ON SCREEN

Coraline

Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders
Rated PG, 100 Mins
****

Fanboys may cry sacrilege, but I've always considered fantasy writer/comics legend Neil Gaiman to be overrated (Mirrormask? Hello!). Yet in the hands of genius animator/director Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas), Gaiman's 2002 children's book takes on a literal new life in 3D. Coraline's namesake protagonist (voiced by Fanning) feels ignored by her parents, but a portal to a fabulous alternate reality where everyone has buttons for eyes—including a doting “Other Mother” (Hatcher)—proves to be a sinister trap rather than escape. A twist on Alice in Wonderland, Coraline is masterful and captivating, from Selick's nonstop parade of imaginative creations (like a mechanical chicken that pecks corn cobs and poops popcorn), characters and sets (kudos to Japanese concept artist Tadahiro Uesugi) to voice talents including the always funny French and Saunders as loopy, aging music hall performers. Fantabulosa! —LAWRENCE FERBER

ON DVD

Noah’s Arc: Jumping The Broom

Darryl Stephens, Jensen Atwood, Rodney Chester
*1/2

Unfortunately, a few genuinely funny moments and universally good-looking guys are just about the only things this earnest misfire have going for it. The Logo series’ leap to the big screen (now on DVD) feels like a missed opportunity to take these characters to another, deeper level. Series creator, the film’s director, and one of its writers, Patrik-Ian Polk, tries too hard to cover a laundry list of “issues,” and this heavy-handedness weighs the film down. It’s really only palatable because of its (mostly) likable cast led by Darryl Stephens and Jensen Atwood. This pair are at the center of all things drama-filled—and I do mean drama-filled, where a monumentally dramatic moment can be clocked in about every six or seven minutes—when their friends join them on Martha’s Vineyard for their impending wedding. The series often played like an agreeable Sex And The City for the urban, black male set, but these guys deserve a platform better than one that serves up too many warmed-over platitudes. —WALLY KING

Rent: Filmed Live On Broadway

Will Chase, Adam Kantor, Justin Johnston
****

Unless, you’ve kept residence under a rock for the last, oh, decade or so, you know full well that this New York City-set rock opera tells the story of a group of friends struggling with life and all its messy, emotional entanglements in an AIDS era East Village. The music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson have become iconic in their own right, and this filmed-live-on-Broadway format will be sure Larson’s legacy lives on. While devotees may miss cast standouts through the years (Daphne Rubin-Vega, Idina Menzel) this strong ensemble delivers all the raw energy and passion this play demands (the DVD was filmed during the last week of its performances on Broadway). Far better than the 2005 film version, this format allows for a surprisingly intimate and satisfying theater experience from the comfort of your couch with close-ups of characters no theatergoer in the balcony would be privy to, and with superior sound quality to boot. —W.K.

LIMITED RUN

One Third of a Nation

This 1939 independent classic, detailing the trials and tribulations of urban squalor and economic uncertainty, uncannily resonates with our current fiscal woes. Maybe we can learn a thing or two. Billy Wilder Theatre. Sun., Feb. 1. 7 p.m. $10. www.cinema.ucla.edu

Moulin Rouge!

Baz Luhrmann’s contemporary homage to 19th century Parisian bohemianism sets Hollywood screens ablaze to get you in the romantic mood just before Valentine’s Day. AFI’s Silver Theatre. Fri., Feb. 6-Sun., Feb. 8. See Web site for times. $10. afi.com

Laura and Vertigo

The Cinefamily’s at it again with this unique examination of destructive heroes falling for temptresses from beyond the grave. A bit unsettling but always suspenseful, the latest in their “Romantic Obsession” series will not disappoint. The Silent Movie Theatre. Fri., Feb. 6. 7:30 p.m. $10. silentmovietheatre.com

Il Decameron and The Arabian Nights

The New Beverly crafts an unforgettable double feature honoring revolutionary queer filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini. Through his cinematic renditions of these classic frame narratives, Pasolini speaks to the layered existences of human nature. New Beverly Cinema. Sun., Feb. 8 (2: 45 and 7:30 p.m.) and Mon., Feb. 9 (7:30 p.m.) $7. newbevcinema.com

Homo Must

Casablanca

AFI honors director Michael Kutriz’s romantic wartime epic this month. Don’t miss Bogie and Bergman smolder on the big screen as they attempt escape from Nazi tyrants, because if you do, you’ll regret it. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of your life. AFI’s Silver Theatre. Sat., Jan. 31-Thu., Feb. 12. See Web site for times. $10. afi.com