Opening Films

by Inlander Staff & r & BLADES OF GLORY


Put two talented physical comedians (Will Ferrell, Jon Heder) in tights. Then put them in on ice. Together. After that setup, the plot is incidental. (It involves two disgraced ice skaters -- both dudes -- teaming up as a skating pair in the Olympics.) Pratfalls and awkward moments will ensue. (MD) Rated PG-13





THE LOOKOUT


Chris Pratt (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is damaged goods. Once the big man on his high school campus, he's responsible for a horrifying auto accident that killed some friends and left him a shell of himself. And now some creepy bad guys are trying to use him to commit a crime. This is a slow-moving, quite intense character study, with solid performances from Gordon-Levitt, Matthew Goode as a soft-spoken dangerous fellow, and Jeff Daniels as our hero's only true pal. (ES) Rated R





MEET THE ROBINSONS


Animation meets sci-fi meets an adoptee's identity crisis in this vaguely Jimmy Neutron knockoff. Lewis, a boy who lives in an orphanage, is great at concocting inventions but not so good at the getting-adopted part. Lewis' Memory Scanner seems likely to lead him to his birthmother until a crab-like, dim-witted and dastardly villain known as Bowler Hat Guy foils the kid's plans. Time travel follows. Kids may enjoy Robinsons, but adults will miss the wink-wink charms of Toy Story or Shrek. (MB) Rated G





PEACEFUL WARRIOR


Very few films about gymnastics make it into the "heartwarming sports saga" category, much less ones starring Nick Nolte as "Socrates," the crusty-yet-tenderhearted mentor who helps refine the film's young hunk of malleable manhood (Scott Mechlowicz, most famous for being the guy in the "I Don't Want To Be" music video). But Peaceful Warrior takes at least one additional step towards originality -- Socrates can levitate and such, helped no doubt by director Victor Salva (Powder, Jeepers Creepers), whose films are always a little surreal. (MD) Rated PG-13