"Happy-Go-Lucky" (R). Sally Hawkins' effervescent performance as a genuinely happy grade school teacher sparks English director Mike Leigh's free-spirited comedy. Grade: B+ Opens Friday, Oct. 31.

"The Haunting of Molly Hartley" (PG-13). Not reviewed. Mickey Liddell directs this thriller about a teen girl whose parents make a pact with the devil, who eventually returns to collect his due. Opens Friday, Oct. 31.

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"Beverly Hills Chihuahua" (PG). The voice of Drew Barrymore stars as the dog, along with such human actors as Jamie Lee Curtis and Piper Perabo. Grade: C TownMall Cinemas, Carrolltown 6 Cinemas

"Body of Lies" (R). The slick professionalism of director Ridley Scott, the starring presence of Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe as CIA employees somehow don't fully spark a busy spy story that roams the world and yet doesn't go very deep. Grade: B- TownMall Cinemas, Carrolltown 6 Cinemas

"Eagle Eye" (PG-13). The relentless chases, hyperkinetic editing and explosive score amount to noisy bells and whistles masking the fact that this political thriller is skimpy when it comes to characterization and motive. With Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Rosario Dawson and Billy Bob Thornton. Grade: C+ TownMall Regal Cinemas, Carrolltown 6 Cinemas

"High School Musical 3: Senior Year" (G). Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens approach graduation in a wholesome musical comedy that's as easy to watch as it is predictable. There are plans to continue the series, so here's a title the producers may want to consider: "High School Musical 4: GED." Grade: B- TownMall Cinemas, Carrolltown 6 Cinemas

"Max Payne" (PG-13). Its video game origins account for the superficiality of a action movie in which Mark Wahlberg merely goes through the violent motions. Grade: C- TownMall Cinemas, Carrolltown 6 Cinemas

"Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist" (PG-13). Two high school kids (Michael Cera and Kat Dennings) tentatively embark on a romance while visiting hip Manhattan clubs in a single very long night. The film's sweet tone unfortunately encompasses a lot of meandering scenes. Grade: C+ TownMall Cinemas, Carrolltown 6 Cinemas

"Pride and Glory" (R). The story about corruption in the New York police department is formulaic and the performances tend to be blustery, but there are several fine scenes with Edward Norton, Jon Voight, Colin Farrell and Noah Emmerich. Grade: B- TownMall Cinemas, Carrolltown 6 Cinemas

"Quarantine" (R). Handheld subjective camerawork is now overused in horror movies, but this one has some effectively jolting moments as it documents how firefighters and the TV news reporter doing a story on them are suddenly placed in quarantine inside an apartment building plagued with a strange virus. Grade: C+ TownMall Cinemas

"Saw V" (R). It's literally torture watching the fifth installment in a sadistic series that refuses to die. Is this anybody's idea of a movie date? Grade: D- TownMall Cinemas, Carrolltown 6 Cinemas

"The Secret Life of Bees" (PG-13). Based on a bestselling novel and featuring Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson and Queen Latifah, this honey-drenched story about a girl growing up in racially segregated South Carolina in 1964 is easy to like, but its thematic messages are so bluntly delivered that it has a paint-by-number quality. Grade: B- Carrolltown 6 Cinemas

"Sex Drive" (R). This is a road trip that pretty much goes where you expect raunchy teen comedies to go. It's rudely funny at times, but not exactly a trip you need to take. Grade: C TownMall Cinemas

"Tyler Perry's The Family that Preys" (PG-13). Another comic melodrama from Tyler Perry in which the lapses in script logic are matched by crowd-pleasing elements that can't be denied. With Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard, Cole Hauser, Tyler Perry, Sanaa Lathan, Rockmond Dunbar, Taraji P. Henson, Robin Givens, Kadee Strickland and Sebastian Siegel. Grade: C+ Carrolltown 6 Cinemas

"W." (PG-13). It's inevitable that director Oliver Stone's group biography of President George W. Bush's administration seems like a wax museum come to life. With Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, Ellen Burstyn, James Cromwell, Richard Dreyfuss, Scott Glenn, Toby Jones, Stacy Keach, Thandie Newton and Jeffrey Wright. Grade: C+ Carrolltown 6 Cinemas

All capsule reviews and grades are by Mike Giuliano unless otherwise noted. Bookings change on Friday. For showtimes and to confirm listings, call the phone-in number in Screen Scene.

SCREEN SCENE

Carrolltown 6 Cinemas
6405 West Hemlock Road, Eldersburg
410-795-7890

TownMall Regal Cinemas
400 Center St., Westminster
410-857-1410

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