Friday’s openings: Talking animals and ‘Bad Boys’

What with the Academy Awards nominations having come out this morning, and some serious movies getting notice as usual, we can look forward to some simple entertainment when Friday's openings come around.

The two main/mainstream releases are:

"Dolittle": Robert Downey Jr. stars in another adaptation of the children's book series (created by English author Hugh Lofting beginning in 1920) about a physician who can speak to animals. Downey Jr.? What, Johnny Depp wasn't available?

"Bad Boys for Life": Will Smith and Martin Lawrence return to the franchise that brought Michael Bay some of his first huge successes (only Bay isn't directing this time). It's being billed as the characters' "one last ride." Sure.

As usual, I'll update when the area theaters finalize their bookings.