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The Secret Life of Bees

*** 1/2 ( 3 1/2 STARS)

$6

million

$19.3 million

2 weeks

Rated: PG-13

Running time: 111 minutes

What it's about: A motherless white girl (Dakota Fanning) seeks a refuge from her abusive father with her surrogate mother (Jennifer Hudson, above) in the home of the black Boatwright sisters.

Our take: The film's honest emotions keep it from getting too sappy, and the performances of Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys and Sophie Okonedo as the Boatwright sisters give it substance.

W.

* 1/2 ( 1 1/2 STARS)

$5.1

million

$18.5 million

2 weeks

Rated: PG-13

Running time: 131 minutes

What it's about: The film portrays the greatest flops of George W. Bush (Josh Brolin, above), a washout as a student and a president but brilliant as a frat boy.

Our take: The movie plays like a dunk-the-clown game at a carnival. Through intent or ineptitude, director Oliver Stone sets up the Bush family and administrations as caricatures.

Eagle Eye

** 1/2 ( 2 1/2 STARS)

$5.1

million

$87.9 million

5 weeks

Rated: PG-13

Running time: 118 minutes

What it's about: A mysterious woman who seems able to control any electronic device coerces an aimless slacker (Shia LaBeouf) and a single mother (Michelle Monaghan, above) into implementing a plot that may bring down the U.S. as we know it.

Our take: It's moderately gripping, but, too often, watching this movie is like seeing someone else crack a jigsaw puzzle.