‘FRANKENWEENIE’

The story of a young science nerd who brings his dead dog back to life with a blast from a lightning bolt is an expansive adaptation by Tim Burton of his 1984 live-action short of the same name. Designed to appeal to both discriminating adults and older kids, the gorgeous, black-and-white stop-motion film is a fresh, clever and affectionate love letter to classic horror movies. Warning: It is decidedly not for little children. Transplanting Mary Shelley’s 19th-century story to the 1950s, “Frankenweenie” is the story of 10-year-old Victor Frankenstein, a bookish loner whose best friend is his dog, Sparky. After Sparky is hit by a car, a desperate, distraught Victor applies some half-remembered lessons in electricity and reanimates the pet pooch. All is well until some of Victor’s classmates get wind of the secret experiment and begin resurrecting all of their dearly departed pets, too, including a hamster and some Sea-Monkeys. One kid, Toshiaki (James Hiroyuki Liao) unleashes a Godzilla-like monster when his late pet turtle turns into a giant, rampaging reptile. It’s great fun.

‘HIT AND RUN’

Writer, co-director and star Dax Shepard plays Charlie Bronson, a bedraggled, drawling man under witness protection who lives in the middle of nowhere with his professor girlfriend, Annie (Kristen Bell). While Annie has no ambitions for a better job, as that would mean leaving her marooned boyfriend, her boss insists she interview for a dream position in Los Angeles. The only kink is that L.A. is the home town of the criminals who have it out for Charlie. Devoted boyfriend that he is, Charlie breaks out his souped-up Lincoln Continental and chauffeurs his girlfriend to her interview and toward a potentially life-threatening scenario. Hot on their heels are Randy (Tom Arnold) - the trigger-happy numskull charged with protecting Charlie - and Annie’s vengeful ex, Gil, played by Michael Rosenbaum. Also entering the mix are the bank robbers Charlie has been evading for four years. In terms of humor, the punch lines often feel uninspired or distasteful. Jess Rowland, who practically steals the show as a gay police officer, could teach the rest of the players a thing or two about comic timing.

OUT THIS WEEK

“House at the End of the Street,” “Dredd 3D,” “Samsara,” “Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden,” “Compliance,” “Game Change” (HBO’s Emmy-winning depiction of the John McCain-Sarah Palin presidential campaign), “The Assassins” (China),” “Sleep Tight” (2011, Spain), “The Inbetweeners Movie” (2008), “Jack and Diane,” “Lapland Odyssey” (2010, Finland), “Smash: Season One,” “Doctor Who: Shada” (BBC), “The Hour 2” (BBC miniseries), “An Idiot Abroad 2: The Bucket List” (BBC), “Best of Widget!” (Nickelodeon), “Dallas: The Complete First Season.”