The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
NOW PLAYING “American Pastoral” “The Accountant” “The Magnificent Seven”
CA couple deals with their child pulling away, her rebellion slipping into something more ungovernable and frightening. Based on a Philip Roth novel, the film fails to get inside the real story. Starring Ewan McGregor, Jennifer Connelly and Dakota Fanning. Directed by Ewan McGregor. (Ann Hornaday, Washington Post) Rated R for some strong sexual material, obscenity and brief violent images. At Tara Theatre. 2 hours, 6 minutes.
“Jack Reacher: Never Go Back”
C+The character in Lee Child’s novels roams the land solving crimes when he finds out he has a child and ends up needing to protect her from the bad guys who are after him. This is the kind of action film where the simpler moral story sits on top of the larger, twistier, but essentially unimportant plot. Starring Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders and Danika Yarosh. Directed by Edward Zwick. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, some bloody images, language and thematic elements. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 58 minutes. PARENTS GUIDE Though this is rated PG-13, it’s very violent and would not be appropriate for kids or younger teens.
“Keeping Up With the Joneses”
CNew residents move in and they work hard to keep their spy status a secret from their fuddy-duddy neighbors. It’s wildly uneven with a half-baked script that needed more time to be developed. Starring Zach Galifianakis, Jon Hamm and Isla Fischer. Directed by Greg Mottola. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for sexual content, action/violence and brief strong language. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 41 minutes. PARENTS GUIDE The sexual content makes this film too mature for kids, but it’s fine for teens.
“Miss Hokusai”
BThis is a glimpse into the life of the daughter of a painter and woodblock artist paints erotic drawings on pillows under his name since it would be unusual for a woman to create those at the time. It is an unusual and visually adventurous animated feature that is modern and at the same time, steeped in Japanese culture and history. Starring Anne Watanabe, Yutaka Matsushinge and Gaku Hamada. Directed by Keiichi Hara. (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times) Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, including sexual situations and images. At Landmark’s Midtown Arts. 1 hour, 30 minutes.
“Ouija: Origin of Evil”
C+A child becomes a bit too close to a ghost thanks to a ouija board and she eventually becomes possessed by a demon. The result isn’t so original, but it has plenty of thrills and chills that will make you think twice about a night with the ouija board. Starring Elisabeth Reaser, Annalise Basso and Lulu Wilson. Directed by Mike Flanagan. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG13 for disturbing images, terror and thematic elements. Check listings for theaters. 1 hour, 39 minutes. PARENTS GUIDE “Ouija” has all the creepy elements of a good Halloween horror movie, but it’s more spooky-scary than excessively violent. Definitely OK for teens.
“Boo! A Madea Halloween”
Review not available in time for publication. Madea fends off killers, paranormal poltergeists, ghouls and zombies on Halloween. Starring Tyler Perry, Cassi Davis and Patrice Lovely. Directed by Tyler Perry. Rated PG-13 for drug use and references, suggestive content, language, some horror images and thematic material. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 43 minutes.
C+A high-functioning math savant has a lucrative side business as a forensic accountant for a few scary people and the government is working to uncover his identity. It’s more potboiler thriller than prestige picture, but it’s fun to watch Ben Affleck in this against-type performance. Also starring Anna Kendrick and Jon Bernthal. Directed by Gavin O’Connor. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for strong violence and language throughout. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 8 minutes.
“American Honey”
Review not available in time for publication. An adolescent girl runs away from a troubled home with a traveling sales crew and gets into the life of hard partying, law bending and young love. Starring Sasha Lane, Shia LeBeouf and Riley Keough. Directed by Andrea Arnold. Rated R for strong sexual content, graphic nudity, language throughout and drug/ alcohol abuse — all by teens. At Lefont Sandy Springs and Tara Theatre. 2 hours, 42 minutes.
“Bad Moms”
CA trio of moms band together to take a hiatus from the responsibilities of motherhood. The problem with the film isn’t the concept or the message about the struggle to raise good people, it’s the execution. Starring Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn and Kristen Bell. Directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for sexual material, full frontal nudity, language throughout, and drug and alcohol content. At Picture Show at Merchants Exchange. 1 hour, 41 minutes.
“Birth of a Nation”
C+In 1831 Nat Turner led an armed revolt in Virginia, freeing dozens of fellow slaves and killing many white men, women and children in a two-day riot. A retelling of American history that’s bluntly effective and beautifully acted, but has its drawbacks. Starring Penelope Ann Miller and Gabrielle Union. Directed by Nate Parker. (Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune) Rated R for disturbing violent content, and some brief nudity. At metro theaters. 2 hours.
