“The Comedian”

C+A stand-up comedian meets someone as off-kilter as he is while they are both working off court-mandated community service hours. The film is rich with often thought-provoking themes, but the cutesy ending kills it. Starring Robert De Niro, Leslie Mann and Danny DeVito. Directed by Taylor Hackford. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for crude sexual references and language throughout. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 59 minutes.

“I Am Not Your Negro”

AThe film is based on 30 pages of a manuscript written by James Baldwin about his three friends, Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. The result is a contemporary film that is a psychological examination of a nation. Starring James Baldwin and Samuel L. Jackson. Directed by Raoul Peck. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for disturbing violent images, thematic material, language and brief nudity. At Landmark’s Midtown Art and Regal Atlantic Station. 1 hour, 35 minutes.

“Rings”

Review not available in time for publication. A woman becomes worried when her boyfriend begins to explore the mysterious videotape said to kill the watcher seven days after viewing it. Starring Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz and Alex Roe. Directed by J. Javier Gutierrez. Rated PG-13 for violence/terror, thematic elements, some sexuality and brief drug material. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 57 minutes.

“The Space Between Us”

D+A human boy is born on another planet and wants to go to Earth, but his body isn’t suited for the atmosphere or pressure. The film, unfortunately, squanders its intriguing premise. Starring Asa Butterfield, Gary Oldman and Britt Robertson. Directed by Peter Chelsom. (Cary Darling, Forth Worth Star-Telegram) Rated PG-13 for brief sensuality, strong language. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 1 minute. STILL SHOWING “20th Century Women”

BIn the summer of 1979, a lodger at a rooming house in California tutors a young boy in the ways of music and sex to help him cope with messy relationships and map a path toward a workable adulthood. With its focus on broken families and heroic young protagnoists, it feels like a ‘70s Steven Spielberg movie, minus the special effects. Starring Annette Bening, Greta Gerwig and Lucas Jad Zumann. Directed by Mike Mills. (Colin Covert, Star Tribune-Minneapolis) Rated R for sexual material, language, some nudity and brief drug use. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 58 minutes.

“Assassin’s Creed”

C+A death row inmate is hooked up to a machine which takes him back to 15th-century Spain so a modern-day researcher can search for the cure to violence. The script is at once far too complicated and extremely shallow. Starring Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard and Michael K. Williams. Directed by Justin Kurzel. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, thematic elements and brief strong language. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 48 minutes.

“A Dog’s Purpose”

CA stray puppy dies and is constantly reincarnated, but he’s always the same dog inside. The film, based on a book, has the emotional resonance of a novelty coffee table book. It’s adorable, but forgettable. Starring Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad and Bryce Gheisar. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG for thematic elements and some peril. At metro theaters. 2 hours. PARENTS GUIDE Appropriate for kids of all ages.

“Elle”

BThe film follows the life of a CEO of a French video game company before and after she is brutally raped. It’s carnally explicit, blood-soaked, politically incorrect and creatively lavish. Starring Isabelle Huppert, Laurent Lafitte and Charles Berling. Directed by Paul Verhoeven. In subtitled French. (Colin Covert, Star Tribune-Minneapolis) Rated R for violence involving sexual assault, disturbing sexual content, some grisly images, brief graphic nudity and language. At Lefont Sandy Springs, Landmark’s Midtown Art and AMC Sugarloaf Mills. 2 hours, 10 minutes.

“Fences”

BA black garbage collector is frustrated his baseball career is over while his wife patiently endures his big personality. The film, adapted from a Pulitzer-winning play, is a deft exploration of race and society through a personal story. Starring Denzel Washington, Viola Davis and Mykelti Williams. Directed by Denzel Washington. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG13 for thematic elements, language and some suggestive references. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 18 minutes.

“The Founder”

BRay Kroc was a salesman peddling milkshake mixers out of the trunk of his car when he happened upon the McDonald’s hamburger bar and knew it was the way to the top. There are moments where the film is uneven, with wonky staged archival footage, but the main character is fascinating. Starring Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch. Directed by John Lee Hancock. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for brief strong language. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 55 minutes.

“Gold”

BA third-generation mining prospector works with investors to strike it rich. The story feels compressed, but the narrative is leaving room for twists and turns to play out. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Edgar Ramirez and Bryce Dallas Howard. Directed by Stephen Gaghan. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for language throughout and some sexuality/nudity. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 1 minute. PARENTS GUIDE Fine for most teens, definitely not appropriate for kids, with regard to the sexuality and drinking/

“Hidden Figures”

BThree black women overcame gender and racial prejudices to provide significant contributions to the NASA program in the early 1960s. The film does a nice job of organizing and telling a complicated story, though sometimes the tone seems a bit light. Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae and Kevin Costner. Directed by Theodore Melfi. (Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle) Rated PG for thematic elements and some languages. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 7 minutes.

