Entertainment: Movies opening this week, now playing and special screenings.
MOVIES
Capsule reviews are by Kenneth Turan (K.Tu.), Mark Olsen (M.O.) and other reviewers. Compiled by Oliver Gettell.
Openings
FRIDAY
Anarchy Parlor The proprietor of a Lithuanian tattoo parlor practices a dark art form that ensnares a group of American college students. With Robert LaSardo, Sara Fabel and Jordan James Smith. Written and directed by Devon Downs and Kenny Gage. (1:39) NR.
Burying the Ex A young man who’s afraid to break up with his overbearing girlfriend is seemingly bailed out when she’s killed in a freak accident, but she doesn’t stay dead for long. With Anton Yelchin, Ashley Greene and Alexandra Daddario. Written by Alan Trezza. Directed by Joe Dante. (1:29) R.
Chagall-Malevich A dramatized account of the rivalry between the Russian painters Marc Chagall and Kazimir Malevich. With Kristina Schneidermann, Leonid Bichevin and Anatoliy Beliy. Written and directed by Aleksandr Mitta. In Russin with English subtitles. (1:57) NR.
Charlie, Trevor and a Girl Savannah A troubled young man tries to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend with the help of a fast-talking playwright. With Ty Hodges, Eric Roberts and Toby Hemingway. Written and directed by Hodges. (1:35) NR.
Dope For a trio of geeky Inglewood teens, a chance invitation to an underground party sets them on a drug-dealing adventure. With Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori and Kiersey Clemons. Written and directed by
Rick Famuyiwa. (1:43) R. Story on
Page E1
Eden A garage DJ navigates 20 years in the French underground dance music scene. With Felix De Givry, Pauline Etienne and Vincent Macaigne. Written by Mia Hansen-Love and Sven Hansen-Love. Directed by Mia Hansen-Love. In French and English, with English subtitles. (2:11) R.
The Face of an Angel A filmmaker commissioned to make a movie about the controversial murder trial of an American student in Italy begins to question the motives of the people around him, and of himself. With Daniel Bruhl, Kate Beckinsale and Cara Delevingne. Written by Paul Viragh. Directed by Michael Winterbottom. (1:37) NR.
I Believe in Unicorns An imaginative teenage girl caring for her disabled mother looks for salvation in a new relationship with an older boy. With Natalia Dyer, Peter Vack and Julia Garner. Written and directed by Leah Meyerhoff. (1:20) NR.
Infinitely Polar Bear After a nervous breakdown lands him in a mental hospital, a bipolar 1970s father becomes the primary caretaker for his two young daughters while his wife gets her MBA. With Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana and Imogene Wolodarsky. Written and directed by Maya Forbes. (1:28) R.
Inside Out An 11-year-old girl and her family move to a new city, prompting her five personified emotions help guide her through the transition, in this animated film. With the voices of Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Lewis Black and Mindy Kaling. Written by Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve and Josh Cooley. Directed by Docter and Ronnie del Carmen. (1:35) PG.
Manglehorn A reclusive small-town locksmith who has never recovered from losing the love of his life cautiously approaches the possibility of moving on. With Al Pacino, Chris Messina and Holly Hunter. Written by Paul Logan. Directed by David Gordon Green. (1:37) PG-13. Story on
Page E3
The New Rijksmuseum A documentary chronicling the 10-year renovation of Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum. Directed by Oeke Hoogendijk. In Dutch, English, French and Spanish, with English subtitles. (2:11) NR.
The Overnight In an attempt to acclimate to Los Angeles, a young couple spend an increasingly bizarre evening with the parents of their son’s new friend. With Taylor Schilling, Adam Scott and Jason Schwartzman. Written and directed by Patrick Brice. (1:20) R.
Phantom Halo Two brothers scrape to get by and cope with their drunken mess of a father, and one of them tries to fix things with a counterfeiting scheme that goes awry. With Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Luke Kleintank and Sebastian Roche. Written by Antonia Bogdanovich and Anne Heffron. Directed by Bogdanovich. (1:29) R.
Revenge of the Mekons A documentary about the long-running British punk rock band the Mekons. Directed by Joe Angio. (1:35) NR.
Rubble Kings A documentary about New York street gangs of the 1970s. Narrated by John Leguizamo. Directed by Shan Nicholson. (1:10) NR.
Set Fire to the Stars A biographical drama about the New York academic John Malcolm Brinnin bringing the acclaimed but alcoholic Welsh poet Dylan Thomas to the U.S. for a tour in 1950. With Elijah Wood, Celyn Jones and Kelly Reilly. Written by Jones and Andy Goddard. Directed by Goddard. (1:33) NR.
