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ROLE MODELS

Adulthood makes Danny (Paul Rudd) cynical and mean, which makes his girlfriend (Elizabeth Banks) give him the pink slip. He and Wheeler (Seann William Scott, whose face is automatically stuck on "automatic mischievous" since starring in "American Pie") sell energy drinks in schools, but a violent indiscretion finds them as court-appointed mentors to Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, "Superbad") and Ronnie (Bobb'e J. Thompson). Rudd and Scott are so darned charming during the non-crass character-building moments with the youngsters that the comedy achieves an eloquence of funny dialogue mixed with sincerity that elevates it above the slosh. Not as good as "Superbad," but still a must-see 80 percent Audience Approval, so feel free to observe its critical acclaim. Audiences reacted: "There were some very funny spots" (many) ... "Funny but also endearing" ... and "Each character was funny in their own way. Each character had a sensitive side too."

MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 AFRICA

The four animal friends are now in trapped in Madagascar but try to return to their Central Park Zoo home. Alex the lion (Ben Stiller), Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer), Marty the zebra (Chris Rock) and Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith), reprise their roles from the 2005 original, which didn't really scorch up our poll (72 percent Audience Approval). The penguins glue together an old plane wreck, and the heroes fly into the heart of Africa where they meet their own kind in a journey of discovery and adventure. Their odyssey leads to a confrontation between their roots and their unnatural zoo upbringing, resulting in a must-see 81 percent Audience Approval. Audiences said: "A lot better than the first one" (many) ... "Really perfect for my kids and I think adults will like it too. I did" ... "Cute and heartwarming but above all, funny" ... and "Very good family entertainment."

CHANGELING

Based on a true story from 1928 Los Angeles, single mother Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) discovers her 9-year-old son, Walter, is missing. When the police return him, it is apparent to Christine that this is not her son. But the cops (Colm Feore and Jeffrey Donovan) fearing bad press, even against a body of compelling evidence, insist the recovered boy is Walter. The boy is forced upon Christine, and she is hospitalized for psychiatric help, all while her son is still missing. A clergyman (John Malkovich) crusading against rampant police corruption, comes to her aid. A parallel story follows Detective Lester Ybarra (Michael Kelly) investigating a runaway who claims his uncle kidnapped and murdered dozens of young boys. Director Clint Eastwood displays the same audience-engaging talent he showed in the engrossing dramas "Million Dollar Baby" and "Mystic River." The movie elicits anger and frustration, keeping moviegoers absorbed throughout; it earned a superb must-see 92 percent approval. Audiences cheered: "Angelina Jolie is beyond words, her performance kept me glued to my seat. She should get the Oscar for this" (many)... "All made better because it's a true story; absolutely stunning" ... and "Touched peoples' hearts. You could feel what the heroine felt through the whole movie."

PRIDE AND GLORY

In a family of cops, two brothers (Edward Norton and Noah Emmerich), brother-in-law Jimmy (Colin Farrell) and alcoholic dad (Jon Voight) investigate the death of four NYPD officers because something smells rotten from within. With dialogue that might choke less-experienced actors, its superior cast extracted every ounce of charisma juice from the moment, elevating "Pride and Glory" just slightly above similar police procedurals. Audiences cheered: "Entertaining but a little typical" (many)... "Powerful acting, it had a good story" ... and "The action was very tense. I loved it."

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR

Troy (Zac Efron) must choose basketball or performing arts in college, and he's facing separation from Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens), who is going to Stanford. Meanwhile, Sharpey (Ashley Tisdale) is engineering a shot at Juilliard. The rest of the gang familiar to fans of the Disney TV product, Chad, Taylor and Ryan (Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman and Lucas Grabeel), spill their hearts, vocal chords and gifted toes into their final musical and prom. Its melodies inspire lyrics that address adolescents where they live: relationships, worries about the future and separation anxiety. The characters' charismatic power absolutely enthralled young viewers. All in all, this is healthy, refreshing family fair that teens will love. Comments included: "Amazing" ... "The critics were right for a change, this was great" ... "You could feel the excitement in the theater that was coming from the screen" ... and "You can't help but love all the fantastic music and dancing."

EAGLE EYE

It's man against technology. Shia LaBeouf is framed as a terrorist and threatened by an all-seeing technological entity. He escapes from the FBI, teams up with single mom Michelle Monaghan and goes on the lam. In an environment where street signs, communications and possibly even his toaster are controlled by the entity, there are breathless escapes from one perilous scene to the next, scarcely pausing to fall in love. As an action thriller, it's first rate. As a sci-fi entry, "Eagle Eye" puts some interesting ideas on the table. Comments included: "If you weren't paranoid about technology, you will be now" ... "It hardly ever paused to rest" ... "Not very plausible but good thrills" ... and "Tense."

n The Big Screen, written by Bob Habes, appears in Life & Times each Friday