THE LEISURE SEEKER
of that order becomes a plot thread cleverly explored. The various breeds coexist and, on rare occasions, band together into packs. Then 12-yearold Atari (Koyu Rankin), the mayor’s adopted nephew, flies onto the island with a jalopy airplane to rescue his exiled pet. His arrival makes a band of hounds decide if they’re willing to stop roaming unleashed, obey the boy, help him and even protect him. Anderson has crafted a truly universal film that appeals across generations. He’s done it again. — Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune R, 112 minutes. Through tonight only at Niantic. Paolo Virzi’s “The Leisure Seeker” takes its title from a vintage Winnebago on the verge of collapse but technically still functioning. The same could be said of its owners, Ella and John Spencer. John, played by Donald Sutherland, is sliding into something like dementia, although Ella, played by Helen Mirren, can still make decisions and lay plans. One day, Ella hauls out The Leisure Seeker and, after duct-taping the gaps where exhaust seeps in, takes John on a road trip to Key West, the onetime home of his favorite author, Ernest Hemingway.On discovering the Spencers gone, Will (Christian McKay), their grown son, freaks out. That’s understandable. Anyone who’s wrestled with the idea of growing old — and anyone familiar with the term “foreshadowing” — can see how this ill-advised vacation might end. On the spectrum of films about the travails of old age, “The Leisure Seeker” is closer to a light comedy like “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” than a bleak rumination like Michael Haneke’s “Amour.” The problem is that director and co-writer Virzi wants to have it both ways, mixing breezy humor with moments of painful realism and poignancy. If any two actors could carry that off, it would be Mirren and Sutherland, both blessed with high intelligence and exquisite dramatic timing. “The Leisure Seeker,” however, doesn’t give them nearly enough to work with. — Rafer Guzmán, Newsday
THE MIRACLE SEASON
PG, 109 minutes. Through today only at Lisbon. Inspirational sports movies tend to be testosterone-heavy, so the all-girl volleyball movie “The Miracle Season” is a welcome twist on the familiar genre. Based on the true story of Iowa City’s West High School girls’ volleyball team who battled back from tragedy in 2011, “The Miracle Season” is a formulaic but rousing tale of teamwork, girl power and community, and a tearjerker to boot. Directed by journeyman director Sean McNamara, written by David Aaron Cohen and Elissa Matsueda, “The Miracle Season” introduces us to the state champion Lady Trojans of West, led by their fearless, magnetic leader — the wild, charismatic and sometimes reckless Caroline Found (Danika Yarosh), known affectionately by her nickname, Line. She’s the kind of friend who’s full of life, up for anything and never, ever self-conscious. As portrayed by Yarosh, Line is an individual who teeters on the edge of manic, constantly pushing boundaries and searching for her next high, which we come to understand is her coping mechanism to deal with her dying mother’s battle with cancer. It’s always a shock when someone so young and full of energy passes away, and Line’s tragic death in a moped accident devastates her father, friends, team and school. Gruff coach Kathy Bresnahan, “Bres” (Helen Hunt), implores Line’s best friend, Kelley (Erin Moriarty), to rally the team. They want to win for Line, but volleyball proves to be an important outlet to channel their grief into action and pay tribute to their lost friend — they might even vie for the title of state champs again, even though it’s the longest of shots. — Katie Walsh, Tribune Content Agency
PACIFIC RIM UPRISING
PG, 111 minutes. Through today only at Waterford. At the end of the monsters-versus-robots flick “Pacific Rim,” a breach at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean is closed, plugging a hole that allowed hellish creatures to emerge and terrorize the globe. But after the movie earned $400 million worldwide, was that portal really going to stay closed? No, of course not. And, with sincere apologies to the front-line cities on the Pacific Rim facing a mauling, we say thank goodness, because the new sequel “Pacific Rim Uprising” is a visually-stunning, expertly crafted dose of cheer-at-the-screen fun. It’s the definition of what a blockbuster sequel should be. The new film opens in 2035, 10 years after the last Kaiju was defeated and the breach closed. Our heroes now are Jake (John Boyega), the rebellious son of Elba’s character, and the teen orphan Amara (Cailee Spaeny), who builds her own Jaeger out of spare parts. — Mark Kennedy, Associated Press
A QUIET PLACE
PG-13, 90 minutes. Niantic, Mystic Luxury Cinemas, Waterford, Stonington, Westbrook, Lisbon. Actually, in space, someone can hear you scream. And now they’re here. They’re the alien invaders of “A Quiet Place,” giant insect predators that hunt by sound. Ferocious and voracious, they’ve already eaten most of our planet, city by city. And now they’re in your
