“Beginners”
Olympus Pictures
1 hour, 45 minutes

Our review this week was, much to my surprise, an appraisal of a quietly sweet homage to love, aging, and the joy of being true to oneself, even if that truth is difficult.

“Horrible Bosses”
Warner Bros. Picture
1 hour, 38 minutes

I hate it when I go to a movie and later, when people are asking me what I thought of it, all I can think about is what the movie could have been.  Missed opportunities.  That should be the subtitle to this week’s way too silly murder comedy, “Horrible Bosses.”

Jason Bateman, having a deserved career resurgence, is Nick Hendricks, hard-working, a team player, and in line for an important promotion.

“Cars 2”
Pixar Animation Studios
1 hour, 52 minutes

Well, it finally happened. I didn’t think it would — I had faith, but I was wrong. Pixar, storytelling geniuses though they are, have finally delivered a dud.

“Super 8”
Amblin Entertainment
1 hour, 52 minutes

J.J. Abrams is one of those names that gets tossed around Hollywood with an almost audible “ka-ching!” about it. The man is golden and people want to work with him. It was a little surprising, then, when I found out that this week’s small-town 70’s sci-fi flick is actually only the third film he’s directed. So who is this guy? What’s he done that makes him so famous? Short answer: everything.