“Bridget Jones’s Baby”
BShe’s back, and this time, she’s pregnant, but isn’t sure who the father is. It’s relatable and feels current because the character has been allowed to grow. Starring Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth and Patrick Dempsey. Directed by Sharon Maguire. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for language, sex references and some nudity. At AMC Mansell Crossing and Regal Snellville Oaks. 2 hours, 2 minutes.
“Deepwater Horizon”
BThis film dramatizes the hours leading up to and including the explosion in 2010 of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. It may have sacrificed subtlety for spectacle but in this case, that didn’t turn out to be such a bad trade. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell and Gina Rodriguez. Directed by Peter Berg. (Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) Rated PG-13 for prolonged intense disaster sequences and related disturbing images, and brief strong language. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 47 minutes.
“Denial”
C+This tells the story of author Deborah Lipstadt’s trial to prove she didn’t libel British writer David Irving when she wrote that he was a Holocaust denier. It’s a competently told story, but it’s missing feeling. Starring Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson and Timothy Spall. Directed by Mick Jackson. (Stephanie Merry, Washington Post) Rated PG-13 for brief strong language. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 50 minutes.
“Desierto”
C+When a group of illegal Mexican immigrants attempt to make their way across the desert into the U.S., a man with a rifle takes border patrol into his own hands. It’s a generic thriller that happens to be wrapped in political packaging. Starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Directed by Jonas Cuaron. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for strong violence and language. At Regal Hollywood Stadium, Austell Stadium and AMC Sugarloaf Mills. 1 hour, 34 minutes.
“Don’t Breathe”
B+A group of teen burglars target a blind man, but underestimate their victim. There’s clever suspense and terrifying scares that don’t rely on the supernatural or fantasy. Starring Jane Levy, Dylan Minette and Daniel Zovatto. Directed by Fede Alvarez. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for terror, violence, disturbing content, and language including sexual references. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 28 minutes.
“The Dressmaker”
D+A dressmaker returns to her tiny Australian hometown to reconnect with her mother and avenge her mistreatment as a child. The few brights spots don’t make up for what becomes a tiresome, increasingly nasty slog. Starring Kate Winslet, Judy Davis and Caroline Goodall. Directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse. (Ann Hornaday, Washington Post) Rated R for brief obscenity and a scene of violence. At Tara Theatre. 1 hour, 58 minutes.
“The Girl on the Train”
BA woman goes on a bender after a perceived betrayal and then has to piece together what happened the night she drank too much. The film aptly demonstrates the way in which the truth can be blinkered to fit a unique reality. Starring Emily Blunt, Justin Theroux and Luke Evans. Directed by Tate Taylor. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for violence, sexual content, language and nudity. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 52 minutes.
“Hell or High Water”
ATwo Texas rangers are on the trail of a pair of bank robbing brothers in this post-recession Western. It eschews allegory for direct confrontation with the issues of the day, foreclosure, poverty, gun violence. Starring Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Jeff Bridges. Directed by David Mackenzie. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for some strong violence, language throughout and brief sexuality. At AMC Mansell Crossing. 1 hour, 42 minutes.
“Jason Bourne”
BJason Bourne returns to crack a hacking of files about operations and plans for total, invasive national surveillance. There’s a tightly controlled sense of chaos that rides the line of anarchy. Starring Matt Damon, Tommy Lee Jones and Alicia Vikander. Directed by Paul Greengrass. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and brief strong language. At Picture Show at Merchants Exchange. 2 hours, 3 minutes.
“Kevin Hart: What Now?”
C+The comedian’s fifth stand up film since 2009 has him selling out Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. He has matured and so has his material and he’s aided by a sophisticated stage production. Starring Kevin Hart, Halle Berry and Don Cheadle. Directed by Leslie Small and Tim Story. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for some sexual material, and language throughout. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 36 minutes.
CA villain is terrorizing a town when seven good guys come in to save it. This remake is long on violence and short on story which makes it rather insignificant, not magnificent. Starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt and Ethan Hawke. Directed by Antoine Fuqua. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for extended and intense sequences of Western violence, and for historical smoking, some language and suggestive material. A metro theaters. 2 hours, 12 minutes.