where you can be what you want to be and, mentally, you’re a million miles from reality. The masterminds behind this technological terror — James Halliday (Mark Rylance) and Ogden Morrow (Simon Pegg) — have little idea what they have wrought until it’s too late. Upon Halliday’s death, we learn there is an unusual solution to solving who will ultimately have control of the Oasis, one that ol’ Willy Wonka would be proud. He leaves three clues that lean heavily on knowledge of 1980s pop culture. Crack the code and control of the Oasis is yours. But it isn’t just individuals who seek to own the tech. Innovative Online Industries (IOI), a corporation with plans to completely monetize the Oasis, assembles an entire department dedicated to winning Halliday and Morrow’s creation. Wade, with the help of a group of friends, realizes it’s up to them to ensure that doesn’t happen. Ultimately, Spielberg’s ability to meld mirth, mystery and pop culture ensure that “Ready Player One” is a must-see. — George M. Thomas, Akron Beacon Journal
SGT. STUBBY: AN AMERICAN HERO
PG, 85 minutes. Through today only at Stonington. Still playing at Westbrook, Lisbon. The tale of friendly stray mutt-turnedwar hero is the kind of true story built for cinematic adaptation. Director Richard Lanni, who has worked on documentary films and series about World War II, co-wrote the animated film “Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero” with veteran and Hollywood military advisor Mike Stokey. It depicts the inspiring and unlikely story of Stubby, a mutt who made his way from a training base in Connecticut to the trenches of France during World War I. For his heroic actions, Stubby became the most decorated dog in U.S. Army history, and a beloved figure at home stateside. The short, squat, funny-looking little mutt that was Stubby isn’t exactly a war horse. Nevertheless, his exploits and heroics are memorable, stowing away on a ship to France, catching German spies, surviving chemical gas attacks and leading medics to wounded American soldiers. Stubby’s story is so strange and inspiring that it cries out for the epic live-action biopic treatment, but that’s not what’s on offer here. Producer/distributor Fun Academy Motion Pictures has a mission statement to create films that “entertain, innovate, and inspire,” which explains the style of “Sgt. Stubby” — as gentle as it gets for a movie about trench warfare. There’s a certain amount of cognitive dissonance when it comes to the material and the approach that the filmmakers take, and much that doesn’t get covered in this short, 80-minute primer. The choice to make this an animated film positions this as an entertaining, educational film for younger audiences, and while some gorgeous battlefield compositions are rendered onscreen, the style has a weightlessness that just doesn’t serve a narrative this dramatic. Logan Lerman voices Robert Conroy, Stubby’s master, and Helena Bonham Carter offers voice-over duties as Robert’s older sister Margaret. — Katie Walsh, Tribune Content Agency
SHERLOCK GNOMES
PG, 86 minutes. Through today only at Stonington. Still playing at Westbrook, Lisbon. There’s a current boom of family-friendly film fare inspired by beloved British literary characters, which makes this moment ripe for the animated “Sherlock Gnomes,” the sequel to 2011’s “Gnomeo and Juliet.” In terms of ranking these adaptations, “Sherlock Gnomes” is quite a bit more pleasant than “Peter Rabbit,” but doesn’t touch the wonder of “Paddington 2.” It’s a fairly serviceable animated feature, with a few inspired elements, and more than enough gnome puns to go around. The beloved British literary characters are, of course, Sherlock Holmes and Watson, as well as Romeo and Juliet. They offer enough rich, recognizable lore to pad out this London-set mystery, directed by “Kung Fu Panda” director John Stevenson, written by Kevin Cecil, Andy Riley and Ben Zazove. As for the appeal of using garden gnome characters, well, it’s anyone’s guess. — Katie Walsh, Tribune Content Agency
A WRINKLE IN TIME
PG, 109 minutes. Stonington. Ava DuVernay’s “A Wrinkle in Time” is a landmark film even before it hits the theaters. The adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s eerie, mystical young adult sci-fi novel from 1962 was budgeted at over $100 million, the largest budget a woman of color has been handed for a film. DuVernay is only the fourth female director to receive that kind of budget for a project, and in tackling the beloved “A Wrinkle in Time,” she has taken an enormous swing. That alone is worthy of recognition. DuVernay marshalled an array of star power to inhabit L’Engle’s tale, with Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling stepping into the roles of the Misses; supernatural, deity-like beings who guide the young Meg (Storm Reid) on her journey through space and time. It’s almost laughably appropriate casting for Winfrey, who embodies the wise, godlike presence Mrs. Which. Underneath the sci-fi and fantasy elements of both the book and film of “A Wrinkle in Time,” the story is quite simple: a young girl sets out to find her missing father (Chris Pine). She may travel through fantastical worlds of space and time, guided by mystical forces, but ultimately, this is a story about reuniting a family. — Katie Walsh, Tribune Content