NOW PLAYING
The Accountant Production values and a cheeky performance by Ben Affleck give a lift to this convoluted and ultimately ridiculous action thriller about an autistic mob accountant and his struggle to thwart a team of assassins. It’s a two-hour movie that’s good for an hour. Rated R. 128 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Allied Director Robert Zemeckis delivers a World War II film that is old-fashioned in the best way, glamorous and beautiful to behold, with Marion Cotillard and Brad Pitt as a pair of spies who fall in love in — well, Casablanca, of course. Rated R. 124 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Almost Christmas This serviceable but not inspired dramedy is the latest in the genre of dysfunctional family holiday movies. The cast — including Danny Glover and Mo’Nique — is appealing, but the script isn’t fully developed. Rated PG-13. 112 minutes.
— D. Lewis
Arrival Director Denis Villeneuve casts aside almost every “Independence Day,” “E.T.” and “Contact” cliche and makes a science fiction epic that breaks free of genre shoeboxing. Amy Adams is a linguistics professor who races against the clock to make conversation with aliens. Better to leave the rest to surprise. The film is tightly calibrated, but leaves things open to interpretation, for discussion on the ride home from the theater and beyond. Rated PG-13. 116 minutes. — P. Hartlaub
Bad Santa 2 The 2003 original was a nasty, zesty assault on the holidays; this sequel, about the further antics of an alcoholic, department-store Santa (Billy Bob Thornton) and his elfin partner in crime (Tony Cox), is sophomoric and unimaginative. Kathy Bates gives a nice low-down comic performance, but it’s wasted here. Rated R. 92 minutes. — W. Addiego
Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk Based on the novel of the same name, this latest from director Ang Lee is a languorous and detailed story about a troupe of Iraq soldiers on a publicity tour, days before returning to the front line. Well made and well acted. Rated R. 122 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Bleed for This The true-life tale of boxer Vinny Pazienza, who heroically overcame a broken neck to return to the ring. A familiar beating-the-odds story that’s nicely executed, it’s also an intriguing portrait of a working-class Italian American family in Rhode Island. A fine lead performance from Miles Teller (“Whiplash”) is supported by notable work from Aaron Eckhart. Rated R. 116 minutes. — W. Addiego
Doctor Strange This latest from Marvel Comics is actually at its best in the non-fantasy scenes, with Benedict Cumberbatch as a brilliant neurosurgeon who turns to mysticism after a life-changing crisis and ends up with powers in several dimensions. Cumberbatch is a pleasure and gives the movie a slight lift over its boring passages. Rated PG-13. 115
minutes. — M. LaSalle
The Eagle Huntress A remarkable and entertaining documentary about a 13-year-old Kazakh girl who trains to become the first female practitioner of the Mongolian art and sport of eagle hunting (that is, using an eagle as a hunting aid). More background information would have been helpful, but this is a very good first feature from Otto Bell. Rated G. 87 minutes.
— W. Addiego The Edge of Seventeen Far from the usual teen coming-ofage film, this is an interesting comedy-drama with an arresting protagonist — a teenage girl (Hailee Steinfeld) who is outgoing and loquacious but also troubled and spiraling downward. Written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, who shows a rich capacity for working with actors in this, her first feature film. Rated R. 104 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Elle The latest from Paul Verhoeven (“Basic Instinct”), which is also France’s foreign film entry in the Oscar sweepstakes, provides a signature role for Isabelle Huppert as a woman who is brutally raped in the movie’s opening sequence and seems bizarrely unaffected. A genuinely perverse and arresting character study. Rated R. 130 minutes. In French with English subtitles.
