MOVIES
Capsule reviews are by Kenneth Turan (K.Tu.), Betsy Sharkey (B.S.), Mark Olsen (M.O.) and other reviewers. Compiled by Oli
ver Gettell.
Openings
FR I DAY
Absolution When a contract killer encounters a girl on the run from a wellconnected mob boss, he’s torn between protecting her and remaining loyal to the government agency that hired him. With Steven Seagal, Byron Mann and Josh Barnett. Written by Keoni Waxman and Richard Beattie. Directed by Waxman. (1:36) R.
Animals For a young Chicago couple stuck in the throes of addiction, a lifealtering setback forces them to confront the reality of their situation. With Kim Shaw and David Dastmalchian. Written by Dastmalchian. Directed by Collin Schiffli. (1:30) NR.
Antarctic Edge: 70° South A documentary following a group of researchers exploring the West Antarctic Peninsula as part of the race to understand climate change. Directed by Dena Seidel. (1:12) NR.
The Connection A Marseilles magistrate and his task force of elite cops will stop at nothing to dismantle a notorious international drug-smuggling operation. With Jean Dujardin, Gilles Lellouche and Celine Sallette. Written by Audrey Diwan and Cedric Jimenez. Directed by Jimenez. In French
with English subtitles. (2:15) R. Dark Star: H.R. Giger’s World A documentary about the Swiss surrealist artist H.R. Giger, best known for designing the titular creature in Ridley Scott’s landmark sci-fi film “Alien.” Directed by Belinda Sallin. In German with English subtitles. (1:35) NR.
Days of Grace In Mexico City, an idealistic cop battles crime and corruption over the course of three consecutive World Cups. With Tenoch Huerta, Carlos Bardem and Dolores Heredia. Written and directed by Everardo Valerio Gout. In Spanish with English subtitles. (2:02) NR.
(Dis)Honesty: The Truth About Lies A documentary exploring the complex impact dishonesty has on our lives and everyday society. Directed by Yael Melamede. (1:30) NR.
Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll A documentary about Cambodia’s vibrant pop music scene of the 1950s and ’ 60s, which was largely wiped out by the Khmer Rogue. Directed by John Pirozzi. In English and Cambodian, with English subtitles. (1:45) NR.
Echoes of War In post-Civil War Texas, two neighboring families grieving their losses become embroiled in another bloody conflict. With James Badge Dale, Ethan Embry and William Forsythe. Written by John Chriss and Kane Senes. Directed by Senes. (1:44) R.
Every Secret Thing A detective who has never gotten over her rookie case, in which she found a missing child an hour too late, is determined not to let the same thing happen again. With Elizabeth Banks, Diane Lane and Da-
kota Fanning. Written by Nicole Holofcener. Directed by Amy Berg. (1:33) R. Story on Page E4
Good Kill When an Air Force drone pilot and his crew start taking orders directly from the CIA and the stakes increase, his nerves and marriage begin to fray. With Ethan Hawke, January Jones and Zoe Kravitz. Written and directed by Andrew Niccol. (1:43) R.
Groundswell Rising A documentary about resistance to the controverseial oil and gas drilling method known as fracking. Directed by Renard Cohen. Resolutions Pictures (1:10) NR. I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story A documentary portrait of the octogenarian puppeteer who plays Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch of “Sesame Street.” Directed by Dave
LaMattina and Chad Walker. (1:27) NR. Story on Page E3
I’ll See You in My Dreams After the death of her beloved dog, a seventysomething widow pursues a new love interest, reconnects with her daughter and strikes up a friendship with her pool man. With Blythe Danner, Sam Elliott and Martin Starr. Written by Brett Haley and Marc Basch. Directed by Haley. (1:35) PG-13.
In the Name of My Daughter A biographical drama about the French casino heiress Agnes Le Roux and her deadly power struggle with a defiant daughter and the seductive lawyer who betrayed them both. With Catherine Deneuve, Guillaume Canet and Adele Haenel. Written by Andre Techine, Jean-Charles Le Roux and Cedric Anger. Directed by Techine. In
FrenchR. with English subtitles. (1:56)
Know How Five youths in foster care confront loss, heartbreak, adulthood and bureaucracy. With Deshawn Brown, Niquana Clark and Michael Kareem Dew. Written and directed by Juan Carlos Pineiro Escoriaza. (1:46) NR.
