MOVIE MINIS “20th Century Women”

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“Bitter Harvest”

C A family drama about an underreported genocide called Holodomor that happened in Ukraine. The emotions and plot points are heightened, even overwrought at times, but it’s important film. Starring Max Irons, Samantha Barks and Barry Pepper. Directed by George Mendeluk. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for violence and disturbing images. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 43 minutes.

“Get Out”

A

black man goes to dinner at his white girlfriend’s house and suddenly feels like he went from predator to prey. The film and its heightened scenario forces the audience to confront uncomfortable truths here. Starring Daniel Kaluuye, Allison Williams and Bradley Whitford. Directed by Jordan Peele. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for violence, bloody images, and language including sexual references. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 43 minutes. PARENTS GUIDE Not too exceptionally violent — fine for teens.

“The Red Turtle”

B+ A man gets shipwrecked on a deserted island and as he lives out his life there, he discovers a magical woman who first appears in the form of a giant turtle. It doesn’t answer the questions it raises, but it doesn’t need to. Starring Michael Dudok de Wit, Jean-Christophe Lie and Pascale Ferran. Directed by Michael Dudok de Wit. (Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times) Rated PG for some thematic elements and peril. At Landmark’s Midtown Art. 1 hour, 20 minutes.

“Rock Dog”

C A sheep-herding dog just wants to play music so he runs away to the city to do it. It’s a fine film with a few great tunes, but it doesn’t inspire any passion. Starring Luke Wilson, Eddie Izzard and J.K. Simmons. Directed by Ash Brannon. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG for action and language. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 20 minutes. PARENTS GUIDE Fine for audiences of all ages. B In 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 Regal Hollywood and Tara Theatre. 1 hour, 58 minutes.

“Arrival”

A

linguistics professor is called to help translate communications between humans and the aliens that are hanging out above the earth. It’s stunningly photographed and is guaranteed to trigger panic attacks. Starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker. Directed by Denis Villeneuve. (Colin Covert, Star Tribune-Minneapolis) Rated PG-13 for brief strong language. At Regal Hollywood and AMC Mansell Crossing. 1 hours, 56 minutes.

“The Bye Bye Man”

D+ A college kid moves into a creepy house and discovers a mantra that he’s not supposed to say or he’ll be haunted by an evil spirit. The relatively modest budget shows in the special effects, which tend to be more funny than scary. Starring Lucien Laviscount, Doug Jones and Jenna Kanell. Directed by Stacy Title. (Stephanie Merry, Washington Post) Rated PG-13 for terror, violence, bloody images, sexuality, partial nudity, some coarse language and teen drinking. At AMC Southlake. 1 hour, 36 minutes.

“A Cure For Wellness”

C+ An upstart young banker is sent to a spa in the Swiss Alps to retrieve his company’s CEO, but soon finds out the treatments there are not what they seem. It’s well-crafted with attention to detail and design, but in the end, the twists and story beats are fumbled. Starring Dane DeHaan, Mia Goth and Jason Isaacs. Directed by Gore Verbinski. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for disturbing violent content and images, sexual content including an assault, graphic nudity, and language. At metro theaters. 2 hours and 26 minutes.

“Collateral Beauty”

D When a man’s child dies, he goes into a downward spiral and co-workers hire a theater company to rouse him from his depression. The film is obsessed with its own twists and inane mysticism, robs the meaning from the film. Starring Will Smith, Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet and Keira Knightley. Directed by David Frankel. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and brief strong language. At Carmike 12. 1 hour, 37 minutes.

“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.

“A Dog’s Purpose”

C A 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.

“Fences”

B A 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 PG-13 for thematic elements, language and some suggestive references. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 18 minutes.

“Fist Fight”

C+ Two teachers at a failing high school face off with threats and a fist fight to try to keep their jobs. There is a theme of can’t-we-all-justget-along, but everyone is really just going to see the face-off. Starring Ice Cube, Charlie Day and Tracy Morgan. Directed by Richie Keen. (Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) Rated R for strong language throughout, sexual content/nudity and drug material. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 31 minutes.

“Fifty Shades Darker”

C The submissive woman is reunited with her dominant partner to explore their relationship further. The plot is fairly mundane and the sex is pretty tame. Starring Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan and Marcia Gay Harden. Directed by James Foley. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for strong erotic sexual content, some graphic nudity, and language. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 58 minutes.

“The Founder”

B Ray 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”

B A 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 Regal Hollywood. 2 hours, 1 minute.

“The Great Wall”

C+ Hordes of slobbering reptilian hyenas with T-Rex heads arrive at The Great Wall of China via meteor and it takes armies to fight them off. There’s lots of fun, but after the impressive initial display, it goes a bit downhill with silly schemes. Starring Matt Damon, Tian Jing and Pedro Pascal. Directed by Zhang Yimou. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy action violence. At metro theaters. 1 hour 43 minutes.

“Hacksaw Ridge”

B A man who won’t touch a rifle due to his religious beliefs enlists as a medic in World War II and — despite refusing to fire — goes into the battlefield again and again to save “just one more” wounded man. The violence is difficult to process, but is effective and affecting. Starring Andrew Garfield, Teresa Palmer and Hugo Weaving. Directed by Mel Gibson. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for intense prolonged realistically graphic sequences of war violence including grisly bloody images. At Austell Stadium. 2 hours, 11 minutes.

“Hidden Figures”

B Three 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.

“I Am Not Your Negro”

A The 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 PG13 for disturbing violent images, thematic material, language and brief nudity. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 35 minutes.

“John Wick: Chapter 2”

B The hitman is forced out of retirement to keep a former associate from seizing control of an international assassins’ guild. The film stumbles in its plotting, but the surreal violence in the art exhibit is delicious. Starring Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane and Ruby Rose. Directed by Chad Stahelski. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated R for strong violence throughout, some language and brief nudity. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 2 minutes.

“La La Land”

B Two people who can’t stop running into each other get together, but then realize they are being pulled in different directions. It’s a crowd-pleaser of a film with universal themes of love, loss and ambition. Starring Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling and John Legend. Directed by Damien Chazelle. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for some language. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 8 minutes.

“The Lego Batman Movie”

A The hero made from building blocks is working to save Gotham City from the Joker. It’s done well with visual gags, puns, wordplay and one-liners. It’s hysterical and very lovable. Starring Will Arnett, Ralph Fiennes and Michael Cera. Directed by Chris McKay. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG for rude humor and some action. At m

“The Salesman”

B+ A man puts his own need for retribution ahead of his wife’s needs after she is beaten in their Tehran apartment. The acting is wonderful, but the film depicts an especially haunting depiction of one woman’s adversities in a country and marriage that may not have her best interests at heart. Starring Taraneh Alidoosti and Shahab Hosseini. Directed by Asghar Farhadi. In Persian, English and French with English subtitles. (Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune) Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements and a brief bloody image. At Landmark’s Midtown Art. 2 hours, 5 minutes.