First came “Phone Booth,” in which Colin Farrell was trapped under a sniper’s predatory gaze while making a call in Times Square. Now we have a kidnapped Kim Basinger randomly calling a surfer dude’s mobile phone for help. While the filmmakers insist that their movie is rooted in reality, “Cellular” functions best when it has a little fun with itself and embraces its innate B-movie tendencies. Basinger, for example, plays Jessica Martin, arguably the hottest high-school science teacher ever. By simply clicking a couple of wires together, she dials shirtless slacker Ryan (Chris Evans), who’s at the beach and is naturally skeptical of her call. Rated: PG-13 for violence, terror situations, language and sexual references. Rating; 2 out of 4 stars.

– Christy Lemire, AP Entertainment Writer
‘Paparazzi’

Some movies are comedies, some are dramas. When this comes out on video, you’ll be able to find it in the “No, duh” category. The photographers of the film’s title slink and slither through Los Angeles, stalking their celebrity prey with single-minded sleaziness. The stars they follow feel justifiably violated and sometimes fight back. Tabloids pay a lot of money for these pictures – the more intrusive the better. Average people perpetuate the cycle by spending money on such trashy publications. And that’s it. No new insights into the nature of fame, the nuances of privacy or the need for this kind of “journalism.” The whole thing plays like a heavy-handed public service announcement on the importance of protecting celebrities’ civil liberties. Cole Hauser plays an up-and-coming action star who becomes the target of paparazzi stalkers after he punches out a photographer (the totally over-the-top Tom Sizemore). It’s a wonder this film didn’t go straight to cable. Rated: PG-13 for intense violent sequences, sexual content and language. Rating: 1 1/2 out of 4 stars.

– Christy Lemire, AP Entertainment Writer
‘Vanity Fair’

Those getting their primary introduction to William Makepeace Thackeray’s 19th century novel from this new film starring Reese Witherspoon will find themselves frequently adrift as director Mira Nair sprints through the epic-sized story. Witherspoon stars as Becky Sharp, an impoverished orphan who uses her beauty, charm and education to climb the restrictive social boundaries of London in the early 1800s. Everyone is preoccupied with title, appearance and money to a degree that is sickening and, ultimately, pretty dull. You want to cheer for Becky as she tries to improve her lot, but there’s no room for romance, no interest in joy, no especially clever skewering of the cruel fat cats. Witherspoon’s accent is dead-on, but her performance remains cold. Eileen Atkins, Bob Hoskins and Romola Garai co-star. Rated: PG-13 for some sensuality/partial nudity and a brief violent image. Rating: 2 out of 4 stars.

– Anthony Breznican, AP Entertainment Writer
‘Wicker Park’

Josh Hartnett stars as a lovesick puppy who thinks he sees his ex-girlfriend (Diane Kruger, Helen of “Troy”), who disappeared two years earlier, and frantically searches Chicago for her. It’s one of those maddening movies in which the characters do incredibly stupid things simply for the sake of plot contrivance, and everyone’s problems would be solved if they simply picked up their cell phones. Instead, they say things to each other like, “Meet me in the park at 3.” Then one of them doesn’t show up for some reason, and leaves a note for the other explaining why – which isn’t delivered in time, if at all. This may have seemed quaint or even romantic if it had taken place, say, 200 years ago in London. But the setting is now, in a film that tries desperately hard to be slick and modern. This remake of the 1996 French film “L’Appartement” co-stars Matthew Lillard and Rose Byrne. Rated: PG-13 for sexuality and language. Rating: 1 1/2 out of 4 stars.

– Christy Lemire, AP Entertainment Writer