Mad Max: Fury Road In a post-apocalyptic desert wasteland, a loner haunted by his past gets swept up in a battle against a ruthless warlord. With Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron and Nicholas Hoult. Written by George Miller, Brendan McCarthy and Nico Lathouris. Directed by Miller. In 3-D. (2 hrs.) R.
Miles to Go A Los Angeles writer who doesn’t believe relationships can last tries to reconnect with his on-again, off-again ex-girlfriend. With Quincy Rose, Jen McPherson and Maggie Rowe. Written and directed by Rose. (1:25) NR.
Pitch Perfect 2 After a mishap mars their performance for the president, the Barden Bellas enter an international a cappella competition to redeem themselves. With Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin and Rebel Wilson. Written by Kay Cannon. Directed by Elizabeth Banks. (1:56) PG-13. Story
on Page E1
Reality A quiet cameraman who dreams of directing his first horror movie is given the chance by a wealthy producer, on the condition that he finds the perfect film scream in 48 hours. With Alain Chabat, Jonathan Lambert and John Heder. Written and directed by Quentin Dupieux. In English and French, with English subtitles. (1:35) NR.
The Seven Five A documentary about the rogue NYPD officer Michael Dowd, who led a ring of corrupt cops in the 1980s and ’90s and served 14 years in prison. Directed by Tiller Russell. (1:44) R.
Shake the Dust A documentary about the reach and influence of breakdancing around the world. Directed by Adam Sjoberg. (1:25) NR.
Slow West A naive 16-year-old Scotsman journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves while accompanied by a mysterious traveler. With Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender and Ben Mendelsohn. Written and directed by John Maclean. (1:24) R.
Time Lapse Three friends discover a mysterious machine that takes pictures of the future and conspire to use it for personal gain. With Danielle Panabaker, Matt O’Leary and George Finn. Written by Bradley King and B.P. Cooper. Directed by King. (1:43) NR.
Where Hope Grows A former baseball player who couldn’t cut it in the big leagues finds himself in a downward spiral until he meets a young man with Down syndrome working at the local grocery store. With Kristoffer Polaha, McKaley Miller and David DeSanctis. Written and directed by Chris Dowling. (1:38) PG-13.
Critics’ Choices
Dior and I An involving documentary
that takes us behind the scenes as new creative director Raf Simons has only eight weeks to prepare his first high fashion show for the house of Dior. (K.Tu., April 17) In English and French, with English subtitles. (1:29) NR.
Ex Machina Shrewdly imagined and persuasively made, this is a spooky piece of speculative fiction about artificial intelligence that’s completely plausible, capable of thinking big thoughts and providing pulp thrills. But even saying that doesn’t do full justice to this quietly unnerving Alex Garland film starring Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac and Alicia Vikander. (K.Tu., April 10) (1:50) R.
Furious 7 is the fuel-injected fusion of all that is and ever has been good in “The Fast and the Furious” saga. The always fabulous autos spend much of the time airborne in stunning, heart-dropping effects. But it is in the handling of heartfelt sentiment that “Furious” truly soars, as the on-screen and off-screen family gives one of their own — franchise star Paul Walker, who died in a car crash in 2013 as “7” was filming — a near-perfect final ride. (B.S., April 3) (2:09) PG-13.
While We’re Young Sharp, funny and dead-on accurate about the way we live today, this film is not about eternal youth but about coming to terms with growing older. Starring Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts, this delicious satire about aging hipsters and their discontents is everything we’ve come to expect from the best of Noah Baumbach, as well as several things more. (K.Tu., March 27) (1:34) R.
