Tropic Thunder

What’s most endearing about this comedy is that it expertly satirizes Hollywood in the same way you and some friends would while watching A-listers congratulate themselves at the Academy Awards. No one does it as well as writer/director Ben Stiller, who grew up in a famous Hollywood family. Tropic Thunder stars Stiller as a pompous action star, Jack Black as an oddball comedian and Robert Downey, Jr. as a multi-Oscar-winning actor who goes to great lengths to morph into new characters. In this case he darkens his skin to portray an African American soldier. For their new film together, a Vietnam War adventure, the trio is thrust into a jungle and left to their own rather limited devices. No one plays the empty-headed jerk like Stiller, Downey’s performance is on-the-edge funny and Black electrifies with his usual live wire act. Tropic Thunder is in theaters nationwide Aug. 15. tropicthunder.com.

ALSO IN AUGUST: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (8/1), The Rocker (8/1), Pineapple Express (8/8), The International (8/15), Star Wars: The Clone Wars (8/15), The House Bunny (8/22), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (8/29-limited)