Chernobyl Diaries — Oren Peli, the visionary huckster behind the Paranormal Activity franchise, turns his attention to the 1986 Russian nuclear disaster. Expect a damning critique of the international big-energy conspiracy that has all but swept the incident under the rug, plus a lot of creaky doors being opened and closed by fishing wire. (R) (opens Thursday, May 24) [youtube Pp9xuquibQc] First Position — Reviewed this week. (NR) (opens Friday, May 25)

Men in Black 3 — Which part of this Newsweek story do you find it easier to believe: that Sony’s Men in Black 3 project was such a directionless mess that the studio seriously considered pulling the plug, or that the end result is nonetheless a “fizzy, funny, intelligent film” with “an emotional finale that even managed to make some preview audiences misty-eyed”? As Judy Tenuta used to say, “It could happen!” (PG-13) (opens Friday, May 25)

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This article appears in May 23-29, 2012.