Also in Theaters
5 Flights Up An aging married couple put their fifth-floor walk-up in Brooklyn on the market and search for a potential new home over a chaotic weekend. With Diane Keaton, Morgan Freeman and Cynthia Nixon. Written by Charlie Peters. Directed by Ricahrd Loncraine. (1:32) PG-13. The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared On his centennial birthday, a retired munitions man escapes his nursing home and goes on a picaresque journey that recalls other moments of his eventful life. With Robert Gustafsson, Iwar Wiklander and David Wiberg. Written by Felix Herngren and Hans Ingemansson. Directed by Herngren. In English, Spanish, French, German, Swedish, Italian and Russian, with English subtitles. (1:54) R.
About Elly For friends from Tehran, a seaside getaway weekend takes a frantic turn when one of their party vanishes under mysterious circumstances. With Golshifteh Farahani, Taraneh Alidoosti and Shahab Hosseini. Written and directed by Asghar Farhadi. In Persian with English subtitles. (1:58) NR.
The Age of Adaline This sweeping romance starring Blake Lively and Michiel Huisman is beautifully wrapped in classy couture and slightly suspect in the way it uses metaphysics to manipulate matters of the heart. Not “An Affair to Remember,” mind you, but a welcome change from the Nicholas Sparks brand of mush that has overtaken the hearts-and-flowers corner of movieland. (B.S., April 24) (1:53) PG-13.
Avengers: Age of Ultron It would be silly to pretend that this latest Marvel superhero epic isn’t good at what it does, or that the evil Ultron isn’t a fine villain. However, as the ideal vehicle for our age of instant gratification, it disappears without a trace almost as soon as it’s consumed. (K.Tu., April 30) In 3-D and Imax. (2:21) PG-13.
Bravetown Sentenced to counseling after a minor drug infraction, a club DJ returns to his estranged father and quiet North Dakota hometown. With Josh Duhamel, Maria Bello and Laura Dern. Written and directed by Daniel Duran. (1:50) R.
Clouds of Sils Maria It is best to just let yourself get lost in the “Clouds” for a little while. This richly imperfect piece about the vagaries to be found in a life spent working in film stars Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart and Chloe Grace Moretz. French filmmaker Olivier Assayas leaves a few too many loose ends and allows the occasional tabloid culture cliches to slip in. Still, the chance to look behind the curtain that Assayas has lifted so artfully is a temptation one shouldn’t resist. (B.S., April 10) (2:03) R.
The D Train A Pittsburgh schlub tries to save his high school reunion by securing the attendance of a former classmate turned Hollywood actor, and goes to great lengths to do so. With Jack Black, James Marsden and Kathryn Hahn. Written and directed by Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel. (1:38) R.
Far From the Madding Crowd This adaptation of the Thomas Hardy novel starring an excellent Carey Mulligan is a far lighter examination of the emotional crosscurrents of love and desire that the author dove into so deeply. Less angst, less heart. And like unrequited love, one can’t help but lament what might have been. (B.S., May 1) (1:58) PG-13.
Felix and Meira Maxime Giroux’s new film is an unusual love story that, though shrouded in chill and shadow, has moments of true loveliness. The co-writer and director captures the oppressive winter in Montreal, the cultural specificities of the Hasidic community and the slow blossoming of an individual who begins to make personal choices. (Katie Walsh, April 24) (1:46) R.
Hot Pursuit An uptight police officer tries to protect the brassy widow of a drug boss as they race through Texas pursued by criminals and dirty cops. With Reese Witherspoon, Sofia Vergara and John Carroll Lynch. Written by David Feeney, John Quaintance, Dana Fox and Katherine Silberman. Directed by Anne Fletcher. (1:27) PG-13.
Iris Of two films by veteran documentarian Albert Maysles on offer, “Iris” and “Grey Gardens,” best to embrace the warm examination of 93-year-old fashionista Iris Apfel and avoid the bickering mother/daughter combination of Big and Little Edie Beale. (K.Tu., May 1) (1:18) PG-13.
Maggie When a deadly zombie virus sweeps the nation, a father will stop at nothing to save his infected daughter. With Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin and Joely Richardson. Written by John Scott 3. Directed by Henry Hobson. (1:35) PG-13.