The Wanted 18 A documentary about the Israeli army’s pursuit of 18 cows whose independent milk production on a Palestinian collective farm was declared a threat to national security during the first infitada. Directed by Paul Cowan and Amer Shomali. In Arabic, Hebrew and English, with English subtitles. (1:15) NR.
The Wolfpack A documentary about seven siblings who grew up in virtual isolation in a low-income development on New York’s Lower East Side and learned about the outside world almost entirely through watching movies. Directed by Crystal Moselle. (1:29) R.
The Yes Men Are Revolting A documentary about the continuing exploits of the anticoporate prankster activists the Yes Men. Directed by Laura Nix and the Yes Men. (1:32) R.
Critics’ Choices
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.
The Farewell Party This Israeli film not only thinks the unthinkable, it laughs at the unlaughable. Nominated for 14 Israeli Academy Awards, this is a gentle but pointed work, a warm and comic film about an unmistakably serious subject, the end of life itself. (K.Tu., June 5) In Hebrew with English subtitles. (1:30) NR.
Iris The late Albert Maysles was one of America’s great documentarians, a force in the field for nearly six decades, but his latest film has got to be one of his most charming. With her trademark huge round glasses and her genius for costume jewelry, the 93year-old Iris Apfel could qualify as the world’s oldest fashionista. But when she talks, you want to listen. (K.Tu., May 6) (1:18) PG-13.
Mad Max: Fury Road Words are not really the point when it comes to dealing with this barn-burner of a postapocalyptic extravaganza in which sizzling, unsettling images are the order of the day. Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron are the leads, but the real star is filmmaker George Miller. (K.Tu., May 15) In 3-D. (2 hrs.) R.
Spy reteams writer-director Paul Feig with his “Bridesmaids” and “The Heat” star Melissa McCarthy in an affectionate sendup of globe-hopping espionage movies. With strong support from Jason Statham and Rose Byrne, “Spy” may not be a great movie, but it is great fun. And at times it will have you wondering if there’s that much of a difference. (M.O., June 5) (2 hrs.) R. Story on Page E4
Testament of Youth Star Alicia Vikander sweeps you away in this passionate World War I romantic drama based on Vera Brittain’s celebrated memoir. Unapologetically emotional and impeccably made in the classic manner, it tells the kind of potent, many-sided story whose unforeseen complexities can only come courtesy of a life that lived them all. (K.Tu., June 5) (2:09) PG-13.
When Marnie Was There This story of two lonely girls and the strange bond between them, the latest animated feature from Japan’s Studio Ghibli does not fall neatly into any conventional narrative category. But that doesn’t get in the way of it being visually spectacular. (K.Tu., May 22) (1:43) PG.
Also in Theaters
The 11th Hour A business executive who suffers yet another miscarriage is told she’s too old to carry a child but refuses to accept her fate. With Kim Basinger, Jordan Prentice and Peter Stormare. Written and directed by Anders Morgenthaler. (1:37) NR.
Aloha Perceived as struggling and damaged, “Aloha” deserves better than all that. Even with its off-balance, overstuffed storytelling, the films maintains a charm and energy that never flags, with brisk pacing and generally engaging performances from its deep-bench cast. (May 29, M.O.) (1:45) 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.
The Cain Complex Three years after a family tragedy, a man struggling with PTSD has to fight off a home invasion. With Billy Blair, Sue Rock and Sam Eidson. Written and directed by Marcello Zamarripa. (1:26) NR.
Entourage Whether created because of fan service or contractual obligation, the “Entourage” movie has none of the fizz of the HBO series’ earliest seasons, and watching it summons that vague blank familiarity of discovering a show you used to watch is unexpectedly still on the air. (M.O., June 3) (1:44) R.
Every Last Child A documentary following five people affected by the polio crisis in Pakistan, where the Taliban issued a ban against vaccinations. Directed by Tom Roberts. (1:25) PG-13.
Gemma Bovery As a bored baker with an overactive imagination, the wonderful French actor Fabrice Luchini is the only reason to see “Gemma Bovery,” a mildly amusing riff on Flaubert. His character’s baguettes, brioches and croissants have far more substance than this Gallic piffle’s day-old satire. (Sheri Linden, May 29) (1:39) R.
Hungry Hearts A young mother’s obsession with protecting her baby from the outside world forces her husband to recognize the true danger to the child. With Adam Driver, Alba Rohrwacher and Roberta Maxwell. Written and directed by Saverio Costanzo. (1:48) NR.
I’ll See You in My Dreams There is something about Blythe Danner’s onscreen essence that is perfect for the gently aged widow she plays in her first leading role in years. The 72-yearold actress uses her mix of flinty, flighty and fragile to draw us into a story and a life shaken and stirred by a death. It is a film that gets to the heart of things like loss and love without patronizing or parody. (Betsy Sharkey, May 15) (1:35) PG-13.
