Critics Consensus | featured news

This week at the movies, we've got speedy autos (Fast Five, starring Vin Diesel and Paul Walker), a night to remember (Prom, starring Aimee Teegarden and Thomas McDonell), and a fractured fairy tale (Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs Evil, with voice work from Hayden Panettiere and Patrick Warburton). What do the critics have to say? Action sequels are always mercenary cash-grabs, and by the time a fifth installment hits theaters, any pretension to quality has pretty much evaporated. Right?

This week at the movies, we've got a combative computer (Tron Legacy, starring Jeff Bridges and Garrett Hedlund), buffoonish bears (Yogi Bear, starring Dan Akroyd and Justin Timberlake), a rollicking romance (How Do You Know, starring Reese Witherspoon and Paul Rudd), a promising pugilist (The Fighter, starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale), and brooding ballerinas (Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis). What do the critics have to say?

This week at the movies, we've got a spiritual journey (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, starring Georgie Henley and Skandar Keynes) and some European intrigue (The Tourist, starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie). What do the critics have to say?

This week at the movies, we've got spooky spectres (Paranormal Activity 2, starring Katie Featherston) and supernatural seekers (Hereafter, starring Matt Damon and Bryce Dallas Howard). What do the critics have to say? Upon its release, Paranormal Activity became something of a cult phenomenon - and the press was almost as intrigued by its budget-to-gross ratio as its lo-fi chills. Now, Paranormal Actrivity 2 is hitting theaters, and though it's barely been screened for critics, those who have seen it say it's a worthy - and very creepy -- follow-up.

This week at the movies, we've got Internet pioneers (The Social Network, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Timberlake), a juvenile vampire (Let Me In, starring Chloe Moretz and Kodi Smit-McPhee), and a cree (Case 39, starring Renée Zellweger and Ian McShane). What do the critics have to say? In only a few short years, Facebook has morphed from a campus-wide phenomenon to revolutionizing the way that we communicate and share information.

This week at the movies, we've got good greed (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, starring Michael Douglas and Shia LaBeouf); heroic owls (Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, with voice work by Sam Neill and Geoffrey Rush); and some venomous rivals (You Again, starring Kristen Bell and Jamie Lee Curtis). What do the critics have to say?

This week at the movies brings only one wide release: The fourth installment of the zombie-infested sci-fi/action Resident Evil franchise (Resident Evil: Afterlife, starring Milla Jovovich and Ali Larter). What do the critics have to say? We'd love to give you the lowdown on the latest entry in the venerable Resident Evil franchise, but Afterlife wasn't screened for critics - which, given that the best-reviewed entry in the series is at 34 percent, was probably a wise move.

This week at the movies, we've got one tough Mexican (Machete, starring Danny Trejo and Jessica Alba), long-distance lovers (Going the Distance, starring Drew Barrymore and Justin Long), and a lonely assassin (The American, starring George Clooney and Thekla Reuten). What do the critics have to say? Machete started as a trailer for a fake movie, then became a real movie. It's a curious route to the multiplex, but critics say this old-school exploitation flick largely delivers -- if you're in the mood some sleazy fun with zero pretense.

This week at the movies, we've got elite mercenaries (The Expendables, starring Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham), a journey of self-discovery (Eat, Pray, Love, starring Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem), and a geek-turned-hero (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, starring Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead). What do the critics have to say? Sly Stallone directs and stars in The Expendables, and he's got a veritable army of your favorite action stars along for the ride, including Jason Statham, Jet Li, Mickey Rourke, and Terry Crews.

This week at the movies, Will Ferrell reunites with director Adam McKay (Step Brothers, Talladega Nights) to get absurd on the buddy cop comedy (The Other Guys, co-starring Mark Wahlberg); street dancing busts a move into the third dimension (Step Up 3D); and the Internet becomes a haven for porn entrepreneurs (Middle Men). What do the critics have to say? With the exception of Step Brothers (mixed at 55%), the McKay-Ferrell comedies tend to be viewed among the best of the star's movies, and The Other Guys is following suit.