Mini reviews

For an online film guide, see augustachronicle.com/movies:

THIS WEEK

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (PG): Augusta Exchange, Evans, Aiken

THE BOX (PG-13): After the spectacular failure of his ambitious second film, Southland Tales, writer-director Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko) goes the simpler, high-concept route with this thriller adapted from a tiny Richard Matheson short story, about a married couple (Cameron Diaz and James Marsden) given a wooden box. Push its button, and you become instantly wealthy ... but someone, somewhere, drops dead. Would you do it? Evans, Aiken

THE FOURTH KIND (PG-13): Evans, Aiken

THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS (R): Evans, Aiken

ONGOING

ALL ABOUT STEVE (PG-13): A lonely oddball (Sandra Bullock) goes on a blind date with a TV cameraman (Bradley Cooper) and decides he's The One. The catch? He doesn't feel the same way. Begins Friday at Masters

AMELIA ( **1/2, PG-13): Two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank tries for a third with this glossy biopic of ill-fated aviator Amelia Earhart. Augusta Exchange

ASTRO BOY ( **, PG): The computer-animated adventures of a boy robot (voiced by Freddie Highmore) and his scientist creator (Nicolas Cage). Augusta Exchange, Evans, ends today at Aiken

CIRCUE DU FREAK: THE VAMPIRE'S ASSISTANT (PG-13): A teenager (Chris Massoglia) is turned into a vampire by a bloodsucker (John C. Reilly) and joins a circus. Augusta Exchange, Evans, ends today at Aiken

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS ( ****, PG): Animated adaptation of the children's book about a town where food rains from the sky. Augusta Exchange, ends today at Evans

COUPLES RETREAT (PG-13): Evans, Aiken, Augusta Exchange

THE FINAL DESTINATION (R): Nubile adolescents meet their gory end in 3-D. Masters

G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA ( **, PG-13): An elite military squad fights the evil COBRA. Masters

INGLORIOUS BASTERDS ( *, R): Quentin Tarantino's has remade a really bad Italian-made WWII thriller into an intentionally dumb and violent shoot-'em up. Begins Friday at Masters

LAW ABIDING CITIZEN ( *, R): A father whose family is murdered takes revenge on criminals and the legal system. Augusta Exchange, Evans, ends today at Aiken

LOVE HAPPENS (PG-13): A self-help guru writes a book about mourning, then falls for one of his readers (Jennifer Aniston). Begins Friday at Masters

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY (R): A young couple discovers suburbia isn't a safe haven from demonic infestation. Augusta Exchange, Evans, Aiken

SAW VI (R): Not to be confused with Saw V or Saw IV. Because this one is way different. Augusta Exchange, Aiken, ends today at Evans

SHORTS ( ***, PG): Robert Rodriguez channels his inner 11-year-old. Begins Friday at Masters

STEPFATHER (PG-13): The man mama married might not have been the best choice, what with his being psychotic and all. Augusta Exchange, Evans

THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE ( **, PG-13): Lovers are thrown together and torn apart by cruel Father Time. Masters

THIS IS IT (PG): Big screen Michael Jackson tribute. Evans, Augusta Exchange, Aiken

TYLER PERRY'S I CAN DO BAD ALL BY MYSELF **, PG-13): Madea (Tyler Perry) entrusts young delinquents to their aunt (Taraji P. Henson). Ends today at Evans

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (PG): A boy in a wolf suit is adopted by a clan of monsters. Awww. Augusta Exchange, Evans, ends today at Aiken

ZOMBIELAND (R): A gun-toting Woody Harrelson and a wuss (Jesse Eisenberg) join forces to survive in a world overrun by flesh-eating zombies. Evans, Augusta Exchange

ENDING TODAY

GAMER (R): The hero of a violent computer game wants to destroy his creator. Masters

G-FORCE (PG): Guinea pigs become mini James Bonds. Masters

THE HANGOVER (R): Four friends retrace their steps the morning after a night of hard partying in Las Vegas. Masters

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE ( ***1/2, PG): The sixth movie in J.K. Rowling's series is the franchise's best so far. Masters

PANDORUM (R): Astronauts awaken from cryogenic sleep aboard a spaceship and can't remember who they are or what their mission is. Masters

SURROGATES (PG-13): FBI agents (Bruce Willis and Radha Mitchell) investigate a murder involving robotic aliases used by recluses to represent them in the outside world. Evans