Miles Away A talented but volatile jazz trumpeter wrestles with his demons, buried family secrets and the mob. With Sid Burston, Jamie Morgan and Billy Porter. Written by Sid Burston, Betty Burston and Rasheed
Lateef. Directed by Jimmy Jenkins. (1:50) NR.
Monkey Kingdom Who can say no to a monkey movie? Resistance proves particularly futile when the production in question is as amusingly fascinating as this latest entry from the ever-engaging Disneynature series of wildlife documentaries. Lending a bonus coolness factor is narrator Tina Fey, who isn’t afraid to let her personality to shine through. (Michael Rechtshaffen, April 17) (1:21) G.
Noble A biopic about Christina Noble, who escaped the slums of Ireland and established a foundation to help orphaned and abandoned children in Vietnam. With Deirdre O’Kane, Brendan Coyle and Sarah Greene. Written and directed by Stephen Bradley. (1:41) PG-13.
The Ocean of Helena Lee The 12year-old daughter of a surf rat grapples with coming of age and the absence of her deceased mother. With Moriah Blonna, Tom Dunne and Maria McKee. Written and directed by Jim Akin. (1:28) NR.
Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 is a noisy, scattershot if energetic follow-up to the 2009 hit starring hefty jokester Kevin James. Although there have been worse sequels — and worse overall movies — make no mistake, that’s hardly a recommendation. (Gary Goldstein, April 18). (1:34) PG.
Playing It Cool A disillusioned writer falls for an engaged woman and tries to win her over. With Chris Evans, Michelle Monaghan and Martin Starr. Written by Chris Shafer and Paul Vicknair. Directed by Justin Reardon. (1:34) R.
Preggoland A 35-year-old woman fakes being pregnant to fit in with her friends. With Sonja Bennett, James Caan and Danny Trejo. Written by Bennett. Directed by Jacob Tierney. (1:49) NR.
Saint Laurent A biographical drama chronicling a turbulent decade in the life of fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. With Gaspard Ulliel, Jeremie Renier and Louis Garrel. Written by Thomas Bidegain and Bertrand Bonello. Directed by Bonello. In French with English subtitles. (2:30) R.
Skin Trade A New Jersey cop heads to Bangkok and teams up with a local detective to take down a human-trafficking network. With Dolph Lundgren, Tony Jaa and Michael Jai White. Written by Lundgren, Steven Elder and Gabriel Dowrick. Directed by Ekachai Uekrongtham. (1:35) R.
Soul Boys of the Western World A documentary about the rise, fall and influence of the British new-wave band Spandau Ballet. Directed by George Hencken. (1:50) NR.
Spike Island The members of a wannabe rock band in Manchester scheme to deliver a demo tape to their idols, the Stone Roses, at a 1990 concert. With Elliott Tittensor, Emilia Clarke and Lesley Manville. Written by Chris Coghill. Directed by Mat Whitecross. (1:45) NR.
Unfriended Until the screaming hysterics and the killings turn the movie monotonous, director Leo Gabriadze and writer Nelson Greaves find narrative and emotional invention in their first-person, single-screenshot, monitor-lighted gimmick. (Robert Abele, April 17) (1:22) R.
The Water Diviner Russell Crowe makes his feature directing debut with a big, sweeping period film with battle scenes, family drama, personal redemption, twists of fate and a darling ragamuffin boy for good measure. It’s an unsurprisingly ambitious movie from the notoriously, proudly headstrong Crowe, which makes it such a disappointment that it feels so blandly earnest and unexpectedly hesitant, with none of the unnerving conviction the actor often brings even to lightweight promotional appearances. (M.O., April 24) (1:52) R.
Welcome to Me is weirdly off center yet strangely in sync with the times. The indie comedy-drama starring Kristen Wiig delves into our confessional times via the very meta experience of the making of a reality TV star. Wiig’s character comes prepackaged with problems perfectly suited to the kind of comic talent that brought her to our attention on”Saturday Night Live.” The film tends to fracture at key moments, but shemakes it worth watching. (B.S., May 1) (1:28) R. Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman A documentary about the 35-year car-racing career of actor Paul Newman. Directed by Adam Carolla and Nate Adams. (1:23) NR.