Quick Flicks
NEW THIS WEEK ‘BlacKkKlansman’
Spike Lee's film is based on the true story of a black police officer (John David Washington) who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan, sort of. It's messy and maddening and powerful, Lee's best in years. (R — 88 minutes) P, S, V.
‘Dark Money’ ★★★★
Kimberly Reed's documentary focuses on the anonymous donations of the title polluting Montana politics, but its lessons apply everywhere. (Not rated — 99 minutes)
‘Dog Days’ ★★
Ken Marino's film is an ensemble comedy in which LA residents lives are loosely tied together by their dogs. Pretty standard stuff. (PG — 112 minutes) P.
‘Far from the Tree’
(Not reviewed) Rachel Dretzin’s documentary, based on Andrew Solomon’s book, follows families in which parents are different from their children. (Not rated — 93 minutes)
‘The Meg’ ★★1⁄
Jason Statham fights a gigantic shark-like creature in John Turteltaub's action thriller. It's big and dumb and a little fun. (PG-13 — 113 minutes) P.
‘Never Goin’ Back’
(Not reviewed) Two highschool dropouts head to the beach; misadventure follows. Starring Maia Mitchell and Camila Morrone. (R — 85 minutes) D, N, P, S.
‘Slender Man’
Sylvain White’s horror film is based on the urban legend about a tall, thin man who haunts childen. (PG-13 — 93 minutes) P, S.
STILL PLAYING ‘Along with the Gods’
(Not reviewed) The finale of the box-office smash in Korea, in which a deceased soul seeks reincarnation, but must battle a rogue god. (Not rated — 142 minutes)
‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ ★★★1⁄
Paul Rudd and director Peyton Reed return for a sequel that improves on the original. A minimal plot allows for maximum goofiness; it works. (PG-13 — 118 minutes) V.
‘Book Club’ ★1⁄
A terrific cast — Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen — is wasted in this dopey comedy about ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ reignited their spark. (PG-13 — 104 minutes) P, S.
‘Boundaries’ ★★★
(Randy Cordova) Roadtripping tale about a neurotic single mom (Vera Farmiga) and her father (Christopher Plummer) heading to California with her son in tow. Predictable, but the strong performances make you want to buy in. (R — 104 minutes) D, P.
‘The Cakemaker’ ★★★★
(Samantha Incorvaia) German pastry chef Thomas (Tim Kalkhof) travels to Jerusalem to find his dead lover’s family. (Not rated – 105 minutes).
‘Christopher Robin’ ★★★★
Ewan McGregor plays the grown-up Christopher, who encounters Winnie the Pooh, who helps him return to the Hundred Acre Wood. (PG — 104 minutes)
‘Damsel’ ★★★1⁄
David and Nathan Zellner have fun with Western tropes in their offbeat film; they get a lot of help from Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska. (R — 113 minutes) N, P, S, V.
‘The Darkest Minds’ ★★1⁄
(Kerry Lengel) In this formulaic incarnation of the dystopian sci-fi trend, Amandla Stenberg (Rue in “The Hunger Games”) stars as Ruby, one of a few teenagers to have survived a global plague — and gain superpowers. (PG-13 — 105 minutes) V.
‘Death of a Nation’ ★
Poor even by Dinesh D'Souza's standards, this polemic positions Democrats as racists and Fascists and a threat to the country, and compares Donald Trump to Abraham Lincoln. (PG-13 — 109 minutes) D, P, V.
‘Eighth Grade’ ★★★★1⁄
Comedian Bo Burnham’s feature debut as a director is fantastic, and Elsie Fisher is brilliant as a girl navigating the perilous last days of junior high. (R — 94 minutes) P, S.
‘The Equalizer 2’ ★★★★
(Barbara VanDenburgh) Vengeance is personal for Denzel Washington’s deadly ex-CIA operative. (R — 121 minutes) P, V, D.
‘The First Purge’ ★★
STARTS TODAY Gerard McMurray takes over as director for this prequel, in which we learn how the Purge began. Once again, interesting ideas drown in a bloodbath. (R — 97 minutes) D, P, S, V.
‘Goodachari’
(Not reviewed) Action yarn involving a globetrotting spy. (Not rated — 124 minutes).
‘Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation’ ★★1⁄
(Barbara VanDenburgh) Dracula goes on a cruise and falls in love with Van Helsing’s great-granddaughter. (PG — 97 minutes).
‘Incredibles 2’ ★★★★
Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) fights crime while Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) changes diapers in Pixar’s latest sequel. Not the original, but worthwhile, and having Elastigirl front and center is great. (PG — 118 minutes)
‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ ★★1⁄
Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard return for another installment, with J.A. Bayona directing. The dinosaur action moves from the island TO A HOUSE in the confused story. (PG-13 — 128 minutes) V.
‘The King’ ★★★1⁄
Director Eugene Jarecki uses Elvis Presley as a metaphor for America in his uneven, entertaining documentary. (R — 107 minutes) P.
‘Leave No Trace’ ★★★★1⁄
Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie are great in Debra Granik’s film, about a father and daughter living off the grid. (PG — 109 minutes)
‘Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again’ ★★★★
(Randy Cordova) Sequel/ prequel brings us up-to-
‘McQueen’ ★★★★
A documentary exploring the life of fashion designer Alexander McQueen, it's both fascinating and at the same time a little too conventional to be truly great. (R — 111 minutes) N, P.
‘Mission: Impossible - Fallout’ ★★★★
Tom Cruise is once again unstoppable in the latest film in the franchise, as he tries to halt a nuclear buffet of explosions. Rebecca Ferguson is good as his foil and love interest. Non-stop action and a lot of fun. (PG-13 — 147 minutes) P, V.
‘Night Comes On’
(Not reviewed) A girl, almost 18, is released from juvenile detention and embarks on a journey with her 10-year-old sister to avenge her mother’s death. (Not rated — 87 minutes)
‘Puzzle’ ★★★★
Kelly Macdonald is outstanding as a woman who discovers a hidden talent for puzzles, leading to surprising discoveries in her life. (R — 103 minutes) P.
‘Skyscraper’ ★★1⁄
Dwayne Johnson stars as a former FBI agent trying to save his family from a fire threatening the world’s tallest building. Big and dumb, and a little fun. (PG-13 — 102 minutes) P, V.
‘Solo’ ★★★1⁄
Alden Ehrenreich plays the young Han Solo in Ron Howard’s film. Well made and enjoyable, but absolutely inessential. (PG-13 — 135 minutes) V.
‘The Spy Who Dumped Me’ ★★ ★★★★1⁄
Morgan Neville’s documentary about Fred Rogers, the children’s TV show host, is quietly moving, much like the man himself, and most welcome. (PG-13 — 94 minutes) P.