Loren King

Hugo An exhilarating tale of magic, machines, memories, and dreams. Martin Scorsese marshals the latest movie technology to create a love letter to the earliest movies of all. Yes, it's a family film - and a great one - but the family Scorsese has really made this for is the 100-year-old tribe of watchers in the dark. With Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Sacha Baron Cohen. (127 min., PG) (Ty Burr)

Happy Feet Two A 3-D vision of Antarctic excess, with digitally animated penguins thundering in choreographic lockstep to an unholy fusion of Janet Jackson, Queen, and ``Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow.'' Exuberantly weird and desperately plot-heavy, it'll be a hit with kids and a curio to their parents. With the voices of Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Hank Azaria. (100 min., PG) (Ty Burr)