Movie Review: The Navy vs. space aliens in 'Battleship'

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2.5 stars out of 4

“Battleship” is big goofy summertime entertainment, quick on its feet and just as quick to poke fun at itself. Yet it still dishes out plenty of CGI-assisted mayhem, courtesy of a clash between heroic Navy men and women and the evil space aliens who want to take over Earth, starting with the prime real estate of Hawaii.

Refreshingly, these villains are not your usual hissing, slimy cockroach aliens, but big brutal humanoids inside clanky Power Ranger armor.

And while we never learn their motivation (grouchy after a long flight, perhaps?) they do have far more personality than, say,

The best and worst of singers-turned-actors

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Rihanna makes her big-screen debut today in “Battleship.” That’s as good a reason as any to take a look at other singers-turned-actors. But first, a few ground rules: 1. We’re talking about Hollywood movies, not TV shows. 2. It doesn’t count if they’re playing themselves. 3. They had to be known as a singer or musician first.

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The Best

CHER

Musical history: Rose to fame as half of Sonny & Cher, scoring hits with “Baby Don’t Go” and “I Got You Babe.” She has had a long and successful solo career, with hits ranging from “Bang

Retired Mayport Navy captain kept things ship-shape on the set of 'Battleship'

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If the Earth is ever attacked by vicious space aliens, Rick Hoffman figures he should probably come out of retirement and take them on.

He grins. After all, when it comes to battling nasty E.T.s, “I am the most experienced Navy captain there is,” he said.

Hoffman, 58, a retired captain from Jacksonville Beach, spent five months in 2010 helping to make the new movie “Battleship.” It’s based — loosely — on the old board game, and follows some Navy men and women trying to defeat warriors from another planet.

On “Battleship” he was a technical adviser, trying to make sure the Navy

Comings and goings at the movie theater

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Sacha Baron Cohen's "The Dictator" opens today in local theaters, and two other films open Friday. A bunch of older movies will be closed by Friday to make room for the new ones.

Here's what's new:

BATTLESHIP

PG-13 (Violence, profanity)

A small fleet of U.S. Naval vessels must stop an intergalactic invasion. 2 hours, 11 minutes.

THE DICTATOR

R (Crude sexual content, profanity, male nudity, violence)

A North African dictator (Sacha Baron Cohen) travels the world to make sure democracy never comes to his country. 1 hour, 23 minutes.

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING

PG-13 (Sexual content, profanity)

Five couples deal with the stress of