THE BLACK BALLOON: An Australian family deals with the mood swings of an autistic son. Seen through the eyes of the boy’s slightly younger teenage brother, the film involves the daily tensions of the family and his own uncertain entry into romance.  Toni Collette is superb as the mother; model Gemma Ward is surprisingly effective as an understanding schoolmate. (PG-13) Three stars – Roger Ebert

• The Grand Cinema: Fri-Sun 1:50, 4, 6:15, 8:30. Mon-Wed 4, 6:15, 8:30.  Thurs, April 30 1:50, 4, 6:15, 8:30.


• THE CROSS: Documentary that follows Arthur Blessitt and his 40-year trip around the world with a 12-foot wooden cross inspired by Jesus Christ’s own walk up the hill to Calvary. (PG) – Bill White


• Yelm Cinemas @ Prairie Park: Fri-Thurs, April 30 12:05, 2:15, 4:25, 6:35, 8:45. 

DEATH NOTE: L, CHANGE THE WORLD: Two-night live event features the third installment of the popular Death Note Manga.  Wed: English subtitles Thurs: overdubbed in English. (NR) – BW

• Century Federal Way: Wed-Thurs, April 30 7:30.


• Century Federal Way: Wed-Thurs, April 30 7:30.

EARTH: A beautiful documentary of Earth’s climates and wild creatures, featuring spectacular photography.  Distilled from the BBC/Discovery series Planet Earth, and taking advantage of the big screen to make full sue of its hi-def visuals.  Younger audiences in particular will enjoy it.  Narrated by James Earl Jones. (G) Three stars – RE

• Century Federal Way: Thurs-Sun 10 a.m., 12:20, 2:40, 5, 7:20, 9:40. Mon-Thurs, April 30 12:20, 2:40, 5, 7:20, 9:40. 


• Century Olympia: 12:30, 3, 5:30, 8, 10:30. Also Sat-Wed 10 a.m.


• Galaxy Uptown Theatre: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9.


• The Grand Cinema: 2:15, 4:30, 6:45, 8:55. Also Fri-Sun 12:05.


• Lakewood Cinema 15: Thurs 12:30, 2:45, 5:05, 7:45, 10. Fri-Thurs, April 30 11:30 a.m., 1:50, 4:20, 6:55, 9:05.


• Lakewood Towne Center 12: Thurs 2:30, 4:45, 7, 9:30. Fri-Sun 12:20, 2:30, 4:45, 7, 9:30. Mon-Thurs, April 30 2:30, 4:45, 7, 9:30. Also Sat-Sun 10:10 a.m.


• Longston Place 14: noon, 2:15, 4:30, 7, 9:30.


• Regal Martin Village 16: Thurs 10:15 a.m., 12:30, 2:45, 5, 7:15, 9:30. Fri-Thurs, April 30 12:25, 2:45, 5, 7:15, 9:30.            


• Yelm Cinemas @ Prairie Park: Fri-Thurs, April 30 12:10, 2:10, 4:10, 6:10, 8:10, 10:10. 

EARTH (1998): Deepa Mehta’s epic tale of hateful religious and civil wars in 1947 India is this week’s edition of the Faith & Film Series. (NR) – BW

• The Grand Cinema: Tues 6:45.

FIGHTING: What’s advertised as a genre picture about New York professional street fighters turns out to be a lot more: The characters and actors bring uncommon interest to the story.  Terrence Howard plays a mild-mannered boxing promoter who sidesteps all the clichés of such roles; Channing Tatum is a small-town Alabama kid in the big city, Zulay Henao is a sweetheart as a waitress in a rough club, and Altagracia Guzman steals her scene as the waitress’s protective older relative. (PG-13) Three stars – RE

• Century Federal Way: Fri-Thurs, April 30 12:15, 2:45, 5:15, 7:45, 10:15.


• Century Olympia: Fri-Thurs, April 30 12:10, 2:40, 5:10, 7:45, 10:15. 


• Galaxy Narrows: Fri-Thurs, April 30 12:25, 2:45, 5, 7:15, 9:30.


• Galaxy Uptown Theatre: Fri-Thurs, April 30 11:45 a.m., 2:10, 5, 7:35, 9:55.


• Lakewood Cinema 15: Fri-Thurs, April 30 12:20, 3, 5:40, 8:10, 10:40.


• Lakewood Towne Center 12: Fri-Sun 12:45, 3:05, 5:25, 7:50, 10:20. Mon-Thurs, April 30 3:05, 5:25, 7:50, 10:15. Also Sat-Sun 10:25 a.m.


• Longston Place 14: Fri-Thurs, April 30 12:30, 3:05, 7:10, 9:50.


• Regal Martin Village 16: Fri-Thurs, April 30 11:50 a.m., 2:25, 5, 7:35, 10:10.


• Yelm Cinemas @ Prairie Park: Fri-Thurs, April 30 noon, 2:20, 4:40, 7, 9:20. 

GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST: Matthew McConaughey stars as a freewheeling libertine who's haunted by the spirits of girlfriends of the present, past, and beyond at his brother's wedding, awakening long-lost feelings for his first love. (PG-13) – Michael Swan

• Century Olympia: Fri-Thurs, April 30 12:01 a.m. 

THE INFORMERS: About dread, despair and doom, and the eerie ways that music and movies connect people from vastly different lives in a subterranean way where drugs, fame and sex are the common currency.  A screenplay by Bret Easton Ellis occupies a bleak world of empty Hollywood types and would-bes, empty souls in hollow lives.  Like a soap opera from hell.  With Billy Bob Thornton, Mickey Rourke, Kim Basinger, Winona Ryder, Chris Isaak, Amber Heard, Brad Renfro. (R) Two and a half stars – RE

• Regal Martin Village 16: Fri-Thurs, April 30 11:55 a.m., 2:30, 4:55, 7:25, 10.


• Regal South Hill 6: Fri-Thurs, April 30 12:20, 2:35, 5:05, 7:35, 9:55. 

OBSESSED: Idris Elba, from HBO’s greatly underappreciated drama The Wire, finds himself in a pickle when he lets Heroes star Ali Larter get a little to close, endangering his marriage to the beautiful Beyonce Knowles. (PG-13) – BW

• Century Federal Way: Fri-Thurs, April 30 12:10, 2:45, 5:20, 7:55, 10:30.


• Century Federal Way: Fri-Thurs, April 30 10:40 a.m., 1:45, 4:20, 7:25, 10:10.


• Galaxy Uptown Theatre: Fri-Thurs, April 30 11:45 a.m., 2:05, 4:45, 7:30, 9:55.


• Galaxy Narrows: Fri-Thurs, April 30 12:10, 2:40, 5, 7:20, 9:40.


• Lakewood Cinema 15: Fri-Thurs, April 30 11:55 a.m., 12:35, 2:25, 3:05, 4:50, 5:35, 7:15.


• Lakewood Towne Center 12: Fri-Sun 12:25, 2:50, 5:20, 7:45, 10:15. Mon-Thurs, April 30 2:50, 5:20, 7:45, 10:15. Also Sat-Sun 10 a.m.


• Longston Place 14: Fri-Thurs, April 30 1, 3:45, 7:05, 9:45.


• Regal Martin Village 16: Fri-Wed 11:30 a.m., 2:05, 4:40, 7:20, 9:55. Thurs, April 30 11:30 a.m., 2:05, 4:40, 7:20, 9:50.

THE SOLOIST: The Soloist has all the elements of an uplifting drama, except for the uplift. The story is compelling, the actors are in place, but I was never sure what the filmmakers wanted me to feel about it. Based on a true story, it stars Jamie Foxx as Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless man who was once a musical prodigy, and Robert Downey Jr. as Steve Lopez, the Los Angeles Times columnist who writes a column about him, bonds with him, makes him famous, becomes discouraged by the man’s mental illness and — what? Hears him play great music? (PG-13). Two and a half stars — RE

• Century Federal Way: Fri-Thurs, April 30 10:50 a.m., 1:35, 4:20, 7:05, 9:55.


• Century Federal Way: Fri-Thurs, April 30 10:20 a.m., 1:15, 4, 6:50, 9:35.


• Galaxy Narrows: Fri-Thurs, April 30 noon, 2:25, 4:50, 7:15, 9:30.


• Galaxy Uptown Theatre: Fri-Thurs, April 30 1:15, 4.


• Lakewood Cinema 15: Fri-Thurs, April 30 11:25 a.m., 2:05, 5:10, 7:50, 10:30.


• Lakewood Towne Center 12: Fri-Sun 1:35, 4:20, 7, 9:50. Mon-Thurs, April 30 3:30, 7, 9:50. Also Sat-Sun 10:55 a.m.


• Regal Martin Village 16: Fri-Thurs, April 30 1:30, 4:20, 7:10, 10.  


• Regal South Hill 6: Fri-Thurs, April 30 12:15, 3:15, 7, 9:45. 


• Yelm Cinemas @ Prairie Park: Fri-Thurs, April 30 12:20, 2:55, 6:15, 8:50. 

THIS AMERICAN LIFE LIVE!: Host Ira Glass brings the popular radio show This American Life to the big screen for a one-night only live event broadcast via satellite in HD 5.1. (PG) – BW

• Century Federal Way: Thurs 8.


• Century Olympia: Thurs 8.

X-MEN  ORIGINS: WOLVERINE: Early opening.  See review next week. (PG-13) – BW

• Century Federal Way: Fri, May 12:01 a.m.


• Longston Place 14: Fri, May 1 12:01 a.m.


• Regal Martin Village 16: Fri, May 1 12:01 a.m.