MOVIE REVIEWS

YOUR GUIDE TO THE BIG SCREEN

Numbers following movie capsules are keyed to Manhattan theaters only.

BEGIN AGAIN. — (R). John Carney’s follow-up to “Once” lacks that film’s urgent authenticity. But Mark Ruffalo provides some easygoing charm as a cynical music executive who connects with an idealistic songwriter (Keira Knightley). And the New York City scenery adds a sweet note. 2, 28 —

Elizabeth Weitzman

BOUND BY FLESH. — (NR). Leslie Zemeckis (“Behind the Burly Q”) turns this touching chronicle of conjoined twins, Daisy and Violet Hilton, into a fascinating history of the American sideshow. 9 —E.W.

CHEF. — (R). This undercooked, but still flavorful comedy may not have much meat to it, but it’s the garnishings that make it. Writer-director and star Jon Favreau plays a famed chef who buys a food truck in order to heat up his career after a setback. Scarlett Johansson, John Leguizamo, Bobby Cannavale and Sofia Vergara make up the spiky supporting cast. 7, 18, 19, 28, 35, 36 —Joe Neumaier

COHERENCE. — (NR). This microbudget thriller gets points for both effort and entertainment value, even if it never quite coheres. The night a comet passes overhead, several suburban friends realize there are multiple versions of themselves, each a threat to their own existence. 5 —E.W.

THE DANCE OF REALITY. — (NR). Surreal memory piece from director Alejandro Jodorowsky about his boyhood in 1930s fascist Chile. Not for everyone, but a lot of absurd and beautiful magic nonetheless. 10 —J.N.

EDGE OF TOMORROW. — (PG-13). If only all summer blockbusters could be as witty and ambitious as Doug Liman’s sci-fi fantasy. Tom Cruise plays William Cage, a reluctant soldier forced onto the frontlines when aliens invade Earth. He dies almost immediately, and then wakes to find himself beginning the day again — and again, and again. A firstrate Emily Blunt costars. 1, 7, 12, 15, 18

19, 27, 28, 29, 39 —E.W.

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS. — (PG-13). John Green’s young adult bestseller about teens facing adversity from cancer comes to the screen, beautifully embodied by Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort. Director Josh Boone and screenwriters Michael H. Weber and Scott Neustadter maintain Green’s honesty while making sure the film is layered and courageous. The actors, too, have a zing crucial to make this sweet, sad story work. 1, 7, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 28,

29, 33, 39 —J.N. THE INTERNET’S OWN BOY: THE STORY

OF AARON SWARTZ. — (NR). This documentary, about the titular Internet innovator and freedom-issue activist, is melancholy and often muddled, yet does a good job of explaining who he was and what his passions were. But the bits and bytes come fast, and not always with context. 9 —J.N.

IVORY TOWER. — (PG-13). An insightful documentary about the price, and challenges, of higher education. Colleges as diverse as Harvard, Spellman and New York’s Cooper Union are visited, though this sprawling topic has no easy answers, especially for families facing hardship over student debt. 5 —J.N.

JERSEY BOYS. — (R). Fans of Frankie Valli will love Clint Eastwood’s old-fashioned biopic, adapted from the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. Lead John Lloyd Young was cast more for an uncanny falsetto than any big-screen charisma, but costars Christopher Walken and Vincent Piazza, as local mobsters, keep things interesting. 5, 7,

11, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20, 28, 33, 39 —E.W. THE PLEASURES OF BEING OUT OF STEP: NOTES ON THE LIFE OF NAT HENTOFF. —

(NR). A mellow chronicle of Hentoff — cultural critic, political writer, jazz historian, First Amendment authority, civil libertarian that’s like a tour through New York’s past courtesy of a figure who’s still a lively character. 9 —J.N.

SNOWPIERCER. — (R). Chris Evans, Jamie Bell and Tilda Swinton are part of a contingent of post-apocalyptic survivors hurtling around a frozen Earth on a speeding train in this episodic, often stilted, but still fun adventure. The nihilism could be cooler, but if you settle in, it’s one wild ride. 2, 24 —J.N.

THEY CAME TOGETHER. — (R). It’s not as awesomely anarchic as their “Wet Hot American Summer,” but this romcom spoof from David Wain and Michael Showalter is goofy fun anyway. Much of the credit goes to delightful leads Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd, playing a meetcute couple who enact every romantic cliché imaginable. 1, 6 —E.W.

THINK LIKE A MAN TOO. — (PG13). Kevin Hart, Regina Hall, Gabrielle Union, Michael Ealy and more are part of this comedy ensemble sequel, based on Steve Harvey’s self-help book. This time the group of friends head to Vegas for a wedding, but everyone has their issues to deal with. The sterling cast shines, and Hart is hilarious. Energetically fun and crazy loud, in a good way. 5, 11, 12,

13, 15, 18, 27, 28, 29, 39 —J.N. TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION.

— (PG-13). The good and evil robot aliens who can become vehicles face off again in director Michael Bay’s clanking, headache-inducing action epic. Mark Wahlberg takes over for Shia LaBeouf as the human star, but the giant machines are the draw, of course, as the good-guy Autobots face off against some new man-made Transformers that have Decepticon “seed” in them. The silliness factor is high, the running time is long – nearly three hours – and the entertainment value low, unless you’re a diehard fan or an 11-year-old boy. 1, 7,

12, 15, 18, 19, 27, 28, 29, 35, 36 —J.N.

22 JUMP STREET. — (R). Like any savvy sophomore, this comedy sequel knows there’s a trick to getting a passing grade — and here, that means upping the chemistry between Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, as doofus cops going undercover at college. The laughs and “bro bonding” keep the film together, even when the plot is similar to the original. 7, 12, 13, 15, 18, 19, 27, 28, 29,

39 —J.N..

VIOLETTE. — (NR). There is a fascinating story to be told about Violette Leduc, a much-banned French feminist author who fought fiercely against the strictures of the mid-20th century. Emmanuelle Devos puts everything into the role, but her Violette is so filled with self-pity as to be nearly unwatchable. Perhaps another biopic awaits. 9, 26 —E.W. WHITEY: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA VS. JAMES J. BULGER. — (NR). Filled with horrific but colorful anecdotes, director Joe Berlinger’s incisive look at the life of Boston mobster and FBI informant “Whitey” Bulger is essential viewing for fans of lurid, true underworld tales. Fascinating and frightening. 9 —J.N.