African Cats ***

Beautiful, interesting, and touching, "African Cats" follows a lion cub as she learns the ways of the the pride and the hunt; and a single mom cheetah, who raises three rambunctious youngsters. This G-rated movie does not shrink from the reality of how cats get their dinner, but does not dwell on it either. It might be too intense for very young children. The narration from Samuel L. Jackson is fine, and the hallmarks of Disney quality - great photography, clear editing, good music, good science - are omnipresent.

Potiche ***

A lovely, mature Catherine Deneuve brings us the film embodiment of the heroine of the hit French play from some years back, the trophy wife ("potiche" in French), who takes over the umbrella factory when her husband falls ill. Soon, she's dealing with the union, solving production issues, befriending her husband's mistress, negotiating with an old flame, and putting her unfocused children to work. It's a very French take on women's rights and their rightful place, and thoroughly delightful. (In French with English subtitles.)

Rio ***

A fantastic riot of color and colorful characters, "Rio," from the creators of "Ice Age," delivers on the visuals, the songs, the story, and the humor. The story concerns Blu, a macaw who may be the last male of his species who is taken from the cozy bookshop in Minnesota, where he was raised, to the exotic locale of Rio to meet the last female. Blu, voiced by Jesse Eisenberg, is smart, resourceful, and flightless, while Jewel, his intended, voiced by Anne Hathaway, is equally smart and intent on escaping the cage where she lives. The unlikely pair do manage to get out, and their Rio Carnival adventures begins. It's great fun, but does carry a PG rating.

Win Win ****

Unexpectedly funny, involving, and touching, "Win Win" is a small triumph. The story follows a struggling lawyer and volunteer wrestling coach, convincingly played by Paul Giamatti, who thinks he's got a win-win when a client's run-away, quasi-delinquent grandson, a champion wrestler, comes into his life. But his questionable dealings with the client surface, and soon he's facing a serious personal and legal crisis. Supporting players are solid: Amy Ryan as the lawyer's wife, Bobby Cannavale and Jeffrey Tambor as friends/fellow coaches, and especially Alex Shaffer, a real life champion wrestler appearing in his first role. Everyone gets a life lesson, and the win-win's feel earned.

Source Code ***

A tense action thriller, "Source Code" grabs the viewer immediately as we see army helicopter pilot Colter Stevens wake up in the body of another man only to find himself on a mission to stop the bombing of a train in Chicago. A bit of a science fiction "Ground Hog Day," the things Stevens learns as he's sent back to the train again and again gradually begin to make sense. Time, consciousness, even alternate realities come and go as we and Stevens start to understand the situation, as the clock relentlessly ticks. Jake Gyllenhaal as Stevens carries the movie, and Michelle Monaghan as the girl he meets again and again gives us an ever-fuller portrait of her character. Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright as the scientists in charge of the project pull their weight, but it is director Duncan Jones who truly pulls it all together. It's a fantastic ride.

The Lincoln Lawyer ***

Probably the best work he's done with his shirt on, Mathew McConaughey perfectly embodies Michael Connelley's Mick Haller, the L.A. lawyer who works out of the back seat of his Lincoln. A satisfying crime mystery thriller, "Lincoln Lawyer" introduces enough colorful characters to populate a TV series. We have John Leguizamo as the inside shill, William H. Macy as the trusted investigator, Josh Lucas as the hard-nosed prosecutor, and the wonderful Melissa Tomei as the friend/confidante/ex-wife. And this week we have Ryan Phillippe as the too-slick defendant we don't quite trust. This is a fun movie, and I'm not kidding about the TV series. It would be great.

Limitless ***

What if there were a pill that would allow you to use the 90% of your brain they say you don't access? That's the premise of the mystery thriller "Limitless," which follows the meteoric rise and precarious existence of Eddie Morra, a struggling writer who gets the drug from an acquaintance who is soon murdered. The drug, it seems, is so scarce and effective that people will do anything to get it, but once they do get it, there are side effects. Eddie must deal with all this as his life is changed completely. It's a great premise, and not wasted on this movie. Bradley Cooper as Eddie proves he's not a one-hit wonder, and Robert De Niro provides the heft, gravitas, and menace he does so well. While not a great movie, this is one of my favorites of the year so far.