The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

MOVIE MINIS “Before I Fall”

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BA high school girl relives the same Friday, over and over, preceding a dangerous car crash and each day, she learns to do something different to attempt to change the outcome. It’s cerebral and philosophi­cal, and goes far beyond the shallow themes of most young adult thrillers. Starring Zoey Deutch, Halston Sage and Jennifer Beals. Directed by Ry Russo-Young. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG13 for mature thematic content involving drinking, sexuality, bullying, some violent images, and language-all involving teens. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 39 minutes. PARENTS GUIDE OK for teens — most of the drinking and language is realistic for teenagers. A bit too mature for child audiences.

“Kedi”

Review not available in time for publicatio­n. The documentar­y is about the hundreds of thousands of cats that roam Istanbul freely and the impact they have on everyone they touch. Starring Bulent Ustun. Directed by Ceyda Torun. Not rated. At Landmark’s Midtown Art. 1 hour, 19 minutes.

“Logan”

B+The mutant with retractabl­e claws is hoping to help himself and his mentor escapethe raiding parties when Wolverine is offered a big payment to transport a young girl to a distant location. The somber chapter in this series offers deep character studies and high-impact action sequences. Starring Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart and Boyd Holbrook. Directed by James Mangold. (Colin Covert, Star Tribune-Minneapoli­s) Rated R for brutal violence, profanity and brief nudity. In English and Spanish. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 15 minutes. PARENTS GUIDE This is not your average X-Men movie — keep the kids at home for this one, it’s just too dark and too violent. OK for older teens.

“The Shack”

BA man’s depression is exacerbate­d by the abduction of his daughter when he meets up with a trio of groovy spiritual leaders in a tropical wooded paradise. The dialogue is written with the finesse of a self-help book, but there are some nuggets of wisdom. Starring Sam Worthingto­n, Octavia Spencer and Avraham Aviv Alush. Directed by Stuart Hazeldine. (Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service) Rated PG-13 for thematic material including some violence. At metro theaters. 2 hours, 12 minutes.

“Table 19”

BA maid of honor breaks up with the groom’s brother and is relegated to the table where the bride put guests she didn’t really want to invite. It’s never less than pleasant, but it’s a bit disappoint­ing and forgettabl­e. Starring Anna Kendrick, Lisa Kudrow and Craig Robinson. Directed by Jeffrey Blitz. (Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) Rated PG13 for thematic elements, sexual content, drug use, language and some brief nudity. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 27 minutes.

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 Regal Hollywood and Tara Theatre. 1 hour, 58 minutes.

“Bitter Harvest”

CA 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.

“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.

“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.

“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 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.

“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.

“Get Out”

Ablack 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.

“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 Regal Hollywood. 2 hours, 1 minute.

“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.

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

“John Wick: Chapter 2”

BThe 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”

BTwo 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”

AThe 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 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”

CA 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.

“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.

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