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THURSDAY

Yuck: Creepy insects magnified 250,000 times and filmed in 3-D. It should not be surprising that the inspiration for the new IMAX movie Bugs! came from the film’s producer’s then-7- and 11-year-old nephews, certainly the snickering sort who enjoyed shoving icky things in other people’s faces—as they did to their Uncle Phil with a jar of imprisoned stick insects. Thus, an “outstanding team of visual masters” soon found themselves in the jungles of Borneo, capturing the disgusting “cycle of life” from a bug’s-eye view. The “story”—and the press kit speaks often of story, and “casting” and “performances”—follows a praying mantis and a butterfly from egg to eggstinction. Did I mention it’s in 3-D? So those larvae will be hatching right in your face. That this film is “presented by Terminix” also seems wrong, in so many ways. However, one of the production designers was “Beau Honey.” So maybe it’s not entirely sickening. Bring the kids and a barfbag at 10:20 a.m. and 12:15, 2:10, and 4:05 p.m. (see Showtimes for other dates) at the National Museum of Natural History’s Johnson IMAX Theater, 10th and Constitution Avenue NW. $7.50. (202) 633-4629. (DN)