Movies opening Friday:

"Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan": Sacha Baron Cohen takes his offensive yet lovable Kazakhastani TV "journalist" Borat Sagdiyev to the big screen in this mockumentary chronicling his character's quest to better understand America. Cohen's character meets up with real people -- including Pamela Anderson -- in real situations with hysterical consequences. (R)

"Flushed Away": Aardman Animations (the group behind "Wallace & Gromit") and DreamWorks ("Shrek") combine forces for this movie about a pampered pet mouse (voiced by Hugh Jackman) who is dispatched from his penthouse into London's sewers. In order to get home, he'll need the help of a street-wise rat, Rita (Kate Winslet), to escape the villainous Toad, his cousin Le Frog and his henchrats Spike and Whitey. Ian McKellen, Jean Reno, Bill Nighy and Andy Serkis round out the cast. (PG)

"The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause": This time around, Tim Allen's Santa Claus must face the imminent arrival of his in-laws, his first child, and Christmas Eve -- all while trying to keep the nefarious Jack Frost (Martin Short) from taking over the North Pole. (G)

"Volver": Penelope Cruz and her fellow actresses shared the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for their work in this dramedy set in Madrid by Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar. Cruz plays Raimunda; Lola Duenas is her sister Sole. The two lost their mother years ago in a fire, but did they really? Their aunt, Paula, insists their mother still talks to her, and soon they must confront their own ghost story. (R)