Opening

FRIENDS WITH KIDS—Best friends decide to have a child while maintaining a platonic relationship. Starring Adam Scott and Jennifer Westfeldt, who also directed. Eastern Hills

JOHN CARTER—Taylor Kitsch as Edgar Rice Burroughs’s civil war soldier gone to Mars in Disney’s $250 million movie. Variety calls it “a dog…characterized by its clumsy nature [and] spastic pacing.” The live-action debut of animation director Andrew Stanton (A Bug’s Life). Flix, Lockport Palace, Maple Ridge, Market Arcade, McKinley, Regal Elmwood, Regal Niagara Falls, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

PINA—Wim Wenders’ Oscar-nominated documentary about choreographer Pina Bausch. Reviewed this issue. Amherst

SILENT HOUSE—Remake of the Uruguayan horror film, shot in one unbroken take as a woman tries to escape from a house that hides a killer. Starring Elizabeth Olson, Eric Sheffer Stevens, and Adam Trese. Directed by Chris Kentis and Laura Lau (Open Water). Flix, Maple Ridge, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Niagara Falls, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

TAKE ME HOME—Independent comedy-drama starring Sam Jaeger (who also directed) as a New York cabdriver hired on the spur of the moment by a distraught wife (Amber Jaeger) to drive him to California. Co-starring Victor Garber and Lin Shaye. Reviewed this issue. Screening Room, Screens

A THOUSAND WORDS—In what sounds like a rejected Jim Carrey or Adam Sandler vehicle, Eddie Murphy stars as a Hollywood agent who comes under a karmic curse: After he speaks 1,000 more words, he will die. With Kerry Washington and Cliff Curtis. Directed by Brian Robbins (Norbit). Flix, Maple Ridge, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Niagara Falls, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

THE VIRAL FACTOR—Long-estranged brothers, one a cop and one a criminal, join forces to fight a bioterrorist in this Hong Kong action spectacle. Starring Jay Chou and Nicholas Tse. Directed by Dante Lam. Reviewed this issue. Maple Ridge

ETC:

GUNNIN’ FOR THAT #1 SPOT—Documentary about eight high school basketball players preparing to compete in the Elite 24 all-star game. Directed by Adam Yauch Thu March 15, 7pm. Screening Room.

TREELESS MOUNTAIN—Two young Korean children struggle to adapt to life after their mother leaves them with an aunt while she searches for their father. Directed by So Yong Kim. Part of the International Women’s Film Festival. Thu March 8, 7pm. Market Arcade

VALERIE AND HER WEEK OF WONDERS (Czechoslovakia, 1970)—Surreal classic of the Czech New Wave, inspired by fairy-tales such as Alice in Wonderland and “Little Red Riding Hood,” in which love, fear, sex, and religion merge into one fantastic world. Directed by Jaromil Jires. Part of the Midnight Beacon midnight film series. Fri midnight. Market Arcade