“A Man Called Ove”
BA man on the verge of suicide is interrupted by a feisty young woman who ends up becoming his best friend and giving him promise. Adapted from an international bestseller, the film has a Scandinavian balance of warmhearted charm and brooding darkness. Starring Rolf Lassgard and Bahar Pars. Directed by Hannes Holm. (Colin Covert, Star Tribune-Minneapolis) Rated PG-13 for thematic content, some disturbing images and language. In subtitled Swedish. At Lefont Sandy Springs and Tara Theatre. 1 hour, 56 minutes.
“Masterminds”
C+An armored truck employee is conned into helping a petty thief and her husband steal millions, but he gets stranded in Mexico, unable to enjoy the fruits of his labor, after the deal goes down. Based on the true story of one of the largest cash robberies in the United States, the film devolves into a schlocky ‘90s unlikely-herosaves-the-day routine. Starring Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig and Kate McKinnon. Directed by Jared Hess. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, some language and violence. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 34 minutes.
“Middle School”
C+A teen gets transferred to a rule-crazy middle school and he and his best friend decide to try to break every rule in the book. The principal is after them as they try to hide their misdeeds. The animated sequences show innovative style and is a smart way to illustrate how high-stakes the conflicts are for the teen. Starring Griffin Gluck, Lauren Graham and Andrew Daly. Directed by Steve Carr. Rated PG for rude humor throughout, language and thematic elements. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 32 minutes.
“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children”
C+A Florida teen finds a home — located inside a time loop — where child misfits have turned their peculiarities into super powers. The film has a wickedly wry sense of humor, and an enchanting aesthetic of old-fashioned yet modern steampunk spookiness. Starring Eva Green, Asa Butterfield and Ella Purnell. Directed by Tim Burton. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of fantasy action/violence and peril. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 7 minutes.
“Queen of Katwe”
BA young girl from the Ugandan slums becomes a chess champion, making it to international tournaments. The film drags a bit toward the end, but the moral of the story stands out. Starring Lupita Nyong’o, David Oyelowo and Madina Nalwanga. Directed by Mira Nair. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG for thematic elements, an accident scene and some suggestive material. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 4 minutes.
“Secret Life of Pets”
C+Katie’s mutt is unhappy when she brings a new dog home, but they bond after becoming separated from the pack during a walk. It’s a cute and funny film, but there’s not much going on, thematically or emotionally below the surface. Starring Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart and Jenny Slate. Directed by Chris Renaud and Yarrow Cheney. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG for action and some rude humor. At Picture Show at Merchants Exchange, Regal Cherokee and AMC Southlake. 1 hour, 30 minutes.
“Snowden”
C+It’s the personal story of the man who exposed shocking illegal surveillance activities by the NSA. The argument whether Edward Snowden is a hero and patriot is a compelling one, but the lack of perspective is limiting. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley and Melissa Leo. Directed by Oliver Stone. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for language and some sexuality/ nudity. At AMC Mansell Crossing. 2 hours, 14 minutes.
“Storks”
C+An only child desires a baby brother and the storks and their human orphan fire up the baby factory to give him one. The message is that family is what you make of it comes in a wildly weird and funny package. Starring Andy Samberg, Katie Crown and Kelsey Grammar. Directed by Nicholas Stoller and Doug Sweetland. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG for mild action and some thematic elements. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 29 minutes.
“Suicide Squad”
C+A squad of villains fight terrorist “meta-humans,” as superheroes are known. For all the promise of wild and wacky weirdness, it feels somehow smaller in scale than the color pop-art posters promise. Starring Will Smith, Margo Robbie and Jared Leto. Directed by David Ayer. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action throughout, disturbing behavior, suggestive content and language. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 10 minutes.
“Sully”
B+Capt. Chesley Sullenberger landed a plane in the Hudson River and faced an investigation to detect any human error during the crisis. It’s a story that enthralled a nation desperate for good news, but it’s more about that intangible human element. Starring Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart and Mike O’Malley. Directed by Clint Eastwood. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for some peril and brief strong language. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 36 minutes.
“When the Bough Breaks”
Review not available in time for publication. A couple hires a surrogate, but the further along she gets in her pregnancy, the more dangerously fixated she becomes on the husband. It’s a deadly game. Starring Morris Chestnut and Regina Hall. Directed by Jon Cassar. Rated PG-13 for violence, sexuality/partial nudity, thematic elements, some disturbing images and language. At Austell Stadium and AMC Southlake. 1 hour, 33 minutes.