“Julieta”

C+A mother discovers her estranged daughter has moved back to Madrid, which triggers a painful flashback to the mother’s past. The plot is overstuffed with unresolved issues. Starring Emma Suarez and Adriana Ugarte. Directed by Pedro Almodovar. (Colin Covert, Star Tribune-Minneapolis) Rated R for some sexuality and nudity. At Landmark’s Midtown Art. 1 hour, 36 minutes.

“Lion”

B+A little boy gets separated from his brother at the train station in Khandwa, gets adopted by an Australian couple and ultimately starts to search for his mother and brother who he barely remembers. The film is based on a true story with a message about the human need to always find and return home. Starring Dev Patel, Sunny Pawar and Nicole Kidman. Directed by Garth Davis. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for thematic material and some sensuality. At metro theaters. 2 hours.

“Manchester by the Sea”

Aman is called back to his New England hometown to help deal with a crisis, which forces him to reconnect with his brother and a painful past. It’s a character-driven film that will leave you speechless and weepy. Starring Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams and Kyle Chandler. Directed by Kenneth Lonergan. (Colin Covert, Star Tribune-Minneapolis) Rated R for language throughout and some sexual content. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 15 minutes.

“Monster Trucks”

C+A high school student discovers a giant, oil-guzzling monster at a junkyard and gives it refuge inside the metal body of a pickup he’s renovating. It comes down to a battle between the teen and the evil corporations who want to drill for oil. It’s not a deep story, but the special effects strike an admirable balance between cutesy and creepy. Starring Lucas Till, Jane Levy and Thomas Lennon. Directed by Chris Wedge. (Alan Zilberman, Washington Post) Rated PG for action, peril, brief scary images and some rude humor. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 2 minutes.

“Moonlight”

Aboy copes with being bullied for his apparent homosexuality, which he keeps locked away from nearly everyone, including himself. The triptych of his life leaves us with a plaintive, perfect final shot of a man who has found a measure of peace. Starring Ashton Sanders and Andre Holland. Directed by Barry Jenkins. (Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune) Rated R for some sexuality, drug use, brief violence, and language throughout. At Landmark’s Midtown Art and Regal Hollywood Stadium. 1 hour, 50 minutes.

“Neruda”

BAn investigator is searching for Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, who became a fugitive in his own country in the ‘40s. The film is like a light-footed chase thriller, by the end of which the audience is lost in a spiraling meta-narrative. Starring Gael Garcia Bernal, Luis Gnecco and Michael Silva. Directed by Pablo Larrain. (Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times) Rated R for sexuality/ nudity and some language. At Landmark’s Midtown Art. 1 hour, 47 minutes.

“Patriots Day”

C+This is the story of the 2013 bombing at the Boston Marathon and the search for the men who planted the bombs. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t share anything new and could’ve used a more personal approach. Starring Mark Wahlberg, John Goodman and J.K. Simmons. Directed by Peter Berg. (Rick Bentley, Fresno Bee) Rated R for violence, graphic images, drug use. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 10 minutes.

“Resident Evil: The Final Chapter”

Review not available in time for publication. Super soldier Alice has been stripped of her psychic powers so she must form alliances to defeat the enemy and save the human race. This is the sixth installment of the video game-inspired franchise. Starring Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter and Ruby Rose. Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. Rated R for sequences of violence throughout. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 2 minutes.

“Silence”

BA man goes to Japan to save his mentor from the torture the Japanese who have renounced Christianity and made it a living hell for those believers. It can be a riveting and forceful film, but it feels more about abstractions than emotions. Starring Andrew Garfield, Liam Neeson and Adam Driver. Directed by Martin Scorsese. (Rafer Guzman, Newsday) Rated R for some disturbing violent content. At Landmark’s Midtown Art and Tara Theatre. 2 hours, 41 minutes

“Split”

BA man has created 23 personalities to cope with childhood abuse, but the darker proclivities have taken over and he kidnaps three young girls to satisfy those urges. It’s a mean and lean psycho-thriller with racheting tension. Starring James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy and Betty Buckley. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for disturbing thematic content and behavior, violence and some language. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 57 minutes.

“XXX: Return of Xander Cage”

Review not available in time for publication. The extreme athlete turned government operative recruits an all-new group of cohorts to recover a seemingly unstoppable weapon known as Pandora’s Box. Starring Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen and Ruby Rose Skotchdopole. Directed by D.J. Caruso. Rated PG-13 for extended sequence of gunplay and violent action, and for sexual material and language. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 50 minutes. PARENTS GUIDE: Fine for teens but perhaps a bit too sexually mature and violent for kids