Seen and reviewed (Sept. 9 and 11)

New films in theaters this week:

– “9″ (rated PG-13), an animated feature starring the voices of Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly and others. (Released Sept. 9)
– “Adoration” (rated R), a dramatic thriller from Canadian film Atom Egoyan.
– “Broken Hill” (rated PG), a musical drama set in the Australian Outback, starring Alexa Vega.
– “Sorority Row” (rated R), a remake of the ’80s-era slasher flick, starring Briana Evigan.
– “Tetro” (rated R), Francis Ford Coppola’s latest, a dramatic mystery set in Argentina. With English subtitles.
– “Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All by Myself” (rated PG-13), playwright-turned-filmmaker Perry’s latest drama.
– “Whiteout” (rated R), a serial killer thriller set in Antarctica, starring Kate Beckinsale.

“Sorority Row,” “Whiteout” and the new Tyler Perry film were not widely pre-screened for critics. Word of mouth hasn’t been particularly good for any of these movies.

Poster art courtesy Focus Features

And despite the stunning, computer-generated animation, “9″ is a disappoint. The post-apocalyptic story elements don’t work well and the characters and situations are unengaging. The film is also too intense for very young audiences.

As for Coppola’s return to filmmaking, “Tetro” is overstuffed and nonsensical. It’s beautifully shot nonsense from a director who’s lost any sense of restraint.

By comparison, Egoyan (“The Sweet Hereafter”) looks subtle. His latest is also chock full of ideas. But he does get Scott Speedman’s best big-screen performance to date.

Poster art courtesy Audience Alliance Motion Picture Studios

“Broken Hill” is the first film from Kieth Merrill’s new production/distribution company, and was made by his son, Dagen. While the material is predictable and is overly familiar, lead actor Luke Armstrong is good.

Which, if any, of these movies fit into your weekend viewing plans?