A critical consensus

An assessment of current motion pictures by major American film critics. Film criticism is rated on a scale of 10 (excellent) to 1 (poor). Criticism not available at press time will be reflected in future columns. Hereditary

The Rider

Who We Are Now

Pandas

Isle of Dogs

A Quiet Place

First Reformed

The Guardians

Summer 1993

Let the Sunshine In Disobedience

Tully

After Auschwitz Revenge

Mountain

RBG

Beast Chappaquiddick Avengers: Infinity War Blockers

The Gospel According to Andre Boom for Real

Breath

The Desert Bride

Bye Bye Germany

Ready Player One Upgrade

On Chesil Beach

Pope Francis: A Man of His Word Deadpool 2

American Animals

The Seagull R R * G PG-13 PG-13 R R *

* R R * R * PG R PG-13 PG-13 R PG-13 *

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* PG-13 R R PG R R PG-13 1 8 1 8 11 9 9 3 2 6 6 9 5 4 4 5 4 9 6 9 1 3 1 3 5 10 1 2 3 3 1 3 8.7 8.6 8.4 8.3 8.2 8.2 8.1 8.0 8.0 7.8 7.7 7.7 7.6 7.6 7.5 7.3 7.2 7.0 6.9 6.9 6.9 6.8 6.8 6.8 6.7 6.7 6.7 6.6 6.6 6.5 6.4 6.4 Always at the Carlyle Solo: A Star Wars Story Lu Over the Wall

Adrift

Son of Bigfoot

102 Not Out

The Cleanse Anything

Measure of a Man

In Darkness

Book Club

Mary Shelley

Racer and the Jailbird A Wrinkle in Time

Bad Samaritan

How to Talk to Girls at Parties I Feel Pretty

Life of the Party Overboard

Rampage

Social Animals

I Can Only Imagine Super Troopers 2 Breaking In

Sherlock Gnomes

Truth or Dare Terminal

Action Point

Show Dogs

Dark Crimes

Future World PG-13 PG-13 PG PG-13 PG PG R R PG-13

* PG-13 PG-13 R PG R R PG-13 PG-13 PG-13 PG-13 R PG-13 R PG-13 PG PG-13 * R PG R R 2 2 4 1 5 2 5 3 4 2 3 2 4 13 5 2 7 4 5 7 1 12 7 4 11 8 4 1 3 3 1 6.3 6.3 6.2 6.1 6.1 6.0 5.9 5.8 5.7 5.6 5.4 5.3 5.3 5.2 4.9 4.8 4.7 4.7 4.6 4.5 4.4 4.2 4.2 4.1 4.0 3.9 3.6 3.4 3.2 2.7 2.3 How to Talk to Girls at Parties John Cameron Mitchell wrote and directed this story about a musician, living in Britain during the peak period of punk rock, who falls in love with a visiting space alien (Elle Fanning). Though the film has about five good minutes re-creating the look and feel of the punk era, the movie falls flat, not funny as comedy, not compelling as romance and dead as drama. Rated R. 102 minutes. — M. LaSalle

KLA Kid Like Jake Wellintended but overwrought, this film about a little boy who likes dressing in skirts shows too little of the child and too much of his mother, played by Claire Danes in just-about-to-lose-it mode. The mother supports her son but gets edgy when anyone mentions his nongender-conforming behavior. At its best, the film presents a child exploring activities that do not align with typical gender roles as natural and organic. Not rated. 92 minutes.

— C. Meyer

NLet the Sunshine In A brilliant observed and beautifully acted character study from director Claire Denis and actress Juliette Binoche, the film tells the story of an artist in her 50s, looking for a stable romantic relationship. Rated R. 94 minutes. In French with English subtitles.

LLife of the Party Melissa McCarthy’s latest — about a mother who attends the same college as her daughter, following a divorce — has some big laughs, but it’s dragged down by an excessively sentimental treatment of the title character, played by McCarthy. Rated PG-13. 105 minutes.

— M. LaSalle

MLives Well Lived This unapologetically sunny documentary gathers dozens of senior citizens for their insights about how to enjoy a long, happy life. The truth is, there are few insights here, but these folks are so endearing that it keeps the film humming along. Not rated. 72 minutes. — D. Lewis

N— M. LaSalle

Love & Bananas: An Elephant Story Actress Ashley Bell’s

documentary on the plight of Asian elephants and one woman’s battle to save them, especially a 70-year-old partially blind elephant named Noi Na, is passionate, angering, heartwarming and ultimately uplifting. Not rated. 75 minutes. — G. Allen Johnson

LMary Shelley As starched British dramas about literary figures go, this biopic about the author of “Frankenstein” has its moments. But the movie doesn’t illuminate the author’s creative drive and ultimately doesn’t tell us any more than what we’d find in an encyclopedia entry. Still, Mary Shelley’s world was interesting, and that alone carries the movie a fair distance. Rated PG-13. 120 minutes.

— M. LaSalle

MMountain This Australian documentary by Jennifer Peedom (“Sherpa”) offers breathtaking footage of some of the world’s highest peaks and the daredevils who set out to conquer them. It’s accompanied by a score performed by the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and narration (delivered by Willem Dafoe) that’s sometimes overwrought. Not rated. 74 minutes. — W. Addiego Ocean’s 8 This continuation of the “Ocean’s” series, with Sandra Bullock as Debbie Ocean, is a big shiny cubic zirconia of a movie. The film can be lots of fun — with its well-cast female leads, patriarchy-breaking vibe and creative central heist. But there is something slightly off, partly in the pacing and also in the concept. It’s a slightly diminished copy, not a bold new direction. Rated PG-13. 110 minutes.

— P. Hartlaub

LLOn Chesil Beach This is a thoroughly bizarre film, based on the book by Ian McEwen, about a young British couple, in 1962. Their courtship is told in flashback, as they proceed to have one of the most awkward wedding nights in history. There was room here for a great comedy, but this is the soberest of dramas. Starring Saoirse Ronan and Billy Howle. Rated R. 110 minutes. — M. LaSalle

NPope Francis: A Man of His Word A compelling documentary about this remarkable pontiff, who has riled some and enthralled others with his plainly and directly expressed views, including that the Roman Catholic Church should be a “poor church for the poor.” He has also spoken out on environmental issues. The film was directed by Wim Wenders. Rated PG. 96 minutes.

— W. Addiego

MA Quiet Place This is a new spin on sci-fi horror. Emily Blunt and John Krasinski are parents trying to protect themselves and their children from alien invaders that hunt by sound. So they have to remain very, very quiet at all times. Genuinely scary and original. Directed by Krasinski. Rated PG-13. 90 minutes. — M. LaSalle

MRBG Even most people who are disposed to admire Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg are unfamiliar with her background and personal story. This documentary sets the record straight, positing Ginsburg as the Thurgood Marshall of feminist jurisprudence. It’s an entertaining and uplifting documentary. Rated PG. 97 minutes. — M. LaSalle

MThe Rider Intense and elegaic, this is a character study of a young rodeo cowboy of Lakota heritage who has suffered a devastating accident — he was trampled by a horse during a competition, and now has a steel plate in his head. He has been told his riding days are over. The film remarkably melds documentary and fictional elements — the