This remake of the 1951 classic “The Day the Earth Stood Still” definitely won’t do much to take your mind off of the various impending global crises. On the other hand, if aliens DID plan to destroy Earth, we wouldn’t have to worry about global warming anymore. Jennifer Connelly is a scientist who is assigned to unmask the alien Klaatu, expertly played by Keanu Reeves. Klaatu warns us silly earthlings of an impending attack that he can’t stop and thus is totally useless in every way. If you’re into scenes with gratuitous destruction of recognizable landmarks NYC gets crushed–original!) Connelly’s limpid blue eyes, take a load off at the theater with this movie. Otherwise,  spend a couple bucks and see the original at home.

“Doubt,” adapted for the screen from John Patrick Shanley’s Tony Award-and-Pulitzer Prize-winning play, is going to amazing if only for Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, two people who can pretty much do no wrong, ever. Intrigue at a church school usually sounds about as exciting as writing a paper on the fifth floor of Lauinger (guess what I’m doing right now?). But intrigue that pits Streep and Hoffman against each other as a terrifying nun who suspects a priest of child molestation? Sign me up. It’s not explicit in the preview, but I’m sure you’ll be able to figure that much out. It quickly becomes clear that as no good deed goes unpunished, no accusation comes without some sort of impetus.