Insidious Chapter 3 To enjoy “Insidious: Chapter 3” — and it is enjoyable — you needn’t have seen the first two films in this horror series. Although this third installment is a prequel set years before those earlier shockers, which involved the haunted Lambert family (not returning here), it stands well on its own as a jumpy spookfest. (Gary Goldstein, June 5) (1:37) PG-13.
Jurassic World At an island theme park where dinosaurs have been resurrected through science, a new genetically engineered specimen escapes confinement and plunges the park into chaos. With Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard and Vincent D’Onofrio. Written by Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow. Directed by Trevorrow. In 3-D. (2:04) PG-13.
Live From New York A documentary tracing the early years of the latenight sketch show “Saturday Night Live” and its evolution into a comedy institution. Directed by Bao Nguyen. (1:22) NR.
Love & Mercy Paul Dano and John Cusack do fine work playing Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys at two different times in his life, but they are not enough to rescue this uneven biopic. (K.Tu., June 5). (2 hrs.) PG-13.
Love at First Fight In a small French town, a mild-mannered carpenter enlists in an army boot camp to pursue a tough-minded young woman. With Adele Haenel, Kevin Azais and Antoine Laurent. Written by Thomas Cailley and Claude Le Pape. Directed by Cailley. In French with English subtitles. (1:38) NR.
Madame Bovary Desperate to escape the dullness of provincial life, a young married woman in 19th-century France pursues a series of indiscreet affairs. With Mia Wasikowska, Ezra Miller and Rhys Ifans. Written by Felipe Marino and Sophie Barthes. Directed by Barthes. (1:58) R.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl An awkward high-school senior is forced by his mom to spend time with a classmate he hasn’t spoken to since kindergarten, a girl who has just diagnosed with cancer. With Thomas Mann, Olivia Cook and R.J. Cyler. Written by Jesse Andrews. Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon. (1:44) PG-13. Story on Page E8
MondoManila A young man makes his way through the slums of Manila, crossing paths with characters including a crippled pimp, a lonely housewife and a small-time politician. With Timothy Mabalot, Marife Necesito and Alex Tiglao. Written and directed by Khavn De La Cruz. In Filipino with English subtitles. (1:15) NR.
One Cut, One Life A documentary about nonfiction director Ed Pincus who teams with a collaborator make one last movie after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Directed by Pincus Lucia Small. (1:45) NR.
Pitch Perfect 2 The comedy choir wars are more intense, more absurd and more low-brow fun than ever in this sequel, still securely anchored by Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson and Brittany Snow as the defining members of a top-ranked college a cappella group. Hailee Steinfeld proves a very good addition to the chorus line; her Emily is key to freshening up a fairly predictable plot. And Elizabeth Banks is impressive in her feature directing debut. (Betsy Sharkey, May 15) (1:56) PG-13.
Poltergeist Directed by Gil Kenan, this remake is a disconcertingly uneven outing, not quite connecting in the manner of the 1982 original while also never standing firmly on its own two feet. The new “Poltergeist” is a pleasant enough diversion, better as a low-simmer suspense story than a full-blown effects extravaganza. (M.O., May 23) In 3-D. (1:31) PG-13.
Rebels of the Neon God A new restoration of the 1992 film about a cram-school student in Taipei who becomes obsessed with a petty thief. With Chen Chao-jung, Jen Chang-ben and Lee Kang-sheng. Written and directed by Tsai Ming-liang. In Mandarin with English subtitles. (1:46) NR.
Redeemer An ex-hitman seeks redemption for his sins by exacting vigilante justice and crosses paths with a drug lord. With Marko Zaror, Loreto Aravena and Jose Luis Mosca. Written and directed by Ernesto Diaz Espinoza. In Spanish and English, with English subtitles. (1:30) NR.
San Andreas Woefully by-the-numbers from a dramatic point of view, this story of a massive quake flattening California knows how tomake the most of its 1,300 visual-effects shots. (K.Tu., May 29). In 3-D. (1:54) PG-13.
The Stranger A mysterious man arrives in a small Canadian town seeking his wife, but his unwelcome presence and what he finds plunges the community into bloodshed. With Ariel Levy, Nicolas Duran and Lorenza Izzo. Written and directed by Guillermo Amoedo. (1:33) NR.
Tomorrowland Asmuch as you wish it were otherwise, the George Clooney-starring futuristic tale directed by Brad Bird only works in fits and starts. Summer tentpoles are rarely guilty of overreaching, but this one is finally more ambitious than accomplished. (K.Tu., May 22) In Imax. (2:10) PG.
Vendetta When his wife is killed by a criminal he put away, a hard-nosed detective deliberately gets arrested to get revenge. With Dean Cain, Paul “The Big Show” Wight and Michael Eklund. Written by Justin Shady. Directed by Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska. (1:30) R.