— M. LaSalle
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Eddie Redmayne’s excellent performance is emblematic of a “Harry Potter” spin-off that manages to clone the vibe of the earlier films, even as it aggressively distances itself from Hogwarts. It’s a safe and frequently enchanting experience. But there’s also a sense that the filmmakers were locked in their own Azkaban-style prison, forced at wand-point to replicate a product that has become its own industry. Rated PG-13. 133 minutes. — P. Hartlaub
Hacksaw Ridge This latest bloodbath from Mel Gibson — a war movie that makes the first half-hour of “Saving Private Ryan” look like a folk music concert — is also one of the year’s best movies, the truelife story of a pacifist medic who achieved extraordinary heroism in World War II’s Pacific Theater. Andrew Garfield is terrific in the lead role. Rated R. 131 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
The Handmaiden This is in many ways a dazzling piece of work from South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook (“Oldboy”). Set in Japanese occupied Korea, it’s the gorgeously mounted and erotically charged story of a pair of con artists trying to cheat a Japanese heiress out of her fortune. Park is an aesthete attracted to the perverse and weird, and the film is loaded with wicked humor and sensual appeal. But does all this exquisite filmmaking add up to anything? At 144 minutes, the film has a certain air of self-indulgence. Not rated. 144 minutes. In Japanese and Korean with English subtitles. — W. Addiego
Inferno This is enjoyable nonsense from writer Dan Brown, with Tom Hanks as an expert on medieval and Renaissance studies, who finds himself at the center of a diabolical scheme to kill half the world’s population through a deadly pathogen. Few of the characters make any sense at all, but for good scenery and a fast-moving thriller plot, this Ron Howard film delivers. Rated PG-13. 121 minutes. — M. LaSalle
The Love Witch Anna Biller’s tribute to old Technicolor Hollywood films and occult horror movies of the 1970s is a gorgeous-looking bad movie, and that apparently was her intention. Shot in Humboldt County, it’s about a woman who becomes a witch in order to explore her own feminism and sexuality, and becomes involved in a sex cult and, ultimately, a murder. Not rated. 120 minutes.
— G. Allen Johnson
Loving Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple whose case went to the Supreme Court after Virginia threatened to imprison them for getting married, are the subjects of this very low-key, realistic drama that eschews the usual Hollywood heroics. It’s not a glorious story, but one of hardship and doubt that shows the difficulty of being a pioneer. Directed by Jeff Nichols. Starring Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga. Rated PG-13. 115 minutes.
— M. LaSalle A Man Called Ove This quirky and genial Swedish film about a curmudgeonly widower trying to commit suicide, only to be interrupted by a series of pesky neighbors who eventually help him rediscover his humanity, is an appealing though predictable film. Rated PG-13. 116 minutes. In Swedish with English subtitles. — G. Allen Johnson
Manchester by the
Sea Casey Affleck is magnificent in this portrait of a working-class guy in Massachusetts, stumbling through life in the wake of personal tragedy. Written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan. Rated R. 137 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar
Children Tim Burton’s latest, featuring children with supernatural powers, is well composed and stylish but also confounding, with sinister edges and a bloated plot to match the marquee-filler of a title. Mainstream audiences may be frustrated, especially if skittish young children are tagging along. The second half in particular just keeps going, adding layers of tangents and terrifying imagery. Rated PG-13. 126 minutes. — P. Hartlaub
Moana A slow start keeps Disney’s latest animated adventure from reaching “Frozen” or “Beauty and the Beast” levels of excellence. But the comic self-awareness, engaging songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a fulfilling finish in the Polynesian adventure are enough to merit a strong recommendation. Walt Disney Animation Studios, which arguably hasn’t had a dud since “Meet the Robinsons” in 2007, continues its roll. Rated PG. 103 minutes.
— P. Hartlaub
Moonlight One of the best movies of the year, this Barry Jenkins film tells the story of a man, from childhood through young adulthood, and shows how environment can exert enormous changes on the spirit. Vigorously filmed and sensitively guided, this is beautiful work. Rated R. 110 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Mr. Pig Danny Glover is an aging pig farmer who road-trips it to Mexico to sell his prized hog and ends up reconnecting with his estranged daughter (Maya Rudolph) in this slight but pleasing film from Mexican actor Diego Luna, who co-wrote and directed. Not rated. 100 minutes.
