranda, the Carrie, the Samantha, or the Charlotte of your group?" then you’ll be fine. So if you are a fan, forget the critics and just go and enjoy (you will).

Mongol (2008) (PG-13)
Astonishingly, the name and the person of Genghis Khan in Sergei Bodrov's "Mongol," a great, Shakespearean drama about this seminal figure in history, don't appear until the very end of the two-hour epic. Instead, we see Temudjin, the man yet to become (posthumously) Khagan (emperor) of what was to be for several centuries the largest contiguous empire in history. Whether Bodrov completes the contemplated two additional chapters of the story or not, "Mongol" stands on its own as a masterpiece.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (KM) (2008) (PG-13)
If there is one person who was going to like "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull", it was me. Not because of nostalgia. Not because of attachment to one of cinema's most recognizable characters. Not because of the film's director. Not because of the film's predecessors either. While all of those are strong reasons that I would like this fourth Indiana Jones movie, they are NOT the reasons why I, Ken, fanboy, Spielberg fanatic, and nostalgia freak, did NOT like this movie.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (LC) (2008) (PG-13)
After an incredibly long wait, this weekend Spielberg finally brings us the 4th installment of the Indiana Jones saga – “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” A lot of people will spend a lot of time comparing this new version to the original three. I think that is a bit of a waste of time. The original Indiana Jones trilogy was something truly special, lightening in a bottle, a landmark of its time that defined the best in movie going for an entire generation. Nothing compares to “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” that was where we first met and fell in love with Indiana Jones, and nothing is better than first love. And “The Last Crusade,” well, something extraordinary just happened there. By adding veteran Sean Connery into the mix it took the characters to a deeper place, creating its own unique charm thanks to the brilliant dynamics between Ford and Connery. I’d say this one is better than “Temple of Doom,” but again, who cares. I still loved “Temple of Doom.”

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (SM) (2008) (PG-13)
As Harrison Ford's most famous alter ego, Indiana Jones, once said, “It's not just the years, honey, it's the mileage.” And if you lower your expectations, then you're bound to get a lot of mileage out of Indy's fourth adventure, “The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” It's not a masterpiece by any means, like 1981's “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and it falls a bit short of that blockbuster's very entertaining sequels, 1984's “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and 1989's “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” But for a film series that supposedly came to a close 19 years ago, “Crystal Skull” is an exciting movie that lives up to the high standards set by its predecessors.

True Love (NR)
Henry Barrial’s “True Love” is painfully authentic. Max (Val Lauren) is a charming real estate agent who has taken some time off before trying a fresh start. His new employer Helen (Andrea Helene) is taken in by his assertive but confident manner. She doesn’t dig too much into his past. Helen is married to Jim (Randall Batinkoff). She appears to be approaching 40 and has been having great difficulty becoming pregnant. The strain of numerous failed in vitro fertilization attempts has begun to way down on their relationship. This leads Jim to take interest in his lonely neighbor Monica (Mercedes Brito), who is in the middle of a divorce herself. Although this developing love-triangle is intriguing, the pall hanging about the film is whether Max can keep his self-destructive behavior in check.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Kaspian (PG-13)
For most people, most of "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" is mostly difficult to understand. Perhaps not so if you saw the first "Narnia" film ("The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe") recently or, better yet, if you read C.S. Lewis' seven-book "Narnia" series. But that would not be most of the audience; for the lucky others, "Shrek" producer/director Andrew Adamson's realization may well be entertaining, but somehow a far cry from the novelty and intensity of "Narnia I" (which Adamson also directed).

Speed Racer (PG-13)
“Here he comes, here comes Speed Racer! He's a demon on wheels!” If you can sing the rest of that song -- or at least, the very next verse (“he's a demon, and he's gonna be chasing after someone!”) -- then the odds are that you'll be disappointed by the big screen version of “Speed Racer.” And if you aren't disappointed, then you'll at least walk away with a very big headache. That's because “Speed Racer” is an overstuffed, over-long, over-plotted mess. And that's a crushing blow for anyone who raced home after school in the early 70s to see.

The Fall (R)
Visually rich and narratively bankrupt, “The Fall” will delight some and leave the rest of us wanting more conventional story-telling structure. The question on everyone's lips after I saw this film at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006 was: "Who's this movie for?" The story told by visionary filmmaker Tarsem in "The Fall" is something of a fairy tale fantasy but it isn't really child friendly. This is certainly the case, because the invitation I received for a press screening reveals that the film has received an “R” rating.

A Previous Engagement (NR)
If forced to choose only one word to best sum up Joan Carr-Wiggin’s “A Previous Engagement,” I’d pick breezy. This adult romantic comedy, which comfortably presents semi-absurd situations without even blinking, is effortlessly graceful, though about as realistic as a fairy tale (which I suppose makes it no different than the bulk of rom-coms). Carr-Wiggin flirts with potentially interesting questions, but never tackles them in a serious enough way to yield any deep insights. The fact that it's so easy to digest turns out to be an asset and a detriment.

Son of Rambow (PG-13)
“Son of Rambow” is an awfully entertaining film that will be digested best by children of the 1980s, that time when Madonna was becoming the world’s most successful female musician and Michael Jackson was still considered cool. Writer/Director Garth Jennings draws on so many things from 1980s pop lore in tweaking a narrative about two boys struggling with the loss of their fathers. And the film is smart enough to hold the attention of the most finicky viewer, throwing in layers of drama mixing them lightly with nostalgic comedy. This is a coming of age comedy/drama that reminds us never to drink coke and eat Pop Rocks!

Iron Man (PG-13)
Up until now, it was a foregone conclusion that while Iron Man was certainly one of the more popular Marvel Comics superheroes created by Stan Lee to emerge from the early 60s, he wasn't an instantly recognizable icon like Spider-Man, the Hulk or the Fantastic Four. It was also safe to say that while Robert Downey Jr. was widely looked upon as one of the finest actors of his generation, he wasn't an A-list star like Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks or Julia Roberts, whose names above the title were guaranteed to open a movie.

Redbelt (R)
David Mamet: it's a name that commands respect in the world of arts and entertainment. Though his output usually falls just outside of mass mainstream interest, his movies, plays and essays are unquestionably influential. I wouldn't describe his work as populist, but it's not necessarily high brow either. At his best, Mamet makes very smart and inclusive entertainment. And this leads us to "Redbelt," a movie that contains many of the artist's trademarks, but is so obvious and hackneyed in spots that his fans will need to remind themselves that, yes, David Mamet actually wrote and directed it. I'm not kidding when I say the ending holds a little too much in common with the climax of "Rocky V."