Still screening in Bay Area theaters
“A Bad Moms Christmas”:
Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn starred in the first “Bad Moms” comedy last year, playing mothers who let loose with some alcohol while letting go of their aspirations to be perfect moms. They’re back in this holiday comedy — joined by Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines and Susan Sarandon playing the moms’ moms. Undoubtedly the plight of mothers who look for relief fromthe crushing weight of their traditional gender roles at the bottom of a chardonnay bottle need some deft storytellers to shine a light on their predicament. But co-writers/co-directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore (the masterminds behind the “Hangover” movies) are not those storytellers. The women in the film are cartoonish and campy, and female viewers deserve better. ★ (KatieWalsh, Tribune News Service) R, 1:44 “The Breadwinner”: Nora Twomey’s impressive feature, set in Afghanistan’s capital in 2001, reminds us that animation can be as much a medium for adults as children. It tells the tale of a girl in a financially struggling family who defies Taliban law, courageously cuts her hair short, dresses in clothes belonging to her late brother and sets out to earn a living for the family — discovering, in the process, that though women are not allowed on the streets without male guardians, boys can go anywhere. ★★★ (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times) PG-13, 1:33
“Coco”: With its 19th feature, Pixar takes a step forward in diversity to focus on a Mexican family in a tale about the importance of pursuing your dreams, even when the rest of your clan doesn’t share them. The animation is first-rate — even eye movements and wisps of hair seem genuine. But when the central character — 12-year-old Miguel — ventures into the
magical realm of the afterlife to learn about music from his great-great-granddad, the animation becomes truly awesome. Even so, the film’s best moments are the wise, loving exchanges between Miguel and his ancestors, as our tear ducts attest. ★★★ (Randy Myers, Bay Area News Group correspondent) PG, 1:49
“Daddy’s Home 2”: This surreal sequel to the 2015hit skates on the comic personas of Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, the returning original dads. New this time are their fathers — John Lithgow as a chatty, retired postman with cookies in his pocket, andMel Gibson as a macho, womanizing astronaut whowants to give his grandkids guns for Christmas. At times, the humor is deliriously silly, at other moments way off the mark. ★★ (KatieWalsh, Tribune News Service) PG-13, 1:40 “The Disaster Artist”: The 2003Bay Area-set, Los Angeles-shot film “The Room” — starring aspiring actor-model Greg Sestero and passionate wannabe star TommyWiseau — was a contender for worst movie ever made, before becoming a midnight cult hit. The new filmis director James Franco’s playful, rowdy account of how this memorable clunker was made, with James Franco playing Wiseau and Dave Franco playing Sestero. Since Sestero and Wiseau’s friendship survived the tribulations of making “The Room,” “The Disaster Artist” is not only wickedly funny but heartwarming, too. ★★★ (Randy Myers, Bay Area News Group correspondent) R, 1:44 “The Florida Project”: In a heartwarming, heartwrenching tale of childhood poverty set at a cut-rate extended-stay motel near Walt Disney World, young Moonee lives a charmed life of freedom, friends and devilish fun under the watchful eye of the manager (Willem Dafoe), while her single mom resells inexpensive perfume outside a nearby resort hotel. Director Sean Baker (“Tangerine”), co-writer Chris Bergoch and their wonderful young actors get this slice of childhood just
right, while illuminating the lives of people for whom one missed payment would spell disaster. ★★★★ (Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press) R, 1:55
“Justice League”: Although marginally better than “Batman v Superman” and “Suicide Squad,” director Zack Snyder’s latest is still a profound mess of maudlin muscles, incoherent action and jaw-droppingly awful CGI. It is big, loud, terrible to look at and ohso-dumb. There are some good moments, thanks in large part to the addition of Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/ The Flash, whose quick, self-deprecating humor (likely the result of Joss Whedon’s script and reshoot work) and general liveliness steal scenes away from his brawnier and moodier counterparts. But everything else about “Justice League” feels labored, from a preposterous underwater battle that comes out of nowhere to the camaraderie among the superheroes that never clicks.★ (Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press) PG-13, 2:01
“Lady Bird”: Focusing on a year (2002) in the life of high school senior Christine McPherson (aka Lady Bird), Greta Gerwig’s lovingly composed film bursts with wit, humanity, joy and truth. Young Lady Bird craves a sophistication that she finds totally lacking in her hometown of Sacramento, and can’t quite put into words or actions beyond a vague desire to go to an East Coast college. She doesn’t know that kind of dissatisfaction has plagued every 17-yearold, who would rather die than admit that everything might be OK. Playing the title character, Irish-American actress Saoirse Ronan adds another stunning performance to her resume. Laurie Metcalf distinguishes herself as Christine’s mother, a hardworking nurse, and so does Beanie Feldstein playing the girl’s best friend. ★★★★ (Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press) R, 1:33
“The Star” (PG): A brave donkey, voiced by Steven Yeun, and his animal friends become unsung heroes of the first Christmas. The movie is sincerely Christian
in its outlook, while also a slapstick animal toon. It’s a mix that works only intermittently as it mines every opportunity for goofy animal humor. ★★ (Jane Horwitz, The Washington Post) PG, 1:26
“Thor — Ragnarok”: If you never thought you’d the see the word “wit” in the same sentence as “part of the Marvel franchise,” take heart. New Zealand indie filmmaker Taika Waititi (“Hunt for the Wilderpeople”) has given the often flagging superhero genre a much needed sense of humor without lapsing into irreverent drivel. Not since “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” has a badass action hero made us laugh this hard while staying true to his or her origin story. From the epic Hulk-vs.-Thor smackdown to Cate Blanchett’s slithery vamping as the villain Hela, “Thor” brings equal parts thunder and hilarity, thanks to its screenplay and Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo and Tessa Thompson. ★★★ (Karen D’Souza, Bay Area News Group) PG-13, 2:10 “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”: Director Martin McDonagh’s stinging black comedy taps into the human thirst for revenge with an unpredictable narrative about the way a mother’s quest to avenge the murder of her daughter (the girl was raped and her body burned) upends a town and prompts a showdown worthy of the Old West. Frances McDormand is wonderful as the hard-shelled mom, Mildred; Woody Harrelson plays Police Chief Willoughby, and Sam Rockwell is his mess of a deputy, Dixon. Like a Cirque du Soleil tightrope artist, McDonagh audaciously balances the impossibly harrowing with the laugh-out-loud funny. ★★★★ (Randy Myers, Bay Area News Group correspondent) R, 1:55