*** 1/2 TROPIC THUNDER (R) - A troupe of actors, thinking they're making a Vietnam War movie, gets lost in the jungle and is captured by druglords who think the actors are narcs. Very funny, with a terrific performance by Robert Downey Jr. as an Australian actor who seems to think he is black. Directed by Ben Stiller, who stars along with Jack Black, Nick Nolte, Steve Coogan, Danny McBride and Brandon T. Jackson.

*** 1/2 PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (R) - The answer to the question, "What would happen if a stoner buddy comedy was made by a great director?" David Gordon Green makes his first mainstream effort, beautifully photographed and often very funny. Seth Rogen and James Franco star as always-stoned friends who start a drug war after sampling Pineapple Express, a new blend of weed so good that even smoking it, Franco says, is a crime "like killing a unicorn." Be aware: Despite a "warning," the movie is enthusiastically pro-pot.

*** THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPORER (PG-13) - Having exhausted Egyptian mummies (and us) in the earlier two movies, adventurers Rick and Evelyn O'Connell (Brendan Fraser and Maria Bello) journey to China, where their son Alex (Luke Ford) has awakened the dragon emperor. Tombs, booby traps, a war between two versions of the undead, a sorceress, a three-headed fire-breathing dragon - the movie has all you'd expect from the title and is just plain dumb fun.

** MAMMA MIA! (PG-13)- Movie version of the hit stage musical, with Meryl Streep as the villa owner on a Greek isle and Amanda Seyfried as her about-to-be married daughter. The girl doesn't know who her father is, but finds an old diary and invites three likely candidates to her wedding. Wall-to-wall with ABBA songs, of course, and energetic dancing. This movie was made for the people who will love it, of which there may be a multitude. You know who are are.

**** THE DARK KNIGHT (PG-13) - Batman isn't a comic book anymore. Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" is a haunted film that leaps beyond its origins and becomes an engrossing tragedy. It creates characters we come to care about. That's because of the performances, because of the direction, because of the writing, and because of the superlative technical quality of the entire production. The key performance in the movie is by the late Heath Ledger, as the Joker.

**** IRON MAN(PG-13)- Robert Downey Jr. is absolutely terrific as Tony Stark/Iron Man, delivering a performance that is both comedic and poignant. This is an outstanding superhero action adventure that is well-directed and features strong supporting performances - especially from Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeff Bridges.

Family friendly

*** SPCAE CHIMPS (G) - Goofy animated space opera that sends three U.S. chimpanzee astronauts rocketing to a galaxy far, far away. There they encounter strange life forms and the evil Zartog, who has captured an earlier space probe. Not in the same science fiction league as "Wall-E," but successful, with lots of whiz-bang action and some witty dialogue.

** JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (PG) - There is a world inside our own, populated by glowing birds, man-eating plants, giant-fanged fish and a T-Rex. Reaching it via a series of dizzying falls, a geologist, his nephew and an Icelandic babe realize Jules Verne must have seen it before writing his novel. With Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson and Anita Briem.

*** 1/2 WALL-E (G) - The animated story of the last surviving solar-powered robot, in a world so filled with garbage that humans have escaped into orbiting spaceships. Directed by Andrew Stanton, who wrote and directed "Finding Nemo," it shares that film's ability to appeal to the whole family, in a story that's original, ingenious and touching.

*** KUNG FU PANDA (PG) - A fat, fuzzy panda competes to become the Dragon Master and face the archenemy of the Valley of Peace, in a cute but not compelling animated adventure. The characters are one-dimensional, except for the wise old master voiced by Dustin Hoffman. Entertaining for younger audiences.