Julia Roberts

. LARRY CROWNE Directed by: Tom Hanks Written by: Hanks and Nia Vardalos Starring: Hanks, Julia Roberts, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bryan Cranston, Cedric the Entertainer, Taraji P. Henson, and Pam Grier At: Boston Common, Fenway, suburbs Running time: 92 minutes PG-13 (brief strong language and some sexual content) Movies rarely come squarer than “Larry Crowne.’’ A big-box store fires Larry (Tom Hanks) from his manager’s job for lack of higher education.

OBSESSED ★★ (Comcast Movies: Free Movies) Another variation of the blank-from-hell movie. This time it's the temp from hell, played by Ali Larter, who stalks a businessman (Idris Elba) and ticks off his wife, played by Beyoncé. Watching this movie is like sitting through an eternal rehash of the vengeful feelings Beyoncé has covered so vividly in song. (PG; runs through Feb. 17) WESLEY MORRIS THE KING'S SPEECH ★★ ½ (SHO on Comcast) Colin Firth as King George VI, afflicted with a nasty stammer until a man-of-the-people speech therapist (Geoffrey Rush)

In "Duplicity," Clive Owen looks like he just wandered in from the other thriller that has him trotting the globe in expensive-looking suits. "The International" is a business-like conspiracy thriller that opened last month and deserves a better audience than it's getting. "Duplicity" stands to get a fairer hearing, since, for one thing, it's more conventionally enjoyable and, for another, Owen's partner in entertainment is Julia Roberts, who has returned from wherever she's been to show the Jessicas (Alba, Biel, etc.)

Jonathan Papelbon was playing the Rangers over the weekend, but his mom? Our spies ran into "Papelmom" in Turks and Caicos with Papelbon's brothers. Turks is a celebrity haven that has drawn the likes of Bruce Willis , Justin Timberlake , Oprah Winfrey , and Julia Roberts … . Meanwhile, "The Office" star Mindy Kaling appears to have spent some time at home. The Cambridge native tweeted over the weekend, "Just spent the evening with my mother's friends, the Labor & Delivery department at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center.

Jonathan Papelbon was playing the Rangers over the weekend, but his mom? Our spies ran into "Papelmom" in Turks and Caicos with Papelbon's brothers. Turks is a celebrity haven that has drawn the likes of Bruce Willis , Justin Timberlake , Oprah Winfrey , and Julia Roberts … . Meanwhile, "The Office" star Mindy Kaling appears to have spent some time at home. The Cambridge native tweeted over the weekend, "Just spent the evening with my mother's friends, the Labor & Delivery department at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center.

I LOVE YOU, MAN (Comcast Movies and Events) A comedy about the love that dare not speak its name: that of one straight guy for another. Paul Rudd looks for a best friend to be his best man; Jason Segel is the schlump who up-ends his life. “The Odd Couple’’ retooled for an age of male social performance anxiety, it’s rude, funny, and predictable. (R; runs through Nov. 30) TY BURR THE KARATE KID (Comcast Free Movies)

Queen Latifah is a buxom woman from New Jersey who used to wear Afrocentric pantsuits and rap about sisters standing up for themselves. Now she sells Pizza Hut pizza, makes lite-jazz records, and stars in disposable hit comedies. No one looks at her and thinks, "Julia Roberts. " But "Last Holiday," in its feathery, good-hearted way, is enough to give you pause. Latifah plays a plainspoken, churchgoing penny pincher and aspiring chef named Georgia Byrd, who, after she's given three weeks to live, finds the old new lease on life.

‘The Tourist’’ is a slow and silly action-comedy romantic-thriller, in which Angelina Jolie seduces then tries to ditch a disheveled Johnny Depp in Venice. She’s being hunted by different factions of men in black leather and gray wool. Is there another kind of Angelina Jolie movie? This is the sort in which she has something or is someone of great interest to a lot of people. Why does this woman constantly require question marks and interrogation sequences? If we accept that Jolie is a movie star — and she is — then we should understand that an elusive element comes with the job....

“Larry Crowne’’ serves as a reminder that you can have two of the most likable, bankable stars on the planet together, but strong writing is crucial to making them shine. Even the combined, blinding brilliance of Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts can’t salvage the corny, contrived script — which Hanks, who also directed the film, co-wrote. His longtime friend Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding’’) was his collaborator, and the shticky nature of her style is just overpowering.

NEW YORK -- "Three Days of Rain. " Two and a half hours of Julia Roberts. One hundred and fifty minutes of tedium. A gorgeous smile and perky demeanor can get you far in Hollywood. They can even get you onto the podium at the Oscars, where you make a fool of yourself in your acceptance speech. But even with the 2001 Academy Award for "Erin Brockovich," Roberts must have decided it was time for really serious actress cred and turned to theatrical properties -- the 2004 film version of Patrick Marber's "Closer" and the Broadway production of "Three...

. LARRY CROWNE Directed by: Tom Hanks Written by: Hanks and Nia Vardalos Starring: Hanks, Julia Roberts, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bryan Cranston, Cedric the Entertainer, Taraji P. Henson, and Pam Grier At: Boston Common, Fenway, suburbs Running time: 92 minutes PG-13 (brief strong language and some sexual content) Movies rarely come squarer than “Larry Crowne.’’ A big-box store fires Larry (Tom Hanks) from his manager’s job for lack of higher education.

“Larry Crowne’’ serves as a reminder that you can have two of the most likable, bankable stars on the planet together, but strong writing is crucial to making them shine. Even the combined, blinding brilliance of Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts can’t salvage the corny, contrived script — which Hanks, who also directed the film, co-wrote. His longtime friend Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding’’) was his collaborator, and the shticky nature of her style is just overpowering.

‘The Tourist’’ is a slow and silly action-comedy romantic-thriller, in which Angelina Jolie seduces then tries to ditch a disheveled Johnny Depp in Venice. She’s being hunted by different factions of men in black leather and gray wool. Is there another kind of Angelina Jolie movie? This is the sort in which she has something or is someone of great interest to a lot of people. Why does this woman constantly require question marks and interrogation sequences? If we accept that Jolie is a movie star — and she is — then we should understand that an elusive element comes with the...

In "Duplicity," Clive Owen looks like he just wandered in from the other thriller that has him trotting the globe in expensive-looking suits. "The International" is a business-like conspiracy thriller that opened last month and deserves a better audience than it's getting. "Duplicity" stands to get a fairer hearing, since, for one thing, it's more conventionally enjoyable and, for another, Owen's partner in entertainment is Julia Roberts, who has returned from wherever she's been to show the Jessicas (Alba, Biel, etc.)

NEW YORK -- "Three Days of Rain. " Two and a half hours of Julia Roberts. One hundred and fifty minutes of tedium. A gorgeous smile and perky demeanor can get you far in Hollywood. They can even get you onto the podium at the Oscars, where you make a fool of yourself in your acceptance speech. But even with the 2001 Academy Award for "Erin Brockovich," Roberts must have decided it was time for really serious actress cred and turned to theatrical properties -- the 2004 film version of Patrick Marber's "Closer" and the Broadway production of "Three Days...

Queen Latifah is a buxom woman from New Jersey who used to wear Afrocentric pantsuits and rap about sisters standing up for themselves. Now she sells Pizza Hut pizza, makes lite-jazz records, and stars in disposable hit comedies. No one looks at her and thinks, "Julia Roberts. " But "Last Holiday," in its feathery, good-hearted way, is enough to give you pause. Latifah plays a plainspoken, churchgoing penny pincher and aspiring chef named Georgia Byrd, who, after she's given three weeks to live, finds the old new lease on life.