— G. Allen Johnson Nocturnal Animals Stylish and moody, this Tom Ford film mingles three stories in its exploration of a successful
woman’s past and present. Amy Adams is superb as as a wealthy art dealer whose new life is hitting a dead end, just as a man from her old life (Jake Gyllenhaal) seems to be returning. Rated R. 117 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Queen of Katwe This drama, about the unlikely rise of a young chess star from the slums of Uganda, is a crowd-pleaser, but what really stands out is the authentic vibrancy of urban Africa — few, if any, Hollywood movies about the continent have ever felt this real. Rated PG. 124 minutes.
— D. Lewis
Rules Don’t Apply Lily Collins is terrific as an aspiring actress in 1950s Hollywood, but the movie skids when she disappears for a stretch and the focus turns to Howard Hughes, as played by writerdirector Warren Beatty. Fortunately, Beatty is so much fun that, even when the story sags, the movie maintains interest. Rated PG-13. 126 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Seasons This beautifully shot documentary about land animals tries to tell 10,000 years of environmental history in Europe, but lacks the storytelling focus of a strong nature documentary and the call-to-action urgency of an environmental film. Rated PG. 95 minutes. In French with English subtitles. — D. Lewis
Shut In Thriller about a child psychologist who must rescue a boy during a deadly winter storm in a remote New England area. With Naomi Watts, Charlie Heaton, Jacob Tremblay. Not reviewed. Rated PG-13. 91 minutes.
A Street Cat Named Bob The true story of James Bowen, a drug addict living on the streets in London who took in a stray cat and finds the strength to go into recovery. The tale became a viral video sensation and a series of bestselling books, but is little more than catnip in this family-friendly, sanitized film that plays more like those old after-school specials than a movie. Not rated. 103 minutes. — G. Allen Johnson
Trolls This fun comedy featuring toy aisle Trolls and their ogre counterparts blends music with visual splendor, creating a relentlessly upbeat cinematic kaleidoscope. The movie falters in the last 20 minutes, but at that point, it feels like criticizing a guest for bringing cheap beer at the end of a really good party. It’s hard to feel negative about anything, when a film is so good at being positive. Rated PG. 93 minutes. — P. Hartlaub
Also Noted INDEPENDENT THEATERS
Balboa: Thurs.: “Trading Places.” Balboa St., San Francisco. (415) 221-8184, www.cinemasf.com/balboa
Castro: Sun.-Tues.: “Beauty and the Beast” (sing along). Wed.: Andy Cohen and Anna Sale: “Taboo Topics” (special event). 429 Castro St., San Francisco. (415) 621-6120, www.castrotheatre.com
Roxie: Sun.: “Always Shine,” “Sr. Pig.” Mon.-Tues.: “Always Shine,” “Mr. Pig,” “Trail Running Film Festival.” Wed.: “The 6th Annual Festival of the Moving Image” (special event), “Always Shine,” “Sr. Pig.” Thurs.: “Always Shine,” “Sr. Pig,” “One More Time With Feeling,” “Roxie Mixtape #3.” Fri.: “One More Time With Feeling.” Sat.: “Desert Migration,” “I Am Not Angry.” 3117 16th St., San Francisco. (415) 863-1087, www.roxie.com
FILM PROGRAMS
Rafael Film Center: Fri.: “The Front Page.” Sat.: “Cock of the Air.” 1118 Fourth St., San Rafael. (415) 454-5813, www.rafaelfilm.cafilm.org
Pacific Film Archive: Sun.: “The Spy in Black,” “Wild is the Wind,” Janet & David Peoples Select: “Gadjo Dilo.” Wed.: Justin Desmangles Selects: “The Flower Thief.” Thurs.: “Fruitvale Station.” Fri.: “Contraband,” “Ixcanul.” Sat.: “I Know Where I’m Going!,” “La Notte,” “Mamma Roma.” 2155 Center St., Berkeley. (510) 642-0808, www.bampfa.berkeley.edu