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Alien: Covenant The latest from Ridley Scott is an effective monster film with interesting overtones dealing with the fear of artificial intelligence. Michael Fassbender is superb in a dual role, playing two different robots. Rated PG. 122 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Bang: The Bert Berns Story Though recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this 1960s songwriter and record producer remains virtually unknown. This energetic, highly musical and entertaining documentary makes the case for his rediscovery. Not rated. 94 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Baywatch This adaptation of the long-running TV series about sleuthing lifeguards refashions the concept into a comedy, but the comedy is weak and there is too much emphasis on the lukewarm crime plot. The movie depicts high spirits but can’t quite generate them. Rated R. 116 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Born in China A documentary from Disneynature filmed in the wilds of China and focusing on animal life including a mother and baby panda and a golden snub-nosed monkey. Not reviewed. Rated G. 66 minutes.
The Boss Baby “Madagascar” director Tom McGrath returns with a satisfying animated comedy about a corporate baby (voiced by Alec Baldwin) making life miserable for a 7-year-old boy. But there are distracting side plots — and side plots to the side plots — that keep the movie from rising to greatness. Rated PG. 97 minutes.
— P. Hartlaub
Buena Vista Social Club: Adios Cuban musicians from the 1999 film “Buena Vista Social Club” are included in this documentary update, with new backgrounds, storytelling and context. But a dramatic narrative of its own never takes hold. “Adios” is a film for people who have memorized the first film and 1998 album, and simply crave more. Rated PG. 110 minutes. — P. Hartlaub
Chuck This Chuck Wepner boxing biopic has two big things going for it: A lively made-for Hollywood story and an outstanding performance by Liev Schreiber as the title character. “Chuck” is too procedural, especially during the boxing scenes, but the story of the “Bayonne Bleeder” consistently entertains. Rated R. 101 minutes. — P. Hartlaub
The Circle As chilling as any horror film and even more disturbing because the world it depicts is so close to our own, this is a dystopian vision of what could happen to human interaction if the big tech companies have their way. Based on Dave Eggars’ novel and starring Emma Watson and Tom Hanks. Rated PG-13. 110 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Colossal Nacho Vigalondo wrote and directed this exceptionally imaginative high-wire act, about a young woman who notices that every time she has an alcoholic binge, a monster attacks Seoul. The movie doesn’t retreat into metaphor but stays wild and imaginative. Starring Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis. Rated R. 110 minutes. — M. LaSalle
The Commune Danish director Thomas Vinterberg probes the effects
on the troubled marriage of a professional couple when they set up a commune in 1970s Copenhagen. This well-acted drama is unsparing in depicting the flaws of nontraditional households. Trine Dyrholm, a Vinterberg regular, is especially effective in conveying the emotional fallout of the couple’s decision. Not rated. 111 minutes. In Danish with English subtitles. — W. Addiego
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul The fourth film based on the popular graphic novel series by Jeff Kinney is a solid effort, often rising above its barf and poop jokes. Alicia Silverstone is excellent in the mom role, as the Heffley family of five attempts to travel across country by car without screens. Mindless and filled with lowbrow humor, but fun. Rated PG. 91 minutes. — P. Hartlaub
Everything, Everything A young woman (Amandla Stenberg) whose severe allergies prevent her from ever leaving the house falls in love with the boy next door, in this young adult romance based on the novel of the same name. It’s an appealing film, but its slight story is overblown and overstuffed with bad musical interludes. Rated PG-13. 96 minutes. — M. LaSalle
The Fate of the Furious In this latest installment of the “Fast & Furious” action franchise, Dominic (Vin Diesel) falls prey to the machinations of an unscrupulous new lover (Charlize Theron). This new film is a welcome return to the series’ true, silly nature. Rated PG-13. 136 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Get Out This first film from director Jordan Peele is very much a product of 2017, a comic horror film about a young black man (Daniel Kaluuya) who goes with his new girlfriend (Allison Williams) on a visit to her parents’ house. It’s a funny and unsettling mix of paranoia and a comic awareness of its own paranoia, and it’s irresistible. Rated R. 103 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 This second installment improves on the first by concentrating on the comedy. It’s like a postmodern take on the sci-fi action film genre, with Kurt Russell showing up this time as Ego, the long-lost father of Peter (Chris Pratt). It’s a pretty good action movie, but it’s also one of the funniest movies of the season. Rated PG-13. 138 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent From director Lydia Tenaglia, this is a well-made documentary about the celebrity chef, one of the originators of California cuisine and of the legendary Stars restaurant. Tower is a complicated figure and makes for fascinating viewing. Rated R. 115 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword The latest from director and cowriter Guy Ritchie takes the King Arthur legend and adds monsters, cockney banter and lots of plot convolutions to
make for a tiresome and exhausting movie experience. However, Jude Law is fun as an evil, usurping king. Rated PG-13. 136 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
The Last Shaman Raz Degan’s documentary follows privileged college student James Freeman’s journey through his own heart of darkness into the Amazon to cure his deep, suicidal depression with the help of a Peruvian shaman. It is a fascinating peek into a fringe culture, an interesting portrait of a young man struggling with his demons and a manipulative but effective piece of nonfiction filmmaking. Not rated. 79 minutes. — G. Allen Johnson
Like Crazy Paolo Virzi wrote and directed this Italian best picture winner, with a brilliant Valeria Bruni Tedeschi and Micaela Ramazzotti as a pair of mentally ill women who escape a sanitarium and go on a lifechanging road trip. Not rated. 118 minutes. In Italian with English subtitles. — M. LaSalle
The Lost City of Z The British explorer Percy Fawcett becomes the subject for this very long story of a man who didn’t accomplish much. It’s about Fawcett’s journeys to South America in search of artifacts of a lost civilization. It stars Charlie Hunnam as the driven explorer and Sienna Miller as the wife who saw him every few years. Directed by James Gray. Rated PG-13. 141 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
The Lovers A tonally complex film, expertly directed by Azazel Jacobs, this comedy-drama tells the story of married couple (Debra Winger and Tracy Letts), each of whom is cheating on the other — and then each starts cheating on the lovers with each other. It’s an interesting and enjoyable movie. Rated R. 94 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Norman Richard Gere gets a strong and unusual showcase as a small-time hustler trying to crack into the big time, by putting over a deal involving American big business and the Israeli government. It features excellent character work by Gere and a swift-moving story by writer-director Joseph Cedar. Rated R. 117 minutes.
— M. LaSalle
Obit This informative documentary looks at the New York Times’ obituary writers, who bring people to life one last time. It’s a highly enjoyable, even uplifting, film. Not rated. 95 minutes. — D. Lewis
One Week and a Day A married couple struggles to find outlets for their grief over the death of their son in director Asaph Polonsky’s gentle but uneven Israeli drama-comedy. The husband smokes marijuana with his stoner neighbor; the wife, an underdeveloped character, keeps herself busy with more mundane tasks. The film has its moments, just not enough of them. Not rated. 98 minutes. In Hebrew with English subtitles. — G. Allen Johnson
Paris Can Wait Written and directed by Eleanor Coppola, this is an achingly dull and poorly acted film about the wife of a producer (Diane Lane) who goes on a seemingly endless road trip with a man who wants to seduce her. The movie loses its way about 15 minutes in and never gets better. Rated PG. 92 minutes. — M. LaSalle
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No
Tales An even sorrier than usual entry in a fairly dreadful franchise, this one offers a confused story, at cross-purposes with itself, and