Movie critic Craig Outhier's irreverent guide to the best and worst of what's now playing in theaters.
What to see this week
1. “Frost/Nixon”: A courtroom drama, essentially — and a superlative one at that. Frank Langella’s Nixon is off the hizzie.
2. “Milk”: Sean Penn is fabulous.
3. “Slumdog Millionaire”: A career-revitalizing, convention-defying thriller from director Danny Boyle (“Trainspotting”).
4. “Quantum of Solace”: Next up for Daniel Craig: The Jewish-uprising thriller “Defiance,” due in January.
5. “Azur and Asmar”: Celebrated French-Arabic animated fable debuts at the Harkins Valley Art.
What NOT to see this week
1. “The Day the Earth Stood Still”: As an extraterrestrial hatchet man, Keanu Reeves delivers his lines like he’s narrating an Allstate commercial. Horrifying.
2. “Punisher: War Zone”: Line of the year: “Great. Now I’m covered in brains.”
3. “Four Christmases”: No brain-splattering in this one, except your own.
4. “Australia”: Like a James Michener miniseries directed by a circus monkey.
5. “Nothing Like the Holidays”: It just wouldn’t be Christmas without another mediocre domestic-dysfunction comedy! Break out the eggnog!
