“Bruno” (C):

“Bruno” (C): The problem with “Bruno” is Bruno himself. Compared with Borat, there simply isn’t enough to the character to build an entire feature-length film around him. Both spring from the brash and creative mind of British comic Sacha Baron Cohen. Bruno is a one-joke character in a one-joke movie, and it’s a joke Baron Cohen beats into the ground. He’s a flamboyantly gay Austrian fashion correspondent who repeatedly shocks people with his flamboyant gayness. 88 mins. R for pervasive strong and crude sexual content, graphic nudity and language.

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” (B+): The sixth movie in J.K. Rowling’s fantasy series about the young wizard is the franchise’s best so far, blending rich drama and easy camaraderie among the actors with the visual spectacle that until now has been the real star. The hocus-pocus of it all nearly takes a back seat to the story and characters this time, and the film is the better for that, brimming with authentic people and honest interaction — hormonal teens bonding with great humor, heartache that will resonate with anyone who remembers the pangs of first love. The movie escalates the peril for Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his best pals, Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), while giving the threesome that first collaborated as prepubescent kids their best platform yet to show their maturing acting chops. 153 mins. Rate PG for scary images, some violence, language and mild sensuality.

“Public Enemies” (B-): All the pieces would seem to be in place for an epic gangster drama: director Michael Mann, who has an affinity for complicated criminals; stars Johnny Depp (who plays the outlaw John Dillinger) and Christian Bale (FBI man Melvin Purvis), who are famous for immersing themselves in their roles; and a thrilling true story of brazen bank robbers on the run. Trouble is, “Public Enemies” feels rather stagnant. It looks terrific. But until the final third, the film maintains a low-key, steady pace when it should be percolating with unbearable suspense. 130 mins. Rated R for gangster violence and some language.