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“Ford v Ferrari”
PG-13, 2:32, genre
This film works as a stylish, enjoyable mash note to its era and the need for speed. Matt Damon plays Texas race car designer Carroll Shelby, hired by the Ford Motor Company to dream up and execute a competitive vehicle. His mission: to win the grueling marathon known as 24 Hours of Le Mans. Christian Bale co-stars with Damon, portraying the English racer, engineer and mechanic Ken Miles. Emotionally the story belongs to Miles, not Shelby, and Bale brings an outsize energy to the proceedings. And Tracy Letts essentially steals the movie as Henry Ford II, who has a spectacularly funny and then unexpectedly moving meltdown. — Michael Phillips
“Midway”
PG-13, 2:18, drama
Even if this film stuck letter for letter to the historical record of the June 1942 battle between the Imperial Japanese Navy and the U.S. Navy, its probability of energetic fraudulence would remain roughly the same. In other words, it’s a Roland Emmerich war movie. At the top of the chain: Woody Harrelson portrays Adm. Nimitz, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Dennis Quaid, growling every second, plays Vice Adm. “Bull” Halsey. In historically grounded fiction there are facts, and there is truth, and there’s a subset of truth labeled “dramatic truth.” Emmerich’s “Midway” corrals a screen full of true-life characters, but you can’t fully buy the true material here. — Michael Phillips
“Charlie’s Angels”
PG-13, 1:59, action-adventure
This newest incarnation in the franchise is fairly entertaining globe-trotting nonsense for what it is. Kristen Stewart, in particular, makes a private party out of every scrap of comic relief she’s given, scoring with an impressive percentage of her muttered asides and driveby zingers. The film’s central trio comprises Stewart and two Brits, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska. Elizabeth Banks plays one of a million Bosleys overseeing a far-flung roster of “angels.” I wish there were as many big payoffs and clever jokes as there are Bosleys in this movie. But Stewart and company have their fun, and we have a reasonable percentage of theirs. — Michael Phillips
“Last Christmas”
PG-13, 1:42, romantic comedy
Kate (Emilia Clarke) is restless and selfish and in need of a wake-up call. Then, Wham! She meets dashing, approachable, dreamy Tom (Henry Golding), of whom she’s wary because he’s infernally full of sound advice and gentle entreaties to appreciate the world around her. What follows is a series of search-and-destroywith-kindness-and-understanding missions waged by Tom, targeting Kate. Let’s call this film a whoopsie-daisy with a big heart and a puddin’ head, which is a bit tragic, since it’s directed by Paul Feig of “Bridesmaids” and “Spy,” and co-written and co-starring Emma Thompson, whose brilliant talents have graced and elevated movie after movie. — Michael Phillips
“The Good Liar”
R, 1:49, mystery
This twisty little tete-a-tete is a fine vehicle for its charming British stars, but it’s potentially the politest, gentlest movie about a scammer ever. Although Roy (Ian McKellen) and Betty (Helen Mirren) admit to embellishing a thing or two on their first dates, Roy’s just a bit too ingratiating. Betty is a wounded widow with grace, but that’s not her true nature. The movie takes its sweet time to pick up steam and pulls its punches in places where it could have been even darker and more daring. However, there’s more twist where that twist comes from, and director Bill Condon carefully lays out the pieces of the mystery with his accomplished actors. — Katie Walsh